Subject: Tipping Point
A week ago, Rasmussen reported that Romney had moved into the lead over Obama--a narrow lead, but a lead. Then came the Democratic convention--and now Rasmussen shows Romney trailing Obama all over again. Pondering these and similar polls, our friend John Hinderaker over at Powerline put up a post this past weekend entitled "Why is this election so close?"
If John's post hadn't proven so cogent it wouldn't have bothered me. As it was, the post represented one of the most thoroughly discouraging analyses of the state of our Republic that I have ever read. The critical passage:
On paper, given Obama’s record, this election should be a cakewalk for the Republicans. Why isn’t it? I am afraid the answer may be that the country is closer to the point of no return than most of us believed. With over 100 million Americans receiving federal welfare benefits, millions more going on Social Security disability, and many millions on top of that living on entitlement programs–not to mention enormous numbers of public employees–we may have gotten to the point where the government economy is more important, in the short term, than the real economy. My father, the least cynical of men, used to quote a political philosopher to the effect that democracy will work until people figure out they can vote themselves money. I fear that time may have come.
I, too, fear that the time may have come. "A government with all this mass of favours to give or withhold, however free in name," wrote John Stuart Mill,
wields a power of bribery scarcely surpassed by an avowed autocracy, rendering it master of the elections in almost any circumstances but those of rare and extraordinary public excitement.
Our own democracy, reduced to bribing us.
Talk me out of it--if ever you can, talk me out of it.
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6 comments:
Fuck you very much.
You know why its ok for people to "live off of entitlement programs"? Because they are ENTITLED to them! They paid in, they get benefits out. Simple. Fair. Effective.
And the number of government employees? In a nose dive since Obama took office.
So why is Obama in a decent position? Because the economy has recovered a fair bit. Business is booming if you're a big corporation, and even the unemployment rate is within .3% of where it was on Inauguration day and actually lower than it was a week after that day, when the Obama Presidency really took over.
Reagan was the same way in 84. Employment was over 7%, but it had recovered from over 10% and was going in the right direction, which is a big reason why he won. There's no big mystery about this.
On paper, given Obama’s record, this election should be a cakewalk for the Republicans.
Because millions of people are fully aware that Obama's failure to accomplish anything can be blamed squarely on the Republicans, who have blocked virtually all legislation from coming to a vote.
Most people aren't stupid; you can't block everything that will fix the economy while simultaneously claiming that Obama hasn't fixed the economy.
Correction: Some people are stupid, which is why the number of votes Mitt Romney will receive will be nonzero.
Regulars here know how I feel about Obama. Here's my prediction: Obama will "win" this election because that's exactly what the 1% wants. From their perspective, what's not to like?
Obama gave away OUR tax dollah$$ to Wall St & the Bank$ & other members of the 1%. Obama is very effective at colluding with so-called "Republicans" to effect the shock doctrine (look it up on teh googler).
Every single one of these RWFs are just propoganda to fool the rubes into believing that there's some kind of "choice" in this upcoming "election." And furthermore that someone like Mitt RMoney actually, you know, could give a shit about anyone in the 99%. Good luck with your fairy tales.
john hindrocket is the very worst of the political hacks. i've read him for years, always for laughs.
cogent, my ass.
and rasmussen is notoriously tilted right. that's common knowledge if you follow politics in this country. so if rasmussen shows obama leading narrowly, then it's an actual lead of 8-10%. and it will only widen after the debates.
oct 3: obama/romney on domestic policy
oct 11: biden/ryan
oct 16: obama/romney town hall format
oct 22: obama/romney foreign policy
be sure to tune in!
When Obama wins this election the right wing will be stunned - much as they were stunned after his first win. In fact, for the forseeable future, the right wing will continue to be stunned by many events going on around them because they live in an insular upside-down bubble and they really like it in there.
we may have gotten to the point where the government economy is more important, in the short term, than the real economy
The "real economy," you say? Perhaps... GDP? Which took a slight dip, and is now higher than ever despite huge unemployment?
It's almost like the government is supposed to ensure the well-being of its citizens instead of the profits of big business (which are doing just fine).
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