Showing posts with label Democrats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Democrats. Show all posts

Top 10 Midterm Election Stories

     Just in case you didn't know, there was an election yesterday. Yes, that's why people were wearing "I Voted" stickers. No, Obama was not up for reelection. In the event that you had no idea what happened, here are some of the highlights so you can dazzle your friends with your knowledge:

     New York based blog Gawker called "Do you know who Snooki is?" the defining political question of our time yesterday.  For someone who is famous for being famous, the Jersey Shore star sure has caused quiet a commotion on America's political scene.  It all began this June Snookie revealed her preference for Republican presidential candidate John McCain over President Obama.

     "I don't go tanning anymore because Obama put a 10% tax on tanning," Snooki said. "And I feel like he did that intentionally for us.  McCain would never put a 10% tax on tanning because he's pale and he'd probably want to be tan."

      "@Sn00ki u r right, I would never tax your tanning bed!" McCain posted on Twitter.  "Pres Obama's tax/spend policy is quite The Situation. but I do rec wearing sunscreen!"

     President Obama apparently took Snooki's public remarks seriously because he vowed to give her and the entire Jersey Shore cast an exemption to the tax provision of the health bill.

     "The following individuals shall be excluded from the indoor tanning tax within this bill: Snooki, JWOWW, The Situation and House minority leader John Boehner," Obama joked at White House Press Correspondents Dinner.

     Only two months later however, the president claimed he didn't know who Snooki was during his appearance on The View.  This is flip-flopping at its worst.

See the video after the jump.

Animated Taiwanese Guide to the 2010 Election




     Too busy studying statistics and working your dead end job at a fast food joint to be up to speed on the 2010 mid-term elections?  Take a moment to watch this animated Taiwanese guide to the election, and you too can sound educated when discussing politics with your friends.
     The 2010 "F as in Fat" report has been released, showing the levels of adult obesity across the United States.  Colorado leads the list as the fittest states with only 19.1% of adults considered obese.  Utah comes in 7th as the fittest state.  For the sixth year in a row, Mississippi topped the scales with 33.8% of its adult population considered obese.

     What does this report tell us about the ongoing battle between red states and blue states?  The above map shows all the states color coordinated based on the 2008 Presidential election and the message is clear: Republicans can stand to lose some weight.

     Of the 20 states with the lowest obesity rates, 15 of those are blue states.  For the states with levels above 30%, all were red states.  Utahans don't need to feel that guilty though, because the Beehive state was the fittest red state.  In fact, the whole "Book of Mormon belt" of Idaho, Utah, and Arizona did well for itself, all falling below 26% adult obesity.

Find out how your favorite state fared after the jump.

     Over 200 presidential historians were polled to find out who they thought the best and worst U.S. Presidents were.  The poll, conducted by Siena College research institute, found Franklin D. Roosevelt as the most popular president among scholars, followed by FDR's fifth cousin, Teddy Roosevelt.  Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson rounded out the top five respectively.

     The liberal bias among academics is verified by the poll which ranks Barack Obama at No. 15 after only a year and a half in office while it places conservative sweetheart Ronald Reagan at No. 18.  Bill Clinton, one of only two impeached presidents, finished at No. 13.  The other, Andrew Johnson, finished last.  George W. Bush, touted by Rolling Stone magazine as the worst president in history, landed a more modest No. 39 (out of 43).

     For the complete list, read after the jump.

Harry Reid: The Tea Party's Newest Fan

     Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was predicted to face an uphill re-election battle this year.  The Nevada Democrat had critics on the left who viewed him as spineless and too conciliatory towards Republicans while the right demonized him for carrying out Obama's plan to bring full fledged socialism to America.  Considering the country's anti-incumbent attitude, it's no surprise that the four-term Mormon Senator faces dismal approval ratings as low as 38 percent.

     Some are saying that Reid's chances for a fifth term are improving however, and ironically, his odds are better thanks to the people who want him out the most - the Tea Party movement.

     Reid's GOP challengers included Tea Party approved Sharron Angle and the more moderate Sue Lowden.  Polls showed Lowden ahead of Reid, but when he was pitted against Angle, he was up 3 points.  In yesterday's Republican primaries, the Tea Party walked away with a victory as Sharron Angle was selected to be the party's nominee.  Among Angle's more radical statements are that she supports eliminating the Department of Education, outlawing alcohol (Something tells me that will never fly in a state that is home to Sin City), as well as a program that includes massages and saunas for prison drug rehabilitation participants.  Sure, the Tea Party likes Angle, but the middle of the road voters, the swing ones who decide elections, aren't as sure.  They might dislike Reid, but come election day, they might dislike him less than they do Angle.

Don't Mess With Nancy

Can we talk about how ridiculous Nancy Pelosi looks holding this massive gavel?  Go.
     The health care bill has passed.  Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 219-212 to do so.  Every House Republican voted no along with thirty-four Democrats.

     This is a major victory for the Obama administration which was been criticized for not getting much of anything done in it's first year.  "Yes we can," tweeted the Barack Obama Twitter account shortly after the vote.

      The bill is expected to reach the President's desk tomorrow, and when it's finally signed, Barack Obama will be the one who Democrats and history credits for completing the Democrat's social agenda.  His place alongside Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson is all but assured.  He'll also be the one who Republicans credit for making America more socialist.

     Historically, it's amazing the bill passed.  Universal health care has always been political suicide.  Obama and the Democrats seemed destined to face the same backlash that the Clinton administration and the Democratic Congress faced in the 90s.  Not even FDR or LBJ touched it.

     Only time will tell how the bill will impact America.  The cost, the bureaucracy, the unforeseen and unintended consequences, it will all reveal itself in the coming years and decades.  After the jump, check out a map showing how Congressmen voted and check out the New York Times article explaining how the health care bill will impact you.

The Democratization of Democracy

     The Internet has made it possible for individuals to bypass traditional gatekeepers and make their own destiny.  Adam Young of Owl City went from making music in his parent's basement to scoring a trans-Atlantic No. 1 hit thanks to the Internet.  Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton rose from obscurity to fame that included televised arguments with Miss California and being punched in the face by the Black Eyed Peas' manager thanks to the Internet.  The world wide web has "democratized" every facet of our lives.  Now it's democracy's turn.

     In Illinois, a state notorious for its back room deals and shady politics, Scott Cohen, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor dropped out of the race over accusations that he assaulted both his ex-wife and ex-girlfriend, didn't pay child support, and used steroids. Cohen made his announcement at a press conference held during the Super Bowl.

     To fill the vacancy, the Illinois Democratic Party announced that anyone can apply for the position by filling out an application available online.  So far, over 200 people have signed up for the spot.  The candidates range from those already involved in local politics to unknowns.
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