Did President Obama WIN? - 2nd Term Blues

CNN - Politics: Has the following commentary in a article, " All of the other energy has been sucked out of Washington. Even with the current deal, the sequestration remains in effect, severely harming government agencies that have undergone cuts as well as those in desperate need of funding increases. ".

Lets Get Real:

Thus standing still is not winning folks, its a bit like trench warfare of World War One, winning is not just keeping the line, its actually moving miles not inches, the Oval has kept ObamaCare but the infamous sequestration is still in place, the planned movement on immigration reform is DOA in the House, the Republicans need to keep together on something, immigration reform is seen a Democratic WIN, so do not give them any wins, if the Oval wants to play hardball then the Republicans have to become better trench fighters, the main point for Republicans is to keep the House after the 2014 Mid Terms, gain more Senate seats or even retake the Senate. If the Democrats want concessions on the sequestration, the Republicans want major cuts in the welfare state, that is the main objective of the tea party movement.   The Republicans should remained their Democratic friends, if they have any. that they face re - election next year, the Oval does not, thus time for some distance between the Oval and the Hill.   Politics never ends folks. 

The FAILURE of ObamaCare - 2nd Term Blues

Fox News: Reports on those filing for ObamaCare, " Administration officials say about 476,000 health insurance applications have been filed through federal and state exchanges.....officials continue to refuse to say how many people have actually enrolled in the insurance markets. Without enrollment figures, it's unclear whether the program is on track to reach the 7 million people projecting by the Congressional Budget Office to gain coverage during the six-month sign-up period. ".

Lets Get Real:

Folks, IF ObamaCare was WORKING, we would be getting a the FULL PR spin, the fact the Administration can or will not say how many people have actually enrolled in ObamaCare and how many of those are young and healthy shows that behind the PR it is a disaster.   The funding for ObamaCare comes from the young and healthy paying in to the system to offset the costs of those with a pre existing condition or old.  If the majority of those enrolling in ObamaCare are not young or and healthy then there is no funding for the scheme.  One can see President Obama wanting more money for ObamaCare or even an increase in the tax you have to pay if you do not want the scheme.  The major row will come next year folks, small business operators have started to cut hours for workers, if an employee works more than 30 hours then the employer has to help fund ObamaCare, the answer folks, cut the hours your workers work, do not offer health care and dump them in to ObamaCare, the costs in the majority of the States would make your eyes water folks.   Thus it would be ironic folks, if ObamaCare was defeated from within, the Congress will not give more funding, if the Oval tries to rises taxes as a penalty on those without ObamaCare the Democrats will be in REAL political trouble.   The Democrats have forgotten one thing folks, the young like free music, free tv, and free newspapers, they get very upset if they have to pay for them, thus the great row about pirate sites for different art and news content.  Yes folks, the Democrats might not understand their natural base. 

The Left of the Left - 2nd Term Blues

The Nation: As this take on the recent US Government shutdown and debt ceiling rise deal, that is seen as a defeat for the Republicans, " Surrender? Any more “victories” like this and Democrats will end up paying tribute into the GOP’s coffers. ".

Lets Get Real:

In this perception the WIN for the Oval was ALL PR, as the new deal confirms the cuts agreed to in 2011 by the President and the Congress, the sequester is a a major concern to Democrats, they really want to ease up on the cuts, the Republicans if they are smart can play the Democrats on this, and try and create a division between the the Oval and House and Senate Democrats.   Lets recall folks, there are the 2014 Mid Terms next year, the Hill wants to bring home the bacon for their States and Districts, thus what are Democrats willing to give up, a delay in ObamaCare for a year, as its not working folks, the Obama Administration has not released the number younger and healthy Americans who have singed up, they need this group to pay for the ObamaCare.   If those that have singed have a pre existing conditions or older, the Oval has a problem, the Republican House will not fund ObamaCare any more than passed by the Democratic Congress, thus ObamaCare might fail due to its internal paradox.    Thus the Republicans need to play tough in Budget talks, not give an inch, and try and cause a division between the Oval and Democrats on the Hill.   This is why politics is an art folks. 

US Future and its Debt - 2nd Term Blues

Telegraph: Reports the following from the money markets, " Analysts describe festering political conflict as "a Sword of Damocles", with politicians facing three more showdowns until March ".

Lets Get Real:

Folks, lets be truthful here, the welfare state is killing the WEST, the great advance in health means that people just live longer, in the past as an example a man who had worked in heavy industry would retire after he was 65, then he might live for another decade, now folks, if you retire, and the law has changed folks, you do not have to retire, you can retire let say at 70, and expected to get a birthday card when you reach a 100 from the Monarch,  one can even postulate with modern heath methods an individual can retire at 70 and reach a grand old age of around 110, or even older.   By allowing people to decide when they retire this has hit the chances of younger people getting jobs, it is a vicious mess folks.  The idea that the ObamaCare will cut costs is rubbish, the costs in the UK NHS are always going up, people expect the best service, no matter the cost folks.   The West has to look at what it wants, are voters willing to pay 70% to 80% for the welfare state, that includes the NHS, one has doubts, later because the political elite are not brave the West will start to say NO to welfare, it can not be afforded over the long term.  When that shoe drops folks there political elite at the time will be in a world of political hurt. 

The Left and the Tea Party - 2nd Term Blues

Guardian: Has the following in its Editorial folks, this what the LEFT really wants, " Let us hope the mid-terms mark the moment when the Tea Party's over. ".

Lets Get Real:

This is the problem with the left folks, they have no toleration for those that do not think like them, they view those with faith, or trust  the people not the Government as alien, even a cancer that should be destroyed.   It is odd folks, that the left never learns, after Watergate and the failed Presidency of Jimmy Carter the left wanted Ronald Reagan to win the Republican Nomination as they thought he was extreme and that the US Voter would NEVER vote for a true Conservative.   That blind spot by liberals is why we had had the great decade of the 80s folks, low taxes, smaller government, big defence spending, and at its end, the end of the USSR.   The question that Democrats have to ask is will the same groups that supported President Obama in 08 and 12 come out for Hillary Clinton.    The election cycle never ends folks, thus in 2014 the fun starts folks, so many polls, you have to love the democratic system. 

Obama and his Poll Rating - 2nd Term Blues

Gallup: Report on its daily tracking poll on the job performance of President Obama, today POTUS has a " 42% Approval rating, while 52% of Americans Disapprove of the the Obama record. ".

Lets Get Real:

Folks the Oval WON its ObamaCare round with the Republicans, lets see if the Oval poll rating rises, the liberal elite press will run with a theme that the Republicans have been routed by the Oval, but lets recall in the mid 1990s Bill Clinton had a 52% Approval rating before and after this Government shutdown, after this defeat the Tea Party supporters in the Congress will keep the feet of the leadership close to fire, to make sure they do not appease the Oval over the next few months.   In January the Republicans should increase the CR for the Government in till after the Mid Term Elections, but hold the line when it comes to the debt ceiling rise, that comes up again on Feb 7th.   The US voter knows that the US cant carry on with a 17 trillion debt,  as they saying goes the other shoe will drop after the President Obama has left office in 2017.   The Republicans should be ready to allow the US to default after the Feb should the Oval remain in stubborn mode.  It will be a Obama default, the Republicans have to make sure that Obama has won short term victory, they have to win the long term war on the US debt, otherwise the US is finished folks, that simple and brutal folks. 

Clinton vs. Biden - The 2016 Race

CNN - Politics: Reports on the political knifing of VP Biden by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the article notes the following, " Clinton, during her latest paid speaking gig ....spent nearly half an hour discussing the story behind the 2011 Navy SEAL raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, specifically highlighting Vice President Joe Biden's opposition to the mission. ".

Lets Get Real: 

This blog would be very surprised if the Clintons,  that is Bill and Hillary really through that VP Biden was a threat to the Hillary Clinton in 2016, this blog's late beloved dog would beat VP Biden, yes folks, he is not going to be the nominee, one can think that the Biden Camp thinks that everyone thought that Hillary Clinton would win the nomination in 2008 and she did not, also President Obama must know that should Hillary Clinton win, the only former President would have her ear is her husband.  If the Oval thinks that Bill Clinton has forgotten or forgiven that the Obama Camp used the race card on him in 2008 they are out of it, or smoking something illegal.   One can postulate that Biden might think that Hillary Clinton might not run, or that the Libya scandal might come back to haunt her, there is always chance folks, but this blog does not see a real political threat to Hillary winning the 2016 Democratic nomination and at present no threat to winning the Presidency.   But folks, three years is a long time, the Clintons must think that somehow Biden is a political threat, this time they are not taking any chances, that is the one thing about Democracy folks, who in 2006 would have thought that then Senator Obama would be the next President.  Let the fun start folks on the Democratic side.