Comments on: Should The Democrats Play To Lose? http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/ Refunds Cheerfully Given To All Who Disagree Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:29:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: mikebdot http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24397 mikebdot Tue, 16 May 2006 19:02:47 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24397 Sean: I understand your view, but I think since the unemployment rate is higher than when he took office, that might have something to do with it (even with 9/11 in there). My point was that unemployment dropped over 1.5% in two years, straight out the gate. With Bush it increased in his first year. Plus, he's a lame duck... I don't think you can claim bias, but perhaps bad reporting. Sean: I understand your view, but I think since the unemployment rate is higher than when he took office, that might have something to do with it (even with 9/11 in there). My point was that unemployment dropped over 1.5% in two years, straight out the gate. With Bush it increased in his first year. Plus, he’s a lame duck…

I don’t think you can claim bias, but perhaps bad reporting.

]]> By: Sean P http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24393 Sean P Tue, 16 May 2006 18:31:12 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24393 mikebdot: Taking your example in isolation, the media's editorial decision seems defensible. But in the run-up to the 2004 election, the unemployment rate dropped over half a percentage point, and since then unemployment dropped to 4.6% How many stories have you seen addressing that fact? About the only story I saw was an AP story noting the unemployment rate was 4.8% and the lede was that the unemployment rate was RISING. In toto, the media's coverage of economic news is extremely biased. mikebdot: Taking your example in isolation, the media’s editorial decision seems defensible. But in the run-up to the 2004 election, the unemployment rate dropped over half a percentage point, and since then unemployment dropped to 4.6% How many stories have you seen addressing that fact? About the only story I saw was an AP story noting the unemployment rate was 4.8% and the lede was that the unemployment rate was RISING. In toto, the media’s coverage of economic news is extremely biased.

]]> By: mikebdot http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24366 mikebdot Tue, 16 May 2006 13:22:54 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24366 Aaron: Hardy har har. I've been to many wakes/showings where people tell stories and smile and celebrate the lives of those who have passed away. You can be solemn and mournful while smiling, especially when there are cameras everywhere. It's sort of like the Uncertainty Principle, by trying to measure something you introduce error (by taking the pictures you have introduced a party like occurrence and people's natural reaction is to smile, there were only a few pictures where people were not looking directly at the camera). Aaron: Hardy har har. I’ve been to many wakes/showings where people tell stories and smile and celebrate the lives of those who have passed away. You can be solemn and mournful while smiling, especially when there are cameras everywhere. It’s sort of like the Uncertainty Principle, by trying to measure something you introduce error (by taking the pictures you have introduced a party like occurrence and people’s natural reaction is to smile, there were only a few pictures where people were not looking directly at the camera).

]]> By: buzz http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24318 buzz Tue, 16 May 2006 02:16:41 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24318 I like the button. I like the button.

]]> By: Aaron http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24307 Aaron Mon, 15 May 2006 23:35:50 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24307 "The smiling pictures of people are rallies against the war are supposed to prove they are people who want soldiers to die? So, the folks that celebrate the Dia de los Muertos in Mexico must all be desecrating the spirit of their ancestors. How absurd." The "How absurd" is meant to refer to that comparison, right? They're celebrating the fact that US troops are dying, no matter which way you spin it. Especially considering that, in their objections to conservatives referring to these events as "Death Parties" instead of "vigils," the protesters claimed that these events would be solemn and mournful. Is that what you saw in the photographs? They're liars if nothing else. “The smiling pictures of people are rallies against the war are supposed to prove they are people who want soldiers to die? So, the folks that celebrate the Dia de los Muertos in Mexico must all be desecrating the spirit of their ancestors. How absurd.”

The “How absurd” is meant to refer to that comparison, right? They’re celebrating the fact that US troops are dying, no matter which way you spin it.

Especially considering that, in their objections to conservatives referring to these events as “Death Parties” instead of “vigils,” the protesters claimed that these events would be solemn and mournful. Is that what you saw in the photographs? They’re liars if nothing else.

]]> By: mikebdot http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24279 mikebdot Mon, 15 May 2006 17:58:25 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24279 Sean P: <a href="http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat1.pdf" rel="nofollow">Unemployment </a>in '92 was 7.5%. Then 6.9, 6.1, 5.6, 5.4, 4.9, 4.5, 4.2, 4.0 in the years that followed. So, 6% was indeed news as it dropped since he took office. Now, it's higher than when Bush took office, but still very good and trending downward from 2003 high of 6%. Sean P: Unemployment in ‘92 was 7.5%. Then 6.9, 6.1, 5.6, 5.4, 4.9, 4.5, 4.2, 4.0 in the years that followed. So, 6% was indeed news as it dropped since he took office. Now, it’s higher than when Bush took office, but still very good and trending downward from 2003 high of 6%.

]]> By: Sean P http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24275 Sean P Mon, 15 May 2006 17:18:01 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24275 jpe: I think that if the media had looked at the situation a bit more closely, they would have seen the potential. Instead, there were a number of stories pumping up the economy (unemployment was over 6% in '94, as opposed to under 5% today) and how that would protect the Democrats from voter backlash. In fact, at least one newspaper I know of (the Los Angeles Times) started running stories in October 94 about how the Democrats were beginning to rebound and were set to minimize their losses. jpe: I think that if the media had looked at the situation a bit more closely, they would have seen the potential. Instead, there were a number of stories pumping up the economy (unemployment was over 6% in ‘94, as opposed to under 5% today) and how that would protect the Democrats from voter backlash. In fact, at least one newspaper I know of (the Los Angeles Times) started running stories in October 94 about how the Democrats were beginning to rebound and were set to minimize their losses.

]]> By: jpe http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24270 jpe Mon, 15 May 2006 15:12:24 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24270 <i>The seriousness that the media is giving to the possibility of a Democratic takeover stands in marked contrast to their reporting on the 1994 election</i> IIRC, the republican revolution came from out of nowhere within weeks of the election. There wasn't the same lingering anticipation/dread. The seriousness that the media is giving to the possibility of a Democratic takeover stands in marked contrast to their reporting on the 1994 election

IIRC, the republican revolution came from out of nowhere within weeks of the election. There wasn’t the same lingering anticipation/dread.

]]> By: dmac http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24268 dmac Mon, 15 May 2006 14:51:37 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24268 Other acceptable alternative names for smartypants would be wisenheimer, poindexter, and splitting - atoms - with - your - mind. Other acceptable alternative names for smartypants would be wisenheimer, poindexter, and splitting – atoms – with – your – mind.

]]> By: mikebdot http://informedspeculation.com/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/comment-page-1/#comment-24263 mikebdot Mon, 15 May 2006 14:18:09 +0000 http://decision08.net/2006/05/14/should-the-democrats-play-to-lose/#comment-24263 That is indeed the most absurd statement I've ever seen. What I want is accountability, regardless of who is in power. A party that "plays to lose" for one election will lose until new leadership is put in place. I guess the democrats are lucky Nagourney isn't a leader of the party... Aaron: The smiling pictures of people are rallies against the war are supposed to prove they are people who want soldiers to die? So, the folks that celebrate the Dia de los Muertos in Mexico must all be desecrating the spirit of their ancestors. How absurd. They got together to protest. How disgusting of them to want to use the rights afforded them in the constitution, and then to smile while doing it! Yeah, those leftists love the troops getting killed. Hardy har har. That is indeed the most absurd statement I’ve ever seen. What I want is accountability, regardless of who is in power. A party that “plays to lose” for one election will lose until new leadership is put in place. I guess the democrats are lucky Nagourney isn’t a leader of the party…

Aaron: The smiling pictures of people are rallies against the war are supposed to prove they are people who want soldiers to die? So, the folks that celebrate the Dia de los Muertos in Mexico must all be desecrating the spirit of their ancestors. How absurd. They got together to protest. How disgusting of them to want to use the rights afforded them in the constitution, and then to smile while doing it! Yeah, those leftists love the troops getting killed. Hardy har har.

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