Democrats Get Their Issue

by Steve

Deacon said it a week ago, and it's true: Democrats may have found their issue for the fall. Make campaign finance the dividing line between GOP challengers and Democratic incumbents. Demonize the five judicial activists on the Supreme Court. The public is with the Democrats on this one.

Americans of both parties overwhelmingly oppose a Supreme Court ruling that allows corporations and unions to spend as much as they want on political campaigns, and most favor new limits on such spending, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Eight in 10 poll respondents say they oppose the high court's Jan. 21 decision to allow unfettered corporate political spending, with 65 percent "strongly" opposed. Nearly as many backed congressional action to curb the ruling, with 72 percent in favor of reinstating limits.

The poll reveals relatively little difference of opinion on the issue among Democrats (85 percent opposed to the ruling), Republicans (76 percent) and independents (81 percent).

The unintended consequence of the Citizens United decision is that by framing campaign finance reform as a Main Street versus Wall Street issue, Democrats have a wedge issue against the GOP congressional leadership and the GOP base.

Nearly three-quarters of self-identified conservative Republicans say they oppose the Supreme Court ruling, with most of them strongly opposed. Some two-thirds of conservative Republicans favor congressional efforts to limit corporate and union spending, though with less enthusiasm than liberal Democrats.

Indeed, the poll shows remarkably strong agreement about the ruling across all demographic groups, and big majorities of those with household incomes above and below $50,000 alike oppose the decision. Age, race and education levels also appeared to have little relative bearing on the answers.

Taking Mitch McConnell and John Boehner's own words of praise for the decision, Democrats can not only push the Wall Street versus Main Street argument but also take on the conservative judicial activism of the Court itself, forcing voters to see that the GOP has stacked the court with five agents of Corporate America.