Here’s some news that should buoy Democrats and send a
chill through Republicans’ spines.
According to this newly-released
ABCNews-Washington Post poll, 57% of Americans support trimming the
Bush tax cut to keep the budget in balance. Two-thirds oppose using
across-the-board cuts in discretionary spending to keep the budget numbers
in line. And a staggering 92% oppose using Social Security funds to pay
for other programs — precisely what the administration is now trying to
argue it is alright to do.
A close look at the poll’s methodology reveals that the measure isn’t
of likely voters or even registered voters, but merely adults. And that
should effect a slight Democratic tilt. But the overall results are
sufficiently decisive that this is just a footnote.
What does it mean? That the president and his party are in a lot of
trouble. And Democrats would seem to be taking exactly the right approach
by forcing the president to take the first stab at solving the problem he
created. As we noted here a little more
than two weeks ago, this debate may seem like a jumble of numbers. But
it’s actually all about values, responsibility and trust – which is
precisely the sort of debate Democrats should want to be having with this
president.
The favored White House strategy is to tell the Democrats that
they should come up with their own way to solve the problem. But
this is a tack Democrats should welcome because the rejoinder is
elementary: This is the responsibility
era. Don’t pass the buck. Don’t blame everyone else. Take
responsibility.
