With the hopelessly socially-networked Talk to Me traveller in mind (you know the type, those who check in online before unpacking their carry-on, hey…that sounds a lot like me) my plan for for the pre-feast days leading up to the big sit-down is an offering of dinner topics guaranteed to keep the conversation moving.
Napkins in lap? Let’s talk turkey(s).
By the skin of their teeth, Senate Democrats voted to begin formal debate on the Health Care Reform bill that would guarantee medical coverage for nearly all Americans. All Senate Republicans voted to shelve the bill. Seconds after the vote, the dead began rising from their graves and started walking amongst the living, meeting at Capitol Hill for an impromptu protest. When interviewed, the Zombies said they believed health care reform would lead to a New World Order, create “Death Panels,” and force both men and women to have abortions.
“Braaaiiinnnsss,” said one Zombie.
“…Health care is generally worst in those red states where the Republican political leadership is most opposed to reform. Only now, after the narrow House vote this weekend, did CNN look at the Republican Senators committed to blocking health care for their residents who need it most.
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Monday’s “Keeping Them Honest” segment hosted by Anderson Cooper came three days after Texas Governor Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich in a Washington Post op-ed proclaimed the Lone Star State a model for health care policy. But as Cooper finally discovered, Texas “lawmakers voting against health care reform” happen to represent “the state with the worst number of people covered by health insurance.”
Spoon a smidge more cranberry relish here.
Obama Job Approval Down to 49%
(Gallup, 11/20/2009)
The latest Gallup Daily tracking results show 49% of Americans approving of the job Barack Obama is doing as president, putting him below the majority approval level for the first time in his presidency.
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Of the post-World War II presidents, Obama now is the fourth fastest to drop below the majority approval level, doing so in his 10th month on the job. Gerald Ford dropped below 50% approval during his third month in office, and Bill Clinton did so in his fourth month. Ronald Reagan, like Obama, also dropped below 50% in his 10th month in office, though Reagan’s drop occurred a few days sooner in that month (Nov. 13-16, 1981) than did Obama’s (Nov. 17-19, 2009). But all presidents except John Kennedy dropped below the majority approval level at some point in their presidencies, and all recovered after the first time below this mark to go back above 50% approval.
Half recovered quickly — Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush were back above 50% approval the same month they dipped below that mark, and Lyndon Johnson returned to majority approval in his second month after his initial sub-50% rating. The remainder continued to sink further below 50% and remained there for many months, but eventually recovered, with Ford’s effort boosted by the Mayaguez incident.
George H.W. Bush took the longest time to recover, going more than a year before his approval rating was restored to the majority level…
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Thus, Obama’s descent below 50% is an important symbolic milestone in his presidency, but history suggests the odds of his regaining majority approval are high, and he could do so relatively soon, particularly since the individual nightly numbers for him in recent days have been right around the 50% mark. History would suggest his current loss of majority approval bears little relation to his chances of being elected to a second term in 2012.
Carve a second helping of turkey here.
While driving Oprah to her highest ratings in two years, Sarah Palin asked that we cast aside our petty sociopolitical differences and as a united country pray for the everliving soul of Levi Johnston.
Pray for Levi.
While my main gripe with Sarah Palin is her wanton disregard for the tradition of giving children sensible names, her advocacy of Levi Johnston as worthy of prayerful worship seems a negligent reading of Heavenly duties. Prayers showered upon the healthy, virile white teenager swimming in pistachio money surely fall upon deaf ears.
It’s Thanksgiving. Have another slice of pumpkin pie here.
(BLOG) RED, 11/17/2009)
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There’s a new (STARBUCKS) RED Card this holiday with a mini-me version too. Each time you pay for your purchase with the Card through Dec 31st 2010, Starbucks will contribute 5 cents to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.
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The latest numbers are in. (RED) partners and events have contributed $140 million to date to the Global Fund to fund HIV/AIDS programs in Africa.
Because of you, (RED) funds have supported programs that have reached more than 4 million people with testing, counseling and medication.
–Erma Bombeck
