From Too Sense, a fairly compelling look at what the first 100 days of the Obama Administration might bring.

From the new conservative website The Next Right, news that Republican policy positions poll very badly, among Democrats, independents and Republicans.  As I read these results, it would seem that Republican adherence to the positions of their party is strongly influenced by a sense of party identity – when the positions are presented without the GOP label, support among Republicans plummets.

For example:

On taxes, the picture gets more complex. On the partisan text [i.e. identifying which party holds a given position], Independents like the Democrats’ message by significant 14% margin, but Republicans still like our message and give us a resounding 39% advantage. That changes drastically on the nonpartisan test.

When the party’s names are removed, Independents are almost evenly split, giving the Democrats’ message a small 5% advantage. However, Republican voters stampede away from the GOP message. Among Republicans, support for the GOP message on taxes drops by a gargantuan 53% when the party’s names are removed, leaving the Democrats with a 14% advantage. You read that right, on the nonpartisan test, Independents like the GOP message on taxes more than Republicans do and even Independents slightly favor the Democrats. 

Here’s a copy of the pollster’s memo on what the Republicans can do about this.  Weep, I’d think, but here’s what he has to say on rebranding the party:

Look at some of the language in the themes that the NPR survey tested from the Democrats. You might not feel comfortable with all of the examples below, but if you think Republicans can not use any of those, that’s simply too much Inside the Beltway thinking:

- “The economy has worked well for CEOs but not for the middle class, and we need a big change in direction.”

- “We should repeal the special tax breaks for companies moving jobs overseas and for the oil companies.”

- “We need to cut middle class taxes across the board, limit drug prices, and make health care more affordable.”

- “We should partner with business to invest in clean alternative energy to create the jobs of the future.”

- “We must strengthen America’s security by starting to reduce our troops in Iraq in a responsible way, force the Iraqi government to use its oil money to pay for reconstruction, and work with other nations to bring stability.”

- “With such financial pressures on families, we need to focus completely on middle class tax relief and making sure government works for them, not the special interests.”

Turns out that you can draw a triangle from right to left as well as the more familiar way.