Coyote Gulch

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

? for president?
Political Wire: "Young Voter Strategies looked at the recent national polls on the 2008 presidential race and found some key differences with other age groups: Among Democrats, Sen. Barack Obama attracts stronger support from young adults than from any other age group; Among Republicans, polling indicates young adults are slightly more supportive of Sen. John McCain than are older voters; In general election match ups, 18-29 year olds preferred all three Democratic front-runners over Guiliani and McCain, indicating that young adults continue to lean Democratic as they did in 2006 -- although not by as large a margin."

Political Wire: "A new Strategic Vision (R) poll looked at the presidential race in Georgia. Among Republicans, Rudy Giuliani leads with 28% support, followed by Sen. John McCain with 21% and Newt Gingrich with 14%. On the Democratic side, Sen. Hillary Clinton is in front with 28% support, trailed by Sen. Barack Obama at 25% and John Edwards at 18%."

The Right's Field, writes, about Duncan Hunter, "Being petrified of brown people doesn't make it OK to use your PAC's money to promote your presidential campaign and buy TV ads in New Hampshire."

Pollster.com: "A new Rasmussen Reports automated survey of 568 likely Democratic primary voters and 546 likely Republican primary voters nationwide (conducted 2/19 through 2/22) finds: Among Democrats, Sen. Hillary Clinton (at 37%) leads Sen. Barack Obama (26%) and former Sen. John Edwards (13%) in a national primary; Among Republicans, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani (at 33%) leads Sen. John McCain (17%), Newt Gingrich (13%), and former Gov. Mitt Romney (10%) in a national primary."
"2008 pres"
6:59:50 AM

Iraq
Captain's Quarters: "Combined US and Iraqi forces swept through Sadr City yesterday, arresting more than a dozen suspected militia members and making a statement about the lack of limitation on the new surge operation. The US characterized their targets as 'rogue' elements of the Mahdi Army and the captured could include as many as ten Iraqi policemen."

Bruce Ackerman and David Wu: " The real debate on Iraq begins with Congress's consideration of the military budget. The president has requested almost three quarters of a trillion dollars to fund the military through September 30, 2008. More than $150 billion is earmarked for Iraq. We have already spent $350 billion there, so the president's proposal pushes our Iraqi costs close to the half trillion mark. At the same time, he is demanding a $100 billion cut in health care funding, falling most heavily on poor children, while he maintains his $200 billion annual tax cut, channeled mostly to millionaires. It is Congress's job to restore fiscal balance first, by placing an overall limit on Iraq war expenditures. Congress should limit this president to spending half a trillion dollars on the Iraq war -- and no more. While he may not like the limit (we don't either, but for the opposite reason), the president would have no choice but to sign this ceiling to get short-term funding for his war. In taking this step, Congress wouldn't be initiating a grand constitutional battle over the war powers of the president. It would be exerting its constitutional power of the purse and playing its traditional role as a check on another branch of government, rebalancing runaway programs that threaten to overwhelm our fiscal health and national priorities."

Thanks to The Daily Kos for the link.
"2008 pres"
6:51:45 AM

Economy
unbossed.com: "When it comes to our country's financial situation, GAO has bad news and bad news for you. Which do you want first?...OK, so here's the bad news. You know you are in big trouble when a GAO report begins: 'GAO's current long-term simulations continue to show ever-larger deficits resulting in a federal debt burden that ultimately spirals out of control.' GAO's newest report on our economic situation is bleak: The Nation's Long-Term Fiscal Outlook January 2007 Update - The Bottom Line: Federal Fiscal Policy Remains Unsustainable This is a short report based on a simulation, using various assumptions. Here are some details behind that introductory sentence."
"2008 pres"
6:49:06 AM