The Hankster: Where the independents are 8/7/09
By Nancy Hanks | Related entries in Independents, News, Politics, PollsINDEPENDENT VOTERS
More from Quinnipiac and Field polls on independent voters’ views
- Deficit a Growing Concern for Public — and White House (By GERALD F. SEIB, Wall Street Journal) When Mr. Hart, the Democratic pollster, conducted a focus-group discussion with a dozen independent voters in Maryland a few days ago, he drew this conclusion: “These independents’ biggest worries are about the amount of money the government is spending and the speed at which it is making significant changes to how the country operates.”
- Californians Shift in Marriage Views (By Michelle Garcia, Advocate) Quotes Field Poll
- Obama goes into Chicago-style community organizer mode (Watchdog Politics Examiner, Martha R Gore)
- The South secedes from the GOP (Facing South, The Institute for Southern Studies) “While the Republican Party is still able to compete in elections if they enjoy greater turnout from their supporters or greater support for its candidates from independent voters, the deck is clearly stacked in the Democratic Party’s favor for now,” the analysis concluded.
- Obama’s Approval Drops To 50 Percent, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Half Say President Acted ‘Stupidly’ In Race Dispute (Quinnipiac Poll)
- Morning Fix: As California Goes. . . (Chris Cillizza, Washington Post/The Fix)
BLOOMBERG 09
Mayoral control of schools seen as important to education. (Bloomberg is running for re-election as an independent.)
O’S CZAR: NATION COULD LEARN FROM NYC (By CARL CAMPANILE, NY Post)
For more news for independents, see The Hankster
This entry was posted on Friday, August 7th, 2009 and is filed under Independents, News, Politics, Polls. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 7th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
What a great surprise to find you here at the Donklephant, Nancy! You know, given the #tinfoilhat brigade tactics of the GOP, it’s hard for me to envision a viable balance to the Dems, moving forward. The time seems ripe for another evolutionary step in the American experiment. Perhaps the Blue Dogs could or should begin staking out a more defined platform and become the New Voice of the Reasonable Right or something. This is a very real concern to me, because it’s NOT GOOD to have an effectively single party system, even if it’s historically been “my” party.
We need the check and balance of a viable Loyal Opposition. Better yet, several.
Between Limbaugh simultaneously jumping the shark in strict compliance with Godwin’s Law http://u.nu/6h7s and these embarrassing Townhall Tantrums, the GOP has literally become a laughing stock. On the one hand, it’s awesome to see many of the hardcore creations kooks finally exposed for what they are; on the other hand, One Party is a Really Bad Idea.
Perhaps the next couple of election cycles are poised to offer a chance to significantly change the American political landscape toward a truly open, multi-party democracy. Hmmm … now you’ve got me thinking … Technoprogessives, Unite! This may be our time to align in collective action to empower our nation to lead beyond the event horizon of post-industrialism and emancipate humanity from the shackles of want and war, at long last.
August 8th, 2009 at 10:48 am
I know polling institutes have to have a reason for existence, but I find the constant barrage of polling numbers, particularly when it’s not election time, to be so misleading and blurring of what’s really going on in the country (and I use “really” very liberally here). I think multiple things are happening, including that 1) we still live in a very divided, complex country where people are deeply conflicted about race, status, beliefs, you name it and 2) most independents are independents because they don’t believe that any politician is the be all and end all – including Obama. That a large number of independents voted for Obama, yet don’t hold him as the answer is not surprising. On the other hand, I think independents are willing to give Obama a chance to do what he can do in a deeply damaged system – and I think he’s doing a good job of just that – doing what he can do. Unfortunately, given how partisan the process is, that’s limited. Polls just invite people to complain. Building an independent movement gives us a fighting chance to do something about it.
Gwen
http://www.independentvoting.org