Scare Tactic Backfire: No Confidence in Republicans On Deficit

September 27, 2011 by Left in Alabama

Last week my neighbor was asked to take an automated phone survey on "the deficit crisis."  Ho hum, huh?  We live in Mo Brooks' district and no matter what our Congressman is asked, he manages to work "" into his response so we hear a lot about it.  Everyone hears it since Republican rhetoric has elevated the issue to the level of "existential threat."  The twist on this particular phone survey is that my friend was offered A FREE CRUISE (absolutely FREE except for a few minor "fees") for taking the survey.  We laughed about how the Republicans have hit rock bottom with their talking point when they have to bribe folks to take their surveys.

Turns out we weren't far wrong. Mo Brooks and his pals are still talking scary about the deficit, but after their antics last summer, Americans don't trust Republicans to deal with the deficit.

A new Pew Research Center poll out Monday finds only 35 percent of those surveyed have at least a fair amount of confidence in Republican leaders on the deficit, compared to 47 percent in May. Sixty-two percent have little or no confidence. 

...

Fifty-two percent of those surveyed said they have at least a fair amount of confidence in Obama on the deficit, close to his 53 percent rating last December.

Even more significant news from the Pew survey, two-thirds of Americans now believe the rich should pay more taxes to reduce the deficit and the debt. 

On top of that, 55% say cutting programs that help the least of these is the wrong way to reduce the deficit. GOP proposals to gut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security have not won the hearts and minds of Americans.

Republicans have successfully drummed up concern about the deficit, but in just a few short months they've also managed to convince Americans they're incapable of dealing with the problem.  The more America sees the Party of Wealth Tea Party Republicans in action, the less we trust them.