Clipmarks | masbury's 'politics' clips

"91% probability" of Obama win

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:36:02 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: After 10,000 simulations: 348 electoral votes. That, friends, would be a very big win. (I believe 270 are needed to win). Thanks, dulios, for the tip!

Clip Source: www.fivethirtyeight.com

Tags: polls, election, politics, electoral votes

Whaddya know? People ARE talking about race!

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:00:53 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Here are some honest folks putting it right there on the table where everyone can see it.

Clip Source: www.motherjones.com

But, boy, do we have a long way to go. Check out this article about Obama organizers doing their best in Buchanan County, Virginia. Here's an excerpt:

...Obama's supporters, as they push to win this dead-even battleground state, are talking directly about race

When Cecil E. Roberts, president of the coal miners union that shapes politics in much of this mountain region, talks to voters, he tells them that their choice is to have "a black friend in the White House or a white enemy." When Charlie Cox, an Obama supporter, hears friends fretting about Obama's race, he reminds them that they pull for the nearby University of Tennessee football team, "and they're black."

Union organizer Jerry Stallard asks fellow coal workers what's more important: improving their work conditions or holding onto their skepticism of Obama's race, culture or religion. "We're all black in the mines," he tells them.

Tags: race, election, politics

Noonan: Palin tactics bad for country

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:31:21 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Conservative columnist Peggy Noonan. So much for "country first"

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Appearing on NBC's Meet the Press, conservative columnist Peggy Noonan said that the "populist" tactics being deployed by Sarah Palin was "not helpful to the country" and painted her candidacy as built on class warfare.

Populism as a tactic is justified often in politics. 'I need this program, the people want it.' Populism as a strategy, 'we're the good guys, you're the bad guys,' is not good. And if that's the road they are going, that's not a good road to be on. It is not helpful to the country."

"I think she showed that she is a woman of great and natural competence about the show-business of politics, if you will: the ability to look over the camera, to think that the camera is your friend, all of that stuff. But there are questions about other areas."

Tags: palin, noonan

Prevent bailouts? Prohibit campaign contributions

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:02:29 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: We must advance to a system where elections are publicly funded and private donations are prohibited. Both of our candidates are connected by money to the banking industry. The industry's influence toward killing regulation far exceeds the public's influence in preserving it. Separating money from politics - as other nations have long done - is the only way home.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

The crisis in the housing market occurred because banks figured out how to escape the risk that they might not be repaid when they issued mortgages. Instead of keeping the mortgages on their books, they sold them in complex "products" to investment banks.

The key point here is that because issuing loans was no longer risky to the banks, they marketed mortgages to people who would not otherwise be considered credit worthy.

This especially occurred in the form of "teaser rates." Interest on the mortgages in the first year was kept at very low levels

The government should have imposed limits on adjustable rate mortgages; deceptive lending practices should have been prevented; investment banks should have been required to hold greater amounts of funds in reserve than they did

none of this was done because Wall Street used its political muscle to oppose them.

It will take "clean elections"

financing electoral campaigns with public funds

to ensure that the wall

will be not be breached

Tags: politics, economy

Gallup: Obama sustains largest lead since July

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:40:33 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Up eight nationwide, 50% to 42%; largest since international trip; debate results not fully a factor until tomorrow

Clip Source: www.gallup.com

Tags: polls, politics, obama, mccain

Bring home troops from around the world

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:12:57 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Former special assistant to Reagan argues US troops in Japan and S. Korea should be phased out.

Clip Source: www.atimes.com

A reason to bring US troops home

It seems that old military commitments also never die

- they live on forever.

That's certainly the case with America's security guarantee for South Korea

The North became an international pariah while the South became one of the world's 12 largest economic powers

US presence in Japan, currently at 33,200 troops, makes even less sense

Japan long ago enjoyed an economic miracle that turned it into the world's second-ranking economic power

the prospect of renewed Japanese aggression is about as likely as an invasion from Mars.

Yet nothing's really changed in America's military role

the idea that the United States should step back and turn over regional security duties has occurred to almost no one in Washington

Washington's insistence that its allies remain subordinate belongs in the wastebasket of history

disappearance of any need to defend countries that have grown wealthy while their potential enemies have dissipated

let America's Cold War commitments

fade away

Tags: military, politics

The difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom...

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:32:36 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Depends on the pit bull. Miami Herald cartoon.

Clip Source: www.mcclatchydc.com

Tags: politics, cartoon, palin

Election 08: How's it looking?

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:57:01 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Mouse over states to get current numbers and history. I'm surprised that WV is only "barely Republican;" FL now within margin of error; Obama expands nationwide Gallup lead by 1, to six points, since RNC. Overall so far, a narrow but widening Obama win. See map key at bottom of clip.

Clip Source: www.electoral-vote.com

Obama 273 McCain 265

Senate Dem 56 GOP 43 Ties 1

House Dem 242 GOP 193

Senate map and races

Downloadable polling data

Previous report

Next report

This day in 2004

	Strong Dem (153)
	Weak Dem (45)
	Barely Dem (75)
	Exactly tied (0)
	Barely GOP (81)
	Weak GOP (38)
	Strong GOP (146)
270 Electoral votes needed to win
Map algorithm explained

Tags: election, politics, electoral votes

"John McCain's Journey from Maverick to Liar"

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:53:51 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: "For 18 months, Obama has wagered all his chips on the (quaint? idealistic? brilliant?) idea that the American people are tired of the same old sleazy and divisive politics. McCain has now chosen to bet against him."

Clip Source: www.usnews.com

Is he truly a maverick who, like his self-proclaimed hero, Teddy Roosevelt, will govern as a progressive? Or will he be beholden, as

James Dobson and Rush Limbaugh insist, to the conservative base?

So far, the main "maverick" actions that McCain has promised as the next Republican president are to trim nonmilitary Democratic spending and continue the Iraq war. You can't get more conventional

And even that message has been

undermined by disclosures that Palin was a champion of those costly federal earmark projects she has lobbied for in Alaska

At this point, McCain has taken the obvious way out—launching a series of distracting attacks on Barack Obama, with slim regard for truth.

The ads have spurred a backlash, the consequences (or lack) of which may well decide the election.

For 18 months, Obama has wagered all his chips on the (quaint? idealistic? brilliant?) idea that the American people are tired of the same old sleazy and divisive politics. McCain has now chosen to bet against him.

Tags: mccain, lies, maverick

LondonTimes: Death of social conservatism in the USA

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:21:38 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: "America is imperfect. It has no divine right to be the world's leading nation. And yet - in this glorious political year - something about it sings. And as the American Olympic team reminded us when we looked at it and wondered at its multicolour, multi-ethnic vibrancy (more than 30 members were born abroad) this nation is ours. There is nothing wrong in wishing it well."

Clip Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Nothing Sarah Palin and her followers can do will prevent America's steady movement away from social conservatism

To be precise; at one o'clock in the morning of March 21, 2005, President Bush put pen to paper and (inadvertently) consigned the politics of the Eighties to the trash.

He had been woken by his staff to sign emergency legislation designed to save the life of Terri Schiavo

It never happened. The federal courts backed the local courts (impeach them, the politicians cried, but nobody tried) and the Supreme Court yawned and raised an eyebrow and refused even to hear the case

And something stirred.

Nothing the voters decide this November will change this dynamic. Not even the fantastic Mrs Palin - the Iron Lady of Alaska - who is on the Republican ticket to serve a purpose but not, frankly, to serve in office

The Strange Death of Social Conservatism as the driving force in US politics was under way

No, America is changing and a new era is beginning

Tags: conservatism

Obama donor ranks swell with Palin nomination

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:06:32 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: 500,000 new donors after Palin enters race

Clip Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Obama backers break cash records as Palin redraws campaign battleground

Barack Obama pulled in $66 million last month, smashing his previous fundraising record amid clear signs that Sarah Palin has mobilised many grassroots Democrats against her as much as she has energised the Republican Party.

Mr Obama's fundraising total for August beat his monthly record of $55 million (£31 million) and was the highest in US presidential history. It came with the addition of 500,000 donors, many of whom signed on to the campaign after the extraordinary entry of Mrs Palin into the race as the Republican vice-presidential nominee.

Tags: palin, obama, politics

Obama opens comfortable lead in Iowa

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:55:16 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Up by 12!

Clip Source: www.gazetteonline.com

Poll: Obama opens comfortable lead in Iowa

DES MOINES - Iowa has long been viewed as a battleground state, in part because of narrow margins of victory in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, but Barack Obama appears to have opened up a wide lead against John McCain.

THE POLL: The Des Moines Register, presidential race in Iowa of likely voters.

THE NUMBERS: Barack Obama 52 percent, John McCain 40 percent.

DETAILS: Conducted Sept. 8-10 by telephone with 801 Iowans. Sampling error margin plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

MORE: www.desmoinesregister.com

Tags: obama, iowa, mccain, politics

Factcheck: the false rumors about Palin

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 05:45:07 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Dems and Repubs and Indies can agree that these allegations are neither true nor helpful. Further, McCain and campaign conflate the false charges of kooks with the serious questions about Palin's qualifications, and declare them all out of bounds. Not so fast ...

Clip Source: www.factcheck.org

Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 percent. She didn’t cut it at all.

She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library.

She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party

Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president

Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's schools

We'll be looking into other charges in an e-mail by a woman named Anne Kilkenny for a future story. For more explanation of the bullet points above, please read the Analysis.

Tags: mccain, palin, rumors, lies, politics

Very Perceptive Column by Deepak Chopra

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:01:20 GMT

clipped by: papananook
clipper's remarks: cont.--virtue, and vision with qualities we are ashamed to face: anger, fear, revenge, violence, selfishness, and suspicion of 'the other.' For millions of Americans, Obama triggers those feelings, but they don't want to express them. He is calling for us to reach for our higher selves, and frankly, that stirs up hidden reactions of an unsavory kind. (Just to be perfectly clear, I am not making a verbal play out of the fact that Sen. Obama is black. The shadow is a metaphor widely in use before his arrival on the scene.)

I recognize that psychological analysis of politics is usually not welcome by the public, but I believe such a perspective can be helpful here to understand Palinʼs message. In her acceptance speech Gov. Palin sent a rousing call to those who want to celebrate their resistance to change and a higher vision.
Read the rest, pls, for details...

Clip Source: cathy-edgett.livejournal.com

Sometimes politics has the uncanny effect of mirroring the national psyche even when nobody intended to do that. This is perfectly illustrated by the rousing effect that Gov. Sarah Palin had on the Republican convention in Minneapolis this week. On the surface, she outdoes former Vice President Dan Quayle as an unlikely choice, given her negligent parochial expertise in the complex affairs of governing. Her state of Alaska has less than 700,000 residents, which reduces the job of governor to the scale of running one-tenth of New York City. By comparison, Rudy Giuliani is a towering international figure. Palin's pluck has been admired, and her forthrightness, but her real appeal goes deeper.

She is the reverse of Barack Obama, in essence his shadow, deriding his idealism and exhorting people to obey their worst impulses. In psychological terms the shadow is that part of the psyche that hides out of sight, countering our aspirations

St Paul the past; Denver the future of political demographics

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:20:11 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: RNC relies on shrinking demographic groups - growing whiter and older. Dem support comes from fastest growing demographic groups.

Clip Source: tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com

As I surveyed the crowd, I had an overriding thought: 'This place is really white.'

At Invesco, I was surrounded by blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans and whites; young and old; male and female; gays and straights

in St. Paul. The crowd consisted of middle-aged white men and middle-aged white women

Apparently my eyes don't lie. At the DNC, 34 percent of the delegates were black or Hispanic. At the RNC, 93% of delegates are white, 5% Hispanic and only 1.5% African-American - in fact, it is the lowest black delegate representation at a Republican convention in 40 years.

Obama is capturing

his support comes from the part of the population that is fastest growing

McCain's support comes largely from white voters and in particular older Americans

not to say that John McCain will necessarily lose

But having stood on the floor of both convention halls this past week, it seems quite clear that Denver represents the future of American politics - and St. Paul is the past.

Tags: politics, race