In my diary on
Sunday i spoke about how the tide is turning in the Deep South on my trip last weekend to Texas. Most people were welcoming but a few naysayers expressed doubt that things were turning our way.
Well, here's another good indication on the front page of USA TODAY of all places. The title is:
"GOP's MORAL AGENDA DOUBTED".
The controversy over Terri Schiavo has raised concerns among many Americans about the moral agenda of the Republican Party and the political power of conservative Christians, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds.
Some old stereotypes about the two parties have been reversed:
By 55%-40%, respondents say Republicans, traditionally the party of limited government, are "trying to use the federal government to interfere with the private lives of most Americans" on moral values.
By 53%-40%, they say Democrats, who sharply expanded government since the Depression, aren't trying to interfere on moral issues.
The debate over Schiavo has spotlighted the central role "values" issues -- abortion, stem-cell research, same-sex marriage and the right to live or die -- now play in politics.
Mark Rozell, a professor at George Mason University in Virginia who studies religion and politics, says the case has created a "clear backlash."
Still, Americans by 53%-34% say they disapprove of Bush's handling of the Schiavo case. Congress' rating on Schiavo is worse: 76% disapprove, 20% approve.
By more than 2-to-1, 39%-18%, Americans say the "religious right" has too much influence in the Bush administration. That's a change from when the question was asked in CBS News/New York Times polls taken from 2001 to 2003. Then, approximately equal numbers said conservative Christians had too much and too little influence.
People are getting plenty wise to Bush and the GOP. And this is before the DeLay implosion has reached full force. After Pope-mania settles down in the next few weeks attention will turn more toward DeLay, Year 3 in Iraq and the Social Security debacle. They have NOTHING, absolutely nothing to propel their numbers except fear of terrorism so watch out for that in the coming months. If you will notice, we have had no elevation of the Terra-chart since the elections, not exactly a surprise.
Check out the rest of the poll numbers HERE.