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For those unaware of Rasmussen Reports here is the link to the site (click here). For everyone here is an excerpt from the American Spectator about Rasmussen’s current view on voting in America. For some it will be an uplifting bit of news.

“If you look at polls of generic congressional preference, Democrats do well in polls of all adults, Republicans do better in polls of registered voters, and better still among likely voters,” Rasmussen said. “Groups most supportive of Democrats, young and minority voters, are less likely to be registered and less likely to go to the polls.”

Rasmussen said the youth turnout wasn’t even that impressive in 2008, with a rock star at the top of the ticket. He said he’d be “shocked” if the youth vote turned out this year. He pointed out that in 2008 McCain won among voters who were 40 or older. Rain or shine, these folks show up to the polls, and they lean Republican.

Being forty or older is a good place to be. We show up at the polls and we lean Republican. Lean being the key. Bob Bennett is a recent example of how important that distinction is. Those who vote party all the time whether left or right will be wrong some of the time. Those who vote principle will be right all the time.

In the last presidential election a vote for Obama was a vote not on principle but some other measure. Hope, change or pick the other party this time. That is not voting on principle. That is wasting a vote.

While voting for McCain required holding one’s nose a principle was nonetheless involved. A president cannot ignore the party in which they hold membership. John McCain would have been required to alter his own agenda in order to maintain support from his own party. Much the same as Obama has had to do much to the detriment of our nation. But the chance of a common sense conservative approach was a possibility with McCain and the GOP as opposed to the left and Barack Obama.

The baby boom generation is old enough to remember the work of what has been referred to as the greatest generation. (by Tom Brokaw) Understanding the greatness of America through their eyes and that of those before them will vanish if our nation does not return to those principles in the near future. Few of the newer generations are willing or able to carry that torch.

We have let them down by not passing on this information or allowing them to understand the necessity for protecting the founding of this nation by the way we live.

For the first time in many years there is reason to believe a reawakening has begun. Call it voter anger (or sour voters as Chuck U Schumer said) or outrage, the Tea Party phenomenon or whatever you like. But polls like those of Scott Rasmussen and others have been suggesting for months on end something big will happen in November 2010.

It is this blogger’s expectation that the GOP, conservatives and like-minded Americans will have a rare opportunity to put our nation back on its proper course and correct the problems for which we are all responsible. That requires supporting candidates who oppose the liberal agenda with your vote this time around.

It also requires a similar approach to each and every election. If a person in elected office has not lived up to their oath or affirmation they need to be replaced. You get the time between elections to prove your self. If you fail you should be voted out. It is that simple.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

If you are a conservative it’s one of those good stories you cannot bring yourself to believe if only for the improbable math involved.

The survey, which gauged voter sentiment in 13 of the states with the country’s most competitive Senate races, showed Republican Senate candidates averaging a high single-digit lead over their Democratic opponents, offering the same snapshot of an angry, uneasy electorate shown in poll after poll this year.

At this point there should be no doubt American citizens are angry. The President and Congress have approval ratings so low we may need a new math to keep score. Rather than voters replacing the majority party at the midterms when bad times persist another event may take place.

Some POLS are not facing re-election this midterm. Of those who are the stronger from each party may survive and the weaker links may depart. What if voter anger is so widespread this time around that the two chambers end up nearly and even split in terms of party?

That may introduce a new definition for lame duck Congress. It may last for two years until the next election. The upside might be that no legislation is passed. And by 2012 there would still be time to repeal Obamacare after electing a new president. Meaning the rest of that dismal plan won’t take effect until 2014 or later.

So a long lame duck session from late 2010 forward would allow another election to drain the swamp in addition to the bonus of getting a new president. Most of the damage of the last two years could be resolved.

This fantasy is no less likely than the GOP gaining the majority in the US Senate this November. As for a new president in 2012, the GOP needs a candidate who can win. What are the odds on that happening?

Sorry to wake you up from the dream.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

A stunning poll showing state Sen. Scott Brown ahead of Coakley wrecked Obama’s week. After all, Obama’s dream of overhauling the nation’s health-care system could hinge on the Democrats holding 60 seats in the Senate to keep Republicans from filibustering the bill to death. A Brown win would also allow the GOP to bring Obama’s entire agenda to a halt.

Reason enough for conservatives and independents to vote for Scott Brown. Given the reluctance of many Congressional Democrats to vote for Obamacare it is good reason for liberals to vote for Scott Brown too. The pressure placed on Democrats by their party, including Obama, Reid, Pelosi and others, to vote the ‘party line’ is nothing more than extortion in an election year. No different than the bribes offered Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

The debate has never been about healthcare reform. Those supporting Obamacare expecting reform will not get it. The singular reason for Dems passing this legislation is to give President Obama a political victory for his agenda to include in the State of the Union address with the hope of saving his first year in office. That’s an expensive campaign item taxpayers will have to fund. With no guarantee of benefits in the future or at least not for the first four years. Conveniently placed well beyond the 2010 and 2012 elections.

Again, reason enough to vote for Scott Brown no matter who you are or what you want. At the very least Brown offers a chance to remove the flaws from healthcare reform legislation and present an honest bill.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Republicans won, fundamentally, because President Obama and the Democratic leadership in Washington have rebranded themselves as the party of economic irresponsibility. That is from Alex Castellanos in an opinion piece at the NYT fish wrap. Liberals should have learned why they won in the last two elections. Or more accurately, why the GOP lost. It was because of a fall from grace from conservative principles. That includes spending like drunken sailors. But asking liberals to restrain spending and limiting government is not an easy proposition. They are, after all, liberals. For the GOP it was an aberration. For the liberals, aka, the Democratic party, it is their modus operandi.

Also from the NYT fish wrap comes a title by Ruy Teixeira of ‘Relax Democrats’. You can guess what the advice is from Teixeira to the Dems. Then there is the more logical analysis from Reuters blogs.

Now the Democratic spin on losing the governorships of Virginia and New Jersey is this: All politics are local. A weak candidate in one state, an unpopular governor in the other. Plus voters are cranky about the economy.

No broader conclusions should be drawn. Now let’s move forward and go pass healthcare, OK, America? James Pethokoukis echoes the sentiments most Americans have and most Democrats refuse to acknowledge. Several times in recent history the GOP has been spanked by voters for ignoring this message. But it seems the Dems are as slow at learning this message as the GOP is about conservative principles.

Clinton, Carville, the nineties and a slogan it’s the economy, stupid seems to have fallen on deaf ears in Washington. No, we don’t want increased national debt. No, we don’t want rising deficits. When will unemployment numbers improve? Who needs to spend trillions on healthcare reform when most feel their coverage is adequate? And to borrow a repetitive phrase from Obama, ‘a host of’ other problems are not being addressed by the current regime. That’s right! Regime! The culture of corruption in Washington more closely resembles the characteristics of a banana republic than the United States government. And voters are expressing their displeasure.

A piece from the Wall Street Journal sums it up quite nicely. What was learned Tuesday is that the American voter is absolutely, totally, unremittingly disgusted with both political parties. Daniel Henninger puts it well but the view here is a disagreement perhaps on semantics. The word ‘desperate’ was used to describe the voters’ need for ‘political leadership’. An alternative description would be American voters strongly support the need for effective governing. And neither party seems willing or equipped to provide it.

From advice to Dems in the MSM to White House spin on this week’s election results a simple conclusion can be drawn. Of course the White House will not admit they’re in trouble publicly. Spin the losses as no big deal. Of course the MSM is reluctant to abandon their idol worship of Obama and tell the truth. Of course the Dems will lose big in 2010 if they don’t heed the warning from voters and it may already be too late. They are the ruling party and the masses are in rage mode. But it may also be a bust for the GOP in 2010 with a party split in win/loss stats. With the NY-23 fiasco Republicans are losing ground on the rebuilding the party strategy…… if they have one.

Polls indicate the country is trending conservative. This does not mean Republican. It means the public is slow to respond. But they are responding now and the message is clear. Do the right thing or look for a new job.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Let’s assume the WaPo/ABC poll referenced below is correct. If that is true most Americans are not thinking this one through. What’s the problem?

New federal rules on compensation at companies that accepted bailout money are likely to get a warm public reception: in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, more than seven in 10 Americans say they support such limits, most of them “strongly” so.

Okay, you agree to participate in a poll and you answer the questions you’re asked. How different would the results have been if the ‘pollsters’ asked the participants if they were in favor of government takeovers, bailouts, increased national debt, economy killing deficits, minimum wage increases and executive compensation limits?

Maybe not all at once but if the items mentioned above were included it may have altered the results. If Americans consider the liberal agenda in terms of wage and compensation controls they may not favor what was asked in the poll featured in this post. Liberals have no problem raising minimum wage, increasing the wages of workers in general and decreasing compensation for those who own or manage companies. Allowing the government to limit executive compensation may be one of those slippery slope issues. Careful what you ask for, you might get it. If POLS are allowed to control executive pay how long will it be until they control your’s? (Not that they don’t already to some degree.)

But the point is the more government controls the more freedom and liberty are threatened.

When the public is exposed to all the available information and given adequate time to digest it poll numbers have a way of changing.

Poll finds nearly 2 in 3 Americans are Manmade Global Warming ‘Deniers’
Marc Sheppard

According to a Pew Research Poll released today, the number of Americans believing there to be “solid evidence that the earth is warming” has dropped 14% since last year. And the biggest drop – 22% — was among those identifying themselves as independents.

And while 57% are still buying into the continuing warming hype, the number attributing the warming to human activity has dropped from 47% to 36%. What’s more, the number seeing global warming as a “very serious” problem is down 9 points to 35%.

Here’s the Pew Research excerpt and link…..

Fewer Americans See Solid Evidence of Global Warming
Modest Support for “Cap and Trade” Policy

October 22, 2009

There has been a sharp decline over the past year in the percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence that global temperatures are rising. And fewer also see global warming as a very serious problem — 35% say that today, down from 44% in April 2008.

On the issue of healthcare reform….

Six in 10 say Obama’s proposal, if enacted, would not achieve his goals of expanding coverage to nearly all Americans without raising taxes on the middle class or lowering the quality of health care. For the first time, a majority disapprove of the way he’s handling health care policy.

Given sufficient time, there appears to be a better than even chance most Americans will draw the correct conclusion on the issues. Gee, could it be that is why the liberal majority in Washington is so eager to ram their agenda though Congress?

Of course there’s the other side of the liberal agenda. The side where they do little or nothing. Like Iran, North Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan and all the other foreign affairs policy areas that feature their appeasement strategy. VPOTUS Joe Biden was touted in the 2008 campaign as Barack Obama’s answer to those criticizing his lack of foreign policy experience. Since the election the Obama World Apology Tour remains the only noticeable event on the international stage. Biden and Clinton have been MIA as is any meaningful US foreign policy.

Some other polls have suggested Americans are losing interest in US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps that is because President Obama has failed to provide leadership on these issues and appears to be clueless on the next step or fearful there is no political upside for the community organizer-in-chief. About all that has happened lately is Mr Obama has again assured all that the US will be out of Iraq by next August. One can only suspect terrorists or insurgents are gearing up for the conveniently provided timeline.

Problems, politicians and polls dominating public debate on criticial issues. We may be waiting a long time for real American leadership. Will it begin in 2010 and end in 2012?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

This is a brief post with the sole purpose to highlight two points on the healthcare debate on this Monday September 14, 2009.  Most people, if being honest, would expect the MSM is not altogether unbiased.  These same people would likely hold that sources like ABC News and WaPo if anything, lean left.  Based on the resume’ it would be reasonable to also suspect that George Stephanopoulos leans in the same direction.  With that in mind you might expect that if a poll produced by ABC News and WaPo may have surveyed more left leaning participants than right.  Yet the numbers do not bode well for Obamacare.

If that is even remotely close to reality the following information found at NRO Online from Mr Stephanopoulos’ blog demonstrates the second point of this brief post.  If there is roughly a statistical split on most items in the healthcare debate why would anyone support it with those expecting it to ‘make the deficit worse’ coming in at 2 to 1?  Or at least those supporting it should be about one-third.

Split on Obama’s handling of health care: 48-48 (46-50 August 17)
Support Obama’s health care reforms: 46-48 (45-50 August 17)
President Obama’s job approval is at 54 (57 August 17)
Deficit: 65% think health care reform will make it worse
Medicare: 56% of seniors think it will weaken Medicare

Again, if this information is even close to reality, there must be plenty of people who simply don’t care about the cost.  The guess here is that if 2/3 of people surveyed  expect healthcare reform to make the deficit worse those supporting Obamacare come in two flavors.  Those who do not expect to pay for it.  And those who expect to gain enough from the plan to offset any tax increases, etc.

The first group described would be those who do not pay taxes and are expecting more free healthcare courtesy of those who do pay taxes.  The second group would be, by example, those who make their living in the health sector and don’t care where the money comes from as long as it keeps coming.  That group would support the notion that with or without healthcare reform costs will continue to rise.

Political considerations are making government healthcare reform an issue.  That will never create useful solutions to problems in healthcare.  Simply reviewing the history of Medicare, Medicaid and similar government programs will demonstrate that.  These programs cannot continue indefinitely.  Creating more programs like them will not solve the problems.  Until honest discussions begin within the public and private sector including the general public and how we live and use healthcare services nothing will be solved.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

No one wants to air their dirty laundry in public. But that doesn’t stop it from happening. It seems that when most countries are the subject of criticism about their history those raising the issue are not from the target country. Currently some in the UK are defending their brand of healthcare against criticism from those debating a similar issue in the US. Iran and North Korea are getting criticized by just about every other country for their pursuit of nukes and their subsequent denials or lame justifications for it. And the US gets criticized for just about anything and everything. A likely downside to being on top of the pile. And Russia is not exempt from criticism either.

Sunday, August 23, marks the 70th anniversary of the so-called Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact - the non-aggression treaty signed in 1939 by Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov and German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. The pact included a secret protocol dividing Eastern and Central Europe into Nazi and Soviet spheres of influence. Days after it was signed, first German and then Soviet forces invaded Poland.

This kind of discussion will ruffle the Bear’s fur. Drawing comparisons between Stalin and Hitler will not go unnoticed in Russia. …’ in May, President Dmitri Medvedev issued a decree setting up a presidential commission to counter what he called attempts to “falsify history.” ‘ And then there is mention of something that seems akin to Russia’s Soviet legacy. ‘ Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu introduced legislation in parliament that would make it a crime to deny the Soviet victory in World War II.’ The criticism is having the expected reaction in the Kremlin and elsewhere.

So what else are the critics saying? Dmitry Furman of the Russian Academy of Science’s Institute of Europe calls the presidential commission to counter what it deems historical falsification an “idiotic undertaking” and a “very bad idea.” He also says Stalin’s government killed as many, or even more people than Hitler’s.

But, given the suffering Russians endured after Hitler turned on Stalin and invaded the Soviet Union, Furman says it is natural that many resist equating Stalinism and Nazism.

Furman says it is “very difficult psychologically” for Russians to put what they see as their “victors” in the Great Patriotic War, as they call World War II, on the same level with the vanquished Nazis.

This might be a case of forgetting to note that Stalin was not representative of the Russian people. It may be difficult indeed for Russia to come to grips with the legacy of a madman.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

from Newsmax….

Zogby: Obama Hits Record Low in Poll

A new Zogby poll to be released Friday reveals that President Obama’s approval rating has hit a record low, with 45 percent of Americans giving him a positive job rating. Apparently soured on his costly economic schemes and a multi-trillion dollar plan that would nationalize healthcare, Americans are rejecting the new president. This sea change in public opinion comes as Democrats plan to push healthcare through Congress without any GOP support.

So much for all the liberal comments that the political opposition, i.e., GOP, is behind town hall public outcry against Obamacare. Those of you not in the 45% giving the President a positive job rating would do well to continue to contact your elected reps reminding them why you have a negative job rating for President Obama.

The obvious talking points would be the deficit, national debt, nationalizing the private sector as well as national defense and border security. Stay on it folks! It’s working!

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com