Swing State Project

« Digby. | Main | Montana Senate 2006: Conrad Burns to retire? »

Monday, March 21, 2005

GOP Overextended

New Polling Numbers:

New polling numbers on the Schiavo case have been released by ABC News. Here are some highlights:

- 70% of Americans say it is inappropriate for Congress to involve itself in the Schiavo case.

- 67% of Americans “think the elected officials trying to keep Schiavo alive are doing so more for political advantage than out of concern for her or for the principles involved.” (Just 19% believe the elected officials are acting out of concern for her or their principles.)

- 58% of Republicans, 61% of independents and 63% of Democrats oppose federal government intervention in the case.

- 50% of evangelicals oppose federal government intervention in the case, just 44% approve of the intervention.

- 63% of Catholics and a plurality of evangelicals believe Schiavo’s feeding tube should be removed.

Posted at 03:05 PM in 2005 Elections, 2006 Elections, 2006 Elections - House, 2006 Elections - Senate, 2006 Elections - State, 2008 Election - President, 2008 President - Republicans | Technorati

Comments

Without even seeing the numbers, I could tell the Republican party's "right wing" (who are unable to control a massive deficit), are imploding. What they are doing, for pure political gain, is an affront to human dignity. More evangelicals may come to question not just the Republican right-wing, but their own self-appoitned "leaders". I first became a Democrat when Newt Gingrich was elected; at the time I felt insulted not just in a partisan manner (being a progressive) but as an American by Newt's hatefulness and willingness to threaten stupid moves like defaulting on the natl. debt. Now what they are doing to our environment, to citizens who depend on human services, to our deficit (and those, like me, who are beginning careers and will be paying this debt all our life), and the desire to pursue a pseudo-utopian neo-conservative miltary mission around the globe, show the danger they pose. Listen to DeLay and company talk about the goal of creating deficits in order to "starve" the government shows how off-base they are.

But Democrats need to embrace a vision and value system if they are to really come back to power. The elites of the party in the past embraced divisive interest groups then tried to move the party to the "center" by embracing business interests. Imagine if our party took a center-left position on both economics and on social issues. Imagine if they said we needed to rebuild labor unions in America, ban usury by credit card corporations, keep investing in innovation, give middle class workers decent vacation time and real family benefits, and really address our environmental problems in a collaborative manner? -- and actually did these things. These center-left values are the ones that allow progressive parties to win in other first-world countries ... they appeal to traditionalists, moderates and to the "social-democratic" position that community matters.

When John Kerry as a young man testified before the Senate, he disparaged the thousands of murders that a child growing up in America sees on television by the time they turn 18. It struck me that many of todays liberals say, "if you don't like it, turn off the TV." These sorts of libertarian values seem to mean turning your back on community and letting the free market reign everywhere.

I think articulating shared values will serve the party well. Then, when there's a close presidential race, a candidate who is otherwise thoughtful and reflective won't stoop to talking about the flu vaccine shortage as a reason you should vote for him ...

Jsut some thoughts ... sorry if this is long.

Posted by: mcittone at March 21, 2005 10:17 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment