Americans divided on help for automakers

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Americans are divided over whether the U.S. government should help the nation's auto companies stay in business, a poll indicates.

A Gallup Poll shows that while 60 percent of Democrats in favor of government assistance to the Big Three automakers, while 65 percent of Republicans are opposed.

The poll found that independents are more likely to oppose than to favor government assistance to General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler.

The poll follows legislation signed by President George W. Bush that pledged up to $700 billion aimed at easing the credit crisis that placed large U.S. financial institutions in peril.

So far, the Bush administration has resisted attempts to use some of that $700 billion to help the U.S. automotive companies.

The poll of 1,009 national adults, aged 18 and older, was conducted Nov. 13-16. The maximum margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.