Posted on 12/07/2012 1:29:33 PM PST by SeekAndFind
As negotiations on a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" enter the final three weeks, Republicans face a stark reality: The American public continues siding with President Barack Obama and Democrats on issues crucial to any potential deal.
Polls taken over the past month have continually shown that a post-election bump for the President, combined with the relative unpopularity of Republicans, gives Obama a lot of leverage in the debate.
Voters overwhelmingly support the key element of Obama's plan for a deal — raising taxes on incomes above $250,000. They also support blanket entitlement cuts, which is what the GOP wants in a deal. But when asked about specific entitlement reforms, they balk at the options.
Here's a rundown of the GOP's public-opinion problem:
* In the past week, voters appear to be moving even more toward a position that favors raising tax rates on incomes above $250,000. A Thursday Quinnipiac poll found the margin at a whopping 65-31. In a new Associated Press/GfK poll, 48 percent favored eliminating the Bush-era tax cuts on incomes above $250,000.
* Obama has more cards to play with — because if leaders do fail to reach an agreement, the public overwhelmingly says it will blame Republicans by a 53-27 percent margin. This underscores what two big conservatives wrote last week — that Republicans are "screwed" because they don't have much leverage, especially in the court of public opinion.
* What has gone unnoticed in a lot of fiscal-cliff polling is how starkly people come out against any specific entitlement reforms pollsters ask about. For example, in the Quinnipiac poll, people oppose cutting Medicare spending by a 70-25 margin. By a 51-44 margin, they oppose raising the Medicare eligibility age.
* The AP poll shows that voters also "trust" Democrats more on handling Medicare
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Voters are only hearing one side of the debate. The WH have complete control of the media who get his message out and either ignore conservative arguments or edit them to look bad.
What happened to standing on principle?
At some point we are going to crash and it is going to be a hard landing. But the hard landing is what Barry the Bolshevik is going for.
Who cares what “Americans” think anymore? These are the same know nothing putz’ that voted a know nothing putz back into POTUS a 2nd time!!!
Republicans went OVER the CLIFF quite a few elections ago..
When they IGNORED voter fraud.. totally ignored it..
as they still are doing.. Nov 6th voter fraud demanded revolt..
But republicans have become cowards and complicit with voter fraud..
Afraid to put their lives at risk.. revolt can be quite bloody..
AND THE DEMOCRATS KNOW IT..
It’s the usual Propaganda -—> Poll -—> Propaganda -—> Etc. cycle that the media always creates:
Repubs/Conservatives Bad -—> Poll -—> Repubs/Conservatives Bad -—> Etc.
Bingo.
Damed if you do. Damned of you don’t. Might as well do the right thing and stand on principal. The next election is few years away, voters have short memories, and we know how all the polls are rigged by the Liberal Media. Go for it, Boner!
The court of public opinion is orchestrated by the same Marxist media which got the Kenyan re-elected. Until the enemedia loses sufficient credibility and a few of their top leaders get Julius Streicher therapy, this country will not get back on the right track.
Give the President what he wants on the 2%, stipulate that you don’t agree; vote PRESENT, and deliver enough sacrifical votes so that it passes the House,
BUT.....pledge that support if the President and Reid agree to put these “obama tax increases” back to Bush rates, if they do not present a true balanced plan on cutting the Budget within the first 45 days of the new year. If they don’t agree, then the GOP can claim that the President is no serious about balancing the budget, reining in Govt spending and tell them there will be absolutely no movement on the debt ceiling.
As for the other calculation, I wouldn't trust Comcast -- they're bundlers for 0bama, and their rate is surely a nominal, not actual, calculation. Expiration of the Bush Tax cuts will increase the average family's actual Federal Income Tax liability (not nominal tax) by about $1200. That is on an average ($48,500) household income. I very seriously doubt that you would see an increase of $1000 on less than $29,000.
Both Quinnipiac and AP pollsters are the worst propagandists.
It is no wonder the public polls this way. Every liberal/socialist media talking head is doing nothing but propagandizing for Obama’s position and attacking the Repub position. That is all the public hears With this and the 47% who are taking from the government, is there any doubt that that is how they would poll. No surprise here. Americans are really stupid and selfish — seems they will support anything that takes from others to give to themselves. But don’t mess with their money or benefits. The polling on specific benefit cuts says just that.
Who cares? If we go over the cliff, Repubs get blamed, if we don’t, Obama gets the credit. We’re going to get bad PR either way, we might as well stand on principle.
I hope you are right.
Course SS will crash in a decade or two no matter what.
What principle are you standing on if you let taxes go up across the board, and let defense take half of al the cuts. That sounds exactly like a Democrat’s principle. By going off the cliff the GOP would be enacting the democrats agenda, and will take the blame for any economic damage. Total disaster.
Of course "the American public" continues siding with The Won. "The American public" voted for the guy who promised to keep playing Santa, and now they want him to keep playing Santa.
The Republicans are (a) extremely poor at getting the message out, and, (b) are extremely good at always letting the Democrats play offense.
The republican party just backed up and ran into the iceberg again to make sure the Titanic would sink..
Who are the fools that would reward them for it?..
Republic Rats are jumping ship as we speak..
A third party could do no worse..
NOTE; to the loyal.. Soooo stay aboard a sinking ship.. will make for a purer third party.. Cherrio RINOs.. The Tiger Sharks are not friendly today..
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