Obama Approval Rating Improving...GOP Declining

[Maggie]

For what it is worth…

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123690358175013837.html

[jocoshock]

For what it is worth…

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123690358175013837.html

Interesting article. Second to last paragraph...

Finally, what probably accounts for a good measure of the confidence and support the Obama administration has enjoyed is the fact that they are not Republicans. Virtually all Americans, more than eight in 10, blame Republicans for the current economic woes, and the only two leaders with lower approval ratings than Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and John Boehner.

McConnell of course is one of the top 10 members of the Senate when it comes to getting his favorite eamarks into the Stimulus package....

Following the vote, McConnell issued a press release that simultaneously announced his opposition to what he said was an oversized bill and touted the millions of dollars he personally brought home to Kentucky.

Unlike McConnell, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) is personally opposed to earmarks and had none in the bill -- as did most of the House GOP leadership -- giving him some political cover in attacking earmarks. The contrast was noticeable Wednesday when the two House and Senate leaders stood beside each other at a press conference, as Boehner blamed the President for signing an earmark-laden omnibus that McConnell and many other Republicans contributed to.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/03/republican_earmarks_pork.html

[WuDrWu]

Of course REAL conservatives are no more supportive of McConnell's earmarks than they are of Reid's.

They all stink.


This is exactly why our system is broken, there is NO CHANGE forthcoming except to bankrupt our grandchildren.

And Dems and those that support them are BEYOND HYPOCRITICAL.

I can only assume that it is your belief, since you support the earmarks, that you are also a big fan of the Republicans that loaded up on those same earmarks, correct?

[jocoshock]

If you're talking to me Doc, the answer is no, I don't support earmarks. And I don't support Democrats or Republicans who support them. Both parties are playing a game here. The Republicans want the Democrats to "own" the Stimulus Bill, but are still willing to put their own earmarks in the Bill and vote against it.

Kit Bond of Missouri supports and gets over $80 million in earmarks, while his Democratic colleague, Claire McCaskill asks for none. Of course she can afford to take that stand since Bond is asking for them, and Bond can ask for them since he apparently is not going to run again.

It's a dance both parties have been engaging in for some time. Note this article from the past (2003).

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1208-11.htm

Traditionally, the dominant party oils the legislative machinery by setting aside a healthy fraction of earmarked funds for the minority. This year, in a key section of the spending bill, the Republicans got stingy.

But of course both parties want people like you and me to get into ideological pissing contests over it. While we are busy demonizing each other, they are working together to pick our pockets.

I have said it before and I will say it again, when it comes to the "politicians", the only difference between Democrats and Republicans is:

Democrats want to legislate your pocketbook, but not your morality.

Republicans want to legislate your morality, but not your pocket book.

The two concepts are not mutually exclusive, but the two parties make us believe they are to get our votes and keep us arguing....

[jocoshock]

Of course REAL conservatives are no more supportive of McConnell's earmarks than they are of Reid's.

Just curious Doc. Who are the real conservatives (elected officials)?

I have had a hard time recognizing them since Reagan.

That is a sincere question. No hidden agenda.

[ABC]

Inhofe
Coburn
Spence
Shadegg
Paul Ryan for starters.

Tiahrt, Moran, Brownback and Roberts aren't fairly good too.

[1979Shocker]

Inhofe
Coburn
Spence
Shadegg
Paul Ryan for starters.

Tiahrt, Moran, Brownback and Roberts aren't fairly good too.

Inhofe might be a conservative, but he's not a fiscal conservative. He ranks 8th in earmark dollar value in the current budget.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/10/raw-data-earmarking-senators-billion-spending/

Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. -- $53,133,500

[ABC]

He is definitely a fiscal conservative.

But earmarks are a black mark for sure.