More than five years ago, the Democrats in the United States were adamantly opposed to the increasing power being obtained by the executive branch of the federal government. Years later, a growing number of Democrats are now OK with it.
According to a Fox News poll conducted by Anderson Robbins Research and Shaw & Company Research, 45 percent of Americans approve of the United States government using drones to kill suspected terrorists who are U.S. citizens on U.S. soil, while 50 percent disapproved with such a policy directive.
Taking it one step further, respondents were asked if they thought it was OK if the U.S. president alone authorized the use of deadly force to kill a suspected terrorist who is a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil. Nearly two-thirds (32 percent) said it was fine, but it may surprise many that Democrats approved of it more than Republicans.
The survey found that 41 percent of Democrats said it was fine, 26 percent of Republicans approved of it and 21 percent of Independents supported the action. In total, a strong majority opposed it (63 percent): 54 percent of Democrats, 70 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Independents.
Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul has been a staunch opponent of the president’s drones program. He has consistently stated that the president is not a king and cannot put his thumb up or down to authorize an attack against an American citizen, who is suspected of being a terrorist.
“No American should be killed by a drone on American soil without first being charged with a crime, without first being found to be guilty by a court,” stated Paul last week during his historic 13-hour filibuster.
The telephone poll was conducted with 1,010 randomly selected registered U.S. voters between Feb. 25 and Feb. 27. The poll maintains a margin of error of +/- three percentage points.
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