The US elections in November, 2010.

[Coito ergo sum]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallu ... roval.aspx

I just sent in my ballot. This is my third time voting, it's still exciting to me!

Hopefully not in the same election....

[Ian]

President Obama Heads into Midterms at Lowest Approval Rating of Presidency
Two-thirds of Americans believe country going off on the wrong track

NEW YORK , N.Y. - October 25, 2010 - President Obama is spending the next week crisscrossing the country in support of Democratic candidates before this year's midterm elections. While the president may do a great job of energizing the base, he may not be able to convert any Independents who have yet to decide for whom they will vote. Currently, two-thirds of Americans (67%) have a negative opinion of the job President Obama is doing while just over one-third (37%) have a positive opinion. This continues the president's downward trend and he is now at the lowest job approval rating of his presidency.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/Hi_ass ... eNews.html

1) That's probably an outlier poll. Other recent ones have him anywhere from 46-54% approval. This explains why most GOP candidates have been talking about Nancy Pelosi more than Obama.

2) Enjoy it while it lasts, Republican. The path to a landslide re-election in 2012 is looking clearer every day.

[Coito ergo sum]

President Obama Heads into Midterms at Lowest Approval Rating of Presidency
Two-thirds of Americans believe country going off on the wrong track

NEW YORK , N.Y. - October 25, 2010 - President Obama is spending the next week crisscrossing the country in support of Democratic candidates before this year's midterm elections. While the president may do a great job of energizing the base, he may not be able to convert any Independents who have yet to decide for whom they will vote. Currently, two-thirds of Americans (67%) have a negative opinion of the job President Obama is doing while just over one-third (37%) have a positive opinion. This continues the president's downward trend and he is now at the lowest job approval rating of his presidency.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/Hi_ass ... eNews.html

1) That's probably an outlier poll. Other recent ones have him anywhere from 46-54% approval. This explains why most GOP candidates have been talking about Nancy Pelosi more than Obama.

2) Enjoy it while it lasts, Republican. The path to a landslide re-election in 2012 is looking clearer every day.

Not a chance, unless the economy turns around, which I hope it does. I'd be glad to see an Obama victory in 2012, if we get a nice, strong economic recovery. I won't hold my breath though.

[Trolldor]

It's amazing. Obama's achievements are recognised in every other country except places akin to Iran... and inside the US.

[Coito ergo sum]

It's amazing. Obama's achievements are recognised in every other country except places akin to Iran... and inside the US.

Obama's achievements are recognized in Iran, Venezuela and Cuba. That ought to say something about the achievements.

It's not that people don't know what Obama achieved, it's that they don't like it.

[Trolldor]

Yeah, like his criticisms of China's Censorship, his attempt to make Healthcare more accessible to the public, his attempt to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy...

[Coito ergo sum]

Yeah, like his criticisms of China's Censorship,

That's an "accomplishment?" Bush criticized China's censorship too.

his attempt to make Healthcare more accessible to the public,

90% of the public was already covered, so it's not like it wasn't "accessible." Now, most Americans oppose the attempt Obama made - to the tune of 56% opposing it according to recent Rasmussen polls. So, it's not that people don't know about it or recognize it. They don't like it. Even 23% of Democrats favor repealing it.

his attempt to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy...

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is itself a Democrat policy. And, an "attempt" is not an "accomplishment."

And, the Obama administration has argued against the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' invalidation of the ban.

A district court judge Tuesday rejected the Obama administration's claims that allowing gays and lesbians to begin openly serving in the military could hurt their efforts to study the effects of repealing the ban.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/10/20/1 ... z13ZDQ3A4f

Got that? The OBAMA ADMINISTRATION argued that allowing gays and lesbians to begin openly serving in the military could hurt their efforts to study the effects of repealing the ban! So, they were arguing to KEEP THE BAN IN PLACE because they want to "study the effects of repealing it!"

The Obama Administration "vowed to appeal" the decision of the Ninth Circuit invalidating the Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy.

So - you consider Obama's attempt to invalidate Don't Ask/Don't Tell to be some sort of "accomplishment?" Were you not aware that the Obama Administration was opposing the very case invalidated the ban? Were you not aware that they could simply let it be, and let the Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy die with the decision of the Ninth Circuit? But, the Obama Administration is fighting on, and they obtained a stay of the order invalidating Don't Ask Don't Tell so the Obama Administration can prepare its appeal fighting for its reinstatement! http://articles.cnn.com/2010-10-20/us/d ... k?_s=PM:US

LOL!!!!


Bwaaahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Although President Obama has promised dont ask dont tell will end during his administration, he wants Congress, not the courts to repeal the law.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/10/20/1 ... z13ZEfuxjl

He has the opportunity to have Don't Ask Don't Tell over NOW, but he doesn't want to. He "wants Congress to repeal it, not the courts"!!! Quite the "accomplishment!"

Geee....I wonder why nobody recognizes it....how odd...I just can't believe it....who WOULDN"T recognize such a momentous "attempt" at eliminating Don't Ask Don't Tell - cuz...you know...fighting AGAINST a court decision repealing it, so that more studies can be done and Congress can get around to growing the balls to repeal it legislatively, that's just ground breaking! Here's a great...big...round of applause for the Obama Administration!

[Trolldor]

The biggest opponents of repealing it bat for your team.

[Coito ergo sum]

The biggest opponents of repealing it bat for your team.

I'm not on a team, dude. I'm in favor of repealing DADT.

You're the one who suggested that Obama's attempts to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell was one of his great "accomplishments" for which he has inexplicably not been properly recognized!

He has actively fought to keep the ban in place. The Court invalidated DADT as unconstitutional. Obama had the absolute unfettered authority to tell the justice department attorneys to leave it be, and not appeal the decision. Not only did the Obama Administration appeal the decision, but they sought a stay of the court's order so that DADT stays in force during the pendency of the appeal process.

Why did Obama want the DADT policy to stay in force? Because there needs to be "more study" about the effect of a repeal of DADT on the military -- i.e., in the Administration's mind, the jury is still out as to whether it should be repealed at all! Otherwise, why the "studies!?"

That's your idea of an "accomplishment." Sorry, but, I think most folks would disagree that he's "accomplished" a god damn thing in that regard.

Oh, and by the way - those "opponents" that you think are on "my team" -- well, they wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about DADT being gone, if Obama would have just left the court decision invalidating it alone...

[Ian]

What happens when a MoveOn.org activist shows up to a Tea Party rally for a would-be Senator:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txU55iFG ... re=related[/youtube]
Somehow, methinks the reverse situation wouldn't have turned out quite like this.

A 115-poung girl gets her head stomped at a Senate candidate's rally, another Senate candidate babbles stuff about "Second Amendment solutions" if she loses, another Senate candidate's guards handcuffing a reporter assigned to cover the candidate, a gubernatorial candidate threatens "I'll take you out, buddy!" to a reporter, et cetera, et cetera... And those are just the higher-profile Teabagger-related threats and violence - nevermind all the fearmongering, secret campaign funds and outright lies saturating this year's midterms.

Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity: two more days!

[Coito ergo sum]

What happens when a MoveOn.org activist shows up to a Tea Party rally for a would-be Senator:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txU55iFG ... re=related[/youtube]
Somehow, methinks the reverse situation wouldn't have turned out quite like this.

A 115-poung girl gets her head stomped at a Senate candidate's rally, another Senate candidate babbles stuff about "Second Amendment solutions" if she loses, another Senate candidate's guards handcuffing a reporter assigned to cover the candidate, a gubernatorial candidate threatens "I'll take you out, buddy!" to a reporter, et cetera, et cetera... And those are just the higher-profile Teabagger-related threats and violence - nevermind all the fearmongering, secret campaign funds and outright lies saturating this year's midterms.

Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity: two more days!

She ought to sue those folks, and she ought to press charges. Period.

It appears that she was assaulted and battered. Prosecute the offenders.

[Ian]

She ought to sue those folks, and she ought to press charges. Period.

It appears that she was assaulted and battered. Prosecute the offenders.

I don't know what she or MoveOn.org are planning to do about it (I don't look at their website), but to be politically pragmatic, if I were them I'd wait until after the election. Rand Paul's probably going to win anyway, and then they'll be suing a sitting Senator. If she rushes to press charges, some people might accuse her of provoking the incident (she did put a protest sign in view of the candidate, after all) in order to hurt the campaign before election day.

Or maybe I'm just being cynical?
Ah, screw the politics behind it. She was assaulted and the offenders should be prosecuted. Period.

[Coito ergo sum]

She ought to sue those folks, and she ought to press charges. Period.

It appears that she was assaulted and battered. Prosecute the offenders.

I don't know what she or MoveOn.org are planning to do about it (I don't look at their website), but to be politically pragmatic, if I were them I'd wait until after the election. Rand Paul's probably going to win anyway, and then they'll be suing a sitting Senator. If she rushes to press charges, some people might accuse her of provoking the incident (she did put a protest sign in view of the candidate, after all) in order to hurt the campaign before election day.

Or maybe I'm just being cynical?
Ah, screw the politics behind it. She was assaulted and the offenders should be prosecuted. Period.

I agree. If I were a bettin' man, I would bet that this Moveon.org person was doing something to antagonize and provoke - trolling for a reaction. Moveon.org is a piece of shit organization. However, that being said, generally speaking, no amount of antagonizing or provocation can excuse a physical assault.

This isn't limited to teabaggers - remember the election up in Boston and the assault on a reporter? Or, the Democratic congressman who assaulted the college reporter who asked unpalatable questions?

The world is going crazy.

But, when it comes to assaults, prosecutions should ensue even when a-holes are assaulted.

[Robert_S]

She ought to sue those folks, and she ought to press charges. Period.

It appears that she was assaulted and battered. Prosecute the offenders.

I don't know what she or MoveOn.org are planning to do about it (I don't look at their website), but to be politically pragmatic, if I were them I'd wait until after the election. Rand Paul's probably going to win anyway, and then they'll be suing a sitting Senator. If she rushes to press charges, some people might accuse her of provoking the incident (she did put a protest sign in view of the candidate, after all) in order to hurt the campaign before election day.

Or maybe I'm just being cynical?
Ah, screw the politics behind it. She was assaulted and the offenders should be prosecuted. Period.

I agree. If I were a bettin' man, I would bet that this Moveon.org person was doing something to antagonize and provoke - trolling for a reaction. Moveon.org is a piece of shit organization. However, that being said, generally speaking, no amount of antagonizing or provocation can excuse a physical assault.

This isn't limited to teabaggers - remember the election up in Boston and the assault on a reporter? Or, the Democratic congressman who assaulted the college reporter who asked unpalatable questions?

The world is going crazy.

But, when it comes to assaults, prosecutions should ensue even when a-holes are assaulted.

It is one thing to feel like assaulting someone standing up and failing to resist the temptation. There have been many times where I've had some jackass smiling in my face who was just one more word away from having his i dotted.

However, once someone is down it seems a bit much. To me it is a sign of a particularly vicious, mean and low character to kick a person on the ground who is not physically threatening.

[maiforpeace]

From Rand Paul Stomper To Allen West's Bikers: Rise In Far-Right Violence During 2010 Elections

WASHINGTON -- This election season, a man was arrested for hitting a protester at a rally for Washington GOP Senate candidate Dino Rossi, a man stomped on the head of a woman at a campaign event for Kentucky GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul, local police wrestled to the ground a Democratic man at an event for Rep. Eric Cantor (R), Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) received suspicious powder to his office, biker supporters of Florida GOP congressional candidate Allen West harassed a Democratic tracker and Alaska GOP Senate candidate Joe Miller's private security force handcuffed and detained a reporter.

And all that was in just the past two weeks.

"It's been quite amazing over the last couple months, but really over the last two years," said Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups and extremism. "I'd date this, in many ways, to the rise to power of Obama. Many people we saw coming with AR-15s to town halls and so on, and all of that. But I do think that it's gotten even hotter out there. I think the reaction to the stomping of that woman's head has been quite amazing. The idea that the guy could say that he needed an apology and that he's not being condemned by the political class from sea to shining sea is astounding."

While there has been an increased number of highly publicized incidents in recent weeks, there was also a spike in violence or threatened violence during the health care debate toward lawmakers who supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. People vandalized congressional offices and threatened to assassinate officials and their families. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) had a picture of a noose faxed to his office after he voted for health care reform. A former militia member named Mike Vanderboegh even proudly took credit for encouraging people around the country to break the windows of lawmakers' offices.

There has also been a significant amount of violence-tinged rhetoric coming from politicians. Nevada GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle floated "Second Amendment remedies" as a "cure" for an out-of-control Congress. Last week, a Republican House candidate in Texas said a violent overthrow of the government is "on the table." Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has taken some flack for using gun imagery after the passage of health care reform, telling her supporters to "reload."

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, last year, hate groups stayed at record levels, and "anti-immigrant vigilante groups" soared by nearly 80 percent. The largest, jump, however, came from so-called "patriot" groups, made up of militias and other groups that distrust the federal government and believe its plotting to impose a "one-world government." Those rose 244 percent in 2009, going from 149 groups to 512.

Potok attributes the rise to three factors: 1) The change in racial demographics in the country, with Obama as the apotheosis of this fact, 2) anger over the rough economy, and 3) the mainstreaming of "demonizing propaganda and conspiracy theories," encouraged by the likes of Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs, and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).