INSIDE WASHINGTON
Political Insiders Poll
by James A. Barnes and Peter Bell
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Click here to see how prominent bloggers responded to these questions.
Q: What's the biggest problem for Democrats right now?
Democrats (82 votes)
Rising deficits 23 percent Sluggish economic recovery 61 percent "Big Government" image 16 percent
Rising deficits
"At some point, the budget will have to be balanced. Folks outside the Beltway know it's a lot of money, and they have yet to see the effect."
"It's actually rising spending as opposed to rising deficits. The middle class is seeing nothing in return for the spending."
"While voters are somewhat jaded about [Democrats'] ability to recover the economy and have always given Democrats the Big Government label, what is most distressing to voters is the sense that they are only going to make matters worse in the long run."
Sluggish economic recovery
"Specifically, a jobless recovery."
"People have to feel that Obama and the Democrats are turning the economy around. If they are, they will put up with Big Government and deficits for now."
"The mortgage issue still is standing in the way of any recovery and poses serious risks for 2010."
"The economy was the only issue from Labor Day to Election Day last year. And it will be the only issue that matters in the fall of '10. A stronger economy will be insurmountable for a weakened Republican Party."
" 'Big Government' is a red herring, and deficits or the absence thereof never sunk or saved anyone. It's all about the economy, stupid."
"Most state and local governments are just beginning to put the dollars to use. It will happen!"
"Big Government" Image
"In addition to the 'big spender' mantra, for many pro-business Democrats, this is a very difficult summer explaining the impacts on business."
"I don't know why we can't draw the line between government spending and government regulation, but it's a 30-year problem."
Q: What's the biggest problem for Democrats right now?
Republicans (85 votes)
Rising deficits 36 percent Sluggish economic recovery 41 percent "Big Government" image 18 percent Volunteered* 5 percent
*Volunteered responses: legislative agenda; job creation.
Rising deficits
"Trillion-dollar deficits. Trillion-dollar health reform. Independents who voted Bush 2004, Obama 2008 are starting to get scared."
"Rising deficits are an easy-to-understand barometer for all three problems."
"During a time of bailout and wasteful-spending fatigue, the Democrats' ownership of current deficits filters back to voters very easily."
"CBO's truth-telling on deficits is more effective at halting Democrats than anything from Republicans."
"Barring something unforeseen, such as a terrorist attack, this will be the principal issue in the 2010 election cycle."
Sluggish economic recovery
"It's not working, and people are figuring it out."
"You hate to root for the economy to keep sputtering along for six months, but it is probably the single best thing that could happen for the GOP, politically."
"Even James Carville would agree that bragging about 'saved jobs' when unemployment will likely reach 11 percent is a risky electoral strategy."
"Big Government" Image
"Passage of whatever that energy/tax/climate thing was last week in the House proves one thing: National Democrats love federal government micromanaging, whatever the cost in liberty or treasure. Voters don't."
"The fear of Big Government only becomes an issue when it has the potential to interfere with Americans' daily lives. National health care could be that issue, and Obama's Waterloo."
Other responses
"The biggest issue for the Democrats is that their priorities are out of step with [those of] most Americans."
"The diminishing level of support for the substance of what President Obama is advocating."
Q: What's the biggest problem for Republicans right now?
Democrats (82 votes)
Scandal 16 percent Lack of a leader 51 percent Obstructionist image in Congress 28 percent Volunteered* 5 percent
*Volunteered responses: all of the above; no message; no problem.
Scandal
"This colors them scarlet red, at least for the moment."
"[The extramarital affair of John] Ensign didn't matter. But now Ensign and [Mark] Sanford: It gets to be too much."
Lack of a leader
"Rarely at this time in the electoral calendar does the party without control of the White House have a 'leader.' And the Republicans at this time are no exception."
"While it is not unusual for the party on the outs to lack a singular leader at this point in the electoral cycle, it does not mean Republicans couldn't have one, or that it wouldn't help tremendously."
"Scandals will come and go, and Democrats will always have their own, but there is really no single voice in the Republican Party. [Rush] Limbaugh is too divisive even for Republicans, [Mitt] Romney is not acceptable with the Christian evangelical wing, and [Sarah] Palin has too much baggage."
"They are considered obstructionists because they don't have a leader who is trusted or believed by the American people."
Obstructionist image
"Republicans need to be seen as a party of ideas, not as obstructionists. They need to articulate a clear vision of how to solve current problems. They did a much better job of this (communications-wise) in 1993-94."
"Bipartisanship truly is supposed to be a two-way street. Have they no interest in solving health care or energy or unemployment?"
No problem
"They don't have a problem right now. They are zeroed in on spending, and that's all they have to do."
Q: What's the biggest problem for Republicans right now?
Republicans (85 votes)
Scandal 19 percent Lack of a leader 51 percent Obstructionist image in Congress 19 percent Volunteered* 12 percent
*Volunteered responses: W.'s ghost; damaged brand; no message; no problem.
Scandal
"How could it be anything else? Sanford put an exclamation point on the problem this week. Worse yet, he refuses to go away."
"Until our leaders learn how to keep it in their pants, we can't even hold our base, let alone appeal to independents."
"These people are unbelievable!"
Lack of a leader
"Without a leader we lack a message and a voice. This allows others to create the message for us."
"Results in being mostly reactionary, thinking for the short term -- and without direction."
"[Mitch] McConnell and [John] Boehner simply don't project to the national audience, and [Michael] Steele's a self-absorbed clown. Oh, for the days of [Bob] Dole, [Newt] Gingrich, and [Haley] Barbour!"
"There's a word for everyone who's stepped forward so far: 'pathetic.' "
"Even worse, there appears to be none on the horizon!"
Obstructionist image
"A party without positive ideas can't become the majority."
"There's nothing wrong with being obstructionist if voters understand your alternative. But the 'Party of No' label is sticking."
W.'s ghost
"Residual ghost of George W. Bush that will fade, but all too slowly."
National Journal Insiders
Democratic Political Insiders Jill Alper, Brad Bannon, Dave Beattie, Andy Bechhoefer, Cornell Belcher, Mitchell W. Berger, Mike Berman, Stephanie Bjornson, Paul Brathwaite, Donna Brazile, Mark Brewer, Ed Bruley, George Bruno, Deb Callahan, Bonnie Campbell, Bill Carrick, Martin J. Chavez, Tony Coelho, Jerry Crawford, Jeff Danielson, Peter Daou, Jim Demers, Tad Devine, David Di Martino, Debbie Dingell, Monica Dixon, Patrick Dorton, Anita Dunn, Jeff Eller, Steve Elmendorf, Carter Eskew, Eric Eve, Vic Fazio, Peter Fenn, Scott Ferson, Jim Fleischmann, Tina Flournoy, Don Foley, Don Fowler, Vincent Frillici, Gina Glantz, Niles Godes, John Michael Gonzalez, Joe Grandmaison, Anna Greenberg, Stan Greenberg, Pat Griffin, Larry Grisolano, Michael Gronstal, Lisa Grove, Marcia Hale, Jill Hanauer, Dick Harpootlian, Paul Harstad, Laura Hartigan, Mike Henry, Karen Hicks, Leo Hindery, Jr., Harold Ickes, Marcus Jadotte, John Jameson, Steve Jarding, Jonathon Jones, Jim Jordan, Gale Kaufman, Kam Kuwata, Celinda Lake, David Lang, Penny Lee, Chris Lehane, Jeff Link, Bill Lynch, Bob Maloney Steve Marchand, Jim Margolis, Paul Maslin, Keith Mason, Susan McCue, Gerald McEntee, Tom McMahon, Phil McNamara, David Medina, Mark Mellman, John Merrigan, Steve Murphy, Janet Napolitano, David Nassar, Marcia Nichols, John Norris, Tom Ochs, Tom O'Donnell, Scott Parven, Jeffrey Peck, Debora Pignatelli, Tony Podesta, Larry Rasky, Bruce Reed, Mame Reiley, Steve Ricchetti, Will Robinson, Steve Rosenthal, David Rudd, John Ryan, Wendy Sherman, Terry Shumaker, Kevin Shuvalov, Sean Sinclair Phil Singer, Erik Smith, Doug Sosnik, Darry Sragow, Katrina Swett, Sarah Swisher, Jeffrey Trammell, Ed Turlington, Mike Veon, Rick Wiener, Bridgette Williams, JoDee Winterhof, Brian Wolff, and Jim Zogby.
GOP Political Insiders Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Rich Ashooh, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Clark Benson, Wayne Berman, Brian Bieron, Charlie Black, Kirk Blalock, Carmine Boal, Jeff Boeyink, Ron Bonjean, Jeff Buley, Luke Byars, Nick Calio, Danny Carroll, Ron Christie, Jim Cicconi, Cesar Conda, Jake Corman, Scott Cottington, Charlie Crist, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Steve Duprey, Debi Durham, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Sam Geduldig, Adam Geller, Benjamin Ginsberg, Bill Greener, Jonathan Grella, Lanny Griffith, Janet Mullins Grissom, Doug Gross, Todd Harris, Steve Hart, Christopher Healy, Ralph Hellmann, Chris Henick, Terry Holt, David Iannelli, Clark Judge, David Keating, David Kensinger, Bruce Keough, Bob Kjellander, Ed Kutler, Chris Lacivita, Jim Lake, George LeMieux, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Brian McCormack, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Tim Morrison, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Todd Olsen, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Kevin Shuvalov, Don Sipple, Robin Smith, Javier Soto, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Eric Tanenblatt, Richard Temple, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Stewart Verdery, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Tom Wilson, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, and Fred Wszolek.
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