A few weeks ago, I sort of wondered out loud what the political impact would be if the economy sort of modestly continued to improve over the next few months leading up to the election. Not necessarily what people are feeling day to day, but what impact good economic news might have if it continues to get pumped out over and over again, month by month, until November.
Well, there's more today: U.S. GDP grew at fastest pace in 1.5 years in fourth quarter 2011.
The U.S. GDP in the fourth quarter? Not sure the direct impact on the family pocketbook, but you can't deny it's good news for the country... and for the Obama campaign.
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Ron Paul signed off on the racist newsletters. Not surprising, since it was called something like "The Ron Paul Newsletter."
Why do we still take this guy so seriously? Why do so many other people?
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Best thing on the Internet today? Mustang Bobby's Quote of the Day for today, courtesy Melissa McEwan. It's about Mitt Romney's claim that President Obama is assaulting religion:
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA GASP! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA GASP! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA GASP! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA SNORT!
Yes, everywhere I look there is evidence we are about to become a godless society, like: Our Christian president, our last Christian president, their almost exclusively Christian administrations who relentlessly pander to conservative and/or moderate Christians, the almost totally Christian Supreme Court, an almost entirely Christian Congress who start each session with a prayer, the millions and millions of other American Christians whose day of worship is still respected in various state laws across the country (like in Indiana, where you still can't shop for a car or buy booze on a Sunday), whose views are reflected in various federal laws (like denying same-sex couples the right of marriage in order to protect its "sanctity"), whose holidays are also national holidays, whose holy book must be sworn on in state and federal courts, and whose churches are not required to pay taxes, guaranteed freedom of religion, money that says "In God We Trust," a pledge of allegiance that describes us as "one nation under God," television networks who will accept advertising from conservative religious groups but not liberal political groups, schools who are incorporating a religious belief into science classes, conscience clauses for pharmacists and healthcare providers, religion-based residential communities being built, religious museums and amusement parks springing up all over the country, religious leaders being given diplomatic immunity, faith-based initiatives being federally funded, and our national media being constantly embroiled in a debate about in which god the president believes.
We are on the precipice, people!
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This slideshow on American Poverty from the New Yorker demands your attention.
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Seeing Obama sing a line from Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" at the Apollo reminded me of when I went to a show at the famous Harlem theater when I lived just down the street for a short time. It was David Byrne of the Talking Heads, and he put on an awesome show, one of the best I've ever seen.
He played this song with a group of classical musicians from Austin, I believe, and it was phenomenal.
It's finally Friday.
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