Lies, Damned Lies and Just Plain Silliness

MEMEorandum has picked up a release by something called the Campaign For America's Future, a self-identified "progressive" advocacy organization, founded by a panoply of big names on the left. These folks claim that all the polling data from ,"the most respected and non-partisan public opinion researchers", proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Americans are solidly in the "progressive" camp. Their hope is that wimpy liberal politicians will accept this and have the nerve to act accordingly and immediately install the full array of "progressive" remedies.

The notion is so self-serving that I don't intend to read the full report, but just look at two of the five highlights they emphasize:

On Energy Policy: 52 percent of Americans believe "the best way for the U.S. to reduce its reliance on foreign oil" is to "have the government invest in alternative energy sources"; 64 percent are willing to pay a higher energy tax to pay for renewable energy research; 68 percent of the public thinks U.S. energy policy is better solved by conservation than production.

This is a "progressive" issue? Do they truly believe that none of the people who want US energy independence are motivated by dislike of the Arab states' and Venezuela's ability to jerk America around by our gasoline hoses? Surely some of that feeling is good old fashioned America first xenophobia, even by a isolationist wish to cut off all ties with the middle east, come what may in Israel and Palestine.

And then there is this:

On Immigration: 62 percent of Americans believe undocumented immigrants should be given a chance to "keep their jobs and eventually apply for legal status." 49 percent believe the best way to reduce illegal immigration from Mexico is to penalize employers, not more border control.

Aside from the obvious point that 49% is not quite a majority, the rest of the polling sounds suspiciously like the currently challenged grand immigration compromise, championed by such "progressives" as Sens. Kyl and McCain. Since when was this purely an idea of the left? You really need a set of large blinders (not to mention balls) to look at what has been happening in the Senate and only see Teddy Kennedy.

Of course there is also the tiny little problem of who people actually vote for in national elections. After all, Bush was the most recently re-elected President and Dennis Kucinich's chances still don't look so promising. Just look at the dancing around issues being done by Hillary and Obama. They must be reading a different set of polls in their misguided focus on trying to actually win one in '08.