Day: February 28, 2011

Wisconsin Poll Shows Governor Would Lose Today

Trish

52%

Amount of votes for the Wisconsin governor’s race that candidate Tom Barrett would get if the election were held today, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey. Scott Walker, who narrowly won the actual contest last fall, would take only 45% of the vote. Only 32% of those surveyed said they or someone in their household was the member of a union.

Gov. Reagan in 1967: Californians Support My $1 Bil Tax Hike ‘Because They See the Need to Balance the Budget’

Jon Ponder

[One] of the most heartening signs we have had in this brief administration is the recent poll which indicates most of our citizens favor our [$1 billion tax hike] revenue package and, of those who favor it, 70 percent do so because they see the need to balance the budget. Perhaps the Federal government could take note of this.

— California Gov. Ronald Reagan, in 1967, advocating raising $1 billion in taxes to balance the state budget. Despite tea party mythology, Reagan had few qualms about raising taxes. He did it at least seven times as president, including the largest corporate tax hike ever.

Via George Skelton, Los Angeles Times

Verbatim

Buck Banks

In my opinion, any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should ‘have his head examined,’ as General MacArthur so delicately put it.

— Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, quoted by the New York Times, speaking to West Point cadets.

Americans Confused About Health Care Law

Trish

48%

Total proportion of Americans who are confused about the Affordable Care Act, according to a new Kaiser poll. 22% said they thought the law was recently repealed, while another 26% weren’t sure if it’s still in effect. We’re betting this 48% refers to the reforms as “Obamacare.”