Thursday, January 31, 2008

The Dems Should Grow a Spine.

"Who do you want to see take the lead role in setting policy for the country: George W. Bush or the Congress?"

This is the question asked by a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll. It turns out that only 21% want policy set by Bush whilst a massive 62% want policy to be set by Congress.

Now, in the same poll, a majority of people - 53% - think it's a good thing that the Democrats are in control of Congress whilst 56% disagree with how the Democrats have done so far this year.

65% think that Congress has achieved "Not Too Much" this year and 51% of poll participants think this is the fault of "Bush and the Republicans in Congress".

A further 50% think that the policies being proposed by the Democratic leaders in the U.S. House and Senate would move the country in the right direction.

Perhaps it's time the Democrats grew a spine and realised that one of the reasons people have such a low opinion of Congress is that they are not doing enough to oppose the policies of Bush's White House. Bush can't get any more unpopular so why do the Dems keep rolling over and playing dead?

Click title for poll.

4 comments:

daveawayfromhome said...

I'm really starting to think that the Dems roll over for Bush because, in reality, they too are Republicans, but with better a cover story than their Party opposites. Time to replace the whole lotof them.

Kel said...

The Dems make me despair, Dave. I know your country's political centre is more to the right than Britain's is, but it's like the left of centre have no representation in your country.

And the polls show that they are crying out to be represented.

It's like the Dems believe the media hype rather than public opinion.

Unknown said...

The Dems get nothing done because they let the extreme elements in the party drive their agenda. There is little voice for moderate Democrats. As the agenda is driven by the extreme factions of the party, there is no hope for compromise with moderate Republicans, which is something (other than procedural trickery of course) that is absolutely necessary in order for the Dems to get their legislation passed.

Kel said...

The Dems get nothing done because they let the extreme elements in the party drive their agenda.

Quite the opposite is true Jason. They get nothing done because so many on their own side repeatedly vote with the Republicans on a purely Republican agenda out of fear of being regarded as "soft". Often, legislation is passed with the all the Republicans voting uniformly and certain Democrats tagging along. This becomes what Bush and Co think of as "consensus".