Build-A-Meme Project:  Mixed blessings

Joe Conason’s journal post today renders data that is good news to Bush’s opposition:

“A glance at recent polls reveals that Bush's "huge" popularity, when not propped up by war, is quickly returning to ordinary levels. (For some reason, the media rarely referred to Bill Clinton as "hugely popular" even when his approval ratings rose to 75 percent.) More significantly, Bush's "reelect" numbers have again dropped below 50 percent in most surveys, which is where they have languished during most of his presidency.

For instance, the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows him with 47 percent, or a couple of points less than he got in the 2000 election. The Ipsos-Reid/Cook Political Report poll taken two weeks ago shows him at 43 percent. The CBS News/New York Times poll gives Bush 34 percent, the unnamed Democrat 21 percent, with 56 percent of independent voters undecided.” [emphasis added – R.]

Unfortunately, Bush’s falling approval and re-election numbers may be a result of the wreck that is our faltering U.S. economy.  Economists are tempering their forecasts for growth, estimating that jobs may recover from 6.0 per cent unemployment to 5.9 percent inside in the fourth quarter (Merry Christmas to 0.1 per cent of us…).  There is a larger human and economic cost not reflected here; a record number of unemployed have become discouraged and dropped out of these numbers.  An equally record number of positions have become permanently lost, phased out by cost cutting.

As we go forward building our meme, we need to target that 56 per cent of people sitting on the fence.  Some portion of them has to be unemployed; surely, they can’t be happy about the misery that Bush’s economic efforts (or lack thereof) have caused.  They need and deserve change in leadership.

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[Cross-posted to Democratic Strategies at Build-A-Meme Forums.]

9:57:45 PM    comment []

You Googled Me?  Odd, really odd…

Okay, what’s going on?  Yesterday’s referral log had some rather odd searches that landed at my doorstep:

“Nano ethics”

“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily”

“Spiral dynamics gamma trap”

“Competency framework for diplomat”

Very interesting searches, more intriguing than the bulk of searches that arrive at my door.  Ever wonder if there’s a cosmic message encrypted in your referrals?  What was this one, if there was one buried in this Googling?

5:48:47 PM    comment []

Build-A-Meme Project:  Arianna’s inspiration

Nice rant by Arianna Huffington unleashed at Salon.com, containing juicy bits like this:

And don't bother trying to make the case that everything isn't hunky-dory in Baghdad to rabid acolytes such as Jay Garner. Like the president, the demoted viceroy doesn't care what the facts indicate -- to him even a looted and punctured glass can be half-full. "We ought to be beating our chests every day," he said, dismissing the notion that any of us should feel bad about the problems besetting Iraq. "We ought to look in a mirror and get proud. We ought to stick out our chests and suck in our bellies and say, 'Damn, we're Americans.'" That's sure to win us some more goodwill around the world. Hoo-rah, and pass the Kool-Aid, General Jay!

Which of course prompts me to think of a meme-let:

DON’T DRINK THE KOOL-AID IN 2004

4:12:44 PM    comment []

Another visual break

My little guy has been ill two days this week – although for some twisted reason, not on successive days.  I’m suffering a creative drain from lack of sleep after being up with him at all hours of the night.

Here’s a little lagniappe for you while I re-gear and juice up.

12:48:01 PM    comment []

Build-A-Meme Project:  IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT à FORUMS!!

With enormous thanks to Kriselda at differentstrings, the Build-A-Meme Project now has a new home and forums!

Kriselda says, “You will need to register to post, and it will ask for your e-mail address, but in your profile, you have the option of hiding that from everyone accept the Administrators, which should help prevent any spammers that might stop by from grabbing it. Just look for the "Hide your e-mail address" checkbox in the Preferences section of your Profile.”

She’s already set up some categories and boards set up, too.  Damn, isn’t she fabulous?!

Thanks to Kriselda and to all of you who’ve made contributions, either in the form of comments or through posts at your blog.  You’ve turned this into a real, live entity in a matter of days and hours.

A BETTER world is possible and we can make it happen.  Just look what we've started on a shoestring, in a brief bit of time!

Wonder what the days and weeks ahead will bring??  Dream BIG, people!!

10:00:11 AM    comment []