It has been pretty obvious from numerous recent polls that the American people are disgusted with Congress. They see the gridlock that is in that body, preventing any real work to be done to cure the economy or create jobs -- and want the two parties to compromise and get something done.The charts above were made from a YouGov Poll done on July 17th and 18th of 1,000 nationwide adults. A margin of error was not given, but YouGov was one of the most accurate polls in predicting the 2012 election. And this poll, by questioning members of each party on whether they want their party reps. to compromise or not, shows the congressional GOP has worked its way between a rock and a hard place -- and has no room to turn.
The public, which is disgusted with the failure to compromise, is placing most of the blame for the current gridlock on the Republicans. About 81% of the public thinks the Republicans are either partially or wholly to blame -- and 41% thinks they are wholly to blame for the gridlock. Meanwhile, about 59% of the public thinks Democrats are wholly or partially to blame -- and only 19% think they are wholly to blame for the gridlock. This makes me think it is far more likely that the Republicans will suffer at the polls in November 2014 than the Democrats.
But if the Republicans change and start to compromise to please the general public, they might not even make it past their own party's primary. That's because, while the percentage of Republicans wanting compromise has increased in the last two years (from 34% to 44%), a clear majority still do not want their reps. to compromise (56%). This puts the Republicans in a quandary. Do they play to their base and possibly suffer in the general election, or do they give the public what it wants and possibly lose in their primary. Neither choice is a good one.
The Democrats don't have that problem. About 78% of their base is perfectly willing to see their reps. compromise -- as long as its a real compromise, and not just giving in to the GOP completely. Compromising would not hurt any Democrat in their party primary or the general election.
Frankly, I don't feel sorry for the Republicans. They created this mess themselves when they courted the racists, fundamentalists, and teabaggers. Now they are just reaping what they have sown.
