Polling Data: Here's Where the Republicans are Losing Backers

If you want a clear, concise and brief look at just how far apart Democrats and Republicans (and, to the Repubs' consternation, Independents) are, take a look at this story and charts in the New York Times today. It's simply astonishing--though anybody who's followed politics for the past decade or so could hardly be surprised.

The gaps are wide everywhere. Independents' positions are almost always--in this survey anyway--far closer to those of the Democrats than to the Republicans and since Independents swing elections on the national level, Republicans have to feel some sense of anxiety.

Just look at these few examples:

• Sixty percent of Republicans accept divorce, while 69 percent of Dems do (Independents are more liberal than both at 71 percent).
• Sex between the unmarried is accepted by 42 percent of Repubs and 66 percent of Dems.
• Doctor-assisted suicide gets 33 percent Repub acceptance and 49 percent from Democrats.
• Dems accept birth control by a slight margin.
• Stem cell research gets 72 percent Dem acceptance, 44 percent from the Repubs.
• 66 percent of Dems are OK with gay relationships, while Repubs accept at a level of 36 percent.
• 35 percent of Repubs say it's fine to have a baby outside marriage, while Dems accept it at a rate of 64 percent.
• Dems accept abortion at 52 percent (which is surprisingly low) and Repubs at 22 percent. Independents accept at a level of 40 percent--which does not bode well for Dems since this is a huge wedge issue.
• Dems accept porno at a rate of 38 percent (and this is one of the largest industries in America so somebody's "accepting" it, including both parties in congress where the bribe money flows). Repubs are accepting at a rate of 21 percent. 
• Repubs approve of the death penalty 73 percent of the time (this is the "pro-life" party) and Dems 42 percent. The surprise here is that Independents approve 62 percent of the time. 
• Republicans are fine with buying fur 71 percent of the time and Dems are at 55 percent, same as Indys.

The Times poll shows that Repubs have the advantage among religious conservatives (60 percent to 9 percent), military people and small business owners, the latter two groups only slightly. Dems lead among retirees, stay-at-home mothers, "you and your family" (whatever that means), the middle class, working women, young adults, Hispanics and gays.

I don't know how many people are in those various groups, but the Dems have far more groups in their corner and my guess is the biggest Repub contingent--religious conservatives--is probably less than 30 percent of the population.

(Graphic: squidoo.com)