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If there's been one familiar refrain among Republicans during this presidential primary, it's been that the hard-fought battle between Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and other contenders hasn't hurt the party – arguably, it's even strengthened it.
"Don't always assume that a primary fight is a bad thing," Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said Mar. 7 on CNN. "In fact, I think it's the opposite. I think it's going to be great for our party."
And frequently, as a point of reference, Republicans point to the long – and, at times, bitter – intra-party battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008 as evidence that an extended race to the nomination isn’t necessarily a hindrance to winning the White House.
But there are important differences between the two cycles. Some of them might serve as a warning sign for the GOP, such as less money and a more damaged brand. And some might give the party encouragement, like more enthusiasm among Republicans.
Of course, an important caveat: In some ways, it’s difficult to compare 2008 (a race without an incumbent and with two history-making primary candidates) with 2012 (when there’s a sitting president in the Oval Office).
Bank accounts
At this point in the Democratic primary in 2008, Obama and Clinton had each heavily outraised Republicans’ fundraising haul through the first couple of months of 2012.
In February of 2008, just as the Democratic campaign had appeared to shift into a two-person race, the Obama campaign raised $55 million for the month, and had $39 million in the bank going into March. Clinton raised $35 million over the same time period, and had $29 million in cash on hand. (It’s worth noting, though, that much of Clinton’s money was reserved for the general election, and she couldn’t use in the primary season.)
Compare that to the money raised by Santorum and Romney over February, according to their own campaigns’ estimates (official numbers have not yet been filed with the Federal Election Commission). Romney raised $11.5 million in February and Santorum raised about $9 million. Romney had just $7.3 million in the bank at the end of the month, though, suggesting that his campaign is spending at a rate that could threaten to bleed him dry by November, especially if the primary continues for a while.
A discrepancy would suggest some diminished enthusiasm for the Republican candidates this cycle, at least at first glance.
But there are some important things to keep in mind: First, overall fundraising is down in 2012 versus 2008, in part due to the impact of a deep recession that onset after the 2008 primary.
More Republican money has also flowed to super PACs that support the various GOP candidates. These groups didn’t exist in the last Democratic primary, and one Romney super PAC alone, Restore Our Future, has already spent over $30 million this primary season.
The brand
Perhaps the most illuminating figures on the impact of the Republican primary campaign comes from a series of national NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls and the exit polling conducted of voters in key battleground state primaries.
By March of 2008, both Obama and Clinton enjoyed net-positive favorability ratings among the public at large (Obama: 51 positive, 28 negative; Clinton: 45 positive, 43 negative according to the March 2008 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll).
Romney and Santorum haven’t fared as well with the general public, according to this month’s numbers, also taken from the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. Romney has a 28 percent positive rating among U.S. adults, and a 39 percent negative rating. Santorum has a 26 percent positive rating, and a 39 percent negative rating. They each perform much better with Republican primary voters.
And in terms of the impact on each party’s brand, the Democratic Party had a 45 percent positive rating among registered voters in March of 2008, and a 35 percent negative rating. Four years later, the Republican Party has a 32 percent positive rating, and a 43 percent negative rating.
But the GOP’s ratings represent a recovery of sorts from the party’s depths in mid-2010, when the August NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll from that year had the Republican Party with just a 24 percent positive rating, and a 46 percent negative rating.
Republicans are also still dealing with the fallout from an unpopular two-term president in George W. Bush, who preceded Obama. The wars Bush had started are still winding down, and Obama still warns of a return to the policies of the years that preceded him, attacking Bush by implication.
The Bush years also left Republicans with a more fractious coalition with emerging fault lines of social issues and foreign and economic policy. Given those divisions, it might be tougher for any of these candidates to capture a broader swath of the electorate.
Enthusiasm, curbed
The figures from both primaries suggest that Democrats were happier with their choice of candidates than Republicans have been this cycle.
Fifty-seven percent of Republicans who voted in the Mar. 6 Ohio primary said in exit polls that they would be satisfied with Romney as the eventual nominee.
By comparison, 73 percent of Democrats who voted in the Ohio primary four years ago said they would be satisfied if Clinton won the nomination, and 66 percent of Democrats said the same of Obama that same cycle.
Nationally, 45 percent of Republican primary voters said in the March NBC/WSJ poll that they would support Romney with enthusiasm, and 42 percent said they would support Santorum with enthusiasm.
Four years ago, in the same national poll, 60 percent of Democrats said they would vote for Clinton with enthusiasm, and 52 percent expressed enthusiastic support for Obama.
But in 2008, Democrats weren’t being measured against an incumbent president like Republicans are this cycle. The differences between the candidates were also more stylistic in 2008 than ideological, especially compared to the 2012 race in which Republicans do battle over the extent of their conservatism.
But the Democratic primary four years ago also featured two political heavyweights in Obama and Clinton, each of whom were poised to make history simply by virtue of their nomination. Obama would become the first African-American presidential nominee, and later, the nation’s first black president. Clinton would have been the first woman to top a ticket, and the first woman president if she were elected.
And Republicans can take solace in the fact that Obama is now their greatest unifier. While there might not be tremendous enthusiasm for either of the two major remaining Republican candidates, there’s a great deal of interest within the GOP about beating Obama.
A mid-February Gallup poll found that Republicans, by an 8-point margin, were more likely to say that they were enthusiastic about voting this fall compared to Democrats. And among certain key portions of Obama’s 2008 coalition, especially younger and nonwhite voters, enthusiasm was down.
But a mid-March poll, also by Gallup, found that enthusiasm for Romney and Santorum within the GOP is down from 2008; Republicans are motivated this time by voting against Obama.
And the numbers in the January NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll suggest that while Santorum and Romney might not generate tremendous enthusiasm, they’re at least acceptable. Seventy-five percent of Republican primary voters said they would be “comfortable” with Romney as the nominee, and 65 percent said the same for Santorum.
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O'Brien is right...the GOP race is not like Obama-Clinton-Edwards. The GOP race has a former Senate Majority Leader, a twelve year Senate veteran and a first class professional executive in business and former Governor. Which compares to the Dem choices in 2008 of an untested inexperienced Illinois State senator, a former first lady and a smilin' adonis lover boy. Thank heavens for choices...and a political party which takes their choices seriously.
The GOP also has choices that include a cynical political hack, a hypocritical religious extremist, an unrepentant crook and philanderer, and mummified old fart.
Choices like these help to explain why President Obama continues to lead these losers in the polls.
choices that include a cynical political hack, a hypocritical religious extremist, an unrepentant crook and philanderer, and mummified old fart....
Sounds like Obama / Biden ....
It's ignorance like that which explains why you are generally ignored here, Ben. Try to pull yourself together, okay?
I didn't know or realize how large a part of your life this is .... "LOL"
Your fantasies had led you to some pretty bizarre conclusions in the past. I shouldn't be surprised by your imaginings here tonight.
Yep, the GOP "Fab Four", each claiming to be further right than the other, each displaying lapses in comprehension of what ails our nation, and no solutions to correct it, each claiming to have a tax plan to balance the budget, but when analyzed, creates more deficits than the plan in effect now. Their solutions, more tax cuts for the rich, more deregulation, and of course, immediate Federal spending cuts to balance the budget now, guaranteed to slow our recovery. All they are doing is pandering to the Faithful, with Romney hoping he can crab sideways to the middle if he wins the primary. Anyone remember Bush II with his "Compassionate Conservative" nonsense? Look what that got us.
The GOP also has a problem in that they will have to try and convince the public to buy a product that they believe in. They don't believe in any of the candiates whole heartedly. If Romney wins the nomination, they have already proven to the public that they don't believe in him.
They don't seem to get it that they not only have to get the GOP votes, in order to win the General election, they also have to win over some Libs and Dems votes whom they seem to be doing a good job of alienating, including some of their own GOP.
Everyone votes in the General Election. Not just GOP. I am not happy with Obama, but please give me a viable candidate to vote for. I MIGHT vote for Romney, but I would never vote for Gingrich nor Sanitarium.
Disney's Goofy would be better than Obama ....
So you throw out there "Goofy" but no viable GOP candidate? That was my point.
I like Romney ....
You said you might vote for him even ....
At least Romney knows how to balance a budget or two ....
Obama's debt will be felt real soon ....
Don't you think .... ??
There should be a Democratic Primary, Daffy Duck vs Obama wonder who would win? Elmer Fudd wouldnt work, he belongs to the NRA, Kill the wabbit Kill the wabbit!
BigbenAlaska,
I am voting for the Smart Black Muslim Foreign Socialist Communist Hates America Algae Guy............
Hi BigBenAlaska!!!!
The Republican Party is the party of what works-- poorly executed.
The Democrat Party is the party of what doesn't work-- well executed.
Given the choice, I'll vote Republican & hope for better execution.
The Republican Party destroyed the nations economy in 2008. Enough said!
Ray Thorne,
Yep, those Bush Tax cuts and Wall Street deregulation we have been under now since 2001 have worked so well. LOL Look at all the Millions of Jobs that were created by the end of 2008, with the GOP policy, man did that work well!!!
Oh, I forgot about the budget surplus that the GOP and George W had when he took office. He did a really great job with that,, turning the budget surplus into a 4 -5 Trillion in deficit, the banks collapsed, the housing market collapsed, the auto industry collapsed, we were losing about 4 to 5 million jobs, 750, 000 a month were being lost when he handed the keys over to President Obama.
Yea, Lets get us some more of that!!!!!!!!!! Worked well!!!!! Great policy!!! lol
You might try reading the original post before you respond. My point was that conservative ideology is about what works, long term, regardless of the immediate pain. The problem isn't with the ideology-- it's with the execution, which has been abyssmal. Liberal ideology, on the other hand, consists of simply redistributing wealth from those who've earned it to those who haven't. That creates an incentive for those who haven't earned it to continue not earning it. Even worse, it creates an incentive for the earners not to earn, thus destroying the very tax base on which these giveaways are built. Our problem is not only has Republican execution been poor, but Democrat execution has actually been pretty good.
Ray,
I understood your first post. The GOP ideology is to cut taxes and deregulate, simple, period. Give tax breaks to the rich and it will trickle down and create jobs. It just does not work. Since its been implantation by Ronald Reagan Middle Class income has flat line for over 30 years and the top 2% has seen their incomes go up over 300%. They didn't let it trickle down! They are not creating JOBS. They have their money in the Cayman Islands and Swiss Bank accounts and foreign investment.
My point to you was that those policies by the end of 2008, created less Jobs in the history of any President in the last 70 years and raised the deficit by the highest percentage in History, so please explains how this ideology worked and failed. Not understanding what part of their Ideology didn't get done. They passed and kept the tax cuts and deregulated wall street banks and speculators, they executed that perfectly.
What part of this ideology has ever worked? Ronald Reagan tried it when he first took office, and caused the economy to suffer and increase the deficit, so he had to raise taxes 8 times over his presidency and still raised the deficit 189%.
Ray, please do me a favor: Google: Starve the Beast This is the plan that the GOP uses, this is their ideology, it's now been proven to not work, its failed every time, George W took it to a new level and cause the worst recession in History, really a mini Depression.
This information will open you eyes if you really want to better understand what is going on. It is about time for Middle Class Americans actually debate instead of HATE.
As a former Republican, I cannot stand the Republican Party that exists today. I think they are in for a shocking defeat that will call into question their viability going forward. The moderates have abandoned the party to the hateful ways of the far right extremists who use a bible as a shield to protect themselves as they spew hatred, ignorance, and bigotry.
If their hate wasn't reason enough for them to fail, the simple fact that they are basing their platform on false facts is going to destroy them. They can't keep criticizing the President for not having experience - he now has over three years. They cannot keep criticizing the President for the TARP bailouts - they were the work of Hank Paulson during the Bush administration. They cannot keep criticizing the President fot he auto bailouts - he has been proven right. They cannot keep criticizing the President for overspending - when they put tax cuts for the rich ahead of common sense. They cannot criticize the President for the state of the economy - it's improving after the massive destruction wrought by the Bush administration. In short, they cannot win as they're dependent on false criticisms rather than true vision. Their negative toxic position on everything only makes them look nasty - it doesn't win them elections.
Yes GCV, Obama now has plenty of experience destroying our economy. Gas prices are higher, like he said he would do...raise energy costs...eviction notices are higher, real estate value has plumitted while the national debt has increased to 17 Trillion dollars, race relations are at an all time low, class warfare is going great, abortions are at an all time high with tax payers money, unemployment is at an all time high holding at 8.3%, the national credit rating has been lowered first time ever and the Obama's spends tax dollars vacationing in elaborate hotels that cost $200,00 a night while they jet around on AF1 campaigning on tax dollars, in the meantime Iran is close to having a NUKE, Egypt was taken over by the Muslim brotherhood with the help of Obama, a group that has declared Israel as it's number one enemy, China is not being delt with and they are quickly becoming the world's financial engine and our allies have been snubbed by this President...yes he learned quickly how to spend the money of hard working Ameircans who are struggling to make ends meet...and you think this is progress???? wow what planet do you come from?
The less-than-happy-with-Obama Democrats shouldnt get their hopes up by all the squabbling among the Republicans....This go-round, Obama will be his own worst enemy....and that will be very helpful.
Its not so much Obama, but the lackluster and overly ideological bunch of progressives that he has been getting his rancid signals from..
Mr O is between a rock and a hard place....and he didnt get there by himself. Too much "ripe" baggage.
Dont worry about the Republicans...things will come together in time....
Sorry to pop your "bubble"....
Curious Bob,
Sorry to pop your bubble,
I hate to break it to you but there are not many voters left for the Republicans as they have managed to piss off Women, Hispanics, Blacks, Unions, Cops, Firefighters, gays, Teachers, just to name a few.
Sorry to say, there are not enough southern redneck, evangelical, far right Tea Party wacko's, and RICH people, to get the job done. Just out numbered!!!!
Thats it, and that is why they don't deserve to win. They must have forgotten everyone votes, or else these people just weren't important to them. There is power in numbers.
Yes, just drag the GOP nomination process as long as possible.
It's 'good' for their party.
Meanwhile we want Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh to talk more.
*evil grin*
"5.00 gas, $200 to fill the van, UGH! that is the elephant on the President's back..." And if the Pubs get in, how will that change your scenario? Oh, the pipe line? Where all the oil goes to China and other higher profit countries making the east moguls lower their prices? Don't bet on it.. Also, the pipe churns over water that supplies many states.. who cares if the pipe breaks and fills the lakes with oil, there's always dasani, aquafina and if all else fails, perrier..
By the way, Gary k-2697770.. BITE ME!!
The Democratic nominees in 2008 had integrity and were motivated by a desire to make their country a better, more prosperous and equitable place to live. The GOP's nominees this time around are a bunch of scoundrels motivated by a desire to feed their outsized egos and a willingness to do whatever it takes, including endless lies and appeals to the worst instincts in man, to serve the interests of the highest bidder at the expense of their country.
People keep saying that the "liberal media" has been hard on Romney. No one is telling him to say the ridiculous things he keeps spouting, and there is one aspect of the analysts' coverage of his campaign that is so annoyingly naive that it makes me want to throw my laptop out the window everytime I read it.
It might make for good narrative that Romney is some kind of "ugly duckling" who is awkward and ungainly, and has been abruptly thrust into the national spotlight, forced unreasonably to suddenly become a beautiful swan of a statesman. "He just needs to be himself," and "His problem is that he's overadvised." But the truth is that this is hogwash.
Romney has been in the political arena since the 90's. This is his second time competing in a GOP Presidential primary. This is as good as he gets.
Four years of Romney is four years of a man who can't make a hard decision at all, let alone the right one. Four years of a man who says he's going to "get tough" with Iran, but can't bring himself to stand up to Rush Limbaugh. Four years of wishey-washey. The world being the harsh place it is these days, I don't think we can afford Romney's brand of entitled mediocrity.
Obama/Biden 2012
I'm no more a Romney fan than you are, but 4 more years of Obama? A man without a past. A man who had his Columbia Univ. records sealed to prevent us from learning about his past. An Illinois legislator without a single positive accomplishment to his name. A U.S. Senator without a single accomplishment to his name. Now a President whose great claims to fame are Obamacare-- which now seems likely to destroy private health insurance without creating an effective alternative, & getting us prematurely out of Iraq, making that country vulnerable to the Iranians. A man who in 4 short years has increased the national debt by nearly 50%, & is on track to double it by the end of a 2d term. That's your recipe for sound governance?
Yup.
The GOP lacks any substance right now. I think we are kinda remembering the Obama-Clinton primary fight through rose colored glasses. I still remember Clinton yelling "SHAME on you Barack Obama!" as one of the dramatic moments. But the real problem for the GOP is that they have no policies to disagree on. Clinton and Obama were arguing over the details of health care mandates within a set of specific policy positions. The GOP is still in a purely rhetoric based battle.
Oh and I love the whole take or country back line. Talk about coded language, like our country has been taken by some foreign power, lol.
Andrew,
It has..it's called China!
Andrew,,You just must love $5 a gallon gas and up, 8 and a half % unemployment, and nothing from this failed president but even more tax and spend policies! After 1040 days stll no budget from the socialist lib moocher democrat side though they had full control of all 3 branch's and did not need republicans for ANYTHING! What did the American people get besides unconstitutional oBAMAcare that will cost over twice as he lied to us about, over 6 trillion in debt in 3 years, a class and race warfare agenda, a gutting in the military while record foodstamps and welfare take place of employment! The GOP l"lacks substance"? Our country lacks a REAL leader as the socialist lib moocher democrats lack brains! No oBAMA in 2012!
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said Mar. 7 on CNN. "In fact, I think it's the opposite. I think it's going to be great for our party."....speaking about the Republican primaries.
Mr. Priebus, it is our side that has been saying those exact words from Bachmann on down. This primary is the best thing that could ever happen in reassuring President Obama of another four years....and for that we thank the tea hole and republican'ts graciously.
help me with the logic here. so obama inherited this mess right? and we still have such a mess because of congress right? so if obama had a democratic congress we'd be in less of a mess right? NEWSFLASH: he had one for 2 years. not just a majority, a filibuster-proof congress and senate. so he could have made any change he wanted and he didn't because he failed as a leader. keep on brushing all of our problems onto bush. before we know it, obamacare will be bush's fault right?
OK n8shun, I'll help you with some logic and facts:
1) Logic- Even if the Democrats and Obama had unlimited power for 2 years (which will be demonstrated, they did not), and given the way Congress works, it is difficult to turn around the years of problems which preceded.
2) Fact - On January 20, 2009 - many Repubs, spurred on by Limbaugh, said they hope the president fails...FROM DAY 1!
2) Fact - Democrats only held the 60 vote majority for 16 months, not 2 years. It was 4 months in 2009. But even in 2010 they were held hostage by the angry, raucous manipulated tea party messaging in the media and at town meetings.
3) Fact - through all that time the Supreme Court, one of the branches of our government nhshun was, and is, controlled by radical conservatives.
4) Fact- from Day 1 there has been an unrelenting anti-Obama media campaign on FOX 'news' and 24/7 tirades against Obama on conservative rant/talk radio.
4) During that time the minority Repubs ion Congress began an unrelenting campaign of denial, denigration, delaying, and destroying anything the President tried and (FACT) even passed a manual around in Congress to their members on how to do this and make government unworkable....AND THEY SUCCEEDED!
It's a wonder the President was able to do anything in 2009 - 2010, let alone now.
phrob stupid,,,Fact1= moocher democrats did have all the power!(Can't remember that far)? Fact2=You are to stupid to remember fact 1. Fact 3=The only thing the surpreme court did was get chastized by a status socialist president at a state of the union/campaign speech. Fact 4=The socialist lib moocher democrats did not need republicans for ANYTHING, so they passed every bill after bribes, payoffs, false promise's, shewed numbers, and outright lieing behind closed doors while trying to sell the American people how "transparent" they are! Why did these libs lose so many seats in the last election when the GOP took over congress? I just cannot wait untill 2012 when oBAMA and the senate gets fired also!!!
Thunder and N8shun,
The fact of the matter President Obama has NEVER had a full proof filibuster proof Senate at anytime in his Presidency.,
President Obama did not have free rein. He had to bargain to get anything done in the first 16 months even before Scott Brown. Let's get the facts straight here.
The Senate had 57 Democrats; two Independents, , and 41 Republicans.
One of the Independents was Joe Liberman who use to caucus with the Democrats but campaigned with John McCain and was not loyal to the Democratic party after President Obama was elected.
In the 57 Democrats you have democrats in republican states or were very conservative:
Sen. Mary Landrieu D from LA, is ideologically in the middle of the Senate, the 54th most conservative member. There are only six more conservative Democrats: Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb.; Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark.; Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, who was re-elected as an Independent and backed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V.
These Conservative Democratic Senators, sided many times with the GOP during the first 16 months of President Obama's Presidency. They would either kill a bill or get it watered down, like the Public Option and Dodd Frank which would have been much harder on Wall Street.
To say that President Obama has ever had a Filibuster proof Senate is ignoring Reality. Joe Liberman Alone prevented that, much less the fake Democratic Senators, who were really republicans.
I hope that President Obama gets that opportunity, It would be the greatest thing that happened to this country in a century. Mathematically it cannot happen until 2014, and I hope for the future of this country it happens.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are the FACTS...........................
Repubs (those that are really anxious and fearful) are only motivated by a pumped-up hate and rage against the President, stoked by a vicious (but, admittingly, successful) smokes and mirrors campaign, orchestrated by a well-financed, take-no-prisoners Republican Messaging Machine that makes these people even more anxious and fearful and angry.
The Nazi's in the 1920's and 30's found that messaging technique worked also.
What a great vision Republicans have for this country.
I thought the "nazi's" endorsed the democratic "occupy" party as the white surpremists, talabhan,Big Unions, communist party, Black panthers, la raza, as well as democratic leaders and king oBAMA!
I'm backkkkk. I had to do a little thing called work so I can redistribute my vast wealth.
Thank you thunder for your incisive comments and for making my point in both my posts.
That said - I can't even dislike you, I feel sorry for you and your fear and your incoherent rants.
Hope you find truth and peace someday. nuf
I don't understand why politicians tear each other down. It is like if I don't get the presidency you don't either. And doesn't Rick Santorum realize people actually watch what he does and says. He doesn't think people should use birth control or be educated or women should work outside the home? Maybe if you are wealthy that might work. But then I guess the wealthy can be snobs and get by with it. Most rich people go to places like Harvard and Yale etc. Maybe they are snobs but most people realize in order to climb up the ladder you can't have 20 kids, the wife usually has to work and y'all need a college education if you want to make much money when you work. He is so out of touch with everybody rich or poor, north or south or inbetween. Is he trying to lose the presidency by 17 or 18 points too like he did in Penns. What woman would vote for him? Unless they are under their husbands thumb. Surely they don't tell them how to vote. I have always said from the getgo these guys just need to save their money. But it makes the economy better spreading those millions around and getting them out of the rich peoples bank accounts.
kiltern,,,"But itmakes the economy better spreading those millions"? Why do you socialist libs just love to spend other peoples money like the children and grandchildren that will carry the burden of your spread the wealth! It has shown time and time again these failed ideas by this puke of a president DOES NOT WORK! No Obama or socialist lib moocher democrats in 2012!!!
You forgot to mention that Obama's ratings are falling while gas prices, groceries and health care costs are rising and our nations credit rating was down graded and the unemployment rate is a steady 8.3% and our national debt increased to 17 Trillion dollars under this marxist President.People were blinded by their anger at Bush and their hope on someone who promised them a rose garden and now all they got is the thornes. These white middle class folks who voted for Obama with the hope of a better future and instead were handed a pink slip and an eviction notice will NOT be voting for him this time around. The Republican canidate, no matter who it is, will win hands down. This President has been a disaster to our economy, to our morals and to our nation as a whole. He has championed class warfare,racial divide and aplologized way to much. Either he is in way over his head or he is trying to destroy our country. After all he did say he was going to FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE AMERICA. And this he is doing..just NOT for the better.When November comes around the American people will hand the Obama's their pink slip along with their eviction notice.
Wayne,
I was born and raised in a country, where the present administration is taking us. I was lucky enough to get out . I want to talk to you and to your friends, when we get where you think we want to go. You have no idea what you are wishing for.The only country that will survive is a strong,free country. I see freedom slipping away, little by little. I see more and more government control and it worries me.Liberalism and socialism will destroy this great country.I hope that your kids will still have a choice to make their own decisions, without having the government make decisions for them.
Then perhaps you observed that in the country you observed that there was an extremely large gap between the wealth of the haves, and the have nots, that the rich were very rich, the poor very poor, barely surviving, and a very small middle class. take the time to study the migration of wealth and power from the people, the 98%, to the top 2% who now own over 40% of all this nations assets.
You worry about more and more government control, yet just what party is demanding more control over the individuals life, birth control, choice, religion in government, increasing power to Corporate America, more and more tax cuts to the rich, and top 2% resulting in more and more transfers of wealth and political power to that group.
A new study just came out analyzing the effects of transfers and accumulations of wealth in the top 2% of a nation. It means the gradual decline of that nation. This is what the GOP has accomplished for this nation. The middle class, and a large working class is the engine that drives this Country. The GOP is destroying that model and creating an oligarchy, the worlds largest Banana Republic.
RON PAUL 2012. Ron is being totally supressed by the media, the rep's, and dem's as unlike them Ron Paul truely stands for we the people. Voting for any canidate including obama is just a vote for more of the same, more war, more taxes, less rights, and a continuing deep divide of our nation....RON PAUL 2012......
The real issue for the GOP Right wing, now in control of a party which is a mere shell of its former self, is what does the American Public think of their candidates and the GOP claims of "solutions"for our nation which are nothing more than the very same GOP economic theories which created our economic meltdown, repackaged for the Faithful. The GOP is praying to the Election Gods that the public will not see the massive increase in wealth of the top 2% with a corresponding loss of income and wealth of the middle class and working Americans during the past Republican Administrations, culminating with the Bush economic meltdown.
The real issue for the GOP Fab Four, and the Party is they have no solutions, no answers, just a continued drive to regain power, and then hope their failed theories will work this time. This is the classic definition of insanity; "Doing the same thing over and over again, each time hoping for a different result". The only problem is that it is destroying our nation, and its people. In reality, the GOP has accomplished its very own long term programs of "Redistribution of wealth". Do your research before you vote.
The article mentioned this only in passing, but one of the biggest obstacles facing the GOP is that anvil it is carrying around called George W. Bush. One of my life's biggest regrets is that I voted for him two times.
The Bush II legacy is something that will take many years to undo, if it ever is. This is a throw-away election for the Republicans...nobody in contention will come close to unseating President Obama.
One big point that this article does not address is the fact that in 2008 Clinton and Obama talked in terms of uniting the people. The GOP is trying to divide the people in their attempt to force their libertarian ideology on the public. Also, the negative legislation, with the assistance of ALEC, is pushing the public further away from the conservatives without consciences. Attempting to limit voting rights and making a mockery of women's health issues, the GOP/Tea Party is not helping their party. Instead it is moving more independents in the direction of President Obama and the Democratic Party. Other than their calling for more tax cuts for the wealthy and limiting if not eliminating Medicare and Social Security, this party has not offered any real solutions to the current economic challenges we face today. We CANNOT cut our way to a more prosperous country for all. This party is beginning to see the flaws with the Citizens United ruling declaring that corporations are people. The candidate with the deepest pockets will probably win the GOP Presidential nomination. So there is NO real correlation between 2008 and 2012.
Really!!! Obama may have talked about uniting the people back in 2008 but it has been Obama that has managed to divide the nation.
True... Obama was totally full of sh*t... Rabble rouser... Who did he unite? Elitist class warfare d*ck.... We all should have paid more attention to his preacher and his church.
The biggest mistake the Republicans are making, and have been making for the past 3 years, is that they're trying to portray themselves as the opposite of Obama. That only works when the president is doing a bad job. You have to open your eyes. When a person is doing a good job (and Obama is doing a great job) your argument is that you can do it better. Don't try to re-write history. The GOP's plan to obstuct Obama has backfired on them. He's accomplishing his goals despite their best efforts, and his goals are proving good for America. I'm an Independent voter who has voted Republican as often as I've voted Democrat, possibly more. President Obama has my vote in the up coming election. In fact I'm so disheartened with where the GOP has gone that I'm pushing for every Republican to be voted out of every office starting (and especially) with our Congress and all the way down to the local dog catcher. The GOP has forgotten that they were asked to represent the American people, not just the rich ones. They have to be reminded.
I am just like you, and the current batch of republicans are nothing like the ones that used to get my vote. Its kind of sad to realize that by pandering to a few they have lost a big chunk of the base and are either too dumb or too arrogant to care. Nobody wants to be aligned with a party who puts the country on the back burner while they squabble like a bunch of kids.
ED are you kidding me this president has created a DEBT so big that we may never get out from under it.
The Chinese are laughing at the US as they will collect over a TRILLION dollars from the US just in intrest on the MONEY that this president has BORROWED topay for all these ENTITLEMENTS (BRIBES FOR VOTES).
Sure it is nice the government want to pay for everything.... But i truth there is no government in the world that can do that as we have seen the fall of many conutries that have tried. (Greece for one)
NEED TO CONTROL THE WASTEFUL SPENDING IN THE GOVERNMENT!!!!!!
Controlliing wasteful spending is something we can all agree on, but the republican party as it is today has a definite image problem. I'm sorry, but Cantor, Ryan and Norquist are not the republicans of old. They are killing the party.
Sheila,,Cantor and Ryan are the ones talking about controlling spending but you continue to support the ones who blow billions without anything to show for it. I'll agree when the republicans had the control last time they also spent like idiots, but this last batch that were voted in congress last election gives me hope and I pray we can throw out the good-ol-boy system both parties that have screwed the American taxpayer! The more this failed president's only solution is tax and spend ideas are hiking gas and food prices, the more people will see and decide we surely need change!
I say lets go Democrats lets keep these poor people down a little more. They dont seem to mind living on welfare as they would prefer tonot have a job and have the government take care of them at someone elses expense.
So you Democrats CAN NOT see that Obama is & has been in the pockets of WALL STREET all along you must be as deprived of an education as much as he want to deprive you of a JOB AND MONEY.
That is so dumb, I bet everyone would like the opportunity to work at a job that allows a decent living. This country needs to work together to make that happen.
The problem with that Sheila is, everyone has their own definition of what a "decent living" is. I am sure there are a lot of people that would work if they could to meet needs. Problem is those who want to meet needs AND satisfy WANTS. I'll give a few but all of the luxuries that they think they deserve will never find them a job they can feel good about because anymore, it is all about money and not the satisfaction of a good days work for a good days pay and feeling as though you accomplished some good and are proud of it. It's more like "I'll do what I comfortably can and you pay me what I think I deserve".
That's a good point, but wouldn't it be nice if there were enough jobs so most people could meet the bare necessities of food, clothing and shelter all on their own without any kind of aid. I still think the majority of people would rather do that than live on assistance. Isn't there some kind of time limit on welfare anyway? I didn't think you could just live your whole life of the government dole, unless of course you are an elected official.
But when you have 2 years on UNEMPLOYMENT and you refuse to work a job that pays just a little more than you are getting on GOVERNMENT BRIBE there are to many people that feel they CAN NOT take that job because then they have to get up drive to work and for what an extra 70 dollars even 150 dollars a month not worth it, till we get rid of this ENTITLEMENT MENTALITY that is running RAMPANT in this country this country will never get any better.
That is part of what the republican stand for sure they dont want to pay for BIRTH CONTROL but neither do I.
IF YOUR INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER BIRTH CONTROL AS A MEDICAL TREATMENT VERSUS JUST AS BIRTH CONTROL THEN BAY ALL MEANS GET BETTER INSURANCE.
UNTIL THEY PAY FOR LIFE SAVING DRUGS THEY SHOULD NOT BE PAYING FOR BIRTH CONTROL!
I would hope they would rather work and feel good about what they do while meeting needs. You are correct it would be great to have those jobs to be able to be self sufficient. Partial problem is, we only hear about those who get the welfare dole and how they figure if all they are going to make is bare essentials and not "frills", why work if they don't have to. I truly feel sorry for those of that mindset as even the most menial of jobs can bring a lot of personal satisfaction and pride if one puts their heart into it. That is how people get promoted. Going above and beyond. Unfortunately adults today, along with a lot of the twenty somethings, feel they should be at the top of the pay scale right out of the blocks with company provided cell phones and a Mercedes company car. OKAY that is extreme but you get my drift.
There was long term unemployment benefits back in the early eighties. I remember people getting extension after extension, so this isn't really anything new in regard to policy during really high unemployment. I have to disagree with the birth control if for nothing else than the money it saves in the long run.
Man it's nice to have a civil conversation without name calling and "labeling". Thank you. You are a rare one on these threads. Appreciate it and have a good weekend.
To Wayne who shares ""The GOP keep "wanting their country back" which means "Let's go back to the 1950"s:"" Get a grip on reality. This administration is ruining our country and all Democrats ,, are on crack. This is Jimmy Carter the second and you don't know the first think about economics. it is our country and if you don't like the facts, get the hell out.
I know the country's economic problems can be traced back to Reagan era economics, the firing of the air traffic controllers, the beginning of the lowering of the standard of living in this country. Jobs outsourced to fatten the pockets of upper management, the list goes on and on. Until you have people working at jobs that allow discretionary spending, the economy in this country is going to stay stagnant.
Discretionary spending and to what degree are part of the problem. No one will EVER have enough money to squander. People live within their means. As the means grow larger, so goes the "standard" of living. That is why so many got caught with their respective "pants" down when the recession hit. They couldn't pay anymore for the luxuries they had to have. With unions negotiating extreme wages (and unions are NOT all to blame as they were doing the will of their members) and therefore affecting prices to the public, in order to stay in business and have the demand, industry had to cut somewhere. Americans own greed and "entitled to all I want" attitude has been their own demise. The demand for anything at an expected rock bottom price is what drove them offshore to manufacture goods.
You make another good point. I guess enough discretionary income to have some kind of entertainment allowed in your budget. I took an economics class a few years ago, and I allowed 50 dollars a month as part of my fun money----dining out or something like that. The guy who taught the class told me not to be so cheap:) So today, think that if families don't even have maybe 100 extra a month to just go spend without worrying about falling short, and multiply that by all the families, think of the domino effect it has on other people trying to work at those jobs. I agree on the rock bottom prices we expect, if we want to buy cheap all the time we are going to be forced to live cheap sooner or later, another side of the domino effect.
And ditto #86.7 above. : )