Republican Party Too Extreme, Majority Of Americans Say: Poll

[Penny Lane 8,159]

For the first time, a majority of Americans now say the Republican Party is too extreme, according to a poll released Thursday by CNN/ORC.

Fifty-three percent of people, including 22 percent of Republicans, said the GOP's views and policies have pushed them beyond the mainstream. The number is up dramatically from previous years. In 2010, fewer than 40 percent thought the party was too extreme.

Democrats were considered to be a "generally mainstream" party by 57 percent in the new poll.

"That's due in part to the fact that the Republican brand is not doing all that well," said Keating Holland, CNN's polling director.

Americans also say that they have far more confidence in President Barack Obama than in congressional Republicans, and that Republicans should compromise more in finding bipartisan solutions.

HuffPost Pollster, which tracks all publicly available polling, puts Obama's approval rating at about 53 percent, with about 43 percent disapproving. Congressional job approval hovers at just under 14 percent -- a high for the year.

Obama alluded to that public support this week. On Thursday, defending his proposal to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, he said, "And we had an extensive debate about this for a year. And not only does the majority of the American people agree with me, about half of Republican voters agree with me on it this."

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll last week found that 61 percent of Republicans would accept raising taxes on the wealthy in order to avoid the "fiscal cliff." GOP lawmakers, many in safe districts, have largely dismissed the suggestion that the numbers give Obama an edge.

The CNN/ORC poll surveyed 620 adults by phone between Dec. 17 and Dec. 18, with a 4 percent margin of error.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/20/republican-poll_n_2337757.html

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

Abraham Lincoln

[Teddy B 17,252]

For the first time, a majority of Americans now say the Republican Party is too extreme, according to a poll released Thursday by CNN/ORC.

Fifty-three percent of people, including 22 percent of Republicans, said the GOP's views and policies have pushed them beyond the mainstream. The number is up dramatically from previous years. In 2010, fewer than 40 percent thought the party was too extreme.

Democrats were considered to be a "generally mainstream" party by 57 percent in the new poll.

"That's due in part to the fact that the Republican brand is not doing all that well," said Keating Holland, CNN's polling director.

Americans also say that they have far more confidence in President Barack Obama than in congressional Republicans, and that Republicans should compromise more in finding bipartisan solutions.

HuffPost Pollster, which tracks all publicly available polling, puts Obama's approval rating at about 53 percent, with about 43 percent disapproving. Congressional job approval hovers at just under 14 percent -- a high for the year.

Obama alluded to that public support this week. On Thursday, defending his proposal to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, he said, "And we had an extensive debate about this for a year. And not only does the majority of the American people agree with me, about half of Republican voters agree with me on it this."

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll last week found that 61 percent of Republicans would accept raising taxes on the wealthy in order to avoid the "fiscal cliff." GOP lawmakers, many in safe districts, have largely dismissed the suggestion that the numbers give Obama an edge.

The CNN/ORC poll surveyed 620 adults by phone between Dec. 17 and Dec. 18, with a 4 percent margin of error.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/20/republican-poll_n_2337757.html

The fact that 22% of their own party are defecting is the nail in the coffin. The Republican party as we know it, is pretty much done. The only thing that will save it from complete extinction is a major overhaul.

[scotinmass 588]

The fact that 22% of their own party are defecting is the nail in the coffin. The Republican party as we know it, is pretty much done. The only thing that will save it from complete extinction is a major overhaul.

We might have the GNP for 2016

[JohnR! 5,495]

We might have the GNP for 2016

The GOP needs to shed the guano crazy elements and the TB's who hijacked the party and destroyed it from within.

[scotinmass 588]

The GOP needs to shed the guano crazy elements and the TB's who hijacked the party and destroyed it from within.

In Britain the Labour Party became too left wing and outdated for most people and never won an election in 18 years so they were relaunched as New Labour under Tony Blair and were voted back in for 12 years.

A new name and some new bullsh1t does wonders in politics.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The GOP needs to shed the guano crazy elements and the TB's who hijacked the party and destroyed it from within.

Not really. The establishment has been destroying it from within for a long time now. The TB's as you like to call them were actually an opportunity to save the party. The establishment wants more spending, wants corporate bailouts, etc.. the TBs want fiscal responsibility all around. The establishment gave us bullshit like the Patriot Act and other intrusive measures based off reactionist BS... The TBs are far from the problem in that party.

Also, the idea that some poll (more than likely polled with a Democratic bias to begin with) shows that Democrats are mainstream is a joke. If destroying liberty and supporting tyranny is mainstream, then someone might as well go ahead and drop a nuclear warhead on this nation now and get it over with. The Democratic party pulls the exact same ####### as the Republicans do, they just have more talking heads to hide their #######. Look at all the insider trading, especially from the spouses of top-tier Democrats. To call that mainstream America, ha. Not at all. Not even one damn bit. They'll throw you a bone to shut you up and make it look like they give a damn, when in reality they are just trying to keep you in check so they can keep reaching into your back pocket to fill their own.

[JohnR! 5,495]

If destroying liberty and supporting tyranny is mainstream, then someone might as well go ahead and drop a nuclear warhead on this nation now and get it over with.

The GOP tried that, figuratively, during 2001-2008, when W was POTUS. They almost succeeded.

[Dakine10 5,452]

A agree with the thread title. I'm just not sure they really needed a poll for this.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

A agree with the thread title. I'm just not sure they really needed a poll for this.

It's fairly obvious, proven by the fact that 22% of Republicans themselves agree.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

It's fairly obvious, proven by the fact that 22% of Republicans themselves agree.

22% of Republicans are Democrats saying they are Republicans just to get in the shorter line.