tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post1596950237699657975..comments2023-09-15T04:27:57.129-04:00Comments on Commentarama: Generic TroubleAndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-39805896009666669142010-04-15T18:12:02.162-04:002010-04-15T18:12:02.162-04:00Bev, Seen it. . . liked it!Bev, Seen it. . . liked it!AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-61973542918845029102010-04-15T15:55:30.537-04:002010-04-15T15:55:30.537-04:00Just in case you haven't seen this - Contract ...Just in case you haven't seen this - Contract From America<br /><br />http://www.contractfromamerica.com/BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-81326878496467162002010-04-15T13:37:18.425-04:002010-04-15T13:37:18.425-04:00Lawhawk, Not only are the policies bad, but the ex...Lawhawk, Not only are the policies bad, but the expectation that they are coming is keeping people from hiring as well. It's like the worst kind of combination -- "we may do something really stupid to you soon."<br /><br />And you're right, the economic numbers mean nothing if they don't translate into increased income and more jobs. And that, they are not doing at the moment. Indeed, income continued to shrink last year and unemployment hasn't budged.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-48247629599336771902010-04-15T12:57:41.103-04:002010-04-15T12:57:41.103-04:00Andrew: The rosy picture that Obama is trying to ...Andrew: The rosy picture that Obama is trying to paint about the economy "rebounding" is a false hope for them. Most of the results of his socialist policies haven't yet affected the economy, and they haven't even begun to eat the rich. There has unquestionably been a small uptick in the market, but volatility is a far more dangerous factor as investors hold their breath waiting to see what crazy scheme will emerge next.<br /><br />Still, the big factor that could save the Democrats, but is much more likely to sink them, is unemployment. All the stimuli and grandiose government hiring programs are not fooling the public, and unlike Reagan, who survived the continuation of high unemployment in his first two years, Obama has no ability to convince Americans that there is genuine hope that high unemployment is a temporary condition that will turn around. While Reagan was encouraging business that creates wealth and hires millions, Obama encourages dependence on government which eats wealth and costs thousands more jobs than it creates. <br /><br />All the Democratic programs simply increase unemployment and weaken take-home pay for those lucky enough to still have a job. The economy "rebounding" means very little to the unemployed and the underemployed. Every new program the Democrats create means higher taxes and less money for businesses to hire new employees and re-hire their old employees. And now, the Democrats are having to admit that to fill their massive debt-hole, a value-added tax (VAT) would likely be necessary. I'm sure that will thrill all the unemployed who are already counting every penny just to survive.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-64032210682057203552010-04-15T12:34:22.544-04:002010-04-15T12:34:22.544-04:00Writer X, Although they didn't give a real def...Writer X, Although they didn't give a real definition of "energized voter," it appears to be people who said they intended to vote -- as compared to "likely voters" which usually means people who voted in prior elections.<br /><br />I think what this is getting at are the very people who are out there protesting and calling Congress. All the polls show right now that these people overwhelmingly intend to toss the Democrats out on their rear ends.<br /><br />You're right about the Cadillac turning into the scooter. And right now there are a lot of upset scooter owners.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-35351349964262915652010-04-15T12:26:55.486-04:002010-04-15T12:26:55.486-04:00Bev, I agree. And I think that the Republicans ar...Bev, I agree. And I think that the Republicans are making moves in the right direction by associating themselves with the Tea Party people. If they run on a platform of fiscal sanity, getting the debt under control, lower spending, lower taxes, and lower regulation, then I think they can easily attract the middle of the road types.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-12817134988850980362010-04-15T12:18:55.446-04:002010-04-15T12:18:55.446-04:00Joel, True. And the electorate handed the Democra...Joel, True. And the electorate handed the Democrats the chance to put the Republicans away forever, just as we got that chance in 1994. We blew it over 10 years, they blew it over one year.<br /><br />Now we need to hope the Republicans can follow through and do it right this time.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-19888742866774335282010-04-15T12:17:28.356-04:002010-04-15T12:17:28.356-04:00TJ, November does seem a long way away and things ...TJ, November does seem a long way away and things can change. But right now, this is how it looks. I don't see anything that is likely to change in the meantime -- especially as summers tend to be slow news time. But you never know. Sooooo let's keep our fingers crossed!AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-59646172683916092432010-04-15T11:40:13.586-04:002010-04-15T11:40:13.586-04:00Great analysis, Andrew!
What is an "energiz...Great analysis, Andrew! <br /><br />What is an "energized voter"? Is that someone likely to vote? I don't see the groundswell ending any time soon either, especially as people can't find jobs, spend more for less, and find out (especially the Dems who were so excited for Healthcare) that the Healthcare Bill is smoke and mirrors and is really code for higher taxes, more debt, less choice, and decreased medical care/quality. It's like when you think you purchased a Cadillac but really only got a broken scooter.<br /><br />Go Dems!Writer Xnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-37836346604800557762010-04-15T11:35:37.332-04:002010-04-15T11:35:37.332-04:00Elections are won and lost by the Independent vote...Elections are won and lost by the Independent voter. Both parties must spend most of their time to convince the Independent ones to vote for their candidate. Their bases are their bases and will vote straight party tickets no matter what. However, Democrats have lost the Independant voters in droves. Have the Republicans pick up those voters?BevfromNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953050916932306270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-85630541033402465352010-04-15T11:32:50.024-04:002010-04-15T11:32:50.024-04:00CrisD, Romney annoys me to no end for that very re...CrisD, Romney annoys me to no end for that very reason (as do others). He is playing by "old-school Republican rules", i.e. the Charlie Brown/Lucy Van Pelt and the football rules, where Republicans play nice no matter what the Democrats do over and over and over.<br /><br />Any Republican who wants to remain in office better realize very quickly that the electorate is sick of that and that they aren't going to accept that from their Republican representatives anymore. That's why marshmallows like Crist and McCain are in such trouble.<br /><br />As for the economy, I think the MSM is going to spend as much ink as they can afford telling us how the economy is miraculously better between now and November. But that doesn't make it so, and the people aren't believing it. As long as the unemployment rate stays above 9% and the under-employment rate stays around 20% people will know better -- as evidenced by their unwillingness to invest and business's unwillingness to hire.<br /><br />Moreover, the MSM is forgetting that the economy always improves in the summer (because of temporary summer hiring), but then sinks again in September/October. So trumpeting success now, will only make the fall in September/October look all the worse.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-3957757097647539162010-04-15T11:23:24.441-04:002010-04-15T11:23:24.441-04:00P.S. The Republicans are doing a great job gettin...P.S. The Republicans are doing a great job getting out the word that Dodd's financial bill is nothing more than a huge bail out. Obama has even had to deny that recently.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-85122194007656897612010-04-15T11:22:27.604-04:002010-04-15T11:22:27.604-04:00Stan, That is the question. I think the Republican...Stan, That is the question. I think the Republicans need to come up with a small, effective platform so that they can show that they stand for something. Beyond that, they need to go on the attack. They can't just hope that the Democrats implode on their own.<br /><br />Like Jed, I'm not worried about Corker. Graham is a problem though.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-58219726597782273902010-04-15T11:18:00.681-04:002010-04-15T11:18:00.681-04:00LL, My biggest fear with Obama when he came into o...LL, My biggest fear with Obama when he came into office was that he sounded very rational and he sounded a lot like he'd learned the lessons of Clintonism -- moderate Democratic policies can be very popular.<br /><br />If Obama had been as intelligent as he likes to think he is (and he obviously isn't), then he would have gone with the approach you mention -- careful, rational reform that makes sense to the public, that doesn't over-reach, and which sounds like it really could make the system better. The public would even have forgiven an expansion of government coverage as part of that, so long as everyone benefited. But instead, he chose to let his left flank make a total mess of it -- interest group handouts, filling the bill with pork and pet peeves, and ideology over effectiveness.<br /><br />Because of this, they've doomed themselves. Ironically, I think that if they'd gone the smart root, they could have doomed the Republicans. As it was, they could have kept the Republicans out of power for several generations, now its the Democrats who are facing being tossed out for several generations.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-27001083327337383292010-04-15T11:15:13.142-04:002010-04-15T11:15:13.142-04:00Andrew,
To be fair, this time around, it is the D...Andrew,<br /><br />To be fair, this time around, it is the Democrat Politicians who are on the receiving end of voter anger. It should have been the Republicans 5 years ago.Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-30315845202067449932010-04-15T11:07:01.795-04:002010-04-15T11:07:01.795-04:00Joel, I think you put your finger on the problem f...Joel, I think you put your finger on the problem for the Democrats. Before the internet became as powerful as it is today, the Democrats could rely on the fact that the MSM would lie and distort everything to make the Democrats look good. But those days are over. The MSM is still up to its same old tricks, but the people don't trust it anymore.<br /><br />Instead, people have turned to other sources they trust. And fortunately, there are many excellent sources out there that do a great job of explaining what is really happening. Sometimes it's even as simple as just reading a bill for yourself. Seriously, before the internet, could anyone have read the health care bill? No, but they can now. . . and they did. So when the Democrats showed up for their lie-fest townhalls, they ran right into people who could point to specific section of the bill and demand answers -- answers they didn't have. This is something the Democrats have never had to deal with before.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-57512619537028014802010-04-15T11:00:17.791-04:002010-04-15T11:00:17.791-04:00Jed, They will try a lot of things. But I think t...Jed, They will try a lot of things. But I think the problem right now for the Democrats is that they don't understand why the people have turned on them.<br /><br />Look at the issue of financial reform. As I said the other day, no one really cares about that. The people care about the debt, our security, their jobs, their health care and their taxes. And those are all areas that the Democrats are either trying hard to ignore or they are on the wrong side.<br /><br />I have no doubt that they will trumpet the "improved economy" -- they already are. If a Republican had been President, we would be hearing about the end of America right now. Instead, we hear about every improvement no matter how meaningless. But the people aren't buying it. I honestly think they've stopped listening.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-48452752883187172402010-04-15T10:53:56.929-04:002010-04-15T10:53:56.929-04:00Interesting analysis Andrew. We can only hope and...Interesting analysis Andrew. We can only hope and pray it turns out that way. And in 2012, hopefully there won't be any third party candidates to spoil things.TJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09668206181049666483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-85164033024886879032010-04-15T10:49:15.281-04:002010-04-15T10:49:15.281-04:00Great post.
I agree with the responses about the ...Great post.<br /><br />I agree with the responses about the wiley Democrats and the gutless Republicans.<br /><br />Heard a tape of Mitt Romney complimenting Obama on his great work in Afganistan. Mmmmm. Mitt have any idea about the President's foreign policy idiocy? <br />Trying to be statesman-like? Romney is complimenting a very horrid administration and is not capturing mood of nation.<br /><br />Must add that I have seen news stories about rebounding economy but it is not what I see. I see prices going up, less stock in stores and smart people cutting up credit cards. Hopefully some of the media will stay on top of that issue.CrisDnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-7647563909465953272010-04-15T10:18:27.387-04:002010-04-15T10:18:27.387-04:00I am not so down on Senator Corker to the extent B...I am not so down on Senator Corker to the extent Big Government is. I don't begrudge him for trying to get involved in defining the financial oversite legislation, and I do believe there needs to be reform and some government oversite of the derivatives market. That oversite must be crafted to avoid government policy promoting "too big to fail," and which keeps pension funds from investing in inherently high risk financing.<br /><br />Last I heard from Senator Corker, he could not support the amount of invasive government oversite in the Dodd bill.Tennessee Jedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10604275115906776992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-47691639691730027152010-04-15T09:59:38.689-04:002010-04-15T09:59:38.689-04:00LL,
Why, that sounds almost like a McCain preside...LL,<br /><br />Why, that sounds almost like a McCain presidency!!!! ;-)Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-50245314995572644282010-04-15T09:58:28.365-04:002010-04-15T09:58:28.365-04:00I tend to agree with one caveat, how will the Repu...I tend to agree with one caveat, how will the Republicans act? With few exceptions they are all Washington politicians and have shown a remarkable propensity to pull defeat from the jaws of victory.<br /><br />Example: Jim Corker working with Chris Dodd on financial reform. Lindsey Graham working on immigration, and climate change with various democrats. Jim Coburn admonishing FOX News. John McCain in ’08 telling us that Barry’s a swell guy. When the MSM reported racial epithets being leveled at the Congressional Black Caucus, and like trained seals Michael Steele and John Boehner instantly repudiating statements which were not made…you get my point.StanHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07395708786509590321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-88741798325026662282010-04-15T09:30:26.176-04:002010-04-15T09:30:26.176-04:00It would be interesting to see (and it's only ...It would be interesting to see (and it's only hypothetical) what the results would have been if:<br /><br />The Democrats had pushed for rational healthcare reform (tort reform, portability, dealing with pre-existing conditions, opening the market to competition, etc.), had been transparent as they promised they would be and if they hadn't been quite so blatantly socialist.<br /><br />barack hussein obama might have been able to restrain himself from alienating ever-single US ally and he and his side-kick Joe (Slow Joe) Biden hadn't played the fools from Jerusalem to Bangkok. <br /><br />And the list goes on.<br /><br />A moderate Democratic congress and a moderated President rather than the "barack hussein obama regime".LLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05538854359365988863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-15864362390217166472010-04-15T09:21:29.090-04:002010-04-15T09:21:29.090-04:00Andrew,
I was right about HealthCare being a dead...Andrew,<br /><br />I was right about HealthCare being a dead albatross and the Dems putting it around their neck. It is getting more interesting.<br /><br />Jed, they already are putting out crap that the economy is rebounding, but the American people aren't buying it this time. With the MSM going all in for a demagogue with socialist tendencies and insisting he isn't, with the MSM going all in for Global Warming and it isn't warming at all, with the MSM lying and being exposed daily as liars and with the speed of the internet well the American people will only listen to them for so long. <br /><br />Plus with analysts like LawHawk and Andrew and contributers like WriterX, Bev and Scott, we get to see much more clearly what is really going on and how to decide for ourselves.Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-27324604900563240732010-04-15T09:07:43.991-04:002010-04-15T09:07:43.991-04:00I truly hope so. Perhaps an equally compelling que...I truly hope so. Perhaps an equally compelling question might be "what potentially is out there that might improve the Dem's chances. We know outright lying is usually in the playbook. I suspect the administration will put out tons of crap about the improving economy and the old media will eat it up. I just wonder, though.Tennessee Jedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10604275115906776992noreply@blogger.com