[Iowa-dx] FW: Caucus Poll PR

[tpfeiff@earthlink.net]

Perhaps one or both of our state co-chairs might want to contact ACLU-Iowa
ED Ben Stone on this issue?

Ted Pfeiff
Scott County




> [Original Message]
> From: Ben Stone - Executive Director <ben.stone@aclu-ia.org>
> To: <tpfeiff@earthlink.net>
> Date: 10/4/2007 4:23:31 PM
> Subject: Caucus Poll PR
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  October 4, 2007		
>
> New Poll: Iowa Caucus-Goers Seek a President Who Will End Torture and
Restore the Constitution
>
> Iowa Democrats Overwhelmingly Want Next Chief Executive
> to Protect Civil Liberties, and Seek More Assertive Congress; 
> Republicans Join Democrats on Some Key Issues
>
> DES MOINES, IA (Oct. 4, 2007) - Likely Iowa caucus-goers express a strong
desire to elect a president who will do more to protect civil liberties and
the Constitution, according to a recent survey of 804 Iowa likely
caucus-goers conducted for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).  
>
> The poll also found that the vast majority of likely Iowa Democratic
caucus-goers are dissatisfied with Congress's effort to check presidential
abuses of power, and that a majority of likely Republican caucus-goers
support two key civil liberties issues. Iowa Democrats express an
overwhelming preference for a presidential candidate who will uphold the
Constitution, and Republicans oppose torture and support defining "enemy
combatants."
>
> Iowa caucus-goers want the next president to:
>
> •	End torture: "make it clear that the policy of the United States is to
oppose torture and follow the Geneva Conventions" (94 percent of Democrats,
77 percent of Republicans);
>
> •	Define "enemy combatant": "work with Congress to establish a legal
definition of 'enemy combatant' rather than leaving it up to each president
to decide" (88 percent of Democrats, 59 percent of Republicans);
>
> •	Restore habeas corpus: "restore habeas corpus rights for people held at
Guantanamo" (88 percent of Democrats, 42 percent of Republicans);
>
> •	End warrantless wiretapping: "require the government to get a court
warrant to listen to the telephone calls of people in the U.S." (84 percent
of Democrats, 46 percent of Republicans); and 
>
> •	Close Guantanamo: "close the prison at Guantanamo and schedule trials
in the U.S. courts for the terrorist suspects currently held there" (80
percent of Democrats, 33 percent of Republicans).
>
> "Candidates should not ignore the broad consensus across the partisan
divide for change in our policies," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D.
Romero.  "Congress is preparing to vote on a bill that will modernize the
domestic surveillance law, and they should use this opportunity to respond
to the mandate for change expressed by voters in this poll. Members of
Congress should take note: voters want the attacks on the Constitution to
end."  
>
> The survey also reports that Iowa Democrats are extremely disappointed
with the unwillingness of Congress to check President Bush's abuse of
power, even more so than Democrats polled nationally.  A full 83 percent of
Iowa Democrats said that Congress has not done enough to protect the
Constitution, compared with 74 percent of Democrats nationally. 
>
> "This survey shows that the overwhelming majority of Iowa Democrats, and
a substantial number of Republicans, are outraged by the president's
blatant disregard for the civil liberties of Americans," said Iowa ACLU
Executive Director Ben Stone. "It also demonstrates that they are appalled
with the lack of Congressional oversight of the Administration and furious
that Congress has given the president a blank check when it comes to
domestic spying, torture and other violations of the Constitution."
>
> The ACLU is a non-partisan organization that does not support or oppose
candidates for elective office.  The organization works with both
Republicans and Democrats in advocating protections for civil liberties. 
>
> The random sample telephone interview survey was conducted for the ACLU
by the Washington, D.C.-based polling firm of Belden Russonello & Stewart
during the Aug. 21-Sept. 9, 2007 period, and has a margin of sampling error
of plus or minus 4.9 percent.
>
> [Results from the poll are available at  
http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=1
66754140&u=1651527	 Web users can answer all the poll questions online and
compare their answers to the official poll and to other respondents in
their state.]
>
> #  #  #
>
>
>
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