Poll Cites GOP Gains Since 9/11

The Washington Post ^ | May 11, 2005 | Dan Balz

[neverdem]

But Party's Internal Divisions Are Called an Obstacle

The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, helped redraw the political landscape in America, giving President Bush and the Republicans an advantage over the Democrats, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. But Republicans may have difficulty consolidating the gains because of divisions within their expanded coalition.

The survey underscored how important the issues of terrorism and national security and Bush's personal appeal were in helping the GOP put together a winning coalition of voters in 2004. The findings suggest that Bush's reelection depended not just on motivating the Republican base but also on his success in attracting swing voters and even some Democrats.

Both parties enjoy strong support among their core voters, but the Pew study concluded that Republicans have done a more effective job in attracting support among voters with less allegiance to either party. Bush's campaign attracted support in the middle from well-educated, upbeat voters as well as those who are more down-scale and pessimistic about their own situation.

"In effect, Republicans have succeeded in attracting two types of swing voters who could not be more different," the study reports. "The common threads are a highly favorable opinion of President Bush personally and support for an aggressive military stance against potential enemies of the U.S."

Foreign policy issues now provide the clearest distinction between Republican- and Democratic-leaning voters, with Republicans favoring assertive policies and military action and Democrats calling for diplomacy and multilateral strategies. Before the Sept. 11 attacks, foreign policy differences played a minimal role in distinguishing the party coalitions.

One other important difference defines the Democratic- and Republican-leaning voters. Those who tilt to the GOP are more personally optimistic and believe in the power of the individual, regardless...

[Betaille]

I guess pro-govt. conservative is another word for "Neo-conservative"?

[Betaille]

"I don't understand how the same people who talk about choice in schools, taxes, etc, can then say we should only have to choose between two parties."

I'm not saying it SHOULD be that way. I'm saying it IS that way. The way our system is set up, any defection to a third party just divides the right-wing vote and leaves the left to dominate. If we had party list voting of the kind they have in Europe, third and fourth parties would be feasible.

"If you keep voting for someone or their party, they're going to think they're doing a fine job. So why should they change? They need a kick in the a**."

Okay let's say hypothetically Libertarians started getting 10% of the vote and the Republicans were down to 40%. Under our winner take all system the Democrats would end up taking virtually every congressional seat, Senate seat, and win the Presidency in a landslide. It would send the exact opposite message from the one you're trying to send. It would appear that there was a tectonic shift in favor of socialist policies, when in fact all that happened was a split of the right-wing vote.

[libertarianben]

So? We been heading down the big government path for many many years now. They'll just speed it up a little instead of just tiptoeing like the GOP. Listen if you keep voting for the Republicans, if you like some of their polices or not, just to keep the Democrats out then you're making a mistake. The Republicans will then think they're such a great job doing what they're doing they are not going to change.Why should they? If you and many people like you vote for someone else and they start losing. Then they will get the message that they're not doing such a great job and try to find out why. Hell the third party guy may actually win and turn out to be not so bad. Who knows? I actually like the British system better to be honest.

Put it this way: You are driving in a horrible rainstorm and it's hard to see well. You know you made a wrong turn somewhere, what do you do? Do you keep driving straight down the path, just praying to get back to the right street, or do you back up to where you got lost and turn back on the right street. I hope this makes sense.

[Betaille]

If the republican vote split the way i described above, the Democrats would have an unprecedented socialist mandate, probably pulling the Republicans further to the Left.

[libertarianben]

Sorry to tell ya, there getting there already.