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Counterintuitive

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 11:29:37 AM EST
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Steve Benen cites the new NBC/WSJ poll for this statement:

Dems'success is inextricably tied to Obama's standing. [. . .] [T]his should point Democratic lawmakers in the right direction on health care, though the message isn't getting through.

Nothing in the poll (or in any actual election results) supports this argument. Consider the NBC poll:

[I]f the public is fed up with Washington, its anger isn’t necessarily directed at President Obama. Only 27 percent say they blame him for not being able to find solutions to the country’s problems. By contrast, 48 percent blame Republicans in Congress and 41 percent blame congressional Democrats. “The president has problems,” Hart adds, “but the Congress has much bigger problems.”

This is, of course, good news for the President, but it demonstrates the OPPOSITE of what Benen is arguing - in fact the fate of Congressional Dems is NOT "inextricably tied to Obama's standing." In fact, it seems to show that Congressional Dems' standing is, to their misfortune, NOT tied to Obama's standing.

More importantly, the relative popularity of Obama compared to the Congress does not translate into people coming out to vote for Dems in an election where Obama is not on the ballot. The reality is the Congressional Dems' fate in November is 'inextricably tied' to the BASE, not to Obama. They need the unions and activists and hard core Dems to work for, and VOTE for, them in November. And it is becoming painfully clear that Obama has little effect on that.

Speaking for me only

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    Counterintuitive | 7 comments (7 topical)

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    I think its a little more complex (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by cawaltz on Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 12:34:19 PM EST
    A Democratic Congressperson can get dragged down by Obama if they are seen as an enabler, just like what occured with the Republicans and Bush.

    That being said, there is a solution for that. They need to do what is in their constituents best interest regardless of President Obama or for that matter Pelosi or Reid(or Aetna or Wellstone). They need to be fierce advocates on their constituents behalf. They need to quit playing games and making excuses and actually earn the six figure income for coming up with solutions to the difficult problems Americans face. If they can't do that they deserve to have an anchor tied around their election chances.

    Partisans are suppose to fight (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by esmense on Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 01:15:26 PM EST
    The question is, what and who are they fighting for? A few powerful interests, including a few powerful constituents, who can best serve their personal interest? Or the better interest of the majority of their constituents?

    Of course, I'm assuming here that the average "representative" is even capable of understanding anyone's interests beyond their own.

    Esmense (none / 0) (#7)
    by cal1942 on Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 07:58:42 PM EST
    You'll love this one from Michael Lind.

    Parent
    Which base? (none / 0) (#2)
    by mmc9431 on Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 12:36:38 PM EST
    Which one of the party elders is going to stand up and remind the party as to who their base really is? After the fiasco of HCR,I don't think they know anymore.

    Obama is so entrenched in his post partisan  dream world, I don't expect it to come from him. And yet as that poll showed,it hasn't worked for the country.

    a whopping 93 percent believe there's too much partisan infighting;

    The sad part of that statistic is that a good portion of the infighting is from within the Democrats own party.

    Meh (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 12:46:59 PM EST
    That is always a stupid question. It always means "everyone should agree with me."

    I hate that idiotic question.

    I mean honestly, what's the right answer? there is NOT enough partisan infighting?

    Stupid question.

    Parent

    Sadly (none / 0) (#3)
    by cawaltz on Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 12:42:01 PM EST
    There doesn't appear to be much leadership within the party and one or two that show potential appear to have already been bought by corporate America.

    Parent
    'Bipartisanship' has become O's 'Read My Lips' (none / 0) (#6)
    by Ellie on Wed Jan 27, 2010 at 02:20:05 PM EST
    It's going to dog his presidency.

    Counterintuitive | 7 comments (7 topical)

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