Who does America trust to lead?

[johnhp]

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Interesting.  Even though the Dems were trashed in the elections, the American people trust Mr. Obama more than Republicans to lead the nation.  That has got to hurt Republicans, and the democrats who want to act like them.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/poll-americans-trust-obama-more-than-republicans-to-guide-country.php

[Velleity]

The problem is that you have to break it down into its parts and consider all facts and circumstances. Otherwise you're just finding polls to reinforce what you want to believe.

I saw a poll that showed that right now 28% of Americans favor the Republicans versus 27% favoring Democrats. About 28% think Obama is a success. About 27% believe he's a failure (about the same percentage as radical extremist "conservatives"). The balance say it's too early to say.

What people really want, John, is an end to the extremism. You don't seem to understand or appreciate that. Instead you see fit to attack me for pointing it out to you. The election really was a statement. It wasn't the statement that "conservatives" want to make it out to be but it's not "a straw man" as you suggest either. It is a statement to cut the bullshit rhetoric and to work together to get things done.

Most people aren't ideological and at the end of the day if things are going well, they're happy. And if things aren't going well, they're not happy.

You also don't want to think that the odds are that Obama has a better handle on this than you do. I keep telling you that he hasn't suddenly gone stupid. You don't want to appreciate the significance of that, but you still have no idea what is going on behind the scenes.

You may be correct that he didn't consult Democrats on the current strategy. However I find that very difficult to believe. These people are very smart. These people are very astute politicians. They are playing a difficult hand here, and I cannot believe for one minute that people like Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer aren't right there in the thick of things. They're just not showing you or me all of the cards, and you have no right to expect them to show all of those cards.

Like the majority still says here, we do have to wait and see.

[johnhp]

No, what people want is an answer to the issues that we need to address today.  People are concerned about jobs, mortgages, etc.  You seem to insinuate that people who recognize that republicans do not want to negotiate but want to play chicken are extremists.  The people you are calling extremists recognize that first there is no republican solution to this problem because the republicans want to sit out until 2012 and allow everyone else to take the blame for their inaction.

The current problems can only be addressed with clear legislation that offers good regulation of banks, a reasonable approach to taxes, legislation that deals with mortgages, and so forth.  Republicans have no interest in any of that other than preventing it or making it as weak as possible.  Those are the people you want to negotiate with rather than take the case to the people.  If the people are approached and have these ideas explained to them, they will respond.