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Subscribe to RSSNBC/WSJ poll suggests GOP is caught between a cliff (independents who might not like deep budget cuts) and a charging tiger (a Tea Party that does)… What’s popular and unpopular to cut… The poll on Wisconsin and the state budget battles: 62% say it’s unacceptable to curb collective-bargaining rights as a way to deal with state budget deficits… A majority wants more government, not less… Obama’s down (in approval), but up (against Romney and Pawlenty)… A Tale of Two Republican Parties… Newt meets with the press (what will he say?)… Roemer to launch exploratory committee… And Akaka’s retirement.
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Chased by a tiger: Republicans may have won the battle in passing the two-week spending extension (that contains $4 billion in cuts), and Senate Democrats might be struggling to draft their own legislation to keep the government funded for the rest of the year. But our new NBC/WSJ poll suggests that Republicans are caught between a rock and a hard place -- or, as our co-pollster Bill McInturff puts it, between a cliff and a charging tiger. “It may be hard to understand why a person might jump off a cliff, unless you understand they’re being chased by a tiger,” he said. “That tiger is the Tea Party.” McInturff’s explanation: The Americans who are most concerned about spending cuts are core Republicans and conservatives, not independents or swing voters.
*** Republicans vs. swing-voter groups on spending cuts: Consider: 33% of Tea Party supporters, 34% of Republicans, and 35% of McCain voters list deficit/spending as the top issue the federal government should address, compared with 23% of independents, 24% of suburban women, 19% of seniors, and 19% of those ages 18 to 34 who say that. By contrast, 35% of seniors, 39% of 18- to 34-year-olds, 40% of independents, and 41% of suburban women believe job creation/economic growth is nation's top issue. And two-thirds of independents, seniors, 18- to 34-year-olds and suburban women say they are concerned that major cuts to government spending could impact them and their families, versus roughly half of Republicans, McCain voters, and Tea Party supporters who think that.
*** Popular vs. unpopular cuts: The NBC/WSJ poll also lists 26 different ways to reduce the federal budget deficit. The most popular: placing a surtax on federal income taxes for those who make more than $1 million per year (81% said that was acceptable), eliminating spending on earmarks (78%), eliminating funding for weapons systems the Defense Department says aren’t necessary (76%) and eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries (74%). The least popular: cutting funding for Medicaid (32% said that was acceptable), cutting funding for Medicare (23%), cutting funding for K-12 education (22%), and cutting funding for Social Security (22%). Those numbers, McInturff says, “serve as a huge flashing yellow sign to Republicans … if they are going to start to talk about changes to Medicare and Social Security" in April of this year, as House Republicans have promised.
*** On Wisconsin and the state budget battles: Turning to the budget battles in the states, strong majorities say they are comfortable with states requiring their employees to pay more for their retirement and health care to balance budget deficits. But they oppose stripping public employees' collective-bargaining rights -- as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) and Ohio Republicans are pursuing in their states. In the poll, 68% find it acceptable requiring public employees to contribute more of their pay for retirement benefits; 63% are fine with requiring these employees to pay more for their health-care benefits; and 58% are OK with freezing public employees' salaries for one year. However, just 33% say it's acceptable -- and 62% say it's unacceptable -- to eliminate some employees collective-bargaining rights as way to deal with state budget deficits. Americans don't like taking away "rights"; they may be loathe to award NEW rights. But once folks have them, they don't like taking them away even if they are uncomfortable or unhappy with some aspects of those rights or how they are being used. Another example of this: guns.
*** More government, not less: This is another striking finding from the survey: For the first time since Feb. 2009 -- right after Obama took office -- a majority (51%) believes the government should do more to solve the nation’s problems and meet the needs of people. And get this: That opinion is shared by a majority (an equal 51%) of independents. Americans are feeling shaky again about the economy, and our pollsters believe there's a correlation between the government-should-do-more number and the increased anxiety about the economic recovery.
*** Obama’s down -- but also up: As for President Obama, the poll shows his approval rating declining a few points since Tucson, from 53%-41% in January to 48%-46% now. “If you leave out Tucson, the president’s job rating is where it was for most of 2010 -- not terrible, not great,” said NBC/WSJ co-pollster Peter Hart (D). (Still, it's a net positive, only the second time he's had a net positive rating since May 2010.) Looking ahead to 2012, Obama leads Mitt Romney (R) by nine points in a hypothetical general-election presidential contest, 49%-40%, and he leads former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) by 19 points, 50% to 31%. But against a generic Republican, the president’s lead narrows to five points, with 45% saying they will “probably vote” for him and 40% saying they will “probably vote” for the GOP candidate.
*** A Tale of Two Republican Parties: Meanwhile, looking at the GOP field, we’ll paraphrase John Edwards’ “Two Americas” -- there are two Republican parties right now. Put simply, Tea Party Republicans back Huckabee, and non-Tea Party Republicans prefer Romney. This means that if Huck and Palin, as expected, don’t run, there’s A LOT of space for someone to seize the Tea Party mantle. (And that’s probably why we saw Team T-Paw produce that Tea-Pawty video.) Overall, Huckabee leads the pack as the first choice of 25% of GOP primary voters -- followed Romney at 21%, Newt Gingrich at 13% and Palin at 12%. Ron Paul comes in fifth at 6% -- followed by Pawlenty and Mitch Daniels at 3%, Rick Santorum at 2%, and Jon Huntsman at 1%. And get this: Haley Barbour was the first choice of just one respondent out of the 282 GOP primary voters the poll surveyed.
*** Newt’s day: Speaking of the GOP presidential field, Gingrich meets with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) to discuss states rights and the 10th Amendment in the governor’s office at 2:30 pm ET, and the two men will hold a media avail afterward. What Newt will say at the avail is anyone’s guess. But as we wrote yesterday, it wouldn’t be surprising if he announced he’s “testing the waters,” or “intending” to form an exploratory committee, or entering an “exploratory phase.” Then again, now that FOX has suspended him -- as well as Rick Santorum -- that’s one less thing he has to worry about. Interestingly, Newt, a former Speaker (and former LEADER of the GOP establishment) does 12 points better among tea party Republicans than NON-tea party, er, establishment Republicans.
*** And Roemer’s day, too: And it appears that Newt will get a little competition today. At 1:30 p.m. ET, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer holds a news conference in Baton Rouge, La. to announce the formation of a presidential exploratory committee. “I should be president or somebody better than I should be,” Roemer told Politico’s Martin yesterday. “And the only way to make sure of that is to make [my opponents] go around me, through me or over me in the primaries.” Martin notes, “While Roemer is a native son of a state that witnessed a miracle last year — the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl — he faces very long odds. A former Democratic member of Congress who switched to the GOP in 1991, midway through his single term as governor, Roemer has been largely absent from politics since consecutive failed gubernatorial runs.”
*** Ready to compromise, er, find “common ground”? The White House yesterday looked eager to seek out a repeat of the lame-duck session compromise on taxes, offering up Vice President Biden to negotiate with Republicans on a longer-term solution to keep the government up and running. But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner appeared reticent to the offer, insisting Senate Democrats come up with their own plan -- publicly -- first. This meeting for today that the White House wants is not yet scheduled. Republicans have to be careful not to look like they are just trying to delay and that they aren’t willing to negotiate in good faith. It’s a tough balance for them with the Tea Party freshmen, who will likely insist on the full package of cuts. But there’s no reason negotiations can’t happen with the House GOP’s $61 billion cuts plan as the starting point. After all, the lame-duck tax cut deal was struck behind closed doors.
*** Akaka’s retirement: Lastly, word came out last night that Hawaii Sen. Daniel Akaka won’t seek re-election next year, which creates yet another open Senate race for Republicans. But even if former Gov. Linda Lingle (R) gets in, it will be tough for a Republican to win a race in Obama’s home state when he’s on the ballot. By the way, this is PROBABLY the last retirement; DSCC Chair Patty Murray and Senate Dem leader Harry Reid have been pushing incumbents up in 2012 hard to make QUICK decisions. And Akaka was the last unknown.
Countdown to continuing resolution’s expiration: 15 days
Countdown to Iowa GOP straw poll: 162 days
Countdown to Election Day 2011: 250 days
Countdown to the Iowa caucuses: 340 days
* Note: When the IA caucuses take place depends on whether other states move up
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Ah, those Dems and their friends in the media just want to pretend that GAO report just didn't happen, don't they? lol It identified over 100 Billion dollars in wasteful duplicative spending. Makes the 64 Billion the Republicans want to cut look like small potatos. Cut wast fraud and abuse the Dems always say. Well, the report specifically identified over 100 Billion of it, so cut away!
How to grow the economy, remain competitive, and eliminate the deficit:
1. Legislatively remove the anti-trust exemption for insurance, The McCarran-Ferguson Act.
2.. Legislatively restrict the wetlands definition of "navigable waters of the United States in the Clean Water Act.
3. Fund and begin construction of power generation and water supply projects necessary to meet future population and industrial demands.
4. Remove all geographic restrictions on oil and natural gas drilling, and use the power of federal money transfers to the States to prevent States and local governments from interfering with drilling.
5.. Remove environmental restrictions and environmental and social impact requirements for all infrastructure and utility construction for the next 10 years.
6.Cut Federal budget by 10% excluding defense, starting with those duplicative items identified in the 3/1 GAO report, however, maintain current spending for infrastructure construction, repair and upgrade for the next 5 years.
7. Reduce corporate tax rates by 50%. Reduce Corporate tax rates by 70% on private utilities and transport companies.
8. Reinstitute significant tax and assistance payments for residential and commercial alternative energy instillations, particularly focusing on residential solar. Use Commerce Clause to force all electrical utilities to be reverse metering.
9. Subsidies the further development of electric and hybrid electric cars. Provide significant tax breaks and incentives for the purchase of same, particularly when combined with the purchase of a residential solar instillation within two years of one another. This is no longer a simple market issue, but one of national security as the time to substitution is longer than the economy can withstand when confronted with a supply side shock
10. Eliminate the Ethanol subsidy for any and all processes using foodstuffs. Redirect monies to nuclear and coal. Streamline regulation of new construction of nuclear power plants and provide incentives for same. Open Yucca Mountain as originally agreed.
11. Eliminate any power of the EPA to regulate Carbon.
12. Use the power of the Federal purse to eviscerate Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469 (2005) and Tahoe-Sierra Preservation Council, Inc. v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 535 U.S. 302 (2002),
13. Repeal the Community Reinvestment Act.
14. Hold congressional investigations into the roll of the Community Reinvestment Act, Freddie and Fannie in inflating demand and thus prices resulting in the collapse of the real estate market.
15. Build a wall embedded with sensors and toped with razor wire along both our borders, beginning with the southern one. In the name of national security remove all environmental restrictions and environmental and social impact requirements for the construction of same.
16 Pass legislation that all jurisdictions receiving federal monies of any sort are required to enforce all of the laws of the land, including enforcement of federal immigration laws.
17. Restrict the collective bargaining power of State civil service unions in line with the 1978 Federal Civil Service Reform Act
Two stories that will not be covered too much because they don’t fit the gloom and doom “narrative” that the powerful are using to cow the common folk into doing their bidding:
Both are good news, Nash. Thanks for sharing.
One little fact job1, HCR was not needed to create systems to investigate fraud. Fraud is a crime. Health Care laws have nothing to do with investigating crime. The sytems could have been created without passing anything.
Hi Amy,
My mistake.
Joe,
Fact checks Joe. You know like Fox doesn't do. Also, I was wrong in the 3 Billion caught. After reading Amy's post and digging a little deeper, the amount caught and saved is 4 Billion.
Boehner & McConnell will continue to support the programs that benefit the rich at the destruction of the middle class of america. Tthey could care less about polls and what the political center ( majority) of americans think. Divide and conquer the middle class by making teachers,police, fire and other public workers the scapegoat for their failure to adequately tax corporations and the rich. The richest 10% of americans prosper while the remaining 90% earnings stagnate and regress.
My father was a Union Steelworker when he was young. Then he became a Teamster. He worked 6 days a week for most of his life. He made a living wage and a small pension. He wasn't a burden to society and he certainly didn't have a "racket".
My brother has worked in a prison as a Substance Abuse Counselor for 25 years. He is a licensed professional, a union member and Navy Veteran. He too has worked all of his life for a modest wage. He was careful and saved his money and owns an apartment building. When he retires he will have a pension from the State and income from his real estate investment. He is neither lazy nor does he have a "racket".
These two men represent what "Real Americans" do with their lives. This is not what these pompous arrogant dilettante "Real republican Americans" represent. The republicans represent the elite of the elite, very, very wealth people, like the Bush Family and the Koch Brothers.
Tea Party Members and republicans have been hoodwinked by these wealthy people. They are voting against their own best interests, as foolish as that is.
Thanks for sharing, John. The demonization of union members by the right is such an insult to hard-working people like your dad and brother.
Johndevine, thank you!
As union membership has declined in the U.S. ,so has the Middle Class share of the national income. There is a greater inequality gap now between the richest and the middle class than there has been since 1928. What Republicans don't seem to understand, is if you give $2000.00 in tax cuts to the wealthiest 1%, as our Gov. LePAge proposes in Maine, they sock that money away in their savings, but if you give a pay raise to a public worker, those Middle Class folks will buy consumer goods, and demand will rise, leading to a healthier economy.
The repulsive republican attack on the middle class while supporting tax breaks for the rich and corporations shows that they have been bought by the lobbyists and business money! When will the republican voters wake up to the sell out to corporations. Just like here in Wisconsin where our governor one week gives corproations $117,000,000 in tax breaks and then slams workers rights and the taking away of collective bargaining to balance a budget. I don't see the connection! Would any of you join me ins swearing to never vote for a republican again?
More brilliant testimony from the "I deserve to share in somebody else's wealth" crowd.
Well said Tony, taking the wages of average Americans and giving it to big business IS repulsive.
Or did you have some other message in mind?
Well now arn't you clever. No one is taking wages from average Americans and giving it to big business. That is unless you mean the 800 billion stimules package? Maybe you mean the shovel ready jobs? Maybe you mean "recovery summer". Maybe the extra unemployment payments? I know it is not the drilling mortatorium in the Gulf that costs thousands of job and now may really cost us. Who was responsible for these dumb moves? Obama had nothing to do with these actions.
No Tony, I mean the tax break for business that "coincidentally" is almost EXACTLY the same as the amount that Walker wants to take out of the pockets of state workers.
Once again, Republican fealty to the wealthy elites is fully apparent.
John, did anybody stop you from becoming wealthy? Why the jealousy? Instead of focusing on what other people had, I paid for my education while working and made a few bucks in my life. My dad taught me to work and be proud to accomplish something. I do my part when it comes to people in need. I pay a lot of taxes. This is not a republican or a democratic issue. You get tired of the attitude that I somehow owe someone else what I worked for. In this country there is starting to become too many people who believe that someone owes them a living. They are not needy. In terms of the states, the cookie jar is empty after years of greed when it comes to public unions. Greed catches up to everybody. Business leaders, Congressman, Dictators, private sector unions, and now public sector unions.
Tony, I have nothing against wealth. I'm against a system that stacks the deck in favor of the "haves" at the expense of the "have nots". The very impressive rate of wealth consolidation at the very top of the economic pyramid is strong evidence that's what Republicans have in mind.
Sad that you really believe that a political party, either one of them, has control over your life to that extent. Wealth creation is not Republicans or Democrats stacking a deck. The only way anyone is better off than you is by you not going for it so to speak. Maybe you are not jealous. I do not believe in wealth redistribution as a solution to where we are today. Helping people is one thing, enabling them is another. If you believe the deck is stacked against you, you are a quitter. Wrong way to think.
"The most popular: placing a surtax on federal income taxes for those who make more than $1 million per year (81% said that was acceptable), eliminating spending on earmarks (78%), eliminating funding for weapons systems the Defense Department says aren’t necessary (76%) and eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries (74%)"
This proves that the people in general are a whole lot more attuned to reality than the politicians in D.C.
This is probably off topic but I just read that Holly Petraeus is getting a new job at 120-180K to help the military with their financial problems. I maintain if they would stop these pay off jobs and pay the military what they are worth we would not need her. Do none of these young people have parents?
It seems that if you can get in the political circle you will never have to perform well again. Ted Strickland,Tom Daschel and Bill First are prime examples. Get kicked out as Governor (No problem) We will set you up in a job with the job description ....to meet healthcare challenge and address provisions of new health care law. (What does that mean?) I have no idea of the salary of these people but we are laying off teachers and firefighter and hiring these losers to do what?
I think Immelt was in charge of GE when it paid 50 million in fraud fines to the SEC.
I have finally figured out why young people don't stay informed. It can be hazardous to your health. It plain makes me nauseous.
Let the republicans take the leap over the cliff.... then the rest of us can get back to some sanity in government.
And back to work digging out of the ditch they left us in .......
I've gotta believe that there's a lot of folks out there feeling "Buyer's Remorse". I know a bunch of people in Ohio who are. "Jobs", schmobs! The Republicans are waging war on middle-class America- and it has become obvious to even the most casual observer.
Well after 2 plus months in charge of the House, Boehner and the gang have come up with a jobs plan. Laying people off.
What percentage of the Tea Party receive Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, have children attending school, etc, ...?
Oops, almost forgot, drive on roads, fly?
I suspect 100% of the Tea Party relies on the government. It will be interesting as more of them realize the Republican party used them and will now call them "slobs". This is happening in Wisconsin. Yep, many of the people at the capital voted Republican and are now being called "slobs" because we don't like rights being taken away from our family, friends, and neighbors. Make no mistake about it thousands at the rally(including myself) are private sector workers expressing are frustration that Walker and the Republicans taking away our right.
The majority of Wisconsin is angry that Walker and out of state Republicans are running distorting the fact that unions have agreed to 100% of the financial changes Governor Walker has asked for. This is why protests have broken out across the state for the first time in Wisconsin history.
We are sick and tired of out of state billionaires getting government contracts for their businesses and then spending tens of millions of buying more elections in states they do not live in.
You mean the Stimulus plan that was like 2/3 Tax Cuts?
As usual, MSNBC allows their left wing bias to show through. Allow me to re-word your lead in sentence - "The Republican's are hopefully caught between Democrats pretending to be conservatives wh do not want spending cuts and just about everyone else, at least everyone sane, who does want spedning cuts; the sole debate being about how deep those cuts should be." The only people who think spending cuts aren't necessary are "progressive" twits wh evidently imaine that money reall does grow on trees and their allies, the vermin of Wall Street who franly don't care about this country or the future, just about how much money they can make and how fast.
Here's a genuine conservative idea. Let's have 50% across th board trade tariffs on all consumer imports except oil. Then, and especially since we have over 5 million unemployed US technology sector workers, let;s put an end abrupt end to the H1-B and L-1 visas, round up every foreign national that has *ever* held one of those visas, and ship them home. The 50% tariff will prevent companies from packing up and leaving and we can apply additinal penalties on those that do, anyways, and use that money to spark the growth of small US companies in this country that employ American workers, We neither want nor need the bloated dead monstrocities od Microsoft, IBM, Goldman Sachs, Bank Of America, etc. They are predatory, they stifle innovation, and they caused the present depression. Let's starve Chinese and Indian junk right off our store shelves, eliminte their poisonous pharmaceuticals and dangerous children's toys from this country and spark the growth of millions of American jobs. The revenues from those tariffs and duties will pay off the federal debt in very short order. In fact, let's spark a trade war. It wont hurt us one bit. It will, in fact, help us because most of our economy is dependent upon domestic spending. Likewise, let's stop the nonsense debate about illegal vs. legal immigration. Allow no immigrants that take jobs from US workers or that depress wages and benefits in this country, that result in billions of dollars of completely unnecessary educational and social services programs. Let's put America First. This is conservativism. ANYTHING else is lunacy.
The "Where's Waldo" President. Too Funny ! No doubt, he is "Present." What a great leader!
Still, after the GAO Report that came out earlier in the week, finding over 100 Billion in duplicative spending, there's not much more for Obama and the Dems to say.
Hey.... New Malthus.... maybe you better check out the facts.... most of the duplication was caused by the pols wanting "projects" in their districts and wanting something for their "house" committees.... remember every project had to have some committee handling it.... and as a guy who knows bunches of GAO accountants... they have been telling us this for years... and the Dem's and GOP always ignore the GAO..... big mistake... so cut out the Obama stuff.... this goes back years.... Even god Ronald got written up by the GAO.
GAO, now there is a realiable source.
Imagine that! You tell people and business that you are not going to raise their taxes after all, and what happens? Some Jobs!
If that's what you think you are in LALA land...
Don, With 14 trillion dollars in debt and a 14 trillion dollar GDP there will be zero economic growth. To make it easy on you to understand our debt is equal to our GDP. There will be no real job growth until we stop spending and borrowing money. What does Obama do propose a 2012 budget with a 1.1 trillion dollar deficit. No budge for 2011. Obama and you are in LALA Land.
Of course they are losing the independents. That was obvious from the start. The Tea Baggers represent nobody but themselves. Our local people are extremely angry about the "unfocused" cuts... and are made a teachers (but what else is new.... )... but they are more made about the tax cuts given to the wealthy. The GOP is not going to do in 2012 what they think.....
Did you hear this just in,
A federal judge in Florida on Thursday refused to order the Obama administration to stop implementing its far-reaching healthcare law, a small victory for President Barack Obama in his high-stakes effort to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system.
But U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson ordered the administration to seek an expedited appellate review within the next week of his Jan. 31 ruling that favored arguments by 26 states that the law's requirement that Americans buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty was unconstitutional.
It doesn't matter, this will get resolved in the Supreme Court...anything that happens til then is just political theater.
Question: How many IRS agents does it take to improve my healthcare? Answer: Hundreds. I wonder how many waivers will be granted in total. We are up to over 700 now. This so called healthcare law is a diasaster.
When I saw the picture of McConnell, Boehner and Cantor the first thought out of my mind was, the Three Stooges..
Just too bad Alfred E Neuman (President Obama) from MADD magazine wasn't in the picture.
I would love to see the question that were asked and how the questions were framed.
WOW!!!
Another poll from MSNBC that says that Republicans either are, or might be, in trouble because they are doing EXACTLY what the massive majority that voted them into office last November wants them to do. I am soooo shocked!
And you libs actually believe this stuff from the Obama Propoganda Headquarters, don't you?
You sure do forget pretty quick that the majority of this country whipped your butt in elections all across the nation just over 4 months ago, don't you?
Does your arrogance control you that much that you just don't give a damn about anything except having the power to "redistribute' everything in the name of "social justice", even if that means bankrupting the nation?
They were elected to come up with more ways to create jobs that hasn't already been done. I've seen everything but that. Cheryl, your rants are always entertaining if nothing else.
Obama is truly a moron. Yea, instead of making illegals swim across the Rio Grande let's just allow cheap mexican labor drive on up here on the highways we paid for and take trucking business away from US Carriers. I swear some of you people should not be allowed to vote w/o passing a common sense test of economics.....
It won't be long before republicans have us paying teachers minimum wage...its the value many of them associate with education...it shows too