Obama New Low Rating - But GOP Loses

[Oh Shoot]

So the GOP has nothing.

New lowest rating in history for a president at this stage of his term.

And yet he still beats all other contenders. He beats Palin the worst, btw.

Poll: Obama down, but still leading GOP rivals - Jennifer Epstein - POLITICO.com

- OS

[mikegideon]

OhShoot for President!

[greenego]

As bad as I hate to think this, he will win reelection unless something like the hostage crisis, that did Carter in, happens. The GOP will not go after him on his record or who he really is.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

And who exactly is running? There are problems

all over the place, but until the horse race starts,

every poll is less than toilet paper to me.

I doubt Obama will win half of what he did last time.

There is little enthusiasm for within his own ranks,

except the Chicago thugs, and it won't help him.

There has been a two plus year long assault on Palin

because they are scared to death of her. the funniest

part of that is she probably won't run and they will

have wasted all their time demonizing her. And I'm

one hoping she is our next President.

I'm waiting for the horses to enter the gate.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Oh Shoot]

...

I doubt Obama will win half of what he did last time.

There is little enthusiasm for within his own ranks,

...

Oh, the 47% of adults in USA who pay NO income tax and only GET bennies are always a factor.

Indeed, this group will have grown by election time. It's the biggest Dem support base, and they cultivate it. Kind of ironic, the worse things get under the Dems, the larger their voting bloc.

"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." - Alexis de Tocqueville

- OS

Edited April 20, 2011 by OhShoot

[kieefer]

A good thing is that the King's poll numbers continue to sink.

I'm unplugged from TV/MS media so besides Trump who else has gotten face time? I'm like AR waiting for the gates to open but if the "right" doesn't voice a message and if they keep bowing to the King on policy and principles we will be SOL.

This debt-ceiling fight, if it becomes one, will be a turning point I think. If they don't raise it the Repub's or more so the Tea Party wins, if they do raise it, it's going to be the same ole .

[eapking]

The problem will be in the primaries with all the Dems who will cross over to vote for the Repub they can beat the easiest. Barry will have no real opposition on the Dem side so there will be organized, purposeful, crossovers by the Dems. I see 4 more years of Barry, no matter who the Repubs trot out there.

[Spook]

I'm with 6.8.... this is all so premature. Too early to get enthused or depressed.

[Oh Shoot]

....This debt-ceiling fight, if it becomes one, will be a turning point I think. If they don't raise it the Repub's or more so the Tea Party wins, if they do raise it, it's going to be the same ole .

No choice but to raise the debt ceiling. It's been done 70 times, this will be no different.

The Tea Party supported electees get press time because they're entertaining (as far as pols go), but they have not made one iota of difference within GOP so far, unless you call a .2% reduction in Obama's proposed 2011 budget some kind of conservative thumping and even that turned out to be smoke and mirrors. And after all, 2011 budget is still larger than 2010 budget, and 2012 will be larger than 2011.

- OS

Edited April 21, 2011 by OhShoot

[Guest mosinon]

Oh, the 47% of adults in USA who pay NO income tax and only GET bennies are always a factor.

Indeed, this group will have grown by election time. It's the biggest Dem support base, and they cultivate it. Kind of ironic, the worse things get under the Dems, the larger their voting bloc.

"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." - Alexis de Tocqueville

- OS

The bunch of freeloaders! Except I'm not exactly sure about those numbers. If you only look at at income tax, sure. But there are a ton of taxes. Everyone who drives pay the gas tax. Buy anything and you pay sales tax. If someone is bringing in 30 grand a year and owns a house it isn't hard to imagine that they pay more of their income in taxes as a percentage than Bill Gates. I guess I need to research this tax thing a bit more.

As for the pres, he's got it made as far as I can tell. Yeah, his poll numbers right now might be sucky but there are a lot of things going against him. High oil prices, rising grocery prices and so forth. But he has some stuff going for him:

Basically, he is the alternative. If you want to vote for someone right of center your only option is Obama. Yah, people will yell and scream most liberal prezzy ever. The people that yell and scream that were never going to vote for someone with a D by their name anyway. And their rantings seem half assed at this point. Looking at Obama objectively he is just more of the same. A testament to the weakness (and strength) of democracy. The weakness is that you get what you want, a flavorless meal like you'd find at McDonalds. The strength you get something flavorless instead of a plate of rotted fish surrounded with wormy potatoes.

He's also has tea party insanity on his side. For someone to make a serious run on him on the spending issue they're going to have to want to cut social security, medicare or defense. While I am personally okay with these ideas, no one else is. I think I have a tea party chart somewhere...

Finally the fear thing won't work against Obama this time. As in every campaign the new guy is presented as the most "XX" ever. Obama was supposed to be some radical communist, who was after your guns, was a pure socialist and wanted death panels.

Now he doesn't seem so bad, how can you not vote for Obama when compared to the Obama you were promised?

Bonus points: He raised taxes on smokers, everybody hates smokers.

The sad truth is that even if the GOP finds someone who can beat Obama they'll get into office and follow the script, just like Obama does.

[Oh Shoot]

...Except I'm not exactly sure about those numbers. If you only look at at income tax, sure...

That would be why I said "the 47% of adults in USA who pay NO income tax..", Mosey.

I wonder how many actually get a "tax rebate" due to the earned income tax credit. Meaning, one receives money for his immense effort of not having had to pay anything. Only in Amerika.

- OS

[Mark@Sea]

One little game changer that is getting overlooked... Inflation and the value of our currency. Blow the official numbers, they're BS. Everybody feels that pinch - especially those on fixed incomes.

I'm betting on an Argentine meltdown, and sooner than you think.

[Dolomite_supafly]

And what those who receive those benefits, and don't pay taxes, don't realize is they are being enslaved and controlled. They are being promised a small amount of benefits in exchange for thier will to be successful in life. It is just enough for them to feel content with having nothing so long as they don't have to work for it. It isn't just the inner cities either, I see it all the time and wonder why people don't work in order to improve their living conditions. In most cases the free money is more attractive than better living conditions.

It is this group of people who are not going to vote their benefits away.

I am not sure if Palin could win but I think she would make a decent president. It is her ability to say what is on her mind that I think this country needs. In that same note, Trump would also fit into this category. Sadly though neither one would have a snowballs chance in hell of winning.

Dolomite

[kieefer]

No choice but to raise the debt ceiling. It's been done 70 times, this will be no different.

- OS

Yes there is a choice, whether they have the courage to do it is what's lacking.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Oh, the 47% of adults in USA who pay NO income tax and only GET bennies are always a factor.

Indeed, this group will have grown by election time. It's the biggest Dem support base, and they cultivate it. Kind of ironic, the worse things get under the Dems, the larger their voting bloc.

"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." - Alexis de Tocqueville

- OS

That's the key: if they even vote. their record of voting is sporadic, if not rare and they are not seeing him

as their messiah, anymore. It would have to be a billion dollar election to get them out to vote this time.

Unions are making fools of themselves and will become another factor for the useless side. So many Dems

are going to sit this election out. I hope there won't be the same thing on the Republican side, but that may

happen, also. But there are way too many who are ready to get rid of the left in DC, including Obama.

Stick with the Tea Party movement.

To meet a 47%' er, all you have to do is go to the local convenience store. Ask them what they think. I do.

A lot of them don't like him, either.

Otherwise, the Argentinian model of efficiency is on the way. No more debt ceiling increases. What's the

point of it, anyway? The Treasury is printing more than it is destroying already.

[greenego]

Originally Posted by OhShoot

No choice but to raise the debt ceiling. It's been done 70 times, this will be no different.

- OS

Yes there is a choice, whether they have the courage to do it is what's lacking.

I also believe the debt ceiling will be raised. GOP will not risk another economic downturn if its not. They will get all the blame. If it is raised and the economy

still goes down the tubes, pin it on Turbo Tax cheat Tim and Obama.

What I am watching is what is in the bill they pass for this. Obama & Tim want a "clean bill". Something that will let them spend with no strings attached. If the bill has spending restraints and budget cuts, Obama loses. Even with this, the restraints and cuts have to be fool proof. Remember Daddy Bush raised taxes with a "promise" that spending would be cut. Never happened Bush Lost.

[JPR1959]

The real problem for the Republicans is they don't have a leader. The old style Republican leaders are scared to openly challenge Obama on his background much less the issues. It's far too early to write off the Republicans, but someone needs to step up and grow a set. This person needs to take strong stances and NOT cave in to the left. Otherwise, we're doomed.

[Oh Shoot]

One little game changer that is getting overlooked... Inflation and the value of our currency. ....

Yeah, government inflation index does NOT include food or energy. Like all energy, to drive your car, heat/cool your home. Just a couple of little minor parts of everyday life. No probs, just don't drive, use lights, or eat.

$10/gal gasoline, 25% unemployment, doubling of food prices -- maybe just two of the three, and we enter a time like the 30's, except worse. Much worse.

- OS

Edited April 21, 2011 by OhShoot
fixed quote

[Guest HvyMtl]

This rating does NOT matter. Why? Well, lets look at a different President's rating before the election process starts... How about George Bush, Sr.? Before his re-election attempt, his ratings were huge. Many claimed as high as 97%. He then proceeded to lose the election to a Democrat, who was grooming himself for the election following... and had no real plans to win, until deep in the campaign.

Basically put, the present ratings do not matter. The only ones that do are the ones placed in the ballot box.

Oh, and Trump now banging the olde drum about his "birther" issue, is preventing the GOP from placing the focus on the national debt and other issues.

Also notice this: The last election, we were shoulder deep in candidates by this time. At present we have one on the GOP side, well, sort of, with a declaratory committee... Why are they waiting till later this time around? The only candidate to openly declare, so far, is the President. This allows for him to increase his war chest funds, while the GOP seem to be hemming and hawing about running...

[greenego]

The last election there was not an incumbent president or setting vice president running. May have been the reason so many were in the race by now. Gary Johnson and Herman Cain are the only two to announce they are running on GOP side. Not exactly household names.

[kieefer]

The last election there was not an incumbent president or setting vice president running. May have been the reason so many were in the race by now. Gary Johnson and Herman Cain are the only two to announce they are running on GOP side. Not exactly household names.

Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney are in the game plus plenty of potentials.

[greenego]

Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney are in the game plus plenty of potentials.

I through they were still "exploring" their possible run. Must have missed their announcements.

[Guest mosinon]

That would be why I said "the 47% of adults in USA who pay NO income tax..", Mosey.

I wonder how many actually get a "tax rebate" due to the earned income tax credit. Meaning, one receives money for his immense effort of not having had to pay anything. Only in Amerika.

- OS

After checking into this number a bit I am thinking it is not what most people think. The number is 47% of households which, according the numbers I found, somehow equates to 71 million people. 47% of 350 million is around 157 million not seventy million, but hey, households and all.

It further turns out that these people not paying taxes are paying taxes. Everyone seems to think these are the welfare type people but if you've got a job and make under 30,000 you're not paying taxes because, as you noted, you get it all back at the end of the year. Sometimes even more with the credit.

So, yeah these folks essentially pay nothing in income tax but they are still tax payers. IT still gets yanked from their check, they still feel like tax payers, they just get it all back. Well, kinda. There are a bunch of taxes they don't get back. If you're making 30,000 you are probably spending a lot of that on food and so forth. Sales tax is ten percent around here. If you've got a house you pay taxes on that. You still pay social security taxes and medicare taxes.

Are people out there with 30,000 per year jobs really feeding off the teat of America? 20% of people between 50,000 and 75,000 end up with no net liability.

This fiction I had in my had of half the populace not working and living off the government is being quickly destroyed. I actually know people who make 30,000 a year and do productive work, don't take government assistance and buy gas.

Should they be paying into the system? They are on a local level but should that 30 grand a year guy be paying in to income tax? Probably but remember, since he makes thirty grand a year he spends almost all of it. So he is getting the local tax of ten percent. Those folks who make more have more discretion to save money. They might fully fund an IRA and they might hit the social security limit.

I'll admit it is a startling statistic on the surface but delving into a bit I don't see the necessary outrage. I would be willing to wager that some tgoers make 30,000 or less and are still convinced they pay income tax. Well, one anyway. But I probably shouldn't count myself.

[Oh Shoot]

After checking into this number a bit I am thinking it is not what most people think. The number is 47% of households which, according the numbers I found, somehow equates to 71 million people. 47% of 350 million is around 157 million not seventy million, but hey, households and all. ..

I question the whole 71 million myself; that figure seems to have originated on on CNN report near as I can tell, and keeps getting parroted down the line. Dunno, maybe that's figured on adults only or something. Although number of voting age citizens in 2008 was 231,229,580, so that doesn't jibe either. The 71 million could just plain wrong.

- OS

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That 47% number should be considered as those 47% of people who effectively pay no taxes. Whether

or not that number is valid I don't know, either. The number of Americans receiving some kind of benefit

derived from government sources is probably about the same, or more.

Cut 'em off of the teat and let them find a job. There are jobs around, just might not be their dream job.