On election night, a reality check looms for someone
The multiplicity of modern media has made it possible to create worlds within worlds, realities within realities. You can, for example, choose a reality in which Barack Obama is up by 3.5 percentage points, with an 80 percent chance of being re-elected, or you can choose to live in a competing reality in which “unskewed” polling reports the happy news that Mitt Romney is actually up almost eight points in national polls.
However, a time will always arrive when your created reality must be “trued up” against actual reality. You can delay that moment, you can dodge that moment, but eventually it must come. Media technology, with all of its magic, has not yet created a work-around to that harsh exercise.
In the runup to the Iraq War, for example, the Bush administration created a reality in which Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, American forces would be greeted as liberators, ethnic differences in Iraq were of little consequence and the invasion would more or less pay for itself. Actual reality proved to be quite a bit different, but it took several agonizing years for our leaders to admit just how delusional their created reality had been, and to realign their policies accordingly.
Election days also have a way of realigning created realities to actual reality. On the evening of Nov. 6, we will not only have an answer to whether the polls or the “unskewed polls” had proved more accurate, we will learn a lot more about the American people as well. Each political party entered this campaign season confident that it had the backing of the majority of Americans; each believed that its message was more true to American values and more responsive to America’s needs.
The election is going to tell us which reality was correct, and which is in need of alteration.
In my own personal created reality — and given human limitations and our imperfect understanding of the world, we all live in created realities of varying accuracies — Barack Obama should and probably will be re-elected. In my reality, those conservatives who have been pouring into movie theaters to see “2016: Obama’s America” may have to come to grips on Election Night with the fact that a majority of their fellow Americans simply do not see the world as they do, that in fact they, not the president and his supporters, are the minority that is out of touch with the American mainstream.
I understand that would not be easy to accept, and that most will employ any means available to avoid doing so. The process is already underway and is easily observable. For example, the claim that current polls are biased against conservatives is at root a defense mechanism that allows them to deny in public, and for a while, an outcome that many of them in private now fear to be looming.
And should that argument fail, fear not, because this is a defense in layers. Conservatives are already preparing a fallback defense blaming their loss on the media. Beyond that they have prepared a defense in which they blame it on Mitt Romney, and beyond that on the Republican establishment that forced the selection of Romney on a party base that knew better.
All of those layers of psychic defense are designed to defend the inner sanctum, the holy of holies. Whatever happens, blame must not be allowed to fall on the conservative message. Blame it on those selected to spread the message, blame it on those who distorted the message, blame it on those too stupid to appreciate the message, but whatever happens, do not blame it on the message.
Because if the message is wrong, it forces a readjustment to reality that is too painful to be considered.
Read, for example, Erick Erickson, the CNN analyst and Redstate.com founder:
“There are a lot of elitist Republicans who have spent several years telling us Mitt Romney was the only electable Republican. Because the opinion makers and news media these elitists hang out with have concluded Romney will not win, the elitists are in full on panic mode. They conspired to shut out others, tear down others, and prop up Romney with the electability argument. He is now not winning against the second coming of Jimmy Carter. They know there will be many conservatives, should Mitt Romney lose, who will not be satisfied until every bridge is burned with these jerks, hopefully with the elitist jerks tied to the bridge as it burns.”
Read his conservative colleague, Ben Domenech:
“There will be very negative consequences for a Romney loss for the power of center-right elites who are largely viewed as foisting him on the base despite the latter’s objections. A Romney loss almost certainly pushes the 2016 nominee rightward, and I doubt the megaphones will be powerful enough to frame the 2012 contest, as they did in 2008, as one where the conservative Veep choice dragged down the ticket.
“Like it or not, the money and opinion elites on the center-right own Romney’s failure from the perspective of the base — they need him to win. And the reality is that if Romney loses, it will have little if anything to do with Paul Ryan’s big ideas, tactical choices, or elite misgivings — and far more to do with the simple fact that Romney is still disliked by most voters.”
Both men insist — and on this they are correct — that the battle is not yet lost. There is still time — barely — to turn the race around, although at this point something major would have to happen to do so. I have yet to see such anguished handwringing from anyone on the left, which tells you something.
The thrust of the argument from Erickson, Domenech and many others is equally telling: Should we fail, our failure can be explained only by the fact that our movement has been insufficiently pure, that our message is insufficiently pure, and that we ourselves have been insufficiently pure. Move farther right, ever farther right, for there lies true salvation.
From my version of reality, that response dooms you to perpetual minority status. From theirs, it represents pursuit of the true faith. And one of those realities is very very wrong.
– Jay Bookman
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1,181 comments Add your comment
Child, please
September 26th, 2012
10:37 pm
Dying to know why you believe President Obama “deserves” to be reelected? Did President Carter? Or is this the fact that you believe a President who has probably rated about a “D” on his Presidential report card is running against someone you believe will earn an “F”?
JamVet
September 26th, 2012
10:37 pm
It’s not that difficult to understand.
True. For those of us who are not intellectually bankrupt.
You however, seem to be flailing around very badly on the topic!
Christianity is not a religion.
A real optical phenomenon is not real.
What next?
Keep going, this is getting better all the time!
JamVet
September 26th, 2012
10:39 pm
Did President
CarterBush?Please explain.
Since you voted for him.
Twice.
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
10:40 pm
“Your thinking did a heck of a job under w.”
W was light in the thinking department.
But libs only want to count the bad things, not the good.
If Obama had passed Medicare Part D, they’d be praising it endlessly.
Since W did it, the roast him for it.
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
10:43 pm
“Christianity is not a religion.”
I’m guessing that at least a few hundred million people would disagree with you.
Good thing we have free speech in America.
In Egypt, you’d be headed to the chopping block.
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
10:44 pm
““With wages, pensions and healthcare under threat, protesters flood the streets of Athens”
That would never happen here, right? I mean, we’re the greatest country in the world, the strongest, the wealthiest and Greece has never been….
ummmm…..never mind…
JamVet
September 26th, 2012
10:46 pm
Jm (not a con),
LOL!
Take it up with Scout. He’s the one with his own private dictionary of made up definitions whereby religions are not religions. (Seriously)
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
10:46 pm
JamVet, just another example of how the democrat party has been overthrown by athiest, socialists, and communists. I wonder if the few Christians left in the party will ever wake up and figure out the others actually hate their religion and their God??
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
10:48 pm
Jamvet
My private dictionary says:
Religion is what you make of it and to each his own. Just don’t kill someone else over it.
JamVet
September 26th, 2012
10:50 pm
RB, you didn’t get the news?!
McCarthyism died a shameful and horrific death sixty years ago. Maybe you should find some other “non-commie” way to embarrass yourself!
Besides, us Hebes really don’t care about your religious nuttiness and intolerance now that we helped take that power away from you…
JamVet
September 26th, 2012
10:53 pm
Just don’t kill someone else over it.
Tell that primarily to our “conservative” Christians and Muslims. My tribe is pretty much down with that philosophy…
Cause you’re not praying to me, you’re praying to yourself
And you’re not worshipping me you’re worshipping yourself
And you will kill in my name and heaven knows what else
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djc6dldCk3U
getalife
September 26th, 2012
10:54 pm
cons screw everything up including religion.
After this thumpin, it is time to stop deflecting blame and take a good hard look at yourselves, your ideology, your politicians and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
10:56 pm
Jammie, you walk like a duck and talk like a duck, so guess what, Jammie, you’re a duck commrad. Keep spewing the hate, man, you’ve got a chance of it never coming back to haunt you. Good luck with it.
double
September 26th, 2012
10:58 pm
The loser in this election,just may be the winner.
bman.
September 26th, 2012
11:01 pm
“The loser in this election,just may be the winner.”
is that the latest Biden quote?
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
11:02 pm
“After this thumpin, it is time to stop deflecting blame and take a good hard look at yourselves, your ideology, your politicians and the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
Tell us, did you do that after the last election, cause if memory serves me (and every other sane person who’s actually paying attention), you’re team got it’s arse handed to it in the last general election and most of the minor ones since.
Ahem
September 26th, 2012
11:02 pm
States can break away after the next collapse so the South will be another country
Don’t hastily dismiss the plausibility of another civil war coming to America sometime within the next decade or two. It almost seems inevitable. The Founderclass versus the Moocherclass.
Just Saying..
September 26th, 2012
11:05 pm
JaySeptember 26th, 2012-2:15 pm
See ya election night, Michael!
One way or the other, right?
Oh, Michael G. will show up.
Bet you $10,000…
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
11:05 pm
RB 11:02
JamVet
September 26th, 2012
11:06 pm
RB, it’s a free country and you are free to make an ass out of yourself all day and half the night!
In spite of what that disgraced moron, Alan West says, there are not 80 something commies in the US Congress.
And there sure as hell ain’t any in Doraville!
Talk about stuck on 1950s stupid.
But the really good news?
This time you paranoid freaks DON’T get to ruin countless innocent lives with your insane witch hunts like last time.
Sucks to be you, huh?
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
11:07 pm
Ahem 11:02
I would elect to be south of the border
But I would on occasion enjoy travel to the north
G Mare
September 26th, 2012
11:09 pm
I have pretty much stayed out of this topic as I think not much good can come of it but Ahem @ 11:42, wow, you seriously believe that? Really, really scary!
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
11:09 pm
Doraville has commies? 8-0
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
11:11 pm
Is G mare on Bermuda time?
How did 11:42 already happen?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 26th, 2012
11:11 pm
JamVet:
“A real optical phenomenon is not real.”
Sure it is ………… it’s real ……… you “see” it ……… it’s just not THE sun.
The sun itself is still below the horizon.
Two different categories ………. one a “real” mirage ……. the other the “real” sun.
As I said, it’s not that difficult to understand.
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
11:11 pm
I’m not talking about anybody in congress, Jammie, I’m talking about YOU and nobody but you. Better red than dead still your motto?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 26th, 2012
11:13 pm
TAPS !
The “real” sun will be up in the morning.
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
11:13 pm
Scout 11:11
Want to really low your brains out? (metaphorically)
Read this
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-09/book-excerpt-there-no-such-thing-time
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
11:15 pm
Atlanta should turn the lights out at night.
So people can see the stars. Just MO.
JamVet
September 26th, 2012
11:15 pm
Doraville has commies?
According to the Red Scared numbnuts in the bordering county, they do!
I must be one helluva strange commie, though.
Unlike him, I raised my right hand and said these words:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYX4peMHdMY
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
11:16 pm
And with that, lights out for me as well.
Dormez vous….
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
11:18 pm
I know Jammie, and OJ said he didn’t do it too.
Are you gonna drop a “never served, never will” line on me now?
Your service is appreciated. Your attitude isn’t. It stinks.
Old Goober
September 26th, 2012
11:21 pm
It ought to get really interesting after the election, regardless of the election outcome. Without any legislative action before January 1
1. the Bush tax cuts expire.
2. the AMT waiver expires
3. the estate tax floor reverts
And then there are the issues of funding of Obamacare and raising the national debt ceiling. The game of chicken ought to get pretty intense.
And if the Democrats do retain control of the Senate, it will be interesting to see whether Harry Reid will follow through with his vow to change the filibuster rule.
JamVet
September 26th, 2012
11:22 pm
Your service is appreciated.
No it isn’t.
Just more empty, meaningless words.
Sweet dreams and support the troops…
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
11:23 pm
Old Goober, “1. the Bush tax cuts expire.”
The tax rates enacted by Bush have already expired. The current rates were signed into law by Obama. At least assign them to the President who signed them….
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
11:31 pm
“Just more empty, meaningless words.”
Pretty much describes everything you post here, Jammie,
And I’d bet my dad who served and my son who is currently serving would disagree with you, Jammie. I know that’s not good enough to meet the stupid “I served and you didn’t” routine you toss at every person in this country on an almost daily basis, but you need to learn to say “thank you” and show some honor. Your schtick is demeaning to everyone who has worn the uniform.
Ahem
September 26th, 2012
11:32 pm
Jm (not a con)
September 26th, 2012
11:07 pm
Ahem 11:02
I would elect to be south of the border
But I would on occasion enjoy travel to the north
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I wouldn’t anticipate anything as clear as “north and south”.
I can imagine a mix that could see CA; OR; WA and some NE states going one way and the more conservative and self-reliant areas banding together. Think about the southern border states aligning with the “flyover” states and the “deep south” to enforce lawful immigration as an one example.
G Mare
September 26th, 2012
11:35 pm
Oh screw you. You know I meant 11:02.
RB from Gwinnett
September 26th, 2012
11:38 pm
Ahem, in your model, are the NE and California liberals considered immigrants requiring a visa to enter? They do have a tendency to hang on the producers like leeches, you know…
G Mare
September 26th, 2012
11:42 pm
Jay, sorry if I violated polite discourse with my last comment. I won’t attempt to justify, except to say sometimes one just can’t help calling out stupid & nasty.
Oscar
September 26th, 2012
11:43 pm
the more conservative and self-reliant areas banding together
______
Those states are the ones that receive more money back from the fed. govt. then they send in.
Does not seem self reliant to me. Sounds like broke and dependent with no sustainable economy.
Ahem
September 26th, 2012
11:45 pm
Well, if nothing else, one might decide to consider them “ill-informed” or “willful idiots”.
Oscar
September 26th, 2012
11:45 pm
G Mare
_____
Don’t like rude behavior either.
getalife
September 26th, 2012
11:46 pm
civil war?
How will you get the cons from under their beds to fight?
They are scared of everything.
Ahem
September 26th, 2012
11:47 pm
Oscar
September 26th, 2012
11:43 pm
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Are you nothing more than a little statue coveted by the self-absorbed?!?
Ahem
September 26th, 2012
11:48 pm
getalife
September 26th, 2012
11:46 pm
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don’t have a stroke
getalife
September 26th, 2012
11:51 pm
ahem,
Already had one.
Oscar
September 26th, 2012
11:53 pm
Olivia Newton John’s birthday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJpyG3PXoKw
Oscar
September 26th, 2012
11:55 pm
Already had one.
________
Take an aspirin every day.
G Mare
September 26th, 2012
11:55 pm
Hi, Oscar. Must confess I am a little “testy.” The dreaded colonoscopy looms on Friday & liquid diet start in 6 minutes. Sigh!
Oscar
September 26th, 2012
11:59 pm
Are you nothing more than a little statue coveted by the self-absorbed?!?
-
Could be. Or sometimes a grouch or a weiner.
Oscar
September 27th, 2012
12:01 am
G Mare
_____
I always did better if I pretended I was eating somethine, like jello, than drinking a liquid, which the stuff was not very liquid.
Good luck on your test. The worst part is the thinking about it. And the diet.
getalife
September 27th, 2012
12:01 am
Oscar,
I take a blood thinner coumadin.
getalife
September 27th, 2012
12:03 am
Oscar,
Did they give you meds to relax before the test?
Before open heart surgery, the ER nurse saw that I was nervous and gave me a shot of atavan.
rick
September 27th, 2012
12:04 am
This guy is not too bright, as evidenced by his worn out liberal montra regarding WNDs in Iraq. He conveniently (or ignorantly) fials to mention the current concern of said weapons in potential play in Syrria’s problems. Signature “Dan Rather”, White Guilt twit. Ho-hum…
Oscar
September 27th, 2012
12:29 am
Did they give you meds to relax before the test?
______
They give me an IV which in the past was part Valium. I don’t know what they use now, but whatever it is, it relaxes me and I generally go to sleep during the procedure. Same thing when I had eye surgery, detached retina, back in the 90s.
Had the procedure last winter and stayed awake but was very relaxed and could see what the doctor saw on a monitor. Pretty boring and didn’t watch most of it. Like going through a long cave or tunnel.
Dashinkashayla
September 27th, 2012
1:09 am
“And should that argument fail, fear not, because this is a defense in layers. Conservatives are already preparing a fallback defense blaming their loss on the media. Beyond that they have prepared a defense in which they blame it on Mitt Romney, and beyond that on the Republican establishment that forced the selection of Romney on a party base that knew better…”
And if all those fail we will blame the inability to get photo IDs for keeping us away from the polls.
Kujohn
September 27th, 2012
2:18 am
Republicans should prepare For a massive blowout gonna be hard for for the all white older party to win back the white house for several decades On the verge of being taken over by the teabagger s who are openly racist an bigoted Prepare too be a very angry minority group in a country of minority’s RIP
Bobby
September 27th, 2012
3:57 am
Jay, I truly hope you are crushed by the defeat of Obama in Nov….
U.S. actress sues anti-Islam filmmaker, YouTube in federal court
September 27th, 2012
5:00 am
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – An actress who said she was duped into appearing in an anti-Islam film that stoked violent protests across the Muslim world took her legal bid to federal court on Wednesday in a renewed effort to force it off YouTube.
The lawsuit filed by Cindy Lee Garcia names the popular online video site YouTube and its parent company Google Inc. as defendants, along with the Egyptian-American Coptic Christian from California believed to be behind the making of the film.
Last week, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied Garcia’s request for a temporary restraining order that would have required YouTube to stop posting the crudely made 13-minute video, finding the actress was unlikely to prevail on the merits of her case in state court.
http://news.yahoo.com/u-actress-sues-anti-islam-filmmaker-youtube-federal-050220346.html
seabeau
September 27th, 2012
5:26 am
Jay , I think you need to google “April Glaspie”,Bill Clintons amb. to Iraq. for thr real reason for Sadams incursion into Kuwait!
seabeau
September 27th, 2012
5:47 am
Plus we know WMD were used against the Kurds! Some made it to Syria,but the majority were found in Iraq. Why no disclosure? Stamped upon them were the marking of the united states army! Sadam wanted nukes to use against Iran when his war didn’t go the way he wished,but instead WE gave him Gas!!
stands for decibels - race traitor
September 27th, 2012
5:57 am
Mornin’.
Just for everyone’s amusement, I happened upon this collection of jingle-driven Presidential campaign ads, going back a few years (to Adlai and Ike). They promise a Part 2 tomorrow…
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/blogs/lodown/2012/sep/26/incomplete-collection-campaign-jingles-part-1/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+%24{lopate}+%28%24{Leonard+Lopate}%29&utm_content=%24{feed}
Tundra Dude
September 27th, 2012
6:04 am
I think you need to google “April Glaspie”,Bill Clintons amb. to Iraq. for the real reason for Saddams incursion into Kuwait!
I think you need more practice googling……
This incident occurred in July, 1990. Your assignment is to discover who was the US president at that time.
middle of the road
September 27th, 2012
6:32 am
The problem with government is not with the President, but with the Congress. The President can only sign bills that Congress passes.
And the problem with Congress is that it is too politically divided. What we need is a strong Independent party. That way the two main parties have some competition. And when one party or the other in Congress wants to pass a bill, all they have to do is convince the Independents to vote their way. If it is a good bill it will pass. Not like today when one party or the other holds up legislation just for political gain!
marko
September 27th, 2012
6:37 am
With millions out of work, and an infrastructure in desperate need of repair, it would seem to be prudent to put a few people back to work repairing our deteriorating roads, bridges and schools. Yet as I listen to Romney, I’m lead to believe that what America really needs is more defense spending ,and tax cuts for the job creators. After all hasn’t that proved to be a winning strategy in the past?
Don’t trust the liberal media.
Don’t trust the liberal scientist.
Don’t trust the liberal pollsters
Don’t trust liberal philosophies like arithmetic.
Why should they surrender to the forces of reality? Haven’t they always been right before?
Joel Edge
September 27th, 2012
6:52 am
“I have yet to see such anguished handwringing from anyone on the left”
And you won’t, Jay. Liberal Democrats have no doubts about their positions and beliefs. There is very little dissent allowed in the liberal world. Which makes it much more funny when reality intrudes. From the Reagan election to the 2010 disaster. How’s that “40 more years” working for ya?
Of course; we weren’t happy with Romney. We were even less happy with McCain.
Jay's true reality!!!
September 27th, 2012
6:52 am
From each according to his ability, to each according to his need (or needs).
Fred ™
September 27th, 2012
7:04 am
Jay’s true reality!!!
September 27th, 2012
6:52 am
From each according to his ability, to each according to his need (or needs).
++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks Neal. Tell Belinda Hi. Glad you only have a few more weeks left……..
Our unfortunate reality...
September 27th, 2012
7:07 am
Unfortunately Obama has and continues to do a great job of getting as many people possible dependent on government and there is no way those folks can see him go. His only message to his lemmings is get out there and vote to get someone else’s money!!!
What can Romney say that would change their minds?
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
7:14 am
…actually, if you want to see the complete Museum of the Moving Image collection of political ads from 1952 to the present, they’re here:
http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/
sorted by year, type, party, whatever. Great stuff in there; next time I’ve got a few hours to spare I might really dive in.
Fred ™
September 27th, 2012
7:15 am
Our unfortunate reality…
September 27th, 2012
7:07 am
Unfortunately Obama has and continues to do a great job of getting as many people possible dependent on government and there is no way those folks can see him go. His only message to his lemmings is get out there and vote to get someone else’s money!!!
What can Romney say that would change their minds?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Quit changing your name Neal and posting yesterday’s show on here. We heard it yesterday and aren’t like your dumb ass listeners. No matter how many times we hear your lies and slandering of our fellow Americans, we won’t believe them like your sock puppets do……..
Fred ™
September 27th, 2012
7:17 am
LOL dB. If I get stuck in there I’m blaming you. The first set was funny. Do you know who the chick singing for Adlai was? She was hot.
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
7:21 am
Liberal Democrats have no doubts about their positions and beliefs.
Ok, just to test that theory a bit–what percentage of self-identifying Democrats even call themselves “liberal”?[1]
And what percentage of self-identifying Republicans call themselves “conservative”?[2]
(There’s a Gallup poll for that.)
Want to compare lock-stepping tendencies, I’d suggest you start there.
—
ok, for those too lazy to click, it’s:
1. 39%
2. 71%
…according to that very liberal Gallup organization, anyway.
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
7:26 am
Do you know who the chick singing for Adlai was? She was hot.
Did a bit of googling, couldn’t determine who sang “I love the Guv,” but maybe someone can turn it up.
The Leonard Lopate show site implied this was a “show tune”-y approach, so who knows, maybe she was someone from Broadway. A Hot Box girl from Guys and Dolls, perhaps?
Jay
September 27th, 2012
7:29 am
Seabeau, nobody believes the WMD was smuggled into Syrian — not even the deeply humiliated Bush administration tried to make such a foolish argument — and April Glaspie served under the first George Bush, not Clinton.
For a guy who comes on here lecturing other people on their lack of knowledge, that’s pretty sad. As they say, it’s not what you don’t know that’s alarming. It’s what you “know” that’s not true that’s the problem.
Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette
September 27th, 2012
7:31 am
Our unfortunate reality…
September 27th, 2012
7:07 am
Unfortunately Obama has and continues to do a great job of getting as many people possible dependent on government and there is no way those folks can see him go.
.
.
.
Actually it is most likely that it is your very fortunate reality….
“We have unique data from a 2008 national survey by the Cornell Survey Research Institute that asked Americans whether they had ever taken advantage of any of 21 social policies provided by the federal government, from student loans to Medicare. These policies do not include government activity that benefits everyone — national defense, the interstate highway system, food safety regulations — but only tangible benefits that accrue to specific households.
Oliver Munday
The survey asked about people’s policy usage throughout their lives, not just at a moment in time, and it included questions about social policies embedded in the tax code, which are usually overlooked.
What the data reveal is striking: nearly all Americans — 96 percent — have relied on the federal government to assist them. Young adults, who are not yet eligible for many policies, account for most of the remaining 4 percent.”
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/24/we-are-the-96-percent/
Note: This doesn’t include your dependence on military, fire and police…
You cute little moocher you!
Fred ™
September 27th, 2012
7:36 am
I couldn’t find anything either dB. But she looks familiar. Way back when, when AMC used actually show old movies I saw a lot of 50’s movies.
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
7:38 am
Seabeau, nobody believes the WMD was smuggled into Syria
well… nobody of consequence.
However, many (I’d guess hundreds of thousands, nationwide( self-delusional GWB-supporting dead-enders continue to cling to this dog-ate-my-WMDs business, as I’m sure you’ve seen posted here time and again.
And I’m sure if you do just a little cursory searching you’ll find FoxNews and AM talk radio -spawned encouragement/enabling of this fantasy.
Tundra Dude
September 27th, 2012
7:41 am
nearly all Americans — 96 percent — have relied on the federal government to assist them.
Looks like the creation of a new species…..Homus Parasiticus
Brosephus™
September 27th, 2012
7:45 am
For a guy who comes on here lecturing other people on their lack of knowledge, that’s pretty sad. As they say, it’s not what you don’t know that’s alarming. It’s what you “know” that’s not true that’s the problem.
Well, thinking can be a full contact sport sometimes. It could be that seabeau is one of those who are very dangerous when they try to think.
USinUK - thug with a uterus (and former Girl Scout)
September 27th, 2012
7:50 am
“nearly all Americans — 96 percent — have relied on the federal government to assist them.”
what an asinine statement.
100% of Americans rely on the Federal Government to assist them.
They rely on the federal government to assure them that the meds they take are okay.
They rely on the federal government to ensure that their water and are are safe.
They rely on the federal government to make sure that the people who supply us with food are hygenic and safe.
They rely on the federal government to help them when the dams break, when the tornado strikes, when the forests around them catch fire.
They rely on the federal government to fight people who threaten their safety.
100% bub. and don’t you forget it.
Butch Cassidy (I)
September 27th, 2012
7:52 am
I’m just curious, if new polls come out today showing Romney in the lead, are they still “skewed”?
Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette
September 27th, 2012
7:53 am
“These policies do not include government activity that benefits everyone — national defense, the interstate highway system, food safety regulations — but only tangible benefits that accrue to specific households.”
Of course it’s 100%.
Brosephus™
September 27th, 2012
7:57 am
100% bub. and don’t you forget it.
Sounds like we need a union, United Moochers of America.
USinUK - thug with a uterus (and former Girl Scout)
September 27th, 2012
7:59 am
Brocephus –
at least we have a theme song!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mq4UT4VnbE
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
8:01 am
And if the Democrats do retain control of the Senate, it will be interesting to see whether Harry Reid will follow through with his vow to change the filibuster rule.
it’s been awhile since I dug into the rules changes they’ve been considering, and I am all for making that stuck-in-dried-concrete embarrassment of a legislative body reforming itself.
But I don’t think anything they are considering will alter what will certainly shape up to be a harrowing showdown-to-end-all-showdowns when the next SCOTUS vacancies occur. Oy to the vey, I can’t even imagine what kind of crap the GOP will try to pull in order to prevent a majority vote.
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
8:01 am
hi dee hi dee hi dee ho.
Jm (not a con)
September 27th, 2012
8:03 am
Sons of Blair Mountain Veterans!
independent thinker
September 27th, 2012
8:04 am
Butch at 7:52:
“”"”"”"”"”"’I’m just curious, if new polls come out today showing Romney in the lead, are they still “skewed”?”"”"”"”
What reality are you in?
Brosephus™
September 27th, 2012
8:04 am
USinner
I bet some of our far right posters would say that Minnie is that welfare queen shopping at Whole Foods with her EBT card.
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
8:05 am
it’s 3-plus months old, but here’s a pretty detailed case for why Gallup so consistently underrates Obama’s support.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/17/gallup-poll-race-barack-obama_n_1589937.html?utm_hp_ref=@pollster
(I’ve always found it interesting that their approval numbers always seem to be just a coupla points lower than most everyone else’s; and I’m kind of compulsive about checking their job approval site, so it’s not that I think Gallup’s surveying is crap, far from it.)
Jm (not a con)
September 27th, 2012
8:07 am
America used to export tons of corn and help feed the world
Stupid Fed ethanol policy under Obama means we now have to import corn
Sad
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/26/us-usa-corn-imports-idUSBRE88P1KH20120926
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
8:08 am
100% bub. and don’t you forget it.
added to the long list of “stuff Obama ought to tell Romney in person, next week, but probably won’t.”
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
8:10 am
two questions for jm:
1. do you have any reason to believe that the likely policy under either a mythical third Bush term, or an actual Mcain term, would’ve resulted in a different outcome vis a vis the incentive to import corn this year? and
2. have you driven past any actual corn fields this year? (if you did, I hope you didn’t toss any lit ciggies from your car…)
Willis
September 27th, 2012
8:13 am
In my reality, the Republicans have nothing left to throw at the President that would make any difference on election day. They have already thrown all the mud in their wheelbarrows and guess what? It hasn’t stuck because most Americans know mud when they see it.
Just sign me one of the 47 percent who is not a victim and not dependent on the government to provide me everything, and as one who pays a higher percentage of my income in Federal tax than Willard Romney.
USinUK - thug with a uterus (and former Girl Scout)
September 27th, 2012
8:13 am
hi dee hi dee hi dee ho
“added to the long list of “stuff Obama ought to tell Romney in person, next week, but probably won’t.””
word
stands for decibels
September 27th, 2012
8:14 am
(Of course, President Romney would tell those damn cattle to get out of the feedlots and graze.)
USinUK - thug with a uterus (and former Girl Scout)
September 27th, 2012
8:16 am
… and the truly pathetic thing is that it’s even in the flippin LEDE:
The imports, made through agribusiness companies such as Bunge Ltd (BG.N) and Archer Daniels Midland Co (ADM.N), are the largest on record and come after ***the worst drought in half a century rallied grain prices to all-time peaks this summer.***
(emphasis mine)
christ on a cracker – try reading the ARTICLE next time instead of just the flippin’ headline then making up the story
JKL2
September 27th, 2012
8:16 am
-However, a time will always arrive when your created reality must be “trued up” against actual reality.
getalife says,”What?”
Nothing but rainbows and unicorns here in obamaland…