Public Wants Compromise - Not Ideology

I posted yesterday about how the Republicans had hurt themselves with their refusal to compromise over the debt ceiling debacle. A CNN Poll showed the party's congressional approval had shown a statistically significant drop because of their intransigence. They'd better have learned their lesson, because it looks like the public is in no mood for that kind of behavior right now. Their teabagger base might like it, but most Americans don't.

The debt ceiling agreement created a new "super" committee -- of three senators and three reps from each party. This committee is supposed to agree on what further needs to be done to balance the budget (or at least bring down the deficit). And a new poll by Gallup shows the public wants this committee to compromise -- and that desire for compromise cuts across party lines to include all groups (except the teabaggers, of course).

The poll was taken between August 4th and 7th of a random sample of 1,319 adults nationwide (and has a 4 point margin of error). Here is what it showed:

SHOULD THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW COMMITTEE COMPROMISE OR HOLD OUT UNTIL THEY GET WHAT THEY WANT?

Compromise
National adults...............60%
Republicans...............55%
Independents................57%
Democrats...............67%
Teabaggers...............41%

Hold Out
National Adults...............35%
Republicans...............42%
Independents...............36%
Democrats...............29%
Teabaggers...............53%

Frankly, I think the Republicans are going to blow it again. Boehner has appointed Texas teabagger Jeb Hensarling to co-chair the committee -- a congressman known for his ultra right-wing views and unwillingness to compromise. They're playing with fire on that appointment.