I’ve posted before about a new poll, from pollster Charles Franklin, now visiting at Marquette (from UW-Madison). Link to poll: Walker and Obama have single digit leads in Marquette Law School Poll and results & data (instrument, methodology, and full topline results). Franklin’s a serious pollster and political scientist, and he’s one of the founders…
Politics
Politics
Pointers on Pointing
by JOHN ADAMS •
Few images look worse than an angry person who points at someone during a confrontation. Better to keep one’s hands at one’s side, or in one’s pockets if the temptation to gesture is too strong. This is especially true when the woman pointing is poorly dressed, with unfashionable, loud clothing, poor makeup over leathery skin,…
Gov. Walker, Politics, Poll, Presidential race 2012, Recall
Marquette Political Poll: Walker, Obama up slightly in Wisconsin
by JOHN ADAMS •
The first of Charles Franklin’s polls while visiting at Marquette is now available online : Walker and Obama have single digit leads in Marquette Law School Poll. I’ll review the poll tonight, and post more tomorrow. The results are — at first glance — more disparate (and almost conflicting) than one might have expected, but…
Politics, Sports
The Missing Goalie
by JOHN ADAMS •
Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas declined to attend a White House meeting with Pres. Obama after the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. Thomas wrote about his decision on his Facebook page, as the Chicago Tribune reports. Perhaps it’s because he’s a libertarian, but more likely, he’s a Tea Party member. (If he were on the…
Federal Government, Libertarians, Politics, Presidential race 2012
Libertarian Live Blog of the 2012 State of the Union Address and GOP Response
by JOHN ADAMS •
Politics, Recall
Interview with recall challenger Kathleen Falk
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s an interview on Wisconsin Public Television that news anchor Frederica Freyberg conducts with Kathleen Falk, a declared challenger to Scott Walker in a recall campaign. It’s well-worth watching, and I have embedded the program below. I’ve reviewed Falk’s video announcement, and this interview reveals some of the same problems of delivery and presentation that…
Campaign Ads, Politics, Presidential race 2012, Review
Reviewing Pres. Obama’s First 2012 Campaign Ad
by JOHN ADAMS •
Pres. Obama’s released his first campaign commercial of the 2012 election. Here are impressions of the commercial (playing in Wisconsin), embedded below. They address the politics, and not the merits, of Obama’s message. Video quality. As one might expect at this level, the video looks great — sharp, with brisk pacing, and a good mix…
Campaign Ads, Politics, Recall, Review
Reviewing Kathleen Falk’s Recall Campaign Announcement
by JOHN ADAMS •
Kathleen Falk, former Dane County Executive, declared her candidacy yesterday for governor. Below I have embedded her video declaration, a screenshot of her website, and a chart from the Journal Sentinel of Democrats who may run against Walker. These are first impressions of Falk’s campaign announcement. They address only the politics, and not the merits,…
Gov. Walker, Politics, Recall
Lavish, but defensive, spending on Gov. Walker’s behalf
by JOHN ADAMS •
Lisa Mux, writing at Blogging Blue, describes a well-attended Americans for Prosperity event that touted the Walker Administration’s record: The entire event was carefully orchestrated and the true reality of what Walker has done to the middle-class in Wisconsin was scrubbed, sanitized, and handed back to the audience in an easily digestible format. From the…
Free Markets, Immigration, Laws/Regulations, Politics
The GOP’s Wrong Turn on Immigration
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at National Review, libertarian Daniel Griswold makes the case for liberalized immigration policies, by reminding Republicans that current GOP Candidates Betray the Spirit of Reagan on Immigration. Commenters at the site will have none of it, and are highly critical of Griswold’s views. Their criticism matters no more than if flat-earthers railed against the…
City, Laws/Regulations, Politics
For Whitewater, some contested races are better than none
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater will see two contested Council races this year, for a district and an at-large seat. The at-large race will assure the city at least one new Council member from the two candidates; the district race has one incumbent and one challenger. (The school district has no contested races.) If our laws were less burdensome,…
Libertarians, Politics, Presidential race 2012
Rick Santorum’s nephew supports Ron Paul
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve had some doubts about whether Ron Paul is libertarian enough, but I’ve no doubt that he’s better on issues of market and political freedom than Rick Santorum. Santorum’s nephew feels the same way about his uncle, and so is supporting Paul: It is not the government’s job to dictate to individuals how they must…
City, Politics
Predictions for 2012
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s my amateur version of the late William Safire’s long-standing tradition of offering annual predictions. The list for 2012: 1. In 2012, UW-Whitewater will win the following number of national sports championships: A. None B. One C. Two D. More than two 2. The Whitewater citywide vote for president will be A. A clear win…
Politics
Little change in Americans’ views of capitalism and socialism
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Pew Center reports that Americans’ views of these conflicting economic arrangements haven’t changed much since 2010. That’s from an overall survey, however; some Americans’ views and political participation have surely changed. Which matters more: that the views of most are unchanged, or that some are of changed opinions (and perhaps increased motivation)? I’m not…