Swing Voters Don't Want Big Government

WSJ ^ | November 06, 2008 | PAT TOOMEY

[RobinMasters]

Barack Obama and congressional Democrats won big on Tuesday night, but they should not mistake their victory for a big-government mandate. The evidence tells a very different story.

A poll commissioned by the Club for Growth in 12 swing congressional districts over the past weekend shows that the voters who made the difference in this election still prefer less government -- lower taxes, less spending and less regulation -- to Sen. Obama's economic liberalism. Turns out, Americans didn't vote for Mr. Obama and Democratic congressional candidates because they support their redistributionist agenda, but because they are fed up with the Republican politicians in office. This was a classic "throw the bums out" election, rather than an embrace of the policy views of those who will replace them.

Although currently held by Republican congressmen, all but one of these 12 districts we surveyed flipped to Democratic control Tuesday night. Collectively, President Bush carried these districts in 2004 with 53%. They are nearly evenly split in party affiliation: 40% Democratic, 37% Republican and 19% Independent. The poll surveyed 800 voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.46 percentage points.

[EdnaMode]

Apparently only 10-15% of Americans know who Nancy Pelosi is!

[fortheDeclaration]

They will also believe the MSN (Chrissy) when they blame all of this on mess on Bush/Republicans.

The fact is that most of the problems are our fault!

We had total control of the Gov't for 6 years, the Congress for 12 and ran it like the Democrats did with pork and big gov't spending.

Bush was a moderate Democrat, not a conservative Republican.

We didn't deserve to win those elections since we failed to protect the People and sold them out to the special interests.

[Boagenes]

Well, they voted for it, so f- them. The people get the government they deserve. And the stupid, ignorant, mouthbreathers that voted for this radical Marxist jack ass are going to get the government they deserve and then some.

[fortheDeclaration]

So, according to Toomey’s article, sounds like these swing voters disagreed with Obama on most issues, but voted for him anyway. Wow — that cult thing is a powerful magnet.

No, they were rejecting the Republican Party and its corruption and special interests (bailouts)

[ScottinVA]

“We need to get some conservative fighters in charge in Washington and I am encouraging my fellow freepers to write their congresscritters to ask them to make Mike Pence the minority house leader”

That would be a good start. Time for Boehner to go.

Like Brig Gen. Teddy Roosevelt Jr. said on the sands of Utah Beach on the morning of D-Day — “Alright — we’ll start the war from here.”

[MrsLilac]

Wow, some people really have no sense! Add them to the list of people who shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

[fortheDeclaration]

This was what happened with Carter. As soon has people see higher taxes and bad economy from the Democrats economic policy they will throw them out same as most of Europe and Canada just did. The good news is the dummy swing voters are not conservatives or liberals, just ignorant people floating along in life. They have no idea about economics or politics, but they sure as heck did not realize what they just voted for. They never convert, they simply swing. Its our job to swing them back.

We have to true Conservatives and not 'compassionate' ones, like the Bush's who were nothing more then Democrats.

The GOP has to get back to fighting for the individual, the 'little guy' like Joe the Plumber.

That means no more Government programs, but dismantling them-freedom works.

[ScottinVA]

“We had total control of the Gov’t for 6 years, the Congress for 12 and ran it like the Democrats did with pork and big gov’t spending.”

I totally agree with that. The GOP had a golden opportunity to make a difference and squandered it badly.

[vwatto]

This is actually GOOD news. If we can run a real conservative who can articulate what conservatism is, he/she WILL win.

What this means is that there is still hope.

[Charles Martel]

Swing voters are even dumber than I thought then. Don’t want big government but elect a marxist who promises the biggest expansion of government in US history? Some people are too stupid to vote.

Swing voters, fence-sitters, undecideds/independents, whatever one calls this group of people, they are mostly bereft of personal political beliefs. If they were not apolitical to begin with, they wouldn't need coaxing to join one side or the other.

They either trend towards the "most appealing" candidate (smoothest talker, most handsome, best dresser, favorable body language, whatever) or they bite at the prettiest empty campaign promise, usually one that involves soaking Someone Else and benefitting them.

They never open the book, they go entirely by its cover. That's why Obama's associates and past activities didn't make a difference in this election.

How many times must this lesson be re-learned?

[ScottinVA]

“We have to be true Conservatives and not ‘compassionate’ ones, like the Bush’s who were nothing more than Democrats”

Got that right. I’m so damn over “compassionate conservatism.” We need objective, informed conservatism now. No more of this mushy stuff.

[ScottinVA]

Damn right there’s hope. But NO more putting tired old white Senators at the top of the ticket because it’s deemed to be “their time.” That is ALWAYS a losing proposition.

[vwatto]

I agree. McCain only won the nod by attrition. Had we had a run-off somehow, he would have lost to anyone else on the list except Paul.

[Maceman]

I never knew until recent years how densely stupid American voters can be.

I knew it when Clinton left office with an approval rating of over 60%.

[randita]

Why vote for a RINO when you can vote for the real thing, a Democrat.

[nonsporting]

Swing voters don't want Big Government

Then why did they vote for BIG GOVERNMENT? They should read Aesop's "The Frog and the Scorpion."