Aug 05 Missouri’s Primary Results: the Effects of the Tea Party and Pizza Coupons By Dante Chinni As this blog has noted in many posts, despite the media coverage of the political movement known as the tea party, it is difficult to tell what its impact is or will be in the… Continue reading
Aug 02 How Will Obama’s Approval Ratings Impact Midterm Elections? By Dante Chinni As August arrives and people begin thinking in earnest about the midterm elections, there is a growing discussion of the impact of President Obama on November. Last week the president told a group of Democratic congressmen he may offer help,… Continue reading
Jul 28 Hardship Index: Pain in the ‘Burbs Means Pain for Democrats in the Fall By Dante Chinni Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election was broad-based, but when you look closely, it was mostly about the 'burbs. President Obama's margin of victory in the suburban counties Patchwork Nation calls the Monied 'Burbs was 12 percent. Continue reading
Jul 22 A Tough Road Ahead for Detroit, Other Industrial Metropolises By Dante Chinni Detroit skyline. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images DETROIT | It's long been said that when the U.S. economy gets a cold, this city, with its reliance on the auto industry, gets pneumonia. The last few years have raised the… Continue reading
Jul 19 Democrats Bank on Local Strategy to Help in Red States By Lee Banville According to conventional wisdom, it is going to be a bad year for Democrats. Historically the party of the president has lost seats in the mid-term, ugly fights over health care and the soaring deficit have owned media headlines and… Continue reading
Jul 14 Obama’s Immigration Problem in Patchwork Nation By Dante Chinni In a country as complex as diverse as the United States, there aren't many issues that cut the same way everywhere. Some places may be strongly opposed, say to free trade, while others tend to be more supportive. Patchwork… Continue reading
Jul 12 What Happens in Vegas … Happens Everywhere By Dante Chinni In a country full of surly voters, Nevada holds claim to some of the surliest. Sky-high unemployment and foreclosure rates have created a volatile atmosphere and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appears to be in for a major fight… Continue reading
Jul 08 LeBron’s Big Choice: The Dollars and Cents of His Next Host City By Dante Chinni Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. EST LeBron James will come down from Mount Basketball with an announcement. After months of deliberation, James, the 26-year-old NBA All-Star, will reveal to the world what many are waiting to hear: which of the… Continue reading
Jul 08 Unexpected Economic Consequences in Arizona’s Immigration Law By Dante Chinni No one doubted Arizona's new immigration law was going to have far-reaching repercussions - in areas ranging from law enforcement to unemployment. But as its implementation date approaches, some communities in the state are feeling new pains where their… Continue reading
Jul 05 Across Patchwork Nation, Harsh Economic Realities Hit Home By Dante Chinni For those hoping for a quick economic turnaround, the last few weeks have been a cold splash of water in the face. A string of bad housing reports and bad unemployment news have even optimistic economic forecasters… Continue reading