President Barack Obama's chances of winning a second term appear better today than at anytime in the past two years, but there are plenty of things that could go wrong between now and November.
According to the latest CBS News/New York Times poll the president's approval rating has reached 50%, in part because the economy is slowly improving. According to the poll, 34% of Americans believe that the economy is getting better, up 6% from a month earlier. Still, 59% of those surveyed think the country is on the wrong track, though those saying it is on the right track increased in the last month from 29% to 35%. Yet 50% of the respondents still disapprove of the president's handling of the economy while 44% approve. At a minimum, these numbers reflect a great deal of uncertainty about the economy, which will likely be the most important issue for voters next November.
With a bit of wind at his back, the president is now leading each of the potential Republican candidates according to the poll. The Republicans have been engaged in a negative and divisive primary that has hurt each of the candidates, especially presumed front-runner Mitt Romney. And 57% of Republicans think the tough primary will hurt their party's chances in November's presidential election.
The CBS News/New York Times poll shows that former Senator Rick Santorum has surged into the lead over Romney. The Romney campaign immediately responded with a barrage of negative attack ads against Santorum. If the former Pennsylvania senator can win the Michigan and Arizona primaries in two weeks he will give the Romney campaign a near fatal blow.
Romney grew up in Michigan and he was thought to have a home state advantage. But a recent state poll shows Santorum is in front. Santorum's appeal in this rustbelt state seems to be his genuineness and his blue-collar upbringing. On the other hand, Romney is a "one percenter" and, well, a Mittbot. But with Santorum's success will come more scrutiny into his record in office and into his views on social issues. His positions on contraception and women in the military do not reflect the views of most Americans.
While the Republicans duke it out, the president must navigate through some very tricky waters. Republicans in Congress have vowed they will do all they can to stop President Obama from winning a second term. Meanwhile, this country's economic recovery is fragile. Making matters even more precarious, Europe is struggling to manage their difficult economic crisis, the outcome of which will impact the U.S.
Of even greater concern are reports that Iran is continuing to build a nuclear bomb and that it is behind a series of terrorist attacks against Israel. A war between Israel and Iran could break out before the November elections and America's hand will be forced. This as Afghanistan, Syria, China and Russia each are ongoing difficult diplomatic challenges for the U.S.
The president may very well be winning head-to-head against Santorum, Romney, Gingrich or Paul. But when the Republicans select their nominee, no matter who's left standing, the race will tighten. Because this country is deeply divided, perhaps 45% Republican and 45% Democrat, the winner will need an energized base and a majority of the independents. And don't be surprised if many voters do not make up their mind until election day. This one will be too close to call.
Of course, maybe an endorsement from Knicks phenom Jeremy Lin would help?
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Noam Chomsky: The Imperial Way
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
Obama 2006.
The problem is, is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion dollars for the first 42 presidents — number 43 added $4 trillion dollars by his lonesome, so that we now have over $9 trillion dollars of debt that we are going to have to pay back — $30,000 for every man, woman and child. That's irresponsible. That's unpatriotic.
Obama 2008
Proposed budget 2012 Senate vote 0-97.
Proposed budget 2013 has another TRILLION towards a deficit.
Re-elect Obama, Fulfill "his" prophecy.
Don't assume that disapproval means you won't vote for him. It can mean he just didn't go far enough.
First of all the last real democrat was Kennedy and the days of Camelot are gone. The two party system is Republican-Corporations and the other guy who may or may not have been already bought. There are Conservatives, Progressives, Liberals, libertarians and the smuck. Mix up the labels and claims and what your are voting for is the least of two evils these days. Even when one person is sincere honest and has a good plan we have been so brainwashed we must stick with the same game with a new name and nothing else will work. Our country is going down the drain and no one is willing to take a chance to really change it. No one is going to be one hundred percent behind any one person but we should look at the one who is willing to deal with real issues and make a difference we all can benefit from. It should be principals before personality and logic before pride. We vote them in and we have the power so which one is best for our country should be the one picked not by party or popularity because pride goes before a fall. and the fall will be coming.
Until we have any confidence in the popular vote being counted as cast, there will be zero credibility in the vote outcome.
The GOP has shown their desire to suppress the vote and their acceptance of voter suppression efforts.
The fact that the massive national roll-out of electronic voting machines has benefited republican allies and that these very machines are unreliable at best and hackable at worst is a threat to our election.
The republicans themselves are not happy with the results from the Maine, Iowa and CPAC tallies.
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2012/02/14/Obamas-Budget-Proves-He-Should-Not-Be-Reelected.aspx#page1
A similar increase today would take care of the problem. Of course, this simple solution is opposed by Republicans, who would prefer the program to go bankrupt.
As for Medicare, your cited article also points out the $385 billion the President's budget trims from the program's costs. A huge chunk of that is from a provision to let Medicare negotiate for prescription drugs, the way the VA does - a measure that's been voted down repeatedly, year after year, by Republicans.
Real savings for Medicare would come from allowing all Americans to enroll - a move which also would dramatically force exploding health care costs to be brought into line with what the rest of the world pays.
59% of the country believes the country is on the wrong track. This number will decline after Obama's Contraception fiasco with the Catholic Church and his over-reaching of the Constitution
50% disapprove of Obama's handling of the economy. This number is only going to go down as he has to defend his failures of the last 3 years.
Of course this was a CBS News poll so it is about as positive and biased as it can possibly be without be conducted by the administration.
Obama has been lying to America about unemployment figures and economic growth ever since he took office. These lies will come out when he has to defend his administrations failures. His poll numbers will only go down and he will be moving out of the White House for the good of the country.
The majority of the country, including the majority of Catholics, support the birth control mandate. No need to address the quality of the rest of your 'analysis'
What we need is a new outlook on how to handle this problem and it is not the same game with a new name. We have to cut out the fat red tape and stop spending and get SS/Medicare back healthy again. The person I am supporting has a good logical plan which would cut the budget by a trillion and stop the insanity of these undeclared wars. And yet people just think that is unrealistic ... Well I see Obama- Mitt- Newt- and santorum being no better or getting us out of the hole but digging it deeper. Ahh yes people are afraid of change ... will they be afraid when economy totally crashes? Will there be fear when more then 13 documented are still unemployed and can't get benefits or a job? And what about the ever growing 3 million plus homeless who have no where to go and resources dry up. And the Seniors who are living on the SS which might only be $694.00 a month and the Medicare co pay goes up because of the funds stolen for Obama care? Will it take that to see a better way has to start working? well all of the above is happening now so can we really go another four years without a new game plan? One which will work? I think the one I support can make a differance check out his platform.
Well, we shouldn't. But we always have, so people will continue to demand it.
That's what government subsidies create.
Paul Haider, Chicago
Zero credibility.
So Sorry after Obama betrayed his oath of office to protect and defend the constitution and signed the unconstitutional NDAA into law he is not the man who should be there at all. In fact I wish he would just move now. He is dangerous and a warmonger and thinks putting Americans in dentintion camps without trial is okay? Sorry Obama is out of here.
Obama only needed to put America back to work to score one of the biggest re-election margins in history. He instead chose to let the Republicans dictate what he would and could do. Some leader.
No I am still going for RON PAUL even if I have to write his name on the ballot I like his plan to help America.