PRINCETON, NJ — Forty-two percent of Americans, on average, identified as political independents in 2013, the highest Gallup has measured since it began conducting interviews by telephone 25 years ago. Meanwhile, Republican identification fell to 25%, the lowest over that time span. At 31%, Democratic identification is unchanged from the last four years but down from 36% in 2008.

via Record-High 42% of Americans Identify as Independents.

It’s gotten so bad for the GOP, they are now sending out memos on how to spin cutting off unemployment benefits for over a million people.

A memo from House leadership to the Republican caucus coaches members on how to speak about unemployment in a compassionate manner, according to the Washington Post.

The memo tells representatives that unemployment is a “personal crisis” and asks them to give “proper consideration” to an extension of longterm unemployment benefits.

The Senate voted to advance legislation that extends the emergency unemployment benefits Tuesday, but House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has insisted that the extension must be paid for in order to pass the lower chamber.

[full story]

It should be noted…every other time the GOP has extended unemployment benefits in recent memory, they didn’t demand off-sets elsewhere.  However, now with Obama in charge, things must be paid for out of other programs.

Including the wars the GOP cut taxes to pay for back in the Aughts.