A Morning Consult poll found that the findings of the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol may not change many minds about voting. In fact, 47 percent said it would have no impact at all, while 31 percent said it would be a major influence, and 22 percent said it would have some. However, this is without knowing what those results may be.
The anticipation is that the committee will find Donald Trump responsible for the death, destruction, and danger to democracy. That being the case, one would think that a large majority would say that the actual results will have an impact.
COMMITTEE SEEN AS POLITICAL
The main problem with the committee appears to be how it was established. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Republicans to recommend members, but then rejected two of the members, claiming that they have no interest in the truth, and would only be there to disrupt things. She tried to accept the remaining members who were recommended, but Republicans then withdrew all names, so they could say the committee was merely a Democratic venture. Republican House Leader, Kevin McCarthy promised to assemble his own investigation—which never occurred.
The final committee membership was somewhat bi-partisan, in that it included Republicans Liz Cheney (Wyoming) and Adam Kinzinger (Illinois), but the two of them are now viewed by Trump loyalists in the same way most Democrats view Senators Joe Manchin (West Virginia) and Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona): turncoats, at best, self-serving hacks at worst. The two Dems are even attracting massive GOP campaign contributions.
The political viewpoint is illustrated when people mention Pelosi in conjunction with the committee, with 76% of Democrats, 43% of Independents, and only 16% of Republicans approving of the committee.
HOWEVER, COMMITTEE POSITIVELY VIEWED
Without mentioning Pelosi, the committee fares better, even among Republicans
About 40 percent of Republicans indicated they approve of the special investigative body in a new POLITICO/Morning Consult survey. . .
Support for the matter was greater among Democrats (82 percent in favor) and self-identified independents (58 percent). Overall, three-fifths of those surveyed backed the Jan. 6 committee, and two-thirds said it was important that the federal government probe the events surrounding the attack on the Capitol.
TRUMP HELD RESPONSIBLE
When it comes to culpability—even before hearing the investigation results—Trump and his supporters are soundly blamed.
Survey respondents also overwhelmingly. . . 59 percent — said that Trump was either “very” or “somewhat” responsible for the events that led a mob of people to descend upon Congress and temporarily halt certification of Joe Biden’s victory. . .
[Likewise, a majority] believe that Trump’s supporters were to blame for breaching the Capitol on Jan. 16, 62 percent to 14 percent.
In this case, a full 33 percent of Republicans agree with the view, along with 83 percent of Democrats, and most notably, a solid majority, 58 percent of Independents.
MEDIA ALSO TO BLAME
Perhaps the most surprising finding of the survey was that news and social media were also blamed for whipping up the hysteria on January 6. While 69 percent blame Trump personally, at least to some extent, people blame the news media even more (73 percent), and social media (77 percent) contributed to the violence.
Obviously, any message can only have an impact if it is spread.
COMMITTEE IS TOO SLOW
The American people have very little patience. For example, The Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) was quite popular when the idea of expanding health care was first announced, but it took two full years to get it accomplished, with headlines of arguments all along the way, leaving many Americans a bad taste for it by the time it finally passed, although it is now almost 60-40 in favor.
The January 6 Committee is having the same problem. In the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic, with the economic and lifestyle disruptions it has caused, Americans are not pleased that the committee will spend more than a year investigating one day.
More than one-third of respondents said that the panel is not working expeditiously enough, while 25 percent said it is moving at an appropriate pace, and 11 percent think they’re going too fast.
GETTING OFF EASY
The question is, what is being done about January 6?
As for the ramifications of the violent assault on the Capitol, a plurality of voters believe that prosecutors have not gone far enough toward punishing those involved in the riot. Nearly 40 percent said that the charges are not harsh enough, while 27 percent said they were about right.
ANOTHER POLL AGREES
Meanwhile, an ABC/Ipsos poll has similar results, with 72 percent saying those involved in the attack were threatening democracy (including 45 percent of Republicans), and 58 percent thought Trump bore responsibility.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Americans want objectivity in an investigation. The fact that most Republicans refused to participate makes the results suspect to many. Would the participation of Jim Jordan (Ohio) and Jim Banks (Indiana) have turned the investigation into a circus, focusing on conspiracy theories and half-truths? Or would it have been a boisterous, but full examination of the facts? That’s what Pelosi has to ask herself. And McCarthy should wonder if he should have followed through with a parallel investigation he promised.
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