Nashville News Blog

Brian Kelsey, less popular than a liberal black guy

While we may have come late to the ball, it appears that Tennesseans have finally grown weary of cultural war weirdness. The legislature is in danger of becoming the Sequel to George Bush in terms of popularity.

So says the latest poll from MTSU, which indicates the legislature's public standing has plummeted to lows not seen since the Tennessee Waltz Scandal, while approval ratings for a liberal black guy (that would be President Obama) have risen dramatically since the fall. Among the findings:

The legislature's approval level is at a mere 34 percent, one point above its worst rating in the polls history. This may have something to do with its fetish for guns, abortion, and more guns. As MTSU found, residents aren't nearly as weird as their elected officials seem to believe. Some 52 percent of Tennesseans actually believe abortion should be legal under certain circumstances. And in what may be the biggest shocker, 40 percent favor launching an income tax to reduce the sales tax. (That's only 6 points below those believe an income tax should be constitutionally banned.)

Even more alarming -- if you're devoted to the status quo -- is that the approval rating for The Liberal Black Guy is now at 53 percent. That's higher than Phil Bredesen's rating, and 11 points higher than the Tennessee vote for Obama just a few months before.