Unfortunately I've spent a few long days writing the stuff I actually get paid to write, which means I'm out of words and I will have to throw link salad at you today.
1. Speaking of "enduring appeal", how about that Tea Party? Here's a real photo of a recent TP event in South Carolina. Granted, keynote carny Donald Trump canceled at the last minute…but even minus the headliner you'd think they could get more than the estimated "crowd" of 15 to show up.
2. The upcoming election is going to see a revival of the 2004 Karl Rove strategy of driving up far right turnout by putting gay marriage referendums on the ballot in key states. I question the wisdom of that from a political perspective. It's only a matter of time until one of these measures gets defeated, and you have to wonder if it will happen in Minnesota. That's just the kind of population to be more annoyed than enthused by this sort of red meat being thrown at Bible thumpers. Social attitudes about gay issues are changing rapidly and it's possible that the GOP is going back to the well one too many times with this trick.
3. Give it a few more weeks and penis cancer will have a higher approval rating than Rick Scott.
4. David Frum has a very interesting commentary on the right shooting itself in the foot with the wildly unpopular Paul Ryan budget; party activists demand that candidates swear fealty to it under penalty of death (ask Gingrich), all but guaranteeing that they'll be radioactive to voters outside of the GOP base. I caution against reading too much into special elections, but the numbers from NY-26 are alarming to conservatives like Frum who can think about things and understand numbers.
5. Watch Rob Woodall, the GOP Rep who made waves earlier this week by telling a constituent to "take responsibility" for her own health care rather than asking the government to give her Medicare. When questioned about why he doesn't lead by example and decline the government health plan (note: He has repeatedly advocated abolishing not only Medicare but all employee-provided health insurance as well) in favor of going out and purchasing his own insurance – like he tells his constituents to do. His brilliant response? "Because it's free." I haven't seen a man eat a bullet on video like that since Budd Dwyer.
More soon.
cromartie says:
I haven't seen a man eat a bullet on video like that since Budd Dwyer.
Well played, sir, well played.
It's interesting that you go from despair about the corporatocracy to a long article about how the party adhering to the strongest, most sinister whims of the corporatocracy getting blitz in elections.
Those of us who have lived through the tactics of both Bush administrations and the scapgoating of anyone not white, aging, wealthy and Christian as part of the election process are enjoying the Republicans reaping the consequences of what they've sewn.
San Erino says:
I cackled at the Budd Dwyer mention. I was 11 when that Honest Man was shown doing his one good deed on a loop.
cromartie says:
I cackled at the Budd Dwyer mention. I was 11 when that Honest Man was shown doing his one good deed on a loop.
Hey man, nice shot.
Natalie says:
Why do they need to estimate with crowd numbers like that?
A says:
I'll take a short & sweet link salad like this any day. It's kind of like my grandma's carrot salad – grated carrots, raisins, & mayonnaise. Short & sweet!
mother earth says:
I think that picture at the Tea Bagger event is just another lie by the liberal media. They need to get Fox News to show a real photo, oh, let's say a 10 year old photo of another event with a lot more people attending but some minor discrepancies like buildings in the photo that are no longer there. You know, fair and balanced coverage.
c u n d gulag says:
Here
c u n d gulag says:
"Where? Where?"
I have no clue how my whole comment ended up as "Here."
'HERE' is what I wrote:
Here’s my favorite line from Rep. Woodall, when asked why he takes the federal health care instead of having to buy it like others:
“It’s because it’s free,” Woodall replied. “It’s because it’s free. The same reason I went out to Walgreens and bought Activon when I don’t have any arthritis pain…”
Sarah Palin must have started giving logic lessons. I never knew “free” and “bought” were synonymous. WTF?
Also, too, why would you 'get' Activon if you didn’t need it?
Does he 'get' Vagisil even though he’s a dick?
John says:
The infuriating thing about Woodall is that, as far as the GOP base is concerned, nothing will happen to him. "Do as I say, not as I do" is pretty much the motto of the American right (See also: Mark Sanford, the "Family Values" pusher who was cheating on his wife at the time).
If there were any justice in this world, Woodall would have been rushed and beaten to within an inch of his life by the audience in attendance when he basically said "I've got my free healthcare, fuck all of you". The US is about due for a French-style revolution.
JohnR says:
"..conservatives like Frum who can think about things and understand numbers"
A dying breed in the GOP. Even Sarah Palin should be able to count high enough to number their population. She might only need to take off one shoe, at that.
anotherbozo says:
"the stuff I actually get paid to write"
Ed, if you mean writing anything other than for classes, term papers, lesson plans, etc., let us know. I'd pay for US magazine if you were in it…
…VIBE? Machinists Monthly? JUGGS? (works himself into hysteria, collapses under the weight of his own wit)
Hawes says:
Scott being at 29% means that he only has another 2% to fall before he reaches the rock bottom of 27% that GOP members couldn't fall below if they ate a baby with kitten sauce while preempting American Idol.
Look at Kasich's numbers, too. And Snyder is facing a recall.
The GOP governors that were supposed to be the most important part of the 2010 wave are becoming as big a boon to Democrats as Paul Ryan. Ryan's plan is a hypothetical, whereas what Kasich, Snyder, Scott and Walker are doing has real and immediate consequences.
The Moar You Know says:
"Barkeep, I'd like a Budd Dwyer."
"What's that?"
"A Bud with no head on it."
Try the veal, folks. It's delicious.
Monkey Business says:
Based on these numbers, I feel safe in assuming the following: on any given day, approximately 30% of the population will love you, and approximately 30% will hate you, and there is virtually nothing you can do to change this. So, we've locked up about 60% of the electorate at any given point in time, capping approval ratings at about 70% and disapproval ratings at around 30%.
Now, that leaves 40% of the general populace whose opinion fluctuates. These are where elections are won and lost.
For guys like Walker, Scott, Snyder, and Kasich, their approval ratings being so bad mean that they've effectively lost this middle area. At this point, the only people on their side are the ones that would be there regardless.
So, understanding that voters can recall Governors, and all four of these guys are pretty likely candidates to be recalled, why on Earth would they continue tacking to the right on policies that A) virtually assure they won't be reelected, and B) almost virtually assure they won't even finish their first terms? I mean, unless Fox News is planning a new show called Four's Company with these guys, it makes virtually no sense whatsoever.
Now, on a national level, The House and Senate GOPs have attached themselves to the Ryan Budget like a fat kid at a cake buffet. Never mind that the Ryan Budget probably polls with the National Take a Dump On The Flag Day Proposed Holiday legislation in terms of popularity, the Dems are (rightfully) beating them over the head with it, AND NONE OF THEM ARE GIVING IT UP.
I can't believe that this group of clowns managed to take the House in 2010. I can't believe that they might take the Senate too in 2012.
My greatest wish is that the Dems beat these guys over the head with this from now until November 2012 and take the House back. I hope they keep the Senate. I hope that the GOP devolves into outright interparty warfare between the Tea Party, the Social Conservatives, the Fiscal Conservatives, and the Nutjobs, and American Conservatism devolves into a group of squabbling children while American Liberalism charts a brave new path into the 21st century.
Matt says:
@c u n d gulag: "Does he 'get' Vagisil even though he’s a dick?"
Hey, the side effects would be quite useful for a Republican pol – it's gotta be easier to push "we need to save Medicare" and "we need to skullfuck Medicare" on alternate days when you can't *remember* what the position was yesterday…
Sarah says:
@Monkey Business, just a correction on recalling Rick Scott. There is currently no such procedure in Florida, although there is an effort under way to get one implemented via constitutional amendment. We require a super majority of 60% to pass constitutional amendments. I haven't seen a petition for it yet, but you bet your bootie I'll sign it as soon as someone presents one to me.
doo doo doo says:
Its easy to dump on Repubs… but to me all this shows is how stupid that 40% of the folks who can be swayed one way or another are… remember 08 when they were all too excited to vote for the BO dude? Remember 10 when they were so angry at reckless spending? Now 8 months have gone by and we are just back at being despondent? its all futile.
Fifth Dentist says:
"Why do they need to estimate with crowd numbers like that?"
They're not sure if the 11 guys scrounging around in the trash cans were just winos or actually were attending the rally.
Mackeyser says:
3. Give it a few more weeks and penis cancer will have a higher approval rating than Rick Scott.
I have a new sig!!! TYVM, Mr. Ginandtacos Man!
bill says:
"… the scapgoating of anyone not white, aging, wealthy and Christian …"
You should've seen some of the comments in a thread on the SF Chronicle website the other day behind a story about the closing of state parks out here. It's pretty much all the fault of illegal immigrants. Well, that and greedy unions.
WhiskeyTango says:
Yep, that Rob Woodall video was about the most startlingly stupid performance I've seen, even from a Republican. When I saw it the first time, I couldn't believe he'd actually said what I thought I'd heard. Had to re-play the DVR 2 or three times.
The response of Republican talking heads to all the bad news — the Wisconsin fiasco, recall movements against Rep governors and representatives, the special election — is amazing and confusing. I can't tell whether they're lying, or if they really believe their own fantasies. The protesters in Wisconsin were all bussed in (by George Soros?), Medicare had nothing to do with the result of the special election, the Ryan plan does not kill Medicare, the voters were lied to about what the Ryan plan will do to Medicare, they're trying to save Medicare, yada, yada.
They have to believe 5 impossible things before breakfast. They HAVE to know that they've screwed the pooch on this one. Don't they?