February 2, 2012 10:46am Obama's Economic Approval Just 36 Percent byPaul Bedard
In another indication of the difficulty President Obama's reelection campaign faces, only 36 percent of likely voters grade the administration's handling of the economy at good or excellent, according to a new Rasmussen poll.
In a national survey of 1,000 likely voters January 31-February 1, a whopping 62 percent grade the president at fair to poor, with poor collecting the largest number: 45 percent.
Still, Democratic officials say that they see a positive trend built on slightly better unemployment and housing numbers that could end up helping Obama in his reelection.
Stocks rose after the U.S. economy added more jobs than expected last month, driving the Nasdaq Composite to an 11-year high and pushing the Dow to its highest reading in almost four years.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 154 points, or 1.2%, to 12859, its highest close since May 2008. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index tacked on 19 points, or 1.5%, to 1345, for its fifth straight weekly gain.
The technology-oriented Nasdaq Composite Index gained 46 points, or 1.6%, to 2906, its highest level since December 2000. The Nasdaq is off to its best start to the year since 1991, up 12%.
Keep this up and all Obama will have to do to win reelection is show up!
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Record 1.2 Million People Fall Out Of Labor Force In One Month, Labor Force Participation Rate Tumbles To Fresh 30 Year Low Tyler Durden's picture Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/03/2012 08:51 -0500
A month ago, we joked when we said that for Obama to get the unemployment rate to negative by election time, all he has to do is to crush the labor force participation rate to about 55%. Looks like the good folks at the BLS heard us: it appears that the people not in the labor force exploded by an unprecedented record 1.2 million. No, that's not a typo: 1.2 million people dropped out of the labor force in one month! So as the labor force increased from 153.9 million to 154.4 million, the non institutional population increased by 242.3 million meaning, those not in the labor force surged from 86.7 million to 87.9 million. Which means that the civilian labor force tumbled to a fresh 30 year low of 63.7% as the BLS is seriously planning on eliminating nearly half of the available labor pool from the unemployment calculation. As for the quality of jobs, as withholding taxes roll over Year over year, it can only mean that the US is replacing high paying FIRE jobs with low paying construction and manufacturing. So much for the improvement.
Obama's approval has risen steadily in all metrics
GALLUP DAILY: POLITICS Obama Job Approval Jan 23-29, 2012 –
National adults 45%- 18 to 29 53%+3 30 to 49 45%+1 50 to 64 43%-2 65+ 37%-2 White 36%-1 Nonwhite 69%+5 Black 89% +10 Hispanic 55%+2 Democrat 81%- Independent 42%+1 Republican 10%-
In spite of the increased attention given to Republican candidates due to their primary exposure, Obama continues to rise in approval almost across the board.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The Obama Administration, with the help of the MSM, is setting the stage for a war with Iran. With each passing day, the MSM reports on the escalation of words and actions between Iraq, Israel, and the United States. This week they reported of Iran's threat to attack the U.S. on our homeland.
I predict that military operations will begin by late summer. Obama knows that the American people have historically reelected sitting Presidents during times of war. The cost of guaranteed reelection will be the blood of the young men and women who serve our nation.
IT'S BUSH'S FAULT! IT'S FOX NEWS FAULT!! IT'S THE TEA PARTY'S FAULT! IT'S THE CHRISTIAN'S FAULT! IT'S THE RACIST WHITE'S FAULT! IT'S THE MILLIONAIRES FAULT! IT'S GLENN BECK'S FAULT! IT'S CAPITALISM'S FAULT! IT'S MICKEY MOUSE'S FAULT! IT'S DONALD TRUMP'S FAULT! IT'S AMERICAN IDOL'S FAULT! IT'S THE CARTOON NETWORK'S FAULT! IT'S THE PRO-LIFER'S FAULT! IT'S GE'S FAULT! IT'S THE NFL'S FAULT!
OMG!!!!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The Obama Administration, with the help of the MSM, is setting the stage for a war with Iran. With each passing day, the MSM reports on the escalation of words and actions between Iraq, Israel, and the United States. This week they reported of Iran's threat to attack the U.S. on our homeland.
I predict that military operations will begin by late summer. Obama knows that the American people have historically reelected sitting Presidents during times of war. The cost of guaranteed reelection will be the blood of the young men and women who serve our nation.
If this prediction comes true....Paul will gain even more support! Folks are sick and tired of wars! And if they attack the u.s......it will just prove Paul's point even further. imho
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
February 2, 2012 10:46am Obama's Economic Approval Just 36 Percent byPaul Bedard
In another indication of the difficulty President Obama's reelection campaign faces, only 36 percent of likely voters grade the administration's handling of the economy at good or excellent, according to a new Rasmussen poll.
In a national survey of 1,000 likely voters January 31-February 1, a whopping 62 percent grade the president at fair to poor, with poor collecting the largest number: 45 percent.
Still, Democratic officials say that they see a positive trend built on slightly better unemployment and housing numbers that could end up helping Obama in his reelection.
"We just need six more months," said a top Democratic official.
When you consider the GOP field... Obama can win reelection with 30% approval and 9% unemployment. That's how bad his competition really is.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
A new WMUR Granite State Poll shows that the improving economy has also raised President Obama's standing in New Hampshire.
Key findings: 38% of New Hampshire adults think the country is headed in the right direction, while 50% say it's on the wrong track. That doesn't seem optimistic, but it represent a big jump from October, when 70% thought the country was on the wrong track.
Obama's approval rate is now 51% and he beats Mitt Romney in a possible general election match up, 50% to 40%.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Among all Americans, Obama leads Romney 52 to 43 percent, whereas among registered voters, the presidents has a narrower edge over Romney, 51 to 45 percent. This is the first time that Obama has more than 50 percent of the votes in a match-up against Romney among all Americans since July, when the president led the GOP candidate, 51 to 44 percent.
(Washington Post-ABC News poll.)
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Just before Christmas, American workers got a rare gift from Washington politicians - the current payroll tax cut would be extended for two more months.
At the time, both President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner lauded the move to avoid a tax increase for millions of working Americans.
But there's something the politicians weren't bragging about - the fact that they're paying for the two-month tax cut with what has turned into a brand new fee on home buyers.
The new fee is a minimum of one-tenth of 1 percent on Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-backed loans, and is likely to go much higher.
It will be imposed for the next 10 years on most mortgages and refinancings and it lasts for the life of the loan.
Obama unveils mortgage refinancing plan Congress preps Round 2 of payroll tax-cut fight Budget cuts, fees eyed in payroll tax talks
For every $200,000, it amounts to an extra $15 dollars a month.
It's bad news for Patty Anderson, who's buying a home in Virginia.
Anderson will save a couple hundred dollars from having her payroll tax cut extended but her mortgage broker told her the new fee would cost her almost $9,500.
"I was absolutely startled that it would add up to that much," she said.
The $35.7 billion collected in fees won't go into the Social Security fund to replace the lost payroll tax. It goes to the general treasury where Congress can spend it however they please.
duh......and everyone gets to CLAIM that 'extra income'......it's a shell game....if it wasn't Mr. Buffet would be buying all our homes for a cool million.....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
A new Quinnipiac poll in Virginia shows in a general election match up:
President Obama pulling ahead of Mitt Romney 47% to 43% Obama leads Rick Santorum 49% to 41%, Obama leads Ron Paul 47% to 40%, Obama leads Newt Gingrich 51% to 37%.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Dependency Index Shoots Up 23% Under President Obama
By JOHN MERLINE, INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY Posted 08:02 AM ET
The American public's dependence on the federal government shot up 23% in just two years under President Obama, with 67 million now relying on some federal program, according to a newly released study by the Heritage Foundation.
The conservative think tank's annual Index of Dependence on Government tracks money spent on housing, health, welfare, education subsidies and other federal programs that were "traditionally provided to needy people by local organizations and families."
The increase under Obama is the biggest two-year jump since Jimmy Carter was president, the data show.
The rise was driven mainly by increases in housing subsidies, an expansion in Medicaid and changes to the welfare system, along with a sharp rise in food stamps, the study found.
"You can't get around the fact that policy decisions made over the past two years, on top of those made over the past several decades, are having a large effect on the pace of growth of the index," said William Beach, who authored the Heritage study.
Dependence on the government has climbed steadily since 1962, when the index stood at 19. By 1980, the index had risen to 100. It stood at 294 in 2010, the last year for which the data are available. The D.C.-based Heritage Foundation has produced the index for nine years.
The report also found that spending on "dependence programs" accounts for more than 70% of the federal budget. That, too, is up dramatically. In 1990, for example, the figure stood at 48.5%, and in 1962 just over a quarter of federal spending went to dependence programs.
At the same time, fewer Americans pay income taxes, the report notes. Almost half (49.5%) didn't pay income taxes in 2009, the latest year for which the researchers have data. Back in the late 1960s, only 12% of Americans escaped the income tax burden.
The number of people dependent on the federal government shot up 7.5% over the past two years.