Independents. Especially the ones who voted ‘Hopenchange’ in ’08. Fortunately, we can identify most of them – for the sake of public safety – because they plastered their cars with bumper stickers.
What it most eloquently demonstrates is this society’s decreasing ability to choose leaders wisely. And when the blind are led by the blind… we all know what happens.
If I have to choose between Sarah Palin, Charlie Sheen, or independents I automatically choose an independent Sarah Palin. Charlie needs rehab.
Obama is so much more vulnerable and the states are lining up well for his defeat.
Palin, like O’Donnell, has been puked on by the good ole boy Republican establishment which is responsible for our malaise.
The truth is that if Sarah Palin becomes the nominee she has a very good chance at becoming President. People assume a “linear” model and that a nominee who will supposedly attract most of the line as people are lined up from left to right or right to left—what have you. However, I remember someone here showed a study that showed elections are not quite so linear and more “social” in that a candidate generates heat and excitement which pull others in. This is certainly what happened in 2008. McCain, the linear “appeal to moderates” was defeated and Obama, the “excitement” candidate was elected. How much excitement do you think Obama will generate this time?
If I had my dinner interrupted by a pollster asking idiotic questions about a hypothetical Charlie Sheen prsidency for an election to be held nearly two years from now, I’d either play along and give a ridiculous response or I’d hang up. I normally hang up and don’t participate in polls.
I want to be polled on whether i’d like to hear an Obama speech or 30 minutes of fingernails on a chalkboard.
The first commenter, “I Am Iron Man”, sounds like he’s looking forward to help load conservatives into the boxcars.
When I read this article, I was immediately reminded of Arthur Fonzarelli in a leather jacket on water skis – something about a shark comes to mind, too.
This Sarah Palin person must really be something because she scares the progressives to death.
In a two way race between Obama and Sheen, I woulod take Sheen. As Instapundit said, “I’d vote for a syphlitic camel if he was running against Obama.” My sentiments exactly.
Charlie Sheen is the “I’m pissed off at all of them” nod.
I would hope that if there were a real election that everyone, including independants, would have the good sense to vote for someone other than Charlie or not vote at all. That independants say this to a pollster is telling us that they really aren’t happy with any of the other choices.
Conservatives need to understand that it is the independants who ultimately swing the vote one way or the other. We need to appeal to them through actions, words and marketing in order to win an election. Going all medieval-con on them is not going to win hearts and minds and will only lose elections.
Daniel, I don’t want to win elections in the manner you describe. You won’t get any significant change in the direction of government, and all the half ass measures to likely be accomplished will fail our country and the conservative brand in a simply prolonged death spiral.
I say look voters in the eye and tell them not to vote for conservatism if they aren’t interested in stopping the marxist hell hole from being their children’s future. If their answer is no, they obviously need more punishment from living under marxist/democrat policies.
It is the choice of one joke or another and Charlie Sheen is the more palatable choice.
Though if it were actually real, even I would go with Palin. Ugh.
The popular and press reaction in America to the tsunami and flooded power plants in Japan have demonstrated just how truly horrible American education is. I went through twelve years of school in a little Podunk down in East Texas, and I understand half life, and nuclear melt down, and media melt down, and the difference between the two. I studied different things in college, so most of my knowledge on these subjects was gained between eighth and twelfth grades.
I realize that the media take up where the schools gave up, but people who are scientifically literate can see through the hoo hah.
So, the “independents” understanding of Wisconsin, 2011, or Florida, 2000, or Three Mile Island, or Sarah Palin is murky, at best. Yeah, they probably would think Charlie Sheen would make a good President.
The really horrible thing is, with a knowledgeable teacher, animated about a subject, kids can be more than interested. They can be fascinated. I understand that my kids really are, to quote Garrison Keillor, “above average.” Nevertheless, I have held a small audience of small people spell bound, and I’m a rank amateur.
Listen to what educational bureaucrats say, to the phrases that they use, like, just to choose one example, “educating children.” This is a reflection of Dewey’s Social Adjustment Theory of education. They talk about educating children, and not about “imparting knowledge.”
However, here’s one little hidden mercy God has given us. The educrats use a lot of jargon, that is not that impenetrable, and they are often not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Cut through the clouds of verbiage, and people can see what you want to show them. In Texas last year, we got new history textbooks, and they teach actual history, not endless repetitions of propaganda. Two ethnic minority grievance groups are filing a Civil Rights complaint, but We Shall Overcome them, too. Actual and honest readings of the books show them to be accurate, and the question of fairness does not reasonably arise, because they are history, i.e. facts and analysis, not judgment between two or more groups in conflict. As I said, real history, not repeated propaganda. Building real education in America will be a long struggle, but we have been headed in the wrong direction for about a century, now. If we can get back in that time, the future will be bright, indeed.
1) I’m willing to bet that if people actually WERE voting, they’d not choose Sheen, at least not as true independents.
2) Ahem:
Daniel, I don’t want to win elections in the manner you describe. You won’t get any significant change in the direction of government, and all the half ass measures to likely be accomplished will fail our country and the conservative brand in a simply prolonged death spiral.
Sorry, Daniel is correct in his basic analysis though not in his solution. The GOP needs to do two things:
i) sell its message better
ii) actually follow its message when it does win.
Independents — “the swing vote” — are ALWAYs the ones with the most power, because you really do have to appeal to them — rare indeed is the time when 50% of the nation self-identifies with one party or the other.
What people are particularly tired of is “say anything at all to get elected, then do whatever the f*** you want”. THIS is why the GOP got ousted in 2006 and 2008. They signed on for the “Contract with America” and then, over the next 6-12 years went more and more, “What? What? Yu Wuz Seryus ‘Bout Dat?”
At first they could argue they didn’t have the majority needed to do the job asked of them. But by 2002 that was total BS, and everyone knew it, so, by the time 2006 rolled around, it was “vote out the lying sack of excrement”.
Doh! Sorry, meant to break that blockquote after the first para.
Your multiple choices didn’t include the best answer: the PPP polling organization.
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Independents. Especially the ones who voted ‘Hopenchange’ in ’08. Fortunately, we can identify most of them – for the sake of public safety – because they plastered their cars with bumper stickers.
d(^_^)b
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com
“Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive”
What it most eloquently demonstrates is this society’s decreasing ability to choose leaders wisely. And when the blind are led by the blind… we all know what happens.
If I have to choose between Sarah Palin, Charlie Sheen, or independents I automatically choose an independent Sarah Palin. Charlie needs rehab.
Obama is so much more vulnerable and the states are lining up well for his defeat.
Palin, like O’Donnell, has been puked on by the good ole boy Republican establishment which is responsible for our malaise.
The truth is that if Sarah Palin becomes the nominee she has a very good chance at becoming President. People assume a “linear” model and that a nominee who will supposedly attract most of the line as people are lined up from left to right or right to left—what have you. However, I remember someone here showed a study that showed elections are not quite so linear and more “social” in that a candidate generates heat and excitement which pull others in. This is certainly what happened in 2008. McCain, the linear “appeal to moderates” was defeated and Obama, the “excitement” candidate was elected. How much excitement do you think Obama will generate this time?
Good for Mr. Jacobson:
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2011/03/43-of-americans-would-consider-voting.html
If I had my dinner interrupted by a pollster asking idiotic questions about a hypothetical Charlie Sheen prsidency for an election to be held nearly two years from now, I’d either play along and give a ridiculous response or I’d hang up. I normally hang up and don’t participate in polls.
I want to be polled on whether i’d like to hear an Obama speech or 30 minutes of fingernails on a chalkboard.
The first commenter, “I Am Iron Man”, sounds like he’s looking forward to help load conservatives into the boxcars.
When I read this article, I was immediately reminded of Arthur Fonzarelli in a leather jacket on water skis – something about a shark comes to mind, too.
This Sarah Palin person must really be something because she scares the progressives to death.
In a two way race between Obama and Sheen, I woulod take Sheen. As Instapundit said, “I’d vote for a syphlitic camel if he was running against Obama.” My sentiments exactly.
Charlie Sheen is the “I’m pissed off at all of them” nod.
I would hope that if there were a real election that everyone, including independants, would have the good sense to vote for someone other than Charlie or not vote at all. That independants say this to a pollster is telling us that they really aren’t happy with any of the other choices.
Conservatives need to understand that it is the independants who ultimately swing the vote one way or the other. We need to appeal to them through actions, words and marketing in order to win an election. Going all medieval-con on them is not going to win hearts and minds and will only lose elections.
Daniel, I don’t want to win elections in the manner you describe. You won’t get any significant change in the direction of government, and all the half ass measures to likely be accomplished will fail our country and the conservative brand in a simply prolonged death spiral.
I say look voters in the eye and tell them not to vote for conservatism if they aren’t interested in stopping the marxist hell hole from being their children’s future. If their answer is no, they obviously need more punishment from living under marxist/democrat policies.
It is the choice of one joke or another and Charlie Sheen is the more palatable choice.
Though if it were actually real, even I would go with Palin. Ugh.
The popular and press reaction in America to the tsunami and flooded power plants in Japan have demonstrated just how truly horrible American education is. I went through twelve years of school in a little Podunk down in East Texas, and I understand half life, and nuclear melt down, and media melt down, and the difference between the two. I studied different things in college, so most of my knowledge on these subjects was gained between eighth and twelfth grades.
I realize that the media take up where the schools gave up, but people who are scientifically literate can see through the hoo hah.
So, the “independents” understanding of Wisconsin, 2011, or Florida, 2000, or Three Mile Island, or Sarah Palin is murky, at best. Yeah, they probably would think Charlie Sheen would make a good President.
The really horrible thing is, with a knowledgeable teacher, animated about a subject, kids can be more than interested. They can be fascinated. I understand that my kids really are, to quote Garrison Keillor, “above average.” Nevertheless, I have held a small audience of small people spell bound, and I’m a rank amateur.
Listen to what educational bureaucrats say, to the phrases that they use, like, just to choose one example, “educating children.” This is a reflection of Dewey’s Social Adjustment Theory of education. They talk about educating children, and not about “imparting knowledge.”
However, here’s one little hidden mercy God has given us. The educrats use a lot of jargon, that is not that impenetrable, and they are often not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Cut through the clouds of verbiage, and people can see what you want to show them. In Texas last year, we got new history textbooks, and they teach actual history, not endless repetitions of propaganda. Two ethnic minority grievance groups are filing a Civil Rights complaint, but We Shall Overcome them, too. Actual and honest readings of the books show them to be accurate, and the question of fairness does not reasonably arise, because they are history, i.e. facts and analysis, not judgment between two or more groups in conflict. As I said, real history, not repeated propaganda. Building real education in America will be a long struggle, but we have been headed in the wrong direction for about a century, now. If we can get back in that time, the future will be bright, indeed.
1) I’m willing to bet that if people actually WERE voting, they’d not choose Sheen, at least not as true independents.
2) Ahem:
Doh! Sorry, meant to break that blockquote after the first para.
Your multiple choices didn’t include the best answer: the PPP polling organization.