Angry White Males lashing OUT in 2010; Americans Souring on Democrats; it Might Just be TOO Late:
By Marc Chamot
Is the Democratic Party a disaster in the making? These are compilations of news stories that came out a few days ago.
The real truths is that we're all screwed as of now.
The news isn’t good for Democrats right now. President Obama’s new poll numbers by Rasmussen have him rated lowest, for a first year president.
BUT, these Democrats don't care if they lose, as long as their DREAM liberal agendas go through. We're pretty much sunk as it is, because they do have the majority, even the more conservative Blue Dogs are in on it.
The bottom line folks, people don’t want a corrupt special interests laden politicians and bankrupt country. As I’ve said before, keep on pushing your gluttonous, greedy and costly agendas on us we'll wipe you out Democrats, unfortunately it will be too late for most Americans.
Wait till immigration, and amnesty debates begins next year. It may boil over for most folks around the country. It seems that the Democrats are so agenda driven that they are using their majorities in the house and senate no matter what our wills are.
I warned you all, two years ago, what would happen to us, if this country voted for a Democrat president, with a house and senate majority. And you’re now seeing the tragic results and they cannot be stopped either.
It’s going to take a majority in 2010 and a new president in 2012 to UNDUE all of these nightmarish things that they are doing now, if they can.
All I can say, is I told you so, sadly. Oh well, it's live and learn, I guess.
"Reporting from Washington - Anger among independent voters about the economy and the direction the nation is taking offer Republicans a significant opportunity to reclaim power in the 2010 midterm congressional elections, according to the results of the bipartisan Battleground Poll released today." See Poll: Dissatisfaction could spell trouble for Democrats in 2010 (Below)
2010 could be 'year of the angry white male' redux
Voters are in a sour mood, which could lead to trouble for incumbents in Congress and statehouses in 2010, bipartisan pollsters say. Will it be a repeat of the 'Republican revolution' of 1994?
By
Dave Cook Staff writer posted December 16, 2009
A new Battleground Poll shows that “voters tend to describe themselves as angry, pessimistic, anxious, and depressed,” says Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, a political strategy firm that works for Democratic candidates.
Ms. Lake and Republican pollster Ed Goeas jointly oversee the Battleground Poll.
Things may get worse for office holders after Christmas, as voters deal with holiday bills and with the effects of layoffs that often come just before the end of the year.
“Whatever mood the voters are in right now, they are likely to be in a particularly ornery mood toward every elected official by January,” Lake says. “And one of the more interesting places they may take this out is less at the federal election [level] and more at the governorships. You may see a record number of governorships change party.”
Democrats in trouble?
With Democrats holding control of both houses of Congress, angry voters could spell trouble for the party in 2010 elections, argues Mr. Goeas, CEO of the Tarrance Group.
“There is a potential for [2010] being a 1994 year of the angry white male,” Goeas says. That year, Democrats lost 54 seats and Republicans took control of the House for the first time in 40 years.
Battleground Poll data shows independent voters now rank 13 percentage points higher than Democrats [77 percent versus 64 percent] in saying they are likely to vote in the next election. “So the pool of angry independents is larger than what you normally see in an off election year…. It is certainly something that is going to be problematic for the Democrats,” Goeas says.
Pollsters Goeas and Lake were guests at a Monitor-sponsored breakfast for reporters on Wednesday. The George Washington University Battleground Poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters nationwide Dec. 6 to 9. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Who Americans trust on the economy
On the issue of turning the economy around, voters still favor Democrats in Congress over Republicans by a margin of 44 percent to 40 percent. But the Democrats’ lead has been slipping.
"We haven’t proven to the voters that we are spending money to create jobs for them. And that is the test,” Lake says. “And we have about an economic quarter to do it in. And either we are going to show that [economic recovery spending] is going to produce results on Main Street in the economy or voters are really going to conclude this is just too much spending for too little results.”
Republican pollster Goeas thinks voters will focus more and more on the issue of federal spending as the economy improves. “The good news for Republicans is we lead” on who voters trust to handle wasteful spending by 44 to 32 percent, he says.
Goeas also notes that a second wave of voter concern on taxes normally follows a focus on spending. And Republicans also lead on the issue of holding down taxes.
The Tea Party threat
A new Rasmussen Poll found Tea Party candidates outpaced Republicans 23 percent to 18 percent in a generic congressional race. Goeas noted that the polling method used in getting this result tends to over count voters with especially intense feelings.
The Tea Party is "a very vocal group out there that have a very good point in terms of what is happening ... but at the end of the day they are going to have to choose between who is the enemy,” Goeas says. “My advice has been ... 'We agree with you, hey let's go get ‘em' as opposed to trying to control them, trying to lead them, trying to be part of them. At the end of the day, it is going to come down to a choice between two” main parties.
Americans Souring on Democrats
Public's Malaise and Insecurity Translate Into Significant Shift in Political Landscape since Start of the Obama Era
By
PETER WALLSTENAssociated Press
President Obama makes a statement on health care after meeting with Senators on Tuesday. From left: Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Christopher Dodd; Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus; the president; and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Support for the Democratic Party is slumping amid a wave of public discontent, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
The findings underscore how dramatically the political landscape has changed during the Obama administration's first year. In January, voters were optimistic about the future, the new president enjoyed soaring approval ratings, and congressional leaders were set to swiftly pass his ambitious agenda.
In December's survey, for the first time, less than half of Americans approved of the job Barack Obama is doing, marking a steeper first-year fall for this president than his recent predecessors.
Also for the first time this year, the electorate is split when asked which party they would like to see in charge after the 2010 elections. For months, a clear plurality favored Democratic control.
The survey suggests that public discontent with Mr. Obama and his party is being driven by an unusually grim view of the country's status and future prospects.
A majority of Americans believe the U.S. is in decline. And a plurality now say the U.S. will be surpassed by China in 20 years as the top power—a striking finding, considering most Americans long believed their own country was the undisputed heavyweight champion.
Democrats' problems seem in part linked to their ambitious health-care plan, billed as the signature achievement of Mr. Obama's first year. Now, for the first time, more people say they would prefer Congress do nothing on health care than those who want to see the overhaul enacted.
"For Democrats, the red flags are flying at full mast," said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducts the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. "What we don't know for certain is: Have we reached a bottoming-out point?"
The biggest worry for Democrats is that the findings could set the stage for gains by Republican candidates in next year's elections. Support from independents for the president and his party continues to dwindle. In addition, voters intending to back Republicans expressed far more interest in the 2010 races than those planning to vote for Democrats.
But public displeasure with Democrats is not translating directly into warmth for Republicans. Twenty-eight percent of voters expressed positive feelings about the GOP -- a number that has remained constant through the Democrats' decline over the summer and fall. Only 5% said their feelings toward the Republicans were "very positive."
And in one arena, Afghanistan, Mr. Obama appeared to have some success in winning support for his planned troop surge. Liberals remain largely opposed to the strategy, but in fewer numbers compared with before Mr. Obama made his case in a speech at West Point. Overall, by 44% to 41%, a plurality believes his strategy is the right approach.
Still, the survey paints a decidedly gloomy picture for Democrats, who appear to be bearing the brunt of public unease over joblessness and Washington's economic policies. Thirty-five percent of voters said they felt positively about the Democratic Party, a 14-point slide since February.
"Overall, it's just a depressing time right now," said Mike Ashmore, 23 years old, of Lansdale, Pa., an independent who supported Mr. Obama last year but now complains about the president's lack of action on jobs. "A lot of my friends are either employed and hate it, or are unemployed," Mr. Ashmore said.
Julie Edwards, 52, an aircraft technician for Boeing Co. in Mesa, Ariz., said she voted Democratic in the past two elections but is not sure how she will vote next time. She wonders why Wall Street firms were bailed out when average Americans need help. "We can bail out Wall Street, but everybody else has to suffer in spades for it," she said.
Democratic leaders, while bracing for losses next year, have argued that unlike the 1994 elections, in which Republicans gained 54 seats and retook the House majority, Democrats would survive 2010 in part because they are taking steps to avoid that possibility. Republicans must gain 41 seats to take control.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that she "fully intends to be in the majority" after November 2010, and she was now shifting to "campaign mode" to help candidates. Party officials are leaning on a number of longtime colleagues to fight for their seats rather than retire.
The Journal/NBC survey found Ms. Pelosi's presence on the campaign trail could do more harm than good. Fifty-two percent said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who agreed with the speaker almost all the time, compared with 42% who felt that way about candidates siding with Republican leaders.
For Mr. Obama, who has relied on his personal popularity to retain the political clout he needs to enact his legislative agenda, the survey points to troubling signs.
A majority for the first time now disapproves of his handling of the economy. And the public's personal affection for the president, a consistent strong suit, has begun to fray. Fifty percent now feel positively about him, six points lower than in October and an 18-point drop since his early weeks in office.
Democrats' troubles can be attributed in part to changing feelings among some core supporters. A third of voters 34 and under, a group that turned out heavily for Democrats last year, feel negatively toward the Democratic Party. And just 38% of Hispanics feel positively, down sharply from the 60% in February.
For all of the Democrats' challenges, they can be thankful that they do not have to try to reverse Americans' feelings about golfer Tiger Woods. In the wake of revelations about his extramarital affairs, just 5% feel positive about Mr. Woods. The survey, which was conducted Dec. 11-14, has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Poll: Dissatisfaction could spell trouble for Democrats in 2010
As President Obama's supporters grow listless and independents grow irritated, Republicans have a greater opportunity to dominate midterm elections, according to findings of the Battleground Poll.
By Mark Silva
December 16, 2009 9:27 a.m.
Reporting from Washington - Anger among independent voters about the economy and the direction the nation is taking offer Republicans a significant opportunity to reclaim power in the 2010 midterm congressional elections, according to the results of the bipartisan Battleground Poll released today.
A lack of passion among President Obama's core supporters and an absence of confidence that the administration's policies and congressional spending are producing sorely needed new jobs also pose a serious challenge to the president's party in 2010.Those are among the findings of a long-established team of Republican and Democratic pollsters, sponsored by George Washington University, which has measured the president's public job-approval rating at a low point for any first-year president in December.
"What a difference a year makes," said Christopher Arterton, dean of the graduate school of political management at GWU.The president's job-approval rating has slipped to 49%, Republican pollster Ed Goeas and Democratic pollster Celinda Lake say. And the percentage of people who strongly disapprove of the president's performance, 41%, outweighs the 37% who strongly approve.
Disapproval of the job that Congress is doing has risen to 68%, "an all-time high," and 77% among independent voters.The problem for the president's party, the pollsters say, is that the most passionate supporters of the Democratic president appear less likely to turn out to vote in congressional elections next year.
And the most angry of the independent voters -- a swing-voting bloc that supported Obama in 2008 -- appear heavily motivated to vote against Democrats."There is a potential for this being the 1994 of the angry white male," said Goeas, pointing to the pivotal year during President Clinton's first term when Republicans gained control of the House.
Because of a struggling economy with widespread job losses, Goeas said, "the pool of angry independents is larger than what you normally see in an off-year election year. It is certainly something that is going to be problematic for the Democrats. . . .
"I've come to the conclusion on independents . . . that what really drives them is, they dislike both parties, and they dislike the party in power more," said Goeas, a seasoned Republican pollster at the Tarrance Group, speaking at a breakfast with reporters to present the findings of the newest Battleground Poll.
The poll, conducted Dec. 6 to 9, surveyed 1,000 registered voters. It carries a possible margin of error of plus or minus 3.1%The challenge for Obama's party, the pollsters say, is presenting policies during the first few months of 2010 that clearly offer the promise of new jobs in an economy in which unemployment has reached 10%.
"It's still the economy," Lake said. "If you ask people how they are feeling about the economy, people are very anxious. . . ."The one most important thing is that Democrats still are winning the vote among people who are most concerned about the economy," said Lake, longtime Democratic pollster at Lake Research Partners.
"The No. 1 thing the Democrats have to do is prove they really have a jobs program and an economic program that is going to sell on Main Street."The economy and jobs rank as the most important issue that Congress should work on among 40% of those surveyed. The cost of healthcare ranks as the top issue among just 15%.
The survey also reveals a "disconnect" between what most voters would like to see in healthcare -- controlling the cost of medical care -- and what they view as the president's priority: insuring the uninsured.
"Only 28% said their priorities match Obama's priorities, and 64% said they do not," Goeas said. "There's a disconnect."Most voters surveyed, 56%, say the country is on the wrong track, with 34% seeing the nation going in the right direction.
In a "generic" contest between an unnamed Democratic candidate and an unnamed Republican candidate for Congress, 42% of those surveyed said they would support the Republican; 40% opted for the Democrat.Among those swing-voting independents: 40% said they would select the Republican; 19%, the Democrat.
The voters most likely to support Republican candidates for Congress are more likely to vote next year, according to the survey.
More than three-quarters of Republicans and independents surveyed said they were extremely likely to vote, with fewer than two-thirds of Democrats extremely likely to vote, including 58% of African American voters surveyed.
The Democratic Party's problem is twofold, Lake said: "the intensity of the anger among the independents and the lack of intensity among the 'Obama surge' voters" who helped elect the president.
Although Obama remains personally popular, the poll shows, his policies have proved less so.Disapproval of the president's job performance is "driven not by the personality of the president, but the policies of the president," Goaes said.
"Obama has done more to improve the image of the Republican Party than anything that we've been able to do for years."Goeas also predicts that, even as the economy improves, deficit spending will become a bigger political problem for the Democrats.
The question of deficit spending translates readily to taxes, he said, and Republicans hold a 55-28 percentage-point advantage on the question of holding down taxes.Regaining control of the Senate will prove more difficult for the Republicans, Goeas said, and the challenge in reclaiming control of the House will hinge on how many incumbents retire next year and how well the GOP recruits new candidates.
The challenge for Democrats, Lake said, is translating all of the spending underway into the promise of new jobs."Spending is rising in people's attention," she said. "If people thought a million jobs were being created by the spending, they wouldn't care about what the spending is.
We haven't proven to voters that we are spending money to create jobs for them. Any challenge for Democrats is to turn those bills" into jobs.The president's party still has an opportunity to regain voter support before the midterm elections, Lake maintains."I think we have quite a bit of control over our destiny," Lake said.
"We have the ability to really aggressively talk about jobs," the ability to get a healthcare overhaul passed, the ability to address immigration reform and the ability to bring troops home from Iraq."We better seize control of our destiny," the Democrat said. "Now we need to present some plans, we need to implement them, we need to set a direction."The Battleground Survey polled 1,000 registered, likely voters.
U.C. San Diego’s $30.00 APP & GPS Devises, Bring Cross-Borders; Illegal Aliens & Possible Muslim Terrorists, Undetected from Mexico:
"The device was the brainchild of Ricardo Dominguez, a professor of new media at UC San Diego, who developed the idea along with fellow researchers at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology."
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