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*** UPDATED x1 *** Both wings are apparently angry about the same thing

Wednesday, Oct 19, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** UPDATE *** A Gallup poll showed most people weren’t paying attention to the Wall Street protests. But a new poll conducted for the National Journal finds that 59 percent of Americans agree or mostly agree with the protesters…

A new survey shows that Americans overwhelmingly support the self-styled Occupy Wall Street protests that not only have disrupted life in Lower Manhattan but also in Washington and cities and towns across the U.S. and in other nations. Some 59 percent of adults either completely agree or mostly agree with the protesters, while 31 percent mostly disagree or completely disagree; 10 percent of those surveyed didn’t know or refused to answer.

What’s more, many people are paying attention to the rallies. Almost two-thirds of respondents–65 percent–said they’ve heard “a lot” or “some” about the rallies, while 35 percent have said they’ve heard or seen “not too much” or “nothing at all” about the demonstrations.

The results appear in the latest edition of the United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll.

And, more to our point…

Remarkably, nearly one-third of Republicans—31 percent—completely or mostly agree with their aims. The sour economy has sparked some class resentments in unexpected places, it seems.

Methodology…

The United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll is conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, which surveyed 1,007 adults by landline and cell phone on Oct. 13-16. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* This is from a newspaper op-ed in opposition to extending Sears’ tax breaks to keep it from moving its headquarters and 6,000 jobs to another state…

When government officials hand money to large employers while raising taxes on others, we do not have representative government. We have corporate statist government. And when government officials promise a future river of tax revenues to benefit everyone, and then keep tax revenues flowing to one politically connected corporation, we have corporate statist government that has lied to us.

So, who do you think wrote that piece? No fair peeking. Was it one of those Occupy Wall Street lefties? Nope. It was Steve Stanek from the Heartland Institute, which is about as far right as one can get and still receive grant funding.

* Both sides forcefully deny it, but two angry populist streams are definitely overlapping on a major issue. But, as is often the case in America, they’re all talking past each other and accentuating their ideological and partisan differences. Fox Chicago actually tried to force a convergence last night…

FOX Chicago News asked South Sider Catherina Wojtowicz, a founder of the Chicago Tea Patriots, to visit tonight’s Occupy demonstration and let us listen to her talk to the other side.

Among them were unemployed college graduate 20-somethings and an older, self-described “unemployed, Marxian-trained economist.”

The most fascinating exchange, by far, though, involved Larry Roberts, a middle-aged union electrician. He just walked up to us, not directly part of the protest, but very sympathetic to it.

“God bless ‘em. They’re sticking up for the working man and the people less fortunate. God bless ‘em,” said Roberts.

Wojtowicz said she thinks the “Occupy” protesters want to crush Wall Street, and can’t understand what their plan is after that. She does agree with some of their rhetoric, though.

* Scott Stantis’ latest cartoon is relevant here…

* And speaking of corporate aid…

Mr. Emanuel — asked what his top priority is for the Illinois Legislature’s fall veto session — answered that it’s helping CME Group and CBOE Holdings Inc. cut their state income-tax load. The session begins next week.

The firms now are treated “not exactly in a fair way, at least in their view,” he said, and as a result are threatening to move some operations out of town. The big trading firms have made Chicago “a worldwide leader” in the derivatives and options business, he said. “It’s important to us as a city and a state to maintain that leadership.”

Mr. Emanuel served on the board of a predecessor firm to CME several years ago.

Discuss.

* Related…

* New era close at McCormick Place as tentative union pact reached

* Cook County OKs union deal, but storm clouds loom over next one

* Survey: Many Occupy Wall Street protesters are unhappy Democrats who want more influence

* Gallup: Most Americans Uncertain About “Occupy Wall Street” Goals: Given Americans’ apparent lack of knowledge about the Occupy Wall Street movement, it is not surprising to find a minority of Americans describing themselves as supporters (26%) or opponents (19%) of the movement. A majority, 52%, say they are neither supporters nor opponents, with another 4% not having an opinion. Those closely following the news about the movement are more likely to describe themselves as supporters (38%) than opponents (24%). The percentage of supporters increases to 52% among those following the news “very closely.”

* ILGOP Chair: ‘Occupy Chicago’ Protesters should be in front of Mike Madigan’s Office

* Kirk: Occupy Chicago feels like ‘undisciplined, unfocused, unintellectual anger’

* Emanuel says he consulted on Occupy Chicago arrests

* How Occupy Wall Street Is Like the Internet

* Decades Old Calvin and Hobbes Strip Succinctly Explains Occupy Wall Street Movement

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Boland loses campaign manager while Hoffman touts poll

Wednesday, Oct 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Mike Boland didn’t just lose his “top staffer,” the kid was basically Boland’s only staffer…

Mike Boland’s top staffer has resigned from his congressional campaign citing “strategic differences.”

Auston McLain, Mr. Boland’s campaign manager, who left the campaign Monday, said Tuesday, “Mike and I continue to be great friends. He did not wish to see me go, and there is not an ounce of harsh feelings on either side.”

Mr. Boland, a former state representative, is one of six Democrats seeking their party’s nomination for U.S. Congress in the 17th Congressional District in the 2012 elections. The others are Greg Aguilar, Cheri Bustos, Eric Reyes, state Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, and Freeport Mayor George Gaulrapp. […]

Mr. Boland confirmed Tuesday that Mr. McLain’s resignation was “friendly” and “amicable.”

Boland has good name recognition in the district, but he’ll need more than that. This latest move means we can cue the increased speculation that Boland ends up running for state Senate against fellow Democrat and longtime enemy Mike Jacobs.

* Boland had to deal with a bit of a controversy earlier this week…

A Quad City candidate for Congress says he did nothing wrong when he solicited campaign donations via e-mail from teachers at Blackhawk College last month, even though he is on the Board of Trustees at the school.

In a memo obtained by News 8, a union representative for faculty named Joan Eastlund wrote to members about the e-mail blast, saying ‘’as a trustee, Mike Boland will be in the position to vote directly on the retention, tenure and promotion of faculty members. This presents a clear conflct of interest.'’

The union asks that Boland recuse himself from voting on all personnel hiring, promotions, and firings. […]

Boland says five thousand e-mails were sent in the blast for contributions, those received at Blackhawk College just a small portion of the group.

‘’It’s copied after Obama, what he did in 2008. Getting those massive small donations'’, Boland said. ‘’It’s obviously political'’.

* In other news, former Democratic state Rep. Jay Hoffman released poll results of 400 likely voters taken August 10-15 which he says show he has a good shot against Republican incumbent Tim Johnson. From a press release…

The generic ballot question showed this district to be a tossup with 43% favoring a Democratic candidate and 43% favoring a Republican.

The initial trial heat, prior to providing respondents with any information about either candidate, showed Johnson leading Hoffman 44% to 33%, which can be attributed to his higher name recognition. However as respondents learned more about each candidate Hoffman gained considerably and moved ahead of Johnson. […]

Respondents were read a bio of each candidate’s accomplishments followed by a series of likely criticisms and when the respondents were then asked their preference between Jay Hoffman and Tim Johnson the respondents preferred Hoffman 43% to 42%. Respondents were specifically told about Hoffman’s former ties to Rod Blagojevich as well as his vote for a temporary income tax increase. For Congressman Johnson the respondents were told about his support for President Bush’s budgets and fiscal policies as well as his votes in favor of corporate and business interests.

The Hoffman campaign refused to release the exact wording of the negative pushes. That’s usually the case. But just keep in mind that polls can be gamed that way.

* React…

A spokesman for Johnson discounted the poll’s findings.

“I think you have to take into account who did the polling and what they were asking,” Johnson spokesman Phil Bloomer said. “Tim voted against Bush’s budgets for several years. This is not something new for him to vote against these budgets just since President Obama has been in office.”

Asked if Johnson’s campaign has done any polling, Bloomer said, “Not that I’m aware of.”

* Johnson’s new district includes several college campuses, including UIUC, ISU and UIS. So this can’t hurt…

About two years after he first called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, now appears to be gaining the support of his constituents. […]

Johnson said he doesn’t believe his constituents “are one iota safer because we’re losing thousands of American men and women, and hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Libya and Iraq.”

“I have consistently voted in appropriation after appropriation and bill after bill to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan and Libya,” he said. It was at that point and during other statements about defense spending that Johnson received his only sustained applause during the meeting.

* Johnson might have some problems with these ideas, however…

Johnson also suggested gradually raising the retirement age to strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and said he was willing to look at revenue measures, not just budget cuts, to reduce the federal deficit.

* Other stuff…

* Kinzinger campaign kickoff Saturday in Ottawa: “The exact district won’t be known until we hear the court ruling (on the new state redistricting map). If the Democrats’ map upholds, he’ll run in the 16th. If it’s the Republican map, it’ll be the 11th,” said Kinzinger’s Press Secretary Brook Hougeson.

* Quigley, Gutierrez, Schakowsky to hold hearing on DOMA

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Poll: Quinn’s numbers still in the tank

Wednesday, Oct 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Just a few days before Gov. Pat Quinn won his election last year, Public Policy Polling found his job approval rating was 32 percent and his disapproval was 54 percent. In March, after the income tax hike passed, We Ask America pegged Quinn’s approval rating at 30.6 percent and his disapproval at 60.7 percent.

We Ask America has a new poll out and Quinn’s rating is pretty much the same…

A FOX Chicago News/We Ask America survey found only 29.6 percent of registered voters approved Quinn’s job performance; 60 percent disapproved.

Even the governor’s own party appears to be deserting him. Among self-described Democrats: 46%percent approved, 42 percent disapproved. […]

Fewer than half of voters in the Governor’s home town of Chicago are happy: 49 percent approve, 39 percent disapprove. In suburban Cook County, 32 percent approve, 57 percent disapprove. In the suburban collar counties surrounding Chicago, 27 percent approve, 61 percent disapprove. Among registered voters Downstate, a mere 19 percent approve, 70 percent disapprove.

African-American registered voters are Quinn’s strongest supporters, with 52 percent approving while 40 percent disapprove. Among Hispanic voters, 30 percent approve, 54 percemt disapprove. Among white voters, 25 percent approve, 63 percent disapprove.

There is little difference between male and female voters. Among women, 31 percent approve, 55 percent disapprove. Among men, 29 percent approve, 65 percent disapprove.

Man, those Downstate and collar numbers are just downright horrible. And his suburban Cook and Chicago numbers are far worse than the president’s. But it has always been thus with Pat Quinn. He managed to win last year by turning his opponent into a bigger ogre than he was. Overwhelming disapproval doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the General Assembly, however. Going up against him is no great risk. Then again, their overall approval rating is probably lower than his.

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