Obama Winning the Debate on Cutting the Budget Deficit...

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty
-vs- Tyranny


The Republican Party leadership, those who guide the political strategy in Washington, need to take a long look at what the public is saying. When a USA TODAY/Pew Research Center Poll shows a majority of Americans, including republicans as being more supportive of Obama's plan for cutting the deficit than their own party's plan for the future it certainly spells trouble for limited government/fiscal stability advocates. Having a good sensible plan and marketing it well is certainly something the republican leadership has failed to do, on both counts.

WASHINGTON — 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.

And those automatic spending cuts, known as the sequester, that are poised to take effect next week?

If no deal is reached to avert them, half of Americans say congressional Republicans will be more to blame. Less than a third would blame Obama first.

"On many of the issues, President Obama has staked out positions that seem to be closer to the public's thinking than the positions Republicans have staked out," says Michael Dimock, director of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. The poll is the first in a new partnership between Pew and USA TODAY. "The challenge for him is in building the public's sense of immediacy on some of these issues, particularly on climate change and guns."

Republicans have the opposite challenge. "Their focus on the deficit is in tune with the public's priorities right now," he says. "Yet their positions are not quite in step with the kind of compromises that the public tells us they want to see."

To be sure, Obama faces his own challenges.

His approval ratings for handling seven specific issues are no better than lukewarm, ranging from a low of 34% on the deficit to a high of 46% on the situation in Afghanistan. On the central issue of managing the economy, 40% approve and 56% disapprove. Americans also continue to be deeply unhappy with the country's direction. By 2-to-1, 64%-31%, they are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States.

Even so, those surveyed say by narrow margins that Obama has a better approach than congressional Republicans for dealing with the deficit and guns. By double digits, they favor his plans on immigration and climate change, including limits on emissions from power plants.

The president's overall job approval rating is 51%, a bit higher than it typically has been for the past three years. The approval rating for Republican congressional leaders is a dismal 25%. Democratic congressional leaders stand in-between, at 37%. {Read More}

Opportunity always presents itself during difficult and trying times. Given the results of this poll I'd say opportunity is knocking at the door of both the party of the elephant and the donkey alike. Of course the larger challenge rests with the republican party. Responding to the opportunity and challenge will require SIGNIFICANT change within the power base of the republican party. Something they may very well be incapable of, or unwilling to do.

Click here for the full USA TODAY/Pew Research Center Poll.

Via: Memeorandum

Comments

  1. It's too bad that such irresponsible ideas such as stealing from the people and further damaging the economy somehow gain traction and get more popular (when in fact the Federal government has near-record tax revenues, so the revenue part is handled well while it is spending that is way way out of control).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, lets see...I agree if in fact you're stealing from the people.

      Now, Bush gave great big juicy tax cuts and then proceeded to engage the nation in war, one which was justifiable, although he didn't achieve the prime objective. The other was, well, a waste of taxpayers money and essentially took out a stabilizing force in the region. In other words the region became more volatile after he took out Saddam.

      But I guess it is better to run up deficits, keep the nation on a wartime footing, all on the national credit card, and pass the problem to the next generation.? Right?

      Yep, makes perfect sense to the neocons and the MIC.

      Delete
    2. Forgot to mention, ;looking at the Obama record on martime activities and the debt he seems inclined to follow much the same path as his predecessor.

      Delete
  2. Again interesting that few comments are generated by posts such as these. Could it be that the extremes in both parties are beginning to recognize the futility and absurdity of their positions?

    As President Obama resembles GWB more with each passing month...

    ReplyDelete

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