5/23/2012 Republican incumbent Scott Brown (48 percent) clings to a one-point lead over Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren (47 percent) in the Massachusetts race for the U.S. Senate, according to a Suffolk University/7NEWS (WHDH-Boston) poll of likely general-election voters in Massachusetts. The poll result is well within the margin of error. Five percent of voters were undecided in a race that has drawn interest from across the country, even though the primaries are months away. The race has closed since a February Suffolk University/7NEWS poll showed Brown leading Warren 49 percent to 40 percent, with 11 percent either undecided or choosing someone else. “In both the February and May polls, Brown has fallen short of the coveted 50 percent mark for an incumbent, while Elizabeth Warren ... Continue reading →
From extra shifts at auto and steel plants in Ohio to office buildings rising in Northern Virginia, the geography of the U.S. economic rebound is providing an edge to President Barack Obama’s re-election. The unemployment rates in a majority of the 2012 battleground states are lower than the national average as those economies improve. Coupled with the growth of adult minority populations in those states, the trends create a higher bar for presumed Republican Party presidential nominee Mitt Romney in his quest to unseat Obama. “There are jobs out there,” said Chris McGiffen, 47, of Zanesville, Ohio, who moved to the state in 2010 from St. Louis to look for work. He found a job as a welder at Columbus Castings, a steel foundry that ... Continue reading →
(This post was prepared in collaboration with Dan Drinkard) Congress now speaks at almost a full grade level lower than it did just seven years ago, with the most conservative members of Congress speaking on average at the lowest grade level, according to a new Sunlight Foundation analysis of the Congressional Record using Capitol Words. Of course, what some might interpret as a dumbing down of Congress, others will see as more effective communications. And lawmakers of both parties still speak over the heads of the average American, who reads at between at 8th and 9th grade level. Today’s Congress collectively speaks at a 10.6 grade level, down from 11.5 in 2005. By comparison, the U.S. Constitution is written at a 17.8 grade level and ... Continue reading →
Enlarge image Republican Splits on JP Morgan Senator Richard Shelby, a Republican from Alabama, left, speaks with Senator Mike Crapo, a Republican from Idaho, during a hearing on Capitol Hill. Photo: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg Senator Richard Shelby, a Republican from Alabama, left, speaks with Senator Mike Crapo, a Republican from Idaho, during a hearing on Capitol Hill. Photo: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg Republicans in the U.S. Congress were uniting behind a call to repeal all or part of the 2010 financial regulatory overhaul. Since JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) announced its $2 billion trading loss earlier this month, that front has splintered. Some are seeking investigations, with Senator Mike Crapo of Wyoming among those calling on JP Morgan Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon to testify, which ... Continue reading →
Enlarge image U.S. Senator Scott Brown U.S. Senator Scott Brown, Republican from Massachusetts, told members of the New England Council, “I’m the second-most bipartisan senator in the United States Senate, maybe the first by a half a point depending on the week,” alluding to Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine. U.S. Senator Scott Brown, Republican from Massachusetts, told members of the New England Council, “I’m the second-most bipartisan senator in the United States Senate, maybe the first by a half a point depending on the week,” alluding to Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown was the Tea Party’s darling after he won Ted Kennedy’s seat in a 2010 upset. Seeking re-election in the Democratic-leaning state, Brown now is ... Continue reading →
