FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog

The number of Americans who consider themselves to be Democrats inched up again in December to 41.6%. That’s up two-tenths of a point since November and the third straight monthly increase in the number of Democrats.

Only once since Rasmussen Reports began tracking this data on a monthly basis in 2002 has the number of Democrats been higher. In May, as the Obama-Clinton primary battle neared its conclusion, 41.7% of Americans said they were Democrats.

At the same time, the number of Republicans declined a full percentage point from 33.8% in November to 32.8% in December. That’s the lowest number of Republicans since August. The number claiming allegiance to the GOP peaked in September at 34.4% as the party enjoyed a convention bounce and Sarah Palin was picked as the party’s Vice Presidential nominee.

The number not affiliated with either major party inched up from 24.7% in November to 25.6% in December.

These figures are not a shock but will be food for thought for the next Repuiblican National Chairman. How ill the party increase its numbers without alienating its conservative base, driving them to the not affiliated column.

During the Goldwater/Reagan era there was a coherent message. This will be the challenge for a revived GOP post Bush - message and its deliverance within a changing demographic landscape.

Stay tuned……

But, will the GOP be able to successfully incorprate a successful strategy with Ron Paul in the mix?

Here’s a mark of the continuing energy behind Ron Paul, and the parallel lack thereof among other Republican Party structures, particularly online: the Digg-style website set up by Americans for Tax Reform for its Republican National Committee Chairman debate tomorrow has been entirely taken over by Paul supporters.

Flap supports a balanced strategy and no draconian change in the party apparatus. It wasn’t the internet that hurt the party brand and caused electoral losses.

The internet ALONE will not lead the Republican Party back to electoral success. And, Ron Paul is a symptom of foolish extremism that is but a minor diversion which will fade.

Watch the RNC Chairman debate live here.

• “You know, in all due respect to the Republican National Committee and anybody — right now, I think we should try to be working constructively together…”. Video is here.

• “The committee’s report details the inexcusable link between abusive interrogation techniques used by our enemies who ignored the Geneva Conventions and interrogation policy for detainees in U.S. custody,” Sen. McCain said in a statement. “These policies are wrong and must never be repeated.”

Flap is not losing ANY sleep either wondering if McCain will EVER support Sarah Palin or any other Republican for President.

Like an old soldier, McCain should just fade away - and quickly.

With their registrations sinking and their political clout withering, California Republicans have come out of the November election in danger of slipping into political irrelevance across much of the state.

“There’s been a broad repudiation of traditional conservative Republicans in California,” said Tony Quinn, a former GOP analyst and co-editor of the California Target Book, which focuses on political contests in the state. “There are almost no areas in the state that can be considered safely Republican anymore.”

But, Quinn does NOT mention Proposition 11 that barely passed and the changes the heavily Democrat gerrymandered districts. But, Flap digresses.

The GOP brand has been hurt by President Bush and the corrupt GOP establishment in Congress, no doubt.

But, there are opportunities and although down and out now, the upside is good for the GOP - but maybe not majority but relevant.

Here are the stats:

October 2004

• Total registered voters: 16.5 million
• Registered Democrats: 7.1 million (43 percent)
• Registered Republicans: 5.7 million (34.7 percent)
• Registration gap: Democrats ahead by 1.4 million

October 2008

• Total registered voters: 17.3 million
• Registered Democrats: 7.7 million (44 percent)
• Registered Republicans: 5.4 million (31.3 percent)
• Registration gap: Democrats ahead by 2.3 million

Counties that changed to majority Democrats since 2004

• Alpine
• San Bernardino
• San Joaquin
• Stanislaus
• Ventura

Counties nearing majority Democrats since 2004

• Del Norte (8 voters)
• San Diego (380 voters)
• Trinity (40 voters)

Source: California secretary of state

The rebuilding will begin by the end of the decade with new legislative districts and term limits throwing out the incumbent Democrats.

Flap doubts California voters will change the 2/3′rds vote requirement for passing the state budget or to raise taxes. But, do the Democrats really want to push the issue?

Voters now blame Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for the economic mess which he was first elected to fix when he was elected six years ago. If the Democrats in the legislature want accountablility Flap is positive the GOP will be glad to oblige.

Watch for new registration initiatives as well for the California GOP beginning by next summer.

Stay tuned…..

Only 31% of black Democrats in America say homosexual relations are morally acceptable, roughly the same as the 30% of Republicans who agree, while very much different from the 61% of nonblack Democrats who say homosexual relations are morally acceptable.

And, this position on the issue of gay politics propelled California’s Proposition 8 which restored the traditional defintion of marriage to the California Constitution to victory in November.

Exit-poll results after that vote on Nov. 4 suggested that black California voters had overwhelmingly voted in favor of the amendment, while overall, Democrats in California overwhelmingly voted against it — essentially confirming the national attitude structure apparent from Gallup’s analysis.

This explains the reluctance of Barack Obama to ACTIVELY campaign against Proposition 8 in California and to state emphatically he supports marriage between a man and a woman. How does this translate into Obama’s public policy?

Obama has put homosexual politics on the backburner and his staff have stated the “don’t ask don’t tell” military position may ONLY be evaluated in a year or so.

Homosexual organizations wish to bring the gay marriage issue back to the California voters in 2010 should the California Supreme Court fail to overturn Propsoition 8 (which they will). With this poll, California gay marriage proponents have a long way to go.

More from Gallup: