The Republicans long have been known, appropriately, as The
Stupid Party. But the Democrats might be making a better
claim to that name these days.
Reports Byron York:
During the Bush administration, Democrats made huge gains in
some important Republican areas. For example, on the
question of which party would do a better job in handling the
federal budget deficit, Democrats held a 19-point advantage in
a November 2005 Journal poll, a 25-point advantage in July
2007, and a 22-point advantage in January 2008.
Now all that has changed. In the new poll, the results
have completely turned around, and Republicans hold a six-point
advantage. On the related issue of controlling government
spending, in July 2007, Democrats held a 16-point
advantage. In the new poll, Republicans hold a nine-point
lead.
Also in the Bush years, Democrats erased the Republican
advantage on the issue of taxes. In November 2005,
Democrats held a 10-point advantage over Republicans on the tax
issue. That lead diminished over the next few years, but
Democrats still held a five-point advantage in January
2008. In the new poll, Republicans have a seven-point
advantage.
The big-spending Bush administration and Republican Congress
tossed away the mantle of fiscal responsibility. It looks
like the even bigger spending Obama administration and Democratic
Congress have managed to throw it back!
About the Author
Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and the Senior Fellow in International Religious Persecution at the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics (Crossway).
