WASHINGTON — Republicans say they will follow “the people’s priorities” when they gain power on Capitol Hill next month.
Yet, when it came to tax cuts for the wealthy and other top issues that dominated the just-concluded lame-duck Congress, the GOP either defied what most Americans want or followed their will only after grudging, drawn-out battles.
Relentlessly focused on the next election, politicians are usually loath to act against voter sentiment. Still, the post- election weeks of the 111th Congress saw battles in which Washington seemed oblivious to the direction most people wanted lawmakers to take, as measured by public opinion polls. These included:
• Congress’ approval of a compromise between President Barack Obama and congressional GOP leaders renewing expiring tax cuts for everyone, despite broad public opposition to including people earning over $250,000. An Associated Press-CNBC Poll in late November found only 34 percent wanted taxes reduced for the richest Americans.
• Lawmakers’ struggle before Congress finally repealed the prohibition against gays serving openly in the military. An ABC News-Washington Post poll this month showed 77 percent favored ending the ban, consistent with other polls, and a Pentagon survey of thousands of servicemen and women found 7 in 10 supporting the move or saying it wouldn’t hurt.
• The failure to approve the DREAM Act, which would have helped many young illegal immigrants become citizens if they attend college or join the military. A Gallup Poll this month found 54 percent support for the measure.
• Roadblocks that the Obama administration faced before ultimately persuading the Senate to ratify a new nuclear treaty with Russia, even as an AP-GfK Poll last month showed 67 percent backing Senate approval of the START pact.
On each, Republicans led the effort to oppose policies that most people support, though Obama and many Democrats finally joined them to back tax cuts for upper-income families.
Capitalizing on the leverage they gained by winning House control and extra Senate seats on Election Day, the GOP used Senate procedures to force Democrats to get large majorities to prevail. In the case of START, GOP leaders forced delays that in the end were not successful at denying Obama and Democrats the two-thirds Senate majority that the Constitution requires to ratify a treaty.
The GOP’s stance was striking for a party that spent much of the 2010 congressional campaign accusing Democrats of ignoring the public’s will.
On some matters, lawmakers were driven more by what each party’s strongest supporters wanted, according to analysts on both sides.
“This is definitely a listen- to-your-base lame-duck session,” said GOP pollster Glen Bolger.
