Opinion Forum

Troubled Democrats

July 18th, 2009

Bradley A. Smith in an article at Politico.com:

It’s a party in crisis – lagging in the polls, it is out of ideas, its congressional leadership is highly unpopular, its policies failing, and a huge portion of its base consists of irreconcilable extremists. I’m, talking, of course, about the Democrats. …

Democrats held a 7 point lead in Rasmussen’s generic polling for Congress just before inauguration day. Today, Republicans hold a 3 point lead, their biggest edge in years, while the 37 percent who would choose a generic Democrat over a generic Republican is the lowest percentage in years. Historically, generic numbers tend to be a bit more favorable to Democrats than actual voting numbers, so it’s especially bad news for Democrats when they trail the GOP on the generic ballot. Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats on the economy, Iraq, national security, abortion, social security, taxes…, immigration, and government ethics, with Democrats leading only on their traditional strengths of health care and education, where they hold small and narrowing advantages.

Smith continued:

Meanwhile, 62 percent now say that the U.S. is on the “wrong track,” the highest number since the first half of February, suggesting that the initial confidence that greeted President Obama in his first weeks is gone. …

Fifty percent now oppose the government option in health care, and 78 percent are convinced that Obama’s reform efforts mean higher taxes for the middle class. … The public increasingly identifies both the recession and the unpopular bailouts with the Obama adminstration, which in its first months has doubled down, rather than reversed, former President Bush’s bailout and spending policies.

And the public doesn’t see those policies working. Early guarantees by the President and his top advisors that the “stimulus” would keep unemployment below eight percent and add millions of new jobs within the year have proven to be laughably false. The president and Democrats in Congress really have no new ideas – virtually everything the president has offered up reeks of warmed over Carter/Mondale. …

Perhaps worst of all, the Democrats are the party of the crazies. Polls show that approximately one-third of Democrats believe that the Bush administration knew in advance, or even planned, the attack on the World Trade Center in September 2001. A huge percentage will be satisfied with nothing short of criminal trials of various Bush officials, a public relations disaster in the making should the Democrats go that route. Go to the sites of Daily Kos, Huffington Post, or any other leading liberal website and read the comments from the rank and file – the Democrats are in serious danger of becoming a party of the bitter, the resentful, the unhinged, the mean and nasty, and in some cases, the certifiably insane.

None of this is really surprising, given the performance of the Obama Administration during its first six months and the even longer inept performance of the Democratic leadership in Congress. On top of that, the fiasco that may be brewing on health care legislation could make things much worse for Obama and the Democrats.

The Democrats’ troubles shouldn’t make Republicans feel happy and confident, though. The leaderless and uninspired Republican Party isn’t offering much of an alternative, and unless they get their act together pretty soon they’ll probably get their clocks cleaned again in 2010 and 2012.

Meanwhile, us tax-paying moderate and independent schlubs can only shake our heads in amazement.

Articles written by Tom Carter
Tags: Democrats, Republicans
Categories: News, Politics | Comments (2) | Home

2 Responses to “Troubled Democrats”

Lisa | July 20th, 2009 at 8:45 am

Tom, I always shake my head in amazement every time Nancy Pelosi opens her mouth. She lacks command presence and always appears unruffled and uncertain. Then there is Harry Reid. Well, the list goes on. That said, I do agree that the Republican Party lacks cohesion and a defined leader. I firmly believe someone with a resume and a proven record of achievement in problem solving needs to emerge. Community organizer does not cut it.

Tom | July 20th, 2009 at 9:41 am

I don’t understand how congressional Democrats can believe that the best among them to fill leadership roles are the likes of Pelosi, Reid, et al.

The Republican leadership in Congress is somewhat better, but they’re sucking wind at the top. I liked Sarah Palin and her family when she was first picked by McCain, but subsequent events have eroded that. If the Republicans settle on her as their most likely leader, they’re really dumb. I think Mitt Romney is the best they have, at least for the foreseeable future, if they could get over their religious prejudices.