How do these numbers jibe with the allegedly looming Republican landslide?

[BurtWorm]

As digby says:

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/rational-decision-making-american.html

So naturally, the polls also tell us that the Republicans are about to win a landslide election.

This country is either stupid or crazy. Or both.

I blame bloggers.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

1. The poll itself shows the contradiction

If this is the one Al Hunt was quoting on Bloomberg Radio this morning......voters are more supportive of Democratic measures including eliminating the Bush tax cuts for the rich and against the cuts proposed by Republicans, yet answer they are more likely to vote for the Repig candidate!!!!

The electorate is stupid.

[BurtWorm]

3. And/or the Democrats suck at making their points understood

Per Political Animal:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_10/026088.php

...

Going through the results (pdf), it's tempting to think the landscape doesn't look especially favorable to the GOP at all. While Republican leaders say the nation's focus should be on deficit reduction and spending cuts, the American mainstream wants to focus on job creation. What's more, when it comes to actually trying to reduce the deficit, the most popular ideas are the progressive ones.

But perhaps my favorite part of the poll was on health care.

Turning to the health care law passed earlier this year, what is your opinion of the bill -- should it be repealed or not?

It should be repealed: 47%
It should not be repealed: 42%
Not sure: 11%

For reform proponents, that sounds discouraging, right? It is, right up until the poll goes through the specific provisions of the Affordable Care Act, and finds that some of them enjoy very strong support. Americans are inclined to support repeal of the health care law, right up until they're told what's in the health care law.

Eliminating lifetime caps? A 54% majority doesn't want this to be repealed. Protections for those with pre-existing conditions? A 75% majority doesn't want this to be repealed. Insurance exchanges for the uninsured? A 60% majority doesn't want this to be repealed. Allowing kids up to age 26 to remain on their parents' policies? A 67% majority doesn't want this to be repealed. Filling the Medicare donut hole? A 73% majority doesn't want this to be repealed.

...

[zeemike]

2. Perhaps it is like a self fulfilling prophesy.

They know what the outcome of the election will be because they intend to steal as much of it as they can....so they prepare us by saying it is a slam dunk and they know because they are experts.
I mean really if they openly stole the election would anyone say anything or do anything about it?....much safer to just accept the results and "move forward".

[Winterblues]

4. Everybody loves them some killing machine...

Why would anyone rate the military with a B+. They have been at war for longer than any other time in history and are further from any sort of victory than ever... WW II took less than four years, as did the Civil War and the Revolutionary War and WW I and Korea. The only one to also last a decade was Vietnam and I don't know anyone that would rate our venture there with a B+....

[Scuba]

5. Most polls are designed to shape opinion, not measure it. n/t