Republicans like to say that America wanted divided government, and that’s why they are in charge of the House, but Republicans fixed that. Americans no longer want the GOP in charge of the House.
As a new CNN/ORC poll shows Republicans losing their only base over their ObamaCare shutdown and indicates that more than half of the country is not happy with Republicans holding majority power in the House, perennially wrong Ted Cruz is claiming that Senate Republicans are the biggest problem heading into 2014.
Cruz told CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash in an interview, “The single-most damaging thing that has happened to Republicans for 2014 is all of the Senate Republicans coming out, attacking the House Republicans, attacking those pushing the effort to defund Obamacare and lining themselves up opposite of the American people.”
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
Yes, if Republicans lose seats in 2014 it’s because the Senate Republicans attacked House Republicans for shutting down the government over ObamaCare. Got it?
According to CNN’s poll taken between October 18-20th, people who were asked, “Do you think it is good for the country or bad for the country that the Republican Party is in control of the U.S. House of Representatives?” Fifty-four percent say it’s a bad thing that the GOP controls the House and only 38% think it’s a good thing. This means they plunged down 13 points from the end of 2012 when America was okay with Republicans having their itty bitty power in the House (no Senate or White House please).
Americans have always preferred to have moderation over one party rule. Since 2010, Americans have thought that the GOP being in charge of the House was a good thing by between 48% and 51%, and this was during the time they were waging war on women and staging phony ObamaCare repeal votes while passing no actual legislation to help the country. Divided government makes sense theoretically (I’m a big fan of the idea) – but then common sense met the modern day Republican Party and got scared straight.
Republicans are even losing their base. Voters between the ages 50-64 years old say it’s bad for the GOP to be in control of the House by 61% to 35%. Voters over the age of 65 said it’s bad for the GOP to control the House by 47% to 46%. Consider that in the 2010 midterms, this age group voted Republican 59/38 and are credited with putting Republicans in control in the first place.
If these same people had to pick between President Obama or Congressional Republicans to deal with the major issues facing the country, they’ll both take Obama, thanks very much. The over 65 voters prefer Obama 45%- 33%, and those between the ages of 50-64 prefer the president 48%- 28%.
Among those who attended college, 50% prefer Obama handle things over just 30% who prefer congressional Republicans. No college prefer Obama 38% to 33%. Obama wins with those who make over 50k, too, by 46% to 32% and with those who earn less than 50k. In other words, Republicans have just managed to shrink their teeny, tiny tent. They have no one left but the frothing birthers and the crazy birchers.
This is called an epic fail. Oh, and 63% want to replace Speaker Boehner. I’d jump on that bandwagon if the alternative to incompetent bumbler who puts the country second to his career wasn’t scary incompetent bumbler who puts the country dead last to his career.
Image: AP/Noah Berger 2012
Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.
