Telling Stories

From the "Oh Please, Please, PLEEEEZEEEEEE" Folder

This would be just great:

An influential conservative political action committee is pledging to support primary challengers to any Republican senator who supports President Obama's stimulus package — the latest public show of dissatisfaction from the right over the massive measure before Congress.

"The American people don’t want this trillion dollar political payoff that will just line the pockets of non-governmental organizations who supported [President] Obama in the election,” said Scott Wheeler, the executive director of The National Republican Trust PAC, an organization that calls for less government spending and lower taxes.

“Republican senators are on notice," Wheeler said. "If they support the stimulus package, we will make sure every voter in their state knows how they tried to further bankrupt voters in an already bad economy.”

Go ahead.  Find some "mainstream Republicans" to run against the only three Republicans U.S. Senators that have managed to get themselves reelected in New England and the Northern Mid-Atlantic, the bluest region of the U.S.  Hopefully, the "mainstream Republicans" can beat them and then it would become an all-too-easy three seat pick-up (with the possible exception of Spencer in PA).

If news like this doesn't convince you of how out of touch Republicans are, nothing will.

From the National Department of DUH!

Next time, Zogby should just give me the money.  I could have given them the same answer.  Far cheaper too:

Americans know little about Latin America: poll

A recent Zogby International poll showed that the large majority of Americans did not know the names of the presidents of Brazil and Mexico, the two biggest economies in the region.

Only 10 percent of the 7,362 adults interviewed were familiar with Brazil's second term president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and just 20 percent knew of Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

That averages to about 15%, which confirms what a friend of mine - white American, mind you - believes to be the 85% rule:  85% of the people out there are idiots.

Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica appeared as the closest allies of the United States. Venezuela and Cuba topped the list of the least friendly, followed by Colombia, which is in fact a firm ally.

I guess that's what Colombia gets for being Hugo Chavez' neighbors, even though their governments are definitely not on the same track.

More than half those polled said the United States should be talking to the Cuban government, which for decades has been its fiercest rival in the region,

And I bet you not one of those who voted in favor were Cubans.  Just a wild guess here.

and 56 percent said the increasing influence of communist China in Latin America is a serious threat to U.S. influence.

Which is totally hilarious considering that it's nearly impossible to avoid the "Made in China" label for a boatload of goods sold in the U.S.  Add to that that China holds $900 billion in U.S. bonds and it's quite ridiculous to say that Americans buying cheap goods from China is not a threat to U.S. influence but Latin Americans doing the same, or entering in legitimate trade agreements with China, is a threat.

Yep.  The 85% rule is alive and kickin'!!!

Tags: Education