Hope and Change goes bust: NYT/CBS Poll - Nation's mood at lowest levels in 2 years

The New York Times: Americans are more pessimistic about the nation’s economic outlook and overall direction than they have been at any time since President Obama’s first two months in office, when the country was still officially ensnared in the Great Recession, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Amid rising gas prices, stubborn unemployment and a cacophonous debate in Washington over the federal government’s ability to meet its future obligations, the poll presents stark evidence that the slow, if unsteady, gains in public confidence earlier this year that a recovery was under way are now all but gone.

Capturing what appears to be an abrupt change in attitude, the survey shows that the number of Americans who think the economy is getting worse has jumped 13 percentage points in just one month. Though there have been encouraging signs of renewed growth since last fall, many economists are having second thoughts, warning that the pace of expansion might not be fast enough to create significant numbers of new jobs. [MORE]

Click here to see the devastatingly bad numbers in the poll.

The only thing anyone should find surprising about this poll is that it comes from the New York Times and CBS News, two organizations that are well known for carrying Obama's water.

What is not surprising is the nation's sour mood. Two years ago, Obama and the Democrats were elected on the promise of Hope and Change. They were suppose to usher in a new dawn in America after Republicans abandoned their core principles and failed miserably. Two years later all of American's core concerns have gone unanswered.

It is almost as though Washington, in its new bloated form, is tending to what is best for Washington and screw the people who they are suppose to represent. On crucial issue after crucial issue Obama has voted present.

• Jobs - no action.
• Debt - no action.
• The economy - no action.
• The wars - no action.

For all the nation's crucial issues, Obama's answer is always the same, form a committee, summit or task force to get the issue off the front burner.

Republicans have not been much of a success either. For two years, they promised to adhere to the will of the people and force a sharp course correction. After a landslide election in November, only a handful of these Republicans seem willing to keep those promises. The rest, lead by the GOP leadership, seems to want to go back to same old ways of doing business. Basically, compromising with Democrats on bad ideas and then coming away with less than half a loaf.

What America sorely needs is a leader. A leader who understands the priorities and needs of the electorate and will then do the hard work needed to turn things around. Anyone, who can step forward from the left, right or center who address the nations concerns with a true vision while showing some real competence will probably find him or herself in the White House come January 2013.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The New York Times
Via: The New York Times

Some Democrats really need Demagoguery For Dummies

Lord have mercy! Over the last few days as Republicans tried to hold firm on spending cuts, Democrats have taken to their traditional ploy of demagoguery. Unfortunately, some of today's Democrats know nothing of the finesse their predecessors had. Some of today's Democrats are ham fisted hacks who ladle on their demagoguery so thick it becomes absurd.




Just check out some of the damn foolishness on display.

Louise Slaughter: " GOP Freshmen came to kill women"

Eleanor Holmes-Norton: "Government shutdown is like bombing innocent civilians"

How can any sane individual really believe this junk?

Merriam-Websters defines demagoguery as:

1: a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power 

2: a leader championing the cause of the common people in ancient times

But in these definitions isn't there an implied sense of credibility? Without a certain amount of credibility, these attacks leave the speakers wide open to mockery. Too bad many of today's Republicans are in desperate need of Mockery for Dummies.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: CNSNews
Via: The Right Scoop

The People's Budget: The Progressive take on debt reduction

Ever since Paul Ryan released the GOP's budget plan the left have been howling at the moon.  They have been going overboard with their screams of calamity to the middle class.  As a political tactic, this can be helpful in the short term, but sooner or later someone is going to tell the left to put up or shut up.


To save themselves from that fate, the  Congressional Progressive Caucus have put together a budget plan of their own, they call it The People's Budget.  Phil Klein from the Washington Examiner gives us a sneak peek at what the left's has in store for America.

Next week, the group of progressives plans to introduce its alternative to Ryan's proposal, called "The People's Budget." Based on an advanced peek provided by a senior Democratic aide, it promises to return the nation to surpluses by the end of the decade and reduce the debt, only with a much different approach from Ryan's.

To extend the long-term solvency of Social Security, it would propose dramatically increasing payroll taxes on both the employer and employee side, and funneling the money into even more generous benefits.

Payroll taxes are economically destructive, because they make it more expensive for employers to hire new workers, meaning lower real wages and higher unemployment.

Yet the tax increases wouldn't end there. The People's Budget would rescind last year's tax deal to raise rates on higher income levels, boost taxes on capital gains and dividends, increase the estate tax, institute three "millionaire tax rates," with the highest reaching 47 percent, tax corporate foreign income, impose a "financial crisis responsibility fee," and institute a "financial speculation tax."

Overall, taxes would rise to 22.3 percent of the economy, compared with 18.3 percent under the Ryan proposal.

The plan would also build on Obama's most notable initiatives. It includes an additional $1.45 trillion in economic stimulus spending. On health care, the plan would add a government-run plan, or "public option," to Obamacare and have the government negotiate drug prices.

Yet while other parts of government would grow, the defense budget would be gutted. The proposal would "reduce baseline defense spending by reducing strategic capabilities, conventional forces, procurement, and R&D programs."

The left loves to say the Republicans have no new ideas, but this is nothing new at all. All this budget is is good old fashion Tax and Spend, but done on a grand scale.  


What I find completely galling about it is that Democrats ran up the credit card with things many Americans objected to in the first place (the bailouts, the stimulus and ObamaCare) and now want to tax us to death to pay for it all.


Megan McArdle from the Atlantic points out the obvious conclusion to all this new spending:

I actually think it's remarkable that the percentage is so low. A 47% federal tax rate on top incomes, plus increases on estates, capital gains, and dividends, and all you get is . . . 22.3% of GDP? A bare 1.3% above the collections envisioned by Simpson-Bowles? [...]

No, if you want to get the budget under control without meaningfully cutting into entitlements, you're going to need to hike taxes substantially on the middle class. I'm waiting for the first politician to say this out loud.

I don't think McArdle will have to wait too long. The shrinking of the Nanny State is inevitable and that is a threat to the lefts' endless quest for power and control. Faced with that scenario, Democrats will peel away their phony veneer of compassion and someone will say "tax the middle class".

Given how much of the public has grown quite tired of all the big spending in Washington, it will be fun to watch Democrats try to sell this plan as an alternative to Paul Ryan's.


Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Washington Examiner
Via: The Atlantic

Video: Crossroads GPS anti union ad "The System"

Politico: An arm of American Crossroads, the well-financed Republican super PAC, is going up on the air Wednesday with an ad taking aim at public employee unions and highlighting the aid President Obama got in his campaign from organized labor. [...]

Crossroads GPS is airing the ad on national cable. The buy is $750,000 over one week, with spots running on CNN, CNBC and Fox News.

"President Obama owns this issue because he decided to appoint himself as referee and because he is party of the system: getting massive political support from unions and then giving them what they want,” said Steven Law, President of Crossroads GPS. [MORE]

I don't think I have ever seen an ad that goes after the corrupt union leadership.  The times certainly are a changin'.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Politico

Fleebaggers to return to state soon

Wisconsin's 14 AWOL Democrats are looking to return to the state now that public opinion has shifted against Walker and the Republicans. The Fleebaggers point to all the recent polls that shows people are opposed to curtailing union's collective bargaining rights. In effect the Fleebaggers feel that Republicans might now be scared off from supporting Walker's budget repair bill.

Wall Street Journal: Playing a game of political chicken, Democratic senators who fled Wisconsin to stymie restrictions on public-employee unions said Sunday they planned to come back from exile soon, betting that even though their return will allow the bill to pass, the curbs are so unpopular they'll taint the state's Republican governor and legislators. [...]

Sen. Mark Miller said he and his fellow Democrats intend to let the full Senate vote on Gov. Scott Walker's "budget-repair" bill, which includes the proposed limits on public unions' collective-bargaining rights. The bill, which had been blocked because the missing Democrats were needed for the Senate to have enough members present to vote on the bill, is expected to pass the Republican-controlled chamber.

He said he thinks recent polls showing voter discontent with Mr. Walker over limits on bargaining rights have been "disastrous" for the governor and Republicans and give Democrats more leverage to seek changes in a broader two-year budget bill Mr. Walker proposed Tuesday.

Senator Miller may have a point. If Republicans go by the polls out today, they may very well have reason to fear a backlash. However, as the old saying goes, a day in politics is like a lifetime. The budget repair bill is coming so early in both Walker's and the legislature's term, it is hard to tell if these numbers will stick over time, especially if the reforms produce positive results. Here is to hoping the the Senate Republicans are thinking more long term rather than short term.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Wall Street Journal
Via: WPRI

Always The Gentleman: WI State Rep. Gordon Hintz to female Republican "You are f'n dead"!

It looks like the Wisconsin Assembly has its very own Charlie Sheen. State Rep. Gordon Hintz, the Democrat bad boy of Wisconsin, earned his stripes by getting arrested in connection to a prostitution sting and then grandstanding on the Assembly floor.

In true Charlie Sheen fashion, Hintz shows he can be abusive to women too.

620 WTMJ: Last Friday.... after the Assembly voted to engross the Budget Repair Bill, Hintz turned to a female colleague, Rep. Michelle Litjens and said: "You are F***king dead!"

Hintz has since apologizes to Litjens:

An Oshkosh Assemblyman apologized to a colleague Monday for comments he made on the floor of the Assembly last week immediately following a vote on a contentious budget repair bill.

Rep. Gordon Hintz, D Oshkosh, apologized to Rep. Michelle Litjens, R-Winneconne, for shouting out an obscenity that included the words “you’re dead” that Litjens and other witnesses heard in the chaotic scene after Republicans approved the bill.

Litjens said she accepted the apology, but has asked the Assembly leadership to discipline Hintz.

Litjens is a good sport for only asking for discipline. She really should seek a restraining order because a loose cannon like Hintz has shown he has no self control.


How do crackpots like this guy get elected?


Via: Memeorandum
Via: Postcrescent.com
Via: 620 WTMJ

Hill Poll: More Americans would blame Democrats for government shutdown

The Hill: Twenty-nine percent of likely voters would blame Democrats for a government shutdown, compared to 23 percent who would hold Republicans responsible, according to a new poll conducted for The Hill. [...]

Republicans have a substantial edge among independents: Thirty-four percent would blame Democrats, while only 19 percent would blame the GOP.

However, there are dangers for both parties, the poll indicates. A plurality of voters, 43 percent, would blame both Republicans and Democrats if the lights go out at midnight on March 5. Forty-five percent of respondents said neither party would benefit politically from a shutdown. 

I am rather surprised that the numbers are not stronger.  Despite the endless comparisons to the 1995 shutdown, the situation is completely different today.  Today, the nation is on the fast track to bankruptcy and many Americans know it.  Thus, Democrats refusing almost any cuts makes them look highly irresponsible.


Seeing so many Americans willing to blame both parties, tells me that Republicans have not done a good job telling Americans are true financial situation.  Again we need an adult to step forward and tell the nation the truth ...We're Broke!


Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Hill

Everything old is new again: Democrats propose "lockbox" for Social Security

Continuing on their path of irresponsibility, Senate Democrats want to resurrect another old and failed idea for Social Security ... Al Gore's Lockbox.

The Hill: Senate Democrats want to put the Social Security trust fund in a lockbox and insulate it from a broader budget-cutting package designed to reduce the national deficit.

It’s a revival of the concept that former Vice President Al Gore (D) made famous when he sparred with George W. Bush over a proposal to invest a portion of Social Security funds in the private market.[...]

Leading Senate Democrats say Social Security reform should not be part of a deficit reduction package under negotiation.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), who is at the center of bipartisan talks, said he wants to prolong the solvency of Social Security to 75 years. Under its current setup, the program is projected to pay 100 percent of benefits for the next 26 years.

But Conrad does not want Social Security to be part of a broader proposal to reduce the $1.6 trillion federal deficit. [MORE]

This isn't serious thinking. Spendthrift Congress members are expert lock pickers and have raided Social Security funds in the past.  Nothing about this proposal would stop it in the future.  Furthermore, trying to balance our budget without addressing Social Security is a fantasy.  Everyone knows that Social Security is one of the big three items blowing a whole in our budget.  It simply cannot be left out of the equation.

The left love to accuse Republicans of being the party of No Ideas, yet time and time again, Democrats prove themselves to be the Party of Failed Old Ideas.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Hill

Now Show, No Dough! Wisconsin Dems must collect paychecks in person

Unlike Mitch Daniels, Wisconsin Republicans know better than to cave to AWOL Democrats.  Instead of throwing in the towel at the first sign of conflict, Wisconsin Republicans get creative.

Hot Air: A nice first step. The next step, after the “fleebaggers” (as they’re now being called on Twitter) have come home, should be to pass a law retroactively docking their pay for the days they missed. Senate Republicans can’t do that now, I believe, because it’s a fiscal measure and those require a 20-member quorum. But soon enough, soon enough.

[MOTION] That the Chief Clerk provide the paycheck, per diem check, and any expense reimbursement check of any Senator who is absent without leave for 2 or more session days to the Majority Leader for the absent member to pick up in person. Until the Majority Leader authorizes the Chief Clerk to reinstate direct deposit, the Chief Clerk shall suspend the direct deposit of the paycheck of any such Senator and process the Senator’s pay as a paper check. The Majority Leader shall provide the checks only to the absent Senator and only on the floor of the Senate during a session day.

Yes this is a nice first step, one that I would have taken on day one. Quite frankly, I see no reason why they should get a paycheck in the first place.  Their job is not to hide out in other states and give interviews from "undisclosed locations", their job is to craft legislation, debate and vote.  They certainly have not been doing any of those things for the last couple of days.

I still think it was a big mistake for Walker and Senate Republicans not to pass the collective bargaining parts of the bill separately.  I think doing so would send a clear message to the AWOL Dems that their little game is futile. 

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Hot Air

House Republicans and Senate Democrats cooking up compromise to avoid a shutdown

I swear, I don't think there is a complete pair of balls in the entire Republican leadership.  Can someone please explain the logic or necessity behind this?

CNN: Washington (CNN) - With funding for the federal government set to expire in less than two weeks, Senate Democrats and House Republicans are in discussions to avoid a government shutdown, a Senate Democratic leadership source told CNN.

News of the negotiations comes a day after several Republican lawmakers indicated they might accept a short-term spending bill as long as it included at least some spending reductions and not necessarily the deeper cuts the House approved last weekend.

Let me see if I can understand this.  The Republicans promise $100 billion in spending cuts in order to get elected.  Once elected, they chicken out and can only come up with $60 billion. Now with $60 billion on the table, they are willing to do less for a mere extension?  At this point I have to ask, why even bother cutting at all?

To make matters worse, even some of the new TEA Party Republicans are losing their testicular fortitude.

CNN has learned House Republican leaders are pushing them [conservative freshmen] to accept only modest cuts in the short-term to avoid a government shutdown. They've made the pitch in staff-level discussions, one-on-one meetings between leaders and freshman lawmakers, and a group meeting Friday with more than 70 freshman Republicans and Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy, according to two freshmen who were there.

It appears the hard sell is working.

Rep. Tim Scott. R-South Carolina, a Tea Party-backed freshman who was elected by his colleagues to serve as liaison to the House GOP leadership, told CNN Monday, "the time is short for the Senate to come up with on a long-term solution so we are prepared for a short term conversation on a short term [spending bill]."

Another Tea Party-backed freshman, Rep. Raul Labrador. R-Idaho, said he is on board, but only to a point.

"After one or two short term [spending bills] you do start losing some freshman, and I'm one of them," Labrador said. "We can't continue to fund government at this rate. The reason we came to Washington, DC is to let people know we want stability back in the system. You can't legislate by short term spending bills."

This is completely unnecessary. Let the shutdown happen. Then we can finally have the knock down drag out debate over whether or not we need to cut back or spend ourselves into oblivion. Judging from the early poll results in Wisconsin, I say this is a debate the GOP need not fear.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: CNN

Via: Rassmussen Reports

Nice Guys Finish Last: Wisconsin Republicans won't eliminate collective bargaining without AWOL Dems

Whenever I hear lefties say that Republicans are great at playing hardball politics, I have to laugh to myself.  In Wisconsin, Senate Republicans have a nuclear option for passing the contentious collective bargaining parts of the bill, but won't use it. 

The Daily Caller: Wisconsin’s Senate can move forward on many pieces of legislation — and could eliminate some or all collective bargaining rights for public sector workers — even without the 14 Democratic state senators who fled to Chicago.[...]

Wisconsin’s Senate needs a quorum, or 20 senators, to proceed on any spending or fiscal business. There are only 19 Republican state senators, and because all the Democrats fled, the Senate can’t hold a vote on Gov. Scott Walker’s budget. But a quorum isn’t needed for most non-spending legislation.

Newly elected state Sen. Leah Vukmir, a Tea Party favorite, told The Daily Caller the Senate could separate the removal of collective bargaining rights for state and local employees from the spending bill if the Democrats refuse to return. Vukmir said she’s not yet sure if Wisconsin’s Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald will do so, but said it’s a possibility. [MORE]

Given how the WI's Senate Democrats have flatly refused to do their jobs, it would seem like passing the parts of the bill without them would be the way to go.  But remember we are dealing with Republicans who too often want to play Mr. Nice Guy.

Associated Press: MADISON, Wis. -- The Republican leader of the Wisconsin state Senate says there will be no vote on a bill taking away union rights for government workers until Democrats return.[...]

But Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he will not attempt to pass any portions of the bill without Democrats present. The Senate is meeting Tuesday to take up other measures, such as a resolution commending the Green Bay Packers on winning the Super Bowl.

What a jackass. The only thing Scott Fitzgerald will receive for being Mr. Nice Guy is a good swift kick in the teeth from Democrats.

If I were him, I would give the Democrats a week from hell for fleeing the state.  I would start out each day by passing all sorts of Republican dream bills, like the Voter ID bill.  I would end the week with passing all the collective bargaining rights legislation.  I would not even give the AWOL Democrats a heads up what I was going to do.  They chose to abandon their jobs so there is little need to worry about them.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Daily Caller

Via: Associated Press

Via: Moe Lane

Hypocrisy Alert! Pelosi is "proud" of Wisconsin Democrat's obsturctionism

I really do think Democrats think the American people are brain dead.  Do you remember how Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats went on and on and on about Republican obstructionism?  In case you forgot, check out Pelosi in this Rachel Maddow interview.

After watching that interview, one would think that Nancy is all about making progress right?  Well, you would be wrong.  Here is Pelosi today singing a different tune on the Wisconsin Democrats.

The Hill: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she supports the Democratic state senators in Wisconsin who left the state to stop a vote on curbing collective bargaining rights for unionized public employees.

After earlier voicing solidarity with the workers protesting against Gov. Scott Walker (R) in Wisconsin, Pelosi told The Hill she also stands behind the state legislators who fled and are now reportedly being sought by police.

“I saw some of them speak on TV, and they were very proud of the action that they took. I’m very proud of what they are doing,” she said. “They’re standing up for the rights of America's workingmen and -women to have a voice at the table about their jobs and their futures, so yes, I support them.” [...]

In other words, obstruction for me, but not for thee, hey Nancy?

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Hill

The Wisconsin Showdown - Some thoughts

Wisconsin has now become ground zero in the battle of state budget shortfalls. Should Governor Scott Walker be successful, other states in even more desperate situations will follow suit.  Walker may even become the new Chris Christie for Republicans.


For Democrats and unions, this is an uphill battle against reality.  They are up against two stone walls. First, there simply isn't enough money. Second, the public has grown  very resentful for having to pay for lavish benefits and pension while they struggle mightily in this economy.  Unions know that if this battle is lost in Wisconsin it will likely be lost nationwide.  Democrats have no choice but to back the unions or risk watching one of the biggest supports lose strength nationwide.


I do feel some pity for the rank and file union worker.  Because of greedy union leaders and short sighted weak politicians, these folks were sold an impossible promise.  A promise that they built their futures on.  Now that the jig is up, they are going to be forced to deal with reality at a very difficult time in the economy.  On some level though, they all should have known it was too good to last forever.  It is no secret that they were getting much more than the very people who pay their salaries and that is a situation that sooner or later need to be corrected.

Bye-Bye DLC, Bye-Bye Conservative Democrats

Question: What do Blue Whales and Conservative Democrats have in common?
Answer: They are both on the verge of extinction.


The moderate leftwing organization that brought us the Clintons appears to on the verge of extinction.

Ben Smith: The Democratic Leadership Council, the iconic centrist organization of the Clinton years, is out of money and could close its doors as soon as next week, a person familiar with the plans said Monday. [MORE]

The vanishing act doesn't stop here, across the South some 24 conservative state Reps and Senators have switch to the Republican party.  Even Nancy Pelosi is shutting the conservative Dems out.


The Democratic Party has been steadily moving leftwards for quite some time. Everywhere you look on the left, it is the far left that has the biggest megaphone.  I am hard pressed to think of a single moderate Democrat who wields any real power on the left (nope, not the Clintons, they are a self serving operation).


Via: Memeorandum
Via: Politico
Via: LA Times
Via: The Atlantic

Thank You! Democrats vote to extend Nancy Pelosi’s reign of terror

Wall Street Journal: WASHINGTON—Democrats in the House of Representatives voted 150-43 Wednesday to keep House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as their leader in the new Congress, a number of lawmakers said as they emerged from the caucus meeting. […]

Earlier in the day, 68 of her fellow Democrats voted to delay the election until next month to give her critics more time to digest the midterm elections results in which Democrats lost more than 60 seats in the House.

"We just had a horrible election," said Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, a Pelosi ally who voted to delay the caucus elections.

Well, Mr. Ryan you have pretty much guaranteed your party another horrible election for 2012! It is no secret that Nancy Pelosi has become the face of liberals gone wild. Effective or not, why would Democrats want to constantly remind voters of their greatest follies?

I can see Nancy now out in front of the press criticizing Republicans and all viewers will be able to think of  is; “God, I can't stand that woman”!

Thank you, Dems! 2012 just got a whole lot easier.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Wall Street Journal

Graphic h/t: Mako Snark 

Obama wants Dream Act passed during lame duck session

Politico: President Barack Obama told Democratic members of Congress Tuesday he wants the DREAM Act passed in the lame duck session as a “down payment” on substantial immigration reform, according to members at the meeting.

And, he said, he’d call resistant senators to get them on board.

The president told Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Reps. Nydia Velasquez (D-N.Y.) and Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) in a meeting at the White House that he would call members holding out on approving the DREAM Act, which provides a path to citizenship for young illegal immigrants who complete two years of college or military service. […]

In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said last week she plans to bring the measure to the floor before the end of the year. [MORE]

Everyone knows that the Dream Act is basically backdoor amnesty.  I think we can pretty much assume from this that Obama has no intention of doing a pivot like Bill Clinton.  With 23 Democrat senators up for reelection in 2012, I am not sure how successful Obama will be getting this passed. 

The Dream Act’s passage or failure will reveal just how much faith Democrats still have in Obama.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Politico

Dejected Dems cry on House floor

Boo Hoo!

The Hill: Dejected Democrats wiped away tears on the House floor Monday night while Republicans congratulated themselves on winning back control of the lower chamber.

House members returned to the nation's capital for the first time since Republicans captured the House two weeks ago.

Freshman Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.), who lost her reelection bid, wiped away tears as she hugged fellow members of the class of 2008, many of whom lost on Nov. 2.

Less than three feet away, ousted Nevada freshman Rep. Dina Titus (D) appeared to brush away some tears in a less obvious manner. [MORE]

Oh, my poor heart aches … NOT! After two years of crapping on the will of the people, these folks are shedding tears? They can drown in a river of tear for all I care.

Kick it, Ella!

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Hill