Written by Eugene Robinson
After slamming Democrats for not focusing on "jobs, jobs, jobs," Republicans have decided to ignore their own winning message in favor of "cuts, cuts, cuts." This is bad economics — and bad politics.
If you don't believe me, read a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, published Thursday, that has what should be sobering news for Republicans who keep telling us that their radical assault on the size and scope of government has the support of "the American people."
It doesn't, according to the survey — not even philosophically. When asked whether government, in general, is trying to do too much or not doing enough, 51 percent said government should do more. That's not exactly a mandate for slashing federal, state and municipal programs and trying to turn public employees into a caste of untouchables.
For Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and other state and local GOP officials who are trying to crush public employee unions by eliminating collective bargaining rights, the poll suggests extreme caution — not that Walker is likely to pay heed. According to the survey, 77 percent believe that public workers should have the same bargaining rights as private-sector employees.
If Walker really wants to think of himself as the next Ronald Reagan, somebody ought to tell him that Reagan once headed the Screen Actors Guild. Which is a union.
Read the rest of this article at the Washington Post.