Both parties play the numbers. It should be no surprise that a big deal is made by Obama's current numbers. After all he won over a guy who had a 38% approval rating.
It is interesting that both Bush presidencies had historically the some of the highest and lowest approval ratings of any presidency.
It didn't help when Obama gave himself a B+ on Oprah's Christmas at the White House show. A B- would have been more appropriate.
The good news is that the Republicans, even if they do take the Hill again will have a hard time rolling back the social progress we made this year.
Historical Highs and Lows:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/behind-the-numbers/2007/07/approval_highs_and_lows.html
Reagan's Presidency graphed out:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8512945
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Public forums
The problem with politicians is that the higher they go, the more they lose touch with the general population. The more successful they are, the more they take for granted.
Many conspiracy theories fanned by conservatives have their basis in the 'secret shadows and dark rooms' involving unelected bureaucratic officials - decisions are made away from prying public eyes and outside of the control of taxpayers. Secretly and quietly Obama is making our country a socialist regime.
If President Obama could do one thing to dis-spell this concern, it would be to hold public summits with very people he already meets with. Sure, hold your private discussions first, but then schedule time in front of the CSPAN cameras for anyone who is interested to watch.
This open forum would go a long way towards improving public support for initiatives and policies.
Many conspiracy theories fanned by conservatives have their basis in the 'secret shadows and dark rooms' involving unelected bureaucratic officials - decisions are made away from prying public eyes and outside of the control of taxpayers. Secretly and quietly Obama is making our country a socialist regime.
If President Obama could do one thing to dis-spell this concern, it would be to hold public summits with very people he already meets with. Sure, hold your private discussions first, but then schedule time in front of the CSPAN cameras for anyone who is interested to watch.
This open forum would go a long way towards improving public support for initiatives and policies.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Arianna Huffington is a poser
Arianna Huffington is not a Liberal or even a Populist Progressive, but is rather a conservative media tongue-wagger with an agenda to undermine Liberal politics.
She boasts about being on Sunday morning pundit shows. If you've ever watched her, she smiles with delight and kisses up to the conservatives at the table when they make their points, frowns when the liberals make theirs.
This is probably no real surprise. Media pundits love to poke holes and Arianna is vying for a more prominent role in the media. The more waves she makes, the more memorable she is, and more likely she'll get picked for a show.
If populist progressives proved anything with William Jennings Bryan, they don't get anywhere. They make lots of noise and rile everybody up, only to alienate the general population. Why? Because most people just want problems to get fixed - they don't care how, they just want it fixed.
And they just want people who make problems to shut up. Where is Newt Gingrich now?
Bottom line for Liberals: Stop wasting time, come together and get the job done.
She boasts about being on Sunday morning pundit shows. If you've ever watched her, she smiles with delight and kisses up to the conservatives at the table when they make their points, frowns when the liberals make theirs.
This is probably no real surprise. Media pundits love to poke holes and Arianna is vying for a more prominent role in the media. The more waves she makes, the more memorable she is, and more likely she'll get picked for a show.
If populist progressives proved anything with William Jennings Bryan, they don't get anywhere. They make lots of noise and rile everybody up, only to alienate the general population. Why? Because most people just want problems to get fixed - they don't care how, they just want it fixed.
And they just want people who make problems to shut up. Where is Newt Gingrich now?
Bottom line for Liberals: Stop wasting time, come together and get the job done.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Who cares about global warming?
When does a creationist become an evolutionist? The answer is when it fits their argument. The current proclamation is that the reduction of the ice caps and its affects on polar bears due to global warming is natural! The impact of humans on the Earth, and the impact those affects have on nature is the natural way... Amazing. Keep that in mind for the next election - Creationists will accept Evolution before they accept Taxation or Government Control.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
If we walk away from Afghanistan...
The quiet half of America doesn't want to be in Afghanistan. The president's quiet approach to considering our future there doesn't help.
Liberals should come out and boldly say that we should be in Afghanistan. We should be there to protect human rights, those of children and women, those of impoverished villagers. We should be there to improve the health and welfare of all Afghanis, to improve the security for those who will appreciate the stability.
What we did wrong in Iraq was to allow Republicans to get rich from government contracts. We can do right in Afghanistan creating jobs to improve infrastructure (water, sewer, power), hospitals, housing, factories to build machinery and work clothes and security personnel to protect those functions.
By all means, we should increase the number of American Troops to support these functions and to generally improve security and stability.
The President should hold a surprise press conference in Afghanistan to deliver this message. A grand plan to stabilize and revitalize that country. It's time to be bold and push the Liberal agenda in a country that needs it so much.
Liberals should come out and boldly say that we should be in Afghanistan. We should be there to protect human rights, those of children and women, those of impoverished villagers. We should be there to improve the health and welfare of all Afghanis, to improve the security for those who will appreciate the stability.
What we did wrong in Iraq was to allow Republicans to get rich from government contracts. We can do right in Afghanistan creating jobs to improve infrastructure (water, sewer, power), hospitals, housing, factories to build machinery and work clothes and security personnel to protect those functions.
By all means, we should increase the number of American Troops to support these functions and to generally improve security and stability.
The President should hold a surprise press conference in Afghanistan to deliver this message. A grand plan to stabilize and revitalize that country. It's time to be bold and push the Liberal agenda in a country that needs it so much.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Grassroots Power
Last night on V, the aliens were concerned about "public opinion" because of its power to influence a larger group of people. Pollsters often look for movement in public opinion because the groundswell of changing moods can affect majority opinion. Why not the aliens?
I just looked up the term grassroots on Wikipedia, supposedly coined by a former Republican turned Progressive Party candidate Albert Beveridge.
There was a story this morning linking Palin to the Tea Party. (Looking up some news reports apparently she attended one in Santa Barbara.) The Tea Party has vexed liberals by providing a media-hyped stage for Conservative agendas.
Grassroots campaigns seem more real to us. Jimmy Carter used it to his advantage as a Washington Outsider. Palin definitely is pushing it as a "rogue" Alaskan who claims everyone is out to get her including the Republican Party elite. This will be successful to a point, but as soon as Americans see her as a media manipulator, her success will fade. (After all, she left office to avoid prosecution and to make more money through speaking engagements and book deals.)
Grassroots movements eventually fail because they don't have insiders to cut deals - or they end up selling out in order to cut deals. They are the most successful when they can stay as outsiders, influencing those on the inside to change their agendas.
President Barack Obama has certainly made concessions to his populist agenda, and in doing so has been less effective overall.
The key is to continually interact with grassroots movements even though there is no seeming political advantage in doing so. How many times has Obama visited the troops in Iraq or Afghanistan? How many times has he met with farmers or rural healthcare workers? Politically he doesn't need these people, but he does need these people to maintain popular opinion.
To use Beveridge's words, popular opinion grows "from the soil of people's hard necessities."
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Carrie Prejean "Still Standing"
As I watched the Carrie Prejean interview on NBC Today Show, I was reminded of the great Conservative tactic of repeatedly asking questions to make a point - even if the premise of the question is distorted, exaggerated or false.
Don't you think that Conservative women are wrongly criticized in the press?
It is effective because the liberal intellectual has the tendency to want to stop and refute each question or point made. As the bewildered liberal attempts to refute the first question, the next question comes - rapid fire...
Take the question above. If you answer 'no', then Conservative responds, "So you think it is OK to unfairly portray Conservative women as [fill in your outlandish thought here]."
Luckily the technique works both ways and fairly simple to turn around.
1) Answer with an equally outlandish question.
Prejean: Don't you think that Conservative women are wrongly criticized in the press?
Liberal: Don't you think it was wrong for Conservatives to push Palin out of office?
2) Make a Universally accepted statement.
Prejean: Don't you think that Conservative women are wrongly criticized in the press?
Liberal: Fox News would never unfairly criticize Palin.
Or, you could respond like a politician:
Prejean: Don't you think that Conservative women are wrongly criticized in the press?
Politician: Women are just as capable as men in forming their own opinions.
As for Carrie Prejean, think of all the Conservative moms that made her the role model for their daughters, only to find out that she made a sex tape. Oops. But like all Conservatives, they'll just toss her aside and get a new spokesmodel.
Don't you think that Conservative women are wrongly criticized in the press?
It is effective because the liberal intellectual has the tendency to want to stop and refute each question or point made. As the bewildered liberal attempts to refute the first question, the next question comes - rapid fire...
Take the question above. If you answer 'no', then Conservative responds, "So you think it is OK to unfairly portray Conservative women as [fill in your outlandish thought here]."
Luckily the technique works both ways and fairly simple to turn around.
1) Answer with an equally outlandish question.
Prejean: Don't you think that Conservative women are wrongly criticized in the press?
Liberal: Don't you think it was wrong for Conservatives to push Palin out of office?
2) Make a Universally accepted statement.
Prejean: Don't you think that Conservative women are wrongly criticized in the press?
Liberal: Fox News would never unfairly criticize Palin.
Or, you could respond like a politician:
Prejean: Don't you think that Conservative women are wrongly criticized in the press?
Politician: Women are just as capable as men in forming their own opinions.
As for Carrie Prejean, think of all the Conservative moms that made her the role model for their daughters, only to find out that she made a sex tape. Oops. But like all Conservatives, they'll just toss her aside and get a new spokesmodel.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Liberal Spending
Those tax and spend Liberals want to raise your taxes. Yes and for good reason.
Our infrastructure and school funding is largely based on the local tax base. When the tax base decreases due to job losses, foreclosures, and business cut-backs, then local, state or Federal funding has to subsidize the budget.
My suggestion for a simple print print and media commercial would put Uncle Sam against an aging bridge or roadway holding a sign that says, "Need work." The tagline is "Put America back to work."
Our Federal-funded projects need larger identification when they are complete. This road improved as a result of Federal Spending (in bold).
I will be the first to agree that there is waste in any government spending. However, I don't see a time when everyone from a given neighborhood writes a check to the elementary school - that will never happen. And in areas where neighborhoods have no money, then the city or county has to step in. And when there is no money in the county, the state. And when the state has issues... Yes they should tighten their belt first, but they need Federal funding.
It would be great if Enron had spent some of their ill-gotten money on basic services for Houston public schools. But they didn't. Unfortunately government assessment of taxes is necessary to ensure that money is collected and spent where needed.
From a look at the jobs report, we need to continue to spend more money. We have a lot more work to do.
Our infrastructure and school funding is largely based on the local tax base. When the tax base decreases due to job losses, foreclosures, and business cut-backs, then local, state or Federal funding has to subsidize the budget.
My suggestion for a simple print print and media commercial would put Uncle Sam against an aging bridge or roadway holding a sign that says, "Need work." The tagline is "Put America back to work."
Our Federal-funded projects need larger identification when they are complete. This road improved as a result of Federal Spending (in bold).
I will be the first to agree that there is waste in any government spending. However, I don't see a time when everyone from a given neighborhood writes a check to the elementary school - that will never happen. And in areas where neighborhoods have no money, then the city or county has to step in. And when there is no money in the county, the state. And when the state has issues... Yes they should tighten their belt first, but they need Federal funding.
It would be great if Enron had spent some of their ill-gotten money on basic services for Houston public schools. But they didn't. Unfortunately government assessment of taxes is necessary to ensure that money is collected and spent where needed.
From a look at the jobs report, we need to continue to spend more money. We have a lot more work to do.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Medicare and PAC-sponsored PR
This post was going to be focused on improving Hillary's image, but as I was watching a PAC commercial about John Cornyn's "rejection of increasing medicare prescription costs", I thought this is exactly the type of pro-image commercial Democrats should run more often.
I will be the first to admit that we collect too much money for political campaigns. We overspend and saturate the market with commercials during campaigns - it is wasteful. We should be more methodical in our spending, pushing the agendas and improving images of those already elected.
In this case, of course, the PAC is asking you to call Cornyn's office to thank him for holding the line on Medicare prescription costs. Although the goal is to prevent Congress from cutting expenditures on Medicare. It comes across as a pro-Cornyn commercial for those who don't use Medicare.
As long as healthcare costs increase, America will have to pay more for Medicare. As long as doctors prescribe more medications, prescription costs (total costs of the Medicare program) will increase. I would be in favor of increasing the funding for, and increasing the coverage of Medicare to cover any American who is not covered by another insurance program. Medicare is, after all, government-funded healthcare.
Imagine a commercial that started with a clip of Hillary Clinton supporting Medicare, followed by a clip of John Cornyn supporting Medicare. "Thank you Hillary Clinton and John Cornyn for protecting America's healthcare." Wow, that would freak Republicans out.
Any time we have agreement with Republicans on a position, we should spin it as a favorable message towards the liberal agenda because in reality, most Americans want these benefits. A good example, is people lined up in Lubbock to get their flu shots. Most of them, I bet, were Republican voters. An example of government healthcare programs that work for all Americans.
I will be the first to admit that we collect too much money for political campaigns. We overspend and saturate the market with commercials during campaigns - it is wasteful. We should be more methodical in our spending, pushing the agendas and improving images of those already elected.
In this case, of course, the PAC is asking you to call Cornyn's office to thank him for holding the line on Medicare prescription costs. Although the goal is to prevent Congress from cutting expenditures on Medicare. It comes across as a pro-Cornyn commercial for those who don't use Medicare.
As long as healthcare costs increase, America will have to pay more for Medicare. As long as doctors prescribe more medications, prescription costs (total costs of the Medicare program) will increase. I would be in favor of increasing the funding for, and increasing the coverage of Medicare to cover any American who is not covered by another insurance program. Medicare is, after all, government-funded healthcare.
Imagine a commercial that started with a clip of Hillary Clinton supporting Medicare, followed by a clip of John Cornyn supporting Medicare. "Thank you Hillary Clinton and John Cornyn for protecting America's healthcare." Wow, that would freak Republicans out.
Any time we have agreement with Republicans on a position, we should spin it as a favorable message towards the liberal agenda because in reality, most Americans want these benefits. A good example, is people lined up in Lubbock to get their flu shots. Most of them, I bet, were Republican voters. An example of government healthcare programs that work for all Americans.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Outrage
I watched Outrage tonight on HBO. There are some good keys to victory in that documentary.
Liberals don't politicize disgraced Republicans enough. The situations are embarrassing, they make good jokes, but that's about as far as they go.
Maybe its because to do so, would turn hate towards hate - and potentially inflaming it? I think it is worth the risk myself. It is not for the weak hearted. Here's how my ad would look:
Slow fade from black:
Liberals don't politicize disgraced Republicans enough. The situations are embarrassing, they make good jokes, but that's about as far as they go.
Maybe its because to do so, would turn hate towards hate - and potentially inflaming it? I think it is worth the risk myself. It is not for the weak hearted. Here's how my ad would look:
Slow fade from black:
Republican Senator Larry Craig
Arrested for disorderly conduct in a public bathroom...
Fade in news report audio, "Republican Senator Larry Craig was arrested yesterday, pleading guilty to charges of disorderly conduct in a Minneapolis airport bathroom... " Fade out news report audio.
Crossfade (slow zoom to Mark Sanford's face):
Fade in news report audio, "Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford admitted today that he lied to his family and staff, and was secretly having an affair... His travel is being investigated by the State Ethics Commission, and lawmakers who've urged him to resign are considering whether to try to force him from office..." Fade out news report audio.
Crossfade:
Fade in news report audio, "Former Gov. Terry Branstad is contemplating running for office again... he is criticized by the Republican party for approving the introduction of state-sponsored gambling and legalization of same-sex marriage..." Fade out news report audio.
etc. This ad paid for by "Americans for an honest America"...
I'm sure there are several more good examples. This is a bit outrageous. (I am pro gambling and pro gay marriage.) But my point is - these are Republicans who do not portray "Republican values" which has long been an anchor of their popularism.
Forcing Republicans to push their party hard right will ultimately alienate the majority of Americans. This tussle, albeit for only several months, distracted Republicans from winning the Presidential election. It was fun while it lasted.
I had a thought somewhere during this article, that Hillary Clinton needs better PR. I'll save that topic for next time.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Copenhagen vs. Afghanistan and Economic Policy
A classic conservative trick is to throw a soft jab, followed by a hard right. Sometimes that combination is reversed, but the desired outcome is to throw the opponent off balance - to lure the opponent into defending an offensive move that does not need defending.
This week the soft jab was outrage over President Obama's trip to Copenhagen. Liberals (and the media) are so easily drawn into this cheap conflict that the real punch took Liberals by surprise - higher unemployment figures and the Afghan military options.
It is so easy to get into cheap arguments that conservatives laugh when we do. When has Obama gone to his ranch to clear brush and drink whiskey, while ignoring policy decisions? Hah. Your "president" is driving us further into debt, pushing socialist healthcare and making us look weak by debating military options.
The easiest way to take conservatives off balance, is to move right when they jab. I learned today that the President met with Gen. McChrystal while in Copenhagen. That was the right move, but it came up short.
People respect down-and-dirty workers not lovely jet-setters. The next time you meet a General, take a short outdoor trip, go fishing and get some photo ops. Work out your differences and make yourself real at the same time.
Presidential To-do List: You need to get yourself outside. Meet the families that need your policies to succeed. Do something that will make your liberal friends cringe (we can deal with it). The people of Maine would love to get you outdoors with a gun. Imagine the horror on the right when you show up with a shotgun in bright flannel, all bought from a local shop. While you're out there, make your military policy clear.
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