Wednesday Open Thread [10.26.11]
Another day, another poll showing Cain leading in yet another state. Now he leads Romney in Ohio, 28% to 23%. So Cain has survived so far his abortion train wreck where he held every position on the subject in a matter of 24 hours, and the smoking white guy ad. Why is he the frontrunner? Simple. He is likeable.
Cain is in the enviable position of having the highest percentage of overall favorable opinions among Republicans and the lowest percentage of overall unfavorable opinions. Almost three-quarters have a broadly favorable view of Cain, and 16% have an unfavorable view. Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, and Perry are viewed unfavorably by 24% to 29% of Republicans who recognize them. Bachmann, Paul, and Huntsman are all viewed unfavorably by more than a third of Republicans who know them.
Jonathan Bines has an “Republican to English” dictionary:
° Compromise: (uncommon) A form of political suicide.
° Coast (East): A very bad coast of the continental United States.
° Coast (West): Another really inexcusable coast.
° Communism: The belief that the government should ever do anything.
° Condescending: Accurately informed.
As I mentioned on Debunking Sunday, the notion that regulations are killing jobs is a lie repeated by the lying liars, the Republican Party. But so too is the notion that President Obama has created more regulations in the first place:
Despite being accused of stifling job creation by imposing new rules on businesses, Bloomberg notes that President Obama’s White House “has approved fewer regulations than his predecessor George W. Bush at this same point in their tenures, and the estimated costs of those rules haven’t reached the annual peak set in fiscal 1992 under Bush’s father.
What if the Republican Establishment has already written off this election and is just letting their clowns duke it out, because they know they will lose anyway? There is a benefit for the Establishment to let their extremists permanently discredit themselves. Give ’em enough rope since it doesn’t matter anyway this year.
All this time and treasure spent trying to figure out who the Republican Establishment candidate is: it was Obama all along.
So now cops in oakland are shooting veterans in the face for protesting corporate welfare. It’s time our political leaders decide who’s side they are on.
By the way, i hope you teabaggers are watching what it REALLY means to “take back your country”
Democrats introduce Medicare cuts, surrender opportunity to campaign against Republicans for GOP proposals to cut the safety net.
Anyone who can make a million bucks selling crap frozen pizza must have incredible talent.
Let me repeat: Democrats introduce Medicare cuts. Including the Democrat we voted for in 2004, and it will be signed by the Democrat we voted for in 2008. This is an historic day on our long downward arc. Now there is absolutely nobody left who speaks for us.
Shooting vets in the face is just the cherry on top. The 1% will stop at nothing. We let them go too far.
Would you just calm the fuck down. This is one report. You freaked out about other “one” reports all year long. Let’s see what happens. I suspect this is a trial balloon to show the GOP on the Committee what happens.
But if you have to freak out, but direct your venom towards those on the Super Committee. Flood their inboxes and voicemails.
This is all part of a process and too many times, too many fucking times, you and other progressives see one story and immediately condemn everything, everyone and anyone. Don’t presume betrayal until it actually happens. In the meantime, fucking call Kerry. Fucking call Murray. Fucking call every other Dem on the Committee. Fucking call Pelosi and tell her that with the cuts there will be no deal. Do the same with Reid. Do the same with Obama.
But don’t just sit here and wallow.
Already you are being proven a fool, puck. As Sam Stein reports that raising the eligiblity age for Medicare isn’t in the proposal. And further:
And that’s the fucking point. There is not going to be a deal that emerges from the Super Committee.
So you get worked up and condemn everyone because of what… nothing?
Yep, the story of the last three years.
Point taken. Although the sky is dark with trial balloons. And the attempted deflection by the aide is not credible.
And a deal doesn’t have to emerge for Democrats to give up their position as protectors of the safety net. Any sort of proposal for cuts will do, even if it is DOA.
Why give up Democratss most powerful campaign advantage in order to sign on to a proposal that isn’t going anywhere?
Getting angry about poor Democratic messaging is like getting angry over the sun rising in the morning.
My kingdom for another dozen Elizabeth Warrens.
Sorry about my freak out on you Puck. I just had to vent. I feel much better now. 😉
And on poor Democratic messaging, and the wish for 536 Elizabeth Warrens, we all agree.
Remember on the eve of #OWS when Chris Coons stood before PDD and lectured you that the safety net would have to be cut, and the political environment made it too hard to raise taxes? That was a trial balloon.
Trial balloons are intended to be shot at, or boosted higher. Watching them slowly drift by is not useful.
Perhaps the only way to save medicare is for the democrats and Obama so propose cuts to it. It will force the reflexive response from the GOP who will not only fight for it, but expand it.
Duck season!
Wabbit Season!
Duck season!
Wabbit Season!
Wabbit Season!
Duck Season!
You’re right, Doc! It is duck season.
If Chris Coons is supposed to be Elmer Fudd in that scenario, Geek, it won’t work. Chris Coons doesn’t have Elmer Fudd’s courage or willingness to fight.
Thanks for the rant, and for the drive-by sarcasm. It’ll help pass the time while we are waiting to find out who is correct on the issue.
If you keep pissing your pants like this, Puck, the conservatives are going to start calling liberals urine-soaked. Oh, wait…
After hearing you guys today I am more convinced than ever Geek is right: our only hope is the kids.
How so? You’re the one still pinning your hopes on Democrats.
What are you Geezer, some kind of Naderite?
I have to try to influence someone in office. That’s what it means to be politically engaged and fight for your issues. Most liberal constituencies are still pinning their hopes on Democrats. The kids do their thing; I’ll do mine.
“Most liberal constituencies are still pinning their hopes on Democrats.”
I’m confused. Aren’t you the one who pointed out what a spineless wimp Coons was in claiming entitlements must be trimmed?
Try to take the right lesson from the Tea Party: You only get their attention when you tell them you’re leaving them behind.
You certainly are confused. The Tea Party is a Republican movement. They were successful in influencing their Republican elected officials. They got their legislation passed by the opposite party. And they did it with much less effort than OWS has already expended (unsuccessfully so far).
I don’t know if Coons is a wimp or not but he certainly is lining up behind 1%’er policies. The wimps are the Democrats who won’t call him out on it.
They influenced a lot more than Republican elected officials — why do you think that jellyfish like Coons and Carney are bleating about entitlements? (Forget Carper. He’s a 1%er through and through.) And they didn’t do it with less effort than OWS. And OWS has NOT been unsuccessful so far — when was the last mainstream media thumb-sucker you read about the deficit?
And if you can’t take a lesson from anyone who isn’t affiliated with your own causes, you’re worse than confused. The point is that the TP succeeded because they scared the mainstream Republicans into wetting their pants. OWS is an opportunity for liberals to do the same to Democrats — and if we don’t, they won’t budge. Even in Delaware, a state without a functional Republican Party, they still refuse to represent the people instead of the corporations.
Was anyone at the PDD meeting waving a tax return in Chris Coons’ face? Did people yell at him or walk out when he said what you quoted? If not, then he hasn’t been given the message.
I think we actually agree on this. But I refuse to get caught up in day-to-day, MSM bullshit horserace reporting on a deficit commission that means nothing. Once it fails to reach any agreement, Congress will undo the called-for budget cuts, just as they intend to undo No Child Left Behind as 2014 and its unreachable “targets” approach.
If you want to identify a Democratic bad guy, try Leon Panetta. He’s already been captured by the Pentagon lifers.
Health care finance is complex. Paul Starr explains:
http://prospect.org/article/medicare-bind
occupy delaware has chosen H Fletcher Brown park as a place of occupation. Nov 5th see you there
Occupy Delaware? Piss on that. I’m going to Punkin Chunkin.
AHHH yes where the redneck visitors from Pennsyltuckey get to PISS – on you
I remember it well – well if our gambit succeeds, then next year you might be able to afford a better brand of Beer and therefore PISS
enjoy the bargain variety this year tho
“Occupy Delaware? Piss on that. I’m going to Punkin Chunkin.”
Be careful. They might mistake your head for ammunition.
Occupy Rehoboth
Saturday, November 5, 2011
1:00 to 3:00
The Bandstand
Boardwalk and Rehoboth Avenue
@geezer.
As opposed to Oakland where they mistake your head for a target?