How To Boost Polls
Bill Hobbs has some very strong advice for President Bush.
George W. Bush isn't at 29 percent because he's lost support among moderates and liberals - he's at 29 percent because he has been too willing to cave in to moderates and liberals.
The recipe for restoring his popularity to above 50 percent is simple: Bush must screw the Left every chance he gets.
He goes on to give a number of examples. You know what? If you look at what just happened in Pennsylvania, Bill might just have hit this issue right on the head, too.
Blogosphere, Politics | Gaius Wednesday, 17 May , 2006
By Black Jack, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 9:59 am
Hobbs advice does have a certain undeniable appeal. I’d enjoy seeing those smug Lefties howling for mercy as GWB sailed from victory to victory ignoring them and the MSM’s caterwauling. Conservatives have been waiting patiently, with the exception of the crony Miers nomination, for President Bush to start acting like a GOP leader with majorities in both branches of Congress. Yes, Hobbs just might be on to something.
Yelping Lefties threatening to leave the country, or paint themselves blue, would inspire Conservatives to rally around GWB. His poll numbers would rebound almost instantly.
By Juggler, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 10:00 am
No, he’s at 29% because his presidency has been a disaster. He said himself that the highlight was when he caught a 7.5 lb. fish.
Polls have consistently been showing that the public now trusts the Democrats more than the Republicans.
I’m not sure this has a lot to do with a left-right split. I think it has more to do with people seeing this administration as being incompetent. They’re perceived (and I happen to agree with the perception) that they don’t know how to run the war in Iraq and they didn’t know how to respond to Hurricane Katrina.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 10:03 am
Nope, he’s at 29% (according to one skew sampled poll) because he’s lost conservatives. Rasmussen still has him at 39%, incidentally.
By Dan, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 10:51 am
Well congrats…I guess if one poll has you at 39%, then you’re at 39%, regardless of how many other polls disagree.
The logic that he’s lost conservatives is flawed, especially in light of the fact that Democrats are polling better now. Conservatives wouldn’t suddenly move to the Left, they’d simply disapprove of Bush.
His polls are at 29% b/c conservative policies are unpopular. Conservatives won control of Congress and the Presidency on a brilliant marketing scheme. They’ve accomplished nothing since. Why? Because although Conservative propoganda may sell, Conservative policies don’t.
So there.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 10:53 am
Well, at least you’re consistent, Dan. Completely wrong, but consistent about it.
By Dan, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 10:59 am
A witty retort…I especially like the part where you demonstrate why that might be.
If you don’t remember that it’s because it never happens.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 11:11 am
Feel free to cooment elsewhere then.I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself trying to pat yourself on the back.
By Dan, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 11:13 am
it’s no strain…I’ve got long arms.
By Juggler, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 1:21 pm
Gaius,
Polls have consistently shown that most Americans actually favor liberal policies over conservative ones, as Dan says. And you have no factual reply.
If you have evidence to the contrary, why don’t you present it?
By Gaius, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 1:39 pm
Polls which have been consistently loaded heavily Democratic? Please.
By Juggler, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 2:36 pm
And your evidence?
By Gaius, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 2:44 pm
I’ve done this a bunch of times, Juggler. The polls are badly - blatantly - skewed.
By Juggler, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 5:05 pm
Even if we accept the best-case-for-Bush-scenario 39% approval rating, though, that’s terrible. Besides, the article on which this thread is based accepts the 29% figure.
All the Pennsylvania results show is that the Republican electorate has moved to the right. That doesn’t necessarily equate to the electorate as a whole.
Besided, is well known that Republicans who vote in primaries skew to the right (and Democrats who vote in the primaries skew left).
By Gaius, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 5:20 pm
We’ll see, won’t we.
By Donna, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 6:29 pm
I would like to see a poll ask:
Should Republicans and Democrats cooperate with each other in legislating and governing?
Do you agree?____
Do you disagree?_____
Then, I would like to see follow-up questions which try to pin-point the concerns of both those who agree and those who disagree with the ‘working together’ idea.
The country is divided roughly in half by political party. Whichever party is in the minority at any given time cannot effectively serve the half of total citizens they are meant to represent IF all governing is like some contest/exercise of power rather than like a functional forum for exchanging viewpoints and working out what best serves the whole country.
I just cannot see demonizing either side. I just cannot see any system as sane when the only choice is ‘either/or’. Maturity is the ability to make finer and finer distinctions by recognizing that no one side has all the wisdom or answers.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 6:45 pm
You’re quite right on that Donna. The demonization that goes on is not good. Some sane cooperation for the good of this country would be a good thing.
What is happening right now is simply not good for us as a nation or for the world in general.
By Donna, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 9:00 pm
Gaius, I am glad at least one person agrees with me on this point.
It is so disheartening to read about the party in power not even allowing the minority to attend important meetings. I read last year that US congressional Republicans did not allow the [minority] Democrats into key legislative meetings. Then I learn that the Democrats in power in my state did not allow the [minority] Republicans to participate in budget decision-making. Whoa…..such behavior makes a mockery of government no matter who is in power.
But more seriously, it means that our country wastes so much time and effort careening from side to side [or up and down like a see-saw], election to election, that we cannot steadily move forward to solve what matters to all. The ‘winner take all’ system creates a situation of too much money in political campaigns, too…..where each party thinks it just has to win the majority in order to have any effect.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 17 May , 2006 @ 9:18 pm
Donna, this country was set up as a republic for a reason. There is enormous tyranny in mob rule. A majority of 51% can effectively coerce the remaining 49% in a “pure” democracy and that’s a serious problem.
It’s also why the end runs around the constitution are a nasty idea. They take the controls that were built in originally away.
By Dan, Thursday, 18 May , 2006 @ 6:57 am
Sane cooperation requires sane parties. Pennsylvania’s Republican renaissance might be the best evidence of the beginnings of true Republicans taking back the party that was hijacked by the far right.
By Gaius, Thursday, 18 May , 2006 @ 6:59 am
The people who won the primaries are more conservative overall than the incumbents they defeated.