Ever Meet a Jimmy Carter Republican?
Carter's presidency was an instance of uniform partisan swing: attitudes about him were negative among just about every group. A recent assessment of the Carter Presidency by Tyler Cowen reminded me that, in 1980, I and just about all my friends hated Jimmy Carter. Most of us much preferred him …Forget Prop 8... Marriage is Already on the Rocks
Regardless of whether or not same-sex marriage is accepted, many Americans have already rejected the norms of traditional marriage. Same-sex marriage opponents argue that it threatens traditional marriage. In my latest CNN column, however, I argue that regardless of whether or not same-sex …Why Obama is Still the 2012 Favorite
Republicans are starting to feel confident in light of Obama's current troubles; however, the president is still in strong position for 2012. Given his current poor poll numbers, some have concluded that President Obama has little to no chance of re-election. Recent Michigan history is just one …Our National Polling Obsession
Media-sponsored public opinion polls have become the domestic equivalent of WMDs -- weapons of mass disillusionment. I am a worrier, and I have been one for as long as I can remember. It is a trait inherited from my parents and grandparents. I worry about loved ones and friends. I worry about my …Petraeus Sticking With McChrystal's Strategy
General Petraeus’s new guidelines for troops confirm that McChrystal's counterinsurgency strategy is still the best plan for victory in Afghanistan. General Petraeus’s new Counterinsurgency Guidance and Tactical Directive confirm what most knowledgeable and informed observers have long …Do Americans Still Think Their Kids Will Be Better Off?
Americans have always tended to be optimistic about their children's future. But in the midst of our current, long recession, does that still hold? Kevin Drum at Mother Jones notes my last post and then wonders, “What I'm more curious about is what this looked like in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. …Losing the Fight Against Loitering
The judicial campaign against anti-loitering laws has often been heedless of the public’s interest in being free from chronic public nuisances. New York finally got around to repealing provisions of its anti-loitering statute long ago declared unconstitutional. It’s about time. Only recently, …Obama Spins the Spill
President Obama is wrong to downplay the Gulf oil spill's lasting and long-term consequences — especially for what appear to be purely political reasons. In its quest to put the oil spill in the rear view mirror before the mid-term elections, the Obama administration just put out a report …