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   Memo: The way forward on health care reform in 2010.
 A dark legacy of the Vietnam War is creating a whole new set of problems.
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April 23, 2009
RIGHT TRACK/WRONG TRACK.... President Obama's approval rating in the new AP poll is at 64%, which largely in line with other recent national surveys. The more interesting number, however, relates to public optimism.
The AP poll found that 48% of Americans say the country is headed in the right direction, up eight points from February, while 44% believe the nation is on the wrong track. That's obviously pretty close, but it's nevertheless the first time in more than five years than the "right direction" number topped the "wrong direction" number. Even that last instance -- shortly after Saddam Hussein was captured -- was something of an aberration, and widespread pessimism about the country's direction has been the norm for the last six years. The recent trend, however, has been an upswing in the public's mood. In October 2008, an AP poll found that 17% of Americans believed we were on the right track. After Obama's election victory, that number grew to 36%. In February, it reached 40%, and stands at 48% now. As I was reading the results, I kept thinking that the president's ability to maintain this kind of optimism is certainly susceptible to change. It's not, after all, as if robust economic growth is right around the corner. Based on all available evidence, the nation's economy still has quite a ways to go. If the "right track" number is up because of a percetion that the economy is improving, a lot of people are likely to grow frustrated when improvements come slowly. Then again, the AP poll also found that seven in 10 Americans "say it is reasonable to expect it to take longer than a year to see the results of Obama's economic policies." That's quite a bit of leeway for a president to enjoy during a crisis. —Steve Benen 9:50 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (13)Comments
Allow me to introduce an original screenplay I just wrote on my favorite blog. Feel free to share, but please give me author credit if you like it and do send it around - Paris Sailin, Bedford, Indiana: The Three Stooges (Cue Theme Music, the opening chorus from “Das Sore Loodermen”) “Waa-WAAH Waa-WAAH Waa-Waa-WAAH-WAAH” etc.
Larry: “Mein Furher! How are you this lovely morning here in Bobama-Bidenstrasse?” Moe: “I'm not the Furher, Idiot! Do I look like Herr Limbaugh to you?” (Slaps Larry straight in his forehead with Nazi salute) “I have a message this morning from Curly-Bin” (Note: always the least popular of the Stooges), “and he says we have a mole here in the office.” Larry: “I know. I paid my doctor to call it an 'anal cyst' and it kept me out of combat.” Moe: “Quiet, Numbskull!” (Smacks Larry) “I mean someone on the inside here at the Presidential War Room is intercepting our messages using modern Jet Age technology – peeking at Top Secret memos in the File Cabinet marked “Top Secret Memos” or something.” Larry: “I thought Field Marshall Gonzo said it's okay to intercept messages?” Moe: (Pulls out big tuft of Larry's hair – Larry screams) “Not ours, Moron! Theirs!” (points to globe on desk) (Curly enters room and walks over to file cabinet marked “Top Secret Memos”) Curly: “Hiya, Fellas! ... nyuk ... nyuk ... nyuk” Moe: “Hey! Whaddaya think you're doing?” Curly (extending hand out slowly with an “neee-ya!”: “Whaddaya think I'm doing? I keep my sandwiches in this drawer because it's always unlocked so I can get 'em ... nyuk ... nyuk ... nyuk.” (Looks over at Larry and they both wink and nod at each other) Moe (to Curly): “Say. You look tired. Why don't you sit down in that recliner over there by Generalissimo Cheney's portrait? The wooden one with the straps.” Curly (brightly): “That's okay. I just woke up. I sleep down in the basement sometimes next to Ernst T Bosch's computer. It's always on, so it makes a great night-light!” Moe: (pokes Curly in both eyes, grabs his ear, and drags him onto the “recliner”): “There. Comfortable? (he asks sarcastically). (No answer – Curly is already asleep and snoring) Moe (to Larry): “Alright, stop being useless and help me get this bag on over his head.” (they put bag on) Larry (jokes): “Gosh. I think he looks better this way.” Moe (slaps Larry, then pulls out another huge hunk of Larry's hair – Larry whines like a Republican): “Okay. Hand me the hose over there.” Larry (concerned): “Moe. You sure it's okay to do this when he's asleep?” Moe: “Quiet, Numbskull. Premier Yoo's memo and Der Furher say it's not torture and any worse than our initiation at Delta House.” (Moe turns on the water and begins hosing Curly's face. Curly wakes up and starts sputtering, gasping and squirming) (After five minutes of this, Curly gets real calm and quiet) Larry (to Moe): “I think he's dead.” (they pull the sack off his face) Moe: “Rats! I didn't get a chance to ask him any questions. Now all we know is where his sandwich is and that he's not tired. I got it. Let's invade Iraq!” (Just then, Barry the Night Janitor shuffles in – looks at Curly who is now sorta stiff and turning slightly blueish-green) “Holy Mackel, dere! You fellas need'n any hep wid dat?” Moe (not noticing that Barry is going through papers in the wastebasket, pulling some of them out and stuffing them in his overalls): “Nah. He's just fakin.” Moe (to Barry): “Say. You know we were talking the other day, and you were telling me some great stories like your kind always does. Do you remember?” Barry: “Sho' nuff, boss. I recamember.” (grins and shifts uneasily) Moe: “Come to think of it. It was about your funny middle name, and why you always sit in the pews facing Mecca at that church your kind goes too, wasn't it?” Barry (now sweating profusely with his eyes starting to bug out); “Uh, yeah. Das right.” Moe: “So, why don't you tell me a little more about it. Push that dead moron onto the floor and sit over on that recliner.” Barry (starting to cry): “Lawdy, Lawdy.” The End (Cue ending theme) “Yah-Yah-Yah-Yah-Yah-Yah-Yah-Yah-Yah dadadadadadah-DAH! I really don't know what is going on here-- Americans seem to have reasonable expectations about how much Obama is able to do to fix Bush's broken economy. Although I think that an increase in optimism is a very good trend in general and might help speed up the recovery. You know what this means-- the GOP will spend as much time as possible trying to destroy this optimism and make people blame Obama for not having a magic wand. Not exactly a positive, forward-thinking strategy. GOP autharatarian types without a leader are truly lost. It would be said if they didn't deserve every painful, powerless minute. Posted by: zoe kentucky on April 23, 2009 at 9:57 AM | PERMALINKI think these results underline the shift toward a change in expectations about what government should be doing, and a realization that Obama is goind down the path that people want. This is good. All Democrats need to study and follow Obama's lead in communicating the "why" of what he is doing. Posted by: Crab Nebula on April 23, 2009 at 10:00 AM | PERMALINKI think we're heading in the right direction, even though we're still completely fucked. But imagine President McCain, working every day to exacerbate every problem. Recession? Spending freeze! Foreign oil? Drill, baby! Posted by: gussie on April 23, 2009 at 10:08 AM | PERMALINKAccording to Gallup there was a slight dip in the Presidents Approval as Fucksnews and the teabaggers threw the kitchen sink at him in the run up to Tax Day. Within a few days his approval started going back up. So much for the grassroots movement. Posted by: Winkandanod on April 23, 2009 at 10:12 AM | PERMALINKBut imagine President McCain, working every day to exacerbate every problem. Recession? Spending freeze! Foreign oil? Drill, baby! I know; chilling thought, isn't it? Rule of law? Prosecuting war criminals helps terrorists. Healthcare reform? We have the best system in the world. Schools need help? Vouchers. Invaded country on false pretenses? Bomb Iran to make up for it. We'd be in freefall right now. Posted by: shortstop on April 23, 2009 at 10:18 AM | PERMALINKBut imagine President McCain, working every day to exacerbate every problem. Recession? Spending freeze! Foreign oil? Drill, baby!********************* Yes, and who would likely be their 'behind the scenes' adviser? Dick "Go fuck yourself" Cheney, the man with the motto: "Secrecy for me, but not for thee." But not to worry, DICK would solve our problems with...More torture, naturally, "Because it's OK when WE do it." ------------------------------------- Posted by: shortstop on April 23, 2009 at 10:18 AM | PERMALINK And, of course, the freefall would be Clinton's fault! Posted by: In What Respect, Charlie? on April 23, 2009 at 10:28 AM | PERMALINKGlad we are having ever sooo many opinion polls, almost daily. Now, how does mood swing affect the voting? Geez, with the Cubbies and A's losing, but, the White Sox winning, which way do I jump? Well, Obama likes the Sox, so it must be approval. Posted by: berttheclock on April 23, 2009 at 10:33 AM | PERMALINK"And, of course, the freefall would be Clinton's fault!" I wonder how soon we'll see people saying right/wrong track rating are a latent result of Bush policies. Posted by: dk on April 23, 2009 at 11:17 AM | PERMALINKGet a few American war criminals behind bars and maybe we'll get an actual majority.... Think it over, Mr. President. Yes, it IS partly as a result of Bush's policies. After 8 years of being ruled by idiots and criminals, a big chunk of the country is just relieved to have actual grownups in charge. The feeling that the President and Veep don't get up in the morning looking for new ways to screw/blow up the country is pleasant. The whole "ability to form a coherent sentence" thing is pretty great too. And yeah, contemplating how close we came to having John "Get off my rich wife's lawn" McCain, and Sarah "Wolfshooter Barbie" Palin also gives me a thrill greater than the one that runs up Chris Matthews' leg, every time I hear the words "President Obama". Posted by: bluewave on April 23, 2009 at 6:17 PM | PERMALINKEconomically, Obama is on the same track as Bush--reckless deficit spending. Because the magnitude is ten times greater under Obama, people do not recognize it as the same track, but they will as the ghastly effects become apparent. Posted by: Luther on April 24, 2009 at 2:39 AM | PERMALINK
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