PDA

View Full Version : The wrong poll for Boehner to tout



nic34
03-12-2013, 10:10 AM
Economic philisophy makes for great discussion, but unless something can be sold to voters, someone's point of vieW will inevitably have to be forced upon us.

So it's one thing for the "nanny state" to outlaw sugary big gulps for our own good, its another when most voters support the more taxes on the rich, less cuts to popular programs approach, are nevertheless told by the "nanny congress" that cuts and sequesters are best for our own good.


The wrong poll for Boehner to toutWhen a party is on the wrong side of public opinion on a major policy fight, its leaders and members have a choice. They can (a) acknowledge reality, explain why they believe the public is wrong, and take steps to persuade more of the mainstream to their point of view; or (b) pretend polling says what it does not say.

Just below the surface, however, most Americans would prefer to raise taxes than cut education, would prefer to raise taxes than cut Social Security, would prefer to raise taxes than cut Medicare, would prefer to raise taxes than cut infrastructure, and would prefer to raise taxes than cut Medicaid.

Republicans are proceeding from the assumption that the overall clash of messages favors them, because Americans like spending cuts in the abstract, as the McClatchy poll demonstrates. But one thing that's noteworthy about the politics of the sequester is that it is likely going to allow Americans to experience the impact of specific cuts in a unique way."

Yep, and as we know, Americans love the idea of cutting spending, right up until they're offered detailed choices, at which point they want to increase spending.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/11/17271662-the-wrong-poll-for-boehner-to-tout

Chris
03-12-2013, 10:33 AM
Two problems, nic.

One, which ought we to follow, economic philosophy the truth of which can be argued rationally or popular opinion, the whimsical emotions of the masses?

Two, if you say the latter then Maddow is touting the wrong poll:

http://i.snag.gy/oGclT.jpg

More @ http://thepoliticalforums.com/threads/11482-Your-Government-at-Work?p=247004&viewfull=1#post247004

nic34
03-12-2013, 11:34 AM
The problem is always how the question is asked. The polling I linked already anticipates your poll. When you get down to specifics, folks are not so much the "small govt." types you think they are.
Source (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hXIa0BwIUgbhYshcJ-jnn0w94YCw)

“The [Pew Research Center] poll found that many Americans believe rich people to be intelligent and hardworking but also greedy and less honest than the average American. Nearly six in 10, or 58 percent, say the rich don’t pay enough in taxes (http://politicolonel.com/topics/politics/taxes/), while 26 percent believe the rich pay their fair share and 8 percent say they pay too much.

Even among those who describe themselves as “upper class” or “upper middle class,” more than half — or 52 percent — said upper-income Americans don’t pay enough in taxes; only 10 percent said they paid too much. This upper tier was more likely to say they are more financially secure now than 10 years ago — 62 percent.

The results reinforce economic data showing a widening economic divide. America’s middle class has been shrinking in the stagnant economy and poverty is now approaching 1960s highs, while wealth concentrates at the top.” — Hope Yen, Copyright 2012 The Associated Press

snali
03-12-2013, 11:56 AM
the american public do seem to act both left and right while they support leftist princples when the federal governemt was concerned yet during the midterms and local and state elections they support conservative policies in fact lot political pundits are predicting that 2014 would be a success for the republicans

KC
03-12-2013, 12:18 PM
The only good thing about republican government is that the people are able vote a person out of power. Popular opinion does not make for the best policy decisions.

Boris The Animal
03-12-2013, 12:28 PM
The only good thing about republican government is that the people are able vote a person out of power. Popular opinion does not make for the best policy decisions.That's why they voted for the Head Numbskull In Charge twice.

KC
03-12-2013, 12:33 PM
That's why they voted for the Head Numbskull In Charge twice.

To be fair, we weren't given much of a choice, but even if we had been given one, it's not like that person would have won.

nic34
03-12-2013, 02:56 PM
When it's all said and done you still have to win elections... or else become a dictatorship.

Obama won 2 straight and they were not that close.

No doubt people are not confused.

KC
03-12-2013, 03:25 PM
When it's all said and done you still have to win elections... or else become a dictatorship.

Obama won 2 straight and they were not that close.

No doubt people are not confused.

It is better to fail doing the right thing than to succeed doing the wrong thing.

Chris
03-12-2013, 04:01 PM
When it's all said and done you still have to win elections... or else become a dictatorship.

Obama won 2 straight and they were not that close.

No doubt people are not confused.

They were extremely close especially when you consider Romney--Bush II bad, Obama more of the same, Romney more of the same--the three stooges of big government.

Chris
03-12-2013, 04:03 PM
It is better to fail doing the right thing than to succeed doing the wrong thing.

Guy Kowalski?

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation."
~Herman Melville

KC
03-12-2013, 04:20 PM
Guy Kowalski?

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation."
~Herman Melville

I don't know. I was being generic, but I'm sure something to that effect has been said before.

ptif219
03-12-2013, 04:24 PM
People trust GOP more than Obama on Budget

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/11/185487/mcclatchy-marist-poll-shows-obama.html