{Political_Views} Morning Examiner: GOP advantage over Dems grows

 

 

Morning Examiner: GOP advantage over Dems grows

By Conn Carroll

As good a year as 2010 was at the polls for Republicans, new Gallup polling this week shows 2012 could be even better.

Last year, for the first time since President Bush's first term, Americans told Gallup that Republicans "do a better job of handling the problem that you think is most important to you." Republicans also bested Democrats on "protecting the country from international terrorism and military threats" and "keeping the country prosperous."

But while the Republican advantage on "the problem that you think is most important to you" was only two points last year, 40-38, it has grown to 9 points this year, 44-37. By comparison, when President Obama won the 2008 election in a landslide, the Democrats enjoyed only an 8 point advantage on the same question.

Whatever course corrections the White House tried to make after their party was rejected at the polls in 2010, doesn't seem to be working.

Around the Bigs
The Hill, Durbin says Democrats don't currently have the votes for Obama jobs bill: Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., admitted yesterday that Senate Democrats do not have the votes to pass Obama's second stimulus: "The oil-producing-state senators don't like eliminating or reducing the subsidy for oil companies. There are some senators who are up for election who say 'I'm never gonna vote for a tax increase while I'm up for election, even on the wealthiest people.' So, we're not gonna have 100 percent of Democratic senators. That's why it needs to be bipartisan and I hope we can find some Republicans who will join us to make it happen."

The Washington Post, Chu takes responsibility for a loan deal that put more taxpayer money at risk in Solyndra: Energy Secretary Steven Chu claimed he was the one who approved the restructuring of Solyndra's loan after the firm first defaulted on the original loan in December 2010.

The New York Times, Banks to Make Customers Pay Fee for Using Debit Cards: Just as health insurers past on the cost of Obamacare to consumers in the form of higher insurance premiums, banks are passing along the cost of Dodd-Frank in the form of debit card fees.

The Hill, Draft spending bill would defund Obama healthcare law: House Republicans released a draft spending bill Thursday that would cut off $6.8 billion in funding for Obamacare implementation.

The Washington Post, Obama administration widens challenges to state immigration laws: In addition to suing Arizona and Alabama, the Obama Justice Department is considering suits against four new states with tough immigration enforcement laws including, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina, and Utah.

Campaign 2012
Christie: The New Jersey Star-Ledger reports that Gov. Chris Christie "is seriously rethinking" a run for the presidency. The paper notes that while Christie still says "no" when asked, "He no longer says he's unprepared for the White House or that he lacks the requisite fire in the belly for a national campaign."

Obama: Vice President Joe Biden told Miami public radio Thursday that the Obama administration – not Bush – now has ownership of the struggling U.S. economy: "Even though 50-some percent of the American people think the economy tanked because of the last administration, that's not relevant. What's relevant is we're in charge."

Obama: While the Obama 2012 campaign is not conceding Ohio, they are looking at other paths to 270 electoral votes, focusing mostly on Virginia, North Carolina, and Colorado.

Cain: The Examiner's Byron York raises some questions about Herman Cain's '9-9-9′ plan: "9-9-9 would add a national sales tax on top of current income and business taxes, and would thus give Congress another tax to raise. Why couldn't 9-9-9 become 12-12-12? Or 15-15-15?"

Righty Playbook
National Review's Jonah Goldberg notes that Obama is now calling Americans "soft" and responds: "Seriously, in 2008 we elected a community organizer, state senator, college instructor first term senator over a guy who spent five years in a Vietnamese prison. And now he's lecturing us about how America's gone "soft"? Really?"

RedState's Erick Erickson notes that today is Sarah Palin's own previously identified drop-dead for running for president.

The Heritage Foundation will hos a chat today at noon to discuss Obamacare ascent to the Supreme Court.

Lefty Playbook
The Nation's Nathan Schneider sympathetically explains the Occupy Wall Street protests.

Daily Kos' Chris Bowers reports that the Occupy Wall Street protests are growing.

The Washington Post's Greg Sargent looks at the chances the China currency ma­nipu­la­tion bill has of getting out of the House and Senate.

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