Ramble for 7/13/11

Kirkwood, NY– I’m at the NY border just now, eating lunch and going through my email. I’m headed toward Albany and will be there in a couple hours. Cooler, today. A welcome change.

• McConnell, again: I said yesterday: Time to replace Mitch McConnellwith someone who has an actual spine. How is it possible he’s not getting the message? Regardless, Ive been noting signs of weakness in this guy in the past, and it’s well past time he be shown the exit. And of course the feedback I got was negative and in a few instances, scathing. But, yes, damn it, I did mean exactly what I said, and every word of it.Look, first of all, the leadership is saying the thing will not pass the house as such, so it’s all fluff anyway.And, yes, I’m sure McConnell thinks he’s doing the right thing for the party. He’s trying to get Obama to politically hang himself between now and the next election, by (a) giving him enough rope and (b) making sure the rope is left in a very public spot, so that everyone knows whose fault our fiscal problems are. It’s a well crafted political plan and I’ll tell you that during the Carter years, when our situation was far less dire, it would have worked.Trouble is, our situation is far more problematic than Carter ever created, and the mood of the country just now is not for political gamesmanship, but rather immediate results.

  The electorate couldn’t give a DAMN about the party. They’re more interested in the country. The polling is showing the American people who are paying attention are against raising the debt ceiling at all, as Ed Morressey explains:

  Good news for the White House: the gap between those who oppose a debt-ceiling increase at all narrowed over the past two months. Bad news for the White House: opposition is still almost 2-1 in the latest Gallup to the debt-ceiling hike for which Obama has gone on a national campaign. The gap shrunk from 28% to 20%, with slightly over a third of Americans saying that they don’t know enough to decide:

  Despite agreement among leaders of both sides of the political aisle in Washington that raising the U.S. debt ceiling is necessary, more Americans want their member of Congress to vote against such a bill than for it, 42% vs. 22%, while one-third are unsure. This 20-percentage-point edge in opposition to raising the debt ceiling in Gallup’s July 7-10 poll is slightly less than the 28-point lead (47% vs. 19%) seen in May.

  Here’s the second paragraph from Gallup. Might they have taken Barack Obama’s poll analysis a little too seriously? You be the judge:

  This measure reflects public opinion about raising the debt ceiling in the abstract. The question wording did not mention the rationales for or against raising the debt ceiling, nor did it explain that any such move would ultimately be a part of a broader budget bill involving spending cuts and perhaps tax increases.

  Remember, Obama scolded CBS’ Chip Reid for push polling by asking the obviously biased question in the CBS poll, “Should the debt ceiling be raised?” Gallup’s question would probably send Obama into orbit: “From what you know or have read about the discussion of raising the debt ceiling, would you want your member of Congress to — [vote in favor of raising the debt ceiling, vote against raising the debt ceiling] — or don’t you know enough to say?” I’m pretty sure that’s a great example of push polling, right there, because Obama says any result that disfavors his position must be part of some plot, and stuff.

  I won’t get into just why, here, but the poll data is even more lopsided against the Democrats than it appears. Ed gets into some of that in his piece. The obvious point here though is that the American people have already been won over by the facts. How won over are they? A look at the polling tells the tale.  A look at CA26’s special election last night tells the tale…. and McConnell is still playing politics, trying to show people who is at fault for our situation.  He’s apparently unwilling to believe in the conservative position enough to simply stand up for it. He chickens out and goes to the usual political gamesmanship. It’s un-needed and in fact counter productive. And to boot, he lets Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and Schumer up off the ropes. I say again: Time for McConnell to get the axe.  And find someone with a real spine. Liz Peek thinks Obama has blown it on the debt thing, and I think she’s right, but with McConnell’s type around I’m not sure that’s a worry for the Dems.

• Well, we COULD just cut spending… The worst thing for a Democrat is lowering the size scope power and cost of government. Why else would the last thing Obama want to hear is that he can’t raise taxes further? And why else, I ask, would the WH still have not submitted it’s own proposal?
• SHARE THE SACRIFICE? Sure. We can do that. Get the bottom 51% that pay no taxes at all, to pay into the system.
• STARVING GRANDMA:  So, Obama is threatening us with, essentially: “Either let me raise your taxes or Grandma Starves.” Lemme see here  Social Security is what, $50musd a month, and Washington is passing out what, $250musd a month. Apparently, Democrats can’t add.