"Issue" Politics

Harris Interactive has a new poll out. Not much new, W is at 29%, congress is at 28%. But looking through the other data, in particular, the data the question, "What do you think are the two most important issues for the government to address?" and this interesting info comes up.

Immigration goes from 2% in 2003 to 16% (the second highest) today. Gas is similar, but there's a catalyst for it. Immigration is a created issue. No one cared until the GOP told them to care. Unemployment's at 5% and the economy is humming.

A cynic would say that the GOP created it, as they did the "Gay Marriage will destroy America" issue (which, while we still don't have an amendment marginalizing Americans, the country still hasn't collapsed-fingers crossed), as an election year issue. Only it looks like this one has backfired. While its easy to rally the base around hating gays, immigrants are harder. They work (like gays), they attend church (like gays), but unlike gays, we all come from immigrants. That and there's nothing inherently creepy about them. I think immigration is a terrible issue for the GOP, its really dividig it, only creating more of an opportunity for the Dems. Bad issue creation.

For all the press that the Dems are getting on their chances in 2008, they rank a whopping 3% higher (20 v. 23%) at the congressional level. I wouldn't plan that "We're Relevant Again" post taking the House party just yet if I were them.

Also interesting in the poll, Social Security is actually down from 25% in 1999, to 4% today. This is after Bush made SS reform the focus of his second term. Nothing's changed and people aren't as worried about it. Oops.

Despite MSMRight carping on about the "War on Christmas" and "War on Catholisism" "Decline of Religion" is at 2%.

Apparantly M3K is all alone in his quest for World Peace at 1%, but it still makes a heckuva answer in all those beauty pagents he enters.

Really interesting to see what American's care and don't care about in that whole section.