Confidence In GOP Is At New Low in Poll

[dennis_t]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/16/AR2006051601264.html

Public confidence in GOP governance has plunged to the lowest levels of the Bush presidency, with Americans saying by wide margins that they now trust Democrats more than Republicans to deal with Iraq, the economy, immigration and other issues, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll that underscores the GOP's fragile grip on power six months before the midterm elections.

Dissatisfaction with the administration's policies in Iraq has overwhelmed other issues as the source of problems for President Bush and the Republicans. The survey suggests that pessimism about the direction of the country -- 69 percent said the nation is now off track -- and disaffection with Republicans have dramatically improved Democrats' chances to make gains in November.

Democrats are now favored to handle all 10 issues measured in the Post-ABC News poll. The survey shows a majority of the public, 56 percent, saying they would prefer to see Democrats in control of Congress after the elections.

 

[alonzomourning23]

http://img54.imageshack.us/my.php?image.jpg

 

[RedvsBlue]

... and it all comes tumbling down.

It had to catch up with them eventually and the midterm elections should be all that more amusing now.

 

[E-Z-B]

Voters have short memories, and November is a long way off...

 

[mykevermin]

I still think that gauging satisfaction in "congress" or one party doesn't really get at voters to a perfect degree. In particular, because, with congressional voting, people may be angry with a party, but will not see their congressional reps as part of the problem - it's everyone *else's* reps. So, if that happens to be the case, then the Dems will have little gain this fall.

Truly, the only noteworthy thing in that article, or at least the one I looked at this morning, was that more Americans trusted Dems than Republicans in handling the military/the various wars we're fighting.

Some of you must know how amazingly shocking that is to find a majority of Americans thinking that. To those of you who may not follow politics and don't grasp what a huge momentum shift in favor of Democrats this is, this is the political equivalent of Sony announcing a $99 price point for the PS3.

 

[elprincipe]

[quote name='mykevermin']I still think that gauging satisfaction in "congress" or one party doesn't really get at voters to a perfect degree. In particular, because, with congressional voting, people may be angry with a party, but will not see their congressional reps as part of the problem - it's everyone *else's* reps. So, if that happens to be the case, then the Dems will have little gain this fall.[/quote]

Excellent point. Voters in general may be fed up with all the Republican scandals and the way they've handled everything from Iraq to Medicare, but it's someone else's Republican rep who's the problem and theirs is good and wise. This phenomenon is why Congress always has very, very low approval ratings, yet incumbents win 99% reelection.

[quote name='mykevermin']Truly, the only noteworthy thing in that article, or at least the one I looked at this morning, was that more Americans trusted Dems than Republicans in handling the military/the various wars we're fighting.

Some of you must know how amazingly shocking that is to find a majority of Americans thinking that. To those of you who may not follow politics and don't grasp what a huge momentum shift in favor of Democrats this is, this is the political equivalent of Sony announcing a $99 price point for the PS3.[/QUOTE]

That is absolutely incredible, really incredible. If I were a Republican that would bother me most of all, since that's traditionally their strongest issue, and especially Bush's strongest issue during the 2004 election.