E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Here is our take on the new NBC/WSJ poll: Two months of oil continuing to gush from a well off the Gulf Coast, as well as an unemployment rate still near 10 percent, have taken a toll on President Barack Obama and his standing with the American public… For the first time in the survey, more disapprove of his job performance than approve; for the first time in his presidency, more than 60 percent believe the country is on the wrong track; and as he relieves Gen. Stanley McChrystal of his command in Afghanistan, Obama's scores on being able to handle a crisis and on being decisive have plummeted since last year."
"This is a president who has been bruised and bloodied by the events of the past few months, although not yet knocked down, say the Democratic and Republican pollsters who conducted the survey. 'There is just no way that an American president is not going to see his job rating affected' after these events, observed GOP pollster Bill McInturff. 'The little faint signs [of improvement] we were seeing in April and May have been squished by two months of this story in the Gulf.'"
The Wall Street Journal's take: "Americans are more pessimistic about the state of the country and less confident in President Barack Obama's leadership than at any point since Mr. Obama entered the White House… The results show 'a really ugly mood and an unhappy electorate,' said Democratic pollster Peter Hart… 'The voters, I think, are just looking for change, and that means bad news for incumbents and in particular for the Democrats.'"
Here is Greg Sargent's take: "[T]he spill appears to be taking a serious toll: There have been sharp drops in the numbers of those who think Obama is effective handling a crisis (down to 40 percent) and who think he's decisive (down to 44 percent). The poll was taken before the sacking of McChrystal, so it'll be interesting to see if that public display of leadership and decisiveness puts any dent in these trends."
NBC's Pete Williams reports: "In dueling court filings late Wednesday, the government asked the judge who blocked the federal moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling to put his own ruling on hold, while oil companies asked him to do just the opposite -- to speed up enforcement of his order, accusing the government of defying his ruling." (More on that later on the blog.)
In case you missed it, the AP notes: "President Barack Obama is nominating John Podesta, a key political ally, to serve on the board that helps set policies and direction for the government's national service agency."
The AP previews Obama's meeting with Russia's President Medvedev today: "The Obama administration is showcasing what it sees as one of its main foreign policy successes, warmer relations with Russia."
Leave a Comment:
Here is my take... I do not trust ANY poll, let alone one that has any input from a "media outlet" owned or influenced by Mr. Murdoch or Mr. Ailes.
No, the ONLY poll I care about at all will be taken on the first Tuesday of November...
Disgusted and Ca TOM,
Right on. I downloaded the poll last night. If people read it the Republicans and Tea Party does not far very well on many of the same issues that the pundits are attributing to President Obama. Many fall within the margin of error. I found it very interesting on what they also say about Palin and the Tea Party in general as well. I do not like polls, I think for the most part they are designed to gather votes for a particular political position. This poll was issued by NBC/Wall Street Journal. WSJ is own by the same people that own Fox and NBC is an GE affilate. So half the questions on either side are slanted at best. Polls are like the weather, if you do not like one, wait awhile, it will change. I would like to see a study of how many times polls are incorrect.
Bury your head in the sand much?
Libs like you couldn't wait to rant about how wonderful Obama's poll numbers were back during the 2008 elections, to your type those polls were the absolute bedrock truth. Now the polls have swung against your hero, and you losers can't wait to play ostrich and stick you head in the sand, or other places for that matter.
Go ahead don't trust the polls. You truth deniers can't handle the truth.
JoAnna,
Unlike you, I do not follow polls, do not crow when my preferred candidates gain or lose a few points in some poll conducted by phantom people and compiled by goodness knows who. The only truth that matters JoAnna is how many votes each candidate received and who is the winner. The rest of this prognosticating and speculating based on each and every new poll I will leave to the blowhards like you that love to bloviate all over the boards, but rarely (if ever) actually say anything of substance or that is worth contemplating for more than a nanosecond...
P.S. Speaking of heads in the sand, I still do not see that brightly colored ribbon pinned to your ass. I sure hope that immigrant gardener with that big, gnarly lawn tractor sees you before he rides over your feathered hind end...
Disgusted,
Thanks for the visual image. Her head buried in the sand with that big fat butt sticking up in the air with a ribbon to boot.
Well that's interesting. So how do you measure success? By what you feel? And just because you feel one way, aren't you the least bit interested in how others view the world around them when compared to you? Polls are just one form of input to compare what you feel against what others are thinking. You obviously think things are going along quite well. Well guess what, others, most others, don't. Now you can sit there and be pious in your beliefs and scorn others for thinking different., but you and the rest of your ilk are about to find out the truth about what the majority of the people in the country believe, and that is that things are not going well, haven't gotten better, and in fact have gotten much worse since the Democrats took over their super majorities in DC.
One day you may get the stars out of your eyes and the sand out of ears, but obviously not anytime soon.
My, my, the left wingnuts are getting angrier an angrier by the day. It's all going wrong for them. Wait a bit longer, it's going to get worse for you. Get that blood pressure checked, wouldn't want you to have a stroke or anything. It would be so hard for you to type your hate in with only one hand.
It won't get worse for us JoAnna. The bigotry, xenophobia and homophobia of you and your ilk will be your downfall. Not to mention how the Republican Party has sat by and done nothing while this nation has experienced the worse economic crisis in generations. All the GOP has it God, gays and guns. Pretty pathetic.
JoAnna,
You poor, deluded, ostrich. The ONLY measure of success that matters or means ANYTHING is that which is compiled after the polls close on election day. No amount of polling on EITHER side of the aisle means ANYTHING unless you propose that we elect the next President by Gallup Polling. I know that you are all so desperate to find supporting evidence that the majority of the populace hates the President as much as you do or that we are somehow as upset and put off by his attempts to straighten this ship back up as you all are.
You are simply wrong JoAnna. I know you will not accept this or ever concede this to be the case and that is fine. I know that every day, I will wake up and log onto FR and see your fat back side sticking up in the air while you scream at all your friends who also have their heads in the sand about how right you are and look at how many of us have their heads in the sand! WooHoo! Look at us now!!!
Well, on election day, unless the election results match what your precious polls tell you, what are you going to do? Will you accept and admit at THAT point that the majority of America is sick to death of your tactics and words? If you do not manage to pull off the coup you are all proudly predicting, will that constitute enough of a mandate for you to show you are all delusional and out of sync with the American public and perception? You may well surround yourself with a vocal group of people that will loudly and wildly come to your support no matter how flawed your argument, but i can assure you that just because they may make a lot of noise and LOOK like they command the attention and respect of many, that does not mean you and yours exist in anything close to the numbers you would need to achieve your desired goals.
I wish you luck. Please keep searching for polls that support your twisted ideals and priorities. We will see what ALL of the people that actually went to the polls think, and not just what some percentage of a few HUNDRED people that may NOT actually end up pulling a lever on election day. Let the chads fall where they may...
And the votes Enrique. The GOP will soon have the votes, in the House, and in the Senate. And they better be ready to act on Day 1 because they will have the huge messes the Democrats have made that they will have to clean up.
No, no, no, you ignorant fool! Success isn't who wins or loses an election. Success in 4% unemployment, 4.5% growth in GDP, low crime, good education, good jobs, peace in the world. That's success you nitwit, not if some goofball from Chicago shouting "Hope and Change" over and over wins an election.
Time for you stick that head of yours back where it obvioulsy spends most of its time. Be sure not sneeze else you might explode.
What are they going to vote on JoAnna? All your party is good for is cutting taxes and increasing spending on wars. That's it. What else do you have?
Long term the GOP is toast. They have offended an entire generation of young Latinos with their hateful profiling initiatives. Enjoy any short term boost your party experiences JoAnna, because it's not going to last.
No, no, no, you ignorant fool! Success isn't who wins or loses an election. Success in 4% unemployment, 4.5% growth in GDP, low crime, good education, good jobs, peace in the world.
The Clinton years! The 90s were good years. Look what George W. Bush and the GOP did to that.
JoAnna,
You are partially correct. It is not who wins or loses the election that constitutes success. The problem you and yours are about to experience in November is related to the fact that you have to vote for a CANDIDATE that you believe shares your views and will work to make your definition of success come to pass.
Now, with the Gulf still being slimed by a BP well, with the economy still desperately attempting to recover from 8 years of Bush policies, with two wars not going very well, with the entire Grand Oil Party sitting on it's collective hands to THWART our ability to move towards ANY goal, who do you really believe the electorate will stand behind and look to for a path out of the mire?
Do you really think the majority of the electorate wants to return to the Bush era? Or do you believe that, while we have not yet accomplished everything expected or desired, the electorate will stand behind the man that at least ATTEMPTED to move the entire COUNTRY forward, despite the best efforts (or truthfully, lack thereof) of the GOBP? I think the American people can see pretty clearly who is working for THEIR interests and who is working on behalf of BP, Wall Street, Big Pharma, and Big Insurance...
JoAnnaSmith
I just think it's really funny that you would mention good education because Bush always cut funds to higher education. Oh don't forget the Child Left Behind Act what happen to that? Peace in the world that was a big joke when Brush was in office.
What GB II and the GOP had to do was deal with the most massive attack on US soil ever. All because Billie Clinton treated the terrorist attacks of the '90s as police actions and not terrorist attacks. Your boy Billie was too busy playing with the interns and ignored the growing Islamic terrorist threat, and it was left to GW II to mop up after him.
"Good years". You have no clue, do you?
Well, yeah, except for that $26 billion dollar Education bill him and Teddy Kennedy worked together on and passed in GW's first term. Nice try though.
JoAnna,
You poor thing. Did Glenda get a bad batch of hallucinogens and start spewing completely inane theories again?
What GBII and the GOP did was fail to PREVENT the most massive attach on US soil ever because he was too busy clearing brush on "the Ranch" to bother much with that little thing called a Presidential Daily Briefing. After dismissing the report as nothing more than a CYA exercise, he proceeded to ignore the warnings and went back to his rake.
Last I checked, the people responsible for the attack on the WTC in 1993 are STILL in Federal Prisons. Good thing bush was true to his pledge to get Bin Laden "dead or alive" huh? We have managed to actually get three defendants before your precious military tribunals. Two of those cases had to be dismissed as the Bush Justice Department screwed up the cases too badly. The third received a small sentence, has since been released, and is back on his merry way.
Glad you asked. Those tried in our Civilian Justice System are, for the most part, rotting in jail cells with long or life sentences. For people that shout so loudly how much they love America and want to preserve our ways of life, you sure seem to hate our elected officials and criminal justice system. What is it that makes you all hate America so much that you cannot even express faith or confidence in the same system of justice that has existed for hundreds of years and has been responsible for bringing justice to all manner of defendants both large and small.
Maybe you all should go live in Cuba where they share much more similar viewpoints on things like criminal justice, habeus corpus, and various other civil liberties you all do not seem to cherish very much...
No that's a little more of a reasoned response.
I don't think the American people like being at war. And with the fight against terrorism, that's a different type of war that takes decades and is really never won, but is only managed. But the #1 goal of the federal government is to protect the country, and it's a dirty job, but the President has to do it. It's not popular, and it never will be, and it's not easy, but that fight cannot be ignored.
What the American people want to return to is their exceptional-ism, to the feeling that we are special and make a difference in the world. We may not always be right all the time, but we are right most of the time. We believe in our freedom and the freedom of others. We believe in honest business where if you work hard you are rewarded, and we make sure we all compete on a level playing field. That feeling is gone with most Americans today. Why that is can be debated, and fingers can be pointed, but that's the mood right now.
Sorry to bring it up, but the latest nbc poll showed 60+% of the people think the country is on the wrong track. You can ignore that if you want, but that is a significant number. People don't like the direction the country has taken, the wrong answer is being given to them by their elected representatives. And that's why we have elections.
Ahh, back to the personal insults and hatred again I see. It was too good to last. Have a good day Di.
JoAnna,
If you would simply take your Adderall so you can actually keep up with a thread to the point where you would actually respond with an actual answer to some of the questions posed here, you would find many of us willing to take you just a bit more seriously. Considering that all you do is post controversial and radical comments to stir things up, leave for a long while, drop back in long enough to post something else totally inane and unrelated to the topic or questions posed to you, and simply regurgitate whatever you have picked up from the echo chamber.
You have engaged in many ad-hominem attacks, belittled other posters, made divisive comments, and generally been a rather large impediment to any intelligent discourse here. So, instead of whining about name calling and other petty crap, how about you either participate in a meaningful and productive manner or STFU about those that try.
If you cannot keep up with the actual facts or play within the guidelines of an actual debate, I am sure the bloggers over at Fox would love to embrace your opinions where here we just pity you as someone that is not up to the task. Remember, never have a battle of wits with an unarmed person...
I was a market research analyst for a number of years. One of our favorite claims was about "masturbating" the numbers. If you're good enough, you can make a survey come out with about any results you want. It's just a matter of asking the questions a certain way, leading people to respond a desired way. Thus, though it was my livelihood, I quickly realized that there are virtually no "unbiased" surveys and that all of them can be twisted and the numbers masturbated to the point that they either say nothing or lie.
Nevertheless, I did read the results just to see what they were up to. The fact that half of the people said there is too much government and the other half said there isn't enough government makes me appreciate what an impossible position President Obama is in. In went into office hoping to unite the country. However when we are so completely divided on so many critical issues, I don't know how the guy can win (make the country better). Make one side happy, the other side screams foul - and vice versa. If he tries to find a compromise, everyone says he's weak and lacks leadership. If moderates still exist, they need to raise their voices and drown out the radicals on both sides. I don't know that I have ever heard of this country so divided. Perhaps about specific issues (like the wars including Vietnam), but never about everything.
I still have faith that Obama can pull the country together but it won't be the first time I've been called a hopeless optimist.
Polls. Choose the one that fits your thinking. I believe in elections not polls. The average poll has what, 1,000 to 1,500 people? What a joke.
Who cares about Russia? Or Health Care? Bumbling morons in the state department repeatedly insulting our allies and sucking up to our enemies is not leadership.
HOW ABOUT FIXING THE FRICKING HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN?
Whatcha gonna do about that Mr. President?
Why are the BP executives not cooling their heals in a jail, or at least wearing monitoring bracelets while we finish working up criminal indictments for them?
As for Afghanistan, by not giving the military the troops they asked for Petraeus has his work cut out for him, if you would back him 100% he would win it IF IT IS WINNABLE. Way to bring down the side Obama. How about firing the people Gen. McCrystal criticized also? And you should ask Joe Biden to resign while you are at it.
This just in, Mr T has been sent to the gulf with a load of Mohawk grenades and a diving suit, Capn Tweety will be in charge of the super tanker.
Put Cheney in jail now or use him to plug the hole as a back up to Mr T.
President Obama MORE THAN DOUBLED the troop levels in Afghanistan !!!
Geez who would be surprised that President Obama's poll numbers are going down when the LameStream Media has done nothing but Whine Baby Whine about whatever he does. President Obama has so much Elephant Dung to clean up after Clueless George Bush and the party of sore losers that ofcourse he's going to take a hit in the polls because too many Americans are too ignorant to understand who made the messes and that the messes aren't going to be cleaned up through instant gratification.
The media is to blame for not being honest about just how bad off our country was when Obama took office and all the media cares about is ratings. Afghanistan only became interesting to them when General BetrayUs McChrystal made his big verbal gaffe, where has the media been reporting on Afghanistan before that? Yeah MSNBC tv was more interested in wasting too much time blabbing on about Joran Vander Sloot or the idiot teen girl who got lost in the Indian Ocean and then demands that Obama spend every second doing something nabout the Gulf oil spill.
Time for the media to stop sensationizing the news just to jack up their worthless ratings. Time for the media to get a grip on reality and start reporting honestly. It's way past time for the media, including MSNBC to start doing their jobs properly or tv news is going to beat the newspapers into being extinct.
Eric,
Very good points. The media has become more and more of a entertainment function. Journalism seems to be fading fast. It is harder every day to figure out who is telling the truth and who is not. We the American people are paying the price for this. That nitwit Gretchen Carlson on the Misinformation Channel put herself and all TV anchors on par with the President of the US in making important, life savings deceisions. What crap.
Eric-
This is the same media that gave Barack Obama months and months of fawning, obsequious, completely over-the-top, in-the-tank coverage in the period leading up the the 2008 presidential election, and afterwards as well.
Only talk radio and Fox News bucked that trend. The rest were overwhelmingly, even embarrassingly, favorable in their coverage.
How quickly you've forgotten those media personalities who got a tingle up their leg when Obama spoke, or declared that Obama was God.
Where's your memory, Eric?
The proper role of the national press is to probe and question the motives and actions of every Administration. That's the way this generally works.
The fact that the waiver that the Obama Administration had with the press is expiring is a good thing...not the other way around.
as the old saying goes (that shows my age) right on bro!
Oh please quote Talk radio and Fox News............please! Like either one is unbiased news reporting lol lol roflmao
MAC in OK-
They were the only media entities I could think of not in-the-tank for Obama...
Who did I miss?
When the numbers are bad everyone talks about that. But if something does have higher numbers for President Obama they (media) never seems to put that in print.
I've heard several people mention that HCR has more approving than disapproving numbers. But I haven't heard any mentioning of that anywhere so the public can see for them selves.
But to me anytime someone interviews someone when something bad happens. I've noticed that the first thing out of the media's mouth is did that have anyting to do with the Obama admin. Seems to me they are trying very hard to blame everything on President Obama. Just remember it took us 8 years to get where we are now and it will take us 8 years to get back on our feet.
I think President Obama is doing a fine job with what he has to work with....you know the party of NO.
Obama controls the White House, Senate, House of Representatives. What exactly can the party of NO do to stop him? Sorry but it is his own party and the American people that have stood up and said "NO" to his wreckless and unconstitutional policies not the spineless republicans.
What does the Party of No do to stop everything that the administration is doing? Try filibuster or at least threaten to - over and over, more than has ever been done before in the history of this country. Your Grand Obsolete Party has no suggestions, only criticisms. It never reaches across the aisle to try and find the best workable solution for this country. Your party has become the party of absolute, ignorant resistance. If the White House or Democrats want it, then we all can count on the Republicans will fight it to the death.
Thank god they do. Your democrats and white house only seem to want more government, more taxes, more deficit spending, more government, more taxes, more control, less individual choice, more regulation, bigger government, more taxes, more spending, more government control, etc. etc. Conservatives believe and articulate limited government, more personal freedom, lower taxes, free markets, individual choice, secure borders, strong defense, individual accountability, etc. The reason some repubicans are fighting this administration and congress to the death is that every new piece of legislation is an assualt on conservative principles of limited government, free markets and individual choice. What part of the conservative agenda do you have a problem with?
I agree with Disgusted Eric, where is the poll that shows what the public thinks of the media? I have to be careful not to upset the GOBP posters cause it will get dropped.
I would love to see that poll as well.
The media has lost all credibility because it refuses to report the truth and instead carries the water for Obama and the democrats. How can the media a few years ago demonize General Petreaus when he was Bush's and now he is brilliant and courageous because Obama picked him. Hmmm? Only one of a thousand examples and it is why the American people so distrust the MSM. By the way, by MSM I mean: NBC/ABC/CBS/CNN/NYT/AP/Reuters/Politico/Washingon Post/LA Times etc.
As it is turning out, Mr. Obama is only good at making speeches.
He is on the way to turning America into the
USSA - the United Socialist States of America with him as the head CZAR; dictating to
everyone what they are allowed or not allowed. A new America is being built but all
Americans, except those in power, will be regretting they ever heard of Obama.
Well, I as well as others have been saying this from day one. Obamao may have come into the WH by a fair and democratic means and by a popular vote. All well and good. But his first choice for his support and Cabinet members was suspect. All of them Clintonistas and corrupted. Then, there is the backroom deals in lieu of open democracy. All his actions as President has been suspect. All this stems from no experience, a background of corruption from Chicago, his inability to lead and to manage. Thus, he is paying for all these weaknesses.
Juvven,
You are completely correct. I mean, Obama was the one that came into the WH and surrounded himself with the nothing but yes men that were all recycled from the Nixon days right? It was Obama's VP that held all those closed door meetings withe big oil barons and STILL has not disclosed what was said, agreed to, or what handshake only deals were made.
The only point you got wrong was that Obama came into the WH by fair and democratic means after a popular vote. I mean, Obama was appointed President by the Supreme Court and then again by the suspect voting machines in Ohio right?
How you people can support someone like Obama after the 8 magnificent years of his predecessor is beyond me. Go figure...
Disgusted,
What exactly is your beef with GW? I honestly want to know. Please don't just throw out intellectualism's like "bush sucked." What specifically did he do that so disturbs you?
Ok JB,
Unlike when someone challenges one of you or your vocal supporters, I will not duck the question and will respond with specific examples.
1) While on vacation, he received the Presidential Daily Briefing that warned of Bin Laden's desire to use passenger airliners as weapons aimed at buildings. Rather than canceling his vacation (oh and golf games), he dismissed the briefer as having covered his ass and then completely dismissed the warnings without so much as convening a meeting of his security advisers to discuss and evaluate the potential threat. You all DO remember 9/11 right?
2) In response to 9/11, with the entire world behind us (even IRAN expressed their support of the US and decried the terrorist act), GWB used that goodwill initially to properly channel our resources and efforts against those that attacked us and the Taliban government of Afghanistan that supported Al Qaeda and provided a base of operations. Our initial efforts in Afghanistan were on point and quickly had the Taliban AND Bin Laden cornered and on the run. Rather than maintaining the focus where it should have been (and needed to be), GWB decided unilaterally to scale down the Afghan operation in favor of his personal goal of invading Iraq and toppling Saddam.
3) In appointing his political friends, operatives, cronies, and business moguls to key positions like MMS and FEMA, GWB began a practice of crippling the very agencies that Americans count on to safeguard us, our environment, and our natural resources. "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" being but the most famous example of what occurs when you appoint inexperienced people that have zero background or knowledge of the agency or function they are appointed to fill. Now, knowing that the USA is subject to natural disasters of all kinds and that we need the ability to quickly and EFFECTIVELY distribute aid, support, and necessary supplies and logistical coordination, why on earth would a President appoint someone with absolutely NO experience of ANY sort in managing, assessing, or dealing with ANY kind of a disaster. When the person in charge has no idea what to expect, has no body of personal experience, no understanding of the logistical challenges involved in an operation like that, how can you expect anything but an epic example of how NOT to respond. I know that GWB get a bad rap for Katrina and that the people on the right that support Bush feel this is somehow unwarranted and unfair. The reality is that there is a lot of blame to go around for Katrina and it is not ALL on GWB. Having said that, the fact remains that he WAS the President and the man in charge of appointing people to critical positions that have the best chance of success and of fulfilling the requirements of their positions. In the case of FEMA (as well as MMS to name another prominent current example), GWB appointed people more for their political philosophy (or willingness to turn a blind eye to inspections and oversight) and their ability to help his business contacts to make an unfettered fortune or to further their political views, all to the detriment of those Americans that were depending on agencies like FEMA to be able to provide aid and assistance when they most need it. We also count on agencies like the MMS to protect workers, safeguard the environment, and ensure that we do not suffer from AVOIDABLE catastrophes like the one we are experiencing in the Gulf right now.
4) Terry Schiavo (sp?). For a party that screams themselves hoarse over keeping government out of our lives and that big government is the problem, they sure were in favor of having the PRESIDENT cut short (yet another) vacation to fly back to Washington for the sole purpose of injecting the federal government in the private, personal, and painful decisions faced by this unfortunate family. Since when is it ANY of our business what someone does for their family regarding their medical care. You all scream how you do not want government taking over your life, but when it comes to matter of the most personal decisions regarding life and death, you all have NO compunctions of inserting YOUR beliefs and values on someone else. What hypocritical hogwash.
5) The Patriot Act. Yes, I know that Obama has essentially adopted it and is operating using some of its provisions no doubt. That does not change the fact that, because GWB failed to heed the warnings and take ANY action to prevent the biggest single terrorist act ever perpetrated on the US while on HIS watch. I know that Mayor Guiliani apparently does not believe that 9/11 took place on GWB's watch, but the fact is that it did. Because GWB and his administration failed to even look into, let alone prevent 9/11, we somehow needed to trample on all of the civil rights and liberties enjoyed by ALL Americans for over 225 years? Ignoring and dismissing the FISA court and the legal mandate to have ANY case for wiretapping approved by the FISA set a bad precedent. At this point, we are aware of a myriad of abuses and over reaching enforcement actions using this law as a framework. yes, I know the mantra that you have nothing to hide and that is all well and good. Please also remember the insightful saying that those that sacrifice their liberties for the sake of security deserve neither.
6) Two wars. GWB ended up committing American lives and treasure to two wars. one justified, the other likely not once history weighs in. Regardless, GWB did not pay for either and, in fact, did not even include them in the budgets that were submitted. GWB ran a multi trillion dollar war off the books, squandered our budget surplus (that he inherited on HIS ascension to the Presidency) and left us with the biggest deficit in our history.
7) Medicare Part D. This was another big money giveaway to Big Pharma. By not funding this giveaway and legislating that there would be NO negotiating for a discount, GWB punched another multi hundred billion dollar hole in the budget. How is that for fiscal conservative huh?
Ok, I think that should suffice as a short (but specific) response. I know this will fall on deaf ears since I have presented actual facts that have been substantiated and are now common knowledge. At least for those individuals that are not afraid to research on their own and go beyond what the MSM feeds us all and attempts to pass of as news. If any of you are intellectually curious and honest, you know that much of what I presented has been verified as accurate. I am not asking you to embrace it, but you must at least recognize that valid points have been made regardless of your personal political leanings.
Now, why is it I know going in that I will not be afforded with anything even remotely approaching the degree of OBJECTIVE facts that have been presented in support of MY positions. Is it really too much to ask for even ONE of those that are so vocal in their opposition to Obama to provide me with an equally detailed and insightful post outlining the specific issues and arguments to support YOUR contentions? Please do not simply resort to the whole Obama is inexperienced arguments or fall into your hyperbole about Socialism and Marxist agendas and such UNLESS you are willing to provide YOUR definition of the label you wish to apply AND provide something more solid for support than "He is a Muslim!".
Ok, the challenge is out. Any takers?
Disgusted,
I appreciate your thoughtful response to my honest inquiry despite some snippy angry inuendo's "you do remember 9/11 right?" You are obviously very intelligent and those type of angry jabs are beneath you.
I am excited to reason together that we may understand each other's point of view respectfully. Let me comment on each point and then give you some of my concerns with Mr. Obama.
1. The briefing about Al-Qaida hijacking airliners was most likely one of 100+ other potential threats to the country that day. What do you do about it unless you have specific intel, shut down all middle eastern men from boarding airplanes? Isn't that profiling? Certainly there was a general threat assessment of Al-Qaida activities but the time, date, location nor seriousness were not known. Could we say that Bush inherited the Al-Qaida problem from Clinton (first WTC bombing, African Embassies, Cole, Towers, etc.)? We could but Bush had too much class to blame the situation on the previous administration. I think presidents need to be able to get away to decompress from the stress of the job. That is why I don't make a big deal about Obama playing 3X as much golf in 18 months than Bush did in 8 years.
2. The democrats voted to go to war in Iraq! They had the same intel and came to the same conclusion. It was only when it became politically expedient that the democrats claimed to have had nothing to do with Iraq. The Clinton administration made regime change in Iraq the official US policy. With the threat of WMD and Saddam's ties to terrorists is obvious to see why the democrats voted in favor of the use of force in Iraq.
3. Can't disagree with you on this point only to say that Obama is guilty of exactly the same things only times ten. Case in point the handling of the Gulf oil spill.
4. I agree with you completely it should be an individual and family's choice. The government should not be interfering in such decisions. That is why Obama's health care legislation scares the hell out of me because the government potentially becomes the payer and decision maker on personal health and family decisions. This should be none of the government's business particularly if we become an expense line item on a government spread sheet. Scary stuff!
5. What civil rights of yours has the patriot act violated? If you are a suspected terrorist making international phone calls then I understand your concern. You should be more concerned about Google invading your privacy than the Patriot Act.
6. Democrats voted for both wars like it or not. It is justifiable to debate the necessity of the war in Iraq, perhaps we can do that another time. Unfortunately the surplus was wiped out by the internet bubble recession of 2000, 9/11 and increased government spending across the board. Unfortunately, the biggest deficit was created by Obama in the last 18 months through stimulus, bail outs and rampant spending at a time when the private sector is hurting in a major way. Do you honestly think that the democrats would have reined in government spending more than Bush did? Remember that the spending really ramped up when the democrats won control of congress in 2006 essentially making Bush a lame duck his last two years.
7. I agree with you on this, I hate this legislation. However, if the democrats had drafted it, it would have been more expensive and costly. Remember that Obama cut a deal with the pharma companies to help pass his health care legislation. I hope you are disappointed and ticked off about that. He is your guy afterall and he sold out to big pharma for money to promote his legislation.
Disgusted, I can tell you are a true American and I applaud your reasoned and well thought out arguments. Here are a few brief concerns that I have about Mr. Obama and his policies.
1. It seems that he has no desire to unite us but to divide us along demographic lines such as race, gender, political party, wealth, states (AZ), etc.
2. The forcing of the Health care legislation down the throats of the American people despite the majority rejecting it and the manner in which it was passed with bribes, kickbacks, deemed to have passed etc. without really knowing what in the legislation. He promised the process would be transparent and it was clearly not! He promised the legislation would be posted online for 72 hours before voting and it was only up for a few hours. He promised the legislation would lower costs and expand coverage. As a health consultant I can guarantee you that it will do just the opposite. I found Obama to be very dishonest about the entire health care process.
3. Stimulus. Spending nearly a trillion dollars to stimulate the economy was an utter failure and waste. Our economy is in worse shape than it was because now are deficits are reaching Greece and Spain proportions. It was a failure primarily because the money was used to stimulate temporary government jobs, fund pet democrat projects and not stimulate the private sector which is the real driver of our economic engine. Now he is talking about a second stimulus. Holy S..t! One definition of insanity is too keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.
4. Dithering regarding Afghanistan and Gitmo. Either we are in to win or get our troops the hell out. Make up your mind, Mr. Obama. This strategy we are in until July 2011 only emboldens our enemies and demoralizes our troops and allies.
5. Dissing our allies. Our relationship with Britain, France, Germany, Turkey, Israel are at an all time low thanks to Mr. Obama's world view, perceived weakness, and arrogance. Meanwhile, Al-Qaida, Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba and Iran are laughing at our naive, weak President that is inclined to appease bullies no matter how outrageous their demand.
6. I hear him apologizing and confessing America's sins around the world but I never hear him speak of American exceptionalism. It is not in him
7. He is a Chicago politician and is prone to bully, bribe, shake down to get what he wants regardless of the law or the constitution. i.e. Health Care legislation, BP, Sestak, Blagojevich, gulf Judge, Supreme court at the state of the union, etc, etc.
8. He has no clue what makes the private sector click. He has never met payroll or run anything and it is showing in his ineptness at handling a multitude of challenges (Gulf oil spill, unemployment, deficit spending, Boston Police, sluggish economy). His only focus seems to be on how to make the government bigger with more control and more and more taxes and spending.
Sorry for the long winded response. I look forward to your comments on my dribble. It is what is in my heart. While I am Jacky Blue, I am also Disgusted in CA.
If you don't like the news, shoot the messenger is a very old adage. Ignoring a sea change in public opinion, which is evidenced by many metrics including polling from left and right leaning sources, is among other things that turned a republican majority in both houses in 2007 into a democratic majority.
I was informed that polling is meaningless by someone here a couple, of days ago. I disagree in that one should probably pay less attention to positive polling than negative polling. Once a politician or party falls below 50%, history tells us that they have entered a danger zone. Shooting the messenger doesn't kill the message and the message is not positive. There is time to reverse the current negative trend but the time grows shorter with every passing day. I do not think the administration, or the president is as sanguine about the current trends as some here.
(Perhaps Diogenes should now don his kevlar tunic)
Expect incoming, Diogenes.
Not sure about your "sanguine" remark...
As I've said, with regard to public opinion, this is the most politically tone-deaf Administration I've ever seen.
You might want to make sure that in your kevlar tunic, they've made sure to put the upgraded ceramic shields in place as well.
Polls aren't meaningless, and they aren't perfect. That being said, when enough polls show similar results, politicians that want to stay in office, need to pay attention. Whether you agree with the poll structure (registered voters, likely voters, weighting of cell to land line, pick your poison), or the "reading" of the poll questions, or not, that is your perogative, but to ignore the results because you don't believe them, see Coakley, Martha.
Don't bother with this guy. He sees his world collapsing around him and he responds with anger and personal attacks. He was amusing comedy at first, but watching someone like him sink into so much denial and despair is getting more painful to watch everyday.
call out mr t and pass out the mohawk grenades..goodby GOBP
You can not blame Obama for any of this mess. Stop trying. After all, he has had 6 real vacations with his family, not including date nights, campaigning trips, Chicago trips, and parties (the White House is "The place to be" on Wednesdays). If he is not on the golf course (he has golfed 9 times since the oil spill began nine weeks ago), he is watching sports on t.v., or hosting sports teams at the White House. He has been out of Washington more that he has been in it. Therefore when does he have time to run the Country? Blame his advisors for the mess America is in, but you can not really blame him, can you?
You would be amazed at how much work you can get done while out golfing for five hours.
Now clearing brush with a chain saw........ not so much, or riding around in Kennebunkport in your father's speed boat, no work product at all. Just fumes.
Guess you've forgotten that Bush was on vacation almost half of his 8 years. Haven't you noticed that President Obama has worked almost every weekend in the past 19 months? And guess what, he IS entitled to have SOME time with his family and recreation. All the lies you hear, believe, and tell are indeed aging you.
You lefties are hypocrites. You bashed Bush endlessly and dishonestly for taking vacations but excuse Obama. I have no problem with a President needing time to decompress from the stress of the job. But please at least pretend to be intellectually honest. It is the same with General Petreaus. When he was Bush's general he was a complete failure and the devil. Now that he is Obama's general he is brilliant. The blatant hypocrisy and dishonesty is stunning.
Where is the GOPs leadership on the bush/cheney oil spill ?They created it by letting "their oil friends" reap huge profits..by looking the other way ...nothing from palins or rushe's office WHERE IS THE LEADERSHIP?
DICK Cheney's silence in the last 2 months is speaking volumes.
I wish his daughter would shut her trap.
Ditto. The apple hasn't fallen far from the DICK tree.
KeepN it Real,
In case you haven't noticed the Democrats control the White House, House of Representatives and the Senate. The only leadership in this whole sad affair has come from the Governor of Louisiana.
Are you at all concerned that BP donated twice as much to Barack Obama's campaign than they did to McCain? Any interest in the fact that BP was one of the biggest propenents of Obama's cap and tax plan? Still blaming Bush and Cheney are we?
Re: Enrique
I wish his daughter would shut her trap
___________________________________
If a republican told a lesbian to shut her trap he or she would be drawn and quartered. Double standard. Also, clear evidence that liberals believe in freedom of speech as long as it is line with liberal propaganda and talking points. Otherwise "shut your trap" conservatives. When you can't compete in the free expression of ideas your only option is to shut the other side up. This strategy is very effective when you seek a totalitarian regime.
Jacky,
Had you ever actually expressed a fact or idea, I would completely support your argument and position on this. However, in reality, all you do is stop by, post something antagonizing, opinionated, or propaganda and expect people to accept your opinion as gospel simply because you have pronounced it to be gospel. That is not how things work here in America. We are not required to accept your word until or unless you can convince us there is merit to your argument and/or position. Since I have seen nothing from you in the way of an intelligent premise (whether I agree with it or not matters not one whit) nor have I seen anything even remotely resembling a cogent argument in support of whatever premise you make.
If you can bring yourself to form a lucid thought, state a meaningful premise, and they provide a cogent supporting argument, I am sure your positions will at least be considered even if ultimately rejected. That is how America SHOULD work. When people are too caught up politically and/or emotionally that things become personal and cloud and impair our ability to see a common problem and come to an acceptable MUTUAL solution, we jeopardize the very fabric that holds this nation together. Personally, I love America too much to willingly sit back and watch it happen without a fight...
Disgusted in PA, Well well, so all of a sudden the DINOS don't trust any poll. What a change when their Anointed One is seeing his days numbered in the coming election. All of a sudden these fanatic DINOS are not following the polls because they are disillusioned with Obamao. Well well, now wait a minute , I think I can remember how these same DINOS were dancing up and down with joy when their darling President X was in standing favor in the polls. Such delight in cooing and crowing how the media carried the high ratings of his polls in days of yore. Oh you DINOS, you delight me so. Now, that their incompetent incumbent is seeing his final days in office and his polls disappearing in outer space as fast as the speed of light, our DINOS are creaking and craking and dripping with disappointment and tears of sadness. Panic has set in. Now, they don't believe in the fine print. This is funny. Now, all of a sudden, the Democrats don't even believe their own pollsters! Let me tell you DINOS, why your Messiah is in the doldrums and is seeing the writing on the wall. We have in America, a Government run economy instead of a free market enterprise system. When the government hands out or allocate funds for development in the public sector, there is no turnover or capital for re-investment. Thus, money is given out and spent without a turnover. In the private sector, money is invested and jobs are created and industries are created and capital is used to re invest. That is why the economy is down and his poll numbers are down apart from his mis-management and his inefficiency in handling a crisis. He has failed the American people. I don't think anyone in their right minds would want Obamao for another four years. It is not only Obamao has failed as a president, its the office that is failing Obamao. His bored speeches, his use of the teleprompter, his constant lying to the American people, his backroom dealings, his deep sympathy to terrorists and the weakening of the Patriot Act, making the American people vulnerable to danger as well as his refusal to make American democracy transparent to its people.
Juven,
Please go back and READ the post above yours that apparently prompted your response. See if you can prove to us all that you really ARE literate and capable of reading, processing, and following the challenge guidelines. In digesting the spew you posted, I still see not a shred of a meaningful premise supported nor do I see any type of a cogently expressed support for your position (or anything substantive at all).
Now, is it really that difficult for you to do anything other than regurgitate the same tired garbage? I know Beck and Rush are not on 24/7, but they do seem to have more material than you do to cloud the issues. Maybe you should start taping their shows so you can study a bit better and throw 5-10 more meaningless hyperbole in your posts. Will not add to your credibility or substance, but it will make you LOOK like you really do have something to say...
Talking about leadership and coming from the mouths of the DINOS, I roll with laughter. I wonder if the DINOS remember that their leader Hillary Clinton call Petraeus ' General Betrayus' , abused him, shamed him in Congress and treated him with scorn just because he was fighting under Bush. Do you DINOS remember that? But remember one thing. Iraq is not Afghanistan. Its a tougher nut to crack. Now, suddenly, Petraeus is a darling boy of Obamao and the DINOS. The American people has seen through this duplicity.
Juven,
Thank you for proving that there is no point wasting any more of my time on you. You are either unwilling or unable to respond with anything intelligent, cogent, or meaningful. You appear incapable of anything but regurgitating what someone else has crammed you full of to the point where you cannot pause your hatred, anger, or suspicion of someone who does not share your opinions long enough to form a lucid thought.
Have a nice hate-filled life of misery, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction. It could not happen to a more appropriate individual.
I can't express just how relieved I am that Barack Obama won the election in 2008. If McCain had won, he surely would've had either a nervous breakdown or a heart attack by now. Then Sarah Palin would be the one dealing with our economy, the oil spill and the wars in the Middle East. Yikes!
Enrique,
Your right, if Palin were president unemployment would probably hovering around 10%, home foreclosures would be at an all time high, the federal deficit would be at an all time high, our allies would have no respect for us (Britain, France, Israel, Germany, etc.), an oil leak would be handled with complete incompetence, the federal government would be attacking the judiciary and threatening to sue states, etc. Wait.. we got that and more with Obama .
I voted for President Obama, no one has ever polled me or anyone I know to ask how we feel. I still believe in him and I for one will not be joining the frenzy to discredit him.
It says a great deal about the character of this country when tickets for the "Free concert" Jimmy Buffett is giving to help the people of Gulf Shores have been scarfed up and are now for sale ot the highest bidder on the internet.
These are the same type of people who are berating this good man. I for one will keep my distance from them and keep supporting and praying for my President.
Coodeh,
I am praying for him too! That somehow he finds it in him to do the right thing for the country and the people and not his party or ideology. God bless him!
How do you like your change Enrique? We have a much larger national debt, higher unemployment, more illegal aliens, Obamacare and Cap & Tax coming? We need "W" and his boys back in the saddle. Your community organizer "The Messiah"is in way over his silly looking head and is nothing more that a socialist puppet for George Soros
I like it just fine JIM. Your boy, George W. Bush, inherited a budget surplus and quickly turned it into a deficit. He then handed over a $1.5 trillion deficit to President Obama. I don't think anyone believes that that can be erased overnight.
More illegal aliens? Where do you get your facts? Are there no libraries in Appalachia? Illegal immigration, is in fact, down.
George W. Bush and his Republican Party did so much damage to this country that it will take several years to get things back in order.
Enrique,
Did the democrat controlled congress have anything to do with the budget deficit? They were in control since 2006 right? I mean we all know how fiscally responsible democrats are so I am just asking. Can you tell?
i really enjoy liberals , until they are in power... they hate america and all she stands for. Obama is out to knock us down a few notches... rebuild us into a socialist (spain or greece) WAKE UP PEOPLE
Enrique...so where's the deficit and unemployment now? Stop taking stupid pills and acting like a left wing "Cum Baya" bleeding heart! Illegal aleins coming into this country is out of control, we must stop them from entering the country and stealing our tax payer dollars.
"The Messiah & Community Organizer" is so over his head we need to stop him now before he makes the USA another socialize country like the losers in Europa. November is near and 2012 will be "The Messiah"s" Waterloo!
JIM, unemployment and the deficit are exactly where George W. Bush left them. The difference is that they are both heading down and GDP is actually growing.
I'll stop taking my stupid pills if you take some English language lessons. Deal?
Enrique,
Unemployment under Bush averaged 4.2%. So based on your math Obama's unemployment average of 9% is equal to that? Please inform American's unemployed of your clever math, I'm sure it will make them feel better.
The only part of the GDP that is growing is government spending an jobs particularly census workers. Where does the money come from to pay government workers? Obama's secret stash? Do you have any understanding of economics?
The cold, hard reality is that this president is dealing with complex issues that most people don't understand or care to educate themselves about. Of course Obama's poll numbers would drop! Anyone is his position with these problems at this time with this media would have dropping poll numbers!
No, I don't blindly follow this Presidentin everything he does, but I certainly support him and realize that he is the best man for these difficult times: young & healthy, level-headed, pragmatic and tough.
I know I'll get lots of negative response to this but just think: if a Republican candidate had Obama's same personality traits, they would all be singing his praises.
These are very difficult times for America and the world. There is not always someone to blame. We live with it and handle events the best we can. Period.
Well said, Julie!
Amen, and well stated!
Julie,
Uh....without this media that is totally in the tank for Obama his poll numbers would be much, much worse.
I agree that we live in troubled times and I pray daily for the President to have the wisdom, open mindedness and leadership to deal with the challenges we face. May God bless him because I fear he lacks those qualities and experience on his own.
That was well said Julie, it sent little shivers up my back. "Young and healthy, level headed, pragmatic and tough" you missed....faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap.............. where do you people come from? Name one thing he has done, since becoming President, to bring this Country together.
Don't forget "Clean and Articulate"-- Joe Biden
Obama is done. He can continue his quest for a dictatorship all by himself after November. The people of this country have seen the king and he has no clothes. This "manchild" is the thinnest skinned man to ever enter, let alone occupy the oval office. He needs a good slap in the face. No...I take that back. He needs the hell beat out of him for trying to destroy this Nation for his personal grudges and the gudges of his daddies.
Obama is done. He can continue his quest for a dictatorship all by himself after November. The people of this country have seen the king and he has no clothes. This "manchild" is the thinnest skinned man to ever enter, let alone occupy the oval office. He needs a good slap in the face. No...I take that back. He needs the hell beat out of him for trying to destroy this Nation for his personal grudges and the gudges of his daddies.
#20 - Thu Jun 24, 2010 7:15 PM EDT
Question for y'll: how many of you have ever participated in a poll?
I am 66 years old and have never had a call to participate in a poll. I do not think they are worth anything.
Obama is trying his best and I think it will turn around soon. Will help when BP gets it's act together and stops the spill. That is not Obama's fault, BP did it.
So, how many of you folks have participated in a POLL?
Never have. I am too busy trying to make a living, raise a family, pay taxes, etc. to be asked to participate. Like you, I am very skeptical of polls. I see news organizations with an agenda using biased questioning in polls to create a story to fit their template. It seems to me that ABC/CNN/NBC/CBS/AP/Reuters/NYT all have their liberal agenda with FOX and WSJ on the conservative side. Am I too cynical?
ALL POLL Tricky Questions are FRAME to be negative, Even you're Obama supporter,your answer will turn out to be Negative as they planned to be.
Â
Â
JoAnna!!!!
Be still my pounding heart!!!! You speak with wisdom, you speak with common sense, heck....heck, you speak MY language----does this qualify us as Bi-Lingual I wonder? If so, it could be good for one of them thar jobs that requires one to be....multi-lingual!!
But anyways...If perchance you are not married, or otherwise encumbered, then please dear lady, PLEASE consider running off with me, marrying, and we two perhaps can mother n' father us some screaming hordes of little, dyed-in-the-wool, redneck, and ultra CONSERVATIVE munchkins...You are, in my estimation, THAT woman I have searched for all my life....well, at least since I done got divoced in '01 actually....but close enough!!
Think about it, huh?
Your Biggest, Mostest, and VERY Bestest, Brand Spankin' New....admirerer,
WFJones