The endgame over the fiscal cliff, like the first stirrings of debate about gun control and immigration, all capture a subtle but potentially consequential shift in the Washington dynamic. On each front, Democrats are growing more unified while Republicans and conservatives are displaying increasing cracks. That inverts the alignment through […] Read more »
How the Fiscal Cliff Battle Is Really Just a Battle of Demographics
Washington’s battle over the fiscal cliff is best understood as a confrontation not only between Democrats and Republicans, but also as an early skirmish in what could be a decades-long struggle for resources and influence between the Brown and the Gray. That’s a phrase I’ve coined, drawing on the work […] Read more »
Are GOP policies too extreme?
Just over half the public says that the GOP should give up more than the Democrats in any bipartisan solution to the country’s problems, according to a new national survey. And a CNN/ORC International poll also indicates that a slight majority of Americans sees the Republican party’s policies and views […] Read more »
Most predict ‘major problems’ if ‘fiscal cliff’ isn’t averted
For months, lawmakers in Washington have warned of the dire consequences of going over the so-called “fiscal cliff” – and the public has been listening. More than nine in 10 Americans expect economic problems if Washington doesn’t avert the “cliff,” according to a new CBS News poll, conducted Dec. 12-16. […] Read more »
Most want ‘fiscal cliff’ compromise but oppose cuts that may be part of deal
Most Americans want President Obama and congressional Republicans to compromise on a budget agreement, though they, too, are unhappy about the options that would avert the “fiscal cliff,” according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The strong support for compromise belies widespread public opposition to big spending cuts that […] Read more »
Obama Holds Most Cards in Cliff Talks, But With No Mandate – and Risks Aplenty
President Obama holds most of the cards in fiscal cliff negotiations with the Republican leaders of Congress, with more Americans approving of his handling of the talks and more prepared to blame the GOP if the brinksmanship fails. But another factor constrains the president: His lack of a mandate in […] Read more »