Replacing An Unpopular Party With An Even More Unpopular Party....

[ProSense]

Replacing An Unpopular Party With An Even More Unpopular Party....

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The exit polls tell an interesting story: 41% of voters yesterday had a favorable opinion of congressional Republicans. Congressional Democrats weren't winning any popularity contests, but their favorable numbers were slightly better than the GOP's, while President Obama fared better than both. In other words, Republicans won yesterday despite the public's impressions of the party, not because of.

Such a result does not a mandate make.

In fact, one of the very first arguments we're likely to hear from House Republicans is that the election results were an endorsement of their tax-cut plans. But, again, look at the exit polls -- in the midst of a GOP wave election, a majority of voters said they oppose the Republican proposal to extend all Bush-era tax rates.

Think about that: the same electorate that delivered a massive win for GOP candidates also said the GOP tax plan is a mistake.

So, how'd Republicans manage to do so well? Try this exit-poll result on for size:

Who's to blame for the economy? Bankers (34%), Bush (29%), Obama (24%). Of those who blame bankers, Republicans hold an 11 point advantage.

That's strikingly crazy. Americans are inclined to blame Wall Street for the economy, but then voted for the party that cozied up to Wall Street, fought to kill financial regulatory reform, partnered with Wall Street lobbyists, and literally ran candidates for key offices who worked for and with the banks.

It's quite a trick the GOP pulled off.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. Quite a trick indeed

I think that anger ultimately overrode rationality among the voting public and nobody is better at making people angrier than the gNOp and their corporate media enablers. Hopefully they will come to their senses in time for 2012 and make today's gNOp freshman tomorrow's historical footnote.