A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll gives us material for the "what goes around comes around" file:
In the new poll, the results have completely turned around, and Republicans hold a six-point advantage. On the related issue of controlling government spending, in July 2007, Democrats held a 16-point advantage. In the new poll, Republicans hold a nine-point lead.
Also in the Bush years, Democrats erased the Republican advantage on the issue of taxes. In November 2005, Democrats held a 10-point advantage over Republicans on the tax issue. That lead diminished over the next few years, but Democrats still held a five-point advantage in January 2008. In the new poll, Republicans have a seven-point advantage.
The party out of power enjoys the advantage of the party in power, in Barack Obama's words, behaving stupidly. If Republicans in power spend and tax too much, and the public reacts negatively, and Democrats in power spend and tax even more with the public again reacting negatively, you'd think there'd be a lesson there. Well, there is. The party out of power promises a return to fiscal sanity, then gets in power and goes mad. We answer polls and write letters to the editor and call in to radio shows.
