A new Gallup poll shows that 74 percent of Americans would vote to allow women to serve in direct combat positions; just 20 percent of Americans would oppose such a law. There was virtually no gender gap; 76 percent of women supported such a move, while 73 percent of men did as well. Both Democrats and Republicans supported opening up combat jobs to women, with 83 percent of Democrats behind the proposition, as well as 70 percent of Republicans.
The poll did not, however, cover what current front-line military members think about such a proposition. As America moves further and further away from a time when a large percentage of Americans served in the military, more and more Americans are willing to play politics with the military – especially when polling firms do not ask Americans their opinions regarding lowered standards, a measure that will surely follow any attempt to allow women into combat positions.