Republican voters want a president who will oppose climate …
Its early, but we already have a rough sense of some of the big-picture contrasts that will drive the next presidential election.
This is an incomplete list, but Hillary Clinton will support international engagement and government action to combat climate change; an immigration reform compromise that exchanges more border security for some kind of path to legalization for the 11 million; a deal with Iran curbing its nuclear program (if one is reached); and a continuation of the movement towards universal health care set in motion by the Affordable Care Act (whatever its fate at the Supreme Court).
By contrast, by the time the eventual GOP nominee is chosen, he will probably have come out against any global climate treaty and at best hedged on domestic climate action; he will have cast serious doubt on whether he can support a real plan for legalization; he will have promised to undo any Iran nuke deal; and he will have vowed to continue the crusade for Obamacare repeal until he draws his very last breath.
Some new polling from the Washington Post and ABC News helps illustrate why this contrast will likely take shape and what it could mean for the next election.
The poll finds that on all of those issues, Republican and conservative voters are on one side, while majorities or pluralities of Americans including independents and moderates are on the other:
* Climate change: 59 percent of Americans say they want the next president to favor government action to address climate change, versus 31 percent who oppose such action. Independents favor action by 61-32, and moderates favor action by 68-23.
By contrast, Republicans tilt against government action by 55-32, and conservatives tilt against it by 55-35.
* Iran: Americans want the next president to favor a negotiated agreement with Iran, rather than oppose it, by 49-42. Independents agree by 51-40, and moderates agree by 55-37.
By contrast, Republicans favor someone who opposes agreement with Iran by 60-31, as do conservatives, by 62-32.
* Immigration: Americans want the next president to support a path to citizenship, as opposed to being against it, by 51-45. Independents agree by 52-44, and moderates agree by 53-42.
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Republican voters want a president who will oppose climate ...