Two new polls from Rasmussen Reports show trouble for the Democrats – trouble that was entirely predictable as the passage of time and the dominance of Democrats at all levels of our federal government give them “ownership” of the current situation, for better or worse. Despite the Obama Administration’s repeated claims of economic problems they “inherited” from President Bush (and despite there having been some initial truth to that claim), the public will soon stop letting Obama and Congressional Democrats get away with blaming the situation on others.

The first poll is about the “Importance of Issues”, in which the latest survey of 1,000 likely voters puts the economy as the most important issue with government ethics and corruption as a fairly close second with 76%. The next closest issue, Social Security, is far behind at 59%, followed by national security (58%), taxes (54%), education (52%), and health care (49%). Bringing up the rear are the war in Iraq (48%), immigration (42%), and abortion (39%)

Rasmussen notes that “This is the first time since August 2007 that the majority of voters do not see the issue (of health care) as very important.”

The “importance of issues” provides some important context for the second series, the one which I think spells some serious trouble for the Democrats, and that is “Trust on Issues”.

According to Rasmussen, “Voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats on six out of 10 key issues, including the top issue of the economy. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% now trust the GOP more to handle economic issues, while 39% trust Democrats more. This is the first time in over two years of polling that the GOP has held the advantage on this issue.”

A 6-point lead for the GOP on the most important issue to voters is, in my view, extremely important. But it’s far from the only bad news for Democrats in this poll.

The issues on which Democrats still hold a trust advantage are health care (10% edge), education (7% edge), and Social Security (6% edge), in other words issues which are at least temporarily receding in the public consciousness while economic events and government ethics seem so large and important.

The issues on which the public trusts Republicans more than Democrats are the economy (6% advantage), Taxes (5%), Iraq (8%), national security (an astonishing 15%), government ethics (6%!), and immigration (14%). The parties are, for the second month in a row, tied in public trust on the issue of abortion.

A look at the trends on the issues should cause great concern to the Democrats. Here is the monthly change from early May to early June, issue by issue, in terms of which party gained voter trust:

Health Care: GOP +8 (still Dem advantage)
Education: GOP +6 (still Dem advantage)
Soc. Security: GOP +3 (still Dem advantage)
Economy: GOP +7 (switched to GOP advantage)
Abortion: No change
Iraq: GOP +6 (still GOP advantage)
Nat’l Security: GOP +8 (I repeat, to an astonishing 15% advantage)
Taxes: Dem +1 (still GOP advantage)
Gov’t Ethics: GOP + 17 (!!!)
Immigration: GOP +13 (big jump, though not major issue now)

The average change is a GOP gain of nearly 7%. In the 10 categories, only one (taxes) had a Democratic gain and that was only 1 point. On other issues, including the critical issues of the economy and government ethics and corruption, the GOP seems finally to be regaining some esteem among the public, though it’s certainly more due to the bad behavior of Democrats than anything the Republicans are doing particularly well. The air is clearing of the Bush Administration fog, leaving voters to see more clearly what the Democrats are and what they are doing.

Also, Americans tend to prefer divided government and may be suffering a bit of buyer’s remorse from giving the Democrats such complete control of government. This recognition that 2010 will likely see net GOP gains in Congressional elections is undoubtedly why President Obama is pushing Congress to pass the pillars of his truly fascist agenda: “Cap and trade” (i.e. effective government control over almost every aspect of the economy, combined with the world’s biggest-ever tax increase) and health care “reform” (i.e. attacking the world’s best, though far from perfect, health care system in a bid to buy the votes of those who want government to provide, as one sign during the Democratic National Convention here in Denver pleaded for, “Everything for Everyone.”)

Republicans have, according to this new survey, taken the lead in public trust on the two most important issues to the public. It’s time to start actually earning that trust as well as putting it to some use, namely getting in front of the media (whenever the openly pro-Obama media will allow) to explain the failing “intergenerational theft” of the stimulus, the economic fascism that the TARP has turned into as it goes from a temporary bank bailout to a permanent UAW slush fund, and the true intent and likely impact of “cap and trade” and health care legislation.

We’re at a tipping point here: Even though the Democrats have a sizeable majority in both houses of Congress, there are enough conservative Democrats and enough Democrats who could face difficult elections (particularly in the Senate) to potentially block some of the most anti-capitalist, pro-big-government legislation that this nation has seen in generations. Republicans must educate the public enough that those Democrats feel tremendous pressure – enough pressure to go against their own Speaker of the House and President Obama. Obama’s primary motivation is ideological rather than electoral. But even if it weren’t he knows it won’t get any easier for the Democrats. Therefore, he will push hard for these leftist policies regardless of the implications for congressional Democrats in the 2010 elections.

We all know it’s well within the ability of the GOP to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and if they do it again then again they will deserve the results again. But this is about far more than party politics. This is the first time in years that the difference between the parties has been so large, the first time in years that the Democratic Party’s explicit agenda (many would argue it’s always been their unstated agenda) is so radical that the GOP can make a stand on economic principle and have the public notice.

Republicans can also take some at-least-temporary solace in the most recent Rasmussen Reports poll of the “Generic Congressional Ballot” in which the two parties are tied at 40%, but very importantly “voters not affiliated with either party now favor Republicans by a 38% to 21% margin.” Our elections are decided by independent voters with great frequency and these are the people that the GOP needs to attract – but on the basis on principle, not by trying to be all things to all people.

If the Republican Party leadership has any desire to regain power – and I do believe they, like most politicians, care about that more than anything else – they must realize that being “Democrat lite” is not the path to success. While Ronald Reagan may be nearly ancient history in political terms, the principles which made him a success are fundamental and permanent. We have the Democrats to thank for the public finally, after years of economic stupor and passivity, waking up to that reality.