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Mike Hendricks

Mike at Night

Mike Hendricks recently retires as social science, criminal justice instructor at McCook Community College.

Opinion

You do the math

Friday, February 24, 2012

Two years into the Presidency, most people believed that the Republican presidential candidate would easily defeat Obama, regardless of who the candidate was. Two years later and only eight months before the election, that's not a sure thing anymore and the reason lies as much in the numbers of the 2008 election as they do with anything that has happened recently, something I think the Republicans are overlooking as they battle each other for the nomination.

53 percent of all voters in 2008 were women and they voted 56 percent for Obama and 43 percent for McCain.

Blacks voted 95 percent for Obama, 5 percent for McCain.

Hispanic voters will increase 26 percent, from 9.7 million in 2008 to 12.2 million in 2012. They will account for 8.7 percent of all voters in 2012 and in 2008, they voted Democratic by more than a 2 to 1 margin; 67 percent vs. 31 percent.

Asians voted 62 percent for Obama and 35 percent for McCain.

Whites voted 49 percent for Obama and 48 percent for McCain. The only racial or gender category carried by McCain were white men who voted 55 percent to 43 percent in favor of McCain. The only age category carried by McCain were those 65 years old and older and the only region of the country carried by McCain was the South.

Today, 72 million voters are registered Democrats and 55 million are registered Republicans.

Obama won the 2008 election by 10 million popular votes and 365 to 173 electoral votes.

Those are numbers that the Republicans will have to close significantly to have a chance in 2012 and it won't be easy.

Today, Obama leads every Republican candidate in national polls and has raised three times as much money for his re-election bid as his closet competitor, Mitt Romney, who has raised much more money than his other Republican opponents.

Unemployment claims are the lowest they've been in 4 years.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is closing in on 13,000 points.

The American automobile industry is once again in the driver's seat, making and selling more cars than ever before.

During Obama's watch, Osama Bin Laden was found and killed, something Bush tried and failed to do for the whole eight years of his presidency. In addition, Libyan strong man and dictator Muammar Gaddafi was also killed along with over 600 Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants by drone strikes ordered by the president. In addition, there have been no internal terrorism strikes since Obama became president.

Add to those things the fact that the Republican primaries have turned nasty with each candidate criticizing the weak points of the other candidates in an attempt to gain the nomination. That gives Obama even more ammunition to use against whoever the Republican candidate is and more fuel is added to the fire.

The Republicans have long positioned themselves as the arbiters of a strong national defense and a strong economic system and that's what we're moving toward today. So when your two strongest points are compromised, social issues are all that remain and social issues won't win this election. When the people feel secure about their national security and they have reason to be optimistic about their economic situation, they vote to keep the people in office who got them there. James Carville, the campaign manager for Bill Clinton in 1992, kept a permanent sign in the Little Rock headquarters that said, 'It's the economy, stupid.' And it still is.

So if the economy continues to improve over the next 8 months, Obama will be hard to beat. If not, then the ball goes back to the other corner.

But, regardless of what happens, it's not going to be nearly as easy for the Republicans to win the presidency as they thought it was going to be a couple of years ago.

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  • Obama got lucky that the underwear bomber couldn't get his bomb off. He's going to have to be able to defend that.

    -- Posted by npwinder on Sat, Feb 25, 2012, at 8:06 AM
  • *

    "Obama won the 2008 election by 10 million popular votes and 365 to 173 electoral votes."

    And he did that in all 57 states.

    And now, thanks to Stilton Jarlsberg, the "Top Ten" list of new Obama campaign slogans to replace "Change you can believe in."

    #10 - "Change that doesn't seem even remotely possible"

    #9 - "For trillions of reasons"

    #8 - "This time, he'll try change for the better"

    #7 - "Because America's only half finished"

    #6 - (refer to HopeNChangeCartoons.com)

    #5 - "Did you know he killed Osama Bin Laden?"

    #4 - "The first term was Bush's fault"

    #3 - "Sorry about the whole hope thing"

    #2 - "It's Whitney Houston's last wish"

    And coming in at number one...

    #1 - "Fore more years!"

    -- Posted by Mickel on Sun, Feb 26, 2012, at 1:06 PM
  • Mickel

    Wow - what a post, you really did an exceptional job of mocking and ridiculing the President of the United States, as well as Whitney Houston that is now deceased.

    Do you feel better now?

    -- Posted by Geezer on Mon, Feb 27, 2012, at 6:40 AM
  • Geezer, I usually respect your posts. Maybe Mickel went over the top with his list; did you have any outrage when folks were/are doing the same thing to George Bush? As for Whitney Houston, I am relieved the hype is finished. She was a drug addicted entertainer (one of several, who knows how many hundreds). What else did she do that was note worthy?

    -- Posted by doodle bug on Mon, Feb 27, 2012, at 10:46 AM
  • doodle

    I don't know about you, but where I come from mocking the member of ones family after their immediate death is considered in bad taste. Everybody deserves the opportunity to grieve for the loss of a loved one, regardless of what they may have done throughout their life.

    It is the same concept as acknowledging the respect of the family in a funeral procession by pulling your automobile over to the side of the road and stopping until they have passed.

    To each his own.

    -- Posted by Geezer on Mon, Feb 27, 2012, at 11:27 AM
  • Good point Geezer. And I respect Houstons humanity; I just failed to see anything great about her except her talent; talent that is possessed by many others. Do you feel that Houston deserved more than 10 days of public reverence? And flags flown at half mast?

    -- Posted by doodle bug on Mon, Feb 27, 2012, at 4:00 PM
  • *

    Geezer - What I posted was satire. Interesting that you call it "mocking and ridiculing"; especially pointing out Whitney Houston.

    I have no bone to pick with Whitney Houston. I enjoyed her music, and was saddened that she had such unnecessary tumult in her life. I don't see how what I posted "mocked or riduculed" her life, her talent, or anything about her. I think you are looking too hard to find something to be ticked off about. Which leads me to another point.

    I really gored your sacred cow with this "Top Ten" list. But I'm sure you can appreciate that the President opens himself up for points of view by his actions in some areas, and his inactions in others.

    The President has a record, and is fair game in the realm of political discourse. This is what Conservatives were told everytime that "hate" books, and "assasination" movies were produced against former President Bush. I'm sure, that being the fair-minded individual that you are; that you protested the hate speech against "W"....Hmmm?

    The fact is: Obama has been a dismal leader, and has sucked life and energy out of this country and its citizens. That's what makes the Republicans the "Party of Fear" (to borrow from another author on this website) - Republicans tell the truth about Obama, and it scares the bejeezus out of people.

    Even his supporters aren't fooled by the Big BO.

    http://decoded.nationaljournal.com/2012/02/dem-pollster-voters-dont-think.php

    And now - I'll gore some more of the sacred cow.

    http://cnsnews.com/news/article/gallup-finds-unemployment-climbing-nine-percent-...

    http://news.investors.com/article/601761/201202211802/government-dependency-is-g...

    -- Posted by Mickel on Mon, Feb 27, 2012, at 6:48 PM
  • Your digging the hole deeper.

    You know nothing about me or my political preferrence. Not once in any of my posts have I said that I am Republican or Democrat. My posts are mostly based on the issues, not on party affiliation. Quit your lying about President Obama being my sacred cow - I can speak for myself.

    -- Posted by Geezer on Mon, Feb 27, 2012, at 8:54 PM
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    Gee Geezer - it really takes a mind reader to figure out what side of the bread holds your butter...not.

    You have shown yourself to be an Obama apologist, if not supporter, and consistently. You practically oozed love for Obamacare. You attack those espousing conservative viewpoints; while coddling even radically liberal opiners. Your political preference is glaring.

    And what are we 10 years old again? I'm "lying" about Obama being your sacred cow? Your reaction is the proof in the pudding.

    -- Posted by Mickel on Tue, Feb 28, 2012, at 1:02 PM
  • Mickel, I enjoyed your top 10! The Whitney thing wasn't disrespectful to her as much as representing a feeble ploy by a presidential candidate and if there is ANYONE that can't see this Great Country's life blood being sucked dry, then it's time to grab your white cane and head to the eye doctor!

    -- Posted by Nick Mercy on Tue, Feb 28, 2012, at 8:01 PM
  • Geezer you are indeed a Democrat. You and I went toe to toe for almost a month because you wanted to encourage less oil production by increasing taxes on oil companies and therefore decreasing crude oil supply and increasing gasoline prices.

    But you Dems want higher Gasoline prices so you can push your alternative fuel objectives.

    Go figure - All Americans buy Gasoline (even the poorest) and Geezer and the Dems want higher Gasoline Prices.

    BTW Geezer oil companies pay the highest income tax of all the S&P 500 companies already so Oil Companies are actually paying More than their fair share. But I guess you D's never actually look or consider the facts. You just preach the same old sermon that you have heard over and over and over.

    I seem to recall that Bill Clinton himself was hell bent on his "carbon tax" - remember that? Off Course you do because all D's want higher Gasoline prices for some reason.

    Wallis

    -- Posted by wallismarsh on Wed, Feb 29, 2012, at 8:11 PM
  • http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=XOM+Income+Statement&annual

    You do the Math. Last year Exxon paid $21,000,000 in income taxes on $52,000,000 in Earnings. That is over 40%. Look at 2009 and 2008 also. Oil companies pay through the nose on taxes.

    Wallis

    -- Posted by wallismarsh on Wed, Feb 29, 2012, at 8:25 PM
  • I made an error. Exxon paid $21,000,000,000 in taxes.

    My bad.

    Wallis

    -- Posted by wallismarsh on Thu, Mar 1, 2012, at 7:45 PM
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    Interesting wallismarsh - as 21 Billion is about as much as the Obama Department of Energy made in "green" loans.

    Check it out...

    http://biggovernment.com/whall/2011/11/16/80-of-green-energy-loans-went-to-obama...

    Nick - the top ten list wasn't mine, it belongs to Stilton Jarlsberg of HopeNChangeCartoons.com.

    I thought it was funny...you have to laugh where you can during the Darth Vader regime.

    -- Posted by Mickel on Fri, Mar 2, 2012, at 8:15 AM
  • Wallis

    Are you sure about that number only applying to income tax?

    Taking a look at ExxonMobile SEC 10k filing (see pg. 89 in below link)it appears the tax calculation you are referring to also includes taxes other than income.

    Can you tell us the amount ExxonMobile paid in U.S. Federal Income Tax for years 2009-2011?

    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/34088/000119312512078102/d257530d10k.htm#...

    http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/05/tax_man.html

    -- Posted by Geezer on Sat, Mar 3, 2012, at 12:51 PM
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