Even Rasmussen now has Obama surging
It may prove to be an aberration, but I see that even Rasmussen now has Barack Obama polling in positive numbers, with 51 percent of Americans approving of his performance as president and 48 percent disapproving.
That three-point approval margin is the largest reported by Rasmussen since October of 2009.
Gallup doesn’t show quite that amount of approval. In fact, Obama remains barely “underwater” in that poll, with 47 percent disapproval and 46 percent approval. But that’s a significant improvement over the 38 percent Gallup approval rating as recently as October 2011.
You can attribute that improvement to a variety of factors, among them a slowly improving economy, a new willingness by Obama to confront congressional Republicans, the fratricide of the Republican presidential primary and his commitment to a more populist economic message.
Of course, none of that guarantees re-election, although futures traders at Intrade also have Obama’s prospects brightening recently, with the probability of another four years now at 54 percent. And whatever happens in November, the polling data cast an interesting light on claims posted here often by conservatives that “everybody hates Obama” and “even Mickey Mouse could beat” him.
Well, no they don’t and no he couldn’t.
It’s easy to talk yourself into that kind of belief, particularly if you live in deeply red areas of a pretty red state such as Georgia, where everyone that you see and know agrees with you and those who don’t agree just stay silent. That tendency can be compounded if you set up virtual residence within the right-wing echo chamber, where the anti-Obama drumbeat sounds 24 hours a day.
But as even Rasmussen tells you, if you’re going to beat Obama, it’s not going to be easy. (They have Obama defeating Mitt Romney 47-41, and defeating Gingrich 52-35). Because the basic notion that broad segments of the American people have rejected Obama and his politics is simply incorrect.
– Jay Bookman
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765 comments Add your comment
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
January 31st, 2012
2:12 pm
Jack
January 31st, 2012
10:25 am
Smoke and mirrors by liberals. No one is going to vote for Obama unless they are expecting some kind of handout.
I don’t expect ANY type of handout, but given the choice between Obama, Newt, or Mitt, Obama may get my vote. Or I may chose to not vote at all.
Thulsa Doom
January 31st, 2012
2:12 pm
•More than one-half of the world’s people live below the internationally defined poverty line of less than U.S. $2 a day—including 97 percent in Uganda, 80 percent in Nicaragua, 66 percent in Pakistan, and 47 percent in China, according to data from the World Bank.
Lemme get this straight? Some whiny ass librul whining about Chinese factory workers making $17 a day when nearly half the world’s population subsists on $2 or less per day? Do the libs not understand that $17 a day in China is probably a living wage and that $17 goes a lot farther there then here? Gawd the libs make some really dumb points.
JOE Cool (I'm Voting 2x or 3x For MESSIAH OBAMA)
January 31st, 2012
2:13 pm
“That is based on an assumption that President Barack Obama will fail to win renewal of payroll tax cuts and jobless benefits by the end of next month.”
Well Duhh…..we all know the payroll tax and such will pass……UNLESS the Cons wont vote for it/
Adam
January 31st, 2012
2:13 pm
md: What are you talking about? You actually think the feds are going to fund that for the States indefinitely?
They don’t HAVE to. The reason they don’t have the money to pay for it is because of the economy, reducing their overall revenue intake. While that is improving, they could ASK for a little temporary boost.
Filter
January 31st, 2012
2:14 pm
I’ve always had a weakness for women with tridents.
Thulsa Doom
January 31st, 2012
2:14 pm
I almost forgot in that data 47% of Chinese live on $2 a day but librul posters are saying that Chinese factory workers making more than 8 times that amount are being “exploited”. Have the libs lost their minds? Again?
Welcome to the Occupation
January 31st, 2012
2:16 pm
Jay: “It won’t be anywhere near as much as you would have paid back in JFK’s day, when the capital gains tax was 25 percent and the top marginal tax rate was 91 percent for income over $3 million (adjusted for inflation)?”
I’d love to see just for once a conservative be forced to actually sit down and confront the fact that there was actually a time when top marginal tax rates in this country were above 90%! It’s not a typo.
And this was a time of widespread prosperity in this country the likes of which have never been seen since.
Conservatives simply don’t have an answer for that.
Union
January 31st, 2012
2:16 pm
@ adam.. pick a place..
Thulsa Doom
January 31st, 2012
2:17 pm
“That jobless rate is higher than the rates that contributed to losses by Presidents Jimmy Carter (7.5 percent) and George H.W. Bush (7.4 percent).”
Being the nice guy that I am I just thought I would point that out again for anyone that may have missed it. You’re welcome in advance. Doomy.
Adam
January 31st, 2012
2:17 pm
Thulsa: Gawd the libs make some really dumb points.
I have SEEN THE LIGHT! Let’s just make all our labor laws go away, and let the magic of the free market solve this for us! After all, if the rest of the world survives on less than $2 a day, SO CAN WE, AmIRite! Who’s with me?!?!
Filter
January 31st, 2012
2:17 pm
Thulsa,
So as long as you pay them enough you can do anything you want to workers. Does that about sum it up?
md
January 31st, 2012
2:18 pm
“They don’t HAVE to. The reason they don’t have the money to pay for it is because of the economy, reducing their overall revenue intake. While that is improving, they could ASK for a little temporary boost.”
You seem to be living in some alternate reality……..do you have any clue as to how much the States have had to cut back? Yes, the recession has forced them to cut…..and maybe, just maybe if the economy does rebound they can get back to where they were……..which DIDN’T include an indefinite cost for a hc program forced onto them.
ragnar danneskjold
January 31st, 2012
2:19 pm
Dear Welcome @ 11:02, I partially agree with you. The total collapse of the US economy in October 1979 compelled Mr. Peanut to reverse course and to depose his hand-chosen Fed Chairman, G. William Miller. Perhaps we can agree that Paul Volcker did not sound like any of the democrats of today; he was more like Henry Morgantheau, Jr..
Of course merely putting in a competent manager for the monetary policy did nothing to moderate the Congress, and fiscal policy remained hard-Keynesian. Agree that it was buried in Nov 1980, but the leftists dug it up and that Zombie destroyed the Obama administration under the code name Stimulus.
Kamchak
January 31st, 2012
2:19 pm
HOLY CRAP!
The birther thread is still going
ragnar danneskjold
January 31st, 2012
2:20 pm
Dear Welcome @ 11:03, I would assert that Reaganomics aka “trickle down economics” works only when it is tried.
Thulsa Doom
January 31st, 2012
2:20 pm
“The CBO study also predicts modest economic growth of 2 percent this year and forecasts that the unemployment rate will be 8.9 percent on Election Day.”
I can just see the Obama sloganeering machine 4 years into his presidency with their 2012 slogan. Instead of “Yes. We can!” or “Change you can believe in!” its going to be “Its still W’s fault! Really.It is!”
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
January 31st, 2012
2:21 pm
Was killing Bin Laden a political decision?
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/joe-biden-advised-against-the-osama-bin-laden-raid/
The money shot left out of the HuffPo story.
“He knew what was at stake, not just the lives of those brave warriors, but literally the presidency,” Biden said.
Adam
January 31st, 2012
2:21 pm
ragnar: Dear Welcome @ 11:03, I would assert that Reaganomics aka “trickle down economics” works only when it is tried.
It was tried. And you’re right, it worked. Just not as advertised.
Aquagirl
January 31st, 2012
2:21 pm
I’ve always had a weakness for women with tridents.
Yeah, they all say that before they wimp out and run.
St Simons - codewords are the new black
January 31st, 2012
2:23 pm
Even Rasmussen has…..
well- I nevah thought I’d see pron on the AJC, even if it IS wingnut pron
I feel faint
JOE Cool (I'm Voting 2x or 3x For MESSIAH OBAMA)
January 31st, 2012
2:23 pm
“The birther thread is still going”
which one?
md
January 31st, 2012
2:24 pm
“I have SEEN THE LIGHT! Let’s just make all our labor laws go away, and let the magic of the free market solve this for us! After all, if the rest of the world survives on less than $2 a day, SO CAN WE, AmIRite! Who’s with me?!?!”
Unfortunately, one could probably shine that light straight into your eyes and you wouldn’t see it.
Labor, as a fixed cost is a detriment to selling on the world market………so yes, the free market is already solving the problem……..and WE were the problem……for the others in the world.
Now, thanks to our and other more developed countries buying habits, are funneling money to the lesser parts of the world that aren’t as spoiled as we are………….
WE are buying ourselves out of jobs…………
Kamchak
January 31st, 2012
2:25 pm
JOE Cool
The one Jay started on the 27th
http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/01/27/some-cold-water-on-overheated-birther-mania/?cp=15
Matti
January 31st, 2012
2:26 pm
I wonder what the BUZZARDS under the Gold Dome are doing today. Whatever it is, it’s for their own personal enrichment, and will end up costing us in one way or another. Is anyone on top of this?
Newt's divorce lawyer...........still working
January 31st, 2012
2:26 pm
Breaking News Tea Party groupies,
Herman Cain has decided to support Newt 100%. He said it, coming out of his own mouth. I, Herman Cain, supports massa Newt 100%……….
Mick
January 31st, 2012
2:29 pm
jay
How dare you equate paying more taxes with helping out this country? Don’t you realize that higher taxes like they had during the kennedy era will solidify us as a socialist nanny state? The nerve of you!!
md
January 31st, 2012
2:29 pm
Or, to the rest of the world, WE are the 1%……….
What a bitch huh……….
They BOTH sucked
January 31st, 2012
2:30 pm
“In a presidential election year, the unemployment trend can be more important to an incumbent’s chances than the unemployment rate.
Going back to 1956 no incumbent president has lost when unemployment fell over the two years leading up to the election. And none has won when it rose.”
Place your bets
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
January 31st, 2012
2:30 pm
ByteMe
January 31st, 2012
10:37 am
Rick Sanitorium
You should just use this instead:
How about letting people know when your links are NSFW
Tom(Independent)
January 31st, 2012
2:31 pm
Filter – To me being an Independent means you can vote for either side, Repubs or Democrats. I really do not like Obama’s policies(but think he is a good husband and father), don’t really care about color of his skin? Actually I did like Herman Cain over the two Repubs left, surprising, huh! As for Repubs, don’t think much would change if it was Romney, possibility things would change if it was Newt, because he is such a maverick. Really does not matter much anyway, because he has to have support of House and Senate, which probably will not happen. Finally,I do not like SF’s finest the Honable Princess Nancy Pelosi! Thanks I like a good debate, helps keep my mind sharp at my age!
JOE Cool (I'm Voting 2x or 3x For MESSIAH OBAMA)
January 31st, 2012
2:31 pm
“The one Jay started on the 27th”
sad….smh
Erwin's cat
January 31st, 2012
2:32 pm
Adam – “Personal experience does not trump statistics.”
You are suggesting that you have statistical data that indicates that home values have increased to their pre-collapse values and/or still trending upward?
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
2:35 pm
Tom(Independent) — “Joe Hussein – Not a hippie bud”
You’re the one who wanted to split into two countries. When you realize that the red states consume more tax revenue than they contribute, don’t come crying to me, bud.
“retired, 60+ yrs old, 45 yrs working, military Viet vet, I’ve done enough bud, now it’s your turn.”
Since you don’t know what I’ve done, I’ll just ignore your comment there as it was based in ignorance.
“Being retired I have free time to get on internet, how do you do it.”
Ah, yes, the old ‘you post more than I do so you must not have a JOB’ gambit. Never seen THAT argument on the internet before (laughing)
“Remember Pres John Kennedy( who I actually admired), a Democrat who said “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”! Boy, you Dems have really changed over the years.”
So have the Republicans. I was one for 23 years of my voting life. But not any more.
“Maybe your guy, Barrack Hussein Obama(former Community Organizer) helped change your minds?”
Nope. The GOP did it. To paraphrase Zell Miller, I didn’t leave the GOP. The GOP left me.
They BOTH sucked
January 31st, 2012
2:35 pm
Cain and Palin’s support of Newt should really have the moderates and independents running to the polls in Florida and upcoming states to vote for Newt
“Not meant to be a factual statement”
Mick
January 31st, 2012
2:36 pm
doomy
If you read the polling correctly, most americans still don’t blame obama for this economic mess, they know that he inherited it from the previous guy. The mittsiah has a long, long, way to go before he seals the deal. Your problem is that you and others expect this housing debacle and additional credit cisis to be fixed yesterday, that is not possible. It will take many more years to sort out, no matter who is in the white house…
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
January 31st, 2012
2:37 pm
Erwin’s cat
January 31st, 2012
10:50 am
Adam “And anything that is labeled with his proper last name is seen as evil”
Sorta like the Bush Tax Cuts aka as the Obama extensions?…which you refuse to link to Obama?
Booya!!!
Kamchak
January 31st, 2012
2:37 pm
JOE Cool
Sad?
It’s freakin’ hilarious.
David Farrar has been posting for five days straight that he expects a ruling to go his way.
Once that ruling is made, and I suspect, NOT in his favor, I’m expecting him to run away like Sir Robin.
I suspect that is why Jay has left it open, just to see if David will post after the ruling.
Adam
January 31st, 2012
2:37 pm
Erwin: I am suggesting trending data for the overall economy is “it’s getting better.”
Erwin's cat
January 31st, 2012
2:39 pm
Adam – “No they can’t, they jump off the roof to escape.”
yes, they can…The people on the roof the last time were there because they were losing a spot on the production line..they can leave anytime they want, most do after a couple years…there are thousands lined up behind them waiting for the opportunity to take their place…Ever been to China?…me often, but I know anecdotal experience doesn’t count, so here
http://www.foxconn.com/pic/Foxconn%20SER.pdf
Adam
January 31st, 2012
2:39 pm
That Black guy: Booya!!!
Not so much…
Tom(Independent)
January 31st, 2012
2:40 pm
Jay@2:12 – Since I’m retired, yes a little bit more from life savings(pension & SS, which I paid into trust for 45 yrs). But those who pay no federal income taxes(47-50%)should pay a little, even if it is just $50 a month. Seems fair to me if you want more from retired seniors, everyone should pay something? What about it Jay?
md
January 31st, 2012
2:41 pm
If Butch comes back:
“Overall, the federal government paid 16 percent more in total compensation than it would have if average compensation had been comparable with that in the private sector, after accounting for certain observable characteristics of workers.”
getalife
January 31st, 2012
2:42 pm
tom is a con using con talking points.
Before you cons lose it remember corrupt congress happily gave our President the power to spy, detain and kill Americans.
Just sayin.
Kamchak
January 31st, 2012
2:43 pm
“Overall, the federal government paid 16 percent more in total compensation than it would have if average compensation had been comparable with that in the private sector, after accounting for certain observable characteristics of workers.”
So?
Adam
January 31st, 2012
2:43 pm
md: Sounds like the private sector has some catching up to do.
Yet, what I hear from the right is we need to eliminate minimum wage and work hour restrictions, right to work for less laws everywhere, and the government should fire loads of people and reduce their salaries too.
Why? You guys LIKE slashing pay?
Welcome to the Occupation
January 31st, 2012
2:45 pm
Well said, Adam.
“would assert that Reaganomics aka “trickle down economics” works only when it is tried.
It was tried. And you’re right, it worked. Just not as advertised”
It worked brilliantly to transfer wealth from the middle to the top of the economic ladder. That is its raison d’etre. No more, no less.
Union
January 31st, 2012
2:46 pm
“At first glance, it looks good, because it’s the 10th straight quarter of economic growth,” Chad Stone, chief economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities,. “But there’s an awful lot to be concerned about when you dig into the numbers.”
translation.. show shiny things to the less informed and they will just follow what you say..
Kamchak
January 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
translation.. show shiny things to the less informed and they will just follow what you say..
Yep, the smoking gun is the mushroom cloud.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
Kamchak — “David Farrar has been posting for five days straight that he expects a ruling to go his way.”
David Farrar is a well-known and long-winded denizen of many political websites. I’ve tangled with him on Talking Points Memo in the past. He’s a retired court reporter, and he seems to think that that makes him some sort of legal sage, but he’s remarkably impervious to any reasoning or argument that opposes his own. He’s not really nasty about it, just incredibly hard-headed.
He’s kinda fun to toy with for a while, but when you start scoring points on him, he tends to stop replying to you. I strongly suspect that the voices in his head tell him to SHUN THE UNBELIEVER once things get to that point.
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
January 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
Newt’s divorce lawyer………..still working
January 31st, 2012
11:13 am
“remember the 2 false wars”
My brothers and sisters who came back missing arms and legs and LIFE didn’t think they were “false wars”. They didn’t think they were false bullets that tore into them or false IED’s that blew them apart.
FDA!
md
January 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
“So?”
Might take awhile, but at some point in time, folks working in the private sector (and losing jobs) will realize that they are funding the salaries of others at a rate of 15% greater than their own……….
Eventually, they’ll catch on……
Erwin's cat
January 31st, 2012
2:49 pm
Adam – “I am suggesting trending data for the overall economy is “it’s getting better.”
Not that I disagree, but it’s too early to tell….not enough data yet to determine a trend of any kind.
Kamchak
January 31st, 2012
2:50 pm
Joe Hussein Mama
Two days ago he said that he was done with that absurd thread.
getalife
January 31st, 2012
2:50 pm
sanitarium’s reverend played the Mormon card on CNN.
Played the race and gay card too.
A full house of crazy.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
January 31st, 2012
2:50 pm
HOLY CRAP!
The birther thread is still going
Well, it would stop if this Obama would just do the right thing: Get on national TV and say “I’m resigning because I’m a GD foreigner and I got no business being President. So turn this sucker over to a REAL American.”
But he probly won’t.
Adam
January 31st, 2012
2:51 pm
translation.. show shiny things to the less informed and they will just follow what you say..
I seem to remember something about how businesses need “confidence”…. If that’s all it takes, what’s wrong with a little optimism?
Tom(Independent)
January 31st, 2012
2:51 pm
Joe Hussein – Once again, I’m not a GOP guy nor a Democrat guy!! I will just have to select the lesser of two evils in 2012?
Union
January 31st, 2012
2:52 pm
@ adam.. yep.. we need to all join the union march like obama would like us too.. wisconsin made some changes.. the unions said jobs were going to be lost.. benefits gone.. low and behold.. the unions were wrong.. the state is in a better financial position to offer more services to all of it residents.. that has not stopped the unions from spending millions and millions of middle class employees money to say “scr@w” the people.. its all about us..
@ kamchak.. whats up… sport…
md
January 31st, 2012
2:52 pm
“Yet, what I hear from the right is we need to eliminate minimum wage and work hour restrictions, right to work for less laws everywhere, and the government should fire loads of people and reduce their salaries too.”
Still don’t get it do you? The market WILL dictate the outcome…….so it really doesn’t matter if we leave it all alone.
We have masses of people buying based strictly on price……..a price we can’t touch…….
Why do you think the auto industry took such a hit back in the 60’s and 70’s? How do you think Toyota became the #1 seller in this country?
Hint……we put them there.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
2:52 pm
Kamchak — “Two days ago he said that he was done with that absurd thread.”
He rarely acts on that when he says it. If you keep responding to him, he’ll keep coming back (so long as he thinks he still has an argument). It’s almost like a compulsion with the guy. He also seems to post at pretty much any hour of the day or night, which I guess you can do when you’re retired.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
2:54 pm
Tom(Independent) — “Joe Hussein – Once again, I’m not a GOP guy nor a Democrat guy!! I will just have to select the lesser of two evils in 2012?”
Shrug. You certainly *talk* like a Republican, and I should know. I was a party member for ~20 years.
Adam
January 31st, 2012
2:54 pm
Union: wisconsin made some changes.. the unions said jobs were going to be lost.. benefits gone.. low and behold.. the unions were wrong
Wow. Talk about being incorrect. I am so sure you have statistics and data to back up what you’re saying here.
They BOTH sucked
January 31st, 2012
2:54 pm
Union
“translation.. show shiny things to the less informed and they will just follow what you say..”
Are you saying that Obama is attempting to use Bush’s play book from 04?
Kamchak
January 31st, 2012
2:55 pm
Might take awhile, but at some point in time, folks working in the private sector (and losing jobs) will realize that they are funding the salaries of others at a rate of 15% greater than their own……….
Eventually, they’ll catch on……
And you gleaned this bit of prognostication, how?
Ouija board?
Tea leaves?
Tarot cards?
Crystal ball?
Tom(Independent)
January 31st, 2012
2:56 pm
Get a Life@2:42 – Remember, country is 35% Democrats, 25% Repubs and 40% Independents! That is factual, we Independents usually decide who wins. Isn’t it true most (Indepts) are conservatives?
Welcome to the Occupation
January 31st, 2012
2:57 pm
By the way ragnar, on this point:
“Of course merely putting in a competent manager for the monetary policy did nothing to moderate the Congress, and fiscal policy remained hard-Keynesian”
We cannot overlook, however, the fact that what Reagan introduced in the place of Keynesianism were budget deficits largely through military spending. So in a sense, Keynesianism lived on, just a vampire version, or Keynesianism set on its head because now the financial class was made the main priority instead of full employment (the whole point from Reagan on was to keep unemployment at sufficiently high levels to discipline labor).
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
2:58 pm
md — “Why do you think the auto industry took such a hit back in the 60’s and 70’s? How do you think Toyota became the #1 seller in this country?”
Cheap, economical and reliable Japanese imports versus costly, inefficient and clunky American models?
You can’t blame unions for automakers making cars the American public didn’t want. Management, designers and engineers decided what sorts of cars would be made. The unions just put the stuff together.
Read Ben Hamper’s “Rivethead: Tales From The Assembly Line” for a humorous but depressing account of life as an auto worker in the 1970s and 80s.
Kamchak
January 31st, 2012
2:58 pm
Joe Hussein Mama
When is the ruling expected in the birther case?
Will David sack up and admit he didn’t really stand a chance?
Who’s taking the action on that bet?
Tom(Independent)
January 31st, 2012
2:59 pm
Change of topic for a moment – Listening to Filter and AquaGirl, thought I might be on dating channel!
md
January 31st, 2012
2:59 pm
“And you gleaned this bit of prognostication, how?”
Historical trends……after all, we are talking about people’s money……..one of the few things they really care about.
Sure, it’s a prediction/opinion/whateveryouwantotcallit, but folks do eventually figure it out when it is their money they aren’t getting…………
JOE Cool (I'm Voting 2x or 3x For MESSIAH OBAMA)
January 31st, 2012
3:00 pm
Poor Tom ask a lot of questions, but doesnt answer them.
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
January 31st, 2012
3:00 pm
Doggone/GA
January 31st, 2012
11:33 am
“The 2nd reason is the color of his skin, 90+% of black people will vote for the black candidate, no matter what?”
How can you be sure? After all, up until the last Presidential election black people voted 100% for a WHITE candidate
Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Carol M Braun (sp), Alan Keys was “What about the votes we got?”.
Adam
January 31st, 2012
3:03 pm
That Black Guy: Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Carol M Braun (sp), Alan Keys was “What about the votes we got?”.
None of them were the candidate for President.
JOE Cool (I'm Voting 2x or 3x For MESSIAH OBAMA)
January 31st, 2012
3:03 pm
“How can you be sure? After all, up until the last Presidential election black people voted 100% for a WHITE candidate”
You wont get an answer….Tom(DEPENDENT) wont answer.
Filter
January 31st, 2012
3:04 pm
Tom,
I understand what you say. Your words are undercut, however, when you stoop to use unnecessary epithets to refer to others. Kind of like calling the speaker of the House “Honable (sic) Princess Nancy Pelosi” or insisting on using the President’s middle name like some sort of badge of proof that he is somewhat less American than the rest of us. BY doing so you demean your argument and when the targets of such behavior seem invariably to be democrats, you undermine your assertion of independence.
For me independence is equated with objectivity. In my world no one can claim objectivity when they exhibit that they agree or disagree with everything another person, particularly a politician, says. I can name you a number of things on which I agreed with the most recent Bush. I can also tell you a number of things I think that the current President got wrong. It’s about balancing the equities and liabilities. Some people love to say it is a lesser of two equals choice. Not for me. For me it’s about recognition of the humanity of the candidate and the impossibility that I will, with any degree of intellectual honesty, agree or disagree with that candidate on each and every issue.
And if I do I should have the stones to admit to myself and to the world that I have gone from independence to a partisan position.
This is particularly evident in the denunciations of President Bush by the likes of Erik Erikson and Sean Hannity. For eight years they applauded his every move, supported his every action and policy without reservation. But now it’s not uncommon to hear daily dismissals of the man with the caveat “I didn’t support him on this at the time.” The problem is that some people have long and good memories and can remember how the Bush years went, not just how those people want to revise that history now.
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
January 31st, 2012
3:04 pm
spin this, conservatives:
Unless Congress passes new legislation changing the course on spending or taxation — changes that are a distinct possibility — projected deficits would “drop markedly,” a report says.
today’s NYTimes
Erwin's cat
January 31st, 2012
3:05 pm
Adam @3:03 – Jessie ran in ‘84 and ‘88
Adam
January 31st, 2012
3:06 pm
Finn: spin this, conservatives:
<—-*grabs popcorn*
Union
January 31st, 2012
3:06 pm
@ adam…
“The collective-bargaining component of Walker’s plan has yielded especially large financial dividends for school districts. Before the reform, many districts’ annual union contracts required them to buy health insurance from WEA Trust, a nonprofit affiliated with the state’s largest teachers’ union. Once the reform limited collective bargaining to wage negotiations, districts could eliminate that requirement from their contracts and start bidding for health care on the open market. When the Appleton School District put its health-insurance contract up for bid, for instance, WEA Trust suddenly lowered its rates and promised to match any competitor’s price. Appleton will save $3 million during the current school year.”
wow.. toss in that nasty free market concept.. and low and behold the union figures out it can do better by its members.. gee.. and i thought unions were all about the “worker’..
http://www.city-journal.org/2012/22_1_scott-walker.html
Adam
January 31st, 2012
3:06 pm
Erwin: Adam @3:03 – Jessie ran in ‘84 and ‘88
But did not get the nomination in the general election, which is what was being discussed.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
3:06 pm
Kamchak — “When is the ruling expected in the birther case?”
It’s not really a *ruling* as most people think of it. It was an administrative court, so pretty much all it can do is issue an advisory opinion. Secretary of State Kemp can then consider that opinion when he decides how to proceed, but it’s not binding in any way and doesn’t compel or forbid any action on anyone’s part. Farrar does not seem to understand that, and expects that the “ruling,” as he calls it, and which is expected in the next week or two, will unquestionably go his way. He anticipates that the result will be that President Obama won’t be on the GA ballot in November.
We’ve pointed out to him that since Obama’s not expected to win GA anyway (and therefore he’d get no electoral votes from GA anyhow), leaving him off the ballot would accomplish precisely d*ck. But he doesn’t seem to get that. (laughing)
md
January 31st, 2012
3:07 pm
“Cheap, economical and reliable Japanese imports versus costly, inefficient and clunky American models?
You can’t blame unions for automakers making cars the American public didn’t want. Management, designers and engineers decided what sorts of cars would be made. The unions just put the stuff together.”
Actually, some of the blame can go to labor…….even you acknowledge that with the first word “cheap”.
Labor is a big component of price……….and right now, we are way behind (ahead) the rest of the world in that category.
md
January 31st, 2012
3:08 pm
Just one example Adam…..since you asked. And there are more if you care to go look.
“Officials with the Kaukauna Area School District released a statement saying Wisconsin Act 10 will allow administrators to hire more teachers, reduce class sizes and provide more time for individual assistance and student support. Particularly eye-opening was one note that revealed the school district’s operating budget will be at a surplus of $1.5 million, a complete turnaround from the $400,000 it previously expected. Roughly $300,000 of that budget will be earmarked for a merit pay program expected to be implemented over the next school year, said the district.”
Union
January 31st, 2012
3:11 pm
spin this, conservatives:
Unless Congress passes new legislation changing the course on spending or taxation — changes that are a distinct possibility — projected deficits would “drop markedly,” a report says.
today’s NYTimes
whats to spin? you dont cut spending.. you have to raise revenue “taxes” i agree that federal employees should make more in salary and benefits than most americans on average.. they are so highly trained.. or maybe we could spend millions studying mating habits of animals.. or build more bridges to “nowhere”
getalife
January 31st, 2012
3:11 pm
Check this out cons:
http://www.mediaite.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/axelrod-tweet.jpg
Ouch.
Normal
January 31st, 2012
3:11 pm
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
January 31st, 2012
2:48 pm
I know a little bit about “false wars” too having served three tours in Viet Nam and I agree that when the bullets fly it becomes very real…but having said that, I believe the term “false war” being used here means undeclared wars. To me, and this is my own personal opinion so take it as you will, a false war OR police action is the height of political cowardice. If we are going to send our children to fight, the least we can do is declare war, restart the draft, and give all the tools necessary for our kids to fight. Get in, kick a$$ and come home. “False wars are a waste of good American lives and never have a satisfying ending…
Erwin's cat
January 31st, 2012
3:12 pm
“But did not get the nomination in the general election, which is what was being discussed.”
you said candidate w/o a qualifier …and he lost in the primary if he was still in the race by then…he never made it to the general…I don’t mean to pick on ya as much as I’m trying to keep the conversation honest…like the working Chinese that can resign from FoxConn anytime they want.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
January 31st, 2012
3:12 pm
Well, what I’d like to know is, when’s the rest of us going to get a peek at Aquagirl’s trident?
Tom(Independent)
January 31st, 2012
3:14 pm
After today’s postings, I kinda feel like General Custer at the Little Big Horn! An Independent surrounded by a horde of Liberals, help. Any more Independents out there? Need calvary help?
Doggone/GA
January 31st, 2012
3:14 pm
“Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Carol M Braun (sp), Alan Keys was “What about the votes we got?”.”
Gee, I must have missed the years they won their party’s nominations for President. Enlighten me…when did that happen?
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
3:15 pm
md — “Actually, some of the blame can go to labor…….even you acknowledge that with the first word “cheap”.
I disagree. I was thinking cheap in terms of vehicle quality as well. Did you ever drive a late-60s or 70s Japanese import? Don’t hit a pothole; you’d swear all the body panels were going to fall off.
There’s a distinction between a “value” car and a “cheap” car. Volkswagen has long been noted for “value,” but of late, sales have suffered due to a perception that their products are “cheap” and don’t represent value any longer.
Low price alone isn’t a determinant of value or cheapness. Price versus value is. A Scion xB is a value car, inexpensive yet reliable and with a number of valuable standard inclusions (and a limited list of add-ons). A lower-end Volkswagen is about the same price, but looks and feels *cheap.*
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
3:17 pm
Tom (Independent) — “Need calvary help?”
That’s *cavalry,* sport.
Doggone/GA
January 31st, 2012
3:18 pm
“That’s *cavalry,* sport”
Well, yeah…but Calvary might help too!
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
3:19 pm
For those interested, here’s the “Rivethead” link from Amazon. You can read a few pages for free; I recommend the Prologue as it gives a nice taste of what’s to come.
For an autoworker, this Ben Hamper fellow writes *extremely* well. I think he missed his calling.
http://www.amazon.com/Rivethead-Tales-Assembly-Ben-Hamper/dp/0446394009#_
md
January 31st, 2012
3:19 pm
Fact is Joe……those cars came in “cheap”/more affordable/whatever……and that is why they sold.
No different than the success Walamrt is currently having with “cheap” imported goods……
This country has a habit of buying according to price………..to our detriment.
St Simons - codewords are the new black
January 31st, 2012
3:19 pm
In a related story, a recent Rasmussen poll on Fox confirms
that the Earth is flat and the Sun revolves around it, contradicting
the liberal-Democrat-scientist conspiracy.
getalife
January 31st, 2012
3:20 pm
Many republicans call themselves Independents.
They have shame for the gop.
Yet, they use their talking points.
They are still republicans.
JKL2
January 31st, 2012
3:20 pm
joe mama- n short, they fear that african-americans think as poorly of them as they think of african-americans
Nice! Trying to beat a stereotype with another stereotype. No wonder all this race crap is so popular down here.
Newt's divorce lawyer...........still working
January 31st, 2012
3:20 pm
YOUR party SUCKS! But MINE is GRRRRRREAT! (formerly That Black Guy)
January 31st, 2012
3:00 pm
Doggone/GA
January 31st, 2012
11:33 am
“The 2nd reason is the color of his skin, 90+% of black people will vote for the black candidate, no matter what?”
How can you be sure? After all, up until the last Presidential election black people voted 100% for a WHITE candidate
Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Carol M Braun (sp), Alan Keys was “What about the votes we got?”.
You stand corrected, those individuals tried to seek the presidential nomination but was NOT elected by their party. History lesson
By the way, “2 false wars”……..the reason for the war was WMD’s, it was never justified or confirmed, 2 false wars. Sorry for your lovesones but I lost a best friend and a brother in that unjustified WAR. So yes, 2 false wars and it was WRONG, can’t blame President Obama, that came from the villiage idiot in texas
Joe Hussein Mama
January 31st, 2012
3:22 pm
md — “Fact is Joe……those cars came in “cheap”/more affordable/whatever……and that is why they sold.”
Shrug. If you’re solely motivated by price, don’t be surprised if you get a substandard product. You have to do your homework to get a good price attached to a value product.