This is just a quick story I had to pass on. Zvika Krieger at the The New Republic, brings us even "More Bad News For Republicans" It seems NPR hired GOP pollster Glen Bolger and Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg to answer the question: Is it the GOP's horrible reputation (in light of Bush, Katrina, Iraq, etc.) that is making voters not like them, or is it actually just their positions that are making them so unpopular?" The findings were astounding!
Most people think that the economy will be either issue number one or two this cycle, well guess what?
When voters know what party each message comes from, we loose 37% to 58% and trail among independents by 18%. Ouch. However, when you read both messages without telling voters who they come from, the story gets worse. Republican voters like the Democrat’s message more than their own party’s message by a large 14% margin when they don’t know which party it comes from. Just as disturbing, numbers among independents drop by another 10%... giving the Democrats a massive 28% advantage. Even our horrifically damaged image is better than our message on the economy. Independents and even Republicans simply like the Democrats’ plan more than ours.
So if you think the election victory in the Mississippi 1st was fluke, remember there was no party designation in it. In the upcoming special election to fill the MS open Senate seat there will also be no party designation, and democrat Ronnie Musgrove leads republican Roger Wicker. This was a very interesting finding.
But everyone knows that lower taxes are THE GOP fault line. There are some pro-choice republicans but all republicans believe in lower taxes right? Remember this a republican talking.
On taxes, the picture gets more complex. On the partisan text, Independents like the Democrats’ message by significant 14% margin, but Republicans still like (the republican) message and give (the republicans) a resounding 39% advantage. That changes drastically on the nonpartisan test. When the party’s names are removed, Independents are almost evenly split, giving the Democrats’ message a small 5% advantage. However, Republican voters stampede away from the GOP message. Among Republicans, support for the GOP message on taxes drops by a gargantuan 53% when the party’s names are removed, leaving the Democrats with a 14% advantage. You read that right, on the nonpartisan test, Independents like the GOP message on taxes more than Republicans do and even Independents slightly favor the Democrats.
I found that amazing there are a number of people who support the republican message on taxes just because they are republicans. They actually don't support it when it's explained to them. I have a feeling a large number of them are down scale WalMart republicans.
The study for those of you interested in it is here.