by Damozel & Nicholas | If you looked at some of the right-wing blogs we read for laughs you'd never know this, but it seems that a large number of Americans are relieved to find the government in the control of the Democratic party---at least according to a CNN poll. It appears, in fact---to quote Bob Fertik at Democrats.com---that "[t]he Republican mantra that America is a center-right country that doesn't want Obama's agenda to succeed is one more Big Lie."
Here are some of the results:
In the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday, 59 percent of those questioned said Democratic control of both the executive and legislative branches will be good for the country, compared with 38 percent saying such one-party control will be bad...[CNN]
Furthermore, the public has a much more favourable view of the Democratic Party than the Republican Party.
The poll also indicates that the public has a positive view of the Democratic Party, with 62 percent saying they have a favorable opinion and 31 percent an unfavorable opinion of the party. For the Republicans, a majority, 54 percent, said they have an unfavorable view of the GOP while 38 percent hold a positive view. [CNN]
According to the article, the Republicans haven't been this unpopular since they impeached Bill Clinton. And it's not just the party---the difference extends to individual members of Congress as well, with "just 24 percent approving of how Republican leaders are handling their jobs and nearly three in four disapproving." It's a different story for Democrats.
"Democratic congressional leaders, much maligned this fall, have also seen a boost in their approval rating," [the CNN polling Director] said. "Nearly half of those polled now approve of how congressional Democrats are handling their job, up from just a third who felt that way a month ago."
Even so, the public doesn't want the Democrats to shut out the voices of Republican representatives. "But that doesn't mean the public wants to see the GOP shut out of government. Seven out of eight want the Democrats to include Republican views in any legislation they pass." [CNN]
So the argument that Americans as a people are politically "center right" seems to be mere wishful drooling on the part of Republican and Republican-leaning pundits. In fact, Eugene Robinson addressed this in The Washington Post even before the poll came out, arguing that the GOP in its current configuration is on a "bridge to nowhere."
My guess, in any event, is that this country oscillates pretty freely in the range between center-right and center-left, and that it's clearly taking a leftward swing. My guess is that in stimulating the economy, re-regulating the financial system, making "green" technology a reality and ending the war in Iraq, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Obama will feel more public pressure to speed up than slow down.
Big-spending, pork-loving Republicans in Congress who suddenly recall that they're actually budget hawks -- at a time when massive spending may be needed to keep a sharp recession from turning into an outright depression -- will find themselves steamrollered by history, I'm afraid....
One acute problem that Republicans could deal with quickly, but probably won't, is that the party is so far out of touch with the country -- especially with key sectors of the electorate -- on so many of the issues.
It would probably be a good idea for Republicans to wake up to this reality rather than sulking in their suddenly much roomier Big Tent, plotting the downfall of Barack Obama and a renewal of the fight to push the country to the far right.
Meanwhile, Democrats need to accept that they are under serious pressure to produce results.
Centrist Justin Gardner at Donklephant points out how the Democrats can lose all this good will.
The way [Dems will] squander this good will is by fighting, being disrespectful and not keeping in mind the unity and hope message that Obama ran and won on...
But if Dems can harness this good will to create bi-partisanship within the halls of power, well, you could be looking at Democratic rule for a lot longer than previously expected.
We shall see…
With respect to the current memes circulating among Republicans, Down with Tyranny would like for them to pause in their plans to rebuild the party by becoming even more extreme to consider some of the Republicans who have been defeated in this last election.
The argument that the GOP wasn't right-wing enough should be put to rest when you look at some of the losers from last week-- far right incumbents and, even more disastrously, far right would-be replacements for mainstream conservatives. New Mexico voters were no more willing to accept a kook like Darren White for Heather Wilson than Virginia voters were going to elect James Gillmore to replace John Warner....
And our favorite local Democratic victor, Alan Grayson, gets a mention:
FL-08 (Orlando and well-healed suburbs like Winter Park and Windermere gave Bush a 10 point margin in 2004 and re-elected conservative Congressman Ric Keller with a 7 point margin in 2006. This year not only did they fail to re-elect Keller (6 point spread), they elected one of the most progressive candidates running for office anywhere, Alan Grayson, someone who talked openly about impeaching Bush, jailing war profiteers and making the economic system work for average American working families, not just multimillionaires. Yes... in the middle of Florida!
DWT also suggests that they dial back the inflammatory rhetoric.
Something tells me that fascistic rantings of extremists from the KKK wing of the GOP or threats to filibuster Obama's reforms by the Republican's #2 in the Senate, or the threats to impeach Obama-- before he's even sworn in-- by deranged GOP media shills, are not going to help the Republican favorability ratings....
At the same time, Democrats would be well-advised to bear in mind that the poll shows that the people want to see meaningful bipartisan action and a balanced approach---or so we'd interpret the wish expressed that the Democrats listen to the views of Republicans.
Don't get us wrong---we aren't big on reaching across the aisle when the GOP has been wrong about so much for so long. But Obama needs to pay attention to what the people want.
Allahpundit at Hot Air says ruefully:
[N]eedless to say, much depends on how sturdy the blue trend is among younger voters. I remember seeing a graph in the Times, I think, around two years ago showing that people’s party identification at age 20 proves remarkably resilient over time: Essentially, if the GOP’s in favor when you reach that age, the odds of you becoming — and staying — a Republican are much greater than if the Dems are in power and vice versa. (I can’t find the graph after 20 minutes of googling, sad to say.) Which I guess means that if The One and the Dems manage to avoid doing anything nutty too soon to spoil the goodwill, they should have a dependable blue youth base to carry forward for years to come.
More blogger reaction at Memeorandum.
RECENT BUCK NAKED POLITICS POSTINGS
Waxman Wants Executive Pay Data from Banks Receiving Bailout Funds
Sleight of Hand: Bush Admin. Quietly Funneled Money to Banks -- in Addition to $700 Billion Bailout?
Intelligence Officers Hayden & McConnell Think Obama will Fire Them: WaPo Thinks it's Just Politics?
Waxman Looking into Waste & Abuse re: Medicare Part D Drug Pricing
Hollow Laugh of the Day: Georgia Congressman Fears Obama Dictatorship
Lieberman Watch Part 3: Obama Wants Lieberman to Remain in Caucus
Comments