Gallup reports that for the first time since 2005 the image of the Republican party is positive, though not by much: 47% of adults say they have a favorable opinion of the party and 43% has an unfavorable opinion. In looking over the past decade, the Gallup numbers show that Americans had a mostly favorable opinion of both parties from 2000 to 2005. That was followed—to oversimplify matters a little—by a four-year period, 2005-09, in which Americans had a favorable opinion of the Democratic party and unfavorable opinion of the Republican party. In late 2009 opinion toward the Democratic party turned unfavorable, while in late 2010 opinion toward the Republican party turned favorable. Most recently there’s been a slight uptick in the Democrats’ favor, and opinion toward both parties is almost identical—and just about evenly balanced.