By James A. Barnes
November 11, 2010 | 7:16 AM
Share http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php...es-obama-would-concede-tax-cuts-20101111&tt=0 http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php...es-obama-would-concede-tax-cuts-20101111&tt=0 Democrats are more inclined to favor a strategy of compromise in the next Congress while Republicans are drawn towards confrontation, according the results of the latest National Journal Political Insiders Poll.
Perhaps chastened by the defeat they suffered on Nov. 2nd, when asked whether their party should "pursue compromise or confrontation with the other party in the first several months of the new Congress," 55 percent of the 103 Democratic Insiders who responded to the poll this week chose compromise. A third of the Democratic Insiders -- 34 percent -- said confrontation and another 11 percent volunteered that their party should adopt both approaches.
That overall view contrasted sharply with Republican Insiders who took another message from the midterm returns. Of the 103 who responded to the poll this week, a plurality, 46 percent, said that the GOP should pursue confrontation with the Democrats in the beginning of the new Congress. Only 29 percent of the Republican Insiders favored the compromise strategy and 25 percent volunteered that their party should adopt both approaches.
In their comments, some Democratic Insiders acknowledged that they had to make adjustments post Nov. 2. "Regardless of the facts, the country thinks the Democrats have gotten it wrong and we need to show ability or an attempt at working with the other side," said one Democratic Insider. And several also thought that compromise would pay political dividends. Confrontation got us nowhere and I don't care if [incoming House Speaker John] Boehner (R-Ohio) and [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell (R-Ky.) go to the mattresses," said another Democratic Insider. "If the economy turns around and we were the ones offering and olive branch we win and they go down like [former House Speaker] Newt [Gingrich] (R-Ga.) before them."
Of course, some Democrats sounded like they were more ready for a fight. "Our side needs to identify principled issues that we won't compromise even if it means losing an election," declared one Democratic Insider.
Likewise, many Republicans seemed ready to jump in the ring. Indeed, given the last election, some didn't think they had any other option. "New Republicans were elected to take a different path, not to compromise with Democrats," said one GOP Insider. Said another who also favored confrontation:
"The Dems need to understand more about our bottom line and the base needs to see us fight."
But some Republicans were not so ready to claim a clear mandate from the election returns. "Voters unilaterally chose for a balanced voice in their representation," said one GOP Insider. "Now that we have two parties represented it's time to find common ground."
The partisan divide in this Insiders Poll is reflected in the broader public as well. After the election a USA Today/Gallup poll found that Democrats were more likely to say that "compromise in order to get things done" was the best approach for political leaders in Washington to follow, while Republicans were more inclined to feel that "it is more important for political leaders to stick to their beliefs even if little gets done."
