Palin and Limbaugh are most powerful conservatives in country; Cheney, not so much
A new WashPost poll finds that GOP-leaning voters support bipartisan action on energy. Whereas such voters oppose Congressional Republicans working with Democrats on health care by 77 to 23 , they support working with Democrats on energy 49 to 46. This is consistent with all recent polling:
- Yet another major poll finds “broad support” for clean energy and climate bill: “Support for the plan among independents has increased slightly”
- Swing state poll finds 60% “would be more likely to vote for their senator if he or she supported the bill” and Independents support the bill 2-to-1
- Voters in Ohio, Michigan and Missouri overwhelmingly support action on clean energy and global warming
Think Progress has more on what the poll tells us about how the key conservative thought leaders are:
Two new polls report that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh are the most powerful conservatives in the country. According to a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair survey, 26 percent of Americans rate Limbaugh as the most influential conservative voice, followed by Fox News host Glenn Beck at 11 percent. In a Washington Post poll, a plurality of Republicans say Palin best reflects their “party’s core values,” and they would vote for her “if the presidential nomination battle were held today.” Two people who don’t fare as well in the Post poll are George W. Bush and Dick Cheney:
Just 1 percent pick George W. Bush as the best reflection of the party’s principles, and only a single person in the poll cites former vice president Richard B. Cheney. About seven in 10 say Bush bears at least “some” of the blame for the party’s problems.
The Post surveyed 804 “Republicans and Republican-leaning nonpartisans” for its sample. Palin is particularly popular amongst the “loyal followers of Limbaugh and Beck.” “Overall, 18 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents cited her as the person most representative of the party’s core values. “¦ Among those who regularly listen to Limbaugh, however, Palin was cited by 48 percent, and among Beck’s viewers, it was 35 percent, far surpassing others.”
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The problem here is that the actual GOP distribution on the issue is “dumbbell” shaped — 28% “strongly agree” with working with Democrats on energy policy, while 41% “strongly disagree”, with only 25% left in the middle (though the bulk of those “somewhat agree”). I would bet that the actual GOP response will be driven by the 41% who “strongly disagree” – that’s “the base” and playing to the base is what the GOP is now all about. (Whoever has the tin foil hat concession at the tea party events must be making a fortune.)
Keep in mind that there has been a concerted republican campaign against health care reform, whereas energy policy has not had the limelight. I suspect the health care numbers would have been roughly the same before the battle ensued.
Further evidence that what is called “conservatism” in America today is not a political ideology, but an entertainment demographic. Not unlike professional wrestling.