Marc Ambinder explains why Republicans who are in trouble should vote for the stimulus bill:
Now – President Obama’s approval rating is about 70%;
Congressional approval is still around 20%;
After the election, Democrats still have a 9 point lead in generic identification.
The public approves of the stimulus plan by a very large margin – the numbers vary with the wording of the poll question, but it’s at least a plus 40%.
Obama is the most talented political figure of our generation – Boehner and McConnell are, uh, less talented.
Obama’s got the megaphone, they’ve got…
Two points both like the article on strictly political grounds:
Does anyone remember the approval ratings for President Bush after 9/11 and before the votes on the Iraq war? That sure worked out for house members at the time didn’t it?
This is the same advice that might have been given to republicans in the first two years of the Clinton administration. Not taking it gave them control of the house for the first time in 40 years.
Anyone who thinks a vulnerable republican congressman who goes along with this plan will survive a primary challenge is silly. Remember our democrat friends were the same ones who told us McCain was the man to win with.
Bold prediction time: Anyone who thinks Obama will have approval ratings in the 60’s in two years is dead wrong. They will not be above 50%. It would not surprise me to see his ratings in the low 40’s.
