Seniors Fleeing the GOP
I’m not a big fan of GOP eulogies. The GOP leadership is as well-funded and ambitious as ever, and zombie corps of brain-dead halfwits are as tirelessly stupid now as they were when they were the 20% still giving George Bush positive reviews in 2007.
That said, this polling memo from Carville-Greenberg is awesome:
There’s something going on with seniors: It is now strikingly clear that they have turned sharply against the GOP. This is apparent in seniors’ party affiliation and vote intention, in their views on the Republican Party and its leaders, and in their surprising positions on jobs, health care, retirement security, investment economics, and the other big issues that will likely define the 2014 midterm elections…
—In 2010, seniors voted for Republicans by a 21 point margin (38 percent to 59 percent). Among seniors likely to vote in 2014, the Republican candidate leads by just 5 points (41 percent to 46 percent.)
—When Republicans took control of the House of Representatives at the beginning of 2011, 43 percent of seniors gave the Republican Party a favorable rating. Last month, just 28 percent of seniors rated the GOP favorably. This is not an equal-opportunity rejection of parties or government — over the same period, the Democratic Party’s favorable rating among seniors has increased 3 points, from 37 percent favorable to 40 percent favorable.
—When the Republican congress took office in early 2011, 45 percent of seniors approved of their job performance. That number has dropped to just 22 percent — with 71 percent disapproving.
—Seniors are now much less likely to identify with the Republican Party. On Election Day in 2010, the Republican Party enjoyed a net 10 point party identification advantage among seniors (29 percent identified as Democrats, 39 percent as Republicans). As of last month, Democrats now had a net 6 point advantage in party identification among seniors (39 percent to 33 percent).
—More than half (55 percent) of seniors say the Republican Party is too extreme, half (52 percent) say it is out of touch, and half (52 percent) say the GOP is dividing the country. Just 10 percent of seniors believe that the Republican Party does not put special interests ahead of ordinary voters.
—On almost every issue we tested — including gay rights, aid to the poor, immigration, and gun control — more than half of seniors believe that the Republican Party is too extreme.
So it turns out Seniors care about the same thing everyone else does; quality of life, jobs, wages, Social Security and Medicare.
There is no doubt that taking the house is going to be an uphill battle. The good news is we can count on some great allies pitching in – the out of touch, hateful, Republican Party
This is a must see that explains some of this phenomena.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qmLeIkWQsw
It looks like the GOP has some explaining to do about it’s ObamaCare fetish.
Loving the clip. “Your $1,300 a month emergency program is better than having Obamacare forcing companies to take you on at a reasonable rate.” Ha!
It’ll be interesting to see if this actually adds votes for the Dems or merely demobilizes a decent portion of the Republican base. Either way it is a good thing for the left, but I think the question of whether they agree with Dems or simply have lost touch with the right is an important one.
Totally idiotic and liberal garbage. Obama stole $500 billion from Medicare so who hates seniors? Obama wrecked the economy so who has the jobs to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes?
Since Obama has been President there are fewer Dem crackpot U S Senators, a lot less Dem Idiot Congress persons and fewer Dem incompetent Governors.
Keep posting your stupid ideas which have no facts or reality.
I guess we’ll see who has the more reality-based facts. In the meantime, your desperation is much appreciated.
Careful, you have a little bit of schmutz on the corner of your mouth.
Whenever i see i comment like that, I cant help but think the handle was mulled over for a few minutes to get the right insult, then the comment was furiously typed and “post” was hit with a decisive stroke and a feeling of self righteous accomplishment.
it’s the most important thing they’ve done all day. Hat tip to you, sir.
If my math is correct, person born in 1948 was a 20 year old in 1968 and turns 65 in 2013. This may start explaining the phenomenon. I know a number of aging former hippies that are retiring these days. They are entering the demographic just as the guys with the hoses are finally dropping off of the grid.
Not that all babyboomer “young seniors” are liberal, but theory are probably all a generational cohort less likely to be manipulated by the GOP fearmongering and dog whistles.
To me, the question is whether Democrats can actually capitalize on this. I hope that boomer seniors aren’t as susceptible to the fear and loathing dog whistles the GOP is so good at.
Old conservatives are dying off and it’s a good thing. Will the Boomers be more liberal in old age? Can’t say but I suspect so, we are, to some extent, a bunch of old pot smoking hippies underneath the suit and tie. But there are still plenty of brain dead old conservatives out there like the geezer I saw at the corner of Glennwood and rt.13 in Smyrna with the “Impeach Obama!” sign. Kind of wonder if he’ll make it to the 2014 election, and I’m liken’ it.