“‘I’m not ruling it out. And that’s not a yes, but it’s definitely not a no,’ Huckabee told WHO’s Steve Deace.
“‘The honest answer is: I’m keeping it open as an option; I’m looking at whether or not there’s a pathway to victory,’ he added. ‘As I’ve told several people, I’m not jumping into a pool when there’s no water in it.’”
***
“When Huckabee sought the presidency in 2008, he had everything to gain and little to lose. He was an unemployed former governor without much name recognition who entered the race with low expectations. By the end of the campaign, he had emerged as a political force, a national celebrity with a cult following, and he landed a TV show and wrote several books. Now, looking ahead to 2012, things are a lot different. He’s earning good money for the first time in his life and people listen to what he has to say. Were he to run, he’d have to give up his Fox show, deal with the daily grind of the campaign, and once again open himself to more scrutinity and attacks. He’ll have to go through the process of explaining controversial past statements and defending his record, especially when it comes to pardoning violent criminals. And after all of that, it may be hard for him to improve upon his performance anyway. If he decided not to run, he could keep his television show and lucrative career, avoid being the subject of attacks, and still influence the race. His endorsement would no doubt be highly sought after, especially before the Iowa caucuses.”
***
“Ms. Palin’s search traffic, since the start of 2010, is roughly 16 times that of Mitt Romney, 14 times that of Newt Gingrich, 38 times that of Mike Huckabee, and 87 times that of Mr. Pawlenty. (It is about six times greater than these other four candidates combined.)
“Ms. Palin, in fact, draws almost as much search traffic worldwide as the man she would face if she wins the Republican nomination: Barack Obama. And her name is searched for about 30 percent more often than the President’s among Google users in the United States….
“All of this poses a dilemma for the other potential Republican contenders. If and when Ms. Palin declares her candidacy for the White House, it could consume much of the media oxygen literally for months. For that matter, if Ms. Palin declines to run for office, it could also be a huge story. And, of course, until her mind is made up, there will be plenty of articles that attempt to anticipate Ms. Palin’s decision.
“Does a candidate like Mr. Pawlenty, who seems likely to run for President, officially declare his candidacy now, in order to get out in front of Ms. Palin? Or does he wait, hoping that some sort of Palin Fatigue sets in?”
***
“‘Look at what’s happened over the past two years, and you tell me that we don’t have a more effective strategy than our peers,’ Palin aide Michael Goldfarb told RealClearPolitics. ‘Who’s been able to get their message out more effectively? Who’s had greater influence? And you tell me why we should play by the same rules that the press wants everybody to play by. It doesn’t make any sense.’…
“‘If she was out there making the case for bigger government and more welfare and universal health care in the same tone and in the same vein, she would be a hero of the New York Times editorial board,’ Michael Goldfarb said. ‘They don’t like what she’s saying. It’s not how she says it or the basis of why she says it. They don’t agree with her, and they see her as threatening, so what you get is this, ‘She’s not up to the job,’ and there are people in the Republican Party who will say that, too, because people have different preferences as far as leaders in the party and have different agendas. But out there in the real world, Republicans respect Sarah Palin and they listen to what she says, and she has a real impact. And that’s why she was the most coveted endorsement among Republicans in the last election.’…
“Palin’s challenges remain numerous as she comes to a decision on whether to run for president. If the answer is indeed ‘yes,’ one of her first big moves will be planning the official announcement of her campaign-a date that one Palin confidante privately agreed will likely come later in 2011, after her lesser known opponents launch their own runs and she can assess the field.”
***
KING: You debated her.
JOE BIDEN: Yes, we debated. There was not a harsh word. I mean, we have a fundamentally different outlook on the world, and I think that would be a really, a really interesting race.
KING: Would that be a race you’d like to take on?
JOE BIDEN: Well, you know, my mom used to have an expression, be careful what you wish for, Joe, you may get it. So I never underestimate anyone. But I think, in that race, it would be a clear, clear choice for the country to make, and I believe President Obama would be in very good shape.
***
Viewers of Fox Business must think California is just the
biggest spendthrift of our 50
states. The way Stuart Varney tells it, those greedy Californians, by taking
"federal taxpayer money," are just robbing the rest of us -- particularly "the hicks who live in the Midwest" --
blind!
But in discussing California's would-be federal subsidies,
Varney isn't telling the whole story. In fact, he's got it
completely backward.
During the November 16 episode of
Varney & Co. on Fox Business,
Varney interviewed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Press Secretary Aaron McLear
about Schwarzenegger's current efforts to balance California's budget. He
asked McLear if he would take a pledge to "not take one more dime from federal
taxpayer money going to California." Then he continues: "You guys in
California, you've been making fun of...the hicks
who live in the Midwest...you've been making fun
of them. Now you want their money."
Incensed, McLear told Varney
that "[California
is] what is called a donor state. We get less on every dollar back from the
federal government than any other state. States like Mississippi and Alaska get more back from the federal
government for every dollar they spend."
McLear is right.
According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation:
States send federal taxes to Washington and receive federal spending in return. However, some states benefit more from federal taxing and spending policies than others. Some "beneficiary" states receive a positive return from Uncle Sam, making other states "donors" who pick up the tab. The most important factor determining whether a state is a net beneficiary is per capita income. States with wealthier residents pay higher federal taxes per capita thanks to the progressive structure of the income tax.
Where does CA fall on this scale? According to the Tax Foundation's latest data, from 2005, when states are listed in the order of federal tax dollars received per tax dollars paid, California ranks #43. In fact, the state got less than it sent Uncle Sam: for every dollar California sent the federal government, it received $.78.
Using the Tax Foundation data, Visual Economics produced a map of the U.S. to show how much federal tax money each state gets. It's clear that Varney is 100 percent wrong to suggest that Californians are somehow swindling money from Midwesterners--if anything, federal tax dollars are generally flowing the other direction.
So then why is Varney picking on California? As McLear points out, most states face a budget shortfall right now -- he tells Varney 40 states face a deficit, though a Bloomberg article in June said that number is now 46. Varney gives us a clue about his choice of target when he leads off the story:
But chances of pushing through, as a lame-duck governor, through -- in a state which has just voted solidly Democratic, it's very unlikely that he will get $6 billion cuts, now, isn't it? Let's be realistic, Aaron.
Hmm. Maybe this story has more to do with California's politics than alleged payouts. Or maybe it's just about the unions. After all, Varney has already wrongly blamed union pensions for California's budget crisis.
bench_craft_company
Web type <b>news</b>: iPhone and iPad now support TrueType font embedding <b>...</b>
This is also exciting news, as TrueType fonts are superior to SVG fonts in two very important ways: the files sizes are dramatically smaller (an especially important factor on mobile devices), and the rendering quality is much higher. ...
Real Estate <b>News</b>: Home Mortgage Rates Stabilize - Developments - WSJ
Here is a look at real-estate news in today's WSJ:
Lujiazui Breakfast: <b>News</b> And Views About China Stocks (Nov. 26 <b>...</b>
Investors and traders in China's main financial district are talking about the following before the start of trade today: “MEAGER” IMPACT: Military tension between North and South Korea may have only a “meager” impact on trade between ...
bench_craft_company
Web type <b>news</b>: iPhone and iPad now support TrueType font embedding <b>...</b>
This is also exciting news, as TrueType fonts are superior to SVG fonts in two very important ways: the files sizes are dramatically smaller (an especially important factor on mobile devices), and the rendering quality is much higher. ...
Real Estate <b>News</b>: Home Mortgage Rates Stabilize - Developments - WSJ
Here is a look at real-estate news in today's WSJ:
Lujiazui Breakfast: <b>News</b> And Views About China Stocks (Nov. 26 <b>...</b>
Investors and traders in China's main financial district are talking about the following before the start of trade today: “MEAGER” IMPACT: Military tension between North and South Korea may have only a “meager” impact on trade between ...
bench_craft_company
“‘I’m not ruling it out. And that’s not a yes, but it’s definitely not a no,’ Huckabee told WHO’s Steve Deace.
“‘The honest answer is: I’m keeping it open as an option; I’m looking at whether or not there’s a pathway to victory,’ he added. ‘As I’ve told several people, I’m not jumping into a pool when there’s no water in it.’”
***
“When Huckabee sought the presidency in 2008, he had everything to gain and little to lose. He was an unemployed former governor without much name recognition who entered the race with low expectations. By the end of the campaign, he had emerged as a political force, a national celebrity with a cult following, and he landed a TV show and wrote several books. Now, looking ahead to 2012, things are a lot different. He’s earning good money for the first time in his life and people listen to what he has to say. Were he to run, he’d have to give up his Fox show, deal with the daily grind of the campaign, and once again open himself to more scrutinity and attacks. He’ll have to go through the process of explaining controversial past statements and defending his record, especially when it comes to pardoning violent criminals. And after all of that, it may be hard for him to improve upon his performance anyway. If he decided not to run, he could keep his television show and lucrative career, avoid being the subject of attacks, and still influence the race. His endorsement would no doubt be highly sought after, especially before the Iowa caucuses.”
***
“Ms. Palin’s search traffic, since the start of 2010, is roughly 16 times that of Mitt Romney, 14 times that of Newt Gingrich, 38 times that of Mike Huckabee, and 87 times that of Mr. Pawlenty. (It is about six times greater than these other four candidates combined.)
“Ms. Palin, in fact, draws almost as much search traffic worldwide as the man she would face if she wins the Republican nomination: Barack Obama. And her name is searched for about 30 percent more often than the President’s among Google users in the United States….
“All of this poses a dilemma for the other potential Republican contenders. If and when Ms. Palin declares her candidacy for the White House, it could consume much of the media oxygen literally for months. For that matter, if Ms. Palin declines to run for office, it could also be a huge story. And, of course, until her mind is made up, there will be plenty of articles that attempt to anticipate Ms. Palin’s decision.
“Does a candidate like Mr. Pawlenty, who seems likely to run for President, officially declare his candidacy now, in order to get out in front of Ms. Palin? Or does he wait, hoping that some sort of Palin Fatigue sets in?”
***
“‘Look at what’s happened over the past two years, and you tell me that we don’t have a more effective strategy than our peers,’ Palin aide Michael Goldfarb told RealClearPolitics. ‘Who’s been able to get their message out more effectively? Who’s had greater influence? And you tell me why we should play by the same rules that the press wants everybody to play by. It doesn’t make any sense.’…
“‘If she was out there making the case for bigger government and more welfare and universal health care in the same tone and in the same vein, she would be a hero of the New York Times editorial board,’ Michael Goldfarb said. ‘They don’t like what she’s saying. It’s not how she says it or the basis of why she says it. They don’t agree with her, and they see her as threatening, so what you get is this, ‘She’s not up to the job,’ and there are people in the Republican Party who will say that, too, because people have different preferences as far as leaders in the party and have different agendas. But out there in the real world, Republicans respect Sarah Palin and they listen to what she says, and she has a real impact. And that’s why she was the most coveted endorsement among Republicans in the last election.’…
“Palin’s challenges remain numerous as she comes to a decision on whether to run for president. If the answer is indeed ‘yes,’ one of her first big moves will be planning the official announcement of her campaign-a date that one Palin confidante privately agreed will likely come later in 2011, after her lesser known opponents launch their own runs and she can assess the field.”
***
KING: You debated her.
JOE BIDEN: Yes, we debated. There was not a harsh word. I mean, we have a fundamentally different outlook on the world, and I think that would be a really, a really interesting race.
KING: Would that be a race you’d like to take on?
JOE BIDEN: Well, you know, my mom used to have an expression, be careful what you wish for, Joe, you may get it. So I never underestimate anyone. But I think, in that race, it would be a clear, clear choice for the country to make, and I believe President Obama would be in very good shape.
***
Viewers of Fox Business must think California is just the
biggest spendthrift of our 50
states. The way Stuart Varney tells it, those greedy Californians, by taking
"federal taxpayer money," are just robbing the rest of us -- particularly "the hicks who live in the Midwest" --
blind!
But in discussing California's would-be federal subsidies,
Varney isn't telling the whole story. In fact, he's got it
completely backward.
During the November 16 episode of
Varney & Co. on Fox Business,
Varney interviewed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Press Secretary Aaron McLear
about Schwarzenegger's current efforts to balance California's budget. He
asked McLear if he would take a pledge to "not take one more dime from federal
taxpayer money going to California." Then he continues: "You guys in
California, you've been making fun of...the hicks
who live in the Midwest...you've been making fun
of them. Now you want their money."
Incensed, McLear told Varney
that "[California
is] what is called a donor state. We get less on every dollar back from the
federal government than any other state. States like Mississippi and Alaska get more back from the federal
government for every dollar they spend."
McLear is right.
According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation:
States send federal taxes to Washington and receive federal spending in return. However, some states benefit more from federal taxing and spending policies than others. Some "beneficiary" states receive a positive return from Uncle Sam, making other states "donors" who pick up the tab. The most important factor determining whether a state is a net beneficiary is per capita income. States with wealthier residents pay higher federal taxes per capita thanks to the progressive structure of the income tax.
Where does CA fall on this scale? According to the Tax Foundation's latest data, from 2005, when states are listed in the order of federal tax dollars received per tax dollars paid, California ranks #43. In fact, the state got less than it sent Uncle Sam: for every dollar California sent the federal government, it received $.78.
Using the Tax Foundation data, Visual Economics produced a map of the U.S. to show how much federal tax money each state gets. It's clear that Varney is 100 percent wrong to suggest that Californians are somehow swindling money from Midwesterners--if anything, federal tax dollars are generally flowing the other direction.
So then why is Varney picking on California? As McLear points out, most states face a budget shortfall right now -- he tells Varney 40 states face a deficit, though a Bloomberg article in June said that number is now 46. Varney gives us a clue about his choice of target when he leads off the story:
But chances of pushing through, as a lame-duck governor, through -- in a state which has just voted solidly Democratic, it's very unlikely that he will get $6 billion cuts, now, isn't it? Let's be realistic, Aaron.
Hmm. Maybe this story has more to do with California's politics than alleged payouts. Or maybe it's just about the unions. After all, Varney has already wrongly blamed union pensions for California's budget crisis.
bench_craft_company
Web type <b>news</b>: iPhone and iPad now support TrueType font embedding <b>...</b>
This is also exciting news, as TrueType fonts are superior to SVG fonts in two very important ways: the files sizes are dramatically smaller (an especially important factor on mobile devices), and the rendering quality is much higher. ...
Real Estate <b>News</b>: Home Mortgage Rates Stabilize - Developments - WSJ
Here is a look at real-estate news in today's WSJ:
Lujiazui Breakfast: <b>News</b> And Views About China Stocks (Nov. 26 <b>...</b>
Investors and traders in China's main financial district are talking about the following before the start of trade today: “MEAGER” IMPACT: Military tension between North and South Korea may have only a “meager” impact on trade between ...
bench_craft_company
Web type <b>news</b>: iPhone and iPad now support TrueType font embedding <b>...</b>
This is also exciting news, as TrueType fonts are superior to SVG fonts in two very important ways: the files sizes are dramatically smaller (an especially important factor on mobile devices), and the rendering quality is much higher. ...
Real Estate <b>News</b>: Home Mortgage Rates Stabilize - Developments - WSJ
Here is a look at real-estate news in today's WSJ:
Lujiazui Breakfast: <b>News</b> And Views About China Stocks (Nov. 26 <b>...</b>
Investors and traders in China's main financial district are talking about the following before the start of trade today: “MEAGER” IMPACT: Military tension between North and South Korea may have only a “meager” impact on trade between ...
bench_craft_company
![Stars and Spaceships... by [ Kane ]](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/3653923334_fc2c667b1f.jpg)
