Enthusiasm Falling Among Democrats

The 2010 election was a disaster for Democrats. They held on to the Senate (barely), but lost the House of Representatives by a big majority. One of the reasons, perhaps the biggest reason, for this disastrous result was the large "enthusiasm" gap between the parties. The Republicans were very enthusiastic about voting, and they showed up at the polls in large numbers. Democrats didn't, and they lost big.

In January of this year it looked like the enthusiasm gap had been closed. According to Public Policy Polling, one of the most accurate polls, about 85% of Democrats were enthusiastic about voting in the 2012 election (compared to 82% of Republicans). And of that 85%, about 57% said they were "very excited". Even though the Republicans had a slightly higher "very excited" number (62%), this still boded well for Democrats since there are more Democrats than Republicans in the United States.

And that enthusiasm sustained itself. The "very excited" crowd remained above 50%, and was usually between 55% and 65% (and averaging 57%). Things were really looking up for Democrats in the next election. When Democrats are excited about voting, you get a result like what happened in 2008.

But then we had the debt ceiling "compromise", and that seems to have been the straw that broke the Donkey's back. While Democrats had been unhappy about some things that had happened in the last couple of years, they were still looking forward to the 2012 election. But the debt ceiling deal seems to have demoralized many in the party.

Public Policy Polling reports that in two surveys taken since the debt ceiling deal, now less than half of Democrats are "very excited" about voting. The first survey had the number at 49%, and the second survey pegged it at 48%. It looks like many Democratic voters, myself included, are pretty disgusted with the president's cave-in to Republicans on the debt ceiling deal -- agreeing to massive cuts (and a super-committee that will cut even more) without getting any tax increases for the rich or the elimination of any corporate subsidies.

Until now the White House seems to have ignored the progressives who were complaining about his failure to stand firm and fight for progressive principles. The president took it for granted that these people had no other option but to vote for him again. But the enthusiasm gap once again appearing has to worry him. If the Democrats are so demoralized that they show up to the polls in 2010 numbers, then they are looking at another electoral disaster.

And frankly, why shouldn't Democrats be demoralized? They voted in large numbers for a candidate in 2008 that promised to change things in this country. But what they got was a moderate who was afraid to stand up to the Republicans, and helped the GOP to continue its disastrous "trickle-down" economic policy.

It's still early, and the president has time to turn things around and once again close the enthusiasm gap. But that's not going to happen unless some things change. The president is going to have to show Democrats that he is capable of playing the same kind of political hardball that the Republicans play. An unenthused electorate doesn't have to vote Republican for an electoral disaster to happen. All it will take is for too many of them to stay home on election day.

(Image above is from Pam's Clipart).