Hope, Change, Plummeting Poll Numbers

By Wyatt Earp | July 11, 2009

Remember all of the feel-good poll numbers the Democrats were enjoying right after President Obama’s inauguration?

Yeah, neither do they.

In a little less than six months, the Democrats pissed away their fantastic popularity numbers, thanks in part to drunken Kennedy sailor “stimulus” spending, the Cap and Trade fiasco, and the looming threat of ObamaCare. But don’t just take my word for it. Take these Rasmussen poll numbers, courtesy of Hot Air:

If Barack Obama has reason to worry about sliding poll numbers, the Democrats as a party might shortly enter panic mode. In the space of a few months, they have tossed aside their credibility on most of the issues, according to a Rasmussen poll, including their onetime strong suit, the economy. Now Republicans have overtaken them on eight of ten issues, and threaten to eclipse them on health care and education as well:

And since they control the presidency and both houses, they have no one to blame but themselves.

Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats on eight out of 10 key electoral issues, including, for the second straight month, the top issue of the economy. They’ve also narrowed the gap on the remaining two issues, the traditionally Democratic strong suits of health care and education.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that voters trust the GOP more on economic issues 46% to 41%, showing little change from the six-point lead the party held last month. This is just the second time in over two years of polling the GOP has held the advantage on economic issues. The parties were close on the issue in May, with the Democrats holding a one-point lead.

Voters not affiliated with either party trust Republicans more to handle the economy by a 46% to 32% margin.

In fairness, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are not exactly names you can trust when it comes to, well, anything. Better to elect mafiosos in their stead – they at least operate under a code of honor.

That last point is the big takeaway. For decades, the Democrats have led on the economy, mostly by being on the outside of power in DC. They promise boatloads of benefits without explaining the costs, and demonize Republicans for exercising fiscal responsibility (occasions that had admittedly become rare) through anecdotal stories of people ignored by the government. Now that they hold all the strings, the costs for their expansive and overwhelming agenda can no longer remain hidden, and people — most critically independents — are reeling away from the Democrats.

And with ObamaCare now estimated to cost over $1 trillion, there is little reason to expect the Dems’ poll numbers to rise anytime soon. Unless, of course, they admit that America doesn’t want their insanely expensive health care plan.

But what are the chances of that?

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