How disastrous is the GOP Kill Medicare strategy? This disastrous (pdf):
Disapproval of the Republicans in the House of Representatives has surged from 46 percent in February to 55 percent in April to a striking 59 percent now. Disapproval outnumbers approval two-to-one; intense disapproval by three-to-one. For the first time in more than a year, the Democrats are clearly even in the named Congressional ballot – an 8-point swing from the election – and Obama has made a marked gain in his job approval and vote against Mitt Romney—with the President now leading by 4 points. This period captured the introduction of the Republican budget plan and vote by the House—and voters do not like what they see.
Perhaps most notably, this survey flags a major retreat from the Republican approach to deficits and spending, the economy, and jobs. As the Republicans have unveiled their plans and approach during this four-month debate on the deficit, priorities and the economy, they have pushed many voters away.
Not that the GOP has actually *had* a damn thing to say about job creation, mind you. Their entire economic strategy is to transfer as much of your money into the hands of their wealthy friends as possible. Full Stop. Apparently this is a pre-long weekend tease of a much bigger report coming on Wednesday from these folks. That should be interesting.
Also from the GOP brain trust, I present you, Lou Barletta, (R-PA) who is having a major snit about the EPA (an agency he has voted to specifically defund, because, you know, business needs *less* regulation) not doing MORE in his own district:
On Wednesday, Barletta sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson asking the agency to perform additional testing in the Carroll/Mill Street neighborhood.[…]“Frankly, this is unacceptable. The EPA’s own Web site indicates that one of the agency’s primary reasons for existence is to ensure that ‘all Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the environment where they live, learn and work.’”[…]
“I was surprised to hear an EPA official basically tell the residents of the Carroll/Mill neighborhood that they would not conduct soil and water testing to find answers. It is absolutely the EPA’s job, and I’m going to make sure that job is done. The residents are scared, and they deserve answers and peace of mind.”
So we have Mr. Barletta asking for the EPA to do more in this District, at this Superfund site, while he is voting to defund this agency and criticizing it for doing its job in other areas. Nice. Make sure to read the Think Progress article — there is polling that shows that 70% of the folks in Barletta’s district want the EPA to do more, not less.
One of the things missing in Democratic messaging for some time is a reminder to folks that even as many folks find their government large and exasperating, they sure want it and they have specific reasons why they do want all of that government.
The CDC provides helpful information on how to survive the Zombie Apocalypse. After providing a history of zombies they tell you how to get prepared for the coming apocalypse.
2. Pick a meeting place for your family to regroup in case zombies invade your home…or your town evacuates because of a hurricane. Pick one place right outside your home for sudden emergencies and one place outside of your neighborhood in case you are unable to return home right away.
The thing is, that this same planning is just as useful for being able to survive a natural disaster too. Go read the whole thing — this is a really clever use of social media to give real advice for planning to survive a natural disaster.
Yes, it is a lazy long weekend, but there are still things going on out there that interest you — so tell us what’s going on!