Posted on 04/11/2015 7:40:14 AM PDT by Kaslin
WASHINGTON - Why is it that many of the Republican presidential contenders are dodging issues the voters say are among their highest concerns?
Go to the Gallup Poll's website that lists the issues that trouble Americans most and you'll find the economy and jobs are far and away the "most important problems" they face, according to the pollster's recent surveys.
I know why the nightly news shows don't deal with this, because for a very long time now they've been trying to convince us that the Obama economy is doing fine and people are doing better. It isn't and they aren't.
Republicans should be relentlessly pounding this issue with all they've got. Not only the GOP candidates but rank and file leaders in Congress, each and every week. I'm not hearing or seeing them do that.
Fully one third of Americans tell Gallup that "economic problems" are their chief worry, whether its the "economy in general", unemployment and jobs, the "gap between rich and poor," "lack of money," flat wages, taxes, the cost of living, and the federal deficit and debt that undermines economic growth.
Among non-economic problems, "dissatisfaction with government" comes in a strong second -- mentioned by 18 percent of Americans.
Everything else falls into the low single digits: including crime, religion, morals, gay rights, terrorism, foreign aid or illegal immigration.
The conservative candidates running or planning to run deal with "big government," promising to slash spending and abolish federal programs. But with few exceptions, their promises lack specifics or any indication they have the skills to get a serious budget-cutting plan through the obstacle course in Congress.
I don't mean that all GOP candidates aren't making the economy an important part of their campaigns, but most aren't turning it into the overwhelming issue that will likely decide the outcome of the 2016 election.
Talking about "liberty," "freedom" and the Constitution are fine and deserve their rightful place in the conversation about where are country is headed. But it doesn't address the bread-and-butter issues that Americans are worrying most about.
I'm all for expanding liberty and getting the government off our backs and out of our wallets. But I want to hear how they're going to create more full-time jobs that pay a living wage; how they're going to accelerate economic growth; how they're going to unlock needed capital investment, the mother's milk of business expansion.
The time for the Republicans to deal with this issue with both guns blazing was April 3 when the Labor Department announced that job growth slowed to a crawl in March.
In a labor force of nearly 160 million people, employers hired only 126,000 workers, and previous monthly job data estimates were revised downward significantly.
Hourly wages rose a meager 0.3 percent, but the hours worked fell slightly so incomes remained essentially flat.
"Millions of Americans who have been too discouraged to look for work because of weakness in the labor market largely remained on the sidelines," the New York Times reported. And the labor force participation rate (those who have jobs or those actively looking for one) shrank to 62 percent.
Why aren't Republicans hammering the Democrats on these and other job figures showing the sluggish Obama economy is weakening further, hurting the people they say they want to help most at the bottom of the income scale.
Black unemployment has risen under his policies over the past six years and presently stands at 11 percent. The jobless rate in "black communities is at a crisis level," says economist Valerie Wilson at the liberal Economic Policy Institute.
Long-term unemployment remains a persistent problem for older workers, too. The AARP Policy Institute released a study earlier this month that said on average 45 percent of job seekers age 55 and up were jobless for 27 weeks or more last year.
These are among the harsh economic realities of Barack Obama's failed presidency. But if the Republicans do not begin to pound them into the political consciousness of the American electorate, who will?
The television news networks? Forget it. CBS, NBC and ABC and their highly paid anchors won't touch the issue.
There are growing indications, however, that the voters increasing focus on looming economic troubles, and other issues, could be hurting Hillary Clinton in her unimpeded march toward the Democratic presidential nomination.
Gallup reported Wednesday that the former secretary of State's favorability rating among voters has slipped to 48 percent -- down from 55 percent last summer, and from 59 percent a year ago.
"Not only is this Clinton's weakest favorable rating in the past year, but it is the lowest since 2008 when she was competing in that year's Democratic primary elections," says Gallup polling analyst Lydia Saad.
Certainly a driving factor in Clinton's declining polls is last month's controversy over her secret use of a private e-mail server for all official business as secretary of State -- instead of the department's system which could eventually be open to public scrutiny.
Worse, it was revealed she erased everything from her account except what she alone deemed official e-mails. That raised suspicions she had destroyed documents that could be relevant to the congressional investigation into her bungled handling of the deadly terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.
Gallup's April 3-4 poll showed that her favorability rating among independents plunged from 56 percent a year ago to 43 percent. And from 87 percent to 79 percent among Democrats and voters who lean Democratic.
Notably, 38 percent of Democrats, including leaners, say they would prefer "someone else" as their nominee.
Clinton has yet to level any criticism of Obama's inept economic policies, and indeed supported them during her four years in his administration -- making her eminently beatable on this issue.
The Republican who makes the economy and jobs his paramount issues, and ties her to Obama's failed policies, will be our next president.
Also, forgot that the candidate that can point out Hillary's connection to the flawed Obambi policies without seeming mean, also has an edge up. Too many young voters don't know of Hillary/Bill's corruption of days past. That needs to be addressed in subtle manner.
In many cases the more a thing gets discussed the more the liberal media is able to inoculate the people with their talking points.
...especially when you consider her accomplishments as SoS..which she say's one of them is working with Odungo
Wonder what the bookies odds are that the same voters that voted for Obama twice will bet on Hillary remember stupidity is a drug.
[[Gallup Says Economy Is “Most Important Problem”]]
Not the fact that he has destroyed the rule of law? Or the constitution? Or the FACT that he is in an all out assault on Christians and conservatives? Or that he is putting this country at risk with his ignorant foreign policy? Or the FACT that he is ignoring congress and ILLEGALLY dictating via executive order? ETC ETC ETC?
“What’s going to happen when Hillary is denied the nomination again? I would sure hate to be anyone associated with that campaign because the wrath of Hillary is nastier than a hurricane.”
Someone should just throw a bucket of water on her and get it over with...
We need to get rid of the Boomer mentality in the WH. Hitlery is of the beginning of the Boomer generation and Bammy is at the end of it, but it is still Boomer. The era of college unrest, large marches and riots. Vast numbers of Boomers, many envious of what their parents had achieved and seeking redistribution to themselves without working for it.
I am of the Boomer generation, and there are many of us who have always worked hard and wanted the government to leave us alone. For years the working Boomers lifted the economy.
But sadly the “bad Boomers,” those seeking some strange idea of fairness with little work, are the ones who went into politics and have fed off the public trough for decades
We need younger blood with better ideas. The Boomer era of politics needs to end. We cannot keep doing the same thing for50 years and expect different results.
Don’t tell either republicans or Democrats that they both use keynesian economics to “fix” the problem. All that does it take money from the working class to give to big Business.
i love using this line with socialists. Their jaws drop because it’s true.
Dear Gallup: “economic problems” and “dissatisfaction with government” are one and the same issue.
Any business not in bed with Obama and his Marxist cabal are targeted for destruction. Ask any coal miner.
This is why the US is a screwed up nation. Clinton is polling 50% in Virginia ahead of all the declared RNC candidates.
I find it ironic that Left leaning Democrats pride themselves are being far more intelligent than average Americans, and then they’ll vote for Hillary. Talk about the greatest example of pure stupidity.
I find it ironic that Left leaning Democrats pride themselves are being far more intelligent than average Americans, and then they’ll vote for Hillary. Talk about the greatest example of pure stupidity.
They’re so brain washed and indoctrinated that they can’t see right from wrong, good from bad, etc. They follow the party line no matter what.
And they are hateful of anything conservative.
Please see my tag line.
And the poll is by whom?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.