Republican primary voters at this early stage of the game now give billionaire developer Donald Trump the edge over presumptive favorites Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee in the race to be the GOP’s presidential nominee in 2012. – Another Meaningless Poll That Sends a Message to Democrats
From Superman Reannounces US Citizenship – Action Comics #900 written by David S. Goyer with art by Miguel Sepulveda.
It got blown out by Trump versus Obama contest, but a Washington Post – Pew poll released late Tuesday night revealed why so many people are disenchanted with the Democratic Party. In the age of Obama, Republican economics has now completely replaced Democratic Party ideals, which have always been moored to jobs, middle class growth, and retirement security.
Democrats have also led the way on changes to the concern question: 81 percent of Democrats now say the federal budget is a major problem that must be addressed now, up from 64 percent in December.
A new Marist poll backs up Pres. Obama’s economic malpractice: 40% — approve of how the president is dealing with the country’s economy while nearly six in ten — 57% — disapprove.
This is why the argument recently forwarded by Ezra Klein that Obama is a “moderate Republican” is so damaging, even as Obama loyalists try to lap it up as a positive triangulation that could work for Democrats, because all that matters is reelecting Pres. Obama.
Why do Democrats and progressives want to back a moderate Republican to lead the Democratic Party? This is supposedly what progressives found so abhorrent about Pres. Bill Clinton’s presidency, along with the fact that he hurt the party, but no one can say that jobs weren’t his number one focus. So why are these same progressives accepting Barack Obama who is not advancing Democratic Party economics or focusing on jobs?
Missed in all the noise of Donald Trump is something very simple. David Frum talked about it yesterday, while tying himself in knots, citing Trump’s background as a “troubled student (at one point he attended a military school) who nonetheless gained admission to Wharton.” Frum going on to say his father’s wealth was an aid to his trajectory to Wharton, but it’s the former that’s the issue.
Trump’s bullying braggadocio of Pres. Obama, as well as his puffing up of his own prowess, is gauchely low brow. It’s common. As David Brooks wrote recently, it’s the “gospel of success,” which every person wants to dream about again, but which they can’t grab a hold of today. It’s rooted in something well beyond Democratic versus Republican economic points of view. Ups and downs, failures and fulminating falsehoods and all, this billionaire to bankruptcy and back again represents what people see America needs to do, too. Our great country economically hobbled with no one having the answers except to take things away from people who are barely holding on, Donald Trump not only says no to Paul Ryan’s Medicare scheme, but in the same breath he says no to China, OPEC, the Saudis and everyone else he sees laughing at America.
Meanwhile, Pres. Obama is in charge, but seen to be failing at doing anything about jobs or the economy, barely mentioning jobs in his first term.
It’s also why Obama’s reelection campaign began with a question “are you in?” Because the optimism, hope and change portion of Barack Obama’s mystique has left the stage, with all that’s left behind is let’s win this one for Obama.
I have no idea if a legitimate Republican can grab on to the message of what’s possible in America today, which Pres. Obama can’t find with both hands, his aides and the power of the presidency behind him. But the kernel of success in 2012 lies in parts of what Donald Trump’s low brow persona has tapped in the American populace through his crassly competitive and confrontational style, even if people recoil at the prospect of ever voting for Donald Trump.
In reference to the polls: I really don’t understand why anyone pays attention to them. The voters say one thing to the pollster’s and another in the voting booth. They’re worried about jobs and they elect republicans; they’re concerned about the future, the enviornment, education and fiscal responsibility; yet they elect republicans. Where in U.S. history is there evidence that republicans care about these things. At the risk of beating a dead horse the democrats would do both themselves and the american public a great service by launching a well funded voter education campaign. People don’t seem to understand how they’ve been manipulated and made to believe things that simply are not true. As far as the comparison of Clinton to Obama, I don’t believe there is any. Regardless of whatever else he was, Clinton was a democrat, he believed in democratic ideals and was willing to fight for core values. Obama is a technocrat and a weak conservative. Clinton had warmth and feelings, Obama is cold and distant. I have come to believe that Obama is the worst man at the worst time.
Democrats controlled both legislative branches from 2006 – 2010 and the results speak for themselves.
Is ‘democratic ideals’ some kind of catch-phrase? It means nothing to me. Ideals have no place in real life. Ideally, I could sit on my ass, never work and provide a comfortable life for myself and my family. In real life, in order to provide a ‘comfortable’ life for myself and my family I have to spend 15 hours a week commuting and 40 – 50 hours a week working to earn money and 4 – 8 hours a week working to save money by doing things myself rather than paying some one else to do them for me. Ideally, all people would have the opportunity to earn a decent living at a job that they love, in real life, many people are unqualified for all but the most basic of functions.
Let’s forget about ‘ideals’ and try to deal with real life.
Please don’t reply to any more of my posts. Nothing you say makes any sense to me. You seem to be reading somebody elses post since nothing I said has anything to do with what your ranting about. I really don’t care about your personal problems nor does anyone else. Like many people on this site you apparently cannot read , nor can you focus on a central idea.
People did vote for democrats, in 2006 and 2008. Gave them majority control in both houses and the presidency in 2008. What are the results from those years? Higher unemployment, higher annual deficits and a greater national debt. Those results do not indicate that the democrats care about the future or fiscal responsibility. Thus, more republicans were elected in 2010.
What I described are not my personal problems, but my life. I work, I pay my mortgage and my taxes. IDEALLY, I would like to not have to work and to still pay my mortgage and my taxes, but life does not permit that. I was trying to demonstrate how ridiculous the notion of IDEALs is to real life, but I should perhaps have taken a little more time to illustrate that point.
I will continue to respond to your posts until you finally get that anthropology degree and get out into the real world where you can learn what its like first hand.
An ideal is a principle that one actively pursues as a goal, not a fantasy like lounging in leisure while one’s mortgage and bills get magically paid. Since he’s referring to Clinton, fangio’s use of Democratic ideals likely refers to Clinton’s goals of fairness and opportunities for everybody who plays by the rules.
Nowhere did I promote the Democratic party. In many posts I have pushed the Green party, to no avail. I said the democrat’s could use a voter education campaign to knock some sense into a general public that does not seem to vote with their best interests. The reason the democrats did not accomplish anything in the years you mention is because of one huge impediment: Obama. As far as democratic ideals are concerned: they are necessary to a functioning democracy. The ideals have nothing to do with the democrat’s. They have to do with the ability of this country to prosper. My father was a union man back when unions were not a dirty word and he had democratic ideals. Those ideals kept him from voting for Nixon. One last note: the education campaign could remind people where their standard of living came from, where their vacation time, sick leave time, health care and humane working conditions came from; unions.
if the gop can do what it does best- find a very strong candidate then time to sing that 1979 feeling. high gas prices, not alk of jobs, a misplaced focus on budget cuts etc.. carterque? or is rove right- predicting a 72 style nixon landslide?
“… Obama is in charge, but seen to be failing at doing anything about jobs or the economy, barely mentioning jobs in his first term.” — TM
For me, Obama’s failure to focus on the fundamental need for jobs is a key indicator of where his priorities are (tiny oligarchy), and aren’t (massive non-oligarchy). And I see no reason to think those priorities will be any different in a second term.
“It’s also why Obama’s reelection campaign began with a question ‘are you in?’ Because the optimism, hope and change portion of Barack Obama’s mystique has left the stage, with all that’s left behind is let’s win this one for Obama.” — TM
And in tribute to his inspiration, the Gipper …
On polls, they are a snapshot in time, but depending the subject can also be a warning sign for politicians.
Pres Obama wouldn’t have released his long form birth cert if the polls hadn’t shown the traction of Trump pimping the birther issue.
T4h, that’s exactly the emotion Trump has hit & is trying to mine, that 1979 feeling. Just this week a draft Trump email was circulating with “From Donald to Ronald” as the pitch (MattStoller tweeted about it). Click on the econ link & you’ll see 1st quarter @ 1.8% growth.
That’s such a big problem, ;Joyce. The 2nd term will nbe like the 1st, only with more arrogance, less attention to progressive issues because no elections left.
I don’t want a Democratic Party President governing as a moderate Republican, nor do I want a Democratic Party that governs like moderate Reublicans. I have been calling Pres Obama a moderate Reublicna for as long as I have been commenting on this site ,just about a year now.
That is why I welcome the news from the IAFF International Association of Firefighters that they are turning off the money spigot to the national DC Dems and focusing on state elections and union/workers causes. The IAFF has been totally disappointed in Pres Obama and the DC Dems for their lack of support of workers/union rights, and middle class issues while the Repubs have been attacking those very issues and constituancies. So they said you wont fight for us, we don’t fight for you.
Good for them! Lets see how our Dem Congresscritters, and also the Pres feel about losing what I beleive is the first of many unions that form the economic muscle and grass roots GOTV efforts. Only way to punish an elected official is turn off the money and the GOTV machinery.
If unions started forming local and state Labor Party’s I’m in.
Me too!
PWT – You were talking about 2006 thru ’08, not 2008 thru ’10. My error. It is true what you say about the democratic majority during that time. I can’t blame Obama for that one, but as I said, I’m no fan of the democrat’s either.
It’s hard to be a fan of any of them these days.