Wishing Bad Numbers on Obama

Only 20% of Americans call themselves Republicans - the lowest in 26 years.

The Republican party continues to struggle. According to recent polls, they're all set for further losses in the mid-terms.

"Only 20 percent of adults identify themselves as Republicans, little changed in recent months, but still the lowest single number in Post-ABC polls since 1983. Political independents continue to make up the largest group, at 42 percent of respondents; 33 percent call themselves Democrats.

The wide gap in partisan leanings and the lack of confidence in the GOP carries into early assessments of the November 2010 midterm elections: Fifty-one percent say they would back the Democratic candidate in their congressional district if the elections were held now, while 39 percent would vote for the Republican. Independents split 45 percent for the Democrat, 41 percent for the Republican."

I can't help but 'yay' a little in my head reading that. But there are negative implications for those of us who support Obama but find his reluctance to actually do stuff frustrating.

With the GOP on the ropes, it's too tempting for him to dance out the first round and wait for the bell. And that sucks for all of us who are still waiting for those fine campaign words to translate into policy. Popularity sucks.

But a quick look back at the Bush administration shows that unpopularity can be a big advantage. When your approval ratings languish in the twenties, it's a great time to push your agenda because you have nothing to lose. Even a policy disaster can't hurt you when you're at rock bottom anyway.

So, snarky as it may sound, I'm wishing unpopularity on Obama. If his approval ratings were in the twenties right now, he'd sure as hell drop his obsession with process and start bullying the Senate into passing a few bills that would help non-corporate America. Hell, if he was as unpopular as Bush was in his second term, he'd probably still be pushing for single-payer healthcare.

My advice to liberals: next time some schmuck from Rasmussen interrupts your dinner, just lie and tell them you disapprove of Obama and you're voting Republican in 2010. Maybe then he'll get some useful unpopularity to work with.