Hello---
Care For Some Coffee?
As the 2010 election nears, or should I say more than 6 months away it seems the outcome is inevitable---as one of my self-described "Tea Partier" associates said:
EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT WILL BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE
Uhhhh....sure
After The Jump Please....
Okay, it's that time of year again. When people start to actually watch CNN again and FAUX NEWS goes from nutty to full Bat-Shit Crazy. It's election time. When America chooses again to go Blue or Red, Dems or Repubs, Left or Right.
-cue the Music-
Although, if you found yourself watching the news lately from the verrry Liberal LAME-STREAM Media (ha! Thanks Sarah) , it seems the election is already over, President Obama has been impeached and the Republicans have taken back full control of Congress and the Supreme Court(oh right, they already had that one), in a blood bath.
But is the tide starting to turn?
In a recent article penned by Noble Prize winning columnist, Paul Krugman, looks at whether we are starting to see an Upward Trend for Democrats:
A funny thing has been happening on Capitol Hill: lately, the Democrats have started exceeding expectations. Health reform, pronounced dead by all the usual suspects, happened (all hail Nancy Pelosi, arguably the greatest Speaker ever.) Now financial reform seems set to pass, in a stronger version than almost anyone expected:
But the big picture is that a strong new consumer protection regulator and a move to force over-the-counter derivatives through clearing houses and onto electronic exchanges are set to be included in law in the face of a multi-million dollar lobbying effort from banks and the US Chamber of Commerce.
Neither seemed likely at the end of last year when the received wisdom was that the Senate would eventually pass a watered down version of the House bill to placate moderate Democrats and draw the support of Republicans.
Since then the political winds have changed dramatically ...
We already know the accomplishments of President Obama and how he has done more for this country in his first two years than most Presidents have done in entire terms.
As one of my favorite fellow Kossacks, Blackwaterdog, said in a recent diary:
1. He passed the biggest stimulus bill in history. $787 billion going straight to main street.
2. Signed Children's Health Insurance Bill, which itself expanded coverage for an additional 4 million uninsured children by 2013 on top of continuing coverage for 7 million already enrolled in the program. And for the first time, it allowed states to cover many documented immigrant children who previously were not eligible.
3. Congress passed a bill to give the government the power to regulate tobacco.
4. The stimulus money for health care, dedicated more than $145 billion to investments and reform of health care systems, including:
* $87 billion to states in just the next couple of years to maintain Medicaid programs. * $25 billion to help laid-off workers afford their previous employer's health care via COBRA. * $19 billion for Health Information Technology (HIT) deployment. * $10 billion in additional funds for the National Institute of Health.
Increase funding to expand community based prevention programs: $851 million from the recovery act support the construction, repair and renovation of over 1,500 health center sites nationwide.
5. Provided tax cuts for 95 percent of working families – the most progressive tax cuts in history.
6. Made the largest investment in green technology in history:
A) Over $14 billion for various State Energy Conservation Programs, including $5 billion for the underfunded Weatherization Assistance Program to help low-income families to weatherizing their homes.
B) $11 billion for smart grid technology.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Krugman ended by saying:
If Democrats hold the House, which is still a big if but is starting to look possible, the 111th Congress — and, yes, Obama’s first two years — will go down in history as an epic success.
I think Mr. Krugman is not just being an optimist here. The country overwhelmigly voted for change in 2008---and even though some might complain it was slow-coming---President Obama is really starting to rack some wins under his belt.
But the question is, is it too late?
I think not, 6 months is an eternity in terms of political campaigns. Ask Martha Coakly.
From Jonathan Alter's upcoming book-The Promise: President Obama, Year One:
"I don’t think people fully appreciated the degree to which, prior to health care, we had twelve straight victories in a row... these are pieces of legislation that in any normal year would be considered huge accomplishments." Around Thanksgiving 2009, he tells an old friend: "Who would really want this job for more than one term? But I have to run now, otherwise it’ll mean letting someone like Mitt Romney step in and get credit for the good stuff that happens after we’ve been through all this crap."
Going Back to Paul Krugmans question of whether there is an upward trend--what comes to my mind is this:
As THE ECONOMY and JOBS are ranked #1 and #2 as Americans' List of Top Problems, it seems election 2010---like almost every election is going back to "It's the Economy, Stupid".
So, if there is any indication whether or not there is an upward trend, well, this would be it:
(Newer/Better Chart)
Well, Don't Call it a Comeback (Just Yet)
Cheers :)