A powerful new poll pulls back the curtain on fear, frustration
In a post last week about the future of the Democratic Party in the South, I warned that those Democrats who advocate giving up on the South in effect advocate giving up on white working-class voters, which would have implications well beyond Dixie.
A new poll on attitudes about the economy, published in The Washington Post, provides a lot more fodder for that discussion. It found that white Americans are considerably more pessimistic about the nation’s economic future, considerably more frustrated and, not surprisingly, considerably less supportive of Obama and the Democrats. Those attitudes were particularly prevalent among white Americans with less than a college education.
As the Post writers describe it:
A mere 10 percent of whites without college degrees say they are satisfied with the nation’s current economic situation. Most – 56 percent – say the country’s best days are in the past, and more, 61 percent, say it will be a long time before the economy begins to recover.
Fully 43 percent of non-college whites say “hard work and determination are no guarantees of success,” and nearly half doubt that they have enough education and skills to compete in the job market.
The Post didn’t release data breaking down responses between college-educated and non-college white Americans, but the demographic data it did release was fascinating nonetheless. Take a look at the difference in economic optimism:
The loss of faith in important institutions such as government and Wall Street was also considerably stronger among white Americans than among their fellow Americans.
However, perhaps the starkest divisions came when pollsters asked Americans whether they thought the government was doing too much, too little, or the right amount to help a series of groups, from their own families to Wall Street. White Americans were far more willing than black and Hispanic Americans to say the government wasn’t doing enough to help them, and was doing too much to help the wealthy and Wall Street.
I think those numbers help to illuminate a whole range of political phenomena, from the labor standoff in Wisconsin to the Tea Party movement to last fall’s midterms. Even though statistics demonstrate that black and Hispanic Americans are getting hit hardest in this recession in terms of jobs and income lost, it is white Americans who feel most vulnerable, most frustrated, most pessimistic and most in need of a government looking out for their interests.
– Jay Bookman
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341 comments Add your comment
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
10:37 am
dave – “If everyone is packing heat, the bad guys will LIKELY get killed before they kill too may ”
cuz the bullets will maaaaaaaaagically kill ONLY the bad guys, never the innocent people caught in the crossfire.
For Real
February 22nd, 2011
10:38 am
“Get your logic straight, USinUK. If everyone is packing heat, the bad guys will LIKELY get killed before they kill too may without.” – Define too many.
MiltonMan
February 22nd, 2011
10:40 am
Liberals & their love/hate for the polls has been diagnosed as bi-polar by the medicial community.
Remeber when the liberals were all giddy about Rasmussen predicting a sKerry victory???
Del
February 22nd, 2011
10:41 am
Powerful polls are the ones taken when voters actually vote.
MiltonMan
February 22nd, 2011
10:42 am
USinUK – against arming citizens; therefore against the 2nd admendment. Please denounced your US citizenship pal.
Paul
February 22nd, 2011
10:42 am
Jay
Most interesting. There’s a lot of political opportunity here. Obama Administration came in, results didn’t come fast enough, many voters got disillusioned and Dems paid the price. Now… Reps in office… rather dicey as to whether or not the normal economic turnaround will kick in before the next election, but… all these cut it to the bone cuts Reps are pushing thru? While letting ag subsidies stand, letting millionaires deduct interest on second homes, etc? There’s opportunities here. Dems had the ball, were seen as going overboard to spend money on special interests. Reps could be portrayed as the same, even while the mid to lower economic classes see Reps as cutting programs that benefit them.
So if Pres Obama calibrates his message, stops with all the ‘everyone goes to college’ and does more for votech and other options to give people who haven’t been to college (and who don’t see their kids as going to college), if there’s less publicity about lonnnng term investments and more on short-term (and I don’t mean shovel ready projects, but job retraining) then there are possibilities.
AmVet
“Hey Paul, remember how we’ve laughed at the fact that 20% of people will believe anything?
Look at that number of white people who think BHO is doing too little to help wealthy Americans and the upper class.
Hysterical…””
OH….MY….GOSH…….
Dave R.
“Statistics borne of opinion = unreliable data.”
Not to political strategists, it isn’t. It’s a highly reliable indicator of what the populace it thinking. Whether or not what they think is accurate is irrelevant.
“Too many variables in a small sample.”
Please tell me you’ve had a college-level statistics class –
Bosch
“Hey Paul! Heard two of your state senators this morning talking about a bill that’s probably gonna be passed allowed college kids to carry guns on campus!
Congratulations on that!!”
I’m embarrassed enough already and you had to bring that up?
Conan said it’s a way for parents to ensure their kids get all A’s when they plead their case with teachers.“
George W
February 22nd, 2011
10:42 am
Jay……a race blog? Really? Please pull your tail from between your legs.
Southern Comfort (aka The Man)
February 22nd, 2011
10:43 am
“Because we all know that being a white man in this country can be so hard.”
well, the man has been keeping him down, doncha know …
Well, I am good at what I do!!
<i.“Even though statistics demonstrate that black and Hispanic Americans are getting hit hardest in this recession in terms of jobs and income lost, it is white Americans who feel most vulnerable, most frustrated, most pessimistic and most in need of a government looking out for their interests.”
I saw the poll when they first released it, and didn’t want to mention it here because I thought it would start the whole black/white thing. With some Blacks, optimism is a way of life. When you’re down, there’s only one way to look…
George W
February 22nd, 2011
10:43 am
Jay…..the reason whites may feel most vulnerable (if this is true). Is because the white race as a whole depends less on the government for their day to day needs. Most minorities depend on the governement and see Obama as their messiah.
Jay
February 22nd, 2011
10:44 am
“If everyone is packing heat, the bad guys will LIKELY get killed before they kill too may without.”
Yup. That approach works like a charm in Iraq and Afghanistan and Somalia and Sudan and …
Dave R.
February 22nd, 2011
10:45 am
Mick, please get my stance straight, will you? I said that if there should be any public sector unions, the only one’s I’d agree to were for public safety personnel, and ONLY if their elected officials don’t take care of them properly with equipment and staffing.
As to abusing retirement? I don’t think so. Maybe YOU think that people over 50 should still be running into burning buildings with temps over 1,200 degrees wearing 75lbs. of gear and equipment, but I don’t. Nor do I think that police should be chasing down 17 year-old perps when they are 55. These are INTENSELY stressful positions, and as such warrant lower retirement ages than other, less-stressful positions. Look at the actuarial tables for firefighters and cops if you don’t believe me.
And don’t even go there on the woman side of this argument. If you have been paying attention to ANYTHING I write, you know that I have called for EQUAL treatment for EVERYONE (hence, my “What part of equality do you NOT get” mantra).
Jay
February 22nd, 2011
10:45 am
OK George. That’s why white Americans were so much more likely to want more government help, right?
George W
February 22nd, 2011
10:46 am
Jay…..works well in Forsyth.
George W
February 22nd, 2011
10:46 am
Jay…..your sense of reality is totally warped. Your mama should be proud!
Southern Comfort (aka The Man)
February 22nd, 2011
10:47 am
Bosch @ 10:25
Bosch
February 22nd, 2011
10:47 am
“I’m embarrassed enough already and you had to bring that up?”
I’m sorry Paul…..
Really, don’t you just want to slap these people upside the head and go “WHAT ARE YOU FREAKING THINKING??????”
AmVet
February 22nd, 2011
10:47 am
Well, fortunately for me, I’ve got to scoot.
Just in time to avoid watching the children hijack the adult’s blog.
Remember good peeps, don’t feed the trolls!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMEe7JqBgvg
Dave R.
February 22nd, 2011
10:47 am
“cuz the bullets will maaaaaaaaagically kill ONLY the bad guys, never the innocent people caught in the crossfire.”
The law of averages will eventually catch up with you, USinUK.
And Jay, as usual, you argue apples and oranges. It’s what I have come to expect from you.
Dave R.
February 22nd, 2011
10:50 am
“Define too many.”
More than would have happened without another person with a gun.
Southern Comfort (aka The Man)
February 22nd, 2011
10:50 am
Get your logic straight, USinUK. If everyone is packing heat, the bad guys will LIKELY get killed before they kill too may without.
Key word is LIKELY. If they are not trained in how to respond in stressful situations, the bad guy still has the advantage. If the bad guy is good, you may be arming him with additional weapons too…
George W
February 22nd, 2011
10:50 am
Anyone remember this “Right to bear arms”?
Bosch
February 22nd, 2011
10:50 am
” the white race as a whole depends less on the government for their day to day needs. Most minorities depend on the governement and see Obama as their messiah.”
Wait AmVet! Wait! It appears we have another “harvey.”
Mick
February 22nd, 2011
10:51 am
dave r
Once again, you miss my point. You see examples of policeman or fireman retiring with over 100k in yearly retirement benefits, you’ll never see that with teachers. I never said that I was against them retiring after 20 years but their much larger retirement benefits are what is straining the system – not the teachers.
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
10:51 am
“Anyone remember this “Right to bear arms”?”
Yep, but there’s no right to own bullets
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
10:51 am
Milton – what part of “well-regulated militia” don’t you understand?
it looks like I’m better versed in the 2nd than you are –
Dave – I’m sure all the people killed in the crossfire of an “ok corral” style shoot-out will be comforted by the knowledge that the law of averages will eventually catch up with shooters …
Dave R.
February 22nd, 2011
10:52 am
I’d like the right to arm bears!
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
10:52 am
George – do YOU remember “well regulated militia”
Left wing management
February 22nd, 2011
10:52 am
jm: “Pollsters would do better to go ask people more specific questions (although I’m sure already do). Like “is there too much government regulation of business”?”
I couldn’t agree more that pollsters would do better to ask more specific questions, but not jerry-rigged right-wing propaganda questions like this one.
Instead, here’s what they need to ask people:
The top 13 hedge fund managers posted earnings last year of $1 billion (no typo, that’s billion) on average, which thanks to a capital gains tax loophole protected by the Republican party they were able to get taxed at only 15%. If these earnings were taxed at more ‘normal’ rates – i.e. at rates more in line with what average taxpayers pay, it is estimated that this would generate enough revenue to pay salaries and benefits for some 300,000 teachers. Do you favor closing this tax loophole?
Now that’s what we need to be asking Americans.
larry
February 22nd, 2011
10:52 am
My arms arent bare, they are covered up .
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
10:53 am
dave – I’d just be happy if it was warm enough to bare arms!
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
10:54 am
I’m not surprised by this data. Most working caucasians that I know don’t trust the federal gov’t at all and most of their anger is aimed at the President, who most of my friends (me included) view as a racist. The things most commonly cited (with my friends/family) are:
1) Anger at Obama and the Justice Dept for suing Arizona, when Arizona is trying to keep out illegal immigrants using law enforcement. The takeaway is usually- Obama cares more about the illegals than he does about US citizens and taxpayers.
2) Anger at Obama and the Justice Dept. for the handling (or complete lack of handling) of the Black Panthers case, when black thugs stood at polls holding weapons and threatening white voters, and then the thugs were not prosecuted.
3) The tanning tax.
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
10:54 am
“George – do YOU remember “well regulated militia”
I do…but I have a totally different take on it. I think that in order to get a gun license you should still have to meet the criteria of the existing gun laws, but you should also HAVE to be a regularly attending member of a local militia. Don’t attend? Lose your gun license.
larry
February 22nd, 2011
10:55 am
Do you favor closing this tax loophole?
I agree, and i bet i would say over 90% of Americans would say yes.
Port O
February 22nd, 2011
10:55 am
White americans who lack college degrees are the most pessimistic about the country’s economic future?
Sure. Because the great economic and housing correction of 2007 -2009 impacted them as much, or even more, than any other group. That corporate america’s profits are up is directly related to the fact that we are employing fewer under-educated americans. In the future, i you don’t go to college, and aren’t a computer whiz, you won’t be part of the ‘american middle class’ – whatever that is.
As Judge Smails said: “The world needs ditch-diggers too.”
No wonder uneducated white americans hate hispanics so much. They’re taking your jobs.
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
10:55 am
Doggone – 10:54 – zackly. it also supports the “it’s to defend ourselves from the tyranny of the gummint” line they like the throw around.
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
10:56 am
I see that “ronald” is our latest “trot out the debunked lies” troll
Welcome ronald, too bad we’ve heard them all a gazillion times before, and they’re no truer now than they ever were.
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
10:56 am
Jay says “Yeah, jm, Wisconsin students only rank 2nd or 3rd in the nation in both average SAT and ACT scores. Those unions up there are ruining education.”
Jay, please enlighten us with an explanation of how unions are directly correlated with college SAT scores? Please also disprove all the real factors that go into what drives these scores as well.
Bosch
February 22nd, 2011
10:56 am
Black Panthers and tanning tax?
Wow ronald, so your family is angered at really stupid red herring wedge issues, huh?
jm
February 22nd, 2011
10:56 am
LWM 10:52 – look, I have no problem with tax equalization. But to do so, you have to eliminate the corporate tax (ie, all entities get taxed the same way). But Obama doesn’t want to do this, so go talk to your liberal President for not being in favor of tax equalization.
George W
February 22nd, 2011
10:57 am
Port O…..I dont believe that white americans hate hispanics. They hate the immigration laws or lack thereof.
jm
February 22nd, 2011
10:58 am
LWM 10:52 – or, if you don’t eliminate the corporate tax, you have to eliminate all taxes on C-Corp dividends and capital gains. Take your pick.
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
10:58 am
“Jay, please enlighten us with an explanation of how unions are directly correlated with college SAT scores?”
No explanation needed…at least, not for those of us who understand that Jay never said anything like that.
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
10:58 am
“Welcome ronald, too bad we’ve heard them all a gazillion times before, and they’re no truer now than they ever were.”
I guess I missed where the Panthers were prosecuted…Oh thats right, they never were…..because the Attorney General had the charges dropped. Attorney’s in the Justice Dept. who spent years preparing that case quit there jobs b/c of Eric Holder. Its been documented and the attorney’s involved have explained what happened publically to the media. Did you miss all of this?
MiltonMan
February 22nd, 2011
10:59 am
USinUK – beating his chest because he knows the 2nd better than anyone else???
Please! Pal, the 2nd Ad. was born from the English Bill Of Rights which allowed for arms for self-preservation. Also, as recently as 2008, the US Supreme Court ruled vs. Washington DC that a resident had the legal right to possess a firearm without being associated to the militia.
Take your self-inflated ego & crawl under your rock.
Paul
February 22nd, 2011
10:59 am
George W
“Anyone remember this “Right to bear arms”?”
“In 2008, the Court issued a landmark decision in the case District of Columbia v. Heller that established for the first time an individual’s constitutional right to have a gun in his house,…But Alito was also careful to note that in some instances the right to bear arms can be limited.
“It is important to keep in mind that Heller, while striking down a law that prohibited the possession of handguns in the home, recognized that the right to keep and bear arms is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose,” he wrote. ”
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Supreme_Court/supreme-court-affirms-gun-handguns-home/story?id=10727952
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
10:59 am
“Its been documented ”
proof?
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
10:59 am
Bosch – 10:56 – yes. this has been another edition of simple answers to simple questions.
ronald – if “education is a mess” because of union labor, then why are union states performing so well in standardized tests???
Paul
February 22nd, 2011
11:00 am
George W
So there’s a right – in your own home. Period, according to that Court decision. It was limited. Strictly.
Bosch
February 22nd, 2011
11:00 am
“because the Attorney General had the charges dropped”
…..in the BUSH administration…….
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
11:00 am
“Wow ronald, so your family is angered at really stupid red herring wedge issues, huh?”
Bosch- There is nothing trivial or “red herring” about the Panthers case. The lefts only defense of this issue is to scream “Hey you’re bringing that up again?”
0311/0317 - 1811/1801
February 22nd, 2011
11:00 am
Good grief ……. another chart that can be manipulated any way you want.
That said ……….. a college degree might provide a modicum of knowledge (debateable) but not necessarily wisdom.
In any case, this only goes to show there are two Americas out there …………. and that’s not good.
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
11:00 am
“…..in the BUSH administration…….”
Incorrect.
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
11:01 am
Milton – ah, so we should observe STRICT adherence to the constitution to exclude privacy, but be a little bendy-loosy-goosy when it comes to “as a part of a well-regulated militia”
thanks for clearing that one up, Consistency Man!
0311/0317 - 1811/1801
February 22nd, 2011
11:01 am
WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH THIS NEWS REPORT ?
NAIROBI, Kenya – “Four Americans taken hostage by Somali pirates off East Africa were shot and killed by their captors Monday, the U.S. military said, marking the first time U.S. citizens have been killed in a wave of pirate attacks plaguing the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean for years.
U.S. naval forces, who were trailing the Americans’ captured yacht with four warships, quickly boarded the vessel after hearing the gunfire and tried to provide lifesaving care to the Americans, but they died of their wounds, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
Two pirates died during the confrontation and 13 were captured and detained, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement from Tampa, Fla.”
I’LL TELL YOU WHAT ………. 13 PIRATES CAPTURED ……….. SICKENING !
snoqualmiepass
February 22nd, 2011
11:02 am
Change? Change you say? Not bloody likely. Why? Because as my Confederate relatives always tell me, “we are still fighting the Civil War”. Wallowing in defeat with false pride, preserving “our way of life”.. Oh Please… spare the rest of us and as I explain to them time after time, I would never, ever live in that section of the country.. Why? I like change, as most of my retired friends would concur.
MiltonMan
February 22nd, 2011
11:02 am
AmVet wrote:
“Well, fortunately for me, I’ve got to scoot.”
Actually, fortunately for all of us.
“Just in time to avoid watching the children hijack the adult’s blog.”
Then he turns around and posts alink to college humor. Classic. Nebraska has to be proud to produce such winners like AmVet.
Remember good peeps, don’t feed the trolls!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMEe7JqBgvg
George W
February 22nd, 2011
11:02 am
Paul…..that is interesting. Seems like Alito is trying to modify the constitution. It is funny to me that the Dems feel it is ok to change the Constitution of the United States of America. But mess with their welfare, foot stamps or other Kool-Aid programs and all you see is Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton on the television.
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
11:02 am
“There is nothing trivial or “red herring” about the Panthers case”
first of all, it’s not “the Panthers case” it’s the NEW Black Panthers “case” The “New” Black Panthers are a tiny splinter group that has nothing to do with the Black Panthers.
0311/0317 - 1811/1801
February 22nd, 2011
11:02 am
OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM
“So, with all the kindness I can muster, I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten — straight up, no styling. Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world. Don’t make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification. Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love — not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician. They could see that from the costumes, the makeup and the entourages. Sing “The Star Spangled Banner” with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America, not you.”
Mark Corallo
http://www.lifeafter50.com/Lifestyles/Leisure/THE-NATIONAL-ANTHEM-ISN-T-A-POP-SONG
Bosch
February 22nd, 2011
11:03 am
“There is nothing trivial or “red herring” about the Panthers case. ”
Another example of “yeah, because I say so”
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
11:03 am
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
10:59 am
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/doj-voting-rights-attorney-resigns-over-black-panthers-stonewalling
George W
February 22nd, 2011
11:03 am
0311……I agree with you.
Dave R.
February 22nd, 2011
11:03 am
“I never said that I was against them retiring after 20 years but their much larger retirement benefits are what is straining the system – not the teachers.”
Number, Mick, numbers.
We have 34 schools in our county, with about 80-100 or more) teachers employed in each. Not to mention administrators. We have 14 staffed fire stations, with 9-12 firefighters employed in each. We employ about 400 sheriff’s personnel.
Now, you’re REALLY going to make the case that 1/10th of the employees who might retire early are costing us more than the other 90%? And that’s just teachers – not including janitors, admin aides, road pavers, mowers, recreation workers. We’re probably talking 1/15th rather than 1/10th. When the survivor numbers of less than 20 years following retirement are about equal?
Sorry, Mick. That does NOT compute.
MiltonMan
February 22nd, 2011
11:04 am
USinUK – shouldn’t you be preparing for the upcoming royal wedding? With all of your whining, I would assume that you would be the brides’ maid.
@@
February 22nd, 2011
11:04 am
USinUK:
Certainly there are The Young Republicans. Here’s one putting a college liberal to the test.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEixq4LUfsU
Pay close attention to the redhead. She’s got all the answers.
When 1,000,000 Iraqis are slaughtered by Saddam Hussein, what should we do?
Her answer? Apologize!
She’s “SO-O-O SMAaaaRT”!!!!
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
11:04 am
“The lefts only defense of this issue is to scream “Hey you’re bringing that up again?
did you hear the one about the guy who locked his family inside his car?
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
11:05 am
Doggone says “first of all, it’s not “the Panthers case” it’s the NEW Black Panthers “case” The “New” Black Panthers are a tiny splinter group that has nothing to do with the Black Panthers”
The name is not whats important. Whats important is that an armed, organized, uniformed group of black thugs set out, quite succesfully, to intimidate white voters at a polling booth.Then Eric Holder directs the Justice Dept. to drop the case with no explanation.
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
11:05 am
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jul/23/bill-oreilly/bill-oreilly-blames-obama-administration-not-pursu/
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
11:05 am
milton – “With all of your whining, I would assume that you would be the brides’ maid.”
you know, for a retort to be effective, it should at least make sense.
Left wing management
February 22nd, 2011
11:06 am
jm:
How do you see the corporate tax as linked to the issue of hedge fund manager pay? Are you saying corporations should be treated as equivalent to persons for tax purposes?
Dave R.
February 22nd, 2011
11:07 am
“dave – I’d just be happy if it was warm enough to bare arms!”
70+ degrees here in GA, USinUK! Feel free to drool. . . .
Southern Comfort (aka The Man)
February 22nd, 2011
11:07 am
Jay…..the reason whites may feel most vulnerable (if this is true). Is because the white race as a whole depends less on the government for their day to day needs. Most minorities depend on the governement and see Obama as their messiah.
Oh my freaking god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
11:07 am
03 – 11:02 – I never thought I’d say this, but I agree with your post 100%
MPercy
February 22nd, 2011
11:07 am
Fully 43 percent of non-college whites say “hard work and determination are no guarantees of success,” and nearly half doubt that they have enough education and skills to compete in the job market.
True enough. You can be the absolutely most determined and hard-working ditch digger on the planet, and you will be successful at getting ditches dug, but you will absolutely not get rich doing it (which is what I think most people think “successful” means in this context). This is not a value judgment on you as a person–I for one respect anyone who puts forth maximum effort at their tasks, even if they may be considered “lowly”**–but rather a simple economic function. There are simply too many people around you who have sufficient skills to be average ditch diggers.
And it’s not education, per se, that leads to success. It is the skill-set, especially possessing a high-quality rare skill-set, that is economically more valuable and likely to lead to “success”. Just about any healthy person can with a bit of training become an acceptable ditch digger, but few people, no matter how much training/education they receive, can become a neurosurgeon or even a pro quarterback.
** I am reminded of an episode of “Undercover Boss” where the boss worked with one of his company’s employees, whose job was to mop out the porta-poties. That employee approached his job with vigor and a positive attitude: “People think it smells bad, but I think it smells like money”. You can’t help but respect someone like that.
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
11:07 am
Dave – I’ll wait until you tell me the dogwoods are in bloom … THAT is what I miss the most
itpdude
February 22nd, 2011
11:08 am
Chris Hedges predicted there would be an ironic right-wing reaction to the right-wing spending policies that put us here in the first place.
30 years of voting against their own interests and we are now here. And those same white people want to continue to vote against their own interest.
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
11:08 am
“other than the fact that they were trying to “intimidate” a majority black voter base in a majority Dem district …”
I guess you’re trying to be funny, although not sure how armed thugs at a polling booth is funny for you. Who do you think would feel “threatened” by uniformed, armed black panthers at a polling booth- whites or blacks? There were clearly both whites and blacks at this polling location, but I’m asking you who felt threatened and to what degree?
poison pen
February 22nd, 2011
11:08 am
USinUK, just wait, Global Warming is coming and soon you will be able to bare your arms.
Jay
February 22nd, 2011
11:10 am
Whats important is that an armed, organized, uniformed group of black thugs set out, quite succesfully, to intimidate white voters at a polling booth.
What’s important is to dismiss this persecution myth as utter nonsense.
“an armed, organized, uniformed group of black thugs….?”
Let’s see. There were two guys, not a group.
Neither was wearing a uniform; one of them was dressed all in black. One guy had a small club, the other guy was a legally registered poll watcher.
The cops ran off the guy with the club. No voters have ever said they were intimidated. Criminal charges were dropped by the Bush Justice Department.
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
11:10 am
gee @@ … a video??? I’m surprised your attention span lasted that long … (although it DID take you all this time to post that … “response”)
Mick
February 22nd, 2011
11:11 am
dave r
Perception dave, that’s what I’m focusing on. When you hear about public servants retiring making more money than when they were working, it sure as hell ain’t teachers. As for your numbers that don’t compute, see florida and their frs system, very solvent with over 157 billion, how are they doing it?
Nice Guy
February 22nd, 2011
11:12 am
Doggone – “but you should also HAVE to be a regularly attending member of a local militia. Don’t attend? Lose your gun license.”
What nonsense.
George W
February 22nd, 2011
11:12 am
Jay….you are right…the black panthers are an organization of peace and love…..so is the Taliban.
USinUK
February 22nd, 2011
11:12 am
Jay – all you had to say was that there were 2 black guys outside the polling station – that’s all ronald needs to hear.
So Be It
February 22nd, 2011
11:12 am
It’s a crying shame…Boo-Hoo-Hoo
For Real
February 22nd, 2011
11:12 am
ronald: How Panthers did they let off?
Paul
February 22nd, 2011
11:13 am
George W
“Paul…..that is interesting. Seems like Alito is trying to modify the constitution.”
I believe Justice Alito wrote the majority opinion.
Saying Justices Thomas and Scalia are trying to modify the Constitution in such an area has to be a first by someone on the Right. The normal argument is they’re the ones trying to keep the liberal justices from modifying the Constitution.
So in this case, given the majority was flawed and the minority was not in favor of a law, is what we have is a case of the entire Court trying to modify the Constitution?
I believe it’s an instance of a case with a narrow focus being brought before the Court and the justices decided to answer the question put to them. But the ‘however’ statements show the thoughts of the majority. And it isn’t good news for the ‘pack anywhere I want” supporters.
Doggone/GA
February 22nd, 2011
11:15 am
“Whats important is that an armed, organized, uniformed group of black thugs set out, quite succesfully, to intimidate white voters at a polling booth”
yes, that WOULD be important if it happened. It didn’t. Education really DOESN’T hurt you know, even if it does entail a little work to acquire.
George W
February 22nd, 2011
11:17 am
Anyone want to take a guess who the two black panther members voted for?
BADA BING
February 22nd, 2011
11:17 am
What are you people worried about guns in colleges? Read the paper any week, guns are in High Schools and Middle Schools.
barking frog
February 22nd, 2011
11:18 am
Paul
February 22nd, 2011
11:13 am
—————————————————————-
When the Court modifies ‘keep and bear’ the amendment is futile
and infringement is meaningless.
@@
February 22nd, 2011
11:20 am
USinUK:
gee @@ … a video??? I’m surprised your attention span lasted that long … (although it DID take you all this time to post that … “response”)
Didn’t know ALL my attention should be devoted to jay’s blog….that I should scrutinize every post and come up with a “cutesy” response like you do.
Life called. I answered.
Dave R.
February 22nd, 2011
11:20 am
“When you hear about public servants retiring making more money than when they were working,”
It’s an aberration, not the norm, Mick.
Unless you retire in Massachusetts.
Paul
February 22nd, 2011
11:21 am
frog
“When the Court modifies ‘keep and bear’ the amendment is futile
and infringement is meaningless.”
Picking a couple words out of an amendment, without considering the modifiers in the other parts or the historical context or other decisions is rather like picking out “free” in “free speech” and saying everything one wants should be free.
MPercy
February 22nd, 2011
11:22 am
The top 13 hedge fund managers posted earnings last year of $1 billion (no typo, that’s billion) on average, which thanks to a capital gains tax loophole protected by the Republican party they were able to get taxed at only 15%. If these earnings were taxed at more ‘normal’ rates – i.e. at rates more in line with what average taxpayers pay, it is estimated that this would generate enough revenue to pay salaries and benefits for some 300,000 teachers. Do you favor closing this tax loophole?
Well, I think it’s a damn shame that the Federal government is involved in paying teachers at all, so my opinion on this question would be completely skewed by the phrasing no matter what my opinion of the tax “loophole” might be.
Paul
February 22nd, 2011
11:22 am
Oh, and frog,
The Court DID say you can keep and bear arms.
In your home.
Harry Callahan
February 22nd, 2011
11:23 am
Maybe the white voters with no college education would like to see government put a stop to the flood of illegal immigrants taking the lower-skill jobs and/or driving down the wages paid at those jobs.
Maybe the white voters with no college education would like a shot at government jobs with nice benefits, and therefore would like to see civil service exams that don’t award non-white applicants extra points just for being non-white.
Maybe the white voters with no college education don’t have money for private schools for their kids, and would like to see public schools that aren’t handicapped by a flood of non-english-speaking illegals who slow the others down academically and drain financial resources.
Maybe the white voters with no college education would like to work for a living as opposed to depending on government handouts, and therefore would like to see lower taxes and smaller government.
Maybe white voters with no college education would prefer not to pay $5 per gallon to fuel their cars, and therefore would like to see domestic oil drilling opened up and see stupid ethanol subsidies thrown out.
Just sayin’……………
Dave R.
February 22nd, 2011
11:23 am
“Chris Hedges predicted there would be an ironic right-wing reaction to the right-wing spending policies that put us here in the first place.”
Oh, my freakin’ supernatural deity !
@@
February 22nd, 2011
11:23 am
USinUK:
I’m off to start dinner….just in case you needed to know.
I’m smokin’ a pork butt!
ronald
February 22nd, 2011
11:23 am
Jay says “What’s important is to dismiss this persecution myth as utter nonsense.”
Thats laughable, Jay. You and I both know that if 2 dudes in KKK robes showed up a voting booth with weapons, they would both be put in prison for the rest of their lives. There is very clearly a racial element to this case (and to the lack of prosecution). Some here have denied that they were uniformed, although the video clearly shows that to be the case. It doesn’t matter if its 2 or 5 or 10, the nature of the crime and the lack of punishment are still the same.
And you didn’t deny that 1. Weapons were involved and 2. The punishment (for only 1 guy) was that he was asked not to show up at another poll location until 2012. Thats not punishment, thats a slap in the face.
Now, you’ve attempted to muddy the water by thowing in “Bush Administration.” The Civil charges against the New Black Panthers were dropped by Eric Holder, during the Obama Administration. If you want to deny that, you’re ignoring the facts.
How you defend the lack of prosecution in this case is whats laughable. It shows your character (or lack thereof).