I've argued before that President Obama is not overreaching on his ambitious second-term agenda because a severely divided Republican Party gives the president more flexibility that his re-election vote margin might otherwise allow.
And now, two new polls suggest it's the Republicans who are overreaching.
A USA Today/Pew Research poll finds President Obama "starts his second term with a clear upper hand over GOP leaders on issues from guns to immigration that are likely to dominate the year. On the legislation rated most urgent — cutting the budget deficit — even a majority of Republican voters endorse Obama's approach of seeking tax hikes as well as spending cuts."
Greg Sargent points out that on every one of the major issues facing Congress — with the exception of the proposed assault weapons ban — the GOP position is favored by roughly one-third or fewer Americans.
Meanwhile, a new Bloomberg poll finds President Obama enters the latest showdown with Congress with his highest job approval in three years while Republicans' popularity stands at a record low.
More from Bloomberg: "Obama's positive standing with the public provides him with political leverage as Americans assess blame for any furloughs, disruption of government services or damage to the economy if the spending cuts aren't averted."
The Republican Party is in an exceptionally weak position right now and President Obama is using it to his political advantage.
Taegan D. Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political websites. He also runs Wonk Wire and the Political Dictionary. Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and COO of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. senator and governor. Goddard is also co-author of You Won — Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country, including The Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer and Christian Science Monitor. Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
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