Month: January 2015

Republican Voters Prefer Romney Over Bush

Buck Banks

52%

Of all Republicans “still maintain a positive view of the party’s 2012 nominee, compared to just 37% who said the same about Mr. Bush, the former Florida governor,” a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds. “Mr. Romney does more than 20 percentage points better among self-identified tea party supporters and core Republican voters than does Mr. Bush, who last ran for office in 2002.

Republican Voters Support Raising Taxes on the Wealthy to Reagan-Era Levels

Buck Banks

53%

Percentage of Republican voters who said they support raising the personal income tax on those earning $1 million a year to 50%, “the same rate taxed under President Reagan,” with 33% opposing, according to a new GBA Strategies poll. When asked whether they support raising the tax rate on personal income above $1 million annually without the Reagan reference, 36% of Republicans supported the plan and 47% of Republicans were opposed. The rest were undecided.

The Curse of the SOTU Response

Buck Banks

The Bobby Jindal slow-motion train wreck.
The Bobby Jindal slow-motion train wreck.
First Read suggests having pity on Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) for being picked to give the GOP response to President Obama’s State of the Union address. Why? Because of the curse of the State of the Union responders. Here are the last eight:

2007: Jim Webb (out of politics, although he’s making a quixotic presidential bid)

2008: Kathleen Sebelius (Obamacare rollout!)

2009: Bobby Jindal (uncomfortably awkward intro, his star has fallen)

2010: Bob McDonnell (felony conviction)

2011: Paul Ryan (losing VP nominee, though he’s still a top GOP voice)

2012: Mitch Daniels (out of politics)

2013: Marco Rubio (the great water incident, incident, maybe running for the White House)

2014: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (safe – so far)

Warren Explains Mystical Source of Her Political Power

Buck Banks

I’ll always be an outsider. That’s how I understand the world. There’s a real benefit to being clear about this. I know why I’m here. I think about this every morning before I open my eyes, and I’m still thinking about it every night when I go to sleep.

— Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who “has an explanation for the singular nature of her power,” the Washington Post reports.