Letter? I Never Got Any Letter, Herbert.

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Posted By: tatanka @ 11/23/2008 2:05:28 PM

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  Posted By: jarcher1 @ 11/23/2008 2:22:59 PM

  Naw, we didn't drink the kool-aid, at least the majority didn't although it looks as though 46% of the populace did. We didn't vote for a doddering old man promising more Bush polices. All based on his understanding that the fundamentals of the economy are sound.

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    Posted By: tatanka @ 11/23/2008 2:58:19 PM

    Perhaps you're right but I don't think so, 57% of Obama voters didn't know that the house and senate are controlled by Democrats. Democrats drank the cool aide:
    
    "After I interviewed Obama voters on Election Day for my documentary, I had a pretty low opinion of what most of them had picked up from the media coverage of the campaign, but this poll really proves beyond any doubt the stunning level of malpractice on the part of the media in not educating the Obama portion of the voting populace," said Ziegler.

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      Posted By: jarcher1 @ 11/23/2008 3:49:11 PM

      I notice Zogby had to print a disclaimer that this was not push polling, that's interesting that they felt the need to. The methodology of this poll is a bit of a problem. Respondents were asked things about McCain-Palin that were recent and made issues during the campaign. The only item I can see that fits that bill for Obama-Biden is Joe Biden's comment about Obama being tested early in his administration, which was both recent and widely reported. The other Obama items were mainly from the nomination process, where they were reported on, but were much more distant in time than the McCain-Palin items. This is not necessarily because of a mainstream media conspiracy, the press is always looking for the new, not something that was reported 6 months ago. Most of them would tell you that isn't news. On the other hand, independents interviewed probably didn't pay close attention to the Democratic primaries. It looks like Herr Ziegler designed his poll to get the answer he wanted, or alternatively, he simply didn't take into account people don't remember as well what they heard a year ago as opposed to what they heard two weeks ago. So I think it extremely erroneous to hold up this badly constructed poll as evidence for either favoritism by the media or stupidity on the part of Obama supporters. BTW, technically the Democrats didn't control the last Senate, they plus two avowed independents had a bare majority. That's all changed for the better now, thank you very much.

      • Posted By: jarcher1 @ 11/23/2008 4:00:57 PM

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        Oh and another point. Any lop eared boy scientist knows that words like ...this proves beyond any doubt... are to be avoided like the plague. That's most certainly not science speak, nothing is proven in science, the only proofs are in mathematics and formal logic. That alone gives ample evidence, IMHO, that the "pollster" is looking to make a statement rather than collect and interpert data.

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          Posted By: tatanka @ 11/23/2008 4:42:43 PM

          Nevertheless, I do not expect "change." Very little if they want to hold on to congress. Too much change will deepen our recession. Oh and BTW I am an MBA scientist. No lop ears though.

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            Posted By: jarcher1 @ 11/23/2008 5:13:58 PM

            Whether or not we get a real change is an empirical question, we'll just have to wait and see. I'm personally hoping for real change, but as Benjamin Disraeli said "Politics is the art of the possible." Congratulations on your MBA, I wish you every success in your career

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              Posted By: tatanka @ 11/23/2008 5:29:35 PM

              Thanks but I'm retired now. I used to own an oil company.

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                Posted By: jarcher1 @ 11/23/2008 5:52:28 PM

                Well, the way people's 401K's and other investments have been evaporating recently, I wish you every success with your retirement. I think the market regaining its balance is one change we can both hope for.

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                  Posted By: tatanka @ 11/23/2008 6:27:41 PM

                  J you seem like a smart guy. What effects of the slowdown are you seeing? What part of the country are you in? I'm not seeing much effects here in NE OH so far.

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                    Posted By: jarcher1 @ 11/23/2008 6:50:46 PM

                    I'm in the ol' bidness myself LOL, in Houston. Were just now seeing something of a hiring slowdown, to be expected when the price of a barrel has fallen by 65% over 4 months, although I don't expect that to be the stable price. I figure something in the $60-80 dollar range over the next few years. The majors, BTW, were smart enough to figure on $65 a barrel in estimating their new projects. None of the Go-Go stuff of the 70's. I expect the patch will be in much better shape to weather this one than in the 80's. Skilled workers are still hard to find, but that's oil patch related skills. I remember people showing up from the rust belt during the 70's having welded car frames together and trying to pass ASME pressure pipe tests in 6G. They weren't very successful. The housing crisis is largely something that happens somewhere else around here. In fact, one of our local economist predicted 10% appreciation in 2009. Houston had a 5% unemployment rate during the Depression, so I'm not particularly worried this time around.