[OAW]

The mid-term elections have come and gone and as expected the Dems took a beating at the polls. GOP leadership is claiming a "mandate" to roll back the Obama agenda. I was looking over some of the exit polling data to see if it corresponded with the election results in this regard. Some relevant data points ....

No matter how you voted today do you usually think of yourself as:

Democrat: 36
Republican: 36
Ind/Other: 28

On most political matters do you consider yourself:

Liberal: 20
Moderate: 39
Conservative: 41

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?

Strongly Approve: 23
Somewhat Approve: 22
Somewhat Disapprove: 14
Strongly Disapprove: 40

Was one reason for your US House vote day?

Support Obama: 24
Oppose Obama: 37
No Factor: 37

Is your opinion of the Democratic party?

Favorable: 43
Unfavorable: 53

Is your opinion of the Republican party?

Favorable: 42
Unfavorable: 52

Which ONE of these four issues is the most important facing the country?

Afghanistan: 8
Healthcare: 18
Economy: 62
Illegal Immigration: 8

Which should be the highest priority for the next Congress?

Cut Taxes: 19
Deficit: 39
Jobs: 37

Who is most to blame for the current economic problems?

Wall Street: 35
Bush: 29
Obama: 23

So far the economic stimulus program has?

Helped: 32
Hurt: 33
No Difference: 32

What should Congress do with the new healthcare law?

Expand: 31
Leave as is: 16
Repeal: 48

How should Congress vote on the Bush era tax cuts?

Continue All: 39
Continue Less: 37
Expire: 15

Associated Press Interactive-2010 Exit Polls: What happened Election Night

How do you interpret this data in light of the election results? What is your analysis? Mandate? If so ... to do what?

OAW

[besson3c]

I interpret this as people want the economy to improve, Obama was not getting it done to the voter's satisfaction or not getting it done as soon as desired, so voters went with the other guy - nothing terribly new here in terms of some profoundly new narrative. It is hard to reconcile some sort of alleged Republican love-in or dramatic shift with the favorability polls. The Republicans were not Obama, that is about it.

It will be interesting to see how Obama adjusts in the next two years.

[CreepDogg]

I think this is what the 'mandate' says:

YouTube - FIX IT

Note: sorry about the audio/video sync - guess someone has to fix it

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by CreepDogg 

I think this is what the 'mandate' says:

YouTube - FIX IT

Note: sorry about the audio/video sync - guess someone has to fix it

That's pretty much it, yeah

[OAW]

Here's my 2 cents ....

- Neither party is viewed any more or less favorably than the other.

- Just as many people approve of Obama's job performance as disapprove.

- The economic stimulus program is viewed rather neutrally in terms of effectiveness.

- A clear majority favors allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for the wealthy. But an even larger majority favor extending them for everybody else.

- Just as many people want to keep healthcare reform or expand it as want to repeal it.

- The economy is by far the number one concern of the electorate.

The GOP leadership is kidding themselves if they construe this as some sort of mandate. Nothing of the sort exists ... one way or the other. The electorate is clearly divided among those that actually voted. Though one can argue that the low turnout among young people is indicative of a silent constituency that is more likely supportive of Obama than not. In any event, the country seems to be becoming ungovernable. Not because of the divide per se, but because the left is disillusioned with Obama because he has governed as a pragmatic centrist even though he campaigned that way ... the right has made the unfortunate, though politically effective and correct calculation that unadulterated obstruction would clear the path for their return to power ... and the independents are as fickle as a 14 year old girl. One would think that a relatively centrist administration by any historical measure would be exactly what such a divided electorate needed. Yet the bad economy has resulted in politics in America becoming a game of musical chairs. Whichever party is left standing when an election rolls around during hard economic times gets the boot. Policy doesn't matter. The long-term interests of the country certainly don't matter. And unless the Senate restores some semblance of statesmanship and reigns in the abuse of the filibuster ... the foreseeable future will consist of wild swings back and forth to determine which party presides over gridlock.

OAW

[smacintush]

I don't want to be overly simplistic here, but we have a wildly unpopular congress and speaker of the house along with a crappy economy and an unbelievable deficit.

Where's the mystery?

Let's face it, the current congress is terrible. The current Democrat leadership been unprofessional, immature and divisive since they came to power. Now, at least in The House, they're gone.

All the GOP has to do for the next 2 years is to act like adults, stand-up for responsible spending, and don't do anything that will stand in the way of economic growth and they will likely hold the house and take the senate.

[OAW]

Originally Posted by smacintush 

I don't want to be overly simplistic here, but we have a wildly unpopular congress and speaker of the house along with a crappy economy and an unbelievable deficit.

Where's the mystery?

As far as the election results are concerned ... I don't think there is much mystery.

Originally Posted by smacintush

Let's face it, the current congress is terrible. The current Democrat leadership been unprofessional, immature and divisive since they came to power. Now, at least in The House, they're gone.

Well Congress is typically not held in very high regard as an institution, but most people seem to like their local Congressman in the polls. And I also wouldn't put all the divisiveness on the Democrat leadership. When you have GOP leadership on record as saying that their political strategy is to oppose the current Administration on every front then one can't credibly hang the "divisive" label solely on the Dems.

Originally Posted by smacintush

All the GOP has to do for the next 2 years is to act like adults, stand-up for responsible spending, and don't do anything that will stand in the way of economic growth and they will likely hold the house and take the senate.

Perhaps. But the point of the thread isn't to discuss recent or future election results , but to analyze the exit polling data we have at hand. Boehner has spoken. McConnell has spoken. Obama has spoken. So my question to you is not whether you think the Obama agenda should be rolled back ... but if you think this exit polling data actually supports the way that the GOP leadership is characterizing it? If so why? Or why not?

OAW

[ort888]

I think most people feel roughly the same. They are annoyed at Washington, and doubly annoyed at whichever party is not their own.

I hate the entire political process... and most Democrats... but I hate republicans even more, because not only are they politicians, they disagree with me on most issues.

If someone asked me if I was displeased with the Democratic party, you bet your ass I would answer yes. But it doesn't mean I'm going to change parties or anything though. It doesn't really mean anything.

I think what we're really seeing is a culture war in this country.

[OAW]

More evidence that the GOP leadership is in danger of overplaying its hand with the recent election results:

People back Republican tax cut plans but not the GOP campaign to repeal President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, according to a poll suggesting that the Republicans' big Election Day win was not a mandate for the party's legislative wish list.

Fifty-three percent say income tax cuts that soon will expire should be renewed for all — including the highest earners, as Republicans want — according to an Associated Press-GfK Poll conducted just after last week's elections. But 44 percent would continue the cuts only for those earning under $250,000 a year — which Obama favors — or let them lapse for everyone.

When it comes to the health care law Obama signed in March, just 39 percent back the GOP effort to repeal it or scale it back. Fifty-eight percent would rather make even more changes in the health care system or leave the measure alone.

Two-thirds want the Senate to ratify Obama's nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, including most Democrats, about 6 in 10 Republicans and independents — and even about half of conservative tea party supporters. Some Republican senators oppose the treaty. The Obama administration hopes to win Senate approval in the upcoming lame-duck session of Congress and will need GOP support to garner the 67 votes required.

The Associated Press: AP-GfK Poll: Public mixed on GOP tax, health plans

OAW

[Buckaroo]

The single most important objective of the new Congress is the total repeal of Heil Obama's Health Care Garbage.

[BadKosh]

If the Repubs can look like the 'good guys' when dealing with Obama then they will do OK in the next election cycle. They don't need to look like jerks for the benefit of the left wing press. Both sides will need to do far better at clearly explaining their side of the issues.

[CreepDogg]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo 

The single most important objective of the new Congress is the total repeal of Heil Obama's Health Care Garbage.

OK, if that's what they want, so be it. Then it's on them to put together something that works. Because I don't think the status quo is very popular. So if they want to say, 'Hey, we're going to repeal this thing before we know how it works, and replace it with something we already know is crappy', I say good luck with that!