Barron's, of All Places, Mentions Edwards

[CorpGovActivist]

My partner just brought this to my attention.

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D.C. CURRENT
Why Huckabee Faces Tougher Sledding
By JIM MACTAGUE

PENNILESS PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, is unlikely to repeat his Iowa miracle in New Hampshire, where the politicians are heating up a frigid weekend with unending blasts of hot air.

The reason is that in New Hampshire he will be minus two guardian angels -- talk-show hosts Jan Mickelson and Steve Deace of Iowa's 1040 WHO radio.

They provided him with what amounted to broadcast manna, free of charge, which is one of the reasons the relatively destitute Republican Huckabee miraculously surged in the polls against better-financed candidates.

<snip>

If the call letters WHO sound familiar, it's because that's the place where a 22-year-old Ronald Reagan launched a career as a sports announcer in the early 1930s. The 50,000-watt station, which is located in Des Moines, reaches every corner of the state. An afternoon show on agriculture boasts four out of five farmers as listeners.

Mickelson broadcasts in the mornings and has about 300,000 listeners. Deace broadcasts during the afternoon drive time and has 130,000. Assuming no overlap of the two audiences, that's a combined reach of 430,000, the equivalent of 14.8% of Iowa's total population and 81% of the people in the Des Moines metropolitan area. With friends like this, who needs an advertising budget?

<snip>

JOHN EDWARDS COULD SEE some manna himself between here and Super Duper Tuesday (Feb. 5), when 24 states hold their primaries, if gasoline prices pinch middle-class pocketbooks or if the unemployment rate climbs further. The reason: People vote their pocketbooks, and Edwards is the candidate with the loudest populist economic message. He says that low tax rates on dividends and capital gains are morally wrong when a nurse pays higher tax rates for working overtime, and that taxes on fat cats should pay for health insurance for all Americans.

Watch for the government's December data on disposable income later this month: If it heads south, Edwards' polling numbers will begin to head north.
**************************************************

More evidence that Wall Street is watching Edwards with raw nerves.

- Dave

[williesgirl]

1. It's hard to understand why folks won't vote to what will benefit them. rec'd

[CorpGovActivist]

6. Well, I Have My Fingers...

... crossed that New Hampsherites play their traditional non-conformist role this week.

- Dave

[Two Americas]

28. voting their pocketbook

For over 30 years Democrats have been convinced that "people vote their pocketbooks" and repeat it over and over despite all of the evidence to the contrary.

I believe it is a false and misleading idea, and it leaves us very vulnerable to the Republicans.

People vote for their own, their family's, their neighbors' well being and they vote on principle.

Only wealthy people are worried about their "pocketbook" - an extra few million to play with thanks to tax cuts for the wealthy, a little chump change for them to be spent on their lifestyle. Most people are worried about keeping a roof over their head, about their childrens' health and education, having a decent job.

"They vote their pocketbook" reflects the paternalistic and demeaning way that too many upscale Democrats look at blue collar people and the less fortunate. "Oh those selfish greedy materialistic little people! Now what do they want? To eat something other than dog food or something, I suppose. Just like us, they are just looking out for themselves. I guess it is human nature." That is a rationale, an excuse for turning our backs on the less fortunate—the marginalized, the forgotten, the homeless, the under-employed and the unemployed, the ill and the handicapped, the disadvantaged and the beaten down.

It is a disgrace. People are seriously suffering in this country, yet still do not "vote their pocketbook" in some small-minded and selfish way. People who are better off - 10% of the population - are projecting that onto the other 90%.

[CorpGovActivist]

29. What? We're Not All Steve Forbes Clones? n/t

[CorpGovActivist]

45. .

[annabanana]

2. Good catch!

We are not the only ones who understand the battle.

[CorpGovActivist]

4. Yup, Wall Street Types...

... are on pins and needles over the Edwardses.

- Dave

[Two Americas]

26. oh, big money knows

Don't ever doubt that. While so many Democrats are unclear as to where the battle lines are, the wealthy few and their political agents - the Republican party - never lose sight of where the battle is nor whom is a potential threat to them.

[CorpGovActivist]

27. The Pairing of Huckabee and Edwards in That Article...

... was extremely telling, I thought.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

46. .

[kurth]

3. Jump in US Jobless Rate Always Signaled Recessions

``Since 1949 the unemployment rate has never risen by this magnitude without the economy being in recession''
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aROBkKxFM.RM&refer=home

[CorpGovActivist]

5. For Economic Purists, I've Taken to Saying...

... "OK, we may not be in an official recession, but ..."

WEAK LEADERSHIP = WEAK ECONOMY

- Dave

[Zynx]

8. In my judgement the definition of a recession is far too narrow.

If we plugged along for three years at less than 1% growth, but not contraction, unemployment would surge several percentage points and it would feel like a recession.

[CorpGovActivist]

10. We're Seeing the Unemployment Rate...

... creep up for that very reason.

- Dave

[Kip Humphrey]

7. Just a "caging" update for the wealthy.

[CorpGovActivist]

11. Intercepted n/t

[peacetalksforall]

9. I can't bear to listen to the wings of the Republican Party and I have

no intention to use precious time to listen to Huch, Rom, Gui, McC or any other - so I guess they can't exploit the economy - being Republicans? How have they been circling it? Or do they even try?

[CorpGovActivist]

12. Huckabee Is Running an Economic Populist Message...

... that has the country club set of the Republican Party frothing.

- Dave

[peacetalksforall]

15. Good. Good for him. Some in the religious wing must be hurting, obviously. Thanks.

[CorpGovActivist]

21. He's Dangerous...

... precisely because he can speak comfortably from the pulpit about social economic justice issues.

- Dave

[Two Americas]

30. exactly

More than a few have actually been reading the New Testament, as well.

[CorpGovActivist]

31. Socialism at Its Finest!

: )

- Dave

[scarletwoman]

17. Can you imagine how many heads would explode if we managed to end up with an Edwards/Huckabee race?

The Battle of the Economic Populists! Can you imagine how many ordinary people might actually wake up and take notice of how badly they're getting screwed, if BOTH candidates were slugging it out on "their side" against the Oligarchy!?!

It could inject thoughts and ideas into the national conversation that have heretofore have been essentially taboo. It could break the stranglehood of the officially approved conventional narrative. The Ruling Class would be frantic!

sw

[annabanana]

18. You can bet the farm that this showdown would only happen

when every last liquid penny that the oligarch could rustle has been spent to slime, marginalize, cage, disrupt, diebold anything that CAN be slimed marginalized, caged, disrupted or diebolded...

They will fight bloody tooth & nail to keep the real conflict from becoming that clear and unmistakable!

[scarletwoman]

19. Most definitely, that's absolutely a given.

But it's going to come down to how long they can keep throwing up illusions. Sooner or later, enough people are going to start believing their own eyes, and not the magic show. And when enough people do, the Oligarchs will not be able to stem the tide.

sw

[CorpGovActivist]

24. The Roman Senators and Special Togas

Ever hear the story about how the Roman Senate once debated whether to award themselves a special toga style/color?

The basic gist is that the debate was moving along swimmingly in favor, until one wise orator stood in opposition.

"If they see how few of us there are, and how many of them there are..."

The measure was killed.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

23. I Disagree...

... the last few liquid pennies would be spent refurbishing their "safe houses" on non-extradition treaty islands.

; )

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

22. Good Point...

... and in some ways, the breakout of Huckabee this early is already helping to shed some light.

- Dave

[Two Americas]

32. here is what would be really strange

If Huckabee were lined up against either of a couple of the Democratic candidates, we would have a situation where the Republican candidate would be to the left of the Democratic candidate on issues of economics and power (which is what politics is supposed to be about, anyway.)

It has happened in the past that the two parties switched roles and re-identified themselves, and I think it may be happening right now.

[CorpGovActivist]

33. That May Be Taking It Too Far, but...

... I think it *will* be a realignment election this cycle.

- Dave

[Two Americas]

34. it may have merely begun

We have "anti-war" and "anti-establishment" Dems moving to Paul - not a lot, but it is still significant I think. We have Republican voters responding to a have-nots versus the haves message.

I have thought for a while now that many people were voting for the wrong party - they had been seduced over to one side or the other based on the so-called cultural war issues and did not really belong in the party they were supporting. Many people who at one time would have been seen as moderate Republicans have been voting Democratic - and controlling the discussion and the power on the left - while millions of blue collar people were voting Republican, partly as a rejection of modern liberalism and partly as an expression of traditionalism, falsely seen as "religion" by many.

This is all very reminiscent of the shifts that were happening in the 1850's and also in the TR era. The split may actually be deeper today.

The coalitions that have sustained the two parties for the last 30 years or so are breaking apart. Romney could put the Republican coalition back together - the Religious Right and Big Money - and Clinton could put the Democratic coalition back together - upscale liberals and old school unions, academics and professionals. However, 70% of the people in the country are no longer represented very well by either coalition - they are left out of power - and I don't think that either coalition can last long even if they are successfully cobbled back together.

[CorpGovActivist]

35. I'd Enjoy Having a Beer or Two with You...

... my senior thesis was on whether the old Democratic coalition (including labor) was in demise, decline, or resurgence.

- Dave

[Two Americas]

36. just thought the same thing

I have enjoyed your posts for months Dave and finally joined. Nice to "meet" you.

We should not overlook the fact that there are fierce battles going in within the labor movement and also within the Evangelical community. Neither can be see as monolithic blocs anymore.

[CorpGovActivist]

37. Nice to Meet You, Too!

In many rural areas, believe it or not, this is the first generation to have cable.

That has been a significant influence, changing attitudes and mores.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

40. The Fragmentation of Families...

... contributes, too. Gone are the days when multiple generations stayed within a small radius.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

49. .

[underpants]

13. Disposable income? Why do you think the holiday shopping tanked?

NO. DISPOSABLE. INCOME.

or at least a lot of people didn't think that just spending it on gifts was the wisest move right now

[CorpGovActivist]

16. Bingo n/t

[Two Americas]

38. disposable people

Human beings have become disposable. That is the problem, not disposable income.

[CorpGovActivist]

39. Big Insurance, Big Pharma...

... says, "Shhhh! Be quiet!"

- Dave

[scarletwoman]

14. k&r Very interesting piece. Thanks much for posting it.

I fervently hope Edwards delivers a kick-ass economic message at tonight's debate. With the latest numbers that have come out, this ought to be his chance to really shine.

I hope he has his inner warrior fired up! I want SOOOO bad to see the media's manufactured Obama/Clinton narrative get decisively destroyed!

sw

[CorpGovActivist]

20. You Bet!

He has to be careful to strike the balance.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

25. I Think It's Telling That Barron's Focused on...

... Huckabee and Edwards.

- Dave

[wishlist]

41. CNBC talking heads joked Friday about preferring Obama to Huckabee

Both Huckabee and Edwards populist stances are so scary to many in the usually Repub business community that there was open acknowledgement on CNBC that some of them prefer Obama to Huck.

[CorpGovActivist]

42. Ditto on Bloomberg TV Segments, with Jabs at Edwards n/t

[Two Americas]

43. Democrats, too

Huckabee and Edwards populist stances are scary to many in the Democratic party, as well - especially the better off and those in leadership.

[CorpGovActivist]

44. DLC Types Fear Him?

Nah.

; )

- Dave

[Naturyl]

51. Wealthy "progressives" might also fear Edwards

For the simple reason that with Edwards, it will no longer be possible to talk a progressive game without walking one as well. There will be an actual sacrifice to be made on April 15 that a lot of wealthy "progressives" might not like. Taxes feel a lot different than voluntary donations.

I wouldn't and couldn't name names... but surely we all know there are people who only talk a good game.

[CorpGovActivist]

52. Warren B. Has Them Frothing and Foaming n/t

[KoKo]

57. Good point...n/t

[CorpGovActivist]

58. PINOs?

:rofl:

- Dave

[KoKo]

63. Do you mean "Pony" for your post?

:D

[KoKo]

56. Yes...CNBC regularly talks about how "Populism Message" is bad for Wall St...

and given how much money Obama and Hillary have from Big Pharma and the Rest...one can understand why they are nervous about Edwards/Huckabee. The real change won't be from those who took BIG MONEY from those who advertise on CNBC and GE and the other Media Interests.

[CorpGovActivist]

59. Bloomberg TV Talking Heads...

... have been yammering and hammering away too.

- Dave

[KoKo]

64. It's a MEME! from McCorporate Media! WOO HOO!!! Lock Step...n/t

[avaistheone1]

47. Worth repeating .

Quoting Barron's:

The reason: People vote their pocketbooks, and Edwards is the candidate with the loudest populist economic message.

[CorpGovActivist]

48. The Rich Who Think Warren B. Is a Traitor for Telling the Truth...

... about tax cuts.

; )

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

60. .

[Naturyl]

50. Yep, they are shitting bricks

They are afraid that Edwards might actually PUSH THE BUTTON. Not the nuke button, but something FAR more frightening to them - tax hikes on the wealthy. They are starting to think he just might have the audacity to do it.

[CorpGovActivist]

55. His Bill Signings...

... will be the stuff of FDR era.

: )

- Dave

[Blackhatjack]

53. Not one single Wall St denizen will be unaffected by an Edwards Presidency...

They know that Edwards would wade into the 'fattest' game in town, and their pockets will certainly be emptier than if any other candidate were elected President.

[CorpGovActivist]

54. His Donor Lists vs. Hers

I'm telling you, BHJ: they need to run that commercial.

- Dave

[Blackhatjack]

61. Yep you are right on that one.... wonder if they are holding it back for max impact later.

[CorpGovActivist]

62. Their Fencing Masters...

... have improved their footwork considerably, but the "just in time," FedEx Foil delivery is not the way to slay this dragon.

To mix my metaphors.

; )

- Dave