Day: April 28, 2010

Public Perceptions Of Barack Obama And The Upcoming Congressional Elections

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A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Barack Obama, after 15 months in office, and a constant barrage of attack from right wing talk radio, FOX News, and the Republican party, is showing up as very strong in the public mind!

58 percent have a favorable impression of the President, with 37 percent strongly and 21 percent somewhat favorable. The other 42 percent is unfavorable, but 12 percent is somewhat unfavorable, and only 29 percent strongly unfavorable. If only 29 percent are strong in their dislike, it has to be said that is the base which everyone realizes despises the President, but that is nothing to worry about!

54 percent support Obama’s performance as President, and 44 percent do not, with 33 percent strongly against.

By 46-32, the people believe the Democrats are the better party to deal with the problems of the next few years in this nation. And by 59-25, the poll suggests that the American people blame George W. Bush over Obama for the economic crisis we are facing! Additionally, Bush is blamed 60-22 over Obama for the federal budget deficit crisis we have to confront!

And imagine this statistic! 53 percent think Obama’s views on most issues is just about right, while 39 percent think he is too liberal and 5 percent think he is too conservative! All that Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Bill O’Reilly, and all the other right wing propagandists have said has NOT impressed the majority of Americans, who are showing that they know the difference between truth and fiction!

The one third of the country which chooses to continue to believe the propaganda of the right wing, and to promote hate and division and racism, has the freedom to express such disgraceful rhetoric, but the majority of the nation is, fortunately, too decent, to take it seriously!

There are already hints that the Republican party will be very surprised on Election Day this fall that they will not gain as much in Congress and the states as they seem to think they will! The Democratic Party and President Obama will be able to show they are the party of results, on health care, financial reform (which as I write, the GOP is finally ending the filibuster on discussion of legislation, because the public WANTS financial reform), and likely on other essential legislation on energy and the environment, and hopefully, on immigration reform!

Enough of propaganda and lies, and more action, is the Democratic message, and it will look very good by the fall, and with the economy showing signs of improvement as well, it will be a much better Democratic result than had been expected just a couple of months ago!

Sensible Republicans Speak Up Against Arizona Immigration Law!

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Finally, we are starting to see “sensible” Republicans speak up against the Arizona Immigration law signed into law last week!

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio, and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham all have expressed concerns about the fairness and constitutionality of the action by the Arizona state government.

Bush, certainly a conservative, but like his brother, former President George W. Bush, an advocate of immigration reform on the national level, spoke up, despite much conservative and talk radio endorsement of the legislation.

Marco Rubio, certainly a favorite of the Tea Party Movement and very right wing in most of his views, but aware of the fact that people of his ethnicity are directly under attack around the nation, courageously criticized the law as unworkable and unjust, this coming about as some suggested that such legislation should be enacted in Florida!

Lindsey Graham, one of the few fair minded, common sense members of the Republican caucus in the Senate, and often attacked at home as not conservative enough, also made clear his problems with the legislation.

But John McCain, who had long stood for national immigration reform, has been disgraceful on this issue this year, and is so afraid of alienating the Republican base that he has truly lost his soul! He has become as demagogic as his fellow Arizona Senator, Jon Kyl!

Both senators should be condemned, along with Governor Jan Brewer, for giving in to hysteria, panic, and racism!

At the same time, plaudits are due Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Lindsey Graham! At least for once, they are correct in what they profess!

Arizona : A State Gone Mad!

Ronald Leave a comment

Sadly, Arizona has become the loony state, surpassing other states which had developed terrible images in recent decades, including Mississippi and Alabama in the 1960s on racial issues, and Florida and California in the early years of the new century on political issues!

In the last seven months, the Arizona legislature passed a law allowing those with concealed weapons permits to bring their guns into bars and restaurants! They are further loosening up gun restrictions, becoming the haven for gun rights fanatics! 🙁

Arizona has voted to repeal health care for poor children, and is pursuing a lawsuit against the Health Care Reform law passed by Congress last month!

Attempts to tighten abortion restrictions are on the road to passage, and yet a bill to deny aid to welfare recipients if they own a car or have cable television, smoke, or consume alcohol, is being considered as well! One can understand the tobacco and alcohol matters, but owning a car or having cable should be a negative? 🙁

Also, Arizona is considering a requirement that all presidential candidates must prove their citizenship if they wish to be placed on the Presidential ballot for the 2012 election, a direct swipe at Barack Obama and a salute to the “Birthers”, who still contend that Obama was not born in the United States! Can one imagine that Obama’s name might be not allowed on the 2012 ballot over such a ridiculous, crazy view of conspiracy theorists? 🙁

Now, there is outrage around the country against the new law that makes it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant in Arizona, and requires law enforcement officials to demand documents from anyone they suspect to be in the country illegally, placing an extra burden on police officers and other law enforcement agencies!

A boycott movement against Arizona is starting, which could seriously hurt the state’s economy and tourism. With the All Star Game in baseball due in Phoenix next year, there could be a decision to move the game, much like the Super Bowl being moved in the mid 1980s, when Arizona refused to agree to a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday when all other states went along with it. The state suffered economic and tourism loss then, and it will likely occur again!

If Arizona can successfully impose this law on all people living in or visiting the state, then it will spread like wildfire to other states that have a record of discrimination, particularly the South!

Already, there are discussions of such laws in Texas and Florida, and the only thing that will stop it is federal intervention, including a possible lawsuit by the Justice Department under Attorney General Eric Holder.

The Republican party nationally wants to avoid this topic and exploit it, but Barack Obama will need to be a “profile in courage” and confront this situation, which in many respects is similar to what President Eisenhower faced in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957, and President Kennedy faced in Mississippi in 1962 and Alabama in 1963.

The age of discrimination based upon race or ethnicity or nationality cannot be permitted to be practiced in any state, without a strong reaction by the federal government, whether conservatives and Republicans like it or not! 🙁