Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : GOPwinger Lies/Distortions/Omissions/Perversions of Truth -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: laura_bush who wrote (3231)	2/18/2004 10:42:04 PM
From: Patricia Trinchero	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 173976

Top Democrats lead Bush in poll WASHINGTON (USATODAY.com) — Democrat John Kerry holds his largest lead yet over President Bush in a head-to-head match-up among likely voters, a new USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll concludes, and rival John Edwards also holds a double-digit lead over the president. The poll, taken Feb. 16-17, indicates that if the election were held today, Kerry would be chosen by 55% of likely voters, compared to 43% for Bush. In the last polling, Feb. 6-8, Bush held a 49-48 advantage. Edwards, Kerry's sole remaining major rival for the Democratic nomination, holds a 54%-44% advantage, the poll indicates. The question has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The numbers come as both Kerry, a Massachusetts senator, and Edwards, a senator from North Carolina, have maintained a relatively high public profile because of the ongoing Democratic presidential campaign. They also come as questions continue to be raised about Bush's Vietnam-era service in the National Guard. Republicans have been skeptical of the head-to-head numbers during the primary season, saying they in part reflect news coverage that focuses on Democratic candidates' criticism. Earlier this month, a Bush adviser said he would rebound in time to win re-election. "This is the way the political season works," Mary Matalin, a Bush campaign adviser, told USA TODAY earlier this month. "All of these problems are manageable." Democrats hope Bush's troubles signal a decline that will end with an election loss. "There is a very strong risk that this president is irreparably damaging his credibility," Joe Lockhart, a former spokesman for President Clinton, said earlier this month. The poll indicates Kerry and Edwards hold lesser leads — or no lead at all — when all registered voters are measured. Kerry has a 51-46 edge over the president among registered voters, and Edwards holds a 49-48 edge, a statistical tie. Bush's approval rating remained unchanged in the latest poll and remains near the lowest spot of his presidency. It currently stands at 51%, with 46% disapproving and 3% of those polled offering no opinion. Bush's low of 49% — the only time his approval ratings have sunk below 50% in his presidency — came in a Jan. 29-Feb. 1 survey. Kerry was by far the choice for the party's nomination among registered Democrats or Democratic leaners in the latest survey, with 65% of those saying he was their Democrat of choice. Edwards trailed at 19%. Continuing a decline that has gone on for more than a year, 55% of those surveyed said Bush was honest and trustworthy. That compares to 59% the last time the question was asked in November, and 70% when the question was asked in early January 2003. Sixty-one percent of those surveyed said Kerry was honest and trustworthy. The poll indicated Americans felt better about Bush the person than they did about his job performance. Majorities said Bush has strong moral character and is a strong and decisive leader, but less than a majority said Bush generally agrees with them on important issues and has a clear plan for solving the country's problems. And only 42 percent agreed Bush did his duty for the country during the Vietnam era, compared to 68 percent for Kerry. However, the Vietnam service issue does not to be a key one to voters. Eighty percent of likely voters said Bush's actions while in the National Guard would not have much effect on their votes, and 78 percent said Kerry's combat experience in Vietnam would not have much effect. Contributing: USA TODAY's Judy Keen. usatoday.com

To: laura_bush who wrote (3231)	2/19/2004 2:40:27 AM
From: Karen Lawrence	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 173976

As long as there's Fox news, idiots like my daughter's father-in-law will continue to watch and believe. He seems to think Bush won't get a second term (whew), but is already setting the stage to blame the dems for problems incurred by the Bushies....such as higher taxes....He is however, excited about Bush invading Syria and Iran...he thinks this will happen! I don't know...I do know one of his grandsons (not mine) just joined the National Guard and will probably land in Iraq soon. That falling feeling torontostar.com Wall Street had a slight case of the jitters last Friday after the commerce department reported the U.S. trade deficit hit a record high in 2003. Americans spent $489.4 billion (U.S.) more on imports than they earned from exports - up 17.1 per cent from the previous year. But where did they get all those billions of dollars to buy Japanese cars, Malaysian electronics and Chinese clothing, which they couldn't pay for out of their export earnings? They basically got the money from Washington, which artificially boosted their incomes by spending $521 billion more than it took in. And where did Washington get the money to finance that massive budget deficit? It borrowed the money from foreigners by selling them United States government bonds. In other words, the twin U.S. deficits - the trade deficit and budget deficit - are but two sides of the same coin, both representing an attempt by the U.S. to live beyond its means. But what would happen if the rest of the world decided that it didn't want to keep lending the Americans such staggering amounts of cash? The eminent U.S. economist Paul Krugman has termed that possibility "a Wile E. Coyote moment" - like the character in the Road Runner cartoons, he says, the U.S. would run off a cliff and notice only after it was too late that there was nothing holding it up. Then it would plunge and take the rest of us with it. Which certainly explains last Friday's trade number jitters.