Poll: Healthcare somewhat helps Dems

Not bad, but as Taegan points out, Congressional disapproval is at 1994 levels. Could lead to an interesting November.

WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- The Democratic Party may be on the mend after passage of healthcare reform, but it hasn't gotten a booster shot from the U.S. public, a new poll indicates.

Results suggest U.S. President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have benefited from the bill's passage, but the public's overall opinion of the Democratic Party hasn't changed and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may have slid in popularity, The Washington Post poll released Monday indicated.

The poll indicated approval of Obama's handling of healthcare reform rose 5 percentage points to 48 percent after the bill's passage.

CNN Poll: Republicans make gains, but trail Democrats

Again, there is an in for someone to lead and get back the high road (and the poll numbers) but they have to step up and freaking do it.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Despite the drop in President Barack Obama's approval ratings, Republican policies are still not as popular as Democratic policies, according to a new national poll.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday morning indicates that the GOP has gained some ground in polls in recent months, but Democrats still hold the advantage on key issues like the economy and health care.

Fifty-two percent of people questioned say the president's policies will move the country in the right direction. An equal percentage feel the same way about the polices of the Democrats in Congress. What do Americans think of Republican policies? Forty-three percent say the GOP's policies will move the country in the right direction. Nearly half of those polled said congressional Republicans would move the country in the wrong direction.

RNC 'survey' suggests Democrats will deny Republicans health care

Oy. Ben followed up on it and didn't get a much different answer.

I hadn't heard this one before, but a Washington State paper turns it up in one of those fundraising "surveys" from the Republican National Committee:

"It has been suggested that the government could use voter registration to determine a person's political affiliation, prompting fears that GOP voters might be discriminated against for medical treatment in a Democrat-imposed health care rationing system. Does this possibility concern you?"

Added- Dave W has a copy of the survey here.

Sarah the Quitter Hands Alaska to the Dems?

By GottaLaff

Sarah the Quitter may have just given Alaska the biggest gift anyone could imagine:

The soon-to-be official resignation of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) could hand Democrats a legitimate pickup opportunity, according to a recent poll in the Last Frontier obtained by the Fix. The survey, which was conducted by Global Strategy Group, showed Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R) at 41 percent to former state Sen. Ethan Berkowitz’s (D) 40 percent — a statistical dead heat. Democrats held the Alaska governorship from 1994 until 2002 as Gov. Tony Knowles (D) benefited from a fractured Republican party and serious independent candidates. As for those who argued that Palin decided to leave office for fear she would lose in 2010, this poll, which was in the field from June 14-18 suggests otherwise. Palin led Berkowitz 56 percent to 36 percent in a hypothetical general election matchup and carried a solid 56 percent/35 percent favorable to unfavorable score.

So, what we’ve got here is a statistical dead heat between the guy that Sarah Palin is leaving at the helm, and a progressive Democrat who hasn’t even said they are running yet. [...]

This invites further speculation as to why Palin decided to step down. It’s obviously not because she feared losing, yet. And it’s obviously not because she knew that the state was “safe Republican.” And if she had access to these numbers, she decided to throw in the towel knowing that our governorship could easily “go blue,” which obviously didn’t factor in to the equation.

Will Alaskan voters reward Berkowitz because they feel jilted? Will Sarah spiral downward, downward, falling into a hopeless Tweeting binge, losing herself in the vast Twitter abyss? Will hip waders become the new gangsta wear? Will David Letterman make Sarah his new sidekick? Will I ever stop asking inane questions?

The answers to all of these, and more, will be revealed... eventually... in future episodes of "I'm a Quitter, Get Me Out of Here!"

Sarah Palin's Expense Reports Posted

By GottaLaff

Interview-Me Sarah wants the limelight? Fine. She gets the limelight:

With news that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) must now pay back taxes on money received while she worked from home, the Anchorage Daily News posts her expense reports for November and December.

The Huffington Post combed through the reports and finds Palin "charged the state of Alaska a $60 per diem expense for an appearance on Fox News on November 9, 2008. A few weeks later, she billed taxpayers another $60 for a 'phone call with Sen. Elizabeth Dole.' (Dole had lost her reelection bid weeks earlier). On the 26th of November, Palin again turned in a $60 meal/incidental expense per diem report for 'Phone call with Gov. Rendell, interview.'"

Drip. Drip. Drippity drip.

Meantime, as we speak, David Shuster is interviewing a Washington Post reporter about the "questions and concerns" about how her growing national profile might be a distraction back in Alaska. In short, she's getting a "chilly reception":

Post-election fallout has affected her dealings with Alaskan Democrats, with whom she used to have a decent relationship.

In the wake of the campaign, there are a lot of Democrats who think she served as John McCain's attack dog, which has now affected her relationship with the Alaskan legislature.

MSNBC has a banner about her possible "White House run in 2010". Oops. Obama better get out on that campaign trail! Apparently the election is next year!