Month: October 2010
Verbatim
The idea that the Democrats are just going to sit this one out doesn’t seem very likely. While there’s no question that Republicans are going to pick up seats, the question is how many.
— Pollster Larry Hugick, citing a new Newsweek survey that shows Democrats leading Republicans in the generic congressional ballot 48 percent to 42 percent among registered voters. Among those who have already voted, Democrats lead by 10 points, 52 percent to 42 percent. The poll also shows President Obama’s approval ratings have jumped substantially to 54 percent, while the portion of respondents who disapprove of the president dropped to 40 percent.
Verbatim
He should wake up and look at what’s going on in our backyard.
— Tiffany Hartley, who was jet-skiing with her husband, David, in Mexico when, according to her story, pirates attacked them and killed David. Hartley is referring to Pres. Obama, but it’s unclear who should do the waking up, although Americans who illegally cross borders into murderous drug gang territory do come to mind. Nor is it clear what exactly the American president could or should do in Mexico to protect such folks.
Somebody Needs to Drop Out
It’s time for Kendrick Meek to drop out of the U.S. Senate race in Florida.
A new Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times poll shows Marco Rubio now leading, with 41 percent. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has the support of 26 percent of those queried, while Meek has 20 percent.
Meek can look forward to a lifetime of having earned the nickname “Kendrick Nader”
Why should Meek be the one to drop out? Two reasons. First, his numbers have been no better than they are right now from the beginning. Meek has consistently failed to sway large numbers of voters and there is no reason to expect that to change in the next nine days.
Second, were Crist to back out, Meek would stand virtually no chance of pulling Republican support. Crist backers who are registered “R” will vote “R.” On the other hand, many Democrats are willing to vote for the no party affiliated Crist if it means denying Rubio a victory.
The poll had a margin of error of 4.1 percent, so if Rubio stayed at 41 percent and Crist picked up Meek’s supporters (which he would very likely do), he would garner 46 percent.
Sadly, since early voting has already started, it might be too late even if Meek does decide to do the right thing and step away. Florida appears to be headed toward having a Sen. Rubio in its future. It’s a grim prospect, and Meek can look forward to a lifetime of having earned the nickname “Kendrick Nader” if he makes it happen.
Poll: Home Stretch Rally for Dems in California – Brown up by 13 Points, Boxer by 8
The new Los Angeles Times/USC poll suggests that liberals, moderates and independent voters are coalescing around Democratic candidates in California. Here is analysis from the Times:
“I like the little guy; [Jerry Brown] didn’t have the money behind him like she did … We don’t shop at Walmart. We shop at the local store. He just seemed like more of a down-home candidate.That message that they’re sending to people is a very bad choice. We’re looking to people to act their values rather than throw money at causes. People are holding their money really closely and those candidates are really splurging.”
– Paula Bennett, a registered Republican, explaining in an interview with the Times why she is voting for Democrats Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer
– Paula Bennett, a registered Republican, explaining in an interview with the Times why she is voting for Democrats Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer
[Jerry] Brown, the Democratic attorney general and former governor, led Whitman 52 percent to 39 percent among likely voters, the poll found. His advantage has more than doubled since a Times/USC poll in September.
The abrupt movement in the race for governor came as Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer held onto her 8-point margin over Republican Carly Fiorina in the U.S. Senate contest. Boxer’s 50 percent to 42 percent lead was statistically unchanged from September’s 51 percent to 43 percent edge.
For both Democrats, the month between the two polls found the party’s strongest supporters rallying to the candidates’ sides: liberals, women and Latinos either solidified or expanded their backing for Brown and Boxer. Nonpartisan voters, whom Republicans had counted on to overcome the Democratic advantage in voter registration, moved away from the two Republican candidates, and moderate voters also tilted toward the Democrats…
Most of the nation has seen pronounced enthusiasm by Republican voters as the midterm elections approach. In California, however, Democrats have gained strength and GOP motivation has ebbed slightly in the last month, the poll showed. The current standings represent a reassertion of a more typical profile for the state after an election year convulsed by a foundering economy, widespread discontent about the future and record-breaking spending by Whitman, who has dropped more than $141 million of her own money into her campaign.
Chart: National Debt Goes Up under GOP Presidents, Down Under Democrats
So simple even Republicans can understand it! And remember: Pres. Obama reduced federal deficit By $103.6 billion, down 13% from 2009.
Update: Here is the link to the original source.
PA12: Tea Party’s Tim Burns Takes Corporate Lobbyists’ Donations Funneled by Ultimate DC Insider John Boehner
Burns’ tea party anti-establishment credentials are in tatters now, or at least they should be. On Friday, the Washington Post reported that Burns had taken corporate lobbyist donations that were laundered through the office of the ultimate boozing, schmoozing Washington insider, Speaker Wanna-Be John Boehner of Ohio:
One tea-party-backed candidate to get Boehner’s help is Tim Burns, the former pharmaceutical software entrepreneur who is vying for Rep. John Murtha’s (D) former seat in Pennsylvania. Burns has campaigned hard against Washington and has publicly dismissed his opponent, a former congressional district manager for Murtha, as a Washington insider.
His spokesman Jake Parsons said that the financial support from Boehner and other Republican leaders – he got $19,000 from Boehner – “has been critical to helping get Tim’s message of ‘fixing Washington’ out.”
PA03: Asked to Name ‘Specific’ Budget Cuts He Would Make GOP Candidate Mike Kelly Talks for Two Minutes, Can’t Name a Single Cut
Sure, I’ll address that, and I’ll address it very specifically. The specifics — the specificity — is in the process. When Gov. Christie got elected in New Jersey, they asked him the same question; he says “let me get there and I’ll figure it out. Let me just do this.” [GROANS from audience.] Because as a businessperson, you have to look every month at what you do. You have to look at the things that work and the things that didn’t work. You have to determine whether that’s the right course to be on or not be on.
And I’m always intrigued when people say, “specifically, what would you do?” Here, specifically, what would I do? I’d tear it apart. I’d tear it apart. I would want to look at every bit of our spending budget. Does it work or does it not work? Is it something we can improve on? Is it something we should redeploy those funds? Absolutely, there’s stuff to be cut. What is it right now? I can’t tell you.
But I can tell you this. I’m always amazed that people take this attitude that you can’t expect the government to work the way a business does. And I would put this just the other way. You could never expect a business to work the way the government does. [LAUGHTER.] And when we talk about all these savings and all these costs. [Unintelligible.] … the backs of the taxpayers. The government acts like somehow we’re taking money from them. The truth of the matter is they are taking money from us. Much as golfers [unintelligible] pennies, every single penny that goes into government coffers comes off the backs of taxpaying citizens.
So I think we have the wrong point of view here. Specifically what would you do? Specifically, what I would do? I would be the most responsible legislator who’s out there. I would measure twice and cut once. I would look at every expense and is it performing the way it’s supposed to perform, or this just another one of those government programs that has an endless life that we just keep adding and adding and adding. So the specificness of it is getting people there that are responsible, that have skin in the game and that have sweat [inaudible], that understand what it means to make payments out of your own pocket, not the taxpayer’s. That’s a very sacred duty, that’s the way we would approach this.
