Day: May 18, 2011
Pakistanis Pissed at U.S. Over bin Laden Assassination
2/3
Of Pakistanis condemn the U.S. military operation inside their country that resulted in Osama bin Laden’s death. About half of all Pakistanis (46%) said his death makes their country less safe from terrorism.
Americans Still Down on Congress
28%
Of U.S. voters say most members of Congress deserve re-election — tying the historical low set last year. At the same time, voters are somewhat more likely now than they were last year to believe their own member deserves re-election, though the 57% who say so is below the historical average.
Florida Mayor’s Race Could Be Early Indicator of Tea Party Decline
Jacksonville Republicans are reeling because the nightmare they were having when they went to bed last night didn’t slip away as they hoped at today’s dawn. No, Democrat Alvin Brown, a former Clinton administration and Al Gore advisor, African-American, and pro-education candidate (not to be confused with bizarre nobody Alvin Greene of South Carolina) was still 603 votes ahead in the mayor’s race, just like he was last night.
As we speak, absentee and provisional ballots are being counted, so anything could happen in what the elections supervisor is calling the closest mayor’s race in Jacksonville history. Anything could happen, that is, except reinstating the conventional wisdom that a Democrat can’t win in Jacksonville – or in Northeast Florida. Apparently he can.
Brown was one of six candidates in the elimination round in March that was expected to easily pick Republican Audrey Moran, who passes for moderate in these parts, and fellow Republican and incumbent Tax Collector Mike Hogan to face off in the final race. Had that played out, Duval County voters would have the familiar Republican Thing One and Republican Thing Two from which to choose, and First Baptist Church (a Jacksonville institution that pulls most of the power strings), the Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver, and a few others could resume running things for another four years.
And then something strange happened.
[…]
Californians Are So, Well, Californian
52%
Of Californian voters would never vote for former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for any public office again, following news he fathered a child with a household worker, a new SurveyUSA poll finds; 6% said they would vote for him and 42% said it would depend on the office and who else is running.
Election Natural Selection
It’s a sad testament to the state of the GOP brand
That they’re wooing the “Hamlet of the Heartland.”
As Newt circles the drain,
And Christie says no again,
The party’s last best hopes are Huntsman and Bachmann??!!
I Thought ‘Santorum’ was the Word for …
Who?
— One-word reply from Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) office in response to a reporter’s query after Rick Santorum said McCain “doesn’t understand how enhanced interrogation works” — despite the fact that McCain was tortured as a POW during the Vietnam War.
But Newt, You Actually Said It
So let me say on the record, any ad which quotes what I said on Sunday is a falsehood.
— Newt Gingrich, in an interview on Fox News, backing away from comments he made on Meet the Press that Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) budget plan was “right wing social engineering.”
Tax Hikes Add to $6.6 Bil Windfall for Debt-Strapped California – But GOP Fights to Kill Them
Facing a $30 billion budget shortfall in 2009, the state of California raised taxes — a quarter-percent on personal income tax, 1 percent on sales and a half-percent on vehicle license fees.
“I’m not going to give the Republicans a roadmap to ruin. I’m giving them a roadmap to success.”
– California Gov. Jerry Brown’s moment of zen
– California Gov. Jerry Brown’s moment of zen
According to Republican dogma, those tax hikes should have killed the state’s economic recovery. This week, however, Gov. Jerry Brown reported good news. The state is projecting $6.6 billion more in revenue than expected — some of which is unarguably a result of these modest tax increases.
In the five months since he’s been office, Brown and the Democrats who control the legislature have reduced the budget deficit from $26.6 billion to $15 billion, mostly through harsh cuts to education, health care and other safety-net programs.
The tax hikes would bring in an additional $11 billion next year, but, as of now, they are set to expire on July 1. Without them, severe cuts will be required to programs that serve children, the poor and elderly.
In the governor’s race last year, Brown campaigned on putting a measure on the ballot that would allow voters — also known as “taxpayers” — to decide whether to extend the additional taxes. He won the election by double digits, a clear mandate.
And yet, despite polling showing that the public favored the vote — and perhaps because polls also found that the measure would pass — the Republican minority “Party of No” in Sacramento killed the governor’s ballot initiative. It will not appear on the ballot next month as planned.
That’s right. Republicans blocked a measure that would allow California taxpayers to vote on tax policy.
