Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The Polls They Are A Fallin'

Like a countdown in a James Bond film, Obama’s approval rating keeps working its way toward zero. This week he hit a new low -- 45%. But he’s not the only one in trouble with the voters. Nosiree.

As incredible as this may sound, most people don’t think Congress knows what it’s doing. Imagine that! In fact, only 29% think Congress has a clue, and most of those people are institutionalized.

More interestingly, a full 57% of Americans -- six in ten -- would vote to throw out the entire Congress and start over. Now that’s a vote of confidence you can believe in!

Unfortunately, most people don’t believe it can happen. They think the system is “rigged” to protect incumbents. Fifty percent of respondents believe this in fact. Only 23% believe that “people hate Congress but love their own congressman.” And anecdotally speaking, I’m pretty sure Lawhawk can confirm that this is not true -- he’s never once mentioned making love to Nancy Pelosi, and that’s the sort of thing you tell people. . . like your exorcist.

FYI, speaking of Congress, Republicans now top the Democrats by 7% in the generic poll (43% to 36%). Not bad for a party that has no brains, no policies, no principles, and no leadership. Keep sitting around boys, it’s working!

Well, that’s all we have today. What? You want more? Ok, maybe just a little. . .

Perhaps you’ve heard of an odious little man named Harry Reid, “Dingy Harry” to his friends? Reid considers himself a muckety muck in the Senate, or so he tells his constituents every chance he gets. . . at least when he isn’t telling local newspapers: “I hope that you go out of business.” Right back at you Harry, right back at you.

So what’s up with Harry? Harry is under a great deal of stress. See, every so often, Harry has to answer to the voters. The next so often occurs in 2010. And, sadly, poor Harry is losing. Yep. Harry is losing to someone named Danny Tarkanian, who seems to be the son of towel-biting former NCAA basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian. “Tark the Shark” used to coach at UNLV, a much more esteemed institution than where Harry works.

Tark’s boy Danny claims to be something called a “Republican.” Now stick with me here, because I know that’s a new term. According to the wikipedia, “Republicans” are a political party found in some US states. And Harry's losing to one! Ha! What's worse, it’s not even close. Right now this mystery “Republican” is beating the pants off Harry by 11 points (49% to 38%).

Of course, these “Republicans” might want to give Harry a sporting chance. If they feel generous, they’ll run a woman named Sue Lowden, who only leads Harry by 5 points (45% to 40%).

Still, five points is nothing to sneeze at. And either way, it just doesn't look good for The Dinge.

What a shame it would be if Harry had to leave the land of graft and dirty money. Why, what would he do all day. . . all by himself? Well, actually, Harry might not be alone as you might think. Indeed, he might be able to hang out with Joe Biden’s kid (whose name I believe is Kumar). Little Kumar loses to some Republican named Mike "White" Castle, though it’s close -- 21 points.

And if Kumar Biden isn’t to Harry’s taste, he could swap mortgage details with Christopher Dodd, who trails someone named Simmons (possibly Richard? maybe Gene?) in New York’s eastern annex by 9 points. Arlen Specter might be free too. He currently trails something called “Toomey” by 12 points.

So fret not friends for young Harry, he won't be alone.

(P.S. If you do feel like sneezing at the five point lead, check out Writer X's post today on the advice given by Obama about sneezing. God help us all.)

16 comments:

Joel Farnham said...

I needed that today. Thanks. :-)

StanH said...

Andrew, Zogby has Barry at 43% …tisk-tisk! We have a long way to go, but it’s typical Washington, they’ve misread the ’08 elections as a desire for fundamental change of America, wrong-o …it was a throw the bums out, and if this trend continues as pointed out in your brilliant overview, it’s gonna happen again in 2010, …that rhymes : )

AndrewPrice said...

You're welcome guys. It was fun to write too! :-)

Stan, You're right, they completely misread the election results.

I'm saying that it will be easy in 2010, but the Republicans have a real chance if they start to firm up a bit and start offering Americans something to believe in.

USArtguy said...

A smattering of thoughts...

I hope those percentages reflect the views of registered voters most likely to vote. A lot of polls provide false hope (or false despair) because they include a significant number of people who won't or can't make an effort at the voting booth.

"Republicans... a party that has no brains, no policies, no principles, and no leadership." You left out "no spine". They're like a movie I have high expectations of--I go to see the movie and I really, really want to like it, but it just keeps letting me down.

"...odious little man " is quite possibly the best description I've read ol' Dingy Harry. :-)

Kumar? Really? As in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle? Crazee, man!

AndrewPrice said...

USArtguy, I'm pretty sure his name is Kumar. . . that's what I heard. Though it could have been Otter.

The poll numbers are indeed "likely voters" -- which they defined as having voted a certain number of times etc. etc.

That did seem like a good description for The Dinge! :-)

"No spine" how did I leave that out?

Joel Farnham said...

Today, Rasmussen says Obama is down to -12. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. :-)

Writer X said...

I'm suprised that there are even 29% who think Congress has a clue. Thanks, Andrew. I needed this chuckle today, too. And nothing would make me happier than to see Harry Reid booted back to Searchlight.

AndrewPrice said...

Writer X, You're welcome. I suspect the 29% are friends and family of Congressmen and, as I note, the institutionalized. :-)

I would love to see Harry get the boot.


Joel, it does give one a warm fuzzy doesn't it? That's the feeling of the American people wisening up. You can almost feel it in the air.

LawHawkSF said...

Andrew: In a way, I do love Nancy Pelosi. This town isn't going to elect anyone who doesn't stand with Lenin, Marx and Trotsky anyway, so dear Nan represents the [frozen] face of the Democratic Party to the nation. She's the best thing to happen to the Republican Party in many years.

Reid's in trouble only because he joined with the state politicians who want to implement a sex tax. Even in Nevada, some things are too sacred for politicians to mess with.

AndrewPrice said...

Lawhawk, I actually agree with you about Pelosi. I wouldn't want her thrown out of office because she's a great advertisement for the worst parts of the Democratic party. She's like a monument to bad government.

Tennessee Jed said...

This is all very heartening, but we are a long way from the fat lady singing. First priority is to stop further damage, then start actively dismantling activist big government.

MegaTroll said...

Man do I hope the people of Nevada do the right thing and toss this bum out on his rear.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, I take this as a very positive sign. But I've also consistently taken the position that the Republicans need to start offering an alternative.

"We're not them" works for a while, but it will fail if Obama gets the slightest bit of good news before the election. If you want to succeed, you can't just rely on the other guy becoming unpopular.

Mega, I certainly hope so.

Joel Farnham said...

Andrew, you are right. Basically, what is the alternative? Democrat Lite?

Why the Republican Leadership doesn't understand that Conservatism wins, I don't know.

AndrewPrice said...

That's the million dollar question Joel. And if they don't get it soon, they will find themselves replaced. I've never seen the rank and file more upset at the leadership in my life.

LawHawkSF said...

Andrew: Given my history, I can tell you that I have seen the rank and file this upset before. But it wasn't the Republicans. It was the Democrats, and it cost Lyndon Johnson his Presidency, the traditional leadership its position, and the Democrats the general election. If the Republican "leadership" doesn't learn the lessons of history, it will be condemned to relive it. We're not going to wait around while the "leadership" pussyfoots and waffles and wavers without proposing an agenda that boldly attacks the socialist and racist Obama administration and leftist Congress. The old saying is "lead, follow, or get out of the way." Michael Steele, et al., those are your alternatives.

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