RWNJ Conservative Views from Cincinnati

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Posted under Healthcare

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that confidence in Obama is rapidly dropping. Obama’s numbers have now dropped to the point that they are lower than President Bush in this point in 2001. His net approval rating was as low as +6% this week according to Rasmussen. The article points out multiple signs of trouble in the polling data:

• A third strongly disapprove of Obama’s performance.
• Obama has lost nearly all Republican support and a large portion of Independant support.
• Support is dropping more rapidly than other Presidents of the 20th and 21st centuries.
• 83% are concerned Obama’s policies will not improve the economy.
• 82% are worried about the growing deficit.
• 78% are concerned about inflation.
• 69% are worried about Government’s increasing role in the economy.
• Less should have been spent on the stimulus according to a 3-to-1 margin.
• Obama’s budget is opposed by a 46% to 41% margin.
• Voters reject Pelosi’s idea of a second stimulus by a 2-to-1 margin.
• The feeling is that the mortgage bailout will unfairly benefit the irresponsible by 48% to 36%.
• 45% do not have confidence in the direction Obama is taking.
• Less than half suport increasing taxes for expanded health-insurance (17% less support than 1993).
• Only 20% support the most recent bank bailout.

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Posted under Economy

It seems clear that the Republicans are trying to position Jindal to be the new face for the party. Though many on the left regard him as an Uncle Tom, Jindal clearly has a Conservative philosophy. My issue with him is that he badly needs to work on his delivery. For one, I wish someone would tie Jindal’s hands. He talks with his hands so much that it is distracting! He also needs to learn the art of the “dramatic pause” and use more vocal inflection.

It seems recent Republicans are horrible at speech delivery, especially when you consider that Reagan was an expert. In this day of style over substance (*cough* Obama *cough*), this is going to be a big problem for Republicans. His writers could also provide overwhelming examples of where similar proposals to the ones he mentions have worked in the past. The opportunity is there to charismatically and powerfully deliver the message, we just need someone to do it! Jindal needs to move away from the dry and monotone delivery and writing.

Focusing on content (which given the delivery was difficult to do), I am glad that Jindal admitted that the Republican Party screwed up and moved away from Conservative principles. He has kept a consistent message, now it is up to the Republicans to act according to that message. Reagan Conservatism was both successful and popular, why the Republicans moved away from that philosophy is anyone’s guess. The 2006 and 2008 elections were hopefully a wake up call that Jindal is stepping forward to answer.

If Jindal wants to make a run for President in 2012 (and I hope he does), he MUST work on his speech abilities. A well-delivered speech drives home the points in a memorable way. Honestly, this speech was difficult to concentrate on, let alone remember.

Republican response embedded below:

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Posted under Economy

In a turnaround from the doom and gloom that Obama has spreading since taking office, he switched back to a more “hope” inspired speech. Unfortunately, it appears he is still going to push towards a Government-based solution. As a Conservative, I believe strongly that America is best when its citizens learn self-reliance. Government should strengthen its citizens, not itself.

Obama stated that he has identified $2 Trillion in savings over the next 10 years. Though the ten year forecast seems popular in Government, Obama truly only has control over his own term (4 years, possibly 8). Even so, $2 Trillion isn’t much more than the stimulus and mortgage bailout (well over $1 Trillion) which he’s spent in only his first month in office. Furthermore, Obama’s budget proposal seems to heavily depend upon tax increases on both corporations and business owners that will heavily affect the job market. Some in Congress will have the foresight to see the ill effects to the economy and will fight hard to prevent this mistake from occurring.

I am still concerned that he continues to push that his plans will “save or create 3.5 million jobs” as if it is a fact. His own economists stated: “It should be understood that all of the estimates presented in this memo are subject to significant margins of error…. Our estimates of economic relationships and rules of thumb are derived from historical experience and so will not apply exactly in any given episode. Furthermore, the uncertainty is surely higher than normal now because the current recession is unusual both in its fundamental causes and its severity.” It’s nice to have predictions, but the expectations are set high. Ideas similar to Obama’s that have been tried in the past have come up well short of their predicted values.

Obama’s Address in full is embedded below:

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Posted under Economy