Pajamas Media

41 Comments

1. BPT (Australia):

Oh, the Daily Kos kids are rich liberal brats. But I’m glad they’re sacred. One MTV writer tried to deconstruct an essay I wrote, and it was so sad. I felt sorry for him.

May 1, 2009 - 1:50 am 2. Carl:

How many times in how many towns, cities, counties and townships, for how many years and how many decades across and throughout our nation have we heard this same story before?

Especially the classic part that goes, “But, this time it’s different..”.

This time when the princess kneels down and kisses the bullfrog he will turn into a real prince and together they will go to Washington and live happily ever after serving their people..

Rivet…

May 1, 2009 - 3:14 am 3. RAH:

Considering theat GOP is the party of small government and federalism it makes sense that it is good to develop a strong bench of GOP in the state houses since that is wher new ideas and experiments emenate. For instance gun control and gun rights leglistion all comes from stste house. There is wher liberty is won or loat.

Rarely does federal law impact people as much as state law. The impact of TARP and Stimulus bills on the people is the reason that they are organizing into Tea Parties. These were big federal changes that people will react against. Plus the feeling that Obama is dragging us to a Marxist future.

I feel happier if conservatives in the GOP win in local races since that means the attitudes among local people is changing to a more conservaive bent.

May 1, 2009 - 3:40 am 4. njcommuter:

In a special election there is no incumbent. The likelyhood of defeating a Pelosi or a Reid is very small because they have positions of seniority. Even Dodd can have some argument on that point; Byrd and Helms hung on forever because their seniority was valuable. But in a special election held long after the general election, people get a chance to see what kind of air the new wind is blowing. The air coming in from the Left is foul and mephitic, and people are reacting.

May 1, 2009 - 4:11 am 5. Formwiz:

The next to last paragraph is the key. The GOP in DC needs new blood (a lot of it) and the grass roots is the place to find it. Unfortunately, too many Republicans at the national level think like Dubya and Cornyn and would rather keep someone like Specter, who perpetuates the public’s bad image of the party as it exists today, because he’s the only one who can win. Sometimes winning today really isn’t everything.

May 1, 2009 - 4:33 am 6. Samizdat:

I see this article references the NH Senate race involving Jeb Bradley. Don’t treat that race as some sort of bellweather. Jeb Bradley ran against one of the most liberal lawyers in Belknap County. He is an earmarking, anti ANWR drilling, tree hugging old bull “republican” who got his butt handed to him by a vulnerable 1st term Democrat, Carol Shea-Porter last November 4th after running a vomit inducingly bad campaign against her. In the Republican primary Mr. Bradley was called on the carpet by our state wide newspaper the Manchster Union Leader for running the most dishonest TV ads it had ever seen about his primary opponent. This guy is a career “politican” and a failed one at that. He is what is wrong with the GOP and part of the reason I am no longer a member.

May 1, 2009 - 4:54 am 7. Chris Grieb:

There have also been races in Northern Virginia for Fairfax County Chairman and a Fairfax County Supervisor. The Fairfax County Chair was lost narrowly by the GOP but the Supervisor was won. Fairfax County went by a huge margin for Obama so a tightening up is good news.

May 1, 2009 - 5:21 am 8. D-wah:

I’m glad you’re encouraged Jennifer. I’m still disgusted. If we don’t see some top level leadership or something crack this O-masko lie it’s gonna be too little and too late.

This country is like the camel that was lost in transit to a zoo–they asked the transport guy where’s the camel supposed to go? He said “Can’t tell. He done chawed his tag!”

This country if off course for the same reason. Doesn’t even remember what documents and principles and true leadership it was founded on. Beltway and most other Republicans same thing. They’ve let O-gifto and the media brand them and don’t know how to shake it. They’re an easy target cuz they’re compromisers–weak, willy-nilly politicians–not leaders, not conviction-based. Just flailing and floundering around in the world view that the left has foisted on them and by default have now adopted. It’s pitiful.

They can’t even appeal to the Tea Party people!–and the ones you see in the streets are barely the tip of the iceberg! These are mainstay constituents that are building in numbers they wouldn’t believe, and they’re not looking to the Republican party for leadership! They see them as a joke! They’re looking amongst themselves!! Anything is better than these weak disgusting, compromised, infighting, time and money consuming irresponsible lame excuses for leadership! It’s pitiful! If we even make it to 2010 they’re gonna vote them all out! And even what’s supposed to be their party barely acknowledges them and can’t even see it coming they’re so all consumed in their little self serving world of “politics” and “positioning” while the libs play them like a fiddle! They’re hanging the country out to dry–and will be held accountable!

Reminds of me the Bible story with Jesus and Peter. Jesus was walking on the water in the storm and Peter asked if he could come to him. He stepped out but first thing he did was take his eyes off Jesus and look down at the waves and stormy conditions, and sank. Jesus of course caught him and got him back in the boat (at which time the storm ceased, by the way).

If Republicans, or anyone, would gaze in the face of the miracle of our founding documents and Godly principles and REMAIN STEADY in their focus and conviction, we’d have real leadership again and get our beloved country back. THAT would be a real dose of education-examples of leadership who proudly and clearly proclaim WHY government should be small and enterprise free etc. etc. Reagan was such a man. He bucked the tide. And it was the same evil dirty tide back then as it is now. Who will stand up? At least they can go down fighting and show some courage. What a sad state of affairs. What’s thrilling is, inspite of the debacle called Washington DC, how many of us are uniting in spirit without them, and chanting once again “Don’t tread on me!”

May 1, 2009 - 6:11 am 9. joe buzz:

What is the Repub equivalent of ACORN? Have they been funded as ACORN has? How are the voter fraud cases progressing? This “ray of sunshine” will cause ACORN to grow further which will result in more dead, drunk and dumb voting for the democrat, local or otherwise.

May 1, 2009 - 6:49 am 10. AThinkingPerson:

#9 joe buzz: Good question but it needs to go further in my opinion. What is the GOP equivalent of ACORN, NOW, MoveOn, CodePink, Soros, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CNN, CBS, Jeneane Garafolo, Sean Penn, HuffPo, DailyKos, Olbermann, Maddox, Matthews, College Campuses, Newspapers, “journalists” (I now use that term loosely), Hollywood in general, etc, etc.

I’m always amused at the liberals lame attempts to try and muffle anyone that isn’t Liberal. It’s obvious that they are trying to stifle dissent from the party line. Funny though how even with less media outlets on our side, that FOX news always doubles the viewership of the liberal outlets (usually combined). Nice.

May 1, 2009 - 7:27 am 11. jerry:

So much criticism of Obama. But what is our alternative?

May I humbly suggest that Sheila Bair, head of FDIC, would make a worthy opponent in 2012. Her views are fact-based, her stage-presence is superior to that of President Obama, her intellectual achievements and personal history are available to public view, she has run for office in the past, her values are mainstream, and she has a grasp of economic issues that is so advanced that she leaves Obama in the dust. She can win, becoming America’s first female American president.

Is there someone on this blog who can press the Republican power to consider her as a realistic option?

May 1, 2009 - 7:32 am 12. Kurt:

Reid is not popular with many people in Nevada. He’d be in some danger if it weren’t for the fact that (with the exception of Sen. Ensign) the statewide officeholders who are Republicans are even less popular than Reid.

May 1, 2009 - 8:50 am 13. Dark Helmet:

Bleak? A traitor left the Republican party. That is a huge boost to fixing what is wrong. obammy’s numbers are dropping across every poll and democrats without a doubt need al franken in there with them. The time has never been better to take a HUGE stand.

May 1, 2009 - 8:58 am 14. D-wah:

Rt DH–Our weapon is the light of truth. “Spectre” came to light for the slime his, that’s good. Anything to dispel the smoke and break the mirrors!

May 1, 2009 - 9:06 am 15. John Cooper:

Yet another reason the 17th Amendment needs to be repealed.

May 1, 2009 - 10:54 am 16. Warpublican:

Hey, jennifer – where have we heard this before? Oh yeah, when you thought Tedesco was gonna beat Mike Murphy! How’d that work out for you?

May 1, 2009 - 11:22 am 17. The Shadow:

The end is near for Obama. Look at the latest pollnumbers:

PRESIDENT OBAMA 70 (68) 25 (26) +3

PELOSI: 38 (37) 45 (44) +0
REID: 35 (34) 49 (48) +0
McCONNELL: 21 (22) 60 (58) -3
BOEHNER: 16 (17) 62 (61) -2

CONGRESSIONAL DEMS: 44 (43) 49 (50) +2
CONGRESSIONAL GOPS: 14 (15) 71 (70) -2

DEMOCRATIC PARTY: 54 (53) 40 (41) +2
REPUBLICAN PARTY: 22 (23) 68 (67
:

May 1, 2009 - 2:04 pm 18. Conservative Political Report:

Linked to The Conservative Political Report.

Your election news aggregator for the GOP in the 2010 elections. It’s never to early to get informed.

May 1, 2009 - 4:01 pm 19. Angry White Dude:

The Tea Parties are helping middle class taxpayers get involved in politics…other than voting. The Silent Majority is now fully awake. That is what the left fears. They realize that not since the original tea party have middle-class citizens taken to the streets.

The RNC is clueless. Washington does not understand the rage of the middle class citizen against what they are doing or allowing to happen to our country. I recently went to a “coffee” with RNC Chair Michael Steele. I am more convinced than ever the Republicans are in need of a total overhaul. Here is my post on my blog of my words with Steele and what happened:

http://angrywhitedude.com/?p=1584

May 1, 2009 - 6:56 pm 20. Samizdat:

Hey Shadow,

I notice you didn’t inclide the recent poll that shows that the public, while approving of the president, disapproves of his policies, and many of the margins are not even close. But I’m sure you wern’t trying to cherry pick any facts.

It’s also interesting to note that Obama’s poll numbers are virtually identical to Bush II, Clinton, Bush I, Reagan, and Carter, 100 days into their presidencies. I’m certain you were going to point that out, but you probably just ran out of space in your post above and couldn’t quite fit it in. Or something.

May 1, 2009 - 7:32 pm 21. Dolmance:

The Cato Institute recently concluded that if Obama and the Democrats get Universal Health Care passed, it will ruin the Republicans for the next two or three generations, just like happened with FDR. According to the Cato Institutes, the American middle class will then perceive the Democrats as being the party that looks to their interests. They have urged all Republicans to fight Universal Health Care as if they were fighting for their own lives.

Obama and the Democrats will pass Universal Health Care. And the Cato Institute was right.

Obama is too smart to let the Republicans off the hook. He will twist the knife in continuously until he passes legislation that cannot be repealed, no matter who takes power later on down the road. Just like Social Security and Medicare.

Republicans are in denial. Things are worse for them than they’ve ever dreamed.

May 1, 2009 - 7:34 pm 22. Delia:

21. Dolmance:

“Republicans are in denial. Things are worse for them than they’ve ever dreamed.”

Correction:

The Democrats are in denial. Things are going to be worse for ALL OF US, mor than our worst nightmares.

May 1, 2009 - 8:33 pm 23. JR Dogman:

“Our goal is to destroy the Republicans’ cornseed advantage before it begins.”

Take note of that word, people: destroy.

If Group A is out to destroy Group B, what should the goal of Group B?

May 1, 2009 - 8:33 pm 24. Delia:

Mor=More

*typo boogie*

May 1, 2009 - 8:34 pm 25. The Shadow:

samizdat – try looking at the numbers for the republicans vs the democrats. I think you are grasping at straws

May 1, 2009 - 8:54 pm 26. D Max:

All that ray of sunshine is doing is giving the GOP cancer. The American People will never forget the soldiers and treasure squandered on weapons of mass destruction that didn’t exist. We will never forget the budget surplus turned into a record debt. People who vote Republican should be ashamed.

May 1, 2009 - 10:31 pm 27. Dennis N. Arashiro:

Jennifer, your optimism is admirable, but you need a history lesson. Even when the Federalist and Whig Parties met their demise, there were successful individuals winning elections while wearing those labels. All the demographic trends favor the Democratic Party for the next two generations. Anecdotal evidence that you cite do not demonstrate a growing GOP trend. The fact that the wins involved races divorced from social issues dear to the hearts of conservatives is telling. Pointing out healthy individual trees in a dying forest is just denying the truth.

May 1, 2009 - 10:34 pm 28. paul_unalaska:

‘I coulda been a contender’

I like JC Watts for a possible 2012 pick. He turned down joining the Black Caucus. Called out Sharpton and J. Jackson for what they truly are/ represent. Little-nil dirty laundry, attended and was pastor of a REAL church. A successful businessman and TRUE ATHLETE with a career in the CFL following college. Unlike Teleprompter Guy’s high school basketball ‘prowess’.. of an Hawaiian prep school team! hahaha

I was a standout in h.s. soccer and middle of the road in college. It doesn’t mean I’d tout myself as ‘Renaldo-like’.

May 1, 2009 - 11:13 pm 29. Cityzenz:

Obama has slipped in some polls from upper 60s to mid-50s, although his overall rating is still in the low 60s. The is significant, because it means his popularity cannot and will not carry him through to re-election unless the economy improves dramaticaly AND we don’t get hit by an attack. His wild spending might make it difficult to truly recover economically without serious side-effects, while his horrible foreign policy is likely to make our enemies feel bolder.

Sadly, neither party has offered much to feel confident about in the last few years. Either one (or both) has to come to their senses, or a third party will emerge stronger than usual in the coming elections. I think Republicans may experience a resurgence if they can convince people they have learned their lessons, but it is by no means a certainty. Democrats are making a mistake if they try to promote the idea that the GOP is finished. It isn’t. Republicans have seen this all before (Watergate, 1992, etc.), and they have always managed a comeback. How quickly the comeback occurs relies heavily on how far Democrats go to complete their agenda, which isn’t as popular as they think it is.

May 2, 2009 - 1:28 am 30. BlueStateSaint:

To the Shadow–the only poll numbers that count are the ones taken on Election Day. There’s a lot of time between now and then. If you want indicators, look at the two states who are electing governors this year. I don’t know how the Virginia polls are going, but the New Jersey polls look as if Jon Corzine is headed back to Goldman Sachs, and his Republican challenger will win.

May 2, 2009 - 2:56 am 31. John:

This is it….we might pick up a state legislative seat in…..whoah…..South Carolina. That’s a game changer.

May 2, 2009 - 4:56 am 32. TheBeacher:

The fundamental problem is the professional politicians from both parties–their minds and principles have been corrupted by the Beltway disease–the only hope/solution is to vote out every professional politician and replace them with CITIZEN’s–those who work hard, whether as a cashier or piper layer or doctor or professor–those who have been doing an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay all their lives–that excludes all professional politicians by the way.

We need a mini revolution (based on the fundamental conservative principles of personal responsibility, integrity, ethics, lower taxes, smaller government, etc.) where we throw every last professsional politican ( of any stripe) out on their asses (I know, I know, it will massively increase the welfare ranks as none of those sieves could probably get an honest job in the non-governmental sector, but that is a small price to pay to get rid of the fools who have brought a great country to its knees like no other foreign enemy has ever been able to do!).

We need to go back to the times of Jefferson and Adams in the sense that politicians then were citizens first, and represented their fellow citizens as a service to their country, unlike today where politics is a route to ill-gotten wealth for those who otherwise couldn’t hold a regular job (is anyone else concerned that Denny Hastert is a multi-millionaire and became one only after being elected to Congress?!?!?!? There are hundreds like him from both parties.)

We, the people, need to take control of Congress, and remind them who is boss:
*citizens should set their pay and benefits, not them
*their pay should not exceed the median salary of every American
*every American should have the same health care and pension as goverment officials (which means drasitcally reducing the golden perks we currently give politicians and useless government bureaucrats
*federal term limits may be unconstitutional, but practical terms limits are not–Reps can serve 4 terms, and after that, if they want to run for relection and serve, they can, but they won’t receive any salary or benefits; for our distinguished solons in the Senate, the same should apply after 2 terms;
*Any politician seeking to run for any other office must immediately resign their current seat before running–it offends me to no end that Nobama, McCain, Swillary, Joe the Plagerizer, et al ran for President on our dimes while allegedly representing us!!;
*no child or spouse or girl/boyfriend or partner should be allowed to be employed in the same government that the politician is elected to (the same should apply to the bloodsucking bureaucrats too)!!!
*Congress should be in session for 40 hours a week, and if it isnt, all the solons’ pay should be docked;
*we shouldn’t provide housing subsidies to the Washington pols–if they can’t afford their own digs on their own dime, we should build barracks on the Capitol Hill grounds!

Congress members are not our betters–THEY ARE OUR SERVANTS!!! We have all collectively simply let them take over–but we all can take the power back.

Remember, historians estimate that the demise of the Roman empire occured in part due to the massive cost of maintaining all the governing accoutrements across a huge geographical area–at the time of its demise, the historians think that government services took up approximately 5% of the Roman Empire’s GDP. Today, the Fed takes up 20% of US GDP, and with the new spending, oopps, I mean stimulus bill, it could go up to 30%!!

Smell the roses people, the politicians are our scourge and our fault–let’s get rid of them ALL, NOW, and start over-Spector is not the cause of the rot, just another unavoidable symptom–if he had any integrity, he would have resigned his seat and then switched parties and run in a special election–but as all he clearly cares about is himself, I am sure that thought never entered his pea brain.

I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!!! If necessary, we can go back to the Declaration of Independence–anyone unhappy with goverment today should read it–
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm

Congress members are not our betters–THEY ARE OUR SERVANTS!!! We have all collectively simply let them take over–but we all can take the power back!!!

May 2, 2009 - 5:07 am 33. OODA:

Greetings All,

Lets consider some poll numbers that count, the overnights from Rockin’ Barry O’s last presser as seen on Drudge yesterday:

SHOCK POLL

The latest poll by the American TV viewing audience revealed a shocking 50% drop in President Obama’s popularity ratings.

Here’s the ratings for the President’s last three primetime news events:
Feb: 9: 49.5 million
March 24: 40.4 million
April 29: 28.8 million
Insiders say that Rockin’ Barry O failed to get the attention of 21 million viewers on his third primetime address to the nation since 9 FEB 09, most likely due to overexposure. Simply put, 4 times as many people have seen the Susan Boyle video than watched the hand washing lesson presented by our Commander in Chief. Place your bets on the viewership for the next primetime event, will his numbers drop by another 10 million?

May 2, 2009 - 5:46 am 34. Samizdat:

Shadow,

Keep ignoring the actual finer mathamatical data. The old expression used to be that “The Shadow Knows”. Your incomplete rendition of polling “facts” shows your bias and that you can’t be trusted. Your not fooling anyone.

May 2, 2009 - 6:23 am 35. The Historian:

COLLEGE STUDENTS FIND A WAY TO STAY SANE
Nothing like a little imagination while attending Indoctrination U.

http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-students-handle-indoctrination-u.html

May 2, 2009 - 1:05 pm 36. Phoenix48:

A very insightful and uplifting piece Jennifer. It’s esspecially adroit since it posts on the traditional hallowed leftist holiday of ‘may day’.

For all the hysteria over the implosion of the GOP cooler heads will prevail as the Dem’s proceed now that they have the numbers. Your emphasis on the GOP needing to take note of what Rahm & Dean did after loosing congressional seats to Bush in ‘02 is spot on. Recruit quality candidates and fund their runs.

The fact is that the Obama victory in Nov was so over hyped by an adoring media in part to further fuel the false pretense that the GOP is in danger of going the way of the Whigs. Facts just keep stubornly getting in the way. The MSM is overtly invested in Obama – he’s a ‘king’ they in part helped create.

In states like North Carolina, Indiana, Colorado, Florida and Virginia (outside of Northeast counties) – the states that made up the so-called decisisve victory – the Dems spanked conservatives when getting out the vote. They were better organized, had more money, and enjoyed a compliant media to help facilitate victory.

With the financial crisis Dems have shoved big government spending down the gullets of Americans on par with FDR in ‘32 & ‘36. But for all the mayhem people have rejected that we are in or on the verge of a 2nd Depression. Instead the Dem’s actions are increasingly seen for what they truly represent – crass political opportunism. The Tea Party revolt is a direct reflection – despites the MSM intent to dismiss it as vaild or widespread.

The proper response should come in the states first – if people reject it – as conservatives hold – it will manifest there before perculating up with momentum.

Another flashpoint is coming this summer when Obama picks his first Supreme – will he choose to appease the left with an extremely liberal candidate first now that he has a Senate majority? Considering that both Stevens and Ginsburg will most likely follow quickly – that choice will have an outsized effect on the body politic for the upcoming state races.

Again, good work Jennifer. This kind of article is why I so enjoy PJM, because it raises precisely the kind of important topics that never gets covered in the overtly biased MSM – outside of C-Span.

May 2, 2009 - 1:22 pm 37. Donna V.:

i>All the demographic trends favor the Democratic Party for the next two generations.

Well, the demographic trends are worrisome, because we certainly are producing a bumper crop of arrogant, historically illiterate fools (as opposed to engineers and scientists).

But Dennis, you’re making exactly the same mistake as Republicans did in 2002 when they confidently predicted a permanent GOP majority on the strength of the midterm election results. I recall that conservativism was also pronounced dead after Johnson’s landslide election in ‘64 and in the post-Watergate years. The GOP may or may not be able to reform itself, but the conservative/libertarian impulse will remain powerful. If the Republicans will not produce leaders who will be able to adequately represent us, then they will go the way of the Whigs. I’m still hoping they can turn themselves around.

You’re assuming people who voted Dem in 2008 will always and forever vote Dem. I would balk at making such predictions, since these little things called “events” have a way of happening and there is no guarantee that they’ll work in Obama’s favor.

May 2, 2009 - 4:57 pm 38. james:

We can’t count on the new Bush/Romney/Cantor alliance. I saw them on cspan today at a meeting in Massachusetts. They were weak and pathetic and had no idea how ticked off their audience was. Clueless. So let’s do it this way, from the state legislature on up. The party elders will be no help because they don’t understand what they are dealing with.

May 2, 2009 - 10:16 pm 39. Sebastian Shaw:

The insider Republicans need to be either awakened from their comatose slumber or ousted from power; they are so deep in the middle of eveything political the Republicans have lost focus of the reasons why they were voted in Washington DC in the first place. Retaining power is not enough. One must stand by core Conservative principles. Are there any real Conservatives left in Washington to wake the others up? Jeff Sessions, Jim Demint are two. But that’s not enough.

May 3, 2009 - 5:02 pm 40. ddc:

The country needs a credible 3rd party for both Dem. and Rep. moderates. This 2 party system isn’t cutting it. The partisan vitriol from either side is exhausting. The squeekiest, the likes of Ariana Huff and Glenn Beck, are gathering all the attention and both sound crazy to us who are moderates. Is there really only 2 ways to think? I hope not.

May 4, 2009 - 2:30 pm 41. terlizzi999:

People need to let go of the 2008 Presidential elections as an indictor of whats to come in state and local elections…quite frankly its very misleading.

How the country votes on the national election is never how it votes on the state and local scene. The past has a habit of repeating itself (remember carter had a 61 vote majority in the senate) so right now the ball is essentially in the GOP court its up to them what to do with it.

One final bit of information is that our nation polls as fiscally conservative…that is fact…and in fact whats funny is the Democratic party used to have a strong contingent that followed this priciple but they are no more…same for the GOP though currently they need to find their way back to this core principle and as such take this nation back away from the precipice of the criminally fiscal irresponsibility of the current admin.

May 4, 2009 - 2:35 pm

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