Anyone attentive to politics in the past ten years should notice
the authoritarian character of the Republican party's strategy.
The 2000 election was an obvious example. The party used every point of leverage
in the federal system to impose their will, from corrupt election officials to state legislators and Federalist Society jurists.
One might wonder about the role of "Republican" pollsters. Do they serve their masters?
I am going to focus on a poll aggregator which is widely cited.
RealClear Politics produces an an attractive website with polls and
commentary. Bloggers left and right read RealClear Politics.
Now tell me if Pollster and TPM Poll Tracker do this.
The latest McClatchy-Marist Poll reports a registered vote margin of 6 points for the Democrats,
a tie among likely voters, and a 6 point Republican advantage
among very likely voters.
RCP just cites the 6 point Republican very likely voter margin.
I don't know why McClatchy dreamt up the third category,
but I know why RCP uses it.
RCP is no pollster but it is a link in the Republican machine.
Despite the obvious fissures in the party, there is still a Leninist discipline
evident.