Last week, the NY Times took aim at the Obama-deniers – the Dem Senatorial candidates who wont even admit that they voted for the guy (even though they voted with the guy over 90% of the time).
Specifically, the Times blasted:
But one of the reasons for his unpopularity is that nervous members of his own party have done a poor job of defending his policies over the nearly six years of his presidency, allowing a Republican narrative of failure to take hold.
Few voters know that the 2009 stimulus bill contributed heavily to the nation’s economic recovery, saving and creating 2.5 million jobs.
I can nit pick that it should be “recovered” not created … and I could point out that full-time jobs are being replaced with part-time jobs … and I could pile on by mentioning that most of the jobs are in the low pay hospitality and retail industries.
But, I won’t do that, because I want to make another point.
Studies also have shown that voters don’t always remember accurately just who it was they backed before.
Why?
“Voters who defect from their party … are more likely to ‘forget’ this over time and to report a vote more consistent with their current party identification”
“Reports of past vote also correlate with current preferences.”
That’s to say, if the candidate gets elected and disappoints, some voters revise history and claim that they never voted for the bum.
A recent USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll in a half-dozen states with key Senate races underscore the point.
Last week President Obama another shout-diss to FoxNews as the reason that roughly half of the country’s 300 million population think that he’s not doing such a great job.
Hmmm.
Let’s think about that.
Qualitatively speaking, , no disputing that Fox leans right and pounce’s on the Administration’s frequent miscues.
Quantitatively speaking, the President’s concern seems unfounded.
Fox boasts – with merit – that it outdraws left-leaning CNN and MSNBC combined.
That’s true.
And, top dog O’Reilly draws almost 3.5 million viewers … more than 4 times what best competitor Rachel Maddow draws.
On 60 minutes, the President blamed the Intelligence Agencies – specifically, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper — for failing to detect the rise of ISIS (or, ISIL, if you prefer).
Squealing sources in the intelligence agencies have leaked that the President’s Daily (Security) Briefs PDBs have contained detailed threat warnings about the Islamic State dating back to before the 2012 presidential election.
Last month, I ordered our military to take targeted action against ISIL to stop its advances. Since then, we have conducted more than 150 successful airstrikes in Iraq.
He made it sound like a big deal … and built on the point, saying that the air strikes would continue across a wider target area. Possibly extending into Syria.
Picture from NATO web site
Of course, the comment got me thinking … are 150 airstrikes a lot or a little?
Works out to about 5 missions per day … which doesn’t strike me as up there with shock & awe.
But, I wanted to put 5-a-day in context and got some counsel from a friend…
On the style front, I’ was glad that he was eyes forward last night. As loyal readers know, for prior talks to we0the-people, I asked Why didn’t he look us in the eyes? Apparently he reads HomaFiles and changed course.
Buyer’s remorse is the sense of regret after having made a purchase. It is frequently associated with the purchase of a big ticket item such as a car or house.
It may stem from fear of making the wrong choice, guilt over extravagance, or a suspicion of having been overly influenced by the seller.
Buyer’s remorse is thought to stem from the post-decision cognitive dissonance that arises when a person makes a difficult decision.
Factors that affect buyer’s remorse include resources invested, the involvement of the purchaser, whether the purchase is compatible with the purchaser’s goals, and what positive or negative evidence the purchaser encounters post-purchase that confirms or denies the purchase as a good idea.
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Bet you can guess where this one is going.
Remember the 2012 election when Obama squared off against Romney?
Obama won the election with 51% of the popular vote.
There was a growth spurt in bowling alleys after World War II. The U.S. added 2,000 bowling alleys between the end of World War II and 1958.
In 1958, the American Society of Planning Officials reported that “the bowling alley is fast becoming one of the most important—if not the most important—local center of participant sport and recreation.”
But, the bowling craze peaked and started to fade as folks found other ways to spend their spare time.
The U.S. had 4,061 bowling centers in 2012, down 25 percent from a high water mark in 1998.
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To counter the downward trend, bowling alleys are rebranding themselves as “bowling centers”, spiffing up the facilities, and adding ancillary entertainment (e.g. rock music, gaming arcades).
Following the industry lead, “the exclusive bowling lanes reserved for White House employees and their guests are getting an upgrade.”(more…)
Last week, one the Administration’s talking points was “not to worry, the 5 Taliban leaders being released won’t be allowed back in Afghanistan for a year … and by then practically all troops will be out of the country … so the odds of Americans being killed are relatively low.”
Are you kidding me?
In a prior post, I posed a simple over-under bet: Do you think that the number of Americans who will be killed — either directly or indirectly – by the Taliban-5 will be under 1 or over 1?
I’m taking the over and haven’t gotten many takers for the under.
Today, let’s connect a couple of dots and personalize the situation…
Don’t worry, I’m not going deeply philosophical on you … I’m just going to pose a simple wager.
Last week, one the Administration’s talking points was “not to worry, the 5 Taliban leaders being released won’t be allowed back in Afghanistan for a year … and by then practically all troops will be out of the country … so the odds of Americans being killed are relatively low.”
During 2013, the left-leaning Washington Post slapped President Obama with a slew of Pinnochios.
The year ended with PolitiFact.com – a branch of the left-leaning Tampa Bay Times — giving President Obama their “Lie of the Year” award for his infamous oft-repeated “Like your plan, keep you plan …Like your doctor, keep you doctor”. Source
So, it shouldn’t surprise anybody that, in a recent poll, 61% of the people polled said that President Obama lied on important issues some or most of the time
During last Thursday’s impromptu press conference, President Obama ballyhooed that the OC Exchanges had passed 8 million sign-ups (whatever the heck a “sign-up” is) … and that the CBO’s “latest estimate” says the ObamaCare “costs are down 15% from the prior estimate”.
Oh, really?
My BS detector auto-starts when I hear well-parsed, weasely words like those.
Wonder when the latest estimate was made? What were the assumptions? How does it tie to the miracle of 8 million?
So, I took a moment to dissect that statement … the digging didn’t disappoint
Last week, President Obama said that he is “sorry that some Americans are losing their current health insurance plans as a result of the Affordable Care Act”, despite his promise that no one would have to give up a health plan they liked.
His supporters say: “See, he’s stepping up to his false assurances”.
His detractors say: “He’s saying he’s sorry to see people in that situation, but doesn’t fess up to his oft-repeated mis-direction that everybody can keep their doctors and health insurance plans if they like them.”
Pick your side on that one.
I just want to use Obama’s declaration as a philosophical launching point for what makes a good apology.
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A couple of months ago, I posted some research that proved it’s good business for companies to apologize to customers they’ve wronged — that an apology goes way further than, say, a discount on the next purchase.
I also made a passing reference to how important apologies are in personal life, too.
Following the links in the original article, I stumbled on these “8 simple principles” for making a meaningful apology …
To counter Hillary’s snark that he was all words and no substance – Candidate Obama gave a moving speech re: how much words matter.
The punch line:
“I’m running for president of the United States of America … because the American people want to believe in change again. Don’t tell me
words don’t matter!” Transcript
Yesterday, Marilyn Tavenner — head of CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), responsible for “systems integration” for Healthcare.gov and other ObamaCare applications – said flat out:
“The system working albeit slower and less accurately than hoped.” CNN
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Hmmm.
First reaction, except for speed and accuracy … what is there?
“I learned about it the same way you did … in the newspapers.”
Say, what?
The list of the President’s “news to me, too” is growing: Fast & Furious, IRS targeting, ObamaCare system snafus, NSA spying, Healthcare Insurance cancellations, etc.
It’s reached the point that even hardcore supporter Jon Stewart is asking: “What exactly does he know?”
Here’s a Stewart skit explaining how President Obama is kept out of the loop regarding spying and health care.
The president didn’t know the NSA was spying on world leaders, but he’s found time for at least 146 rounds of golf.
Call Mr. Obama’s style indifferent, aloof or irresponsible, but a president who governs like this reaps the whirlwind—if not for himself, then for his country.
Question: in a partial government shutdown, like the one underway at the moment, how much of the government is actually shut down, and how much is not?
Answer: About 17%.shut down; 83% up and running
Details below …
“Based on estimates drawn from CBO and OMB data, 83 percent of government operations will continue.
This figure assumes that the government pays amounts due on appropriations obligated before the shutdown ($512 billion), spends $225 billion on exempted military and civilian personnel, pays entitlement benefits for those found eligible before the shutdown (about $2 trillion), and pays interest costs when due ($237 billion).
This is about 83 percent of projected 2014 spending of $3.6 trillion.”Source
Hmmm.
And, let’s drill down on who actually got furloughed …
A question I’ve asked before: Have you ever listened to one of President Obama’s weekly internet-radio addresses?
I haven’t … and don’t know anybody who has.
More broadly … do you listen to his speeches?
The Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan hit the nail on the head on ABC’s This Week Sunday.
“I think every president in the intense media environment we have now, certainly every two-term president, gets to a point where the American people stop listening, stop leaning forward hungrily for information.
I think this president got there earlier than most presidents. And I think he’s in that time now.”
That presents a context the President’s current speech tour aimed at bolstering support for ObamaCare and quashing the “phony scandals”.
How’s that working out?
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The RealClearPolitics poll-of-polls has Obama’s approval rating underwater … under the 45% Mendoza Line … and trending down.
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While Gallup & Rasmussen – the polls I average to read what’s happening — have Obama’s approval pegged at 45% and 46%, respectively ….
Two polls – Reuters & The Economist – peg Obama’s approval at only 41%.
The city of Detroit has lost more than half of its population over the last 60 years.
In 1950, the city was the fifth-largest city in the country with a population of around 1.8 million.
Today its population is estimated at just under 700,000.
Translation: a tax base that’s asymptotically approaching zero.
Last week, the inevitable happened: the city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy.
The bankruptcy petition seeks protection from creditors and unions who stake claim to $18.5 billion in debt and other liabilities – mostly bloated union pensions.
Here’s a short video that puts the Detroit situation in perspective.
Consider the following regarding the city of Detroit …
According to this weeks Quinnipiac University National Poll, the President’s approval rating has dipped to 45% … putting him underwater against a 49% disapproval rating,
But, he’s holding strong with some constituencies …
Everybody knows Jurassic Park – the 1993 science fiction adventure film in which a team of genetic scientists create a wildlife park of cloned dinosaurs.
When the security systems go haywire, the dinosaurs go uncontrollably wild.
Jonathan Turley is a left-leaning law prof at George Washington University …. a frequent legal analyst on CNN … not to be mistaken as a Tea Party kinda guy.
He had a weekend op-ed in the Washington Post that’s a must read.
Titled “The rise of the fourth branch of government “, the article’s central thesis:
The growing dominance of the federal government over the states has obscured more fundamental changes within the federal government itself:
It is not just bigger, it is dangerously off kilter.
Our carefully constructed system of checks and balances is being negated by the rise of a fourth branch:
An administrative state of sprawling departments and agencies that govern with increasing autonomy and decreasing transparency.
That is, the government agencies have gotten so big and sprawling that they have substantially more power over our lives than the 3 Constitutional branches of government … and they are, for all practical purposes, unmanageable and largely out-of-control.
Hmmm.
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Here are some highlights and stats from Turley’s article …
Headline: Obama gets a 47% approval rating (below 50%) and a 47% disapproval rating … dead heat.
But … looking at the “top & bottom boxes – strongly approve, strongly disapprove – he underwater by 16 percentage points.
Numbers get more interesting diving into the details:
By region … no surprise that Obama does best in the Northeast – about even on top & bottom boxes …. he does worst in the South – no surprise – and the West (a mix of West Coast liberals and and gun toting open-country folks).
Things get way more interesting by age and income …
According to a McClatchy-Marist poll, President Obama’s approval rating has dropped to the lowest level in more than a year … putting him underwater 45% to 48%
The pollsters opine that “At least some of the president’s fall to Earth lies in the fact that voters no longer see him in the context of an election. He has to stand alone in the eyes of voters.”
That is, it’s not a matter of better or worse than Romney … it’s a matter of doing the job effectively or not.
The poll also reports that “Obama’s personal popularity also has declined, with 48 percent of voters having favorable impressions of him and 48 percent having unfavorable impressions.
That was down from 53-44 in December. It also was the lowest since November 2011, when it was 47-49.”
Hard to believe that name-calling and whoppers would nick a guy’s nice guy image …
The poll also queried “Who has the better approach with the budget deficit?”
Last week, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was shrilling on behalf of the Chicken Little crowd that because of the Sequester 40,000 teachers would lose their jobs.
His claim was quickly debunked, but he left a lasting impression .. on me, at least.
“Dollars” don’t have emotional impact any more.
So, let’s start thinking in terms of full-time teacher equivalents (FTTEs).
Duncan got his estimate by assuming that an average teacher makes $70,000.
Maybe in Chicago they do.
But, according to PayScale.com the national average is in the mid-40s.
Let’s do a hard round for arithmetic convenience and call it $50,000.
Here’s what Kerry did, evaluated using the new metric full-time teacher equivalents (FTTEs) …
Maybe the President was right when he went around the country shouting that the Sequester would cause great damage.
He probably wasn’t thinking about his approval ratings, though.
The latest Gallup daily tracking poll (a 3-day moving average) reported that 47% approve of the job he’s doing as president.
Obviously, below the 50% Mendoza line.
More interesting: since it’s a 3-day moving average, the drop on March 1 must have been in the low 40s in order to drag the moving average down so precipitously.
Could be noise … or could be signal … reflecting reaction to the debunked catastrophe stories, the Woodward bruhaha, or turn-off to the non-presidential Chicken Little routine.
First, I have to admit that I was part of the vast majority of Americans who didn’t watch Obama’s State of the Union address this week.
About 37.75 million viewers watched President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address, which was aired live across 14 broadcast and cable networks.
That was down 12% from last year’s speech, and down 21% from Obama’s first State of the Union in 2010.
No, I wasn’t watching the LA police torch Christopher Dorner.
I was watching a Castle re-run … and, proud of it.
I am a bit disappointed that I missed Obama refrain his signature line that his free-spending on a smorgasbord of whacky programs “won’t add one dime to the deficit”
Yeah, right.
The GOP was quick to pounce with a commercial showing Obama spin that whopper several time over the years.
Of course, I wouldn’t be asking if the answer was Obama’s.
According to Gallup, 38% watched Obama get crowned on Monday (a national holiday) … back in 2005, 40% watched W. take the oath (on a regular workday Thursday).
The Homa Files 