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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2006-07-28

There's Meaning In That-There Poll

The Wall Street Journal released a poll yesterday: Both Parties Post Low Approval Ratings In Poll. And while the GOP numbers are, well, abyssmal (Bush approval 39%, GOP 33% up and 46% down, generic congressional poll 48-38% for Dems, right track/wrong track 27%/60%), there is a very important tidbit inside the poll that points a straight line towards a GOP strategy for the Fall.

Another problem for Republicans is that they are getting no dividends from a U.S. economy that continues growing, with low unemployment and modest inflation. . . ."We're in a period of unusual and sustained economic pessimism," Mr. McInturff observes. Topping the list of concerns is gasoline prices and energy costs, named by 40% as the nation's most important economic issue.

If only 41% of the people think the economy is good, and, of those who don't, 40% think the big issue is the price at the pump, you CANNOT hope to gain traction on the strength of the economy. You--being the GOP powers-that-be--MUST work to pin the blame on the price of fuel on the Democrats.

It should be easy; here's a first salvo:

[film footage of offshore drilling platform, pan in to show platform hitting oil; voiceover] "one country is gaining ground on freeing itself from dependence on middle eastern oil; one country is making progress in NOT shipping billions of dollars to regimes that support terrorism around the world; one country is taking action to reduce the price of gasoline for its citizens;[pan back quickly to show a beach looking out at the sea] "one country is developing their resources within sixty miles of the coast of Florida. That country is Cuba.

Ask yourself: wouldn't YOU like to reduce the price of gasoline? Call the Democrats in Congress and ask them: if Cuba can get oil from the Gulf of Mexico, why won't they allow America to get the resources in our own back yard?

We have to turn this into "a vote for any Democrat is a vote for the extreme environmental, terrorist-centered approach to energy" (yes, I know that's overstated)

If the price at the pump is a top issue this year, then play the game by the rules the public has decided on. It won't do any good to continue arguing that things are great--we've got to connect on what matters. Once we establish credibility on that count, then we can make the argument that things are actually pretty good.

Now if the Senate Republicans would get the heck out of the way, we could argue that only the GOP can secure the borders from illegal immigration . . ."Hello? Senators McCain and Specter? STEP ASIDE!!"


Posted by: Michael / 7/28/2006 03:42:00 PM

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