Sane Americans for Obama 2012

Toss Up States Obama Needs to Win

These are the toss up states. Obama needs 27 electoral votes to win.

New Hampshire (4)

Iowa (6)

Colorado (9)

Wisconsin (10)

Missouri (10)

Arizona (11)

Virginia (13)

North Carolina (15)

Ohio (18)

Florida (29)

He can win with any of the following 19 minimum combinations:

Florida (29)

Colorado (9)

Ohio (18)

Virginia (13)

North Carolina (15)

Missouri (10)

Ohio (18)

Wisconsin (10)

Ohio (18)

Colorado (9)

Ohio (18)

New Hampshire (4)

Iowa (6)

Ohio (18)

Missouri (10)

Arizona (11)

Virginia (13)

Wisconsin (10)

Arizona (11)

Virginia (13)

10)

Colorado (9)

Arizona (11)

Virginia (13)

11)

Iowa (6)

Arizona (11)

Virginia (13)

12)

New Hampshire (4)

Arizona (11)

Virginia (13)

13)

Colorado (9)

Missouri (10)

Arizona (11)

14)

Iowa (6)

Missouri (10)

Arizona (11)

15)

Colorado (9)

Wisconsin (10)

Arizona (11)

16)

Iowa (6)

Wisconsin (10)

Arizona (11)

17)

Missouri (10)

Wisconsin (10)

Colorado (9)

18)

New Hampshire (4)

Iowa (6)

Colorado (9)

Missouri (10)

19)

New Hampshire (4)

Iowa (6)

Colorado (9)

Wisconsin (10)

Top Political News: May 30, 2012

This idea of the American dream as a collective enterprise is what sets Democrats apart from Republicans.
"If you look at three basic values that underpin the American dream," says John Kenneth White, a political scientist and editor of The American Dream in the 21st Century, "they really are freedom, individual rights — which are closely tied to that — and equality of opportunity."
Republicans typically stress freedom, White says, and they tend to see government as a likely impediment.
Democrats like Obama focus on opportunity, and they see a vital role for government.
"Somebody who has a great idea in selling a great product or service, we want them to get rich. That's great. But we also want to make sure that we as a society are investing in that young kid who comes from a poor family who has incredible talent and might be able to get rich as well," Obama has said. "And that means we've got to build good schools. And we've got to make sure that that child can go to college."

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/30/153994202/obamas-own-story-defines-his-american-dream?ft=1&f=1014

And the survey had good news for President Obama: during the last half of the month, he improved his standing against GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Wisconsin.
The new survey also showed Obama leading Romney among likely voters, 51 percent to 43 percent. Two weeks ago, the poll showed the presidential race tied at 46 percent each. Nearly half of the voters polled expressed an unfavorable opinion of Romney, with 40 percent saying they looked favorably on the former Massachusetts governor. Obama had a 55 percent favorability rating, with 41 percent saying they viewed him unfavorably.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/05/30/154005230/new-wisconsin-poll-shows-walker-maintaining-lead-obama-gaining-strength?ft=1&f=1014

With most media organizations now projecting that Mitt Romney has secured enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination, President Obama called the former Massachusetts governor to offer his congratulations.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/05/30/153992011/obama-calls-romney-in-rare-moment-of-courtesy-between-candidates?ft=1&f=1014

Top Political News : May 29, 2012

The most potentially influential politician you've probably never heard of, former two-term Maine Gov. Angus King, on Tuesday officially entered the race to replace retiring moderate GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe.
King, 68, an alternative-energy entrepreneur and supporter of President Obama, filed more than 6,000 signatures with Maine's secretary of state to ensure his place on November's ballot.
My goal is to stay as independent as I can. I want to be able to have that flexibility as long as possible. It may be that in order to be effective, I'm going to have to sign up with one of the other teams. I don't want to do that. On the other hand, I don't want to go down and be a potted plant. That wouldn't be fair to Maine.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/05/29/153933439/maine-independent-aims-to-be-senate-king-acknowledges-potted-plant-potential?ft=1&f=1014

What's coming? The Bush-era tax cuts expire along with the payroll tax break; the nation's borrowing authority bumps against its limit; and huge mandatory spending cuts — half targeting defense — are set to kick in.
All this could trigger another recession, but Congress is not likely to do much about it until after November's election.
Last week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office also weighed in: Unless Congress acts to change current law, it said, spending cuts and tax increases could shrivel next year's growth to a mere one-half of 1 percent, which would probably be seen as a recession.
"I say to the 41 Republicans and Sen. Hatch who sent me this letter, move on revenues, we could have had a deal a long time ago," he said. "The president said that when we got together at the White House last Wednesday."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/05/29/153889383/dire-predictions-amid-another-looming-fiscal-battle?ft=1&f=1014

Top Political News: Memorial Day Weekend Edition

Iran’s nuclear chief, reversing the country’s previous statements, said on state television on Sunday that the country would not halt its production of higher-grade uranium, suggesting that the Iranian government was veering back to a much harder line after talks in Baghdad with the West last week ended badly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/world/middleeast/iran-wont-halt-production-of-higher-grade-uranium.html?_r=1

President Obama has started hitting back at Republicans who accuse him of being the biggest-spending president in history, arguing that the increases in his budgets are the smallest in decades.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/28/153860608/obama-fires-back-on-spending-accusations?ft=1&f=1014

Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Scott Horsley about the aggressive campaigning in recent weeks by both President Obama and Mitt Romney. Both men are focusing on jobs and the economy.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/27/153812430/under-summer-sun-presidential-race-heats-up?ft=1&f=1014

GOP "Logic": More Jobs = Getting Worse

When Obama took office he were losing hundreds of thousands of jobs each month at a rapidly increasing rate. When Obama got election he slowed the loss of jobs until we started making gains in March 2012. We have been adding jobs for two consecutive years at the same rate as we were before the recession.

http://bls.gov/

Top Political News: May 26, 2012

But the 49th has a new claim to fame: In 2009, the ward's alderman, Joe Moore, became the first elected official in the country to hand over the purse strings to his constituents.
"I am ceding my power to decide how this money is spent and giving it to you," Moore said to a group of about 40 people on a cold November night last fall.
Giving budget power to residents has changed what gets done with infrastructure money. When Moore called the shots, he chose only meat-and-potatoes projects — street repairs, a new crossing signal or two. Under the new scheme, the ward's residents have funded showers at the beach, heated bus shelters and a $110,000 dog park.
Some skeptics say participatory budgeting allows small voting blocs to band together and push through pet projects. Those who like the process say that at least with this approach the people wielding power are not the rich or well-connected. Instead, they're regular citizens who choose to put in the time.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/26/153747108/chicago-ward-gives-budgetary-power-to-the-people?ft=1&f=1014

SIMON: What would you urge our informed and discriminating listeners to pay attention to the next time we report poll results?
SELZER: Well, I think this early in the campaign, and really until we get to probably October, you need to keep in mind that any measure of the horse race is really a reflection of the mood. Sort of how are people feeling about this campaign right now? There's no poll in May or June that is going to predict what's going to happen, but the advise I would give is to choose a couple of polls and follow them, because ....all of (the differences and nuances are) controlled for if you follow the same poll over time.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/26/153761765/reading-between-the-polls-what-voters-should-watch?ft=1&f=1014

The Supreme Court's 2010 decision Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission allows outside groups to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to advocate for a particular issue or even candidate.
Right now, more than 80 percent of the money raised by superPACs has gone to pro-GOP groups. And, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, 80 percent of all the money raised by these groups has come from just 100 individuals — the wealthiest people in America. People like Texas billionaire Harold Simmons.
Homans estimates Simmons has donated around $18 million to $19 million to Crossroads GPS.
Try to guess how many superPACs are operating in the U.S. today. Dave Levinthal, who covers money and politics for Politico, says there are about 450 — at the moment.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/26/153784210/outside-money-making-the-race-a-billionaires-game?ft=1&f=1014