But for people to explicitly say, “I want a President I can have a beer with…” It’s like… do you understand the job description?
I do better than many, and I'd still have a beer with Mr. Obama. We have daughters of similar ages, which grey's you faster then anything. GWB, not so much and Trump not at all. Biden maybe - though my areas of interest more overlap with the First Lady.
From the perspective of the law she's not an edge case. The story shows quite plainly that doctors are no longer willing to have open and frank medical conversations with their patients because of the fear of the lawsuits that the law proffered as its enforcement mechanism. Texas is getting exactly what its legislators wanted - a woman denied care by doctors under fiscal threat when seeking an abortion. Her medical status as, essentially, collateral damage, is a sacrifice those legislators were and are willing to make.
1) On a good day, Biden and most of the Democratic Party politicians at the federal level are classic centerists, and the economic and energy policies they pursue (based on enacted legislation) are center to center right, in that they still prize corporate welfare and outcomes over labor. I am deeply thankful that the Progressive wing has gained traction, and continues to grow, but it is nowhere near in control yet.
2) The fact that we as a nation still talk about energy independence in regards to oil imports is a significant part of why we aren't yet there. The Keystone XL pipeline is a prime example - increasing oil shale pumping capacity in the US doesn't make us independent because we are still pumping that crude into the US from Canada. We would be a lot closer to actual energy independence if we were more invested in solar, wind and hydro as energy generation methods, and we could bridge the gap with small scale nuclear. Requiring us to pump all the crude oil we consume (while trying to drive ever higher consumption of petroleum products) will never make us energy independent.
3. Most Americans don't see climate change as a crisis and aren't savvy enough about how the energy sector of the economy actually works to connect oil prices to global warming. They just know that gas pump prices are going up, they hear narratives in the media (even the allegedly left leaning MSM) that connect that increase to Biden's policies, and they secretly think they are one good decision away from joining the oil CEO's as millionaires. So when oil companies price gouge in the name of short term profits - as their recent round of earnings calls quotes seems to indicate they are, it flies right by people primed by those same companies to ignore that news factoid. so Senator Schumer is, albeit ham handedly, trying to refocus them. It doesn't take any focus off the global climate crisis however.
4. It would be great to see Putin sanctioned heavily in the energy sector, but the banking sanctions in place may well achieve the same effect as the banks are needed to transact oil sales. Plus a lot of folks not named the USA buy his oil, and so American sanctions would be of little use.
You don't spend much time hanging around with actual Protestants, do you? Cause we'd be happy to tell you how our denominations actually work . . . if you cared.
One branch of authoritarian oligarchy is currently attacking Ukraine to prove its right. Another major branch is currently cheering them on from Mar-A-Lago. This isn't about writers.
They have an answer - authoritarian oligarchy. Is what they are aiming for, are openly supporting, and believe solves their problems. Because they don't care about other people's problems.
Even the lunatic fringe on the Right wants more then pabulum. They want action, but they have been conditioned to believe all they will get is rhetoric. Its why so many American's consistently poll as distrusting government. The folks trying to burn down America's house at the moment are animated by being ignored by their own team for 4 to 5 decades.
So everyone expects Kabuki theatre tonight. They expect to be lied to, coddled and told why their guy won't fix it all. And even when their guy is 100% right factually about why he can't fix it all, its not what they want. It is what they have been trained to believe they will get.
I gotta say, it’s that last one that surprises me. I would have thought that Biden wouldn’t be underwater on Ukraine.
Well Even Fox News could have told you that:
The survey finds 56% feel President Biden has not been tough enough on Russia. Few (8%) say he’s been too tough, while 29% think his handling is about right.
For comparison, that’s close to the assessment of former President Trump on the same question nearly four years ago: 53% said he wasn’t tough enough on Russia, 5% said too tough, and 35% about right (July 2018).
Forty-two percent of Democrats join 52% of independents and 72% of Republicans in wanting Biden to be tougher. Nearly half of Democrats, 47%, say the president’s actions are about right.
Lots of people would argue Jaybird baits me quite routinely.
Its ok, I long ago accepted I'd be drawn into stuff like this because I seem to lack the cognitive ability to understand what people are "really saying" when they write stuff. Like if Jay were to write the moon was green I'd be expecting a discussion of why the moon appeared green, not a discussion of the morality of the moon or the color green.
Skew definitely goes both ways, and its important to know the skew of a polling organization because it gives you some shorthand on questions they may or may not ask, and responses they may or may not make public.
For instance, Fox News has an in-house poling arm that gets all sorts of interesting data. I have occasionally cited it here. Often, however, their most interesting questions and answers never see the light of day unless someone digs them out because the data they present doesn't comport with Fox's preferred narrative.
As to the poll skew itself. yes, according to 538, Quinnipiac skews 0.5 points D. That's roughly as far as Mason-Dixon and Sienna college skew Republican, and not nearly as republican as Rasmussan (R +1.5) or MRG Research (R+3.1) (https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/pollster-ratings/)
As I keep reminding you, cloth masks work, and the tight weave cotton ones work better then other cloth types. Not as well as N 95s or KN95s, but they work. They have worked, and will work again.
Covid is not over yet - case counts form Omicron are significantly down and no new variant has yet arisen to take its place. Vaccination, social distancing and masking worked, but cutting any of them back too soon (as we did after Delta) means it will roar back in some form.
Plus the CDC guidance is more nuanced then you seem to think it is, mostly because scientists - when we are allowed to speak - do so in a language that is nuanced and full of uncertainty.
On “Texas Governor Abbott Letter on Gender Transitioning of Children: Read It For Yourself”
As do most white male Republican politicians.
On “From The Independent: White House urges Spotify to take further action on Joe Rogan: ‘More can be done’”
I do better than many, and I'd still have a beer with Mr. Obama. We have daughters of similar ages, which grey's you faster then anything. GWB, not so much and Trump not at all. Biden maybe - though my areas of interest more overlap with the First Lady.
On “Texas Governor Abbott Letter on Gender Transitioning of Children: Read It For Yourself”
From the perspective of the law she's not an edge case. The story shows quite plainly that doctors are no longer willing to have open and frank medical conversations with their patients because of the fear of the lawsuits that the law proffered as its enforcement mechanism. Texas is getting exactly what its legislators wanted - a woman denied care by doctors under fiscal threat when seeking an abortion. Her medical status as, essentially, collateral damage, is a sacrifice those legislators were and are willing to make.
On “The Energy Factor”
Interesting first piece. Welcome aboard.
A few counter thoughts:
1) On a good day, Biden and most of the Democratic Party politicians at the federal level are classic centerists, and the economic and energy policies they pursue (based on enacted legislation) are center to center right, in that they still prize corporate welfare and outcomes over labor. I am deeply thankful that the Progressive wing has gained traction, and continues to grow, but it is nowhere near in control yet.
2) The fact that we as a nation still talk about energy independence in regards to oil imports is a significant part of why we aren't yet there. The Keystone XL pipeline is a prime example - increasing oil shale pumping capacity in the US doesn't make us independent because we are still pumping that crude into the US from Canada. We would be a lot closer to actual energy independence if we were more invested in solar, wind and hydro as energy generation methods, and we could bridge the gap with small scale nuclear. Requiring us to pump all the crude oil we consume (while trying to drive ever higher consumption of petroleum products) will never make us energy independent.
3. Most Americans don't see climate change as a crisis and aren't savvy enough about how the energy sector of the economy actually works to connect oil prices to global warming. They just know that gas pump prices are going up, they hear narratives in the media (even the allegedly left leaning MSM) that connect that increase to Biden's policies, and they secretly think they are one good decision away from joining the oil CEO's as millionaires. So when oil companies price gouge in the name of short term profits - as their recent round of earnings calls quotes seems to indicate they are, it flies right by people primed by those same companies to ignore that news factoid. so Senator Schumer is, albeit ham handedly, trying to refocus them. It doesn't take any focus off the global climate crisis however.
4. It would be great to see Putin sanctioned heavily in the energy sector, but the banking sanctions in place may well achieve the same effect as the banks are needed to transact oil sales. Plus a lot of folks not named the USA buy his oil, and so American sanctions would be of little use.
On “Texas Governor Abbott Letter on Gender Transitioning of Children: Read It For Yourself”
She's not an edge case, and this is exactly what is intended.
On “President Biden Wants To Use State of the Union To Change The Subject”
Since I'm not on Twitter, no I haven't. I'm not in any way surprised however.
"
Considering the number of not qualified ratings this has yielded from the American Bar Association for Republican appointees . . .
"
You don't spend much time hanging around with actual Protestants, do you? Cause we'd be happy to tell you how our denominations actually work . . . if you cared.
"
One branch of authoritarian oligarchy is currently attacking Ukraine to prove its right. Another major branch is currently cheering them on from Mar-A-Lago. This isn't about writers.
"
And you presume they care why, exactly?
"
They have an answer - authoritarian oligarchy. Is what they are aiming for, are openly supporting, and believe solves their problems. Because they don't care about other people's problems.
"
Even the lunatic fringe on the Right wants more then pabulum. They want action, but they have been conditioned to believe all they will get is rhetoric. Its why so many American's consistently poll as distrusting government. The folks trying to burn down America's house at the moment are animated by being ignored by their own team for 4 to 5 decades.
So everyone expects Kabuki theatre tonight. They expect to be lied to, coddled and told why their guy won't fix it all. And even when their guy is 100% right factually about why he can't fix it all, its not what they want. It is what they have been trained to believe they will get.
"
No that's what people are trained to believe they will get. They want more then that.
"
Well Even Fox News could have told you that:
https://www.foxnews.com/official-polls/fox-news-poll-president-biden-not-tough-russia
"
Lots of people would argue Jaybird baits me quite routinely.
Its ok, I long ago accepted I'd be drawn into stuff like this because I seem to lack the cognitive ability to understand what people are "really saying" when they write stuff. Like if Jay were to write the moon was green I'd be expecting a discussion of why the moon appeared green, not a discussion of the morality of the moon or the color green.
"
Skew definitely goes both ways, and its important to know the skew of a polling organization because it gives you some shorthand on questions they may or may not ask, and responses they may or may not make public.
For instance, Fox News has an in-house poling arm that gets all sorts of interesting data. I have occasionally cited it here. Often, however, their most interesting questions and answers never see the light of day unless someone digs them out because the data they present doesn't comport with Fox's preferred narrative.
As to the poll skew itself. yes, according to 538, Quinnipiac skews 0.5 points D. That's roughly as far as Mason-Dixon and Sienna college skew Republican, and not nearly as republican as Rasmussan (R +1.5) or MRG Research (R+3.1) (https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/pollster-ratings/)
"
indeed. But this notion that somehow only the democrats have shaped the modern federal judiciary is laughable. And historically incorrect.
"
Well other then all the Obama judicial appointments McConnell intentionally held open, sure.
"
Quinnipiac is a well known polling outfit. I've cited them in some of my posts. They also have a history of skewing right.
On “SNL: Covid Dinner Conversation”
I wonder how many people died because they though horse dewormer would protect them better then vaccines.
"
The messaging was not handled well. The science is and was fine.
"
As I keep reminding you, cloth masks work, and the tight weave cotton ones work better then other cloth types. Not as well as N 95s or KN95s, but they work. They have worked, and will work again.
"
Covid is not over yet - case counts form Omicron are significantly down and no new variant has yet arisen to take its place. Vaccination, social distancing and masking worked, but cutting any of them back too soon (as we did after Delta) means it will roar back in some form.
Plus the CDC guidance is more nuanced then you seem to think it is, mostly because scientists - when we are allowed to speak - do so in a language that is nuanced and full of uncertainty.
On “War in Ukraine: Updates, Open Thread”
I think this is a key, if not the leading piece of this for Putin.
"
Clearly he's taking his COVID protocols seriously.