Party ID

Donald Douglas takes a look at party ID. I think some people are making too much of it. Yes, the GOP is out of favor, as if that's a surprise. The success or failure of Obama over four years will determine what the numbers are four years out. These days, it's a brand thing. And people do switch brands in politics, more than they ever did.

The Republican Party, basically, has been reduced to its historic core. As Chris Cillizza argues: "Toss-up demographic groups eight years ago have moved en masse in Democrats' favor, leaving the GOP with only its base still on its side."

Comments

[gary gulrud]

The GOP has a problem with me, an Independent. I abhor them and will toss my vote away in a futile and stupid gesture on third parties.

[Steve]

We covered this as well on COMMON CENTS...
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com

[jefferson101]

There are a whole lot of us out here in the "Potential Terrorist" Right Wing who no longer are comfortable identifying ourselves as Republicans.

When they poll me, I'm an "Independent". And I'm sure I'm not the only one. If the Republicans want to act like Democrats, I won't claim to be associating with them.

That's having as much effect on the polls as any upsurge in approval for Democrats is, if not more.

[Dennis D]

It certainly on Obama's back whether the GOP makes any gains. As we speak Gas is going up while nothing has been done to increase supply. Obama does not support new drilling or Nuclear. He does not support coal or oil shale. We are decades from seeing Solar or Wind from making a substantial impact. The stimulus does not seem to be working and if it fails opponents will blame spending like John Murtha Airport. As Obama fails media will begin to turn against him or at least end the blind Obama support. On actual issues Obama loses. Even on Abortion current polls favor the GOP. The only issue the GOP needs to address is healthcare. I see a possible landslide for 2010 in either direction. ALL DEPENDS ON OBAMA.

[Jimbo]

It all depends on Obama? Is that right? Obama has been in office about 100 days. He is still cleaning up the mess the juvenile Bush left for him. How about this: We wait at least ONE FULL TERM to figure out what obama is going to do. That would only seem fair, no? When you see your house on fire, you probably won't be planning dinner parties for a while. Claeaning up after a war criminal will take quite a while.

[d davis]

I identify as an independent, as so many of my friends, but none of us would ever pull the lever for a Democrat . . . (and often only pull the lever for Republicans in order to vote "against" a Democrat).

We are libertarian-leaning conservatives and don't want to be identified with Big-Spending-Big-Federal-Government Republicanism. A lot of those "independents" are only ever going to break one way . . .

[seekeronos]

Independent and a Constitutionalist here. I'll sooner "toss my vote away" on a Constitutionalist any day, rather than vote for a useless RINO who is in bed with socialists.

[lala]

per Drudge the gummint is buying GM

[john]

What I'm wondering is how exactly this meshes with another recent gallup poll which has both parties tied in party identification.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/15370/Party-Affiliation.aspx

[jefferson101]

John:

You said "What I'm wondering is how exactly this meshes with another recent gallup poll which has both parties tied in party identification."

Several things. One is that the Republicans (or at least the Conservative wing of the Republican Party) have more support than polls will find right now.

Secondly, look at the approval level for Congress as a whole. Or Nancy Pelosi, or Harry Reid.

President Obama is still basking in the afterglow of all the "Feel-Good" emotions involved in electing a man of color as President. But that won't last much longer. The Republicans can reclaim their brand, and the Country, if they want to. OTOH, if John McCain (or worse, Megan McCain), David Frum, et al, are allowed to be the voice of the Republican Party, they are simply "Socialism Lite", and they are toast.

As are we all, if that occurs.

[templar knight]

"...you probably won't be planning dinner parties for awhile."

Now that is truly funny. The current chimp-in-chief is a regular party "animal", or so his cheerleaders in the media report. Every Wednesday night, with plenty of extra nights thrown in for good measure. Now cut the crap, Jimbo, nobody on this blog buys your nutroot BS. Next thing you'll tell me is that Obama and the Democratic Congress will close Gitmo, and that military trials will be eliminated. And those illegal, murderous predator strikes in Pakistan will end so that we will quit creating those terrorists, and we won't bomb civilians in Afghanistan under Obama, and what was that about the tooth fairy...or was it Santa Claus?

Jimbo, you're just plain stupid, not the usual gay, educated stupid of the common nutroot, but redneck stupid, a dumb white guy who is a union man all the way, a yellow dog if you will. You're in over your head here, you would be better served to post on one of the echo blogs like Kos or Huffpo. You could be their pet.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"You could be their pet."

Come on TEMPLAR, Jimbo is the second smartest little girl in the world. As promised Obie will close GITMO (as soon as he can convince some Euro country to take them. US Troops Will move out of Bhagdad by 30 June (did he actually mean THIS June?)even if it means changing the city limits. Iran will NEVER fire their new missile at Israel because Obie will tell them it isn't nice......besides Palestinians don't want a country they can't live in without class A ppe. We just have to give him time....I mean what with a Repugnican controlled congress fighting every move he makes....Let's give him eight months to do everything right, like GW got then we'll point to every flaw we can find or create.