Poll: Most Iowa GOP voters don’t care if a candidate has any specific policy ideas

[65fastback2+2]

http://rare.us/story/poll-most-iowa-...-policy-ideas/

Less widely noticed in the same batch of poll results was this little tidbit:

Among all Republicans likely to attend the caucuses, 41 percent want their candidate to be clear about the specific policies they would address if elected, while 57 percent trust their candidate to figure it out once elected.

Among Trump supporters, the portion of those who don’t care if a candidate has specific policy proposals jumped up to two thirds. This kind of vacuity is exactly what Republicans criticized Obama supporters for in 2008 and 2012, but now, it seems, they’ve eagerly jumped into the same pool of inanity.
And whether it’s two thirds or 57 percent or, honestly, anything much above zero, this is a terrifying and depressing statistic.

[ThePaleoLibertarian]

Chastising the base, and trying to build a fantasy minority coalition... The road to victory!

[Brett85]

The majority of Republican voters still believe that Obama is a Muslim. That says it all.

[acptulsa]

Chastising the base, and trying to build a fantasy minority coalition... The road to victory!

Better than sitting around for Our Masters of the Liberal Media to stop playing silly buggers with their minds and waiting for them to pick the Biggest Loser again.

As they are doing. Hell, Trump can't even gain the trust of enough Republicans to get the nomination, and we still never hear about anyone else but Fiorina.

[erowe1]

The majority of Republican voters still believe that Obama is a Muslim. That says it all.

How do you know he's not?

[thoughtomator]

GOP voters are a bunch of stupid sheep... but they are acting on a very rational opposition to a forced demographic change of a magnitude and speed never before seen outside of a conquered nation.

[65fastback2+2]

Chastising the base, and trying to build a fantasy minority coalition... The road to victory!

The base doesnt flippin care. They would vote Elvis Presley-R if he was the nominee. They walk into the voting booth and look for the "straight ticket" section to punch the R. Its irrelevant really.

[65fastback2+2]

grrr, my thread title got changed.

[ThePaleoLibertarian]

The base doesnt flippin care. They would vote Elvis Presley-R if he was the nominee. They walk into the voting booth and look for the "straight ticket" section to punch the R. Its irrelevant really.

That is nonsense. Romney had a hard time motivating conservatives and Evangelicals to vote for him, and he lost on account of it. Keep in mind, this was against Obama, probably the most hated Democrat President in the modern era. The reason Trump has captured the base the way he has, is that he was willing to talk about an issue that many Republicans think was unfairly ignored. This idea that the conservative base is automatically in the bag is just false.

[65fastback2+2]

That is nonsense. Romney had a hard time motivating conservatives and Evangelicals to vote for him, and he lost on account of it. Keep in mind, this was against Obama, probably the most hated Democrat President in the modern era. The reason Trump has captured the base the way he has, is that he was willing to talk about an issue that many Republicans think was unfairly ignored. This idea that the conservative base is automatically in the bag is just false.

i disagree with that. mccain got a hair shy of 60 million votes in 08...obama got just shy of 70 million. In 2012, Romney got...wait for it...a hair over 60 million votes (hello GOP base! Voting that RRRRRR)...and obama SLUMPED to just over 65 million.

So from 08 to 2012, GOP added ~1 million votes, and dems lost ~4 million votes.

Hows that back your failed rhetoric?

[Sola_Fide]

GOP voters are a bunch of stupid sheep... but they are acting on a very rational opposition to a forced demographic change of a magnitude and speed never before seen outside of a conquered nation.

When you believe in freedom and the free market, you don't have fear of other cultures. In the market, you succeed by serving others. This is the reason the free market brings people and cultures together in as much harmony as can be had with people who have such contrasting differences.

It is the style of immigration statists and nationalists to reject this and promote distinctions among people like Marxists do.

[Brett85]

How do you know he's not?

He's said that he's not. There's no evidence that he's a Muslim. I'm not saying that I think he's a Christian either. Most likely he's probably just a secular atheist. But I'm not going to claim that someone is a Muslim who claims not to be if I have no evidence to back up my claim.

[ThePaleoLibertarian]

i disagree with that. mccain got a hair shy of 60 million votes in 08...obama got just shy of 70 million. In 2012, Romney got...wait for it...a hair over 60 million votes (hello GOP base! Voting that RRRRRR)...and obama SLUMPED to just over 65 million.

So from 08 to 2012, GOP added ~1 million votes, and dems lost ~4 million votes.

Hows that back your failed rhetoric?

Conservative turnout for McCain was also weak; it would have been even weaker had Palin not been his VP, but she was a divisive figure herself. Obama appealed to moderates and independents, because Bush was reviled and McCain failed to truly distinguish himself from him. The votes Romney gained were on account of Obama being so unpopular with the GOP; he still failed to mobilize Evangelicals and conservatives.

[erowe1]

That is nonsense. Romney had a hard time motivating conservatives and Evangelicals to vote for him, and he lost on account of it. Keep in mind, this was against Obama, probably the most hated Democrat President in the modern era. The reason Trump has captured the base the way he has, is that he was willing to talk about an issue that many Republicans think was unfairly ignored. This idea that the conservative base is automatically in the bag is just false.

Trump hasn't captured the base. He has a lot of popularity, but not from the Republican base, certainly not from evangelicals, and definitely not because of issues. Trump is by far the most extreme left-wing Republican presidential candidate ever to break 5% in a poll. Honestly, I can't recall any other Republican candidate at all, no matter how low they polled, being close to as liberal as Trump.

[65fastback2+2]

Conservative turnout for McCain was also weak; it would have been even weaker had Palin not been his VP, but she was a divisive figure herself. Obama appealed to moderates and independents, because Bush was reviled and McCain failed to truly distinguish himself from him. The votes Romney gained were on account of Obama being so unpopular with the GOP; he still failed to mobilize Evangelicals and conservatives.

He didnt fail to, is the point. Neither of them did. they are the base.

And the base, like my very own parents, always take the hour out of their day to go vote for the R because "We gotta keep the D out"

Do you even realize what "base" implies? This means it is the foundation...in other words, the ones you can always count on no matter what.

If they need mobilization...they arent the base, though they may share similarities with like-minded base voters.

[LibertyEagle]

When you believe in freedom and the free market, you don't have fear of other cultures.

No one has a "fear". We just want to keep OUR OWN culture that we have in the U.S.

In the market, you succeed by serving others. This is the reason the free market brings people and cultures together in as much harmony as can be had with people who have such contrasting differences.

Absolutely and we should trade and travel with other cultures IN OTHER NATIONS. That doesn't mean allowing our borders to be overrun by illegal aliens and in such large numbers as to replace our own culture and principles with theirs.

It is the style of immigration statists and nationalists to reject this and promote distinctions among people like Marxists do.

Actually, cultural marxism is what your own position is.

[Jan2017]

GOP voters are a bunch of stupid sheep...

Watch Fox News, and have it all figured out, is what the old school GOP does, sadly.

And they do not caucus, it requires too much energy for many - not all - but most.
And they have no interest in going through the delegate process.

GOP will lose without Rand on the ticket imo.

[klamath]

Trump is the direct result of Obama's racism. His actions motivated the xenophobic/racist voters in the Republican party. Principals don't matter a damned bit only their bitter hate of different people and races. I see it in their reaction to Obama, they can't really name any thing that Obama has done wrong, but they hang on to birtherism and "his a muslim" ideas.

[erowe1]

He's said that he's not.

That doesn't mean he's not.

He says he's a Christian, but he's not a Christian.

But I'm not going to claim that someone is a Muslim who claims not to be if I have no evidence to back up my claim.

I don't think you should claim he is. But you shouldn't claim he isn't either.

You say there is no evidence. But consider the following 40 quotes about both Christianity and Islam.
http://www.youngcons.com/40-mind-blo...-christianity/

[erowe1]

No one has a "fear". We just want to keep OUR OWN culture that we have in the U.S.

If you think that allowing me to live according to my culture, it somehow prevents you from keeping your own, then yes, you have a fear.

[specsaregood]

//

[erowe1]

It doesn't mean he is a muslim either. I think it far more likely he is closet atheist or agnostic than either muslim or christian.

Perhaps. Personally, I refrain from either saying he is a Muslim or that he isn't. Some people say he is, and I have no way of proving them wrong, like I do for those who call him a Christian.

Here's the link I just added to my previous post.
http://www.youngcons.com/40-mind-blo...-christianity/

[jkob]

Why would any voter care about policy? How much "policy" that these candidates run on actually come into fruition? People pick candidates like they're picking a NFL mock draft. Can this person win, do they have the intangibles, do I like their personality? Politics are dead, democracy is dead, we basically elect a dictator. People don't care about what you did before as much as they care about what they think you can do in the future, they see Trump as a powerful competent man who has the status to go to battle against the elitist powers that be. When Trump says he's going to do this people actually believe it as he is the definition of a go getter and not someone you'd expect to come out on the losing end of a negotiation. People feel powerless, they are, it makes sense that they want a powerful leader considering the usual well behaved corporate owned altar boys and boy scouts we have to "choose" from

80% of voters are dumb, straight up. You have to win hearts and minds, Ron did a much much better job at this than Rand. We need a demagogue for liberty, we can't just stick one toe in and be the impotent metrosexual that the media wants to box all candidates in. Trump rejected that and the people responded.

If this is a revolution then we need revolutionary leaders, not some limp wrist wanting to play nice to get a few breadcrumbs from the establishment. You can't win at their own rigged game, don't even try.

[erowe1]

People feel powerless, they are, it makes sense that they want a powerful leader

Not really. If the people are powerless, then wanting those who rule over them to be even more powerful than they already are is counterproductive.

Your analysis might be right psychologically. But that mindset is anything but sense making.

[liveandletlive]

You are not required to prove a negative.

Thats like going up to someone and demanding they prove they are not a rapist.

And while we pontificate to the world about tolerance, we're here debating whether someone is a Muslim or not. Oh the irony. Personally, he's probably an atheist who enjoys the Christian traditions, like singing Amazing Grace.

[erowe1]

You are not required to prove a negative.

Thats like going up to someone and demanding they prove they are not a rapist.

And while we pontificate to the world about tolerance, we're here debating whether someone is a Muslim or not. Oh the irony. Personally, he's probably an atheist who enjoys the Christian traditions, like singing Amazing Grace.

I'm not sure what, "You are not required to prove a negative," means. It reminds me of the kinds of silly things I sometimes hear from atheists. What would demanding that someone prove they're not a rapist involve? If they have to prove they're not in order not to be punished for being a rapist, then no, that is not even close to analogous.

The claim, "Obama is not a Muslim," is a positive claim. The population of the world is divided up into two mutually exclusive categories, A (those who are not Muslims), and B (those who are not non-Muslims). The claim that someone belongs to category A is not of a different kind than the claim that someone belongs to category B.

Of course you're not required to prove it, any more than the people who claim that he is a Muslim are required to prove that.

[GunnyFreedom]

Chastising the base, and trying to build a fantasy minority coalition... The road to victory!

Anybody who would vote for a President and not give a damn about his policies or political philosophy, is not our base.

[jj-]

If they need mobilization...they arent the base, though they may share similarities with like-minded base voters.

By 'the base' he is referring to people who don't need mobilization in the primary. They don't. But they stay home at a high percentage in the general election if you give them Mitt Romney.

[Liberty74]

The majority of Republican voters still believe that Obama is a Muslim. That says it all.

Well he did practice being one while over in Indonesia. And doesn't anyone find it funny that after he left his anti-American black theology church of hate after 20 years, Obama has NEVER joined another church?

[Liberty74]

57% expect the candidate to figure it out once elected?

Like I said, time to bolt, capture and create a party on issues via the Independent Party - No aggressive wars, gay marriage, ending war on drugs, abolishing the IRS, protecting our borders not other countries, a party of non violence, ending illegal spying, no censorship, keep the internet free from regulations, etc.

As long as there is a two party system, IMO we will always be screwed. If the last 50 plus years doesn't say enough...