Public Thinks Republicans Are Too Extreme

The Republican Party has definitely damaged it's image in the last couple of years with their obstructionism. As the above chart shows, in 2010 the American public considered the Republicans to be slightly more mainstream then the Democrats. But now that has radically changed. Now a majority of Americans consider the Republican Party to be too extreme, while less consider the Democrats to be extreme now -- and the difference is significant.

That's what a new CNN/ORC Poll shows (taken on December 17th and 18th). Here are the numbers on what people think of the two parties:

ARE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S VIEWS AND POLICIES MAINSTREAM OR TOO EXTREME?

December 2012
mainstream...............43%
too extreme...............53%
neither/no opinion...............4%

September 2010
mainstream...............58%
too extreme...............36%
neither/no opinion...............7%

ARE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S VIEWS AND POLICIES MAINSTREAM OR TOO EXTREME?

December 2012
mainstream...............57%
too extreme...............37%
neither/no opinion...............5%

September 2010
mainstream...............53%
too extreme...............42%
neither/no opinion...............5%

It is obvious that the current positions being taken by the Republicans are not approved of by most of the public, since there has been a 17 rise in the percentage of people who think Republican policies are too extreme. In other words, the GOP is hurting its own image by continuing to fight for tax cuts for the rich -- to be paid for by cuts to American who are already hurting from the recession. Here are some other numbers from that poll:

TO DEVELOP BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS TO SOLVE THE NATION'S PROBLEMS, WHICH PARTY SHOULD GIVE UP MORE OF THE PROPOSALS THEY SUPPORT?
Democrats...............41%
Republicans...............53%
no opinion...............6%

IF CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT DON'T REACH A "FISCAL CLIFF" AGREEMENT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR WHO WOULD BE MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT?
President...............37%
Republicans...............48%
Both...............11%
Neither/no opinion...............3%