Like most people who make up the dKos community, I have enjoyed the recent
ARG,
Harris and
Gallup polls, which show Bush's approval down to 36, 40 and 40 percent, respectively. Those numbers, and the downward trend in all the polls, seem to vindicate our feelings about the venality and incompetence of the current White House. People seem to be getting the message.
But what do these polls really get us? The GOP still controls the national government; the war continues; Bolton runs amok at the U.N.; Social Security privatization could probably pass the House today, if not the Senate; no serious person now can doubt that climate change is an emergency matter, but our policy is ever-more reliant on fossil fuel... The list goes on.
So, is there a way to put the Bush polling numbers to use now, to affect policy and power? I asked the question in comments to a diary the day the ARG numbers came out, and got a few good responses, but I'm looking for concrete actions that the netroots can take right now. Here's a start:
- Contact your members of Congress and point out that the country has turned away from Bush. This may embolden Dems and possibly help break the Bush hold on Congressional GOoPsters. It doesn't matter if you are from a red or blue state; as of this month, according to SurveyUSA, there now are only 10 red states (those where Bush's positives are higher than his negatives). If you, like me in Georgia, live in a state that voted for Bush but now has a net negative approval rating in SurveyUSA, point that out to your Senators and representative. Say it however you like: Most of the country isn't following Bush, and our elected representatives should think about that.
- Fight the enduring notion in the MSM that Americans really like Bush. In polls that give four options on Bush - really like him, sort of like him, sort of don't like him, really don't like him - the last option is now consistently getting the highest response. (In the case of Harris, the percentages are, respectively, 13, 27, 24, 34.) It's not possible any longer to dismiss "Bush haters" as simply a few partisan hacks still bitter about the 2000 election. Look for examples of the old America-loves-Bush meme, and write LTEs calling them out. The truth is, America never showed Bush much love at election time - two very close "victories," one of which was a popular-vote loss. He got high ratings after 9/11, as any president would, but now he's squandered that trust. I could go on, but you know the story.
- Build capacity for coming opportunities to wrest power from the Bush GOP. This may mean running for office yourself; volunteering with a local or state Dem organization; sending money to organizations like WesPAC or Act Blue; assisting in policy entrepreneurship with environmental, social justice or other organizations (just pick an organization and call to see what they need). While these actions do not depend directly on the good news in polling, they set us up to take advantage when opportunities arise - either programmed ones like the 2006 election, or surprises, like Paul Hackett's race in Ohio, or the sudden prominence of a policy question, such as the question of energy policy following gas price spikes.
OK, I don't claim this list is brilliant, just a start. Your ideas are probably better. So bring 'em on.