May 9th Prediction: Obama or Romney?

[Admiral Yi]

This is a positive in America?

There are probably a lot of people here that would have preferred they just write the check, shaft the bond holders, fire the CEO, and not touch the union workers.

[Hansmeister]

It's like watching Fox News or listening to a Rush broadcast.

Better than sounding like some MSNBC loser.  It is funny how out of touch with reality languishites have grown.

I find it heartening that Obama has had difficulty fundraising, doing worse than in 2008 and even worse than Bush in 2004, despite spending far more time on it.  I'm also happy to see how he failed to fill the opening event to his official campaign, much to his embarrasment.  All the excitement, the personality cult, is gone and Obama is stumbling around campaigning on silly distractions since he can't campaign on the economy, which is what everybody cares about.  Make no mistake, this election will be all about the economy, and Obama hasn't been able to make any argument in his favour on that issue.  This is why in the end most likely everything will break heavily against Obama (just like it did with Jimmy Carter).  Obama doesn't have a plausible narrative for his reelection.  "It could've been worse" isn't a winning argument, particularly when you repeatedly promised after you were elected that things would turn out better than they have (unemployment will not exceed 8% with the stimulus, summer of recovery, etc.).

Obama can only offer more gridlock and more economic stagnation.  And of course more blaming everyone else but himself when things don't work out in the long run either.  Obama is an amateur and simply too incompetent for the job.  But if you don't want to take my word on it, take it from Bill Clinton:

"Barack Obama," Bill Clinton said, according to book excerpts, "is an amateur."
The withering criticism is incredible, given the fact that Bill Clinton is actively campaigning for Obama's re-election.
But according to the book, Bill Clinton unloaded on Obama and pressed Hillary to run against her boss during a gathering in the ex-president's home office in Chappaqua last August that included longtime friends, Klein said.
"The economy's a mess, it's dead flat. America has lost its Triple-A rating . . . You know better than Obama does," Bill said.
Bill Clinton insisted he had "no relationship" with Obama and had been consulted more frequently by his presidential successor, George W. Bush.
Obama, Bill Clinton said, "doesn't know how to be president" and is "incompetent."

This is from "The Amateur", by Edward Klein, former editor-in-chief of the New York Times Magazine.

[Admiral Yi]

Wanna make it interesting Hans?

I would put some money on Intrade (Obama and no Iran attack) but they charge you a monthly fee.

[Hansmeister]

On his econd day in office Obama spoke to the Congressional leaders about a stimulus bill.  When the GOP leadership tried to offer some suggestions on it Obama shut them out with "I won, I think I'm going to trump you on that", and subsequently completely shut them out of the debate.  That's bipartisanship for you!

LOL, ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

I had fun throwing that back at some people after the 2010 mid-terms.

Yep, payback's a bitch.  Obama spent the first two years saying "fuck you" to the GOP at every opportunity because he could with his super majorities, and after the mid-term is surprised that they are hostile to him.  Amateur.  Not to mention that he still is horrible at negotiating: Obama stakes out a position on the far left and pronounces it to be the compromise position, demanding that the GOP compromise with him by supporting his position 100%.  He then issues ultimatums saying that he will accept nothing but the "compromise" position and takes it to the brink.  When the brink arrives he then grows desperate, having maneuvered himself into a box and quickly caves to stave of catastrophe, earning him the enmity of the left.  He has followed the same amateurish approach several times, ending up pissing off everybody on both sides in the process.  Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans in Congress take Obama very serious anymore.  This is one reason Obama has been AWOL on the budget and most of everything else for the last year-and-a-half.

[Valmy]

Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans in Congress take Obama very serious anymore.

To be fair nobody takes them seriously either.

What exact far left positions has Obama taken?

[Hansmeister]

Wanna make it interesting Hans?

I would put some money on Intrade (Obama and no Iran attack) but they charge you a monthly fee.

I don't gamble for money but I'm open to other suggestions.
               
Unless there is a huge event that completely transforms the nature of the election Obama will lose.  And it's not going to be close.

[Valmy]

I don't gamble for money but I'm open to other suggestions.
               
Unless there is a huge event that completely transforms the nature of the election Obama will lose.  And it's not going to be close.

Well for your sake I hope this is more accurate than you babbling about how this is a conservative country that will vote Republican forever back around 2003.

[Hansmeister]

Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans in Congress take Obama very serious anymore.

To be fair nobody takes them seriously either.

What exact far left positions has Obama taken?

For example, when he demanded not only an unconditional increase in the debt limit, but also a new stimulus bill to go along with it.  This was something neither party in Congress was willing to stomach.  Obama's deficit-reduction proposal actually increased the deficit! 

In the end he was all alone on that one.  presidential leadership matters, Obama's complete lack thereof has had a significant impact in Congress, particularly because control is split.

Instead Obama engages in silly symbolic battles, such as the "Buffett-rule".  Pure partisan demagoguery with no sensible policy.

[Valmy]

For example, when he demanded not only an unconditional increase in the debt limit, but also a new stimulus bill to go along with it.  This was something neither party in Congress was willing to stomach.  Obama's deficit-reduction proposal actually increased the deficit! 

Increasing the deficit is a far left position?  Then I guess the Republicans are raging communists.  Anyway sounds like typical keynsian crap to temporarily boost the economy to save himself politically.  Typical US government garbage but not far left.

In the end he was all alone on that one.  presidential leadership matters, Obama's complete lack thereof has had a significant impact in Congress, particularly because control is split.

I know Obama is the worst human being in the universe who is loathesome down to his terrorist bones but that is not a far left policy.

Instead Obama engages in silly symbolic battles, such as the "Buffett-rule".  Pure partisan demagoguery with no sensible policy.

Because he is a politician and symbolic battles cost no money.  But still not a far left position.

[Hansmeister]

I don't gamble for money but I'm open to other suggestions.
               
Unless there is a huge event that completely transforms the nature of the election Obama will lose.  And it's not going to be close.

Well for your sake I hope this is more accurate than you babbling about how this is a conservative country that will vote Republican forever back around 2003.

The country is center-right and will vote for conservative ideas over liberal ones.  The problem for the GOP was that it had succumbed to big government activism and conservatives felt sold out.  The Democrats and Obama promised to govern conservatively and won.  Remember, Obama promised a "net-spending cut" when he ran for President.  When the Democrats governed liberally it didn't work out too well for them, did it?

However, unless Republicans can actually govern in a conservative manner (I mean mainly on fiscal and role of government matters, not social), we might end up having a generation that tilts to the left, putting the country on a path where the majority of the population become tax-eaters instead of tax-payers.  We are already dangerously close.  From there it is a short step to Greece.

[Hansmeister]

For example, when he demanded not only an unconditional increase in the debt limit, but also a new stimulus bill to go along with it.  This was something neither party in Congress was willing to stomach.  Obama's deficit-reduction proposal actually increased the deficit! 

Increasing the deficit is a far left position?  Then I guess the Republicans are raging communists.  Anyway sounds like typical keynsian crap to temporarily boost the economy to save himself politically.  Typical US government garbage but not far left.

In the end he was all alone on that one.  presidential leadership matters, Obama's complete lack thereof has had a significant impact in Congress, particularly because control is split.

I know Obama is the worst human being in the universe who is loathesome down to his terrorist bones but that is not a far left policy.

Instead Obama engages in silly symbolic battles, such as the "Buffett-rule".  Pure partisan demagoguery with no sensible policy.

Because he is a politician and symbolic battles cost no money.  But still not a far left position.

It was to the far left of where virtually everybody in Congress (and the nation overall) was.  And when you run massive and unprecedented deficits and you propose ever higher deficits that certainly puts you far out of the mainstream.  And the GOP never ran insane deficits like this.  Particularly since these deficits are structural, not cyclical.

[11B4V]

It's like watching Fox News or listening to a Rush broadcast.

Better than sounding like some MSNBC loser.  It is funny how out of touch with reality languishites have grown.

I find it heartening that Obama has had difficulty fundraising, doing worse than in 2008 and even worse than Bush in 2004, despite spending far more time on it.  I'm also happy to see how he failed to fill the opening event to his official campaign, much to his embarrasment.  All the excitement, the personality cult, is gone and Obama is stumbling around campaigning on silly distractions since he can't campaign on the economy, which is what everybody cares about.  Make no mistake, this election will be all about the economy, and Obama hasn't been able to make any argument in his favour on that issue.  This is why in the end most likely everything will break heavily against Obama (just like it did with Jimmy Carter).  Obama doesn't have a plausible narrative for his reelection.  "It could've been worse" isn't a winning argument, particularly when you repeatedly promised after you were elected that things would turn out better than they have (unemployment will not exceed 8% with the stimulus, summer of recovery, etc.).

Obama can only offer more gridlock and more economic stagnation.  And of course more blaming everyone else but himself when things don't work out in the long run either.  Obama is an amateur and simply too incompetent for the job.  But if you don't want to take my word on it, take it from Bill Clinton:

"Barack Obama," Bill Clinton said, according to book excerpts, "is an amateur."
The withering criticism is incredible, given the fact that Bill Clinton is actively campaigning for Obama's re-election.
But according to the book, Bill Clinton unloaded on Obama and pressed Hillary to run against her boss during a gathering in the ex-president's home office in Chappaqua last August that included longtime friends, Klein said.
"The economy's a mess, it's dead flat. America has lost its Triple-A rating . . . You know better than Obama does," Bill said.
Bill Clinton insisted he had "no relationship" with Obama and had been consulted more frequently by his presidential successor, George W. Bush.
Obama, Bill Clinton said, "doesn't know how to be president" and is "incompetent."

This is from "The Amateur", by Edward Klein, former editor-in-chief of the New York Times Magazine.

It's OK, it wont be the end of the world if the GOP loses.  Just four more years of chances to piss and moan.

Sorry dont watch MSNBC or CNN. Stopped watching FOXNEWS in 2004.

[Valmy]

The country is center-right and will vote for conservative ideas over liberal ones.  The problem for the GOP was that it had succumbed to big government activism and conservatives felt sold out.  The Democrats and Obama promised to govern conservatively and won.  Remember, Obama promised a "net-spending cut" when he ran for President.  When the Democrats governed liberally it didn't work out too well for them, did it?

However, unless Republicans can actually govern in a conservative manner (I mean mainly on fiscal and role of government matters, not social), we might end up having a generation that tilts to the left, putting the country on a path where the majority of the population become tax-eaters instead of tax-payers.  We are already dangerously close.  From there it is a short step to Greece.

Well Obama also promised a bunch of left wing things he didn't do either.

Totally agree with you on the second part but they won't.  The Republicans are completely corrupt and sold out, same with the Democrats.  They can only reform in a way where the interests who have bought them will not suffer too much and that is impossible.  The problem is not left vs. right really but the whole culture and system.  So really who wins does not bother me too much.  The only thing that seems to still shift is the social stuff and I am more with the Democrats on those (sort of, they just cannot help themselves but pass stupid crap even when I generally agree with them).  But hey the Republicans will get another shot if not this election but very soon and whenever they feel like getting the fiscal house in order I will support them again.

Not that it matters who I support of course, I do not live in a swing state.

[DGuller]

The country is center-right and will vote for conservative ideas over liberal ones.  The problem for the GOP was that it had succumbed to big government activism and conservatives felt sold out.  The Democrats and Obama promised to govern conservatively and won.  Remember, Obama promised a "net-spending cut" when he ran for President.  When the Democrats governed liberally it didn't work out too well for them, did it?

However, unless Republicans can actually govern in a conservative manner (I mean mainly on fiscal and role of government matters, not social), we might end up having a generation that tilts to the left, putting the country on a path where the majority of the population become tax-eaters instead of tax-payers.  We are already dangerously close.  From there it is a short step to Greece.

Well Obama also promised a bunch of left wing things he didn't do either.

Totally agree with you on the second part but they won't.  The Republicans are completely corrupt and sold out, same with the Democrats.  They can only reform in a way where the interests who have bought them will not suffer too much and that is impossible.  The problem is not left vs. right really but the whole culture and system.  So really who wins does not bother me too much.  The only thing that seems to still shift is the social stuff and I am more with the Democrats on those (sort of, they just cannot help themselves but pass stupid crap even when I generally agree with them).  But hey the Republicans will get another shot if not this election but very soon and whenever they feel like getting the fiscal house in order I will support them again.

Not that it matters who I support of course, I do not live in a swing state.

Yeah, it's so easy to attack corrupt politicians, but I'm going to call bullshit on that one.  The problem is the voters, and the fact that they feel so comfortable feeling very strong opinions on things they don't even care to understand.  At the end of the days, voters are more powerful than influence peddlers.

[Valmy]

Yeah, it's so easy to attack corrupt politicians, but I'm going to call bullshit on that one.

I am not attacking the politicians really.  They do what they have to do.  The ones that don't are out of office.  I just have to be honest with myself about what I can expect from them.

voters are more powerful than influence peddlers.

If you say so dude.

What are you going to do...vote for the other corrupt guy in the other corrupt party?