Deep in a Hole ... and Still Digging

Not so surprising at this point in America’s great health-care reform debate, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that “support for a government-run health-care plan to compete with private insurers has rebounded from its summertime lows and wins clear majority support from the public.”

Equally as interesting, though, are this poll’s findings about the partisan breakdown of the U.S. citizenry:

Only 20 percent of adults identify themselves as Republicans, little changed in recent months, but still the lowest single number in Post-ABC polls since 1983. Political independents continue to make up the largest group, at 42 percent of respondents; 33 percent call themselves Democrats.

The wide gap in partisan leanings and the lack of confidence in the GOP carries into early assessments of the November 2010 midterm elections: Fifty-one percent say they would back the Democratic candidate in their congressional district if the elections were held now, while 39 percent would vote for the Republican. Independents split 45 percent for the Democrat, 41 percent for the Republican.

Disgraced former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia) disputes these findings, but they’re consistent with the results of other recent polls. And no wonder. After eight years of George W. Bush’s failed policies and recent Republican’t efforts to preserve an unequal, budget-busting health-care system, Americans have clearly lost faith in the GOP’s ability to deliver competent leadership and help for all of the nation’s citizenry.

READ MORE: “GOP: A Southern Regional Party?” by Steve Benen (The Washington Monthly).