42% identify selves as conservative, a Gallup record if it holds

PRINCETON, NJ -- Conservatives have maintained their leading position among U.S. ideological groups in the first half of 2010. Gallup finds 42% of Americans describing themselves as either very conservative or conservative. This is up slightly from the 40% seen for all of 2009 and contrasts with the 20% calling themselves liberal or very liberal.

The 2010 results are based on eight Gallup and USA Today/Gallup surveys conducted from January through June, encompassing interviews with more than 8,000 U.S. adults. The 42% identifying as conservative represents a continuation of the slight but statistically significant edge conservatives achieved over moderates in 2009. Should that figure hold for all of 2010, it would represent the highest annual percentage identifying as conservative in Gallup's history of measuring ideology with this wording, dating to 1992.

"Obama Zombies" - born of corrupt news, vapid celebrities, global warming alarmism, brainwash

In 2008, twenty-somethings like me began to notice a disturbing new creature appearing on their college campuses around the country and all over their favorite social networking sites. They seemed to spread out everywhere, spewing meaningless dribble in the form of campaign slogans and infecting others as the year went on until it appeared a full-blown epidemic had emerged. What were these ominous beings and where did they come from?

Well, Jason Mattera’s new book Obama Zombies: How the Liberal Machine Brainwashed My Generation answers that very question. In one of the most detailed and insightful looks behind the curtain of the Obama campaign’s assault on young voters Jason reveals facts that are imperative to learn if we, as conservatives, want to compete for the hearts and minds of young people.

This book shows precisely how a disgustingly corrupt news and entertainment media, vapid celebrities, healthcare and global-warming alarmism, hack comedians and a professionally coordinated online operation took advantage of a generation of young idealists who are too inexperienced at life to truly understand how ineffective and inefficient government really is. But instead of relying pure on conjecture, Obama Zombies provides details about how liberals use their tactics against young people and gives precise numbers on the success those tactics lead to. The book provides tangible standards for judging just how soundly the left and the Obama campaign dominated the right and the McCain campaign among young people on issues and online. The numbers Jason reveals are staggering and, indeed, quite troubling.

Obama correctly predicted he would transform U.S.; conservatives lead liberals in all 50 states

"Self-identified conservatives outnumber self-identified liberals in all 50 states of the union, according to the Gallup Poll.

At the same time, more Americans nationwide are saying this year that they are conservative than have made that claim in any of the last four years.

In 2009, 40% percent of respondents in Gallup surveys that have interviewed more than 160,000 Americans have said that they are either “conservative” (31%) or “very conservative” (9%). That is the highest percentage in any year since 2004.

Only 21% have told Gallup they are liberal, including 16% who say they are “liberal” and 5% who say they are “very liberal.”

Thirty-five percent of Americans say they are moderate."

Another liberal innovation: discretionary taxes

One of the mysteries of American politics has been the alacrity with which liberals rely on new taxes and increased tax rates to finance their endless catalogue of government favors and handouts to their ever-expanding list of client voters.

Now, a few weeks into the Obama administration, we have the answer: Liberals treat taxes as discretionary.

The first deadbeat to come forward was Timothy Geithner, an economist, who nevertheless was confirmed as President Barack Obama's Treasury secretary.

The second was Tom Daschle, a Washington lobbyist whom Obama nominated for secretary of Health and Human Services, who withdrew today because of controversy over his untimely tax payments.

Now we have Nancy Killefer, who failed for a year and a half to pay employment taxes on household help, and has withdrawn her candidacy to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government..

"Nancy Killefer has decided to withdraw her nomination, and we accepted her withdrawal," Tommy Vietor, a White House spokesman, said Tuesday. The 55-year-old executive with consulting giant McKinsey & Co., was expected to explain her reasons for pulling out later in the day.

When her selection was announced by Obama on Jan. 7, The Associated Press disclosed that in 2005 the District of Columbia government had filed a $946.69 tax lien on her home for failure to pay unemployment compensation tax on household help.

Ironically, the current furore over tax deadbeats may be a blessing for the conservative cause. If liberals come to believe that they actually will have to pay the taxes they levy, perhaps they will be less enthusaistic about levying them.