Obama’s job approval rating among independent voters stands at just 39%; 50% disapprove of the president’s job performance. Still, Obama’s rating among independent voters is higher than George W. Bush’s was in September 2006 (29% approve/57% disapprove). – Pew Poll
When Republicans took out Tom Daschle they did it with John Thune. Today, Tea Party activists have managed to nominate a shrill extremist in Nevada, with majority leader Harry Reid still not able to take her out. From the LVRJ:
The poll for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and 8NewsNow also found nonpartisan voters breaking Angle’s way, giving her a 20-point lead over Reid among these Nevadans who are likely to determine the outcome of the high stakes race.
“The independents have shifted to her by the biggest margin since the primary,” said Brad Coker of Mason Dixon Polling & Research, which conducted the survey. “If she goes on to win this, maybe this is the first sign that at the end of the day Angle might nose it out.”
The shift of Independents was also seen in the recent Pew Poll. That they’re also tilting more conservative is another unfortunate result of the first 20 months of Obama’s presidency.
All things considered, support for the Republicans and political energy among independents is closely linked to disillusionment with Obama’s policies and the president himself. Fully 69% of independent voters who say Obama’s policies have made the economy worse favor the Republican candidate in their district — and 80% say they will definitely vote. Disapproval of the president’s job performance, anger at the federal government and opposition to the health care legislation also are closely associated with support for Republican candidates. Independents who express these views also are highly likely to vote.
Fueling all of this is the catastrophic failure of Obama’s health care law, an issue Democrats were right to take up, but which they botched thoroughly. It’s likely why Democrats aren’t hailing the commemoration of its signing, while Sarah Palin has launched another attack via FB, dragging out “death panels,” the phrase that hijacked Obama’s message and sent health care into a tailspin downward.
How the White House allowed Sarah Palin to best them on messaging is something for which David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel and the entire political team at 1600 should have to answer. It was the jet engine of Palin’s rise, which has continued unabated, because the Obama White House underestimated her, preferring instead to laugh, while she just kept slamming all things Democratic. Now every time she cites health care with her Tea Party pals it revs up the big engine again, which is also driven by Independents, even if they don’t think Sarah Palin is remotely qualified to be president. It hardly matters when she’s not on the midterm ballot, with anger looking for an outlet.
Palin has also launched a website, TakeBackthe20, which targets 20 House seats “they won,” complete with crosshairs, taking on representatives who voted for health care.
It’s incomprehensible why Obama and Democrats aren’t acknowledging the Tea Party’s anger, which is shared by many Independents, simply saying, We get it and this is what we’re going to do about it. Instead, David Axelrod is making the silly argument that fighting for middle class tax cuts, while repealing the Bush tax cuts for the top 2%, isn’t necessary because voters know where Democrats stand.
The Pew Poll levels a final damaging assessment on Democrats that matters more than any other. Stunningly, Independent voters polled believe Republicans are better at “managing the government.”
On perhaps the most important measure of performance — managing the government — more independent voters currently now say the Republican Party could do better, by 42% to 31%. In 2006, by about the same margin (38% to 26%), more independent voters said the Democratic Party could better manage the federal government.
We all know that Republicans not only don’t respect government, but botch the management of it when they get in office. So, the incompetence that Obama and Democrats have illustrated, particularly on messaging, since Obama was elected, which came with great enthusiasm and hope, really is the most damaging assessment on the un-Democratic competence meter of Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the entire 111th Congress.
The final nail was punting on middle class tax cuts. Leaving the only reason to vote Democratic is the other guy is worse. Since most likely voters don’t believe that’s true it makes the last month before midterms a hard sell, because Democrats haven’t given people a reason to tilt in their direction once everyone really starts paying attention. If minorities decide to sit out the election, because Pres. Obama isn’t on the ballot, the white tide of fury may end up being the final weight on the scale.
Perfectly said Taylor. It’s amazing more people aren’t screaming bloody murder at such incompetence, cowardice and spinelessness. As always we are letting them get away with it.
I tell you, we are the enablers. WE go back to saying: they are all we have, or, the republicans are worse. Very soon, we’ll pick one, and we’ll say did you hear what so and so said? WOW! Isn’t he or she is terrific? No they are not, they are a democrat. Spineless.
Is there anything these people believe in anymore?
I think more people are screaming, though probably not enough to move what’s Left of the Dems, or my preference, move out of the two party option.
Independents have moved right, along with Obama’s rightward leadership of Dems, which is further witnessed by leaders protecting conservative Dems over the interests of middle class tax fight, leaving the base completely disgusted. The net result being likely voters on Left may sit out the election, which has always been the fear.
Boxer is up, thank the gods; with Murray doing a bit better too. But imagine if Gillibrand loses; if Feingold goes down; if Linda McMahon wins; and if Pennsylvania goes Republican. What if Cuomo doesn’t rebound, with his campaign getting a fricking clue??? Cuomo losing to Paladino would be crushing.
Can I say, I really respect Murray. If Murray goes, I’m not sure who would take over fighting for women in the Senate. Murray & HRC worked hand in hand to fight off Bush on Title IX and Plan B.
Also, love the fact that she recently had her aids reiterate that she’d welcome a vote on taxes BEFORE the election.
Yep, the independent move to the right is obviously happening. I think a part of this includes all those people who have given up on the whole process, including independents who lean in the left direction. And probably a good number of the young, first time voters.
“The final nail ….” TM
I’ll bet the builders of the Democratic Party have a bag filled with more nails, which they will use in further construction of the right of center planks …
Meanwhile, the Reps whistle while the work their hammers and nails on the further to the right planks.
Republican candidates have gingerly began attacking Democrats for their lack of “cojones”. Sarah Palin indirectly attacked Obama’s manhood; here in NY the Republican candidate for Governor has a new poster directly attacking the Democrat stating “NO COJONES”.
This will catch on as the new meme for the “pusillanimous” Democrats. And I personally hope it does. My own maxim is:
Republicans are evil; Democrats are spineless.
I hope Reid is defeated. It seems the only way to get him out of the Senate Majority Leader position (except for losing the Senate….)
Reid postpones the middle class tax cut vote to help a bunch of Blue Dog Democrats try to keep their seats…but the Blue Dogs will probably vote for tax cuts for the rich. That approach tells me that the politicians simply operate to keep their jobs, not to advance policy issues. Why should I spend money, time, or even my vote, for THAT?
@JoeBeets 11:09 AM
Agreed.
Consequent on the myriad of senate rules one senator can make a difference. One. Recently, we saw Crazy Jim Bunning stir up a hornets nest pissing off both his Republican and Democratic colleagues because he was opposed to extending unemployment benefits. Later on, his Republican friends warmed to the idea and they too jumped on this bandwagon.
My point is, that even if spineless Harry Reid wanted to cave on the middle class tax cut vote, any number of Democrats, if they were genuinely opposed to the idea — Boxer, Murray, Harkin, Feingold, Gillibrand, Durbin — could have broken ranks & raised holy hell in the senate, and probably forced some sort of showdown. Instead, like sheep the all followed the leader.
So, in my very humble opinion, one is as bad as the next. They are all worthless. We have no Bunnings, or DeMints on our side; just a bunch of pathetic and timid people who are scared of their shadows and cave at the first sign of pressure or opposition. Everyone of them.
“None of the above” may save Reid. It did against Ensign.
It’s like Bill Clinton said,”the people will chose strong and wrong over weak and right every time.” Of course now we have weak and wrong. Could it get any worse? Yes, and it will if the rethugs take over.
Richard Hauss was on MJ this morning saying that in his private conversations with people from all over the world this week the question he keeps getting asked is if he thinks the american political class is capable of solving our problems? I think we know the answer to that.
So Bill Clinton predicts that the people will choose the GOP, since they are strong and wrong. How will that be worse than weak Dems who not only punt at the drop of a hat, but actually CONTINUE the worst Bush era policies?
If the Dems are in the minority, then at least they can try to hold back the GOP train, instead of capitulating to it as they have done now.
It will be worse because this new crop of rethugs coming in want to dismantle the New Deal and as you said the crop of Dems we have now are weak, what makes you think they will do any fighting off?
I would like to lose the blue dogs anyway and they are the ones at risk for the most part. Maybe if we get down to real liberals they will fight.
@ LL 8:56 PM
“Maybe if we get down to real liberals they will fight.”
IMO, sadly no. Nothing stops a fighter from fighting. In other words, if they were fighters, they would fight right now when it counts.
Do you think Obama would veto any dismantling of Medicare, healthcare, or Social Security? And if he does, will there be any pushback from the left?
Axelrod only know one tune and it is not working,he is a failure.
I can’t wait for Axelrod to leave…I never could stand that guy. The way he treated Hillary after she helped his sick daughter did NOT win me over!
…And meanwhile Democratic Chairwoman Lofgren invites Stephen Colbert to testify on her subcommittee. Glad to have everyone discuss the meaning of packing or unpacking corn.
Wonder why the Dems are having an Independents problem?
The dems are caving in. Yep, I left th democratic party this year to become independent. People are so sick and tired of them caving to everything. The democratic establishment talks down the their voters and its no wonder why the base is so ticked off. Independents are the fastest growing political base in the country right now. I am sure there going to get larger !!
Democrats and Obama picked a great year to fuck up, during a redistricting election. Why couldnt have we have had this wave against us in 2008?
As a result of this, Republicans will probably lock down the House for a generation and Obama will simply have to govern by veto for the rest of his Presidency.
Whoever thought that nominating and electing Obama in 2008 was a good idea ought to get a smack upside their head.
Welcome to a decade of having orange man as Speaker of the House.
I think the governors do redistricting,we should watch those races.They all colluded last time so now we only have a few competitive districts.
And Democrats are getting destroyed in governorships. The big states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio are gone and Democrats will be damn lucky to partially compensate by winning California and Florida.
I think that was the plan…Rove and Brazille worked together to screw Hillary. The rethugs are just as responsible for getting this fool elected as the stupid Dims.