Polling data reveals a shrinking GOP filled with climate deniers

[applegrove]

JOE ROMM at Think Progress

https://thinkprogress.org/as-gop-shrinks-under-trump-partisan-divide-on-climate-grows-8075b4825ce4/

"SNIP.........

The pollsters (and the media) make a great deal of this growing partisan divide, but that growth appears to be at least partly driven by a drop in the percentage of people self-identifying as Republican.

As Trump chases moderates out of the party, those left are more conservative, more extreme in their views, and more prone to climate science denial.

As a June analysis by Brookings pointed out, “Trump owns a shrinking Republican party.” The authors explain that GOP party identification “took a sharp drop at the end of George W. Bush’s second term and never really recovered. The trend seems to have taken another drop after Trump’s election.”

.....

Not only has GOP party affiliation dropped sharply since the election, it appears to have dropped most sharply among millennials, who are the age group most concerned about global warming and its impacts.

..........SNIP"

[lindysalsagal]

1. I've always said these fools are hurting their own parties.

The party will not police it's candidates, so they are self-destructive.

[BigmanPigman]

2. I have noticed that "Climate Deniers" deny until

they are personally hit by a costly or dangerous climate related catastrophe happens to them or loved ones, then they sing a different tune pretty damn fast. Of course that is the way with everything in America these days. Maybe when Mr. Putin walks into their homes and takes all of their democratically held laws and policies away from them they will wake up and take the Russian threat seriously. I doubt it though...this is the country who voted for the fucking moron and his policies via Fux Ruse. Americans have led me and my country into absolute chaos and broken beyond repair by voting (and by NOT voting).

Many GOP Americans care about "today", and maybe "tomorrow", but not much beyond that. Climate Change will be something future generations will have to deal with so they have the attitude of "Fuck it, it doesn't harm to me today, my $$$ today or me or my family today". "Tomorrow" is not in their minds, actions or hearts.

[madinmaryland]

3. Yeah. When Putin and his jackbooted thugs

Break into their homes and confiscate all of their guns, then and only then will they realize how they fucked this country. Even then, some will bow down and pledge their loyalty to Putin, because you know. Hillary’s emails.

[Garrett78]

4. The Gallup survey that is cited doesn't really support the claims being made.

Now, if you go back to 2004, you do see a pretty substantial decline in party affiliation and a rise in the number of people claiming no affiliation ('independents').

But there's been very little change in recent years: https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx. The most recent survey was taken in June.

In June of this year, 27% self-identify as Rep., 43% as independents and 29% as Dem.

In June of 2017, those numbers were 26, 42 and 30, respectively.

In June of 2016, it was 27, 41 and 30.

In June of 2015, it was 25, 41 and 31.

In June of 2014, it was 24, 46 and 28.

In June of 2013, it was 26, 41 and 31.

Anyway, you get the idea.

Lastly, I will once again remind everyone that the vast majority of so-called "independents" are actually very partisan. They just like calling themselves "independent" for one reason or another (wanting to sound reasonable, being too embarrassed to admit who they truly support, wanting to avoid political conversations, or whatever the reason may be). It's been all the rage lately to argue that Republican affiliation is undergoing a precipitous decline (and that that's why Trump's popularity within the Republican Party is so sky high), but I've seen no polling data that supports that. Wishing doesn't make it so.