Poll Shows National GOP Decline

All those Oklahoma tea baggers and town hall protestors who think they’re part of a growing, national Republican resurgence should take a second look at a recent ABC/Washington Post poll, which shows the GOP still in decline.

Of those participating in the poll, only 20 percent identified as Republicans. The poll also shows that 57 percent of Americans support a government-run public health insurance program, which is opposed by the Republican Party.

According to the poll:

Only 20 percent of adults identify themselves as Republicans, little changed in recent months, but still the lowest single number in Post-ABC polls since 1983. Political independents continue to make up the largest group, at 42 percent of respondents; 33 percent call themselves Democrats.

The news here is this: Although President Barack Obama's approval ratings have fallen, the GOP has failed to rebuild its broken infrastructure after a stinging defeat in the 2008 elections. The numbers also show the GOP remains out of step with the majority of the country. Unless it can offer more to people than anti-Obama hatred, the ludicrous claims of “socialism, communism, fascism,” and borderline violent rhetoric, the party will probably remain in the minority on a national level after the 2010 elections.

Oklahoma, which has a growing Republican political base, is a bastion of the anti-Obama movement. If the GOP tanks again nationally in 2010 and Oklahoma Republicans make big gains, and this is a real possibility, will the state be further isolated from the national discussion over important issues?