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The news for Republicans keeps getting worse and worse. Not only did they get trashed in the last election, but now Americans clearly favor Democratic solutions, policies and its president over anything the GOP has to offer. After a momentary change on immigration most Conservative ideas have remained unchanged. That's not too good for Rove, Kochs, the tea or the GOP Congress.
President Obama starts his second term with a clear upper hand over GOP leaders on issues from guns to immigration that are likely to dominate the year, a USA TODAY/Pew Research Center Poll finds. On the legislation rated most urgent — cutting the budget deficit — even a majority of Republican voters endorse Obama's approach of seeking tax hikes as well as spending cuts.The survey underscores the quandary for the GOP as it debates the party's message in the wake of disappointing losses last November for the White House and in the Senate.Now just 22% of Americans, nearly a record low, consider themselves Republicans.
President Barack Obama's approval rating has hit a three-plus-year high, while the approval rating of Congressional Republicans has sunk to a corresponding low, according to a new poll from Bloomberg.
The poll shows that Obama's approval rating has jumped to 55 percent, its highest point since September 2009 in Bloomberg's tracking. Meanwhile, only 35 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of Congressional Republicans, the lowest since September 2009.Meanwhile, a new Pew Research Center poll finds similar numbers — Obama's approval rating sits at 51 percent, while only 25 percent of respondents approved of Congressional Republicans.
Kos dives under the tabs and finds that Americans who identify as Republicans has dropped to a meager 24%:
The hits just keep on coming for the GOP, huh? Looking at the crosstabs, I actually calculate the number of self-identified at 24 percent, but that still means less than a quarter call themselves Republican. That compares to 31 percent Democrat, and 40 percent independent. (For comparison's sake, the 2012 presidential exit poll ended up 38 percent Democratic, 32 percent Republican, 29 percent independent or something else.)
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It's not just that few Americans want to align themselves with the Republican Party, but they are also losing independents. I know it's a lot to ask for, but if Democrats can resist the urge to f*ck things up, 2014 could start shaping up quite nicely.
And our C&L pal Steve Benen finds more alarming news for Boehner.
This poll suggests the GOP isn't just wrong, its understanding of public attitudes is the exact opposite of reality. The public is prepared to hold Republicans responsible for this self-inflicted wound that will undermine the economy, the military, and public needs. The one thing the GOP is counting on -- avoiding blame at all costs -- is already failing miserably.
Indeed, looking ahead, voters were asked, "What should be the focus of steps to reduce the deficit?" A whopping 76% majority said there should be a combination of spending cuts and new revenue. Only 19% of the public -- fewer than one in five -- agrees with the Republicans cuts-only approach. Given the number of Americans who self-identify as members of the GOP, this suggests the Republican Party has failed to even persuade some of its own voters.Wait, it gets even worse for Republicans (and better for Democrats).
On specific issues, the same poll found that Americans side with President Obama over the GOP on who has the better approach to reducing the deficit, who's right on reducing gun violence, who has the better plan to deal with immigration, and by a huge margin, who's better on the climate crisis.What's the good news for Republicans in these new national polls? There is no good news for Republicans in these new national polls.
Now I never get too crazed about this type of data for the long term because politics is such a fluid ecosystem, but hopefully the Obama administration will take this data to heart and become stronger negotiators since the GOP is stuck with a jack high hand while Dems are holding a full boat. And if they play their cards right and not have any major scandals they can keep a winning hand up until 2014.
