posted November 13, 2014 08:16 AM            

53% of Americans say the new Republican majority in Congress should set the agenda and only 36% say O'Bomber should.

November 12, 2014
New Gallup Poll: Public wants GOP Congress, not Obama, to set agenda
Thomas Lifson

John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, as well Valerie Jarrett and Barack Obama, should take heed. By a commanding 17 point margin, Americans want Congress to take the lead, according to a new Gallup Poll (hat tip: Bloomberg and Instapundit):

Following the midterm election that some have termed a Republican wave, the majority of Americans want the Republicans in Congress -- rather than President Barack Obama -- to have more influence over the direction the country takes in the coming year. This is a switch from early 2012 when a slim plurality, 46%, wanted Obama to prevail in steering the nation.

Gallup notes that this is a high water mark for the GOP in recent years:

Republicans' 17-percentage-point edge over Obama on this measure exceeds what they earned after the 2010 midterm, when Americans favored Republicans by an eight-point margin (49% to 41%). It also eclipses the nine-point advantage Republicans had over Bill Clinton following the 1994 midterm in which Republicans captured the majority of both houses.

This polls should become a talking point as well as an inspiration to the GOP. Now is the time to start articulating positive programs and countering unilateral Obama actions with the theme that he has lost his mandate and is governing against the will of the people.

posted November 14, 2014 04:12 PM            

We're going to need a new word to characterize this level of hypocrisy, folks. I'm open to your suggestions

Not even 50% of the American People bothered to vote. Excuse me if I disregard a poll of those few who bother to answer. ..

posted November 15, 2014 01:18 AM            

This poll shows the answers of 828 people who bothered to answer their phone when a stranger called. Congratulations.

posted November 15, 2014 09:54 AM            

It seems to me a hell of a lot more than 828 citizens answered the question about "Who should set the agenda for America Now"!

posted November 15, 2014 11:08 AM            

Yes, the campaign to create apathy and hopelessness has been quite successful. A lot of people didn't vote, and in your survey 44% apparently don't think it matters anymore. If you're happy with that, and I believe you are, you are a traitor or just an old fool.

posted November 18, 2014 10:02 AM            

I know you leftists don't believe in representative government...as in a "Republican Form of Government".

Leftist love it when banana republic dictator wannabes like O'Bomber void the Constitution and RULE by fiat.

posted November 20, 2014 08:35 AM            

America can certainly blame a lot of our problems on Barack Obama and the Democratic Party: trillions of dollars in debt, an eviscerated military, the ruin of our healthcare system through “reform” (now the world’s biggest fraud), sky-high food stamp and disability payments, the trampling of the Constitution, the collapse of our standing in the world. But, believe it or not, there are reasons to be grateful to them.

They have awakened a sleeping giant from a hallucinogenic dream that started in 2008, and that giant bellowed on Election Day. As Howard Beal might declare, we were mad as hell and would not take it anymore.

The aftermath of the election has been dramatic. Barack Obama been repudiated: his policies, after all, were on the ballot and many of his enablers are looking for jobs now.

But the victory was manifold -- deep and wide. The blue state model has been crumbling for years-decades -- and came to a tumbling electoral collapse on November 5th. The great experiment in liberalism has come up a cropper. The Democratic Party as a “brand” has been tarnished. Latest polls show that the Republican Party is more trusted to steer the future of the country than the Democratic Party.

They have lost the Senate; they have lost the House; and they have lost the country.

The New York Post editorial board opined :

In fact, a new Gallup poll suggests the tide of GOP victories corresponds to a shift in voters’ perceptions of the two major parties.

By an overwhelming 50-to-36 percent margin, Gallup found that Americans want congressional Republicans — not President Obama — to steer the country. (snip).

In fact, this year’s poll marks the biggest GOP advantage since Gallup started asking the question in 1992. At the same time, Gallup found favorable ratings for both Obama and his party have fallen to record lows.

Americans want a Republican Congress, not Democrats, to set the national agenda

George Condon writes at the National Journal, “From Congress to state capitals, the last six years have taken a huge toll on Democrats' fortunes”:

In 2009, Democrats had 60 senators, when you include the two independents who caucused with them; in 2015, they will have 45. In 2009, Democrats had 256 members of the House; in 2015, they will have 192. In 2009, Democrats had 28 governors; in 2015, they will have 18. In 2009, Democrats controlled both legislative chambers in 27 states; in 2015, they will control only 11. In 2009, Democrats controlled 62 legislative chambers; in 2015, they will control only 28 (with one tie and two still undecided).

The impact of the carnage in state legislatures on Obama's watch is hard to overstate. This is where the future classes of mayors, governors, and members of Congress are bred. This is where the boundary lines are drawn for congressional and legislative districts. This is where party leaders come from. And this is where the rules are made for party primaries and election laws are set. According to Tim Storey at the National Conference of State Legislatures, what we saw on Tuesday was an almost unprecedented "Republican wave," which he said, leaves "Democrats at their lowest point in state legislatures in nearly a century."

Even his home state of deep blue Illinois chose a Republican Governor, as did other blue states. Scott Walker won in Wisconsin; Sam Brownback in Kansas -- two governors reviled by the left won in routs.

Since Obama was inaugurated in 2009, Democrats have lost a net 32 state legislative chambers — more than half of the 62 chambers they controlled. Including Maryland, where they still have the seats to override vetoes by the new Republican governor, they exercise complete control over the legislative process in just eight states.

Republicans, on the other hand, now control 69 of the 99 legislative chambers — an all-time high for the party. If you include Missouri, where Republicans have the numbers to override vetoes by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, Republicans now completely control the legislative processes in 24 states.

Since 2010, Republicans have showcased their governors’ conservative agendas. Some of those governors have felt the sting of a voter backlash against some of those policies. Yet other than in Pennsylvania, they all won again, carrying red, blue and purple states. Nearly half of all Americans will now live in states under total Republican control; Democrats will govern unilaterally in states with fewer than 16 percent of Americans.

The Republican victory at the state level reflects a backlash against federal control and an embrace of federalism as a check on Big Brother. They also represent a rejection of the tax, spending, borrowing and anti-growth agendas that are the Democrats’ mantra. And that have destroyed the finances and futures of many states and their citizens. Federalism won. Americans give the edge to Republicans over Democrats on the handling of a wide range of issues. One might be tempted to write that the era of big government is over -- except of course, Bill Clinton said the same when he began the triangulation phase of his presidency. Yet, like a vampire, big government is a hard thing to kill -- someone has yet to find a stake to cut through its heart -- but Obama has helped.

There has been a referendum not just on Barack Obama, but on liberal policies. But the election results are more: they are a restoration of the vision of our Founding Fathers.

Thank you, Mr. President.

This image is worthy of being on a flag, and far more iconic than, say, Shepard Fairey’s “Hope” poster of Barack Obama that was all the rage among his followers in 2008. Where are those posters now? Recycled.
The self-inflicted damage was severe. As Noah Rothman has noted “A generation of Democrats lost in the Obama era.” Much of the party’s talent pool, the young candidates that were being groomed to be national leaders, perhaps presidents, were crushed. They could have been contenders; they could have been somebodies. These run the gamut from attorneys general, governors, representatives, senators, to state treasurers. Gone, gone, gone, gone. The farm teams have been depleted. Who is left? Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Hillary Clinton, Jerry Brown, Joe Biden? If they were baseball players, would that be a promising team? Joe Biden disgracefully mocked McCain’s age in 2008. What say you now, Joe? Turnabout is fair play. These “leaders” held onto power too long and refused to let go and groom younger people to replace them. They are all 70, give or take a few years. That party now is at the risk of being seen as the party of old white men (and one woman). The Republican leaders, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Paul Ryan, Kelly Ayotte to name but a few, are the young, dynamic candidates. To put an exclamation point to this observation: the youngest Representative in American history, newly-elected Elise Stefanik, is a Republican (and a woman) and from New York. Perhaps that is one reason why young people are becoming more conservative and not as willing to believe the promises showered on them by Democrats -- cynical pandering that has led to high college debt and low employment numbers. The Democratic Party has been hollowed out.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee, will face a challenging time. Not only is she tainted by her association with a failed presidency, but her policy for years has been Big Government -- not exactly a winning unique selling proposition following eight years of Big Government failure. In the words of liberal columnist Ron Fournier, Obama has destroyed the credibility of government itself

Since President Obama fails to see the errors of his ways, since he continues to insult the American people, and since he intends to “stay the course” and further his agenda at all costs to not just Democrats but to all Americans, the forecast is increasingly unfavorable for Hillary becoming president in 2017. Obama might be competent to drive a golf cart, but give him the steering wheel for the ship of state was a mistake for which Hillary Clinton will pay the price, politically speaking.
This skepticism toward the federal government has now been compounded by cynicism and distrust toward Democrats (most Americans believe Obama lies on important issues) –of late given a boost by revelations from Jonathan Gruber regarding the Affordable Care Act. Hillary Clinton is not Obama’s inevitable successor.

Thank you, Mr. President.

In 2008, at the height of Barack Obama adoration, he compared himself to Reagan (!) and John F. Kennedy. He said Reagan had “changed the trajectory of America” and that Kennedy moved the country in a fundamentally different direction -- both statements that reflected his own later boast that he would fundamentally transform America.

And so he has -- even if not the way he intended.

posted November 20, 2014 12:32 PM            

The election was a big loud vote of NO CONFIDENCE for either party. 2/3 stayed home rather than choose between what they saw as two evils. People are flocking OUT of both parties to the non-affiliated section. But they are not sitting on their hands because they approve of the REpublicans but because the Dems are so wishy washy they can't be trusted to stand up against them.

Like Mary Landrieu, so afraid for her job, trying to be a pretend Republican and push the Keystone ... while her own citizens are taking class action against BP for not forking over the settlement that was supposed to compensate their loss of work and health from the Gulf Spill...

She deserves to lose it. Not that I support the Republican opposing her.

But when the polls give Congress a 10% approval rate (lower than the President's) and then that same congress gets largely returned to Washington, hardly a Mandate for the Republican party.

posted November 20, 2014 01:29 PM            

It's clear you never know what you're talking about. 2/3rds voter turnout in 2012. Right! Check!

http://www.statisticbrain.com/presidential-election-voter-statistics/

posted November 20, 2014 02:18 PM            

A majority of 30% of the voters is not a mandate jwhop. I see what People say, many of those who sat this out are completely against the Repubs but don't trust Dems either. Like shura, for instance. ..Who votes for the rat deserting his ship?

It always stumps me that these people seem to think their "protest" non-vote will be heard. But judging by some of the winners I would say People vote with their frustration against any scapegoat they can find. .. The low info voters win when the majority turns their backs on the process.

In California I often vote for Repubs to balance the Machine. If I can find one that makes a reasonable option.

Hilary is a scary Prospect. But so far the republicans are even scarier.

posted November 21, 2014 04:30 PM            

How are you liking it so far?

Valarie Jarrett said Barack O'Bomber was READY TO RULE FROM DAY ONE.

posted November 22, 2014 10:31 AM            

Except ..oops! We're all Americans and People seem too have forgotten were all in this together and not everyone wants the same things, though at bottom, we do.

posted November 22, 2014 11:41 PM            

I have a less monolithic view tho, I see the ptb as fighting more and more amongst each other. They always have, but its getting worse

posted November 24, 2014 11:45 AM            

Just whom are those hidden hand conspirators who are really running the world...for their pleasure, power and profit?

Names would be nice. Got any?

Oh, and please don't suggest O'Bomber, Reid, Pee-Lousy, McConnell and Boehner are intelligent enough to get that job done! From what I've seen, if you amalgamated all their brain cells into one brain, you'd have a brain with a mid-double digit IQ...maybe 70 if you didn't include O'Bomber and Pee-Lousy.

posted November 24, 2014 12:03 PM            

Follow the money. And the blackmailers...who lines the pockets/books the games...and who pays them to do so...?

How is it that those underpaid kongressmen become so wealthy?

posted November 24, 2014 01:19 PM            

If you can't answer this simple question...WHO/NAMES...then you don't really know and you're throwing bullshiiite against the wall to see if any sticks.

posted November 25, 2014 05:10 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by jwhop:
Hello!

If you can't answer this simple question...WHO/NAMES...then you don't really know and you're throwing bullshiiite against the wall to see if any sticks.

No sale!

---

Here's a simple question since we are talking about BS hitting the wall and you've been out there defending your boy W and propping up Ronnie lately, where's those Iraq WMD, what about those Saddam nukes and Al Qaeda ties (basis for [tyring to] clean up Daddy's mess)? Haven't seen much from you on ISIS recently either, is it that O'Bomber came up with a leadership plan to O'bomber their gains and beat them back? Similar to the leadership to bring the country back from a DOW of 5000's (to over 17,000) and unemployment close to 10% (currently 5.8%)? Hmmm tackling both of those major national problems or let lenders run amuck and tank the financial system, horrifically plan personal wars we still haven't paid for or maybe deregulating everything in the 80's so income equality could run rampant ever since not to mention a full year on vacation out of 8 years for your boy Ronnie all while overseeing mostly recessions (easy answers, W and Ronnie aren't the hot shots you make them out to be...not even close).