Collins Report

By Fritz Wenzel

The economic downturn has affected men much more than women who now represent a majority of the workforce. Many more men than women have been laid off, and the data indicates they are very anxious about this.

As Newton’s Third Law says: every action results in an equal and opposite reaction, the stage is now set for the reaction.

It may well come in November’s General Elections.

My survey work, nationally, statewide, and in local political jurisdictions, is showing white men are much more likely to look more negatively toward the federal government and more favorably toward the Tea Party movement. Washington’s failure to heed the concerns of its constituents is having its effect.

Forget the Angry White Male. Today, it’s the Anxious White Male.

A recent national Wenzel Strategies telephone survey, commissioned by WorldNetDaily.com, showed men lead 50/38 among those who have a “very positive” view of the Tea Party movement.

Very Strong “index rating”

An index rating generated by subtracting those who are “very negative” toward the Tea Party movement from those with a “very positive” opinion, shows men are much more positively disposed toward the ideals of the “Tea Partiers.” Among women, the index is +14 percentage points, for men it’s +29 points.
Index ratings measure intensity of emotion, and in politics, intensity, both positive and negative, equates to motivation that gets people to the polls.

Congress in serious trouble

When our poll of likely voters asked whether they thought Congress was doing a good or a bad job, 51% of women, but 69% of men said Congress was doing a “poor” job.

While Obama’s job approval rating in my latest national polling is 45%, just 12% give Congress positive job marks. Trouble with anxious men can bring incumbent Democrats big trouble in November.

Anger at Republicans as well

This is particularly troubling for Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives, because they all must stand for re–election this fall. Barack Obama has more than two years to repair whatever damage has been done to his image over the past year or so.

The Congressional job approval numbers have not been this bad since just after the Democratic Party takeover of Congress in 2007. In June of that year, their job approval dipped into the single digits.

But don’t take this drop in ratings for Congress in general to mean voters see things as all the fault of Democrats. It is not. This near–record low number is a combination of the dissatisfaction with the Democratic leadership over the past year, mixed with a lingering dissatisfaction with the GOP performance during both their 12 years in power and their early flaccid performance as a minority.
Americans have still not forgiven the Republicans, and they must prove themselves again this fall – or risk a long, dark future in the political wilderness.

What did you do to be worthy of your American freedoms yesterday? What will you do today and what do you plan to do tomorrow?

Fritz Wenzel is President of Wenzel Strategies, a public opinion research and communications firm based in Columbus, Ohio. Wenzel Strategies conducts polling and analysis that matches or exceeds industry standards followed by such firms as Rasmussen Reports, Zogby International, and the Gallup Organization. Fritz Wenzel is an award–winning journalist with 15 years experience in the research industry.

Yesterday’s Rasmussen Presidential Index had Obama at – 14

This day in history March 4

1994 Four Muslim fundamentalists were found guilty in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York.

Have you read this week’s “Betcha didn’t know this..” page? It’s loaded with interesting little “bite size” items you’re bound to enjoy.

Comments on this or any other Collins Report essay can be sent to kcoachc “at” gmail.com