Poll: Majorities of Pa. voters support Biden’s ‘Build Back’ agenda | Wednesday Morning Coffee

Good Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

Majorities of Pennsylvania voters say they support President Joe Biden’s multi-trillion dollar effort to reshape the post-pandemic American economy, marking the first significant public pulse-taking on the White House’s agenda in a critical 2022 battleground state.

Forty-five percent of all respondents to the poll by Data for Progress, a progressive polling organization, said they ‘strongly supported’ the administration’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, the COVID aid package that put $1,400 checks in Americans’ bank accounts and drove out hundreds of billions of dollars in assistance to state and local governments, including Pennsylvania.

Thirty percent of all respondents said they ‘somewhat supported’ the aid package, while 22 percent ‘strongly’ or ‘somewhat’ opposed it.

The poll does track with national surveys, including a March Gallup poll showing 63 percent of Americans approved of the COVID bailout package, The Hill reported.

As was the case with that March Gallup poll, the Data for Progress canvass shows stronger support among Democrats for Biden’s initiatives than among Republicans.

The poll of 631 likely voters was conducted from April 30 to May 5. It has a margin of error of 4 percent.

Democratic respondents to the poll expressed stronger support for Biden’s now $1.7 trillion infrastructure package, with two-thirds of Democrats strongly supporting the proposal, compared to 14 percent of Republicans.

Among all state voters, nearly four in 10 (39 percent) expressed strong support, compared to 35 percent who said they ‘somewhat’ supported its provisions. Twenty-two percent of all respondents said they strongly or somewhat opposed the infrastructure package. Pollsters said they made it clear the plan would be paid for by raising taxes on large corporations.

Democratic respondents similarly rallied around Biden’s ‘American Families Plan,’ a $1.8 trillion proposal that calls for, among other things, reforming childcare, education and paid family leave. Nearly two-thirds of Democratic respondents (64 percent) said they strongly supported the proposal. Republican respondents narrowly split (46-47 percent) when they were asked whether they supported the plan.

Our Stuff.
House Republicans fired the opening salvoes of the 2022 culture wars on Tuesday, approving bills expanding gun rights and restricting and banning access to abortion. Stephen Caruso and Marley Parish have the details.

Also on Tuesday, House Republicans approved, along party lines, an a la carte emergency declaration for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf in a committee vote Tuesday.

A year after George Floyd’s killing by a Minneapolis police officer, his family returned to Washington, D.C., where lawmakers have been attempting to craft a bipartisan bill to overhaul the nation’s policing laws, Capital-Star Washington Reporter Laura Olson writes.

Congressional Democrats are scrutinizing state elections laws for their effect on minority voters, Capital-Star Washington Reporter Ariana Figueroa writes.

This Pittsburgh ice cream parlor pays $15/hr, filled all its positions, and didn’t raise prices. Our partners at Pittsburgh City Paper explain how it happened.

On our Commentary Page this morning, opinion regular Bruce Ledewitz says those constitutional amendments were aimed at the Pa. Supreme Court as much as they were at Gov. Tom Wolf. And two experts say that if you want to change capitalism, you have to change higher education first.

Elsewhere.
The Inquirer looks at the ‘stark’ racial divide on vaccines as the state reopens.
From the Post-Gazette, here’s how Pittsburgh observed the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death.
Here’s how Lancaster County residents observed the anniversary – from LancasterOnline.
PennLive looks at the spread of misinformation as the state works to get 70 percent of the population vaccinated and lift its face mask requirement.
Luzerne County Council has asked the district attorney to investigate problems with the May 18 primary, the Citizens’ Voice reports.
Pennsylvania’s Amish residents are using herd immunity as a reason to not get vaccinated, the York Daily Record reports (paywall).

Here’s your #Philadelphia Instagram of the Day:

 

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A post shared by Amanda Mae (@amanda_vogoals)

WHYY-FM looks at how organized labor is pressing for racial justice on the anniversary of George Floyd’s death.
New videos appear to show state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, was closer to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 than he first said, WHYY-FM also reports.
U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-7th District, has ruled out a 2022 Senate bid, PoliticsPa reports.
More states are considering the automatic expungement of criminal records, Stateline.org reports.
Roll Call profiles U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who’s emerged as a dealmaker on infrastructure funding.

What Goes On.
The House and Senate come in at 11 a.m. today. As ever, here’s a look at the day’s committee and events schedule.
9 a.m., Senate Chamber: Senate State Government Committee
9:30 a.m., 515 Irvis North: House Appropriations and Consumer Affairs committee
9:30 a.m., 60EW: House Finance Committee
9:30 a.m., 523 Irvis: House Local Government Committee
9:30 a.m., Hearing Room 1, North Office Building: Senate Labor & Industry Committee
10 a.m, Capitol Steps: Rally for the dignity of incarcerated women
10: 30 a.m., Soldiers Grove: Rally for funding for people with intellectual disabilities
10:30 a.m, G50 Irvis: House Commerce Committee
10:30 a.m., 205 Ryan: House Education Committee
11:30 a.m., LG’s Porch: House Republicans on lobbying reform
12:30 p.m., Media Center: Dept. of State releases its Inspector General’s report on the failure to advertise the constitutional amendment for sexual abuse survivors
4 p.m., Hearing Room 1, North Office Building: Legislative Reapportionment Commission
Off the Floor, Senate Chamber: Senate Law & Justice Committee
Call of the Chair: House Appropriations Committee

What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition).
7:30 a.m.: Breakfast for Sen. John DiSanto
8 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Dan Deasy
8 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Joe Webster
8 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Rick Krajewski
Ride the circuit, and give at the max today, and you’re out a ridiculous $10,000 today.

WolfWatch.
Gov. Tom Wolf heads to Lancaster County this morning for a 10 a.m. event where he’ll call for a minimum wage hike.

You Say It’s Your Birthday Dept.
Best wishes go out this morning to WITF-FM Radio SmartTalk host Scot LaMar, who celebrates today. Congratulations and enjoy the day, sir.

Heavy Rotation.
Here’s a great new single from a new band called Transistor. It’s ‘Pounding the Pavement.’

Wednesday’s Gratuitous Hockey Link.
Carolina regained its series lead over Nashville on Tuesday night, beating the Preds 3-2 in OT. The ‘Canes’ Jordan Staal scored the game-winner, while forward Martin Necas had two goals.

And now you’re up to date.