Pubs and Dems: Brands and Beliefs

May 30th, 2008

There's a pretty stunning new NPR poll out (PDF) (conducted by one Republican and one Democrat) showing that Pubs actually prefer Democratic policies by wide margins.

This is Very Good News.

But what's amazing is how brainwashed Pubs are by party affiliation, compared to Dems. If their beliefs aren't validated by Herr Comrade Party Leader, they change their beliefs. 

The pollsters asked the same questions (do you prefer this position or that one), but in half the cases they identified the positions as being Democratic or Republican.

Here's the difference in support for each party's position when the respondents were told that it was their party's position. (Sorry for the table formatting…it's lined up in the editor…)

                       Pubs     Dems

Economy         +20%     -9%

Iraq                 +11         -4

Foreign Trade   +20       -18

Taxes              +28        -9

Example: Only 38% of Republicans support Republican tax policies.

Tell them it's the "Republican" policy position? All of a sudden 66% support it. Whodathunkit.

The Republicans don't have a branding problem (at least not within their own party). (Though it sure looks like the Dems do.) Quite the contrary. Their problem is that even Republicans  don't like Republican policies. They prefer Democrats' policies—except when they're told that the policies they approve of are Democratic policies.

Related posts:

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  3. Will the Right Kill the Republicans? Ask the Whigs.
  4. Yeah, The Economy Rocks Under Dems. But It’s Not Their Fault.
  5. Finally! The Filibuster Explained
  1. Jon Sandor
    May 31st, 2008 at 12:38 | #1
    Reply | Quote

    “This is Very Good News.”
    An odd sentiment for a “true conservative”, unless you believe that the Democrats represent “true conservatism”.

  2. Steve Roth
    May 31st, 2008 at 12:56 | #2
    Reply | Quote

    >unless you believe that the Democrats represent “true conservatism”.

    That’s the whole point: they do.

  3. Steve
    July 6th, 2008 at 14:45 | #3
    Reply | Quote

    I don’t think the NPR study is statistically signicant enough to state any conclusions at this point. I analyze this on my blog, if you care. But I really think more data from a larger sample, with more carefully crafted sentences, would be a good idea.

  4. Steve
    July 7th, 2008 at 05:25 | #4
    Reply | Quote

    Looking at this study further, I think the conclusion reached is incorrect.
    You state that “Tell them it’s the “Republican” policy position? All of a sudden 66% support it. Whodathunkit.”
    But this is not what the study says it did. It asked twp SEPARATE groups of people, one partisan, one non-partison questions. They did not ask the same group a non-partison question, then identify it as partison.
    I’d like to see a survey done in which they did just that. Ask an opinion of a position, then identify it. That might be interesting.

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