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Poll: Almost Half Of Dem Voters 'Not Enthusiastic' About Midterms
Jillian Rayfield | March 9, 2010, 12:59PM
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A new Gallup poll finds that 44% of Democrats are unenthusiastic about this year's elections, compared to 30% of Republicans.
The poll also finds that 24% of Democrats are "enthusiastic," and 30% are "somewhat enthusiastic."
This compares to 42% of Republicans who are enthusiastic about the 2010 elections.
Congressional Dems may want to start pepping up the base if they don't want low voter enthusiasm to become low voter turnout in November.
h/t Greg Sargent.
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ejg3
March 9, 2010 1:29 PM
If they are not fired up, they are definitely not ready to go. The fervor factor needs a fix and being bipartisan isn't one of them.
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AlphaLiberal
March 9, 2010 1:48 PM in reply to ejg3
Don't worry. They know their election cycle well and are, no doubt, already planning to put some "red meat" on the table.
This "red meat" will be very high in fatty and fluffy rhetoric, with very little substance. Then, they will revert to serving the elite and powerful from their cowering fetal position.
Famous last words: "Don't worry, we have the Democrats as out champions."
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Tommy Douglas
March 9, 2010 2:26 PM in reply to AlphaLiberal
Putting the Public Option back in the health care bill will get the Dem base back in a heartbeat.
Right now, the interests of Corporations and Joe Lieberman seem to be more important than the beliefs of the party.
Joe Lieberman ruins the Medicare buy-in compromise but now we don't need his vote. SO WHY ON EARTH IS THAT NOT PUT BACK IN THE BILL???
Medicare buy-in or Public Option. Let's not let Lieberman and Rahm ruin real change.
AND THIS WILL GET THE ENTHUSIASM BACK IN THE DEM PARTY ESPECIALLY IF THE REPUBLICANS RUN ON REPEALING HEALTH CARE!
If there is real reform in the bill, people will come out and vote to make sure we don't repeal it.
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ladyfractal
March 9, 2010 1:41 PM
So, let's see...if I vote in 2010 and the Dems maintain control of Congress, then there'll be two more years of wimpy cowering before the Republicans in the name of 'bipartisanship' even though it's clear the Republicans would oppose *water* if Democrats backed it. If I don't vote, the Republicans will take control of Congress and Obama will spend the next two years doing what he's *already* doing which is, for the most part, caving into the GOP. Either way, we end up in exactly the same place--stuck. So the motivation for Democrats to show up to the polls, given that reality, is what?
If the Dems showed they were willing to fight FOR the American people instead of engaging in this elaborate kabuki wherein they pretend that they aren't *also* shills for corporations biding time before they too can lobby on K street, then I would likely feel differently. But the Dems haven't shown it, aren't going to show it and so I don't see any real point. If I sit this election out it will be the first one since 1988 that I've missed.
LF
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willia451
March 9, 2010 2:22 PM in reply to ladyfractal
The point is to at least KEEP the gains that we've made over the last 60 years.
If the Republicans regain power, the first thing they will do is start attempting to erode the social safety net; again.
Fortunately, no matter what happens this fall, President Obama will still be President; and he can veto any such attempts. While at the same time, appointing the next 2 SCOTUS justices.
I'm not happy with what happened to the public option either; not to mention single payer and the bank bailouts.
But I am NOT willing to allow the wingnut Republicans to just stroll back into power unopposed because I'm "pissed off" at the Democrats. That's not going to do any of us any good.
I understand your frustration. But take a breath. Are you willing to go back to 2003-2005? Remember those days?
We may not be moving forward as rapidly as some would like right now. But how about coming to a screeching halt and moving backwards? Want that?
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par4
March 9, 2010 2:43 PM in reply to willia451
See the 2 posts below and then clap your flippers and catch a fish.
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AlphaLiberal
March 9, 2010 1:45 PM
What in blue blazes do the Democratic mandarins expect? They've been habitually dumping on their base for decades.
Their first instinct is to "Sistah Souljah" us: make themselves look good by dumping on their party and party base.
They are in bed with Wall Street and serving the banksters while leaving the victims of the banksters high and dry.
Really, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. Then they call me up at home for my hard earned dollars.
What a bunch of assholes.
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AlphaLiberal
March 9, 2010 2:07 PM
What Digby said:
"From what I gather, the base is assumed to be trained seals who will clap and do tricks on command but placidly accept the blame when things go wrong. And it upsets the serious people greatly when it fails to do that. In other words, the base is the party's doormat."
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/trained-seals.html
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tiowally
March 9, 2010 4:58 PM
Could the adage "Once burned, twice shy" apply here?
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joe shikspack
March 10, 2010 9:13 AM in reply to tiowally
once?
if only!
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jonez
March 9, 2010 9:44 PM
well, we know what the hell we'll get if we let those Republicans back in. So no matter how you feel about things, you gotta stick it out with the Dems. At least give them 8 years to fix the last 8 from the 3 stooges.
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