Just as Republicans have gay marriage and flag burning as their "wedge issues," there are issues that independents strongly support that Democrats passionately love. These are wedge issues to aggressively advocate in right wing opponents' faces as a tool for winning elections. An OpEdNews Zogby People's poll identifies powerfull issues candidates can use to win campaigns.
OpEdNews commissioned the Zogby company to do a public opinion poll in Pennsylvania in late May 2006. We looked at a range of issues using standard and custom designed demographics. We discovered a collection of issues that look great for Democrats-- that democrats and independents strongly support, and which Republicans either moderately support or support with a majority, that Republican candidates would have a very hard time running on, because of their extremist base.
Now, this poll was done in Pennsylvania, a slightly blue state that has been discribed as Philly and Pittsburgh with Alabama in the middle. For that reason, PA represents, in a microcosm, much of the rest of the US. But don't take this for granted. Consider doing issue polling for your campaign. See how the winner and losers I've picked play with your campaign's constituency area.
I'll also discuss a few issues that may seem attractive but that don't have the support of the polling.
This article will list issues with statistics as follows:
Issue: total response for/against Independents for/against, Dems for/against, Republicans for/against other relevant crosstab stats comments on the issue.
question as asked;
Should Bush Initiate Iran War Without Congressional Approval Numbers are reversed from poll results so you see opposition/support for Bush
Total: 63/32 Independents: 62/32 Democrats: 97/3 Republicans: 27/63 Independents support requiring Bush to get permission before going to war with Iran by two to one. Democrats massively support it, and Republicans hate the idea of first requiring congressional approval before plunging us into another war. This is a winner that can help to strongly pull independents. Tie it to the war. Joke, "I'm sure Mr. Bush and my opponent have satellite images of WMDs in Iran. Well, if they do, let the congress and senate see the information and decide.
Do you agree or disagree that the president has the right to use military force against Iran without the support of congress?
1. Agree 2. Disagree 3. Not sure
Birth Control Pill Health Insurance Coverage Total: 73/22 Independents: 68/24 Democrats: 91/4 Republicans: 55/40 Moderates: 85/12 age 18-45: 75/20, born-agains: 52/38 and catholics 57/37 support this Even a majority of Republicans support health insurance coverage for birth control pills and Independent support is very sollid. Candidates like PA senate candidate Bob Casey, who have taken an anti-abortion position can differentiate themselves from more rabid anti-abortion, anti-contraceptive opponents like Rick Santorum. Santorum could never support birth control because of his core base. This issue helps accentuate the right wing extremism. It looks reasonable, is clearly pro-life and helps to reduce abortions. This could be the most potent issue candidates running against right wingers and republicans should embrace and hit hard. Force your opponents to take a stand on this. It will weaken their right wing base or force them to the far, far right.
19. Do you agree or disagree that health insurance should cover birth control pills?
1. Agree 2. Disagree 3. Not sure
Embryonic Stem Cell Research Total: 66/26 Independents: 59/26 Democrats: 94/4 Republicans: 38/45 Born agains: 20/56 (born agains made up about 20% of responders) More born-agains support birth control and abortion thand they do Embryonic Stem Cells. That makes it even harder for right wing candidates to support what is clearly an issue that 66/26 is a winning issue which progressives and democrats can embrace. Find a local patient with ALS, Parkinsons, or some other disease that could be helped by embryonic stem cell research and tell their story.
21. Do you agree or disagree that embryonic stem cell research should be conducted?
1. Agree 2. Disagree 3. Not sure
Election Reform-Take Money factor Out of Campaigns Unlimited money/fixed money Total: 22/72 Independents: 15/77 Democrats: 4/93 Republicans: 44/46 Election reform may not seem sexy, but it resonates with Democrats and independents, and even a plurality of Republicans support it. The idea is to take the money out of campaigns. Once a candidate does what it takes to get on the ballot, he becomes eligible for funds provided by the government. Another poll we ran in January showed there is strong support for REQUIRING mainstream media to provide free ad time for candidates within this kind of system. That would cut the costs of the campaigns enormously, making them affordable for government to finance.
23. Which of the following positions on election financing comes closer to your own position � A or B?
Position A: Candidates should be allowed to raise as much money as they want from individuals, industry, and corporations.
Position B: All eligible candidates should get a fixed amount of money to spend on their campaigns to prevent influence buying.
1. A 2. B 3. Not sure
Pre-emptive Nukes? Approve/disapprove Total: 22/69 Independents: 76/13 Democrats: 88/9 Republicans: 44/41 This is a great wedgie for Republicans. While a majority of Republicans oppose the use of pre-emptive nuclear attack, enough right wingnut extremists support it, and the Bush Administration wants to keep this option open. That makes it just about impossible for a Republican, right wing candidate to back this one. Bring it up. "Would you support the non-defensive use of a nuclear weapon? And then come back with, when you opponent replies affirmatively, come back with "So you're willing to start a nuclear war?"
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
To learn more about me and OpEdNews.com, check out this article.
and there are Rob's quotes, here.
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A few declarations.
-While I'm registered as a Democrat, I consider myself to be a dynamic critic of the Democratic party, just as, well, not quite as much, but almost as much as I am a critic of republicans.
-My articles express my personal opinion, not the opinion of this website.
Keep in mind, this article is totally data based. Like I mentioned in today's newsletter, we'd like to do more polling, but it costs money. We had contributors who provided the funding for the last poll. If we can raise the money again, how would you phrase the poll questions on your issues?
And which ones do you think would be "wedge issues" democrats could use?
by
Rob Kall (808 articles, 3921 quicklinks, 332 diaries, 1702 comments)
on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 8:18:14 AM
Only Republicans think we need Congressional approval ?
When I read the first item of the article, copied and pasted below, I read it as only Republicans thought the President did NOT need Congressional approval. Then I started to read it to my husband and stopped, startled. It seems to say the opposite of what I expected. I must be reading it wrong. Could someone explain? Or does the poll really conclude that ONLY Republicans believe Bush needs the approval of Congress to go to war ?
Iran War Without Congressional Approval
Total: 63/32 Independents: 62/32
Democrats: 97/3 Republicans: 27/63
Independents support this two to one. Democrats massively support it, and Republicans hate it. This is a winner for strongly pulling independents. Tie it to the war. Joke, "I'm sure Mr. Bush and my opponent have satellite images of WMDs in Iran. Well, if they do, let the congress and senate see the information and decide.
Do you agree or disagree that the president has the right to use military force against Iran without the support of congress?
1. Agree 2. Disagree 3. Not sure
by
Christie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 143 comments)
on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 8:28:49 AM
Sorry about that. The stats reflect Oppose/support of the statement. Republicans support Bush going ahead without congressional approval. Independents and Democrats oppose it.
by
Rob Kall (808 articles, 3921 quicklinks, 332 diaries, 1702 comments)
on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 9:32:38 AM
I am 85 years old and have become nauseated by the age old wrestling match that passes for politics in this country. When I worked out at the Civic auditorium gym in Flint Michigan as a young man; there were two wrestlers who used to spend the day throwing each other around a padded room. They would travel together around the midwest putting on grudge matches and they slept in the same hotel room.
Your generation does not have any kind of a democracy. If ever there was a time for a revolution against the corporate governance of the United States it is now!
by
gramps (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 107 comments)
on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 4:23:07 PM
One question to ask the voters is whether or not they agree with preemptive nuclear warfare. The follow up could be something such as: How do you personally feel about being destroyed in the upcoming scheduled all out nuclear war?
The second question could be posed differently.
Such as: Nearly 60 years ago our nuclear war fighting criminal class decided that they finally had the means and methods to exterminate the mass of the human race and decided that it was a good idea to 'Kill them all:' They are still trying to kill you and your entire family and destroy the world in a nuclear holocaust; How do feel about this? Do you agree or disagree with these plans?
Here is another suggestion for a question to ask the terminally lame.
For decades now, there have been what are referred to as 'Flying saucers' that have been buzzing military bases around the world. These 'Flying saucers' have repeatedly interfered with the war fighting plans of our nuclear war fighting genocidal criminal elite. The question is: Do you think that the Supreme Court should issue a felony criminal trespass Warrant against the drivers of these 'Flying Saucers, and demand serious prison time for them when they get caught?'
In the explosion of the nuclear missile with the 10 megaton warhead in Damascus, Arkansas in September of 1980, the 'ET' tampered with the engine control software of this missile. When our nuclear war fighting criminal elite attempted to get World War 3 underway, the engine exploded in the launch tube. The question to ask the voters is this: Do you think that a Warrant should be issued by the courts charging 'Unknown persons' from some other world, with tampering with electronic controls that led to the destruction of government property, and call for the local Federal prosecutor to demand a lengthy incarceration for the perpetrators that caused the destruction of this genocidal weapon?
The Hierarchy of priority allows that there is only one issue, and that is survival in the nuclear age. This is the question that could most serve to free us from the threat that continues to be placed on us by our nuclear war fighting criminal elite. Our nuclear war criminals have not given up hope folks, they still hope that they can launch a all out nuclear war before you all awaken to the fact that they have indeed lost a war with this high level power, from who knows where?
Our nuclear war fighting criminal elite planned for us all not to survive. As soon as the mass of the population awakens and begins to understand exactly what our genocidal war criminals have pulled on us, "The nuclear trigger," we can all address the real issue. Nuclear war that our fiends are trying to get underway at this moment.
Some may recall the interview with a Army General during the VietNam wealth expansion for the murdering rich enterprise. The village was shattered by bombs and flame.
The reporter asked the question 'Why,' Whereupon the General answered that "We had to destroy the village to save the village."
This same thinking; "They have to destroy us, to save us," is still current.
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by
Patrick (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 401 comments)
on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 6:38:48 PM
7 comments
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