Left Dealt Another Blow as Majority of Americans Approve of SCOTUS Affirmative Action Decision: Poll
Amid paroxysm of anguish from the political left over a Supreme Court decision that threw out race-based affirmative action programs from Harvard and the University of North Carolina, President Joe Biden implied he was speaking for the people when he vented his outrage.
On Thursday, Biden said “today’s Court decision is a severe disappointment to so many people, including me,” according to a White House transcript of his comments.
However, the majority of Americans feel differently, according to ABC.
The ABC News/Ipsos poll that used Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel found that 52 percent of those surveyed approve of the decision, while 32 percent disapprove and 16 percent offered no opinion. The poll had a margin of error 3.6 percentage points.
The poll found major fault lines dividing the nation, noting that 75 percent of Republicans and 58 percent of independents approve of the ruling, but only 26 percent of Democrats approve.
Race further separated how the decision was viewed. It should be noted that the Harvard suit originated with complaints that Asian students were treated differently, leading to discrimination.
Asians surveyed gave the decision a 58 percent approval rating, while 60 percent of whites approve of it. However, only 25 percent of blacks surveyed supported the ruling, while Hispanic Americans surveyed were split with 40 percent supporting it and 40 percent against it.
The numbers reflect what the Pew Research Center found in a spring poll that put overall disapproval of affirmative action at 50 percent and support for it at 33 percent. The poll showed affirmative action was supported by 47 percent of black respondents, 39 percent of Hispanics, 37 percent of Asians and 29 percent of whites.
The Pew survey found that 49 percent of respondents said race-based admissions make the process less fair against 20 percent who said it was more fair. The Pew Research Center poll was conducted between March 27 and April 2 with a margin of error of 1.7 percentage points, according to NBC.
The ruling drew condemnations from black Democrats.
Former President Barack Obama issued a statement in response to the ruling that said in part “for generations of students who had been systematically excluded from most of America’s key institutions — it gave us the chance to show we more than deserved a seat at the table.”
“The Court’s decision to overturn long-standing precedent of Affirmative Action is a fatal blow to equitable and accessible education for all. Failing to consider race as a factor in admissions turns a blind eye to systemic failures of academic institutions to pursue equity,” Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia said, according to ABC.
That attitude was torched by Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is seeking the GOP nomination for president, according to Fox News.
“I’m running for president because I know America can do for anyone what she has done for me. But sending the message that somehow the color of your skin means that you will not be able to achieve your goals from an educational perspective, from an income perspective or family formation, that is a lie from the pit of hell,” he said to Fox News.
“We will not be judged solely by the color of our skin,” he said. “That’s what the ruling said today. But that is the story of America. That is a story of American progress, and we can all celebrate that today.”
Scott also said getting into Harvard is not what matters.
“If we fix public education, we will make sure that every generation going forward will have access to opportunities. And oh, by the way, I’m not sure that going to an elite university is the path to prosperity. It is actually going as high as your character, your grit and your talent will take you,” Scott said.
“That means whether you go to Harvard, Charleston Southern, or whether you want to be a plumber or a welder, you too can experience your version of the American dream.”
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