Congress’ plans for an automaker bailout are so unpopular with voters that even a majority of union members oppose taxpayer-funded handouts for Detroit’s Big Three, a poll released Monday showed.
About 57.5 percent of self-declared union members said Congress should deny the bailout loan begged for by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, according to a poll by ATI-News/Zogby International.
Just 29 percent of union members approved of a bailout while 13 percent were not sure. Democrats split on the issue, 43 percent approving of a bailout and 41 percent disapproving, the poll showed.
The Democrat-led Congress is working feverishly on a deal for at least $15 billion in loans to keep the car companies solvent until President-elect Barack Obama takes offices.
It is less than the $35 billion the Big Three requested but still a hard sell for lawmakers to skeptical voters back home.
Overall, 61.7 percent of American voters opposed a bailout for automakers, 25.7 percent approved and 12.5 percent were undecided, the poll showed.
The poll, which was conducted Nov. 25 through Dec. 1, had a margin of error of plus-or-minus two percentage points.
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