yessssss!

Who are the voters going to approve? The people who caused the current economic crisis (a fact that is becoming more and more clear even as the crisis deepens) and who even now refuse to do anything to attempt to fix the problem and who are actively obstructing effort to fix it? Or the people are clearly trying to fix the economic problems?

The voters tend to be slow to change, and many ARE stupid, but as it becomes more and more clear who caused the problems and who is trying to fix them, it appears that the approval ratings are reflecting that understanding.

Maybe folks are waking up to the fact that the GOP is a party that favors the wealthy and the expense of us all.

The Democrats aren't angels, but at least you get the feeling that they appreciate how a democracy should work.

A government for the rich and nothing but the rich so help us god.

That's what we've had, and spending a trillion dollars to shore up the hurting economy isn't close to fixing anything.

The Grand Ooogedy-boogedy Party.

I talked yesterday with a colleague at General Motors R&D (who, obviously, has some vested interest in what's going on nowadays)... and he said that for the first time in his life, he pushing for the Democrats.

Lemmings? Meet cliff.

No wonder Republicans oppose abortion. The only way they can defend their notions of ethnic, religious, and social purity is to raise new Republicans. They sure aren't going to attract anybody by going harder right.

And yet Democrats still feel they need to kiss up to Republicans to get stuff done. That they need to pay significantly more attetnion to the 30% of the country that will never for them anyway rather than their base that actually votes for them.

Idiots.

Nearly six in 10 (59%) want the party to move even further to the right

Jesus Christ, most Republicans really are dumber than dirt.

The mood of the country has often a pendulum, swinging from the left to the right. So hard-core GOP-ers might feel confident in waiting for the mood of the country to switch again, decide that the right was, well, right all along...until it swings back.

The thing of it is, the attitude and actions of the right are wildly disparate. when it comes to "values," GOP-ers are as conservative as always, at least in public, anyways. They are the party of do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do daddies, after all. But even the most faithful have to admit that Bush went through money like they always claim liberals do. He wasn't a tax-and-spend guy, just a spend-and-spend guy...and where did the money come from that he spent? Oh, we never had it? We just borrowed it? Great, right, SO much better than taxing people so we have it BEFORE we spend it.
So, the GOP wants to keep its conservative morality, yet it can't do that and govern effectively. Something will have to give. It's a question of whether Republicans would rather maintain their principles and be without power, or lie baldfaced to the American public, get the power, and then dowhatever the hell it is they want to do.

Yeah, I wonder what will eventually win out...

Massive. Short term. Movements.

Caution.

Three months ago everyone was trembling over inflation. Now the numbers indicate the biggest drop in US prices in 61 years. The US economy was always sluggish to show such massive changes. Now they happen in the pico-blink of a geologic eye.

What am I saying?

Wild fluctuations are indicative of a deeper more systemic problems. Something ill is afoot. Almost as if the oceans are about to hit that tipping point where they start belching CO2...

The important point is that Republican policies have failed, and I hope the public learns that lesson. If it doesn't, we'll be jerked right back to the right as people tire of the Democrats, and they will, sooner or later.

It really is important for the country to have two 21st century enlightened political parties competing for our votes. For the good of the country, Republicans have to stop running on a theme of fear and hatred as a mask for their underlying policy of serving the rich and powerful and letting the rest of us be damned with whatever crumbs spill out of their greedy mitts. We are far better off shaming them into reforming their ways and serving all the people, rather than enduring these cultural battles and seesaw economic policies ad infinitum. It is not enough just to beat their brains out every time they wreck the country.

What Marko said.

Is there anything we can do to accelerate the process? Spread cheese or nuts at the edge of the cliff? Run behind them banging pots and pans? Allow Alaska to secede and become home to the GOP-in-Exile?

"With results like that, it's hard not to think the Republican Party will struggle for a long while to get back on track."

I disagree. Why do you think that the average voter, much less the average low-information swing voter, has any idea where the candidates lie along a political/ideological spectrum?

The middle 30% of voters can't tell you whether a given position on an issue is generally Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative. And most people (including pundits) have no problem holding inconsistent positions.

Right now the GOP brand is really unpopular. It's uncool, people are bored and want to see what else is on TV.

George Bush's dad had the highest approval ratings ever recorded in 1991 (Gulf War I) then within a few months, plummeted, and lost the 1992 election. Was it the "economy, stupid?" Not really, but stupid people like being pandered to.

hark, I agree that it would be a good thing to have two 21st-century enlightened parties competing for our votes. The key word is "enlightened," though — when a large majority of GOP voters are Biblical literalists who believe that dinosaurs co-existed with humans and that the earth is 6,000 years old, that enlightenment ain't happening for the GOP. I'll bet a good number of the GOP base could be persuaded that the Copernican view of the solar system is wrong if they were told by Dr. Dobson that it was a "theory" devised by anti-Christian, pro-abortion atheists eager to force gay marriage on them.

One factor that might be increasing GOP unpopularity is that the American public responded to their hysterical bitching about Barack Obama and Democrats by making him President of the United States and increasing Dem control of Congress...and the Conservative Media Machine has reacted to that by largely continuing with hysterical bitching about Barack Obama and Democrats.

For pete's sake, Sean Hannity is still bitching about Bill Ayers every freakin' day on his radio show.

Mike

I talked yesterday with a colleague at General Motors R&D (who, obviously, has some vested interest in what's going on nowadays)... and he said that for the first time in his life, he pushing for the Democrats.

And thank god, it was only the destruction of the US auto industry and the looming probability of his own obsolescence that finally caused him to stop being so selfish.

I have full faith that the DemCongs will have the Republicans' popularity back up soon.

That's Just What I Said

I think what this reflects is that Republicans are mad at their party for losing so much.

They are ideologues and ideologues always think that more ideology is needed.

As their final act in power, after ruining the country since 1994, the GOP is going to sacrifice the US auto industry on the altar of their ideology.

Millions of jobs lost and a depression to prove a point, and to punish working people for thinking that people who make things for a living deserve to live a decent middle class life style: a nice house, some cars, color TV's, decent health care, a secure retirement.

I'd like to join the general piling on of the party from hell.

The Republicans created an ungovernable situation immediately following 9/11, in which dissent was decried as treason, and all manner of lawlessness was perpetrated and condoned. Congress under their rule failed its duties to oversee the excesses of the executive, choosing instead to ride the wave of patriotism by staying "on message" regardless of what the message was, or how at variance it was with reality. Their only success has been to show the consequences of spineless jingoism.

In the wake of their ongoing defeat and humiliation, "conservatives" speak up about reclaiming their party purity, and gird up to oppose those chosen by the American people to lead. Conservative no longer means integrity, no longer means rationality, nor conservation of the best of America. Republican can no longer mean pragmatic, which the right has banished as RINO or worse. Woe to the pol who sees the situation for what it is and chooses to work with those in power, to at try to help steer the ship of state.

It has been torturous to watch the sniveling and spineless wreak their havoc on America and retreat behind the flag whose meaning they will never understand.

I don't think anyone will forget what the Republicans did any time soon. Most of us will get quarterly reminders in 401(k) statements. I groan every day the stock market goes down.

The way I figure it, a good percentage of the middle class will have to work a few extra years beyond when we thought we could retire. I'm sure no-one will reflect too kindly back on these past 8 years.

"Nearly six in 10 (59%) want the party to move even further to the right..."

Let's see, how would they do that?

1. anti-abortion laws with no exception for the life of the mother
2. earned income credits for billionaires
3. invasion of France
4. stripmining Yosemite
5. "extraordinary rendition" of Democrats
6. mandatory church attendance
7. a ban on teaching science
8. neutering of immigrants

Come on, head! Think! There has to be more!

9. mandatory gun ownership

There is a question in my mind as to what voters think "conservatism" entails.

I'm under the impression many Republicans think "Conservative" means "good" or "what I already believe in."

Perhaps many Republicans really do want to ram Christianity down every Jewish, Muslim, and agnostic Americans throat in which case they are answering the question correctly.

Still more may think we need to spend less money which would be a very good idea if private enterprise can start creating the jobs we need. Bush expanded government budgets and programs. If those voters want to be more conservative, they are answering correctly too, but that type of conservatism may not be what they get if the Bible thumpers prevail.

The two types of "conservatism" have been so thoroughly married that on type can be thoroughly unhappy and the other half deliriously joyful by the same rightward shift (Sarah Palin).

To separate the two would make goals more clear, but would threaten to dissolve the previously winning coalition. The economic conservatives, I suspect, have a real case but emphasizing their true meaning may undermine their chances of achieving power again in the short term (10 years)

Let's see, how would they do that?

9.Constitutional Amendment to replace "President" with "Der Fuehrer."

They're pretty close to becoming a permanent minority and regional party that isn't taken seriously by the majority of the voters--especially if the likes of Palin becomes their leader.
It's looking more like the choice in the future will be between more or less progressive Democrats, and that would be fine with me.

ELE

Are we witnessing an extinction level event?

The era of flagrant corporate greed is coming to an end, or at least we hope so.

Corporepublican ideals.

The same ones that helped place us in the continuim of history in which we currently reside.

The way they've been told to be afraid of anybody not like themselves they're probably thinking that moving to the Right means killing everybody else. So yeah, mandatory guns would be high on the agenda. Just look at how Texas Republicans do it for a few ideas.