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Do the math: America is a center-left nation

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53 comments

Do the math: America is a center-left nation

POSTED: Thursday, February 12, 2009, 3:20 PM

Numbers don't lie.

Item 1:

While no more than 41% of Americans favor a criminal investigation into any of the matters, at least 6 in 10 say there should be either a criminal investigation or an independent probe into all three. This includes 62% who favor some type of investigation into the possible use of torture when interrogating terrorism suspects, 63% who do so with respect to the possible use of telephone wiretaps without obtaining a warrant, and 71% who support investigating possible attempts to use the Justice Department for political purposes.

So far, President Obama has been reluctant to pursue such investigations, but Leahy and Conyers in particular are calling for an accounting of what happened on Bush's watch.

Item 2:

PRINCETON, NJ -- Public support for an $800 billion economic stimulus package has increased to 59% in a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted Tuesday night, up from 52% in Gallup polling a week ago, as well as in late January.

There's a saying in modern journalism that the audience knows more than you do. In politics, the audience knows more than the Beltway pundit class or a lot of our political leaders. Why do so few of them listen?

Will Bunch @ 3:20 PM Permalink | 53 comments

53 comments

Comments (53)

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0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:56 PM, 02/12/2009

This is a center-right country, that's why Obama, who was considered one of the most liberal senators in Congress, had to talk a lot about conservative ideas in his presidential campaign to get elected, such as tax cuts, a strong military, doing more for business, protection of traditional marriage, etc.

— Phillysub

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0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 7:32 PM, 02/12/2009

Hard to have tax cuts when there is an increasingly smaller tax base to cut. 600,000 jobs lost recently. That figure is the ultimate tax cut. Tax cuts do not produce jobs. Otherwise, after 8 years we'd have zero unemployment, right? Given a preference, everyone would like their taxes cut. Everyone would like free food and $.25 gas, too! Doesn't make them right or sustain an economy.

— mike l

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 7:57 PM, 02/12/2009

Numbers don't lie? Very cute Will. Under your logic, then Reagan must have been the best President of all time because he was the most popular when he left office. Numbers don't lie. You better call your publisher and retract your book.

— CD75

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0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:47 PM, 02/12/2009

CD75: Reagan was far from the most popular president when he left office. You have been had by the Republican myth-makers.

— Archimedes

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:51 AM, 02/13/2009

According to Gallup, when given the choice between Lincoln, Reagan, Washington, Kennedy and FDR, most Americans regard Reagan as the greatest US president. The rankings were Reagan-Kennedy-Lincoln-FDR-Washington. see: http://www.gallup.com/poll/114292/Best-President-Lincoln-Par-Reagan-Kennedy.aspx And since numbers don't lie (chortle), that must settle the issue. But then again, another Gallup poll shows that when taking all 43 presidents into consideration Americans believe the top 5 greatest presidents to be (in order) Lincoln-Reagan-Kennedy-Clinton-FDR. see: http://www.gallup.com/poll/26608/Lincoln-Resumes-Position-Americans-TopRated-President.aspx So there you have it. The numbers prove that Lincoln was the greatest president of all time, with Reagan a close second...except when the numbers prove that Reagan is greatest president of all time, with Kennedy a close second and Lincoln rated as third best. As you say Will, numbers don't lie...it's all as clear as mud.

— legatus

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Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

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