Exploring The Mood Gap
GOP pollster Glen Bolger tracks an interesting phenomenon by comparing the mood of the electorate with where independent voters are aligning this fall:
A key to understanding the mindset of Independent voters is to compare their views on the right direction/wrong track with the views of Republicans and Democrats. Independents are always somewhere in between the two partisan groups -- but the key is which partisan group are Independents closer to at any point in time....
In 2006 and 2008, the mood of Independents was a lot closer to the mood of Democrats than Republicans. And, ultimately, Independents gave Dems a significant advantage at the ballot box. This year, the mood of Independents is much closer to the mood of Republicans about the direction of the country.
In both '06 and '08, independent voters were more inclined to be pessimistic about the nation's direction than optimistic. In '06, Bolger's Public Opinion Strategies polling showed indie voters' views hewing closer to Dems than to GOPers; in '08, the gap was less pronounced but still far more advantageous to Dems than GOPers.
Take a look at some recent polls, and GOPers have reason to be pleased. In the most recent Research 2000 poll for the liberal DailyKos.com website, 64% of Dem voters believe the country is on the right track, compared with 12% of GOPers. In the middle sit indies at 34%, 22 points away from GOPers and 30 points away from Dems.
A recent Ipsos-McClatchy poll, conducted Feb. 26-28, showed just 16% of GOPers happy with the country's direction, 12 points below the 28% of independents who believe the same. But 52% of Dems -- 24 points above indies -- say the country's headed the right way.
Be sure to bookmark POS's blog, a good place to go to get insight on the data top GOPers are seeing on a daily basis.
What a great idea to start spinning reality now before the American people see that the bill will help them profoundly.
Of course that spin would be disingenuous, but hey we are talking about the REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Oh and why would I want to bookmark a Republican P.O.S. blog? Who cares what "data" they're seeing? They ignore the "data" that says that every time they open their mouths another lie drops out.