Here are some excerpts from the July edition of the Harper’s Index:
- Percentage of young Iraqis who regard the United States as their enemy: 93
- Rank of the United States among countries that Arabs aged 18 to 24 regard as the best in which to live: 2 [...]
- Portion of European countries that have laws prohibiting women from wearing certain religious attire: 2/5
- Of Middle Eastern and North African countries that have laws requiring women to wear certain religious attire: 1/5
- Portion of people who believe that businesses bear as much responsibility as governments do for “positive social change”: 2/3 [...]
- Percentage of online-advertising spending that goes to either Facebook or Google: 85 [...]
- Portion of U.S. workers who commute alone in a car: 3/4
- Percentage of the Great Barrier Reef that was bleached this year because of ocean warming: 93 [...]
- Minimum number of environmental advocates murdered in Latin America since 2009: 496 [...]
- Percentage of U.S. voters who think that presidential primaries effectively determine the best-qualified nominees: 35
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At Daily Kos on this date in 2005—GOP Game Plan for 2006:
Okay. Now we know what the Republicans will run on in 2006.
The White House accused Democratic leaders on Wednesday of obstructing President Bush's agenda in a second straight day of combative attacks against the minority party on Capitol Hill.
"I think the American people reject those who simply say no and stand in the way of getting things done," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.
Nevermind that Republicans have the trifecta, with dominant majorities in both chambers of the legislature. What is this obstructionism that we keep hearing about?
So far [Bush] has been unable to gain traction in Congress over his proposals to overhaul Social Security and has had ongoing struggles over energy legislation and the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement, among other items.
On Social Security in particular, Bush has called on Democrats to offer their own proposals instead of simply attacking his, but the tactic has largely not worked.
Listen, Mr. President, you have the numbers to pass your legislation in the House, but I haven't seen any of it introduced. Heck, I haven't even seen a social security bill from the White House, so I'm not sure what "plan" you're referring to.