It’s hard to imagine Congress getting any less popular. The Republicans are succeeding in weakening the president, but they’re making themselves even weaker in the process. I can’t say for sure that this past weekend was a pivotal moment, but I think we may look back on it as the point in time when something snapped. It’s like the Republicans kept pushing on a door, and pushing and pushing some more, with the idea that they were getting rewarded for bad behavior. But all the time the tension was rising and the resistance was building, until the door snapped back in their faces and sent them sprawling.
The presidency has a reputation for being stronger than it is in reality, and the Republicans rejoice in making Obama look impotent in any way that they can. They hold his appointments. They filibuster everything. They refuse to compromise on almost anything. This infuriates liberals and progressives who have big hopes and dreams and can’t understand why they’re not coming true. We all begin infighting and blaming each other. The public gets disgusted with the whole spectacle and starts to believe government is worthless. And the GOP benefits coming and going.
But the president is still the only politician in the country that has anywhere near decent poll numbers. People trust him more than they trust anyone else. And you can’t beat something with nothing. And that’s about the size of Mitt Romney…a great big nothing. And the rest of the GOP field is laughable.
The president might not be able to try liberal solutions to the unemployment problem, but he didn’t overreach so far that he undermined our country’s credit rating and caused a 600-point sell-off in the stock market. The Republicans did that to nothing but cheerleading from their presidential contenders.
So, what now? Will the results in Wisconsin matter? Is anything going to change?
So, what now? Will the results in Wisconsin matter?
Of course they will. If the Democrats lose, we are all truly screwed, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey(where elected Democrats are fucking over those who voted them into office).
The WI results tomorrow will tell us pretty much all we need to know about the political mood of the country. If the Dems win big it will mean, at the least, that voters blame the Republicans for the economic debacle, and that they’ve finally had enough of their bullshit. If the GOP wins or nearly wins it will mean that voters are still not seeing who made this happen, that the “balanced” reporting by the media has trumped the most elementary common sense and powers of observation.
A Dem win will mean that a campaign attacking the very core of wingnut “principles” would work. Maybe it would even give the Dems the courage to stick their necks out for the traditional agenda of their party. A Dem loss will trigger yet more “bipartisan” no-fault bullshit and most likely turn the country over to the GOP lock, stock, and barrel next year and mark the beginning of its end as a major power and a democracy of any kind.
Fortunately I think the anger and despair will smash the Reps tomorrow. We’ll soon know what to expect next year.
Hey come on Booman. The Governer of Texas is entering the race, and he reputedly has excellent hair!
I don’t get why people don’t take Perry more seriously as a threat. He’s nuts and stupid in every way that counts, but in today’s context he’s no more ridiculous as a candidate than Bush was in 2000.
you’re correct he’s a real threat, but he is far, far worse than Bush in every possible way. The difference is, he can get away with it now. They don’t need a Bush anymore, they can put in the real thing.
the rose-colored glasses.
The world financial community has judged the US a bad risk because the Republicans are crazy and the president is a weakling. There is world-wide consensus on this.
International consensus that Obama cannot lead.
Your blind devotion in the face of all the evidence is astonishing.
that’s bullshit, Ed.
Lead who?! Can you lead these crazy mutha fuckas?! FUCK NO! Can you even lead your fuckin mouth to action?! FUCK NO! You just sit your (I picture fat, short, bald) ass at a computer all day talking big shit. Would you talk this shit to the President’s face or for that matter on the Green line in DC?! FUCK FUCK NO!
but that comment was below the belt. Way below the belt.
I live on the Green Line in DC so thanks for the shout out!
I don’t see Obama as a weakling – nor am I convinced as of yet that this is the global consensus. If you have data to that effect, by all means show me (I can be convinced). The problem with The Pope of Hope is that he basically operates from the same range of positions espoused by Ronald Raygun and others who were considered right-wing back when I was much, much younger. If you’re even remotely to the “left” (whatever that might mean in the US), you’re probably going to be disappointed – especially if you believed the hype in 2008. The other problem is really not his fault – the GOP/Tea Party is simply incapable of governing. There is no way to lead those clowns – not Boehner, and certainly not Obama. They wallow in their ignorance, and are among the most arrogant and destructive bastards I’ve ever had the displeasure to encounter. That they apparently are capable of leading themselves – and the rest of us – over a cliff is hardly comforting.
That line should have read “not by Boehner, and certainly not by Obama.”
“those clowns”.
But he could lead Democrats and independents.
If he were a leader.
He has missed opportunities in bowing and scraping to these Bagger Southern nutcases come North. I’ve nearly given up on Barack Obama. He is not going to fight for me, my aging mom, and the rest of my family like we asked him to in 2008. That’s not his style, and he has been enabled by bad and worse advice from his DLC advisers.
Yes, I am sure that I will vote for this guy again, but I will certainly hold my nose doing it, because there isn’t anyone else in our party either worth standing up for.
This is the eve of the recalls here in Sconnie. So far, at least four races are considered dead heats. The Ed Show has returned to Madison for a couple of shows here. I’m going to one that begins at 9 p.m. our Midwest time. No doubt, he’s going to hold court over at The Old Fashioned again to get some real beer and some real cooking after each show.
There’s been a lot of money poured into these races. You can tell from the amount of negative ads with outright lies. Raw meat, perhaps, for the base, and for those lazy enough to believe what they say. It’s certainly a harbinger for next year’s campaign, though.
The only Negro bowing and scrapping is your “black” ass seeking a head slap from white liberals. Run your slave catching ass back to the plantation. I mean JJP.
Dude. You’re being a prick. That’s our only rule. Don’t be a prick.
This is a warning. Be respectful.
At what point do you consider the possibility that you need to step away from the keyboard for a while?
…idiot.
Regarding Wisconsin. First of all, the absolute best we can hope for is flipping three of the seats. One is likely, 2 is somewhat possible. Remember, these are republicans that won in 2008, when Obama carried the state by 10 points. These are fairly strong Republican areas, so any victory should have significance, but unless three are flipped, the pundits will view it as a defeat for the Dems.
Regarding the political fallout of the downgrade and the how it will impact the Republicans. Polls prior to the downgrade where pretty much negative toward the Republicans, almost as bad toward the Dems, but remarkably good for the President. I think this may have been the tipping point.
Unfortunately, a lot depends on how the media portrays all of this.
in response to all the hoohah in D.C. may also have an impact on the races as well.
No one in Wisconsin has ever experienced the level of squabbling and divisiveness since the Bagger Repubs took over the lower house. It’s all out in the open now; people can remember how they made efforts to keep partisanship at a minimum and in respect for basic rights. Now I think people are growing increasingly dismayed at the lack of consensus as well as compromise and the finger pointing and name calling. They know now that they are being led by a bunch of fanatics. I hope that a large turnout will say that the people are going to call a halt to this bullsh*t and put the blame squarely where it belongs.
Well, at least 3 are seriously damaged. Yes, they won, but Hopper is living with a little slut in Madison, Olsen is a babysitter raper, Darling is also seriously damaged.
I’m hoping for 4 of 6.
I put this at the bottom of the previous thread but I think it applies here.
I liked some things in the President’s statement today. Disliked some others. What I liked was the pivot to jobs. What I disliked was the blaming Washington instead of putting it on the Republicans. He sort of alluded to that when he said the debt ceiling was being held hostage but I feel he needs to be a lot clearer that this is on the Republicans, not Washington as a whole, Republicans. Washington as a whole feeds into the idea that government doesn’t work and that hurts Democrats. Government can work but not when there are insane teabaggers blocking everything that works. It is past time to draw distinct lines. PBO can do that and then call for the Republicans to compromise.
Let me also add that since S&P’s downgrade is basically a downgrade of our current political climate versus our current economic climate I don’t think the call for compromise is misplaced. I think the call for Washington versus Republicans to compromise is. I doubt they can be shamed into actually compromising. I thought they could be (by their Wall Street overlords) during the debt ceiling debate and I was wrong. They were willing to shoot the hostage. Not the Senate for sure but the house – yes. The point is now that their utter willingness to tank our economy just to protect tax rates for those who don’t need it has been exposed now is the time to drive that point home over and over. Those on the Sunday morning shows did a good job yesterday by repeating tea party downgrade. The President did not today. Not that I expected him to say tea party downgrade but I expected a stronger finger pointed at the Republicans.
My other criticism is that while all of the measures he is talking up when it comes to job creation are good I still think it is time for the Democrats to come up with a large comprehensive plan and dare the Republicans to vote it down (they will). Kerry’s BUILD Act is a good template that can be beefed up. All Democrats should be talking that up.
Really all of this adds up to my point that nothing constructive is going to get done on the legislative level for the next 1.5 years (like it hasn’t since the Republicans caome into control of hte house). It just won’t so the only thing left to do is make sure the Republicans take the blame for that in the hopes that we can clear enough of them out so that things can get done starting in 2013.
That means both sides of those caught up in Obama derangement syndrome need to take a step back. For those who think that all he needs to do is get up on the bully pulpit and yell loud enough and the Republicans will cave – it isn’t happening. Not before. Not now. For those who think that the bully pulpit does no good. Not true either. While it will have little to no effect legislatively it along with a coordinated Democratic message can help define the narrative going forward.
Great Comment and very encouraging.
I don’t think it matters if the president doesn’t specifically call the Republicans on this, as long as lots of others do. And so far, they are doing that. For once I do think this is getting through to the American people. Don’t be discouraged by the loudmouthed idiots who will never get it, that 25% has always been there and will always be there.
I posted this in reply to your comment in the other thread; will copy and paste it in here:
Well-thought-out analysis. My thoughts: Perhaps (and my crystal ball is never all that clear) the President is waiting for the GOP Congresscritters to get an earful from enraged constituents during the August recess; then when they return he’ll roll out a jobs bill, perhaps built on Kerry’s proposal, lob it at them as the first order of business they should take up, and dare them to vote it down.
This would fit Obama’s pattern as a counterpuncher, who will wait and wait till he believes the groundwork’s been sufficiently laid and the right moment has arrived to strike.
Am I right? We’ll see at the end of August.
Hey Booman, what about Guv Goodhair, I mean Perry.
I live in DFW, and in my admittedly small circle, Perry is NOT well-liked. In fact, I do have some more conservative co-workers and they have also expressed disinterest in Perry.
I see that Halperin is already starting to do his usual big strong Texas fellatio that he likes to do, but realistically how is he seen elsewhere?
It’s such a weak field that anything can happen, but Perry is probably little better than a clown candidate. He isn’t even popular in his home state. And the Bush clan hates him, which can’t help.
I mean, if he wanted to become president he probably shouldn’t have been rallying with a hate group over the weekend.
And this hurts him in the Republican primaries how, exactly?
It certainly doesn’t hurt in a matchup with Obama in the general – it’s a wash with the Rev. Wright catcalls.
I gotta disagree.
I could go on about this for a long time but I’m going to give you a truncated response.
Perry has an okay shot at the nomination just because everyone else is worse or almost as bad. But he’s a terrible choice to put up against Obama. Romney is more of a threat just because he’s non-threatening.
You’re talking about running on fear. Will that happen? That’s the Republicans’ forte, but Democrats seem reluctant to run on fear. I wish they would, because I sure as hell fear another GOP government.
You’re right, RT, Obama seems temperamentally disinclined to play a hard fear-baiting card against the GOP — he’s too wedded to his post-partisan unity pony and being too sharply negative about his opponent isn’t his style.
So, no LBJ Daisy commercials probably.
Fortunately, with an opponent like Perry (or less likely Bachmann) all the Obama campaign need do, without making anything up in creative ways as Moyers et al did for Lyndon, is run the various secessionist and other extremist quotes Perry has uttered over the years, and the liberal base will come back to Obama in droves, along with the moderate indies and Rs.
Maybe not a landslide, but probably a solid win against a Perry, in an election that will evoke some of the imagery and politics — including possibly one or two 3d party candidacies — of 1864.
“Is anything going to change?”
No. DC is broken, the country has no money.
There’s no foreseeable bubble that people can invest in to make them think they are wealthier than they are to spur consumer spending.
We are screwed for a long time.
I wonder if Romney/Perry are gonna shift “JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!” to slot #2 in their election talking points list and instead go with the modified classic “I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of Congress.”
Can we have an election where both presidential candidates run away from Congress? Or would Perry still hitch his wagon to the House? Romney surely won’t. What a clusterfuck.
I still don’t see how Obama loses. Such a weird time in our nation’s history.
Obama has to step down, and Al Gore has to step up. The President is a walking disaster. He may end up winning the Buchanan prize for the next to worst president ever, and he is in a major league competition with his predecessor.
?????
as the estimable Dan Quail used to say, it’s a terrible thing to lose one’s mind
Quayle. Quail are what Cheney shoots when he isn’t shooting people.
potatoe.
Very interesting – is it pronounced quail-ie like po-ta-toe ee.
Gore has gone beyond wanting the presidency at all these days. And I believe him.
I’ve already stated why I think the President is ineffectual, but he knows how to run the country. Unfortunately, he doesn’t live in the same world as the Bagger Repubs, and he doesn’t know how to confront or use the bully pulpit or stand up on principle. It’s obvious now that it is innate.
Um wait, did that Hagee dude at Perry’s Church-fest really compare Guv Goodhair to Abraham Lincoln?????
Really! Really! Really! (In my best, SNL Seth Meyers Weekend Update voice). Hmm, other than being tall and white, what exactly makes Perry comparable to Lincoln???
These people are ridiculous
add to it that Lincoln wanted to keep the UNION TOGETHER and Good Hair wanted to secede..
well, you see the differences grow.
Hey Rikyrah, I swear I wasn’t copying you on the secession thing — I hadn’t seen your post. Take it as just another proof that great minds think alike.
“other than being tall and white, what exactly makes Perry comparable to Lincoln???”
1, Their last names both have two syllables.
2. They both came from states of the union, Lincoln from Illinois, Perry from Texas.
3. Lincoln wanted to hold the Union together, Perry toyed with the idea of Texas seceding from the Union.
4. Perry had good hair, Lincoln had good hair.
5) Lincoln freed the slaves, Perry, um, uh, never mind.
Lincoln had good hair? When’s the last time you looked at a picture of this guy?
http://media.brainz.org/uploads/2010/12/061221225103_abraham_lincoln_lg1.jpg
they both had fucking SWEET taste in hats!
they’re Republicans.
Was Perry kicked in the head by a horse in his youth, too? That might explain a few things, like trying to pray away a major drought…
It’s fun to compare the President’s approval ratings to Congress’s, but it doesn’t mean anything.
George W. Bush was “more popular” than Congress for virtually the entire time he was in office – and he hit bottom at 25%.