American Morning
Republican pollster: Americans angrier than ever
From town halls to tea parties, a lot of people across the country are really ticked off. Last week in our special series "Mad as Hell," we looked at the sources and potential solutions for all of that national anger.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/28/luntz.frank.cnn.art.jpg caption="Pollster and Republican Party adviser Frank Luntz says Americans are angrier than ever."]
Frank Luntz is a pollster, communications expert, author of the new book "What Americans Really Want, Really" and has advised the Republican Party on hot-button issues like health care.
Luntz joined John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Monday. Below is an edited transcript of the interview.
John Roberts: So people in America, are they really angrier than they’ve ever been?
Frank Luntz: They are. 72% of Americans define themselves - we took a survey of 6,400 people, that's five times the typical CNN media poll – 72% of Americans are mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore. And they're mad at politics because they think there's no accountability in Washington.
They're mad at business because they think that their employers don't respect them. And they're mad at Hollywood for the coarseness of the culture. So you've got all three things going on at the same time and they don't find a solution to it.
Roberts: Let me quote from your book here because you say what's so important is not necessarily that Americans are mad as hell. You say, “It matters more that they're not going to take it anymore. Americans have hit a tipping point with Washington and, moreover, its political parties.” So we're at this tipping point. What does that mean for the country? You gave us the background of what people are mad at but why are they mad at all of this and what is this tipping point?
Luntz: They feel like the politicians aren't listening to them. And those elected officials who canceled their town hall meetings, boy, did they make a mistake. I wrote this book and I added that extra "really" to “What Americans Really Want” because the definitions of this anger the elites don't understand. They think the town halls are an aberration.
The people you should be listening to at the town halls are not those who are yelling in the front, it's those that are grumbling in the back. Because there are tens or hundreds of thousands of people that have come to these town hall meetings that have never participated in politics before. They're going to vote in 2010. I've offered a lexicon for them to be more effective in this book because in the end, the shouting really doesn't move people. They need to know how to communicate more effectively.
And it's not just politics. It's also in the workplace. There are the three rules of how not to get fired. Three things you should not be saying. And I'll make them read the book. There's even fear for our kids. I’ll give you two more statistics. 57% of Americans believe that this country will be worse for their children than it was for them. And only 33% believe that the next generation will have it better than them.
Roberts: A question that I have about all of this anger is how much of it is organic and how much of it is ginned up by the opposition to try to give Democrats a hard time? President Clinton was on NBC’s "Meet the Press" yesterday and he said the vast right-wing conspiracy in America is still very much alive, maybe not as strong as during his time in office, but still extremely virulent.
Clinton: 'Vast right-wing conspiracy' virulent
Luntz: See, he doesn't get it because these are not Republicans who are going to these town halls. These are not Republicans that are angry. More often they're independents that reject both the Republicans and the Democrats. They're dead-center politically and they've had enough of both political parties. That would be point one. And point two is, until they feel like someone's listening to them and someone cares about them, they're going to remain agitated. And I do believe they'll participate. But just to be angry doesn't solve anything. We're afraid for our children. We're afraid that they're going to get addicted to drugs. We're afraid that they're going to drink. We're afraid that they'll have bad circumstances in their life. And that's what makes us so nervous about the future.
Roberts: You mentioned the town hall meetings during August on the health care debate. That's where we saw the anger in full foment. You wrote a memo to the Republican Party, giving them suggestions on how to oppose the health care plan. You suggested that they use phrases like "it's a bailout of the insurance industry," "Washington takeover of the system." All of these words were out there. My question to you, Frank, is did you help contribute to this anger?
Luntz: But what is the first page of the memo? That you must support health care reform. This is exactly what the American people would say. We need to cover those people who aren't covered.
Roberts: But when you use charged language like that, are you not contributing to the anger?
Luntz: Because what Americans are asking for is a slow and steady reform of the health care system, not something radical. And the politicians in Washington aren't listening. We believe that our health care system is the best in the globe. And we don't want to change that. And there's language in here – and by the way, you want to know what Americans really want?
Roberts: Some people would argue that the delivery of health care in this country is the best in the world but the way you get to it, through insurance, certainly is not a model for anybody.
Luntz: 85% of Americans are satisfied with their health care. I think that says a lot.
Roberts: But there are a lot of uninsured people in this country.
Luntz: That’s why I wrote this book. I wanted to correct the misinterpretations. If you want to know if you're in the majority or minority, if you want to know what the public really thinks, this [book] is the place to go.
Roberts: The book is called "What Americans Really Want, Really" from Frank Luntz. Good to have an opportunity to have you on this morning. We've known each other for a long time.
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Independent Americans and party members alike have a right to be angry at what our cingress is trying to hastily foist on them. The best way to pass meaningful health care reform is to level with the people about its cost and its consequences. The American people may be gullible in some ways, but most are smart enough to realize that there's no free lunch. Neither can you promise that there will be no requirement to change one's existing health insurance while attempting to do away with the insurance plans (Medicare Advantage) held by approximately 11 million people. It's true that the federal government will go broke if nothing is done. It will go broke much faster if any of the bills currently issuing from congress are approved.
The people also understand that "cap and trade" is nothing more than a government boondoggle designed to raise taxes indirectly on consumers. It will not make the slightest dent in global warming, particularly if nuclear energy is ignored, as it has been thus far by the current congress and the administration. It's time to fess up and speak the truth to the people. Who knows? When they hear the truth, many more may even decide to cooperate.
I'm a college student currently attending Boise State University and Majoring in Political Science. What is truly amazing to me is the fact that people like this actually have a say and are allowed to broadcast their message to millions. I would like to know how the statistics he used were used in a limiting fashion to make his point. This is a terrible excuse for an attempt to undermine everything that America stands for which is freedom and voice. When we allow people like this to inform us of what we are thinking. What that really says about us as citizens? The problem isn't that American's are angry it’s the fact that is almost impossible for us to get all the facts from our media and businesses. Politicians are more accountable than the anchors of the major news networks, has anyone listened to FOX lately, and even more accountable then the CEO's of our largest companies. Change is in the air, but it is not a call for political reform.
Worry all you want, but eventually it does not matter. You'll either be 115 years old or dead. So what?
More than 60% of the people voted for Obama and the GOP pollster sayes majority of them are angry now, less than a year into his presidencey. I think this guy is confused. Polling 6000 people and think that reflects the openion of majority of the people in USA, it is absurd.
First of all the healthcare in this country is NOT the best in the world. We don't take care of pregnant moms, we don't take care of the terminally ill, we don't take care of young Americans just getting out of school trying to 'make it', and we don't take care of kids who's parents cant afford the health insurance. We try to find reasonably priced prescriptions from other countries, and some of us even try to find ways to get treatments for specific diseases in other countries. The FDA doesnt monitor the remedies and natural products that so many Americans use daily, so we also look to Europe to find these quality affordable products. The entire health system in America is in need of a huge overhaul.
"Where were you when GWB was in charge?" I was protesting the wiretaps as illegal, I was protesting the indefinite holding without charging as a violation of the constitution. I was protesting security that was more show than function. I was protesting TARP and the bailouts. I've always been protesting government waste no matter what the party.
So Dems: where are you on leading kids in Obama worship songs? Where are you on the NEA pushing pro Obama art? Where are you on the ACORN abuses? Where are you on having a tax cheat in charge of the IRS? Where are you on selling out Poland and the Chech republic so that big business can get into Russia?
PS: I'm not a democrat or a republican. They are both more the problem than the solution. I'm independent, partly Libertarian.
Am I the only one who remembers the Faux News types asking why Howard Dean was angry? Why the Dems before '04 elections were so angry?? Now, half of the time they complain because Obama hasn't solved eight years of Bush/Cheney-regime errors yet and the other half of the time say he's turned the country into both Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany (quite the trick) in eight months. Now, I'm angry because the vast right-wing conspirators are back with their old game and tricks, the non-Faux media is buying into it AGAIN, and the right-wingers are again displaying their vast hypocrisy.
We had eight years of an administration that ransacked the Constitution, ransacked middle-class wallets, ransacked America's reputation, ransacked our economy in favor of big business , ransacked executive priviliedge, ransacked trust in our Government and only now are these noobs (the so-called 72% of "Americans") "angry?" Give me a break. These whiners had a chance to speak up and should only be angry at themselves for being tools. Luntz was a tool like the rest of them. They had a thousand chances over the past eight years and were cowards to say anything. Only now that King George and Prince Cheney have been ousted and no loyalty oaths are being demanded, do they have the nerve to speak out about what was wrong with.
Why is this on the front page of CNN.com? I used to really like this site, but to be honest, the editors have no balls anymore. They succumb to the Faux News standards and it is sickening. Don't let the teabaggers get to you! They are the VERY vocal minority, and you are giving them exactly what they want, ATTENTION! I don't remember any attention given to the people who opposed BUSH policy during his 8 years because the media was SCARED TO!
I do not like polls, politicians (irregardless of their party) and politics. As a society there is no question we are at a crossroads between the destruction of morale values and the return to them. Not that America has been perfect (I sound like Obama) at any point in time but at no time in our history has there been social decay as well as governmental decay to the degree we see today. It all seems to melt into one at times with politicians like Sanford to Edwards. How can we govern or make change when the ethics and morality and conflicts of interests are so deep that they poison the very process we all depend on. It is difficult to get good people into public office – for who would want a job where you are constantly in the public eye and if you do not lie or scratcht he back of your senior politicians you will be an outcast. There is no question we need health care reform, we need less government in our private and business lives and more government dealing with terrorism, national security and immigration policy. Yes it is time for the people to chose representatives who actually represent them not speak the words we want to hear. In 9 months our government has gone from one extreme to another. And we seem to rushing this train to each policy stop as quick as it can take us without much regard to the long term effects of such decisions. The national debt itself is an issue which will haunt us for decades. Jobs at a two decade high. Can we deal with all of these issues and which issues should be dealt with first i
They took a poll of 6400 people, but where? You get a much different view if you poll in Dallas than you would in Venice Beach. Was this a random nationwide poll? Poll numbers can be slanted any way you want to just by choosing the appropriate geographical area.
Frank Luntz, the far rightwing republican pollster. Yeah, we gonna believe anything he says. He's made a career out of twisting everything so that things either appears worse than they are, or not as bad as it is, depending on the circumstance.
Remember the "Estate Tax". It was Luntz that came up with the idea to call it the "Death Tax". Instead of calling it "Global Warming", he came up with "Climate Change" so it didn't sound so negative.
Luntz admits to "testing language and finding words that will help his clients sell their product or turn public opinion on an issue or a candidate.”
Heh. No wonder he works for Faux News. But I have to wonder why CNN gives this far rightwingnut any credibility at all.
I have my doubts that this is really a civilized nation
I am angry with our government. I am not a republican or a democrat.
I am an American who is tired of the government running this country into the ground. I am tired of an administration spending money they don't have. I am don't want my government forcing healthcare on me. I want choices. We may need a healthcare plan, but, it needs to be one the country as a whole can understand, written in simple language, that can be interpreted by the majority of the American people. I donot want my taxes used to pay for illegal aliens. Our elderly do need help. Our veterans need help.
We need a government that is ready to defend this country if and when we need it, at any cost. We need a president that does not apologize to other countries, unless it is something he personally says. Please don't apologize for me. We need to put people first. Of the people, for the people and by the people.
"But there are a lot of uninsured people in this country. "
You guys have to stop saying things like this. It's very misleading.
1) "a lot" is relative to the size of the total. In fact people with health insurance vastly out number those without.
2) Many people who can't afford heath care already fall into state and federal programs to help them get care.
3) The majority of people who are uninsured choose not to purchase it.
There is only one thing that needs to be done to fix health care insurance, change the IRS code and remove it as a deductible business expense.
This will cause a chain of events that will normalize insurance price and health care costs based on market forces.
So a Republican pollster says that "Americans angrier than ever"... I suppose the 22% of Americans that make up the GOP base would feel anger because they now understand the majority of American's have rejected the GOP..And I suppose 52% of American's who are not supporters of the GOP feel anger towards the 22% GOP base for acting like idiots at the Town hall meetings and marching on DC with their infantile signs and childish rants...Makes sense to me that 72% of Americans may be angrier than ever...
Why are 85% of Americans satisfied with their insurance plans? Because 15% of Americans have had to deal with insurance companies when they or their loves ones are truly sick and dying. It is ridiculous that statistic is cited over and over by opponents of reform. Why don't they survey those Americans who have chronic illnesses, have had surgery, or have been hospitalized??
Of course they are mad they are talking to republicans, they are sore losers and are mad that they aren't gettig everything their way.
The rest of us are angry at the republican't machine. The party of no pgrogess and the party of ME.
How fascinating it is to read the disingenuous comments made on this blog accusing Republicans when Democrats did the EXACT SAME THING when the Republicans were in power. You folks are the problem in this country as you refuse to look at the facts and are hypocrits because you claim Republcians lock-step to party lines. Well, the Democrats are doing the EXACT SAME THING. If you continue to ignore facts then you are not only fools but lemmings too. I am an Independent vote who votes for the best candidate and I ignore all polls, mainstream media talking heads because they are experts at presenting their agendas with spin cycles to sell advertizing. They change their tune to meet their own needs. Be honest with yourself and investigate the facts or you have no credible standing and are no better than the pathological corrupt political scum in Washington DC – of both parties.
dm says:
" I went to college and over the last 30+ years I am now in a 100k+ job. Nobody gave me anything. The opportunity is there.
I was working full time the whole time I was going to school and still managed to get a 4 year military commitment and a 4 year degree in 5 years total.
What the other 15% want is for the 85% who have done what I have to just hand over enough so they can keep their low-paying job, with little or no responsibility, and not have to put in 12-16 hours per day."
Well, I went to college too, and worked hard for 30 years. I was also earning $100K+ when I was laid off in February 2009 – 1 1/4 years before I could formally retire from my company. So, I lost my retirement benefits. I had contributed to a 401K, too. That took a hit with everyone else's. I had to withdraw some to pay for COBRA heath insurance. I have not found another job yet even though I was in IT with current skills. My job went to China.
Here's my point – sometimes people do everything right, and bad stuff happens.
Trust me when I say that most of the 15% you assume to be losers – they are people just like you. Only not as lucky. I hope you don't ever lose your job due to illness, a bad economy, or any other reason.
Just another Republican continuing to spew lies. If you randomly pick 100 people off the street, I don't believe for one minute that 85 of them will be satisfied with their healthcare. That is insurance companies' PR and Republican's attempt to bully working class Americans.
This goes back to the issue of states rights vs. the new federalism. Their is no accountability in Washington D.C. because nobodu sees what goes on in the bowls of Congress. Its easier for the press to follow the President he is one person and who wants to report on a sub-committee meeting in the House. We need to return power back to the states. That means education, health care, the works. That way if I got a gripe I can go down to main street and complain to my state rep., he owns a small business there. But, I will never see my US Senator because I would have to spend $1,000 on a fundraiser dinner. National Defense and Social Security are all that the fed needs to concern itself with, otherwise give the states block grants and let them solve their own problems.
This is bull, ..Plain and simple....this guy finally leaves FOX news to come to CNN to gin up his book.........Yes many are mad, but at the GOP....please believe, in 2010, DEMS will lose some, but they will not lose majority rule.
Many people who say they're independents are really GOP voters, but were totally disappointed w/ the Bush years......
However real independents have no allegance to any party......If the pundits think that I'm so pissed at the President, that I'll vote out the DEMS, and the President in 2010/12, then there gravely mistaken.....After this repulsive rebellion of "socialism" in the first year of the Presidents' term, I'll not vote for the GOP, (Romney,Palin,Huckabee,Pawlenty, ever)......I'm not stupid, I have eyes, and I'm educated....I know who has sincerely been trying to fix America since January 20th!!!!
Frank Luntz hits the nail on the head, everyone should be insured but don't throw the good out with the bad. Take time, root out unintended consequences and do it in a fiscally responsive way as not to bankrupt this country. We do not need the Euopean socialist ,inefficient model.
From the article:
"Frank Luntz: They are. 72% of Americans define themselves — we took a survey of 6,400 people, that’s five times the typical CNN media poll – 72% of Americans are mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore. And they’re mad at politics because they think there’s no accountability in Washington. "
****************
If I am not mistaken only 21% of Americans subscribe to the conservative view or Republican party–and Mr. Luntz claims that 72% of Americans are angry..
So how is it that only the Republicans are the ones who identify as "mad as hell?" The earliest comments are saying that "the Republicans are the angry ones...this, that, other...blah blah blah."
A lot of Americans are angry at those who work and live in D.C.–and they have a right to be. One perosn is mad at this administration, someone else is mad at the Bush administration, and yet someone else is mad at the Clintion, Bush 1, Reagan, Carter administrations. Regardless of who is the sitting President of the United States of America both the democrats and republicans have FAILED us. Both are equally at fault. People can throw statistics out here to dispute this statment but someone else can throw other statistics to dispute that claim.
So let's all quit this petty arguing and get rid of EVERYONE in D.C. and start over. That is the only change we can believe in.
Depending on who is being polled, statistics can be skewed to show a desired result. And I just love it when Republicans comes out and blames Liberals for stewing the pot of discontent. Let's face it, there are a group of people out there who would love to see the Obama administration fail and will work any angle they can get their hands on to ensure that happens. Spreading misinformation and creatuing fear is one of way of doing that. Clinton was not off the mark in claiming the right-wing conspiracy. Time to wake-up U.S.
Questionable source, but generally accurate message. The moderates are not shouting (hence the term "moderate"), but they are grumbling at the partisanship.
The Dems have overplayed the "change we can beleive in" message while villanizing those who disagree as racists. Civility left under the Republican watch as Dems made destroying a president an art form under the guise of "patriotic free speech".
2010 is going to be a bloodbath for the party of "yes we did!".
This is the guy who ran the Fox "forums" during the election campaign and kept promoting Fred Thompson, and, later, John McCain. His studies are all skewed in favor of Republicans. The members of his "average" audience were all anti-Obama, except for one or two tokens. He's a hack.
I'm angry that a plurality voted for change, voted for a platform including health care reform, and more responsibility in our financial markets, including better regulations of wall street and more consumer protections.
I'm angry that so many of those on the side who lost the election, will do whatever they feel it takes, rightly or wrongly, morally or otherwise, regardless of the damage to their country, to futher their own agendas, even though they LOST!
America has spoken, we seek a new direction. And in the words for GWB, "We will not fail, we will not falter." Yes We Can!
Republican pollsters are like AIG executives – they tend to lie for their own benefit and gain - and the line between truth and reality is a blur.
Yes, I am angry but I'm still angry at 8 years of Bush that put us into this mess!! Just because we are coming up on the one year mark from the last election does not mean I have forgotten where all this mess came from!
Their anger is misplaced. And it is largely the result of a massive campaign by the right-wing to discredit and undermine this president. Propaganda works when you have an ignorant and frightened population. The Republican Party's behavior over the last 7 months has walked a fine-line between obstructionism and sedition. Forget legitimate differences over policy. These people are supposed to work together to make our government work. Instead, it has been turned into a game of Gotchya and abuse of the fourth estate. We now have a television network dedicated to spewing right wing propaganda. The Republican Party gave up its role as the loyal opposition long ago, and it has damaged the republic.
Of course we have the best health care system in the world....if you can pay for it. Try getting your insurance carrier to pay for something a desk jockey says you don't need.
You're mad as hell and not going to take it anymore because... you're afraid your kids might drink? Come again?
Why is CNN once again rolling out the red carpet for opportunists and peddlers.
"72% of Americans are mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore."
- Frank Luntz
"42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot"
- Steven Wright
"We believe our health care system is the best in the globe." Really, Frank? FOX News viewers may "believe" this, but it's not the case.
And 71% of Americans are "angry"? That's just FOX News viewers getting all worked up with the emotionally unstable Glen Beck over contrived controversy.
You Republicans make money off of "angry" people. It's your bread and butter. Don't calm them down too much or they may stop buying your books (which they don't even read).
The only bias I see is from the arrogant John Roberts. He can't understand why he and his ilk are viewed with the same contempt as congress by the majority of regular folk. Well, that's because he, like most liberals, are too full of themselves to care and understand regular folk see them as the elite out of touch washington insiders who no longer deserve respect and will be treated as the blood suckers they are.
absolutley correct... democrats and republican ... most are just in for them ... look at arlin spector changes party like changeing underware..big companies dont care about there workers.. just bogus lip service then move jobs over seas,,,, you are correct,,, americans are very mad..
Of course everyone has an agenda anymore, but Luntz is right.
Everyone I talk to is upset over how incompetant the govt is (dems and repubs), how greedy business is (especially job loss to overseas), and how putrid most of the entertainment coming out of Hollywood is.
I saw on TV where all these famous people were shocked that Roman Polansky was arrested. Duh!! If it had been some poor shmuck he would have served prison time already.
But since he's "famous", it's "disgraceful" they arrested him after 31 years.
Right, disgraceful it took so long to get this pervert.
What do you expect from the guy encouraging the Republican's? He never did answer John's question "My question to you, Frank, is did you help contribute to this anger?". Of course he did, why else wouldn't he answer the question. Yes, there are a lot of Liberal's afraid of government take-over of our country, but it's the Republican's screaming the loudest about the proposals offered by this current administration. Mr. Obama has a lot of good ideas and solutions to help the people of this country. I haven't heard a whole lot from the Republican's or Liberal's except to keep the government out of their business and out of their lives. And oh, by the way, the way the current administration is going, this country will soon be a socialist state. Ha! Isn't that a good one. We just want to stop the multi-million dollar bonus's to CEO's & other top official who are driving the cost of everything up to pay for those bonus's. We also need to reform the TORT laws so people cannot get multi-million dollar settlements for stupid law suits. You ought to expect a cup of coffee to be hot, unless you asked for iced coffee...
85% of the Americans that have and can afford health care are satisfied–key word being "have". No one wants free health care...but since I had breast cancer, how could I ever get health care insurance. I was able to keep it through my husband's job–he retired–but we could not carry our legally adopted children–who are minors–on his retiree insurance because his company would not let us. We had to buy private insurance but will certainly be cancelled or placed into a higher "pool" should the twins get any chronic illness–or would that be their fault for "not eating right" or "poor lifestyle choices"? I am really tired of people condemning those of us who have had cancer and /or chronic illnesses–there was no prevention for me and sometimes people just get sick!! Selfishness and ignorance reign now in this so-called debate on health care. Frank Luntz is just a Republican hack!!
Oh, so NOW they're angry. After eight years of Bush/Cheney, after the disgusting troop-abusing lie that is Iraq, after NOT finishing the job in Afghanistan, these "Americans" are finally angry NOW? Well screw them. Somehow, after watching nearly a trillion dollars get spent on the recovery at the end of the Bush term, they were fine. They only got angry at the nearly one trillion dollars spent on the recovery by Obama. But really, their anger suddenly materialized on Jan 20, 2009, didn't it? I remember about a month into the Obama presidency hearing Conservatives shout that it was time to take America back. If it wasn't so appalling, it would be funny.
I'm a right-leaning independent who voted GOP for president in every election from 1980-2000. I got angry in 2003. About 3 years too late, I'm ashamed to say.
If you want to call yourself a conservative, fine. But look at the Bush years and honestly answer the question, how did that charade actually represent your conservative values? It didn't. It was an unAmerican, unPatriotic cynical disgrace. So stop acting like the Obama presidency is an outrage. It's more like a comeuppance. You really think the GOP deserved to hold the White House? Please. Wipe the foam from around your rabid mouths, you freaks.
Seriously, tea baggers........Screw......you.
Actually, I feel quite peaceful right now. I am pretty relaxed with my warm showers, great food, and amazing friends.
Thats right. We're angry at Republican lies and Republican fear and hate mongering. We are tired of the Party of No Ideas, and the Party of just plain No. We are tired of the ill education and willing believers of Republican lies. We are tired of the kicking and screaming of the children that are supposed to be adults in public forums to talk about important subjects who are unwilling to even wait for answers from their leaders before they start kicking and screaming again.
Thats right. We're angry. But not at President Obama.
To CNN your questions are the most stupid I have ever seen that are on your web site. They are good for grammer school. Start asking serious questions about politics and the world and quit playing games. 2nd how does it feel to be so low in the ratings. Why don't you open up your online site so everyone can write how they really feel. Maybe CNN would wise up. CNN needs to stop being President Obamas Rear end kisser and start paying attention to the right and far right and independents because in 2010 the Democrats will have their Waterloo. The Democrats will have many going home. In fact if they vote for health care reform that vote and their vote for Cap and Trade will be their ticket home. Anericans are fed up with those in Washington. We the people are not astro-turf but Americans that are fed up. I know CNN wont put this on their web site because they only cater to the left
I don't blame anyone for cancelling a town hall meeting. The people who attend them are disruptive and are only there to yell!
72% of Americans are dumber than ever before. From tea (bagging) parties to bringing loaded assault rifles to town hall events where the President is scheduled to speak. 72% of 6400 people surveyed actually believe what the MSM tells them instead of taking time to use free logic to filter the facts from the sensationalist fiction. With a poll of 6400 you can make the results anything you want with the right choice of people! Frank Luntz is bottom feeder.
Typical right wing ploy. Republican polster, using republican methods, using republican "structured" questions, to get the results the Republicans want. Then going to the media and presenting fake republican constituant concerns with a "fixed" pole backing them. The general, neutral, and properly structured national polls show results that are completely different and sometimes the direct opposite. Good luck with this plan Republicans, to twist or bias public opinon to your side.
Is there any more info on the sample these statistics were taken from? It's not that I don't believe them, but these are serious statements and they should be based of vetted information.
I don't know what world this guy lives in or, for that matter, what world he took this poll in but he's not playing with a full deck...... when will people at CNN begin giving us more detail on real news and stop making news of partisan propaganda! From both sides!!!!!!!!
I venture to say the majority of those polled were Repubs. They are the most angry for a variety of reasons. The biggest reason is due to the GOP, Fox, Hannity, Rush et al spending all of their time whipping up this anger in the hopes the GOP will gain traction for 2010 and 2012. How about doing or offering something constructive? These right wing fanatics have nothing to offer except hate and anger along with obstructionism towards the Obama administration.
Another reason for their anger is they just cannot accept the fact that they lost an election. Why would they have won? McCain and Palin were losers and had nothing to offer along with any of the right wing extremists. This is a democracy and it is ludicrous for the GOP to think they should always be in the White House. We had 8 disastrous years of Bush/Cheney. Hopefully, the American people will not forget that in the future. The GOP wins and we will be right back where we were – looking out for the rich and big business. Obama is possibly the smartest and one of the most educated presidents this country will ever have. Unfortunately, he had 8 years of mess left for him.
The anger is real people. It is from the heart and soul of those that were brought up to believe that THEY and not the GOV. are responsible for their lives,children,health and actions. It comes from the premise that if I work hard, pay my dues I can succeed in providing a good life to my family. It does not come from the premise that if I wait long enough and wail and moan about my plight that SOMEONE ELSE will solve all my troubles.
The abdication of ones responsibilities is only slightly less of a sin than abdicating ones willingness to think for themselves.
There are three important things missing from this article. How were the 6400 people polled selected? How were the questions worded? And were the possible answers multiple choice and if so, how were the answers worded? Without knowing the answers to these three questions, this information is useless.
What I learned from this interview is that he is selling a book and does not like to answer questions.
To those of you disgusted with both parties, consider looking into the Libertarian Party. It is fiscally conservative, yet socially liberal and is the party that will most keep government out of your life. A vote for the Libertarian Party, sends a statement to both Republicans and Democrats that they will be held accountable.
I wonder what percentage of the un-insured are happy with thier coverage?
One more thing, you can likely put the people who are "angry "(as this book sees them), into just a few catagories...1) Right wing or far right wing (Rush's cronies), 2) white supremacist, 3) Moral Majority (Jimmy Swaggart lovers), 4) Wall Streeters and lastly, 5) Main stream (folks with concerns who are willing to debate the issues instead of take part in character assasination). I wonder what he percenatges are for these......
more hot air..... the Silent Majority will prevail, not the hysterical right wing talk machine....
If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem, Mr. Luntz.
Americans are mad as hell at opportunistic sensationalizers such as this clown. I wonder if his book has a chapter in it about people such as himself?
Write a book to foment outrage, sow seeds of discontent, and laugh all the way to the bank!
Oh Bertina, keep your head in the sand like Congress.
I went to the 9/12 march and I concur with Dr. Luntz. The distortion of the entire upheaval from voters from my perspective comes from the media and politicians refusal to accept that Americans are not happy. I was at Washington D.C. and you can say anything you want, but I personally witnessed the distortion of facts by the media. People are angry (but are civil). Like many Americans, my wife and I decided it was important to show our support for the grass-roots movement being held in Washington DC on September 12, 2009. We both are conservatives and are independent thinkers and have watched our Congress and last two Administrations spend our tax money with reckless abandonment. The often "isolated" politician has evolved to become a self-centered elitist that garner money for their own future and often lose their independent thinking through partisan politics. Their behaviors and voting records are often self-serving and not what is best for America. Many of us feel that the Government has taken away many of our rights and are mandating how we should live in every aspect of our lives and has become an intrusive monster that is insatiable and expensive at our cost through taxes that we pay!
he sure doesn't speak for me! Repubs: Please stop saying you speak for 'all americans'...diversify your polling, create viable solutions, and quit contributing to a moronic sense of fear...there is no fear out here; rather only a want and desire to change the country for the better.
John Roberts doesn't get it because he is the elite media the author refers to. There is nothing middle class or middle road about John Roberts. One only has to be a regular viewer of CNN to know that much about him. Knowing that, I have a very difficult time getting any value out of an interview conducted by a biased interviewer such as John Roberts in this case. That's like posting an interview Newt Gingrich would do with a pro-govt. health care option plan. It just doesn't cut it as far as the stink factor goes. It reeks of bias and the questions themselves attempt to discredit the author, not get to the core of the issue of those he writes of.
John Roberts is a cheerleader of everything liberals value. There is nothing unbiased about him which is one of the reasons people are pissed off at the media. They don't report anymore, they attempt to persuade and change the outcome of public debate. That isn't reporting. It's insulting and the elite media wonders why they are viewed with the same contempt as most of the congress is. How arrogant.
"72% of Americans are mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore"
While it's probably true that around 72% of Americans aren't exactly happy with the current situation, its obvious that Luntz is exaggerating their emotions here.
"85% of Americans are satisfied with their health care. I think that says a lot"
That may be true, I wouldn't be too surprised, and we do need to be grateful for what we have, but our health care is not anywhere near the best in the world.
Luntz brings up a few good points, but he refused to admit that he fueled the anger by suggesting that Republicans use those charged phrases. He says he supports health care reform, fine! But if you support it, bring up your idea! Putting down the current bill by inciting anger without talking about alternatives will kill any hopes for health care reform anytime soon.
Who cares who backed the guy who wrote the book. That has no impact on the veracity of the survey he conducted. The simple fact is that regardless of who conducts the survey a majority of americans are found to oppose "obamacare" reform, as well as his borderline socialist ideals. And fear not Bertina, there will be significant change next November in the voting booths. Obama has definitely provided us with the change he promised. He has taken something fragile, our country's well-being and economic future, and now attempts to completely break it. Every day I grow more and more disgusted with the direction he is taking this country. And it is only growing worse. God forbid if he is given two terms in the white house.
Oh, the rage is real. Look for big changes in 2010, because plenty of us are voting no. Dan Maffei came into town talking moderation, but he's Nancy Pelosi's parrot. The American people do not want illegal immigrants healthcare covered by our taxes, nor do we want some government official interfering with it. Label me if you like, but ignore me at your peril come election day, sir.
85% are "satisfied" with their health care?
Prove it.
GOP has no alternative plan to the Healthcare crisis. Just nasty sound bites. The Tea Party and "Angry People" at those forums are paid repubs bussed in by the GOP. They did the samething during the Bush administration, during their Roadshows to show a supportive audience. But to display, Obama as a Nazi figure and consider that OK, and to promote such bigatry and hatred, says the Repubs are desperate. Rush, Beck and Fox News all sound like morons with bad scripts. Murdoch should be ashamed.
Well of course people are angry.
Conservatives are the biggest babies and whiners on the planet. All Luntz had to do was poll Fox News (those 2 terms are mutaully exclusive,right?) viewers and he'd get all the angry and scared people he wants.
Democrats are angry because they had to put up with Bush and Cheney for eight YEARS and now have to listen to the GOP 3rd graders being angry about Obama's first 6 MONTHS.. which are proving to be very successful.
The GOP needs to grow up.
Americans have every right to be angry. Government provided our tax money to bail corrupt financial instutitions and now we are being told by the media we will never see this money repaid. The same organizations are paying their executives even bigger bonuses than before the meltdown and nothing is being done about it. I get charged outrageous amounts if I am one day late on my credit card payment but the Wall Street elite make up the rules as they go and FORCE our government to conform. We have homeless, hungry and sick Americans in every town and city in America, but we are more concerned with maintainig our addiction on oil to support the oil companies HUGE profit margins by invading and terrorizing foreign countries. The US is creating the next generation of terrorists. We all need to get very, very angry and maybe our elected officials will start listening to us.
I'm happy with my health insurance. Simply because it is slightly better than my other options.....
That doesn't mean my insurance is good, or even doing anything for me, for that matter.
Just another rich republican that is out of touch with reality.
This guy tries to gain credibility by claiming Independents are the ones making up most of this group of "mad as hell" people when that is not the reality. It's fringe right-wingers being motivated by Glenn Beck to go out and make noise and raise hysteria and hatred. They are achieving nothing except making the rest of us even more certain that they are insane.
And we see how these Americans vent their anger... A census worker was brutally murdered in Kentucky, lynched with the word FED scrawled across his chest... his feet and hands bound. And all he was doing was trying to help his county find funding for much needed social programs. This is the result of the likes of Michele Bachmann and Glenn Beck specifically saying that the Census was a government program designed by the Obama administration to find conservatives and throw them into camps. Just look it up. This man's death is the direct result of those conservative lies. So conservatives are angry and this is how they act upon their anger.
Fear mongering at it's finest. Well done Luntz, you dunce.
The root problem is that the political system is basically built on bribery. Those who pay the money get to dance with the candidates. Those who pay the money are those who have a lot of money and their interests are not the interests of the average middle class family. The only reason Republicans are opposing health care reform is because they are in the pockets of the health care industry. The only reason the Democrats health care reform plan is so watered down and favourable to the health care industry is the same thing.
What you need are publicaly funded elections – that would cost every family about $20 a year, not a bad price to pay to get your country back.
And call lubbying what it is – bribery, treason. Make it illegal.
Then you will have a government that is truly responsive to its electors.
Poll? I think not. You can see the bias in the poll, and in the interview.
Also the Poll and pollster forgets how we got here. With a President that ran as a "uniter and not a divider." But we know after 8 years of G.W. the opposite was true. Maybe folks are anger, because, the GOP divided the country, by creating a group of haters. While geeting them to believe there lies about the economy and WMD's, and now health care reform.
Luntz is ginning it up here. He not only repeats GOP talking points, he is responsible for many of them. He makes a lot of claims that he doesn-t–can't–back up. E.g., the Town Hall shouters being centrist poltically: how does Luntz know that? They seem far right to me, based one their signs, their comments. Luntz wants people to be angry b/c he is a Republican. He wants to stir it up, not calm it down. His party is out of power, and he wants that to change.
I this guy thinks the GOP is the cure for the anger – he is totally clueless. Who was in charge while the US standard of living tanked? Buchco puppet and his money bags puppeteers from the military industrial complex, big oil, big pharma, insurance... News – the GOP is dead.
Anger is no proof of validity. Well-developed rational, rather than emotional, arguments regarding health care are the productive way for the opposition to be voiced, if the opposition cares about the country.
Wow! A survey of 6400 people to then write a book about what American's really want. What is the American population again? Umm, let's add more than few zeros to that 6400 miniscule sampling. What Americans want is change – as evidenced by the recent election this country held last November. It seems that anymore these days any clown who can afford a suit can write a book, do a survey and all of a sudden they are an expert at something. Pah-leeze! of course when the majority of your sampling is Independent voters they are going to be P.O'd that "nobody is listening to them" That's because there's no Independent Party, Frank Luntz, you MORON!
I'm a registered Independent voter becauase I reserve the right to vote for what has become the lesser of two evils every 4 years. At least this time around, there's some shake up. And a shake up is very good. Here's the reality with Change – Americans Fear Change. That is a fact. Eveyrone fears change, because it means getting out of your little comfortable shell. The GOP loves to exacerbate that fear for their own political manupuliation – why? because it's sad, and no Politician will say this because it is political suicide, but the average American isn't smart enough to think for themselves anymore. It's much easier to keep it the way it was and to let someone else do the thinking for them. Fear sells and there's plenty of dumba$$es out there buying it. Sad sad sad!
If you don't understand what these guys are selling buy now; the staus quo – you're not paying attention!
What's the big mystery about what Americans are mad about. We have just elected a President on the basis of CHANGE. The republican reactionaries are acting like there was no election at all and they are still running the country. Like they ran the country and the economy into the groung during the previous eight years. Until the disaster of the previous administration is reversed, Americans will continue to be mad. It is time for the republican party to stop their disruptive, reactionary game plan and support programs which will benefit ALL Americans and not just their neo-con base.
the REPUBLICAN party and gw BUSH, how did that work out for our country the first decade of this 21st century?
I couldn't be happier.
it's not the republican's that are ranting??? he's crazy. centrists?.. yea, maybe center-right...
and YES.. it is goons like him that are stiring up anger.. there are people that are being talked into being angry!
my grandma.. who has never had an opinionon politics ever EVER.. suddenly said "i hate obama" to me the other day.. you know why? cause all they've been showing on the tv in the big room is fox news and commentary.. she doesn't even know why she hates him, other than those crazies on tv stirred up crazy scare tactics and have convinced her she's going to die by death panels!
Any Republican who says the "85% of Americans are satisfied with their health care" line is right away not being 100% truthful.
A lot of that 85% are people in government programs, and if the Republicans had their druthers those programs would be ended as well.
Republicans should use the percentage of people in private insurance when they give their examples, of course then the number would float closer to 60%.
Luntz is an excellent pollster with his finger on the pulse of America. I am one of those angry moderates, and I am sick of BOTH parties. We give one power, and they borrow money to invade a country. Give the other power, and they borrow a larger amount of money and have nothing to show for it.
At this point I don't believe any party can fix things. Luntz is dead on. I don't believe America will be better 50 years from now than it is today. The best thing that could happen to America is for us to wake up one day and not have a single politician among us.
Our country is a now a giant pyramid scheme that requires each generation borrow from the next. This is despicable and fundamentally immoral. When we collapse – and we will – we will deserve it.
The GOP is now the American version of the Taliban.
This is the same guy who came up with the "talking points" list used by Gingrich in 1994. Picking and choosing words which give positive and negative connotations. Where is the joker pulling these numbers from? Who exactly has he polled? How were the polling questions, if there were any, worded? Who worded them? How long has he been writing this book? Without the answer to these questions, the book isn't worth the paper its printed on.
If all of these pundits and special interests geared toward calming fear instead of inciting it, we could then (possibly) have a real dialogue. After all, when you look at the programs, they are all moving the country in the right direction.
The path is before us. We have to stop fighting about what means we need to start moving forward, and just GO!
Anything to try and make sales of a book...not to mention help instigate more anger with people by blindly giving them info that every idiot will believe what they hear without facts. I wish the GOP would shut the hell up and try to focus on their own party survival without being seen as a radical instigator and focus on their own upside down tantrums they like to showboat. They only have themselves to blame and if anything goes wrong with your country, you can blame the GOP....all they care about is getting back into power and they don't care how radical they get, they just want back in without care of others or even their own country.
There isn't enough info here to evaluate the poll results, i.e., Luntz' claims – how is the 6,400 people sample defined and how does it compare to the "typical CNN mediam poll" sample? The number 6,400 means nothing by itself. Is the Luntz sample slanted in favor of the Republican positions? And how unbiased are the CNN polls themselves, for that matter? CNN should have included some info about Luntz' poll, not let him get away with just making his reliability claim. Shallow!
I doen't trust any of Luntz' data, especially from a pollster identified with one political party, and especially with the party that has coarsened and manipulated our public discourse so much over the past 25 years through fear and other disreputable practices. I would only trust a poll from a respected neutral independent source.
Say what you want, but this guy makes one VERY valid point. (Even if he IS a republican)
"See, he doesn’t get it because these are not Republicans who are going to these town halls. These are not Republicans that are angry. More often they’re independents that reject both the Republicans and the Democrats. They’re dead-center politically and they’ve had enough of both political parties."
The two party system has failed this country miserably. Money rules this country, not the people. Have cash, have political seat. Don't have cash? Then shut up, sit down because clearly – to the Democrats AND republicans you mean nothing.
Enlighten me and others robbi, what's the anger about? He didn't say it was about health care. He said it was about politicians not listening to their constituents after they get to Washington.
Bertina, Robbi,
Are you angry? Do you feel that politicians are representing your best interest? Do you think that there is too much right or too much left and not enough middle ground? If so, then why criticize an attempt to bring that to peoples attention, just because it happens to be a republican that wrote the book. I haven't read it and I don't know what his solutions are, but in all reality, the message is dead on. I want politicians to represent me. I want the left and right to seek middle ground so that we can make forward progress in this country. Its not getting better, in fact, I personally believe that the lines are thick and black and that our politicians are more polarized now than ever.
Angry people can become very calm once they realize that Life is nothing but entertainment and it does not matter.
Enlighten me and others robbi, what's the anger about? He did say it was about health care. He said it was about politicians not listening to their constituents after they get to Washington.
Wow, what a surprise...another Right Wing Nutjob has a book. Certainly if I took Rush Limbaugh’s mailing list and asked them if the were “mad and angry” at least 72% of them would be.
Angrier than ever? Angrier than under Nixon or Bush Jr? You must be kidding. Mr. Luntz is a well-known Republican hack, not as much a pollster as a spinner - but that CNN would post it in all seriousness is a new low.