FISM News

Poll finds majority of Americans think Biden isn’t being ‘tough enough’ on Russia

by mcardinal

Chris Lange, FISM News

 

A new Quinnipiac poll shows that a majority of Americans think President Biden has not been tough enough in dealing with Russia over its war on Ukraine.

The study found that 57% of Americans say the administration’s measures to punish Russia for its brutal campaign against its sovereign neighbor are not strong enough, while 29% say the response is “about right” and 3% say it is too tough. Along party lines, 80% of Republicans and 56% of independents feel the president needs to take a stronger stance against the Kremlin. Democrats are split, with 44% saying sanctions and other measures the administration has taken so far are not strong enough, with 47% concluding they are about right, and 2% indicating they are too tough. 

Quinnipiac notes that a “plurality” of Americans (45%) overall feel the U.S. is doing too little to help Ukraine.

From his “minor incursion” gaffe to weeks of ineffective diplomacy talks with Russia, Biden has come under heavy criticism for his response leading up to the crisis in Ukraine. Republican lawmakers on numerous occasions have suggested that the president’s mounting domestic and foreign policy failures, including his administration’s disastrous mismanagement of the Afghanistan withdrawal, have served to embolden Putin – and potentially other bad actors, including Chinese President Xi – to pursue their dangerous global agendas.

The president has also been called out for initially attempting to block sanctions against Russia then meting out punishments many perceive as being weak and ineffective.

Biden has also come under fire for effectively pumping money into the Kremlin’s war machine by refusing to place embargoes on Russian energy. The United States imported more gasoline and petroleum products from Russia than any other country in 2021, according to Forbes, accounting for 21% of all American gasoline imports.

The U.S. consumes around 670,000 barrels of Russian oil per day, at a cost of roughly $74.61 to $76.38 per barrel, according to GlobalPetrol. GOP lawmakers have been urging the President to ease restrictions on oil and gas leases in the U.S. and reopen the Keystone pipeline in order to halt oil and gas imports from Russia.

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