Poll: Republicans think anti-tax pledge is bad idea

Source: Washington Post

A large majority of registered voters, including 77 percent of Republicans, say it’s a bad idea for members of Congress to sign a pledge to never raise taxes on the wealthy, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.

Overall, 85 percent of voters said it’s a bad idea to sign a pledge to an anti-tax group opposing taxes on corporations or the wealthy under any circumstance.

It’s worth noting that the actual pledge that most Republican members of Congress have signed is a ban on all tax increases; it does not single out the wealthy as Quinnipiac did.

In general, 65 percent of respondents supported higher tax rates for those earning more than $250,000 per year. Sixty-seven percent opposed eliminating the home mortgage interest tax deduction, and 70 percent oppose Medicaid funding cuts. Opinion on gradually raising the Medicare eligibility age is more evenly split; 51 percent oppose.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2012/12/06/poll-republicans-think-anti-tax-pledge-is-bad-idea/

President Barack Obama wins Florida, topping Romney in final electoral vote tally 332 to 206

Source: Washington Post

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — President Barack Obama was declared the winner of Florida’s 29 electoral votes Saturday, ending a four-day count with a razor-thin margin that narrowly avoided an automatic recount that would have brought back memories of 2000.

No matter the outcome, Obama had already clinched re-election and now has 332 electoral votes to Romney’s 206.

The Florida Secretary of State’s Office said that with almost 100 percent of the vote counted, Obama led Republican challenger Mitt Romney 50 percent to 49.1 percent, a difference of about 74,000 votes. That was over the half-percent margin where a computer recount would have been automatically ordered unless Romney had waived it.

There is a Nov. 16 deadline for overseas and military ballots, but under Florida law, recounts are based on Saturday’s results. Only a handful of overseas and military ballots are believed to remain outstanding.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-wins-florida-topping-romney-in-final-electoral-vote-tally-332-to-206/2012/11/10/a5600f7c-2b5f-11e2-aaa5-ac786110c486_story.html

Obama Wins: Today's Front Pages from across America. **Picture Heavy**

OHIO!!!!!!!!

Steve Schmidt on MSNBC: Last presidential candidate to win 60% of white vote was Bush Sr.

And he won over 400 electoral votes.

Mitt Romney is going to get 60% of white vote, and he's gonna lose.

Demographics are killing GOP.

KAINE WINS VA SENATE!!!

Msnbc calls it.

SHERROD BROWN WINS!!!

msnbc calls Ohio Senate for Brown.

DNC Thursday Night Obama Acceptance Speech Pics

We grabbed our seats around 3:00, and had a few hours before the main event. EarlG decided to take his customary convention night "disco nap" so he would be properly rested for a long night of (political) partying.



And then he played a little Angry Birds.



And then he took a walk around the arena, and snapped a picture of Michael Steele's shiny head.



Meanwhile, the Time Warner Cable arena was filling up. Here's the view from our seat. We were right in the first row of the balcony, with a great view of the stage and the back/right side of all the speakers.



We also had a great view of the seats directly below us. (Remember that.)



The evening's events officially started with the color guard.



And then, when Beau Biden was speaking out on the stage, look who showed up in the seats below us! ... OK, I know it's a little hard to tell. That's Joe and Jill Biden. Joe is the guy in the middle waving, and Jill is right next to him.



And in the seat directly below is Valerie Jarrett -- blue dress, middle of the picture. And a soda cup, looking somewhat precarious.



Finally, Michelle Obama introduced President Obama.



Here's our three-quarters back-view of President Obama. The quality on these close-up shots is terrible because it's the low-res digital zoom on my iPhone.



And here is the entire Obama family after the speech.



And then the entire Biden family as well.



Cue the confetti.



And one last picture, before we leave the Time Warner Arena forever...

Got our seats to see President Obama. The long wait begins...

Wednesday final update, DU at the DNC -- We got Floor Passes!

Another great night at the DNC. Earlier this evening EarlG and I picked up some floor passes so we could go run around on the convention floor.

Unfortunately, we only get the floor passes for 20 minutes at a time. :sadface:



Here's the big backdrop on the stage, looking appropriately patriotic.



EarlG is still wearing his funny hat.



We stopped by to visit the delegation from my home state...



...where we saw my friends Lisa and Drew. You may recognize them from my post earlier this year.



DU Admins: "Stronger Together"



EarlG standing in the middle of the floor.



Cecile Richards.



A veritable sea of delegates.



Here's a picture of EarlG taking a picture of me.



And here's a picture of me taking a picture of EarlG. I know... This kind of blows your mind.



Our Healthcare. Our Choice. Our Vote.



Blitzer!



Some cool signage.



Some other cool signage.



And a delegate wearing a license plate on his back.



But all good things must come to an end. Our 20-minute floor pass expired. We spend the rest of the night up in the cheap seats...



Which was awesome, because we got to see Elizabeth Warren and Bill Clinton. Here's what it sounded like in the arena.