New Pew Poll: GOP increasingly thinks presidents should have unchecked power

[Machismo]

Nice to see how democrats stopped supporting this once their side lost lol. If next president is democrat it will go up again for sure.

2016 29% dems ok with president having unchecked power
2017 boom only 11% dems ok with president having unchecked power

Arguing that the GOP more authoritarian, and opposed to a balance of power isn't nearly as good of an argument as you think it is.

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An emperor…seriously? How do you get unchecked power from a president attempting his duties with constant distraction (not defending shit, but if you tried to do your job, and you got constantly bombarded with critiques, how the fuck can you ever complete shit...which is how the polled are answering the poll. They're not even considering the question in those type of terms in which you equated. The question doesn't dictate current situation properly and quite frankly the rule of putting on the other shoe is clear here, as answers wouldn't be the same with different variables imo).

Really don't get the power grab your portraying. Everyone need to take things with a grain of salt to even their thought process out.

Honestly Republicans/Conservatives don't advocate executive rule or any more government control, it's a leave them alone attitude with daily life aspects. Crazy how people believe this group wants to start a dictatorship or totalitarian rule...it's so far from the truth.

Lol and the German/Hitler similarities comments below are so fucking farfetched. Had a person explain to me how Trump was worst than Hitler a couple years back. I mean what an insult to the murdered during that horrible campaign, such a delusional comparison.

I think you need to examine exactly what "unchecked power" actually means.

As for your claim about Republicans/Conservatives not advocating for executive rule or more governmental control, I'd say you are objectively wrong on the first part, and subjectively wrong on the latter. They clearly want more executive rule, because that's what the fucking data demonstrates. As for wanting more government, Trump spent more than any President in history, deficits are skyrocketing, he's raised taxes multiple times, and has objectively restricted guns more than Obama ever did as President.

And it's a lie that they want to leave people alone. Look no further than abortion laws, immigration laws, or even the desire to go after social media companies for banning racists.

You are either lying to everyone else, or worse, you are lying to yourself.

[zealo]

When certain groups of voters have taken to referring to a president as "Emperor", it's no huge shock that they then turn out to actually hold sympathy for authoritarianism.

The next president after this certainly have their work cut out for them in scaling back the power of the executive.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Reality isn't the narrative forced down your throat by mainstream medias. Polls are a tool used by them to drive that narrative. The sooner you connect the dots on that, the sooner you'll realize no one in government gives two shits about helping you or anyone else in this country.

"Muh Deep state MSM is controlling your minds!" If something doesn't fit your narrative, scream "MAIN STREAM MEDIA CONSPIRACY, NEVER ACCEPT POLLS!" If it fits your narrative, use it as proof that Democrats are the bad guys.

[Spectral]

The Democrat graph saw a change in 13% between their guy being in the white house and the other guy being in the white house.

Meanwhile, the Republican graph saw a change in 29%, (an increase equal to the number of democrats that ever thought that when Obama was in office) between when the other guy was in office to when their guy was in office.


Which means the whole "well obviously because both changed they're the SAME!" is... you guessed it, a false parallel.

The massive shift is not equal in both the democrat and republican spheres, here. Many more republicans changed their minds that democrats did, and many more republicans (the "party of small government") support increasing the president's power than the democrats ever did, as evidenced by this data.

You're the only one ignoring anything. If I had to guess why, it's because you don't like the reality of how far your own side has fallen down the rabbit hole of crazy. It's the opposite of "the grass is greener on the other side." Your lawn's on fire, and you're ignoring it because you've convinced yourself that your neighbor's lawn must also be on fire so it can't all be that bad.

You have to squint pretty hard to make 14%->43% look like a substantially more drastic change than 29%->11%, particularly when all of these figures have error bars. Taking that interpretation and then drawing a sweeping narrative mostly looks like retrofitting to what you thought in the first place. OK though boss.

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I can kind of understand why people would want it for Obama. He tried to do many things and pass certain executive orders while in the white house that were blockaded by the Republican held congress and the lying hypocrite turtle McConnal in the Senate. After Obamacare, Obama got basically nothing done. For the last 20 years or so, most votes on things have either been bipartisan, or partisan along party lines. The 20th century we had politicians from both sides voting for and against things. These days, everyone steps in line.

I didn't WANT Obama to have that power to override the legislature, but I can understand why some people would be frustrated, seeing as how what Obama was trying to pass was all legal.

Meanwhile, Trump is defying laws left and right. His win rate in the courts for his executive orders and initiatives is 3%, being struck down as illegal or unconstitutional. Republicans are mostly mad about the Democrats impeaching Trump. He's clearly broken the law. But as you can see, no Republican really cares that he did. They want Trump to implement their glorious imperialism regardless of how many laws it breaks.

"BUT OBAMA!" Yeah yeah, my original point was that you can't bring up shit Republicans are doing that borders on ethically questionable without someone going "BUT DEEEEEEEEMOCRAAAAAAAAAATS!" My point is proven by your post. It's a pitiful distraction while Republicans grow ever closer to a majority liking the idea of an imperialist nation under emperor Trump. We apparently can't discuss this without someone screeching loudly while trying to flail their arms furiously to distract from the main point.

This is a lot of ranting that amounts to "well, it's kinda good if my guy does it, but I can't believe the other side thinks the same thing!". Please be less ranty, it'll seem more compelling to people that aren't already in your tribe. I could lay out where normal people are inclined to think Obama overreached, but I really don't think you're going to care.

[Beefhammer]

Watch those numbers go in reverse as soon as a democrat becomes president.

Just look at the Aug 16 results 82% think the president shouldn't. I know the right likes to claim both sides and that Dems thing their guy should have unchecked power too, but the polling doesn't really support it. It looks like just the extrem partisan base and some that just think that overall believe that. the Dem numbers pretty much have stayed the same.

[Howel]

I'll have to agree with other people, that the difference is not that grand, that one could particularly point towards the Republicans anymore than democrats.

Especially since, Obama didn't exactly face the same amount of public and media pushback on every singular issue of obstruction as Trump does; as well as Obama not playing on that to his advantage. If he had, I am fairly certain those two numbers, would be almost identical.

[Kujako]

"Your guilty conscience may force you to vote Democratic, but deep down inside you secretly long for a cold-hearted Republican to lower taxes, brutalize criminals, and rule you like a king" - Sideshow Bob

[Citizen T]

When it comes to polls like this I wonder who was asked, and if the poll was actually real.

I, as a "Republican" and a "Trump Supporter" whatever that means anymore, am very against any kind of increase in the powers of the President and in the US Federal Government in general.


These polls are never trust worthy. No poll is ever trust worthy unless it has an extremely large sample size. You can't poll 2000 people out of 350,000,000 and expect to get representative data for the entire country.

It's not saying all Republicans do, as the graph shows it's 43% of Republicans that hold this view and 47% who don't, so you'd fall into the latter category.

As for polling, this is Pew. They're a respectable, professional polling outfit that's got solid methodology. It's a very real poll, and these were very real people.

The sample size is fine. The problem here is that the sample size for this particular question is only half of the total respondents (750 rather than 1500). Look at the data not the pretty chart. The article has a link to the Pew site which has a link to the topline data.

Also Q25a (this question is Q25) is "held for future release". This means that they don't want anyone to know the results of the other question that was asked of the other 750 respondents.

Pew is "reputable" only because of it's size and how long it's been around. If they were truly "reputable" they would have included the above information in their nice infographic. They would also include some true trending data rather than just the term of the current president.

[Machismo]

Nobody should be surprised that the GOP are authoritarians who seek only to hold power, and have no desire to actually be fair and just. Small-government conservatism is all but dead in this country.

[Zan15]

The sample size is fine. The problem here is that the sample size for this particular question is only half of the total respondents (750 rather than 1500). Look at the data not the pretty chart. The article has a link to the Pew site which has a link to the topline data.

Also Q25a (this question is Q25) is "held for future release". This means that they don't want anyone to know the results of the other question that was asked of the other 750 respondents.

Pew is "reputable" only because of it's size and how long it's been around. If they were truly "reputable" they would have included the above information in their nice infographic. They would also include some true trending data rather than just the term of the current president.

So are you trying to imply that there is some kind of conspiracy not to release the other results.....?

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Nice to see how democrats stopped supporting this once their side lost lol. If next president is democrat it will go up again for sure.

2016 29% dems ok with president having unchecked power
2017 boom only 11% dems ok with president having unchecked power

Last time I checked 29% is not considered anywhere near supporting it as a party....

43% isn't either, but damn scary close.....

[Ashina]

Checks and balances? Only with a Democrat in the Oval Office!

[Drutt]

Watch those numbers go in reverse as soon as a democrat becomes president.

Nailed it.

[Zaydin]

A reminder that conservatism is fundamentally incompatible with democracy considering it's authoritarian at its heart.

The quote from David Frum sums it up: "If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy."

[Kraenen]

A reminder that conservatism is fundamentally incompatible with democracy considering it's authoritarian at its heart.

The quote from David Frum sums it up: "If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy."

What political system outside anarchy (debatable whether it's a system) isn't in essence about wielding authority? The entire idea of democracy is that you give authority to the people, over the state.

[Fincayra]

"Muh Deep state MSM is controlling your minds!" If something doesn't fit your narrative, scream "MAIN STREAM MEDIA CONSPIRACY, NEVER ACCEPT POLLS!" If it fits your narrative, use it as proof that Democrats are the bad guys.

No, I use it as proof both sides are bad guys. If you notice, the right is screaming about the polls showing the public doesn't support the impeachment now, even though the left has a decent case for doing it.

[ohtlmtlm]

gee I wonder where this was 3 years ago???? durrrrr

lol these people.... man

[Daelak]

What political system outside anarchy (debatable whether it's a system) isn't in essence about wielding authority? The entire idea of democracy is that you give authority to the people, over the state.

United States values are radical progressive values. 250 years ago radical militant progressives rebelled and spilled blood to have their own government. Radical progressives brought equal rights protections to minorities, women, child labor laws, food safety laws. Progressive values maximizing representation in government to empower every US person. US conservatism has always been against every aspect of change in the system, and even 250 years ago conservative representatives in government are showing the eagerness to have an monarchical ruler who is above law laid bare.

[Cthulhu 2020]

This is a lot of ranting that amounts to "well, it's kinda good if my guy does it, but I can't believe the other side thinks the same thing!". Please be less ranty, it'll seem more compelling to people that aren't already in your tribe. I could lay out where normal people are inclined to think Obama overreached, but I really don't think you're going to care.

I'll agree it was a bit long. Still doesn't change the point that whenever Republicans are caught being authoritarian, criminals, or whatever else, there's someone always banging the "BOTH SIDES" drum, when the comparison is Republicans committing grand theft auto and Democrats lifted a pack of bubble gum from a corner store.

[nonameelf]

Nice to see how democrats stopped supporting this once their side lost lol. If next president is democrat it will go up again for sure.

2016 29% dems ok with president having unchecked power
2017 boom only 11% dems ok with president having unchecked power

So, what you're saying is that under both a Democrat and Republican presidents the vast majority of Democrats do not support unchecked presidential powers?

Wow, you really got those Democrats!

[Cizr]

So, what you're saying is that under both a Democrat and Republican presidents the vast majority of Democrats do not support unchecked presidential powers?

Wow, you really got those Democrats!

Majority of Republicans dont support unchecked presidential powers either. Were you trying to make some point or ?

Why are you people so rustled when I point out dem hypocrisy of wanting president to have more power as long as its their president? You fingerpoint at Republicans for this but when your side does it it suddenly does not count ?