Uh-oh: Republican voters might just stay home in November

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | May 7, 2006 | By Charlie Cook

[johnny7]

There is growing evidence that Republicans will face a voter turnout problem in the November midterm elections.

The GOP faces not only enormous misgivings among voters about the war in Iraq -- which amounts to 70 or 80 percent of President Bush's problems -- but also a combination of Social Security, mounting budget deficits, Hurricane Katrina, Harriet Miers, port security, immigration, gasoline prices and various scandals. History tells us that when one party is either complacent or disillusioned -- and the other party is highly motivated, agitated or angry -- the results can be devastating to the former while providing boundless opportunities for the latter.

[Sir Gawain]

Thanks for posting this summary of what GW has accomplished.

You're very welcome!

[XJarhead]

What ever happened to Reagan Conservatives? Smaller govt is better govt.

I agree, but the time to get those people in office is in the primaries. If "conservatives" can't elect their guy in a primary election that itself involves only a minority of the electorate, how can they possibly win a general election?

Once the primaries are over, and we've taken our best shot at getting the right person as the GOP nominee, the right vote is the one that is the lesser of two evils. Because reality is telling us we don't have the votes to do any better than that.

[Howlin]

A poll is a poll. That one is just as good, if not better, than your unsourced number.

[Beckwith]

If you say so, it must be so?

[Southack]

"Your list always gives me an excuse to post this one:"

Why? Unemployment is down to 4.7%, essentially full employment save for those transitioning between jobs. Interest rates and inflation rates are historically low still. Our income taxes have been lowered, as have our taxes on dividends as well as our estate taxes.

Saddam Hussein is in jail. North Korea has agreed to disarm and abandon its nukes. Libya has surrendered its entire WMD program. Syria has withdrawn from Lebanon. Russia has withdrawn from Georgia. Taylor has abdicated from Liberia. The Taliban now cowers in caves rather than executing little girls for going to school.

Our national missile defenses have been deployed, and nuclear monitors are now in place all along our entire land and sea borders (so much so that Free Republic has its own "stunned my beeber" joke for a FReeper being detected by this equipment after his radiation therapy treatment).

The Kyoto Global Warming nonsense is history, as is our involvement in the International Criminal Court.

Partial Birth Abortion has been banned, and 2 new conservatives sit today on the Supreme Court.

Our stock market is booming. Home ownership and stock ownership are at historic highs.

Yet you are pessimistic. You see only gloom and doom. You can readily find fault with all of the above, plus rail against spending.

In short, you are personally, emotionally invested in fear and failure. You are going to lash out at anything that even remotely resembles good news.

That's how you are wired.

But that's not rational debate. That's an emotional need...sort of like the "survivalists" in the 1980's who hoped for global nuclear war to justify their retreat from society, ditto again for the Y2K crowd that cowered in their bunkers on 1/1/2000.

You want to find fault...you **need** to find gloom and doom. If you see *any* good news, you are going to rain on that parade.

In short, you want others to be as miserable and depressed as yourself.

No thanks.

[Sir Gawain]

You are going to lash out at anything that even remotely resembles good news. That's how you are wired.

On the contrary, it was you that ran and grabbed your "good news list" in response to this thread. You spam your list on threads that are critical or have bad news. You see a thread like this, you run and grab your "good news list", because you are unable to find any faults from behind your rose colored glasses. I prefer to live in reality and acknowledge the bad along with the good. If the Republicans retain control or lose it, I won't be shocked either way. If the Republicans lose control, you're gonna wake up the next day and say, "What happened? Did they not see my good news list? There was no bad news!"

No thanks indeed.

[Southack]

Where is your good news?

You see, you don't have any good news...you are emotionally married to all bad news, all of the time.

Nothing good can happen in your world.

Sad. I pity you.

[Sir Gawain]

Your pop psychology is laughable. In the real world, there is good and bad, unlike your created reality.

[Southack]

"Your pop psychology is laughable. In the real world, there is good and bad, unlike your created reality."

And yet, you can't point to a single post that you've made on FR prior to today bragging about any "good."

Congratulations, you've just psychoanalyzed yourself (and come up short)...

[Sir Gawain]

Yawn. I'm not going to play fetch for you. Hilarious that you're reduced to this. What a lightweight.

[Sir Gawain]

BTW time to get your refund for your Psychology for Dummies book. I almost feel sorry for taking advantage of you.

[Southack]

[OKIEDOC]

Geeeeeze can any one give me a physical break on these so-Called Republicans deserting the party.

Some people are so gullible as to believe everything that is written by those with a cynical hidden agenda.

The liberal trolls have to be lying in the gutters laughing their butts off at the stupidity of those who actually believe these kinds of articles.

Most of the ones I see posting about this fake but accurate article didn't really support Bush to begin with and are looking for any excuse to raise hell.

[OKIEDOC]

Good Observation.

[OKIEDOC]

Good Observation

[OKIEDOC]

Good Observation

[OKIEDOC]

Good Observation

[OKIEDOC]

Good Observation

[OKIEDOC]

Excellent comment and well said.

[OKIEDOC]

Excellent comment and well said.