• Obamacare,  Polling

    Poll Watch: Economy Ranked as Top Issue By Voters

    Importance of issues

    It is the economy, stupid – at least in the polls.

    The economy once again takes the top spot on the list of 10 important issues among voters, but interest in health care has surged and is now at its highest level in nearly two years.

    A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 84% see the economy as a very important issue, up three points from the end of May. Another 10% see the issue as somewhat important, while only two percent (2%) say it’s not important at all.

    Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters say health care is a very important issue, marking an 18-point jump from May and the highest level found since September 2007. It is now the third most important issue to voters after coming in seventh in the last poll.

    Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Democrats say health care is very important, as do 64% of Republicans and 55% of voters not affiliated with either party.

    But more Americans (49%) now oppose the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats than favor it (46%).

    Government ethics and corruption come in second again among voters this month, with 78% who say it is a very important issue, up two points from May.

    Unaffiliated voters put government ethics and corruption at the top of their list of important issues last month. But it fell to second place behind the economy this month, although 72% still say it is a very important issue.

    Social Security and national security are each seen as very important issues to 62% of voters this month, putting them in a tie for fourth on the list of 10 voter issues. The last poll saw a drop in importance on the issue of national security and the War on Terror.

    What the poll does not reveal is why the increase in interest in the health care issue. Might it be because voters are afraid the economy will force their employers to reduce or eliminate coverage? They are supportive or object to Obamacare?

    In any case, the Obama Administration is being defined by the economy and all of the rest is peripheral.


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  • Sarah Palin

    Sarah Palin’s PAC Raises Over $700,000 – Makes SarahPAC a Player in 2010 Midterm Elections

    SarahPAC Ad

    The above Google Ad has been running consistently on Flapsblog for some time and apparently Sarah Palin’s Political Action committee has been successful in other locales as well.

    Sarah PAC, the political action committee formed by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin earlier this year to maintain her national profile, raised $733,000 in the first six months of the year, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission today.

    During that same time period, Palin spent $276,000 –largely on fundraising appeals and consultants — and ended June with $457,000 in the bank. None of Palin’s contributions came from political action committees, an attempt — seemingly — to preserve her outsider and reform credentials.

    Now, that Palin will be able to devote more time to raising money (since resigning the Alaska Governorship) SarahPAC revenues cannot help but grow. Moreover, her almost $500K in the bank certainly does make Sarah Palin a player in the 2010 Congressional midterm elections.

    Paraphrasing President Obama to Joe the Plumber – she will start spreading the campaign money around…….

    By the way, you can contribute to SarahPAC here.

    Stay tuned….


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  • Barack Obama,  Obamacare,  Polling

    Obamacare Poll Watch: 49 Per Cent Oppose Health Care Reform Plan

    ObamaCare

    It does NOT look good for President Obama and his health care reform efforts in the latest polling.

    Forty-nine percent (49%) of U.S. voters now at least somewhat oppose the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats, while 46% at least somewhat favor it, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

    This marks the first time that more voters lean against the plan than support it. Just two weeks ago, 50% were for the reform plan, and 45% were opposed.

    The question:

    Do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and the congressional Democrats?

    • Strongly favor – 22%
    • Somewhat favor – 24%
    • Somewhat oppose – 11%
    • Strongly oppose – 38%
    • Not sure – 5%

    Now, there is word the United States Senate Finance Committee has indicated that there will be no mark-up of the health reform bill this week. Time is running out to get a bill out of the Congress for the August summer recess.

    The question has always been: Who will pay for health care reform?

    And, the conservative Democrats in the House and particularly the Senate realize that whatever plan comes out, they will be saddled with complete responsibility – just like with the Economic Stimulus Bill failure. Any economic dislocation will be squarely on the Democrat’s back.

    I don’t look for any meaningful Obamacare health care reform legislation being passed this session of Congress, if ever.


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  • Barack Obama,  Day By Day,  economics

    Day By Day by Chris Muir July 13, 2009 – Stimulus Hope and Change

    day by day 071309

    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    The likelyhood of another Democrat/Obama sponsored economic stimulus plan looks remote at this time. The American economy is not improving and the pork-laden first economic stimulus bill of almost $800 Billion is being considered ineffective at best and a complete failure at worst.

    The Democrats in Congress are in a bind. Only three Republicans supported the bill (including Senator Arlen Specter who changed over to be a Democrat soon after) and there is no political cover. If they try any of the ideas promulgated by the Repubican Caucus, they will be asked some hard questions as to why they didn’t implement these ideas in the first place.

    However, without a new direction by empowering the private business sector and individual taxpayers, the Democrats chances of any immediate success is limited. Good luck with trying to sell today’s economic climate as “hope and change” in the 2010 Congressional midterm elections – especially with Sarah Palin pounding on the limited government themes.

    Previous:

    The Day By Day Archive


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  • Del.icio.us Links

    links for 2009-07-12

    • Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) defended his former running mate Sarah Palin on Sunday, saying she wasn’t a quitter and that her decision to resign as governor was consistent with his own leadership qualities.
      “I understand that Sarah made the decision where she can be most effective for Alaska and for the country,” McCain said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

      “Obviously I was a bit surprised, but I wasn’t shocked,” he said. “I love and respect her and her family, I’m grateful that she agreed to run with me,” McCain continued.

      “I’m confident that she will be a major factor in the national scene and in Alaska as well.”

      McCain said Palin did not tell him she was resigning as Alaska’s governor before her July 3 decision. He said the move left him “surprised” but not “shocked.”

    • James Risen and Eric Lichtblau are the New York Times reporters who disclosed the highly classified NSA eavesdropping program in December 2005. In my view their behavior was blatantly illegal. In all likelikhood it did great damage to the national security of the United States. I wrote about their story and provided relevant links in the Weekly Standard column "Exposure."

      In any event, Risen and Lichtblau are principals in the story. In today's New York Times, Risen and Lichtblau nevertheless cover the release of the unclassified version of the report of five Inspectors General on the NSA program (referred to in the report as the President's surveillance program or PSP). The five IGs signing on to the report are attached to the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the CIA, the NSA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

    • Brushing aside the criticisms of pundits and politicos, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said she plans to jump immediately back into the national political fray — stumping for conservative issues and even Democrats — after she prematurely vacates her elected post at month's end.

      The former Republican vice-presidential nominee and heroine to much of the GOP's base said in an interview she views the electorate as embattled and fatigued by nonstop partisanship, and she is eager to campaign for Republicans, independents and even Democrats who share her values on limited government, strong defense and "energy independence."

      "I will go around the country on behalf of candidates who believe in the right things, regardless of their party label or affiliation," she said over lunch in her downtown office, 40 miles from her now-famous hometown of Wasilla — population 7,000 — where she began her political career.

      (tags: sarah_palin)
    • When a candidate offers platitudes on the stump and avoids specifics, most people consider it smart politics — keeping options open and offending few. When a President continues to offer the same platitudes after more than five months in office and in the middle of a deepening economic crisis, it becomes clear that the Oval Office has nothing but platitudes to offer. In practically a rerun of yesterday’s weekly radio address, Barack Obama wastes space in the Washington Post by offering a campaign speech and a cheerleader rally for a failed stimulus bill:
    • The President’s new message is: No second stimulus. This one will work. Ride it out and be patient.

      He’s right that it will help, eventually. If the July employment report due on August 7th returns us to the prior slow but steady recovery path, the President might only have to worry about 6-9 months of economic and political pain. But if the July report shows that the June report is a new downward trend, then policymakers will have a more serious problem to address.

      The President’s op-ed is titled “Rebuilding Something Better.” Unfortunately I think there is a roadside construction sign reading “Expect lengthy delays.” Let us hope it doesn’t take too long for the rebuilding to work.

    • The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was not expected to restore the economy to full health on its own but to provide the boost necessary to stop the free fall. So far, it has done that. It was, from the start, a two-year program, and it will steadily save and create jobs as it ramps up over this summer and fall. We must let it work the way it's supposed to, with the understanding that in any recession, unemployment tends to recover more slowly than other measures of economic activity.