GOP voters often more reasonable than radicals they elect
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell offers a telling illustration of how differently the modern Republican Party thinks and operates. In fact, I’m not aware of any other major political party behaving in this fashion in the nation’s history, and if anyone can demonstrate otherwise, please do.
In the latest Gallup poll (see chart above), 67 percent of Americans say they would vote to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. There’s nothing particularly dramatic in that number; it’s in line with results obtained by other pollsters on the question.
But take a look at the breakdown among Republicans. Forty-seven percent want to end DADT; 48 percent want to retain it. Even among self-described conservative Republicans, 39 percent say they want to end the policy and allow gay Americans to serve openly.
Yet even though Republican voters are almost equally divided on the issue nationally, Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted almost unanimously against it, with just one GOP senator voting to end the filibuster yesterday afternoon.
Here’s an even more dramatic example, from the folks at Pew. Fifty-eight percent of Republican voters acknowledge that the best way to tackle the deficit is through a combination of tax increases and spending cuts. Just 32 percent say the answer is to focus mostly on cutting major programs. Even among self-described Tea Party members, 51 percent say the best way to address the deficit is through spending cuts and tax hikes, with just 39 percent advocating solving the problem through spending cuts alone.
Yet you can’t get a Republican on the Hill to even utter the word “tax hike,” lest they be condemned as a RINO. The sole focus is on cutting programs (of course, in a general rhetorical sense that rarely gets down to specifics.)
On other issues, the gap between Washington Republicans and GOP voters back home is less dramatic, but still significant. According to Gallup, 40 percent of Republicans opposed extending tax cuts for the wealthy or wanted the cuts ended across the board, for everybody. Yet Washington Republicans were unanimous in demanding the cuts for the wealthy be extended. Forty-three percent of Republicans, and 38 percent of conservative Republicans, supported extending unemployment benefits, but again that division of opinion was not reflected at all in Washington.
In other words, it’s not merely that Washington Republicans won’t compromise with Democrats. They won’t compromise even with their own voters. The national party is in the grip of radicals who accept no deviation from the approved party line, and who demonstrate no tolerance for the broader, more reasonable range of opinions that exists within the Republican electorate they claim to represent.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
456 comments Add your comment
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
8:56 am
well, they gotta vote for the Republicans they got, not the Republicans they want.
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
8:56 am
oh. and Friday First!
jm
December 10th, 2010
8:58 am
Well, this whole concept applies to both parties. Well known the extremist wings dominate. Hence the creation of the term – wingnuts.
carlosgvv
December 10th, 2010
9:00 am
Since four star Generals and Admirals testified against ending DADT, and since most of these politicans have never set foot in the military, maybe they just decided to listen to the experts.
Granny Godzilla
December 10th, 2010
9:01 am
They may be more reasonable when polled, but they follow lockstep to voting booth.
jm
December 10th, 2010
9:01 am
Maybe Obama (aka The Triangulator) can make mince meat out of both sets of wingnuts. We shall see.
The dirtiest word in politics: Has Barack Obama been caught triangulating?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46218.html
Bosch
December 10th, 2010
9:04 am
Just read the headline and thought — well, they obviously didn’t poll any of the wingnuts here.
Normal
December 10th, 2010
9:05 am
AmVet,
if you’re still here…
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/12/ap-navy-bob-feller-in-hospice-care-120910/
jm
December 10th, 2010
9:06 am
It may be cold comfort to Obama that he is exonerated of the triangulation charge by none other than Morris, who claims Obama would not know triangulation from Shinola.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46218.html#ixzz17iW4HgKh
Whacks Eloquent
December 10th, 2010
9:07 am
Democrat voters are also often more reasonable than radicals they elect…
It is akin to having to pick chimpanzees to represent contestants in a game show
Fred
December 10th, 2010
9:07 am
Granny Godzilla
December 10th, 2010
9:01 am
They may be more reasonable when polled, but they follow lockstep to voting booth.
==============================
And granny gets both ears and the tail.
Normal
December 10th, 2010
9:07 am
jm,
I think President Obama is going to try to win the election in 2012 by running as a Republican…
RW-(the original)
December 10th, 2010
9:08 am
But take a look at the breakdown among Republicans. Forty-seven percent want to end DADT; 48 percent want to retain it
That’s kind of a stretch based on the question asked. Saying people “want” something implies an advocacy for a position, but the question was simply whether you would vote one way or the other should a ballot question arise.
Yet even though Republican voters are almost equally divided on the issue nationally, Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted almost unanimously against it, with just one GOP senator voting to end the filibuster yesterday afternoon.
Harry Reid had 60 votes in his pocket had he agreed to the debate time and amendment schedule. He chose instead to try to ram through the omnibus defense spending bill that had the DADT rider on it. There was no stand alone vote on proceeding with repeal of DADT.
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
9:08 am
dont anyone tell carlos about the survey that was done in which the results show that those IN THE MILITARY think it should be repealed.
his head may a’splode
Granny Godzilla
December 10th, 2010
9:10 am
Fred
Please tell me they are not from Ferdinand?
Deep Throat
December 10th, 2010
9:11 am
More meaningless Polls, how often do we agree ith Polls ? Only when they support our side of an issue.
Jay
December 10th, 2010
9:12 am
Whacks, I’d like to see some evidence for that assertion beyond “I know you are, but what am I?”
I doubt you’ll find it, for the simple reason that Democrats in Congress lack the party discipline to enforce one narrow line of thought.
StJ
December 10th, 2010
9:13 am
“GOP voters often more reasonable than radicals they elect”
But we’re all still “the enemy”, according to Obama.
jm
December 10th, 2010
9:14 am
Insight into the tax cut battle. Dems disgust me. Want to play games with the economy? Go do it in another country. Vote R Nov 2012.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46223.html
TH
December 10th, 2010
9:16 am
Today is December 10.
BONER, WHERE ARE THE JOBS CREATED FROM THE BUSH TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY?
Bosch
December 10th, 2010
9:17 am
“But we’re all still “the enemy”, according to Obama.”
Another example of someone with reading comprehension problems.
Fred
December 10th, 2010
9:17 am
Definitely not Ferdinand. Funny, I will always think of the movie “The Blind Side” when I see, read or hear references of Ferdinand………..
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
9:17 am
“Want to increase the deficit giving tax cuts to the rich? Vote R Nov 2012.”
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
9:18 am
Fred – I hate to say it, but I really liked The Blind Side, schmaltz-fest that it was.
Bosch
December 10th, 2010
9:20 am
“Dems disgust me. Want to play games with the economy? Go do it in another country.”
Another example of someone who is too ignorant to see the big picture, or a partisan hack, take your pick.
~~~~~~~~~~~
USinUK,
I hated that movie — it literally made me angry.
Doggone/GA
December 10th, 2010
9:20 am
“Another example of someone with reading comprehension problems”
and a victim of reporters and editors who don’t know when to use quotation marks
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
9:21 am
Bosch – “you’ve really changed his life”
“no … he changed mine”
(gagging sound)
but, I can’t help it. I like Sandra Bullock.
Fred
December 10th, 2010
9:21 am
It was a really good movie. What’s not to like? I think it was the first time Sandra Bullock played a grown up. And she did it well.
Is TH an alt or does he/she just do a drive by every blog with the same shouted post?
AmVet
December 10th, 2010
9:21 am
Normal, thanks for that info.
I always respected Rapid Robert. One heckuva pitcher and an even better American.
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service in World War II, being decorated with five campaign ribbons and eight battle stars.
Yet again there is only ONE segment of American society that is irrefutably way outside of the norm. It is the same segment that is diametrically opposed to what every western democracy posits for, almost across the board.
Own it cons, you are out there all by yourselves.
And though you think you take the high road, the rest of us just think you are high…
Fred
December 10th, 2010
9:22 am
Wow Bosch HATED? Why?
Joel Edge
December 10th, 2010
9:22 am
“Democrat voters are also often more reasonable than radicals they elect…”
Agreed.
Deep Throat
December 10th, 2010
9:24 am
Usuk, are you trying to scare us saying tax cuts to the rich will increase our deficit ? Wheres your proof ? Are you exaggerating ? Are you telling the truth ?
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
9:24 am
Joel – see my 8:56 – unfortunately, too often the same applies to the Dems, too.
Normal
December 10th, 2010
9:26 am
Here’s an interesting chart…
http://lifeinc.todayshow.com/_news/2010/12/09/5619633-cut-the-deficit-but-not-my-programs
Bosch
December 10th, 2010
9:27 am
Fred,
I hate feel good sports movies for one thing — I’m glad they took the kid in and all, but it just seemed to me like they only did it because of his ability and they used him a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I think they did good and all, but it was just too sappy for me.
It might have been better if something blew up — I don’t like movies unless something blows up.
Joel Edge
December 10th, 2010
9:28 am
USinUK@9:24
Agreed
I totally disagree pretty much with the Dem party in it’s current form. If a competing party shows up other than the Republicans…then we’ll see. I would actually like a choice. Not a lot to chose from.
Jay
December 10th, 2010
9:29 am
Deep Throat, the moniker is USinUK. Please be a little more respectful of others on the blog.
Fred
December 10th, 2010
9:29 am
Wow, they took a cold hungry kid off the street (he wasn’t playing football at the time) and they were using him? I don’t get it. Oh well.
Maybe if the truck would have exploded in the accident?
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
9:30 am
DT – oh, my. do you just not understand that extending the tax cuts will cost $900 bn over 2 years?
no. you probably don’t.
“While economists have said it would boost US growth next year because of the additional fiscal stimulus, the $900bn cost of the package will be added to the budget deficit, potentially adding to America’s long-term debt problems.”
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f01f889c-03ef-11e0-8dd2-00144feabdc0.html#axzz17ieGMqS4
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
9:31 am
Jay – when all you got is nuttin’, you fling poo. it’s what DT does.
Gale
December 10th, 2010
9:31 am
Jay @ 9:12, My thoughts exactly. I’ve often said a Democrat majority is meaningless because they don’t agree on anything.
Fred
December 10th, 2010
9:33 am
I think that the DADT issue will be resolved before one of these #$%%#@#$ roofers will ever set up a time to come look at the house I’m trying to get roofed…………
USinUK
December 10th, 2010
9:34 am
Joel – 9:28 – me, I don’t see a permanent viable 3rd party option in the US – we’ve had 240+ years to install one, but, other than the occasional electoral anomoly, it just never seems to stick.
and now, with funding elections as ludicrously expensive as it is, it’s too hard to get a toe-hold, money-wise.
ty webb
December 10th, 2010
9:34 am
UsinUK,
But why stop at “to the rich”? Won’t all tax cuts(by themselves) increase the deficit? Do you really want to lower the deficit? I don’t want to call you a “partisan hack”(h/t to bosch), but you’re sounding like you’re pretty close to one.
Oblamer
December 10th, 2010
9:34 am
radical? gosh, dude you are off yoru rocker jay..you couldn’t be more wrong that ever…as a GOP voter, I elect people that support the right to life, small government, and will protect the institution of marriage as given to us by God…you on the left are the godless radicals they make our moral climate very cloudy..you should be ashamed of yourself buddy…there is reason we voted you clowns out..
RW-(the original)
December 10th, 2010
9:35 am
I doubt you’ll find it, for the simple reason that Democrats in Congress lack the party discipline to enforce one narrow line of thought.
Unless you guys are talking about some previous conversation you have the very same party discipline on this very vote. One Republican for and one Democrat against.
Paul
December 10th, 2010
9:35 am
Divergent views among voters, some divergence among politicians… and a very effective party discipline enforced from the top. I guess that’s what causes this.
Same’s true on a much lesser scale. I think of Spkr Pelosi telling House members to take a bullet for the cause – vote for health care reform. They did and many were defeated. Sure, there were other issues, but one gets the point. I’m sure she represents the views of her district, but she did use her position to put thru bills at odds with the views of other Democratic constituencies and those other politicians paid the price.
Vocal, monied special interest have inordinate influence on the nomination process. It carries thru to the reelection process. It skews everything.
Bosch
December 10th, 2010
9:36 am
Fred,
I know, I know. Like I said, they did good and all, but I think it just had more to do with the sappiness of it all. I hate sappy feel good sport movies.
I did like the part when Kathy Bates tells Sandra Bullock “I have to admit something….I am a Democrat” and she says something like “well, we can’t all be perfect”
I did like that.
Granny Godzilla
December 10th, 2010
9:37 am
Godless radicals?
And lions and tigers and bears….oh my.
@@
December 10th, 2010
9:37 am
Taking liberties here to reiterate RW’s point:
Harry Reid had 60 votes in his pocket had he agreed to the debate time and amendment schedule. He chose instead to try to ram through the omnibus defense spending bill that had the DADT rider on it.
The dem’s champions are nothing more than a bunch of lame ducks quacking. In their waning days, the only objective is to keep the other side hemmed in, hoping beyond hope, that the people won’t notice what they’re up to.
I’m not so easily impressed.