Thursday, February 25, 2010

Republicans in a "Political Bull Market"

Republicans are clearly in a "Political Bull Market"


Republicans can clearly tell that they are in a "political bull market." So many Republicans are eager to run because the wind is clearly at their back. Republicans did not appear this strong in 1994 until July and did not appear this strong in 1980 until October. I dare say voters have never been so eager to vote against Democrats. Not since 1946 at least has the political climate been so anti-Democrat/pro-Republican.

Charlie Cook says it is difficult to see any scenario in which the Democrats do not lose the house. Numerous Congressional Democrats have announced retirement rather than run in 2010 (whereas most Republican open seats are open because the incumbents are seeking higher office statewide).

Just to quantify where we are: Intrade puts the 50/50 at Republicans gaining at least 35 seats in the House and holding at least 48 seats in the Senate. The contracts for Republicans holding at least 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, and 51 senate seats have all seen appreciation recently. (and this is before the filing deadlines in most states. many strong candidates may be yet to announce or at least yet to be nominated by a united party.)

But even those numbers for the senate as a whole understate the danger for incumbent Democrats. When individual races are rated, Republicans are the favorites in 8 races: AR, CO, DE, IL, IN, NV, ND, PA. That's 49. In WI and CA, the Republican is given at least a 45% chance. In NY and WA, the Republican is given a 35% chance. 53 Republican seats in 2010 is not out of the question -- with further gains likely in 2012 and 2014.

In the house, Republicans may reasonably gain 63 seats. http://www.marstonchronicles.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=308&Itemid=1144%20for%20a%20list%20by%20state.

Republicans also stand to gain 15-20 more house seats in 2012 just from the favorable demographic trends that are expected to be revealed in the next census.

The probability of victory for Republican candidates is high and so is the probability that Republicans will have a majority, likely in both houses.

There is still work to be done, but this is a truly prosperous time to be advocating for liberty. I recommend this concise book on persuasion techniques when advocating for liberty: "The Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion". Available at: http://www.theadvocates.org/secrets.html

"Unimaginable Suffering" for Patients "Routinely Neglected" in NHS Hospitals



UK (NHS) HOSPITAL CAUSED UNIMAGINABLE SUFFERING
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article7039285.ece

Patients 'routinely neglected' at NHS hospital where hundreds died in squalor
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1253438/Mid-Staffordshire-NHS-hospital-routinely-neglected-patients.html

"The Health Secretary, Andy Burnham, yesterday described the appalling treatment of patients at Staffordhospital as "ultimately a local failure". This misses the point. For one thing, Stafford is not the only NHS hospital that has put patients' lives at risk in recent years. Basildon and Colchester hospitals were also discovered to have jeopardised safety in 2009."
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-the-real-lessons-of-this-nhs-disaster-1909596.html

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Absurdity of Government Regulation of Industry



"One way to think about the relative efforts of government and business in the safety arena is this: On any given day in America, thousands of local, state, and national safety regulators are inspecting businesses, studying test data, issuing regulations, and adjudicating violations. But on that same day, millions of American workers, managers, designers, and engineers are working to make their workplaces safer, to maximize sales and revenues, minimize losses, and maintain good, long-term relationships with productive employees.

The magnitude of private-sector safety efforts, both in time and money spent, far exceeds that of even today's bloated regulatory bureaucracy. So the (regulatory) fine is best thought of as political theater, not as a deterrent to protect worker safety."

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=6024

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Who gets the blame for the recession?

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/february_2010/bush_still_blamed_for_bad_economy




The lead is misleading. The internals are more intriguing.

Young voters, less likely to vote in the midterms, are most likely to blame Bush. However, the "middle class" who make between $40,000 and $75,000 are more likely to blame Obama.




And any blame that Bush may receive for presiding over the beginning of the downfall does not translate into trusting Obama's intervention in the economy over individual liberties or free markets. Americans are more likely to see Republicans, not Democrats, as more trustworthy on crafting an economic solution.

"while most voters place the blame on his predecessor, they still have more confidence in their own economic judgment than in Obama’s. Only 28% of voters trust the president’s judgment more than their own when it comes to economic issues. Sixty-one percent (61%) trust their own judgment more.. 77% of unaffiliated voters – and 79% of Republicans – trust their own economic judgment more than Obama’s.. Voters are more closely divided over which party to trust more on economic issues: 46% trust Republicans more, while 42% trust Democrats."

Ten Rules for Anti-Government Republican Radicals in D.C.

1) Always try to decentralize power as much as possible.
2) Earmarks are corruption.
3) The louder they scream "emergency," the more suspicious you should be.
4) There's always something to attack in a government program.
5) The grassroots are your friend.
6) Tie everything back to how it helps the people.
7) We will never control spending unless we change the system.
8) You've got to believe in your heart that Americans want responsible government.
9) We don't need new laws; we need reform.
10) It's better to kill a bad bill than improve it.

http://townhall.com/columnists/JohnHawkins/2010/02/09/ten_rules_for_anti-government_republican_radicals_in_dc

Eyewitness Account: Obama's college friend reveals that Obama was in fact a radical SOCIALIST

And yet since their encounter, Obama has never revealed how his political thinking evolved and “what were the logical steps he took to get out of his Marxist world view.”

http://newsmax.com/RonaldKessler/obama-college-marxism-occidental/2010/02/08/id/349329

Monday, February 8, 2010

White House announces televised health meet

Now Obama will finally meet with Republicans to discuss their ideas -- the same ideas that Obama pretended didn't exist for the past year. Now Obama will finally conduct healthcare negotiations on TV. Only after being repudiated by Massachusetts will Obama and the Democrats pretend to care about Republican ideas.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32646.html

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Most turn to FOX News for objective reporting

"Researchers asked respondents which television news organization they turn to most
frequently. The top five... Fox News (28.4% - up from 26.5% in 2007), CNN (14.9% - down from 16.0% in 2007), NBC News (10.6% - down from 11.8% in 2007), ABC News (9.3% - down from 11.0% in 2007), and local news (7.6% - down from 8.5% in 2007)...
Respondents were asked if they selected their favorite because they offer objective reporting or because they view the issues as they did. In results that were nearly three-to-one, 59.0% suggested they made their selection based on objective reporting, while 19.0% chose their favorite because they share the same views on issues."

http://www.sacredheart.edu/download/2951_shu_9_09_report.pdf

Backlash on Excessive Compensation

Next overpaid spoiled brat targeted for excessive compensation: KATIE COURIC

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashkcc.htm

It is deliciously ironic to see the left's class warfare directed on itself. The left=wing "mainstream" media has been using their propaganda outlets, complete with bloated staffs and lavish production budgets, to spread class-warfare envy and hatred toward the successful. Now the liberal media is becoming victim to their own class-envy. CBS is announcing layoffs... and the staff is furious at Couric's excessive compensation. The left is cracking up in record time.

MSNBC reminds Americans that the media hates everything they stand for

The left's favorite slur "teabag" only proves how the left is sadly out of touch with America.

"the phrase teabag is a profound symbol of the disconnect between the elitist jackasses and the rest of America. every time an MSNBC host snickered about teabagging it reminded everyone else that the media won't take you seriously if you reject their liberal assumptions."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIpcdDXSUso

Until the left realizes that the Tea Party is more popular than they are, they will never regain the trust of real Americans.

Monday, February 1, 2010

"Financial Reform" -- Another Sadistic Government Power-Grab

How to Stand Up to Obama's Bureaucratic Takeover of our Finances
-- and Crippling of Small Business Entrepreneurs

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/23808095/Language-of-Financial-Reform