Well, it’s looking like our upcoming presidential election is turning out to be a bit decided. Yep – show’s over, no need to vote, go home and play sudoku or marbles or something because according to recent polls, Obama’s got this one in the bag.
Not to suggest that our presidential elections are really just a series of immensely profitable game shows for major media or anything, but the suspense/nausea over the fate of our country’s leadership is quickly subsiding. As Mittens Rom-Rom and friends continue to chip away at each other in a race even John McCain is sick of watching, the American public is becoming increasingly frustrated with the GOP’s attitude towards basically everything – and Obama is coming out ahead as a result and by no real miracle of his own.
In several national polls conducted by a myriad of independent companies, the president has inched his way to an impressive 50% approval rating over the past several months. Meanwhile, Republicans on the Hill have secured a steady (if atrociously dismal) 22% approval rating, not that the Democrats are doing much better at around 31%. This puts him at a solid 6% lead over GOP frontrunner Romney, who’s being steadily undercut in recent primaries by an increasingly popular Santorum.
These numbers come at a time when Obama has taken flak from both sides of the aisle for his controversial contraceptive bill – Democrats resented that he had compromised in the slightest to ease its passage, and Republicans are still pissed at the fact that he got elected in the first place. While the effects that this incident will have on Obama’s approval rating remains to be seen, it is still doubtful that the president will suffer much over social issues in this presidential election, especially when 98% of Catholic women in America rely on contraceptives and 52% of all Catholics support his measure.
Still, while the odds of a major change in public opinion over the next nine months are low, anything is possible in American politics. So keep scanning headlines for stuff to shake your head at, and maybe don’t put away that popcorn just yet.
(Image via)
Even if Obama “has it in the bag” EVERYONE needs to make sure that they go out and vote on election day in November. The only way for students’ voices to be heard and addressed by politicians is to turn out at the polls and become a threat at the voting booth. Anyone who needs help registering to vote or learning how to get an absentee ballot can feel free to contact info@nyusfbo.com or go to longdistancevoter.org
While I agree that everyone should go out and vote because there’s power in numbers and all that stuff, the only people whose votes actually make a difference are those registered in the swing states. Individual votes can mean nothing but an entire state’s vote can mean a lot. There’s virtually no point to voting Republican in a state like New York because NY will never have a Republican majority. It’s only in states like Florida that votes can be said to have any significant influence.
You’re both completely correct, and I’m in no way advocating for voter apathy – everyone should definitely turn out to vote in November for whichever candidate they support and feel will best lead the nation.
But only if there’s nothing good on TV that day.
Never underestimate the American people, Raj.
Ava is not completely correct, because NYS currently has a Republican House chamber. Elections matter, national swing state or not. A lot of the damage being done across the country is happening in local and state legislatures, not in DC.
So, yes, to echo Sara – even if you think Obama is going to win (and that’s what you want), you absolutely have to go out and make sure you vote all the way down the ballot.
Everyone can vote in either their home state (permanent address) or here in New York since we’re students here. That being said, if you come from a swing state, definitely stay registered there. It’s also good to stay registered at home because you don’t have to go through changing your address for your registration when you move around here in New York, and you can vote in local elections, for things like your school board and whatnot.
However, to the point that your vote doesn’t matter unless you’re in a swing state, I disagree somewhat. The Obama campaign was able to mobilize enormous amounts of people and expand the electorate in a way we’ve never seen before. Traditionally red states, like Indiana and Florida, went blue in 2008, and that kind of voter mobilization really has an effect.
So in essence: Just vote. There are people dying in other countries in order to be given the right to a free and fair election. Don’t take that for granted.
Hey Raj, fun read but I don’t know if you’re last statement is true. The public’s opinion of Obama is strongly connected to economic performance. That, combined with the reality that a popular vote doesn’t ensure an electoral win, makes it pretty unsafe to assume that his election is in the bag of our highly-fragile-possibly-second-recession-impending country. Nate Silver writes on this in NY Times Magazine this week: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/nate-silver-obama-reelection-chances.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&hp
Sara’s right. I know being a cynical student is totally in vogue now, but it’s counterproductive. Individuals not voting is how debacles like Scott Brown, let alone George Bush (x2!) happen.
Glenn Greenwald said it best 6 months ago:
“I suggested in [a] conversation that the trend of progressive criticism of Obama would be expressed by an inverted “U”: it would continuously increase as the Real Obama revealed himself in more and more areas of prime importance to progressives, and then would decline precipitously — more or less back to its original levels — as the 2012 election approached. I think that’s being roughly borne out.”
“Because presidential elections are such a stark either/or affair, many people feel compelled to choose one side and then elevate its victory into the overarching — even the only — political priority that matters. For that reason, even those willing to criticize their own side’s Leader a couple of years before the election become unwilling to do so as the election approaches, on the ground that nothing matters except boosting one’s own team and undermining the other. That, in turn, further reduces the already-low levels of independence, intellectual honesty, and — most importantly – accountability for those in power.”
From a fantastic article called “The misery of the protracted presidential campaign season.”
http://www.salon.com/2011/08/16/elections_9/
Right…lets hope he wins, again. The Changemaker who:
-Became the first President in U.S. history to sign into law the codification of indefinite detention, removing an American citizen’s right to due process (a trial and/or lawyer), as Greenwald and others have stated–”destroying 200 years of law.”
-Unconstitutionally orders the assassination of American citizens and sovereign nation foreigners abroad without providing one shred of evidence in any court of supposed terrorist associations, disallowing one’s right trial or a lawyer (again,due process)
-Remained silent beating and pepperspraying peaceful college protestors in NYC, Cal and all around the US while going live on TV to condemn the stifling of protests elsewhere
-Turned the ugliest chapter in American history on the financial thievery which took place the past three years, where substantial proof exists of fiscal thievery by elite bankers during a period of extreme suffering by the masses.
-Continued the unconstitutional PATRIOT ACT. I don’t think I need to describe what that is.
-Has increased the national assault on whistleblowers-typified by the Unconstitutional, Geneva smashing jailing and abuse-without-trial-or-charge treatment of Brad Manning–a guy who should receive the Nobel Peace Prize…not Barack Obama.
Greenwald, an NYU grad and also a Constitutional lawyer like Obama, is on point.
Obama, for the above mentioned reasons, is not fit for office and should be impeached, just like his predecessor, as all elected officials who voted for NDAA should be recalled for exemplifying what it means to sell out your country. A movement nationally is under way to carry out that very action. Everything written here is factual. Google it.
The Republicans are running Obama’s campaign for him. They have certainly handed Obama a gift as they’re imploding in front of our eyes. Even Republicans are realizing they wouldn’t vote for whomever the party decides to thrust upon the voters as the next “great” one.
Wait until Obama actually gets into the mix with his rallies, speeches and debates. His charismatic personality and speech prowess are going to be even more evident this time around.
The game’s over before it’s really even begun as long as people go out and vote.
Let’s hope this next term the Senate, Congress and economy help out and some positive changes happen. Boy, do we need it.
I agree with Michael.
Elena, surely you can distinguish factual evidence that suggests a president is unfit to govern from fear-mongering and debasing rhetoric. Terms like “national assault” and “destroying 200 years of law” are the reason why we can’t have a proper debate in this country. The sides are far too polarized and their comments far too inflammatory to allow for civilized discussion.
Perhaps the best way to make an argument is, instead of ripping him apart, is to acknowledge the things he has done. Mention his charisma and his intelligence and then say that in spite of those promising characteristics that he has been a disappointment and has also done X, Y, and Z that are not so honorable and oft overlooked. It will give your argument a far greater degree of legitimacy.
As far as voting is concerned, it’s not so much that’s it’s in vogue to be cynical. George Carlin put it best:
“I firmly believe that if you vote, you have no right to complain. Now, some people like to twist that around. They say, ‘If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain,’ but where’s the logic in that? If you vote, and you elect dishonest, incompetent politicians, and they get into office and screw everything up, you are responsible for what they have done. You voted them in. You caused the problem. You have no right to complain. I, on the other hand, who did not vote — who did not even leave the house on Election Day — am in no way responsible for that these politicians have done and have every right to complain about the mess that you created.”
Have a good Saturday, y’all.