I thought I would go for an easier post for today and take a look at some of the recent polling about issues that have currently been at the forefront of political debate in Washington and have garnered significant media coverage. I had stated in my introductory post that I had wished to demonstrate that the liberal agenda isn't that radical of a position and that in reality it aligns with the values of the majority of Americans. I had written then, and still believe now, that it is the Republican party that is shifting the conversation to a more radical position and more importantly is governing in opposition to the wishes of the majority of Americans.
Below is a look at some results of a recent Washington Post/ABC News Poll (April 14-17, 2011) and an NBC News/Wall Street Journal Survey (February 2011).
Support for raising taxes on American households making more than $250,000:
Favor Oppose
72% 27%
The Republicans had pushed for, and received, a 2 year extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest of Americans even while we were faced with a "budget crisis" (their term). Under the Ryan proposal the GOP wishes to reduce the top tax bracket from 35% to 25%, the lowest rates since 1931. They want this even though 72% of Americans feel that revenue added by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for households making over $250,000 would help with the budget crisis. The "liberal agenda" is in-line with the majority of Americans on this issue.
Support for ending tax subsidies for Big Oil:
Totally/Mostly Totally/Mostly
Acceptable Unacceptable
74% 22%
Big Oil companies are looking to make profits to the tune of billions of dollars in just the 1st Quarter of 2011 alone and yet the GOP has been unwilling up to this point to put the billions of dollars in tax subsidies these companies enjoy on the chopping block. There is absolutely no need for companies that make more in profits than any other industry in the world to receive assistance from the US taxpayer and yet even though 74% of Americans think it is wise to do away with these subsidies and other tax loopholes the Republicans have think otherwise. The "liberal agenda" is in-line with the majority of Americans on this issue.
GOP's plan for cutting spending on Medicaid:
Support Oppose
30% 69%
Medicaid is a program that provides medical coverage to children of low-income families, the physically and mentally disabled, seniors who require nursing home care, and other individuals who do not have the ability to work and/or means to obtain their own health coverage. Currently this is a shared responsibility of the federal and state governments with guidelines coming from the federal government. The GOP's proposal is to provide these funds as lump sum payments to the states to determine on their own how to spend as well as cut federal contributions over time, shifting the burden to states who are already stretched thin. The Republicans wish to take healthcare funds from people who CANNOT work to pay for their own coverage and who have no voice in Washington. Even though 69% of Americans disagree, the GOP wants to radically alter this program. The "liberal agenda" is in-line with the majority of Americans on this issue.
GOP's plan for cutting spending on Medicare:
Support Oppose
21% 78%
GOP's plan to alter the Medicare program:
Support Oppose
34% 65%
Also on the chopping block is Medicare as we know it, I have previously written a post about this issue and feel no need to discuss the specifics here. Basically the GOP plan is to shift the cost of Medicare to the beneficiaries without addressing the issue of raising medical costs. As you can see above the majority of Americans don't want to see cuts to Medicare or to see the entitlement program altered as proposed in the Ryan proposal. Even though the majority of Americans are against these changes the House Republicans are pushing this plan forward anyway. The "liberal agenda" is in-line with the majority of Americans on this issue.
I will admit that I have always admired how the Republicans are able to frame the debate and set the tone for elections in recent years. They are very organized when it comes to messaging and taking a position that can appeal to voters on the surface. Take the most recent midterm elections for example, they campaigned on what was close to voter's hearts....jobs. Jobs was a no-brainer and something everyone could get behind, especially the unemployed. But my admiration stops when they start governing because while their rhetoric speaks to a broad audience they only represent corporate interests and the wealthiest of Americans once they take office. As the old adage goes "actions speak louder than words," and as you can tell from the poll figures their policies are not in-line with what Americans are looking for, their agenda is aimed to keep subsidies for Big Oil, shift Medicare dollars (as well as retirement dollars in the form of out-of-pocket expenses) to private insurance, shift the tax burden to the poor, elderly, and children, and shift care of the disabled to the states. They do not represent the average blue-collar American, liberals do and always have. The liberal agenda is to provide assistance to those who have no voice and who do not have the ability to care for themselves. Liberals don't think that taxpayer's hard earned dollars should go to corporations that make billions in profits and don't need assistance to remain profitable. Liberals don't think that the wealthiest of Americans should pay the least share of taxes. And liberals don't think that the elderly should be thrown into a healthcare market that will view them as "high risk" and charge high premiums. And neither do the American people apparently. Many who identify themselves as conservative only do so because their position on a few key social issues align with the Republicans ignoring the fact that on pretty much every non-social issue they are more aligned with Democrats and that the GOP does not represent their interests once in office. Today's Republican party is a far cry from that of Lincoln, they have moved more towards the extreme right while liberals have moved more towards the center.
Come 2012 all I ask is that we evaluate our desires based on what polls demonstrate above and compare those desires to what the Republicans have actually done with those issues. Maybe a few elections decided by voters going to the polls with that mindset will bring today's GOP closer to center and then maybe America will actually have a real choice.
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