New diarist here. Don't really know how things are done around here on the DailyKos, but I'll give it my best shot. If I break any rules or traditions, feel free to call me on it. I'm not a writer, just some dude sitting at my dining room table, I promise not to get offended.
Like many people on this site, I get a good laugh when reading about all the foibles and stupidities coming from Republicans on the hill and elsewhere. I agree that they are an ideologically bankrupt party and that now is a great time to be a Democrat. However, I think we've gotten a little distracted by the side show lately, and some new poll data out indicates that the Republicans might not be as dead as we think they are.
A new poll out by Rasmussen seems to indicate that Republicans are gaining ground on the Democrats on some issues and have overtaken Democrats on the issue of the economy.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% now trust the GOP more to handle economic issues, while 39% trust Democrats more.
This is the first time in over two years of polling that the GOP has held the advantage on this issue.
Now I know that Rasmussen is known for being GOP friendly, but Gallup is also showing that public support for Obama's handling of the economy and federal spending is on the decline. Heck, even Dick Cheney is looking a little better these days. Knowing how the Republicans and Cheney conducted the last eight years, it is maddening to think that some in the population would be ready to get back into bed with them after only four months of Obama. This, coupled with the fact that Europe's recent elections yielded victories for the center-right parties, and in some cases extreme right parties, indicates that now is not the time to be complacent. Conservatives around the world are fighting right now, and they are doing a good job of winning the message war. At least for the time being.
Sometimes when we Democrats hear nonsense from the GOP, we take it for granted that everyone else will see it for the garbage that it is. In some cases, such as climate change, the argument from the other side is so obviously wrong, we can't fathom how anybody could fall for it. However, for all the people who don't come to this site everyday and who are struggling to get by, maybe the Republican scare tactics aren't so far fetched. If some Republican shows up on C-SPAN talking about the "Cap and Tax", as they derisivly call it, some independent out there who hasn't done the research is going to think the Republicans are on to something.
So what is the point of all this? I guess what I'm getting at is that as fun as it is to poke fun at Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and all the other lunatics on the other side, it would be even more effective to keep hammering on issues. We need to keep fighting the myths that the stimulus is bad for the economy. That a public option won't work. That "we're borrowing more than" ever. That it's "too expensive" to fight climate change. (Herr Krugman does an excellent job refuting those last two here and here)
If we don't keep the facts fresh in people's minds, the Republicans will be there with their version. I still believe that we're in a strong position for the next few elections, but we must not assume that the public knows we're right.