But Is It Working?

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Thursday August 25, 2016 · 7:21 AM PDT

2016/08/25 · 07:21

There have been numerous stories, both here and on other left-leaning sites, that have pointed out that Trump is not changing his statements on immigration in order to win over minorities but to soften his image with moderate GOP voters who are abandoning him. People seem to think that we have scored some kind of point in exposing this, that the exposure will change the election dynamic. (Hint: It won’t because approximately 99.7% of the electorate isn’t even aware of this ‘exposure’.)

But the real question is not whether his softening is real but whether his message is working. Is he changing the minds of the college-educated white women who have turned their backs on him? I haven’t seen any stories addressing this issue. Does anyone have any insight into this?

A Modest Suggestion for VP

yellowdog

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Tuesday May 31, 2016 · 10:20 AM PDT

2016/05/31 · 10:20

I have not heard his name mentioned in the Veep stakes but let’s give some consideration to Senator Jon Tester of Montana.

Tester is categorized as a Left-Liberal by Ballotopedia. He is currently the chair of the DSCC (so held in some regard by his compatriots). He is an organic farmer; he started his career as a music teacher.

I won’t go into a detailed description of his legislative career (you can find that at Ballotopedia) but he is strongly pro-choice, strongly supports green energy initiatives, supports the EPA, strongly supports making voting easier, for raising taxes on the wealthy, and against school vouchers for starters.

He is not perfect, of course. He has an A- rating from the NRA (but an F rating from another pro-gun group), voted against the Dream Act (but voted FOR continuing aid to sanctuary cities), and has a anti marijuana-legalization stance.

A little known fact about Tester: when Al Franken was going through the recount mishegas Tester lent his Chief of Staff to Franken for the duration of the recount. When Franken was declared the winner there was a celebration for Franken at the AFL-CIO headquaters in DC and Tester (and maybe Reid) were the only fellow Senators to show up.

By the way, the governor of Montana is also a Democrat, so we wouldn’t have the same replacement problem that we would have with a Warren or Brown VP pick.

Important Metro Info for 10/2 Rally

yellowdog

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Thursday September 30, 2010 · 3:21 PM PDT

2010/09/30 · 15:21

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (AKA Metro) has in it's infinite wisdom decided to do track work this weekend. Riders on the Red, Yellow and Green lines will be delayed at least 30 minutes.

Metrorail customers traveling between the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center and U St/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes to their travel times while Metro officials will install a new track switch to improve rail system safety and weld new rail outside the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail station. The track switch replacement is work that has been recommended by the NTSB. Trains will share one track between these locations the entire weekend from 10 p.m. Friday, October 1, to closing on Sunday, October 3.

Metrorail customers traveling between the Shady Grove and Twinbrook Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes to their travel time because Metro will repair the deteriorated platform at the Rockville Metrorail station to return it to a state of good repair. Trains will share one track between these locations the entire weekend from 8 p.m. Friday, October 1 to closing on Sunday, October 3.

yellowdog

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Monday June 28, 2010 · 6:52 AM PDT

2010/06/28 · 06:52

For the first time in almost two months Obama's approval in Rasmussen is in single negative digits at minus 9; that is the difference between the strongly approve and strongly disapprove numbers. His overall approval is at 49-50.

Now I know that Rasmussen's methodology is questionable at best but I do think that they are internally consistent. The number went from minus 15 yesterday to minus 9 today, which is a pretty strong pop. I don't know what is driving the numbers or if this is a one day anomaly-we shall see.

The last time Obama was at this level, it had been achieved gradually with a series of daily results of 13-12-10-10-11-8, whereas recently the numbers have been in the low to mid teens.

FWIW I think I may have discerned a slight change in the mainstream media's willingness to actually give Obama credit for his achievements. Perhaps the one-two combination of the firing of MacChrystal and the financial reform law have given then some dose of sanity. Does anybody else see this happening?

Bad News for the Doomsayers

yellowdog

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Thursday October 15, 2009 · 6:50 AM PDT

2009/10/15 · 06:50

Two economic reports out today show evidence of an improving economy. No, not the stock market. These two reports deal with the real thing, jobs and the health of the manufacturing sector.

First jobs:

The rate of layoffs continues to ease as initial jobless fell 10,000 in the Oct. 10 week to 514,000 (prior week revised from 521,000). Continuing claims also fell, down 75,000 to a sub-6 million level at 5.992 million in data for the Sept. 26 week. The unemployment rate for insured workers, in contrast to the overall unemployment rate, continues to slip, down another tenth to 4.5 percent. Levels in this report are the lowest since the first quarter.

And manufacturing, an improvement in an index which foretells increased hiring down the road.

yellowdog

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Friday September 05, 2008 · 5:49 AM PDT

2008/09/05 · 05:49

The prediction by the economic experts was for the unemployment figures released today to be between 5.7% and 5.9 percent. The figures just came in and unemployment is 6.1 percent, with 84,000 jobs lost.

This is disastrous, both for those out of a job and for the economy as a whole. The stock market dropped about 3 percent yesterday on anticipation of a bad unemployment report, but this is worse, I'd say much worse, than was imagined. Expect another severe decline in the marker today, maybe a new yearly low.

Some lowlights of the report after the fold.

yellowdog

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Thursday September 04, 2008 · 10:07 AM PDT

2008/09/04 · 10:07

New Jobless Claims

Initial jobless claims jumped 15,000 in the Aug. 30 week to a much higher-than-expected level of 444,000 though the four-week average did slip back 3,250 to 438,000. Continuing claims, in data for the Aug. 23 week, also continue to indicate weak conditions in the labor market, up 6,000 to another multi-year high of 3.435 million. There were no special factors in the data and no new details on the effects of the government's efforts to widen those eligible for benefits. Today's report is consistent with expectations for deepening declines in tomorrow's employment report.

Tomorrow the Employment Situation numbers for August come out. The expectation is that unemployment will rise to 5.8% and that the economy will show a loss of about 75,000 jobs. That's on top of the 51,000 lost in July and the 62,000 lost in June.

yellowdog

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Friday August 01, 2008 · 5:59 AM PDT

2008/08/01 · 05:59

and 51,000 jobs lost.

In the latest release from the Labor Department:

The unemployment rate rose to 5.7 percent, and nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend down in July (-51,000), the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Employment continued to fall in construction, manufacturing, and several service-providing industries, while health care and mining continued to add jobs. Average hourly earnings rose by
6 cents, or 0.3 percent, over the month.

Unemployment (Household Survey Data)

Both the number of unemployed persons (8.8 million) and the unemployment rate (5.7 percent) rose in July. Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 1.6 million, and the unemployment rate has risen by 1.0
percentage point.

yellowdog

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Thursday June 12, 2008 · 6:06 AM PDT

2008/06/12 · 06:06

Unemployment (new claims) came out today.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week while those remaining on benefit rolls hit a four-year high, the government said on Thursday.

It was the seventh straight week claims were above 3 million, evidence that unemployed workers are having a hard time finding a job.

Reuters story here.

Poll

80 votes Show Results

How's your employment situation

80 votes Vote Now!

How's your employment situation

Unemployed more than 1 month and looking

10 votes

Recently unemployed and looking

0 votes

Part-time and doing OK

5 votes

Part-time and hurting

6 votes

Self-employed and doing OK

4 votes

Self-employed and hurting

5 votes

I have a secure job

28 votes

I'm worried about losing my job

14 votes

I've given up looking for a job

8 votes

It has to end this way

yellowdog

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Sunday May 18, 2008 · 7:07 AM PDT

2008/05/18 · 07:07

Obama has to be able to claim the majority of pledged delegates with MI and FL counted as-is. This is independent of the final allotments decided upon by the Rules or Credentials committee, which will undoubtedly result in an Obama majority. Demonstrating that Obama has the majority even using Clinton's ridiculous claims, is a major PR victory and the only way to get Clinton and her followers to STFU. The cannot be allowed an opening, even one that is illegal, unreasonable and unfair, to claim that the nomination was 'stolen'.

Here are the numbers we have to use to show them the door (I am using the numbers from the Obama campaign, which differ slightly from those of demconwatch):

Obama has 1612.5 pledged delegates (NOT counting the two Clinton pledged deleates who have said they will vote for Obama at the convention)

Obama will probably get 85 of the remaining 189 pledged delegates. (This is perhaps a bit conservative but the proportional rules mean that this could not increase by more than 2 or 3)

Total Obama pledged delegates before FL and MI:1697.5-well over the 1626.5 needed for the nomination if FL and MI are not counted at all

Follow me below for what happens when FL and MI are seated as-is.

yellowdog

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Thursday May 15, 2008 · 7:31 AM PDT

2008/05/15 · 07:31

Short but sweet.

Pittsburgh – The United Steelworkers today issued the following statement of endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President:

"When the presidential primary contests began last year, our Union felt strongly that because of Senator John Edwards’s deep commitment to working people and because of our shared beliefs, he deserved our strong endorsement. His belief that unfair trade policies must be changed, his commitment to pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) to restore workers’ rights to freely choose workplace representation, and his proposal for universal health care were widely shared by our members.

"Today, by virtue of a unanimous vote of our International Executive Board, we find ourselves once again in agreement with Senator Edwards, this time with his decision last evening to endorse Senator Barack Obama. And thus today, the United Steelworkers enthusiastically endorses Senator Barack Obama to be the next President of the United States.

I know, I know, not enough substance for a diary but there's no open thread topping the front page right now. At least give me credit for not using BREAKING!!!

Another Union Endorsement for Obama

yellowdog

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Thursday April 24, 2008 · 10:31 AM PDT

2008/04/24 · 10:31

IFPTE, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers has endorsed Barack Obama.

IFPTE’s Executive Council agreed that Senator Obama is the candidate best suited to address the major concerns of America’s working men and women, particularly those issues that directly impact IFPTE’s diverse membership. The Senator believes we need to reform the H-1B program; he will immediately reverse the last eight years of the union busting promulgated on our nation’s Civil Servants; will stand against free trade agreements like NAFTA that fail to protect American workers; will address our nation’s dangerous health care crisis; will work to oppose irresponsible privatization schemes in the public and federal sectors; will work to protect the pensions and retirement security of working Americans; and will not only support the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), but will actively use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to work with Congress in ensuring that this all important labor law reform legislation becomes the

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But Is It Working?

A Modest Suggestion for VP

Important Metro Info for 10/2 Rally

Obama approval pops on Rasmussen!?

Bad News for the Doomsayers

It's even worse than anticipated

And in the Real World

Unemployment increases to 5.7%

It's getting worse

It has to end this way

Steelworkers Endorse Obama

Another Union Endorsement for Obama