NEW CNN poll - Majority do not want Republicans in control of House

[RainDog]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/21/politics/cnn-poll-gop-boehner-shutdown/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

...more than half the public says that it's bad for the country that the GOP controls the House of Representatives, according to a new national poll conducted after the end of the partial government shutdown.

...The poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, just after the end of the 16-day partial federal government shutdown that was caused in part by a push by House conservatives to try and dismantle the health care law, which is President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement.

According to the survey, 54% say it's a bad thing that the GOP controls the House, up 11 points from last December, soon after the 2012 elections when the Republicans kept control of the chamber. Only 38% say it's a good thing the GOP controls the House, a 13-point dive from the end of last year.

So, how is the Republican Party going to handle the very real threat of another shut down confrontation in January? If they let the right wing run wild, they are going to destroy their party.

Reaping/sowing, etc. Republicans...

[vi5]

1. People say that but then they vote another way.

A lot of people like to project themselves and their own beliefs on to their elected officials.

I see it here in NJ. So many moderate, middle of the road people support and will vote for Christie. Even though on every issue he is as hard right a conservative as you are likely to find in the Northeast, they look at him as "moderate" because they choose to focus on what they agree with him on (out here a lot of times it's being against unions and against public employee pensions) and ignore what they don't.

That's how Republicans will keep getting elected, witht he votes of people who will also say they don't want them in charge of the house. They think that THEIR person who they are voting for is different.

[RainDog]

4. I think the issue in the House is about an ideological extreme

Christie doesn't represent this to people, tho, yes, he is part of the same party and, thus, gives that party greater stature and power simply by electing a Republican to office.

But this poll, I think, indicates that the minority in the Republican Party that refused to negotiate, along with the rest of the party that refused to put themselves on the line for the good of the country until they got warnings from major national and international economic institutions...

indicates that the American people don't see the Republican Party as responsible enough to control the House.

maybe some Republicans are going to have to vote strategically, to counter the votes in tea party areas, so that the tea party caucus cannot threaten the economic stability of the U.S. because they don't like a law that the majority of Americans support.

No one likes a sore loser.

[vi5]

15. My point was about....

How many voters say they are against the ideological extremes, but then at the same time don't see the person they are voting for as an extremist (Christie being the example of this).

[BlueStreak]

17. Speaking about idealogical extremes, why is nobody talking about

the Ryan Budget that is now in conference. This is what the teabaggers passed. We need to make them own that and make sure the American public knows what they are trying to do. The point is this isn't just a bunch of crazies gathering with a few of their friends to yell hate speech in a park somewhere. These people are doing serious damage to the American way of life TODAY.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. The voters who agree with Chritie in that they are 'againt Unions and public

employee pensions' are not Moderate Democrats, nor are they Moderate Republicans even. Those are hard right wing positions, down and dirty right wing policies. Sorry, but those voters are not moderate, they are hyper conservative.

[vi5]

14. Not really

I have many friends and family members who are Democrats. They're pro-choice, pro-gay rights, and not across the board pro-corporation/wealthy. They're your basic economically "centrist", socially liberal dems not uncommon in NJ.

They've just been duped by the propaganda (in places like the Star Ledger and on NJ 101.5) that it's employee pensions and inflexible public employee unions that are bankrupting the state. They're not even against unions inherently, they've just been led by the right wing talking points in the media that in the case of NJ "something has to be done!!!' and that Christie is "doing something".

Fact is we're a blue state with a ton of Dems, and some of them must be voting for Christie given his poll numbers and support. Not all of those people being asked about him and planning on voting for him are right wing extremists.

[JustAnotherGen]

16. ITA

They've just been duped by the propaganda (in places like the Star Ledger and on NJ 101.5) that it's employee pensions and inflexible public employee unions that are bankrupting the state.

And if you catch Deminsky and Doyle - they are about as TEAHadist as it gets. Don't even get me started on Good Old Bob.

[vi5]

22. My mom is the worst with that station....

She listens to that garbage and buys into all of it. She thinks because it's not Limbaugh or Beck or Hannity that it's not right wing radio.

The thing about Deminsky and Doyle is that they were on years ago, right around the time of 9/11. And they were actually fairly reasonable and not really hard right or teahadist at all. Then they left and came back years later and must have figured that's where the money was.

[Snake Plissken]

27. Thats because Democrats suck at calling out the Republicans for what they are and making them answer

for it

Instead Democrats allow the Republicans to set the narrative and put the focus on topics such as Abortion, Benghazi,

when they should be telling them to STFU and answer to the Americans Public for why they are against anything that would increase transparency into the finances of the billionaires who want to take even more of our money.

[Jack Rabbit]

52. Nothing new, really

It's a case where Congress stinks but my congressmen is one of the good guys. My congressman doesn't vote for barrels of pork. After all,it's only pork when it's spent in the next state.

[Laelth]

2. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[stevenleser]

3. Wow. And in late 2012 they actually lost the popular vote for the House with 11% more popularity

We may actually be able to win back the House with those kinds of numbers. Even if it's half or a third of that come election day.

[RainDog]

5. The national party surely sees the writing on the wall

They are going to have to become more moderate to gain any support from the American public, or else face the reality that they choose to undermine democracy by forcing their policies on the rest of the nation.

Maybe that gerrymandering thing wasn't such a great idea after all....

[seveneyes]

6. Wonder how many would like a single party in control of all branches?

Since that would be the outcome, it might be a good poll question.

[RainDog]

7. Well, Republicans have shown they can't be trusted with the purse strings

And, nationally, the majority support far more liberal policies than the Republican Party.

So, after decades of failed right wing economic policies, maybe we need to clean the House to get some better ideas in place.

Maybe those in power need a wake up call from the American people to say - the inequality has gotten out of bounds and we need to be able to deal with economic policy with both reductions and revenue.

What other 1st world nation would have a major party that simply refuses to deal with the reality of what decades of lopsided economic policy has produced?

[karadax]

8. +1

A lot would / could get done. I'm afraid that no fear of opposition or resistance would lead to hasty decisions that don't factor in a sluggish economy. Too much change could be bad.

[RainDog]

9. The sluggish economy needs investment

You do not create a climate for investment when you have a political party that is threatening to shut down the govt. and default and destroy the U.S.'s economic standing in the world.

The very real outcome of this entirely created Republican economic hit is loss of employment, millions of dollars wasted - all to placate extremists who don't like it that the majority doesn't agree with them.

Not only do Republicans as they currently exist harm businesses - especially small businesses.

The reality is that the U.S. needs to fund infrastructure programs - like the dam that McConnell got out of the current mess, to maintain the avenues by which people do business and live in their communities.

Too much of the same thing has been bad.

[mucifer]

10. Those numbers aren't very good in my opinion.

We have a lot of time before the election and they have a ton of money and the supreme court is about to shovel them much more money. Oh and the gerrymandering.

[RainDog]

12. I think the numbers are a message to Republicans

They have to gain control of their extremists or else they will not survive as a national party. When John McCain is freaking out because Republicans have the lowest poll numbers since polls have been taken, surely he's not the only sane member of the Republican Party. I say sane only because I know it was a political calculation to put Caribou Barbie on the national ticket. He sees, hopefully, what a horrible idea it was and is to give any power to the tea party/religious extremists.

His party has to figure out how to handle them, since the Republican Party used the religious right for decades without giving them what they want... and they can't give them what they want, because what they want is a theocracy. ain't gonna happen.

[7962]

44. I think they will continue to eat their own. They don't see where the country is.

The majority of the country is NOT on te right wing train. I dont see how they DONT see that but whatever.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. Many a human has on their death bed gasped 'but I have much more money'

This thinking that money to spend equals electoral victory is unsupported by any actual evidence, it's fun and fashionable rhetoric, but it is false rhetoric. Ask Mitt 'Not President' Romney if money equals victory. Ask Meg 'Not Governor of CA' Whitman if her money bought victory she outspent Brown 10 to 1. She lost. Carly 'Not A Senator' Fiornio outspend Senator Boxer. Still not a Senator.
See a pattern? I sure as hell do. The facts disturb the meme that 'he with the most ads wins' but that meme was always false and always pushed by the Republicans, because they have coffers and nothing else, so of course they say full coffers win elections.

[BlueStreak]

23. If the teabaggers were to be on their best behavior for the next 12 months I would agree with you.

But we are talking about teabaggers. This *IS* their best behavior.

Our challenge is to make sure the American public fully understands how radical these guys are. And the first place to start is with the Ryan budget. There has been practically no discussion about that. Until now that has just been some wacky, theoretical thing. But as of last week, that is the formal position of the House as Ryan represents them in the budget negotiations. Why is nobody talking about the FACT that this committee is meeting right now with the House pushing the plan to end Medicare and privatize Social Security?

We have 1000 threads talking about whether or not Obama might sign on for chained CPI and not a word about the fact that the House is negotiating RIGHT NOW to end these programs altogether!?

[mountain grammy]

18. When Republicans are in power they spend into obvlivian

and when they're the minority they refuse to fund the mess they made.
And yet, years of propaganda have labeled Dems "tax and spend." Are Americans that dumb? Short answer; yes.

[Mass]

19. It may change at any point if we do not offer a better alternative.

We need a renewed leadership who talks about solving problems, not winning elections.

So, if Reid and Pelosi want to be leaders, they should tell us how they will succeed helping people in the current context (an obstructionist House where the obstruction comes most from the GOP side). It is badly needed.

[Bolo Boffin]

20. Starting to feel good about 2014

We still need to work, but Ted Cruz and his disciples haven't learned a gotdam thing from the government shutdown. They are going to "please proceed" right out of Washington.

[Silent3]

21. Sadly gerrymandering gives Republicans a 5-7% advantage in voting...

...that we have to overcome, plus we have to count on the American voter's short term memory stretching from the recent shutdown antics (or the upcoming round of them) until next November.

I do have some hope, but it's not a high hope.

[mrsadm]

24. " they are going to destroy their party. " and this would be a bad thing, how?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. They still vote Republican because they'll be a millionaire one day & R's support millionaires. nt

[YOHABLO]

47. Can you still be a millionare while the planet has been destroyed by methane gas?

[davidn3600]

26. The country as a whole does not vote for the House as a whole

It matters only what people in each district thinks...

[RainDog]

42. True. But my district is contested.

My district was also gerrymandered and the seat went to a guy who is chummy with Heritage - after the incumbent Democrat retired.

Interestingly, my rep. did not vote with the tea party on the final vote - because he knew, if he did, he would give ammunition to fire up Democrats and Independents.

But, I don't know if the numbers are enough to change the gerrymandering. The Republicans also worked to disenfranchise students from voting where they live during the election.

Even with these tactics, tho, the guy had to make at least a symbolic concession to the reality that he represent an area that has a strong Democratic base. My city has been held by Democrats for decades. The county even had Green Party representation in the past.

So, the goal is to get people to go to the polls.

If the tea party pulls more stunts like the one we just saw - they'll give ammunition to get rid of the guy in my district - and people here will use it.

[ffr]

28. It'll be up to us to make that a reality.

I'm in.

GOP out!

[Old and In the Way]

29. A year from now, as the ACA gains positive momentum....I really wonder if

this won't work to suppress the Republican GOTV? They may hate Democrats, but will that provide enough motivation for the base to turn out and vote against their best interests?

[TygrBright]

30. That isn't going to mean very much, though if they still vote for THEIR GOPpie. n/t

[Scurrilous]

31. K & R

[Zorra]

32. Continually reinforce the truth that conservatism and republicans suck. Don't allow them, or

the Third Way, to paint a new and improved picture of kinder, gentler republican moderates.

They are already trying desperately to do this. Please don't help them.

A fascist by any other name is still a fascist.

Never forget what the fascist SCOTUS did to democracy in 2000. Never forget that we had 8 disastrous, absolutely catastrophic years of Bush and the neocons.

[Marr]

33. Bet you $10 the GOP is about to get a life preserver, in the form of Chained CPI. /nt

[azurnoir]

34. I'm not sure it's going to be a "life preserver"

as the boomers are now entering their retirement years, will the be ones immediately negatively impacted by this and there's lot's of us

[socialist_n_TN]

43. It's a life perserver it the Democrats propose it and fight for it..........

You can BET that the Republican talking points in the mid-terms will be Obama and the Democrats are cutting Social Security. The ONLY way to avoid this scenario is to withdraw those proposals IMMEDIATELY. And I say "withdraw those proposals" because Obama and the Dems have ALREADY offered a chained CPI.

[JEFF9K]

35. Republicans are checking to see if it's possible to gerrymander polls.

[rollin74]

36. problem is people are always mad at people in other districts where they can't vote

voters will continue to overwhelmingly re-elect their member of congress while they complain about politicians in other districts/states

[st17011864200074656]

37. maybe not so much anymore

Thirty eight percent of those polled are ready to throw their incumbent MC out.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/16/time-to-throw-my-bum-out-of-congress/

[rollin74]

39. I hope you're right

I've just seen too many polls my whole life that say everyone hates congress yet the vast majority of incumbents get re-elected time after time

I'm also skeptical of polling data about people saying the want to throw out their representative. That usually depends heavily on who the challenger turns out to be. Also many people who express such sentiments don't bother to vote.

sorry to be such a pessimist

[Javaman]

38. Let's hope people remember this a year from now. nt

[Left Coast2020]

40. Yes they will, but......

Only if we GOTV and register as many people as possible. You should expect returds are going to do anything--even rigging voting--to stay in power.

This is further proof we need to work asses off to make it happen.

As big Ed would say, "lets get to work".

[IronLionZion]

41. If our side is fired up to go vote and their side is not

districts that are close to being competitive can tip in our favor.

Their nasty and expensive infighting during the primaries should hopefully shoot themselves in the foot, which is covered by obamacare.

[gopiscrap]

45. I don't see how anybody would want those assclowns in power

[Tigress DEM]

46. Well, after the 5 year old drives the semi off an embankment EVERYONE is concerned.

MOST people (here) didn't want them in control of the House BEFORE the shutdown.

NOW everyone else sees WHY.

[YOHABLO]

48. We have registered Dems who could vote but won't .. Young voters are apathetic about govt.

[Tarheel_Dem]

49. Unfortunately, our only hope is to replace the "moderate" Pukes with Dems.

These districts are drawn so ridiculously tight; if that weren't the case, I think we would've taken back the House in '12. A million and a half more votes for Dems in Congress couldn't manage an upset. My fingers and toes are certainly crossed, but I don't hold out much hope for traditional Dem constituencies to show up in great numbers in a midterm election. Some people brag that they only vote in presidential elections, I know this, because my Dad was one of 'em.

[blkmusclmachine]

50. Wake up and smell the fumes, America.

[jmowreader]

51. We should discuss one of my Rules of Politics

There are 435 Representatives. Of them, 434 Representatives are God-awful. But one of them is just great.

Now, if we could convince the people in the 434 districts with shitty Representatives to not reelect them, things might get better.

[Uncle Joe]

53. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, RainDog.