The Public Prefers Both Planned Parenthood and the NRA to Any Major Presidential Candidate

According to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll

Perhaps the parties should just dump all those candidates and let the Democrats nominate Planned Parenthood and the Republicans nominate the NRA. Check out these favorability figures from a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll:

NBC

Comments

[John]

Would the fawning coverage given it by the media have anything to do with that? Imagine if the NRA had been founded by a racist eugenicist and were caught on tape glibly talking about how guns keep the young black population in check? It would end up being indicted as a criminal organization.

[KevinP]

Yep, that was my thought too. Realistically, at least 5% - 10% of the liberal and progressive positive ratings are due to the fawning and one-sided coverage of the media.

I wonder how that influences close elections. Hmmm.... an academic wrote a book about it:

Left Turn: How Liberal Media Bias Distorts the American Mind
http://www.amazon.com/Left-Tur.....1250002761

[Gweskoyen]

Strange how people like you always speak of the "media" as if they were uniformly leftist. I assume Fox News didn't exactly fawn over PP.

If organizations founded by racists were to be disbanded, the first one to go would be the US itself, no?

[John]

FAUX NEWS!!!!!

So the existence of a single news organization that isn't overly leftist makes up for the entire rest of the major media being a state run media for the White House? And yeah, the 55% of the people who don't have a favorable view of PP, might have watched Fox News. So what?

So you are admitting that Margaret Sanger was a racist and eugenicist? Is the reality based community finally coming to terms with that fact? Or are you just talking out of your ass and saying whatever you think might win the argument?

[Gweskoyen]

the entire rest of the major media being a state run media for the White House

Jesus. I hope your tin foil is wrapped snugly.

[Irish ?s ESB]

State run media is a sarcastic euphemism related to their biases, he is not literally saying they are run by the government.

But you're dumb, as my annihilation of your argument below should make clear, so I understand if you don't know what figures of speech are.

[Gweskoyen]

You literally didn't reply to anything I said. I think you're confusing me with someone else.

[Gweskoyen]

Oh, sorry, found your comment.

[commodious spittoon]

Mustn't forget news radio, which is overwhelmingly conservative. That

[commodious spittoon]

lessthansign 12% of the population is the real threat to democracy.

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Actually

[commodious spittoon]

Total daytime viewers != prime time, and that's an important distinction. FNC has a strong lineup all day, most of it political commentary and not explicit news coverage. The sort of person tuning in for Hannity or Greta or The Five is not the sort of person who's undecided about his political affiliation. Contrast Fox's numbers with conventional news outlets like ABC/CBS/NBC who enjoy a much stronger prime time audience, and it's obvious that Fox does not marshal nearly as much interest from disinterested viewers as they're credited.

[Irish ?s ESB]

I remember you! You're the idiot who periodically shows up to say things that are really wrong!

"Strange how people like you always speak of the "media" as if they were uniformly leftist. I assume Fox News didn't exactly fawn over PP."

During prime time Fox News has 3 million viewers.

ABC News: 7 million viewers
CBS News: 6 million viewers
NBC News: 8 million viewers
CNN primetime: 495,000
MSNBC primetime: 568,000

New York Times Circulation: 1.4 million
WaPo circulation: 475,000

How many stories have these organizations with combined viewer/readerships of 25 million run on planned parenthood? Of those, how many claimed this was a 'hoax' despite the fact that it's not?

Yeah - Fox News preaching to 3 million conservative die hards doesn't exactly negate broader media bias, does it?

[commodious spittoon]

It's like homeopathy, the fewer Republicans around the stronger their influence.

[LarryA]

Homeopathy? You're right on!

Now I understand why every political problem is the result of the libertarians' influence.

[WTF]

Oh, fuck, now you got all fact and logical on him and made him run away.

[Gweskoyen]

I ate dinner.

[Irish ?s ESB]

Time out, you're not even an American and you're lecturing me on Fox News and American media? Are you fucking kidding me?

I'm going to assume you're British given that you're eating dinner and it's currently around 5:30 in England, so how would you like it if I went around babbling about how much I understand about Sky News?

[Irish ?s ESB]

Oh, googled your name, found you at the Guardian, you're a German:

"It's 'touching' that far-right Brits in the comments are so concerned about the Islamisation of us Germans"

Etc. So a German is telling me about America's media bias even though you don't live in this country and know nothing about our media landscape except FAUX NEWS!?!?

Piss off and argue about subjects you actually understand next time.

[commodious spittoon]

Ist er ein Berliner?

[WTF]

Try not to mention the war!

[Trshmnstr doesn't recycle]

You know which other German they avoided mentioning war around?

[Mrs. Lemuel Struthers]

Wow. Now we're never getting rid of the German guy. Irish spanked him good, and you all know how Germans feel about S&M. He'll be back looking for some more punishment soon, much like I keep tuning into True Detective on Sunday nights.

[WTF]

Just don't mention the Schei?e Porn!

[Irish ?s ESB]

I knew I remembered you! You're the moron who showed up in Gamergate threads to throw hissy fits about how everyone is being a big meanie to the saintly feminists and then huffily declared everyone misogynists before storming off!

Good times.

"Cathy, Cathy, Cathy, didn't you get the message? Whenever gamergaters are criticized as misogynist, they reply that it is not about feminism at all - it's about "ethics in game journalism"! All that about gender is completely incidental! That is what they say.
So thank you Cathy for agreeing with us feminists about what GamerGate really is."

That was your second appearance. Your first was way funnier when you said:

"The other group, GamerGate, threatens women with rape and murder.
Is it really so hard to see which side is better, dear social conservatives masquerading as libertarians?
If you support Gamergate you are objectively evil."

You then lied and claimed you never called gamergaters rape-threateners or social conservatives and also pretended you never used the phrase 'objectively evil.' This is because you're dumb.

[Gweskoyen]

I remember you too. You were confused that I called Gamergaters rape-threateners or social conservatives, but not the commenters in the thread.

It seems the confusion persisted.

[commodious spittoon]

The other group, GamerGate internet celebrities with Patreon accounts, threatens women with rape and murder.

FTFY

[NotAnotherSkippy]

Reading this I can't help but imagining you triumphantly shooting a cork gun at an abrams.

[Gweskoyen]

Oh, and "storming off" is cute. Mostly I read Reason stories in my RSS reader because why bother with the comments? This article was an exception because I wanted to share it on Twitter.

I waste my life on Twitter, not in comment threads, like others might.

[commodious spittoon]

You chose to comment. It's not as though we're posting your twitter contributions here and disparaging you for unknowingly failing to defend yourself.

Although, if you'd like to provide your handle, I suspect we'd have a field day.

[Dark Lord of the wood chipper]

"I waste my life on Twitter, "

For most people that would be a waste, but it's probably about the best you can do.

[Irish ?s ESB]

You should bring some better material next time. A German whining about Fox News (a channel which does not exist in your country) and presuming to lecture us about the media landscape in a country you don't live in is pretty fucking weak.

Tell me, what do you know about Fox News' reach that wasn't gleaned from leftist websites and youtube videos, Mr. German?

Would you like me to tell you all about the popularity of various Bundesliga teams (a topic I know nothing about), just so that I can reciprocate your narcissistic ignorance of other countries?

[Homple]

Don't mention the war.

[The Last American Hero]

Don't watch Frontline this week. They are doing a "everybody wants sensible gun control but oh mer gawd look at how the NRA owns Congress and prevents them from doing anything" expose. Because without public television, nobody would offer such unbiased and thoughtfully researched programming.

[LarryA]

Apparently the commen-taters still can't see the blatant contradiction between "everybody wants gun control" and "NRA members can vote representatives out of office."

[Mr. Paulbotto]

Gerrymandering!!!

[brady949]

I don't buy it. The only positive coverage of PP I see right now is on MSNBC, and their viewers already had a positive opinion. It IS possible a generally pro-choice electorate could develop a positive view of PP all on their own you know...

[John]

A couple of weeks of bad press don't make up for years of fawning coverage.

[brady949]

I can't recall any coverage of PP whatsoever before this current, manufactured controversy.

[Trshmnstr doesn't recycle]

Really?

Susan G. Komen Controversy - 2012

PP at center of government shutdown threats - 2011

I won't link to the rest, but

Texas anti-abortion law - 2013
Kermit Gosnell - 2013?
Sex-Trafficking Video Sting - 2011
Sandra Fluke - 2013

That's just from a 5 minute google search.

manufactured controversy

PHAAAAKE SKANDULLLLLLLL!!!!!111!!!!

[Just say Nikki]

Just as Kang intended.

[Hugh Akston]

Where's my miniature American flag?!

[Just say Nikki]

So picky, Hugh. Enjoy an American-made firearm, instead.

[Princess Trigger]

hmmmmm, gun.

[RBS]

Made in USA? Oh, no, thank you.

[Root Boy]

You must be one of those HK creeps (says the Sig owner).

[Almanian - Trump's Woodchipper]

I got one Glock. Everything else made in the US.

Oh, wait - inherited my brother's AK, which is....I don't remember where it was made. Not Russia....definitely not the US.

Anyhoo,,,,

USA! USA! USA! guns. Mostly.

[CharlesWT]

Since the job is getting/has gotten too big for a single individual, contract out the office of the president to private corporations... 🙂

[Agile Cyborg]

The NRA has camped outside the city gates for far too long. The time is right for the NRA to start receiving the same federal funding as Planned Parenthood. A half billion should be about right, I'm guessing. But those guns. Those motherfucking guns. But those babies. Those motherfucking babies.

[KevinP]

Ironically, since both federal and state governments have the plenary power to create militias, and compulsorily enroll all people in them, ordinary people should be compelled to buy guns and receive subsidies for them. And they could receive their compulsory training from the NRA and its coaches (Full Disclosure: I am one of them). At about $80/person for the 8-hour Basic Pistol Class, we're looking at $16 billion to train 200 million adults.

Naturally, the progs would throw a fit if the government actually exercised its constitutional powers in this manner.

[commodious spittoon]

I don't know about motherfucking, but they certainly monopolize the goodies.

[Ken Shultz]

If we had a positive/negative chart for commenters? Agile Cyborg might be sitting on top somewhere with a 98% approval rating, and Shrike would be stuck somewhere under Hillary's ass with 100% negatives.

I'm just sayin'.

[commodious spittoon]

8% positive, courtesy of its other sockpuppets.

[Agile Cyborg]

The other sockpuppets associated with Agile Cyborg all exist in my head, unfortunately.

[commodious spittoon]

That's not sockpuppeting, that's inspiration.

[CatilineWoodchipperConspiracy]

He truly is the people's poet.

[Almanian - Trump's Woodchipper]

THIS^^ enthusiastically.

Especially on the weekends, Agile is like a breath of fresh illumination, skittering over the electrons to implant dynamite in my mind.

Or something. See how I fail at that? Agile Cyborg uber alles!!

[Trshmnstr doesn't recycle]

Not enough Space Penis. Agile has much more Space Penis in his poetry.

[lap83]

"The time is right for the NRA to start receiving the same federal funding as Planned Parenthood."

It would almost be worth it for the liberal tears, especially when we start having a national conversation about whether it's ethical to donate the organs of home invaders

[Michael Price]

Donate? We're libertarians damnit, we want to get PAID!

[LarryA]

The NRA has camped outside the city gates for far too long. The time is right for the NRA to start receiving the same federal funding as Planned Parenthood. A half billion should be about right, I'm guessing.

NRA:
"Half-billion federal funding" - $500,000,000.00.
"Half-dozen politicians calling for common-sense gun laws" - Priceless.

[Ken Shultz]

Hillary Clinton has a 48% negative rating!

I swear, Donald Trump is the only Republican that might lose to her.

No wonder the media is hyping him so hard.

[Je suis Woodchipper]

Christie would make it competitive too.

[dbw1977]

Comically, I'm not really sure his negative rating isn't actual liberal bias.

Liberals hate him, they aren't going to vote for him anyway.

Conservatives love him.

Libertarians... we just want it all to end, I think.

[Seamus]

Conservatives love Christie? I take it you don't know, and have not talked about politics at any length with, any actual conservatives.

(And if you were referring to Trump, then my statement still stands.)

[Gweskoyen]

Did you look at any favorability ratings? http://fivethirtyeight.com/dat.....andidates/

Donald Trump has a net favorability rating of 4%. He is the 13th most popular GOP candidate. The only ones lower, and net negative, are Christie, Gilmore, Graham, Pataki.

The media aren't "hyping" him, they report on him because he is entertainingly insane.

[commodious spittoon]

Trump vs. Biden 2016. No losers, only winning.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

Just give it to Charlie Sheen. He can generate a hashtag at least.

[commodious spittoon]

Sheen will moderate the debate, which will be held at a monster truck rally.

[cavalier973]

I've never been so excited for a Presidential election

[Crusty Juggler]

You know, I cannot remember what the commentariat thinks about abortion. I think everyone should have a nice, long, polite discussion about it.

[Zeb]

You should be allowed to abort your children until they are 26 years old.

[albo]

Yep. Legal abortion up through the 76th trimester.

[commodious spittoon]

No laws and no political patronage and no federal funding.

[Ken Shultz]

I'd rather argue about who was worse--Hitler or Stalin.

Or maybe we should have a thread about what the Civil War was really all about.

Or better yet? Pirates vs. Ninjas!

I've always been partial to pirates, for one thing, because they always have girls around, and in addition to that, ninjas don't ignite fuses in their beards to terrify their enemies--and if you can't do that, then what's the point?

Ninjas just run around in their pajamas killing people, preferably, in their sleep?

I don't get it.

[commodious spittoon]

Deep dish or foreskins?

[BearOdinson]

NY Style, thin crust circumcisions all the way!

[Zeb]

I'm totally sick of Ninjas, pirates and zombies.

[egould310 reppin' LBC]

Pirates and zombies are totally played out. I'm cool with ninjas.

[BearOdinson]

1980s: Ninjas
1990s and early 2000s: pirates
mid 2000s-present: Zombies

Its the Ninjas spot in the rotation.

[Root Boy]

How about rage virus people?

[BearOdinson]

Rush sucks!

*ducks and runs away*

[BearOdinson]

Never mind, wrong crowd.

Rush is the best band in the history of the world!!

*ducks and runs away again*

[commodious spittoon]

Rush is one of those bands I can't help liking but rarely actually listen to. In that respect Rush is, unsurprisingly, the Ayn Rand of music.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

Plenty of female ninjas. Not so many pirates.

[Warty]

So nobody's heard of Bernie Sanders, most of the people who have heard of Rand Paul did so on the Rachel Maddow show, and half of the country loathes Hilary Clinton. That sounds about right.

[EdWuncler]

I remember watching that interview and cringing. It's not because I diagree with Paul's view but because he made the mistake of believing that Maddow and MSNBC were capable of having a philosophical conversation about the freedom of association.

[Certified Public Asshat]

...and Joe Biden wins the 2016 Presidential Election.

[Juvenile Bluster]

If it's not going to be Rand (or Gary Johnson), I hope Biden wins. Just for the entertainment value.

[Certified Public Asshat]

He's cool with Obama! But he's also not Obama, and not Hilary. He's not old like that Bernie guy, and he isn't a rethuglican.

Joe Biden it is.

[Chaucer]

Biden's a year younger than Bernie and would be the oldest President ever elected. Hillary would be the 2nd oldest.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Killing vs. killing! It's why Spy vs. Spy was so popular.

[Inigo "Chip" DuBois]

It strikes me that the lowest numbers (pos and neg) in this poll belong to John Roberts, with John Kasich close behind. It suggests that 80+% had no idea who he is just from his name. If the pollsters didn't say stuff like, "Supreme Court Chief Justice. John Roberts," or "Ohio governor and Republican presidential candidate John Kasich," it's more of a name recognition thing than anything else.

[Robert]

But it's interesting that the Supreme Court's positives are so high, & 10 pts. above their negatives.

[Robert]

Darn, 3 pts. above. Serves me right for not scrolling back up to check before posting.

[Robert]

I meant 7, dammit! 3 pts. less than the 10 I wrote initially.

[Robert]

I wish I could blame the lidocaine from the dentist, but it's my mouth that's numb, not my brain.

[*GILMORE*]

I think it would have been more revealing to compare the approval rating of the Cosa Nostra, Tsetse Flies, the band Chumbawumba, and "Phone Companies" relative to our contemporary crop of political candidates.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

What about the phone cops?

[Almanian - Trump's Woodchipper]

No love for the TV police Joe Perry warned us about?

[Michael Price]

"I think it would have been more revealing to compare the approval rating of the Cosa Nostra, Tsetse Flies, the band Chumbawumba,"
Chumbawumba's ratings got knocked down, but they got up again.

[mad.casual]

But what do millenials think?

[Root Boy]

Someone should post the Ha Ha picture of Nelson for the Republican Party.

Great job GOP (apparently they were congratulating themselves in a weekly address video recently)!

[The Late P Brooks]

An Ode to Central Planning.

The president's plan does just that. It limits carbon pollution at the nation's oldest and dirtiest power plants and allows them to meet those limits in a variety of ways; for example, by becoming more efficient, operating less often or investing in cleaner energy sources.

Incentives in the plan will encourage the development of renewable energy. States can award credits to companies that buy or build renewable projects, and these companies can bank them even before the compliance period for meeting emissions limits begins. The federal government will match these state credits, which will help businesses comply with those limits. With these incentives, it pays to produce clean energy.

Any utility that already owns cleaner forms of energy, or hopes to build them, can profit ? whether it is Southern Company constructing new nuclear reactors and steadily expanding its portfolio of renewables, or MidAmerican, a national leader in installed wind power that may look to expand its market.

[commodious spittoon]

Highlighted link. Had to root around for my surprised face.

[*GILMORE*]

"allows them to meet those limits in a variety of ways; for example, by becoming more efficient, operating less often or investing in cleaner energy sources."

Cute way of saying, "does everything they can to put them out of business"

[BearOdinson]

Fuel costs are a major part of all fossil fuel generating stations. (Fuel costs in nuclear is a much smaller percentage of total operating costs, especially considering our regulatory burden). Energy companies WANT to become more efficient. Saves fuel costs, or can allow for more megawatts for the same fuel cost.
Sounds like another "Five year plan".

[The Late P Brooks]

Fucking character limit.

Stand-alone solar and wind companies are expected to publicly back the plan because the demand for their renewable power will only increase.

In an era of flat electricity demand, utilities have been hard-pressed to get approval from state regulators to build new power projects. But the plan's clean-energy incentives offer utilities the opportunity to make investments that will enable state utility commissions to justify rates so utilities can recover their costs.

What's more, knowing there will be new demand for wind and solar energy will encourage investors to build new transmission lines. Meanwhile, utilities like Calpine, which own efficient natural gas plants, will be winners because the plan creates financial incentives to switch from coal to less-polluting gas.

Finally, utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric that design innovative ways to reduce energy demand, or offer energy retrofit and appliance rebate programs, also stand to gain, because energy efficiency now will be a valuable commodity.

Understanding these behind-the-scenes dynamics makes it clear that much of industry opposition to the rule is really just posturing. In any case, the legal jockeying is only part of the story.

tl;dr version: Obama is dreamy, and corporatist string-pulling isn't so bad when we get what we want. The end always justifies the means.

[Almanian - Trump's Woodchipper]

/Trump Voice

My negatives are 'uuuuuuuuuge.

/Trump Voice