What Exactly did the Two Thirds Tell Obama?

[robrecht]

Transcript here.

I must give the man credit: not many could make such a 180 degree turn.

Thanks, I will take a look as soon as I can. Those are the 'best' lies, those that are slippery enough to serve dual purposes.

[Cow Poke]

And I was kidding you about the grammar, Robrecht --- I do the same thing sometimes. You always seem to have calm and rational responses, and when (and if) I grow up, I want to be just like you!

But if the Democratic candidates are running away from him and his record and policies, then the it isn't much of a referendum on his record.

But that's the whole point -- how do we know? How do we know that many of the "two thirds" are simply fed up with his policies or tactics and just decided to "stay home"? Or that they voted for him as President because they figured they could "get stuff", but really didn't care at all about his policies. We don't know. I'm guessing the only one who really knows is Sam!

Regardless of what Obama tells his supporters. Ironically, the Democratic candidates might have done better if they had presented a more populist message, something along the lines of Elizabeth Warren, that said now is the time that were need to build upon Obama's modest successes and extend the anemic recovery (which so far has largely benefited the wealthy) to the middle class, which is still hurting.

But that's what's interesting to me... if Obama has been such an incredibly successful president, as Sam posits, then why didn't Democrats run on all those "good things" Obama has done? And, why does SEVENTY PERCENT of those polled believe the country is "headed in the wrong direction"?

[robrecht]

And I was kidding you about the grammar, Robrecht --- I do the same thing sometimes. You always seem to have calm and rational responses, and when (and if) I grow up, I want to be just like you!



But that's the whole point -- how do we know? How do we know that many of the "two thirds" are simply fed up with his policies or tactics and just decided to "stay home"? Or that they voted for him as President because they figured they could "get stuff", but really didn't care at all about his policies. We don't know. I'm guessing the only one who really knows is Sam!

But that's what's interesting to me... if Obama has been such an incredibly successful president, as Sam posits, then why didn't Democrats run on all those "good things" Obama has done? And, why does SEVENTY PERCENT of those polled believe the country is "headed in the wrong direction"?

I don't think we do know. I was only trying to make my best guess at what Obama may have meant by what he said. Very few presidents are that popular in the middle of their 2nd term. I think some people hoped that he could have been as inspirational of a president as he was a campaigner, but that was not realistic. All the talk about transformational, whas just political hype. It is usually not true, neither on the left nor on the right. I still think he has done a halfway decent job, but it is easy to see his weaknesses.

[Cow Poke]

I don't think we do know. I was only trying to make my best guess at what Obama may have meant by what he said. Very few presidents are that popular in the middle of their 2nd term. I think some people hoped that he could have been as inspirational of a president as he was a campaigner, but that was not realistic. All the talk about transformational, whas just political hype. It is usually not true, neither on the left nor on the right. I still think he has done a halfway decent job, but it is easy to see his weaknesses.

Can't you give me SOMETHING with which to argue?

(Naturally, I disagree that he's done a halfway decent job, but that's your opinion, to which you are more than entitled)

[Cow Poke]

Thanks, I will take a look as soon as I can. Those are the 'best' lies, those that are slippery enough to serve dual purposes.

But he wants to be CLEAR!!!!!

[robrecht]

But he wants to be CLEAR!!!!!

He is somewhat more articulate than his predecessor, at least for those of us who were not raise in the great state of Tejas.

[Cow Poke]

He is somewhat more articulate than his predecessor, at least for those of us who were not raise in the great state of Tejas.

He is definitely more articulate, particularly when speaking from a teleprompter!

[robrecht]

He is definitely more articulate, particularly when speaking from a teleprompter!

But also when he speaks off the cuff. Recall, for example, his discussion of the ACA with Republican congressional leaders. He occasionally puts his foot in it but usually he sounds pretty intelligent to me.

[Cow Poke]

But also when he speaks off the cuff. Recall, for example, his discussion of the ACA with Republican congressional leaders. He occasionally puts his foot in it but usually he sounds pretty intelligent to me.

I have never claimed he was less than intelligent.

[Cow Poke]

So, Gallup says FIFTY-THREE PERCENT of Americans want Republicans - NOT OBAMA - to set the nation's agenda.

Source: Gallup

The survey of 828 voters conducted Thursday through Sunday found that only 36 percent said they wanted the Democratic president to steer the national discourse. That is down from the 46 percent who responded that way in a January 2012 poll.

In a November 2010 survey, 49 percent said they wanted the GOP in the driver's seat, compared with 41 percent for Obama.

© Copyright Original Source

So, what was it, exactly, that Obama heard the TWO THIRDS say?

[robrecht]

So, Gallup says FIFTY-THREE PERCENT of Americans want Republicans - NOT OBAMA - to set the nation's agenda.

Source: Gallup

The survey of 828 voters conducted Thursday through Sunday found that only 36 percent said they wanted the Democratic president to steer the national discourse. That is down from the 46 percent who responded that way in a January 2012 poll.

In a November 2010 survey, 49 percent said they wanted the GOP in the driver's seat, compared with 41 percent for Obama.

© Copyright Original Source

So, what was it, exactly, that Obama heard the TWO THIRDS say?

So how much more encouragement do the Republicans need, for goodness sake?

[Cow Poke]

So how much more encouragement do the Republicans need, for goodness sake?

They now have Alaska's Senate seat, so.... maybe they now have enough rope? Time will tell.

[Thoughtful Monk]

I'm still trying to figure this out.... Obama, the day after the election whereby the Democrats discovered they were losing the Senate, said "to everyone who voted, I want you to know that I hear you. To the two thirds of voters who chose not to participate in the process yesterday, I hear you, too.”

Since you can't "exit poll" those who didn't vote, what is it Obama "heard them" say?

Has there been any polling or research to know what they DID say?

I know why I didn't bother voting - no competitive races that I was eligible to vote in.

[Raphael]

I know why I didn't bother voting - no competitive races that I was eligible to vote in.

So the "Meh, my opinion isn't going to make a difference" option. (sorry, just along with what Timothy and I were discussing for reasons to not vote)

[Epoetker]

The Moldbug position was right: There is but one party, the Government party, with the Democrats as their Inner ruling party and the Republicans as the Outer Party, whose job it is to soak up all the opposition and then, when elected, rule as incompetently and toothlessly as possible. Obama certainly isn't afraid of them, and when Mitch McConnell's post-election victory lap is to make immediate promises not to shut down the government to get their bills passed, he really doesn't have to.

The government is only one aspect of the Cathedral. If you don't control the media and the professoriate (to say nothing of the civil servants, of whom Republicans have made no noises about firing en masse and replacing with their supporters) you're still effectively ruled by crazy liberals. Personnel is policy, and I will believe the Republicans are in charge when they actually act like it.