-
Flatten the IRS
May 20, 2013 | 18 comments
-
Stifle This, Mr. President
May 16, 2013 | 17 comments
-
Closing the ‘Gun Ownership’ Loophole
April 4, 2013 | 51 comments
-
Investing in Word Abuse
March 25, 2013 | 101 comments
-
From Firestorm to Perfect Storm
October 29, 2012 | 86 comments
Another Perspective
Sticker Shock
Closing the bumper sticker and yard sign gap in the nation’s only boom town.
Most mornings I drive to my Pennsylvania Avenue law office from an inside-the-beltway suburb of Washington, D.C. My route takes me different ways, depending on the day and time. So I see various commuting corridors, such as Spout Run, the George Washington Parkway, I-66, and assorted feeder streets.
Since the 2008 election, traffic is worse than ever. This is logical, for our government is larger than ever, and the unemployment “rate” among “government workers” is extremely low. The good times are rolling, along with lots of nice cars, here in The Nation’s Only Boom Town.
Still, based on my observations over the past several weeks, there are two things I’m seeing much less of now than in 2008: Obama bumper stickers and yard signs. This is not a scientific study, but friends I’ve asked say they are seeing the same. I think of this each day, as I hear and read about an “enthusiasm gap” between the supporters of President Obama and Governor Romney.
Think back. In the months before the 2008 election, as enthusiasm for candidate Barack Hussein Obama reached a fever pitch, the morning commute was a veritable riot of Obama bumper stickers. The Obama logo, hope and change, yes we can, women and gays and unions and aardvarks or whatever for Obama — it was all there, along with “war is not the answer” (never mind the question!) and a host of similarly pithy messages. At times, it almost seemed that one had wandered into the midst of a motorcade of the converted headed for a worshipful Obama campaign rally somewhere nearby. Along the way, moreover, the streets were flanked by residential lawns and grassy medians forested with colorful Obama signs.
The 2008 presidential election was not the end of it, either. While the yard signs went away, many bumper stickers did not come off until well after the 2010 mid-term election. This phenomenon was sufficiently unusual and visible that people commented on it. Some would say the Obama campaign simply never ended. Of course, this could be seen not only from the ongoing, triumphal display of Obama bumper stickers on a conspicuously high proportion of cars in the D.C. daily commute, but also by the style of the President’s administration.
Yet in the year following the President’s kickoff of his non-stop reelection campaign, in his “class warfare” speeches delivered after the country’s historic credit rating downgrade in August 2011, most (not all, mind you!) of the 2008 Obama bumper stickers have disappeared. And they have not been replaced by anything approaching equal numbers of 2012 Obama stickers, just as yards are not bristling with Obama signs as they did four years ago.
Consider that we see these developments despite the Obama campaign’s unprecedented spending starting in the Spring of 2012, and notwithstanding that here in swing state Virginia we’ve been inundated with pro-Obama attack ads. The Obama organization is paying college students from “safe” states to come to Virginia to help “get out the vote,” I’m told encouraging them to register and vote here in Virginia as well (even if illegally). Campaign offices are open, canvassers are combing neighborhoods, and fund raising is relentless on a local level (right along with that Chinese website presumably for supporters who … how shall I put it … wish to circumvent pesky legal restrictions on campaign donations).
With all of this, one wonders, why are noticeably fewer cars sporting Obama bumper stickers this time around? Why is the yard sign presence not so overwhelming as in 2008?
Curious whether my daily sample was somehow skewed, I even took a quick tour of my office building’s parking garage. There I found, on a deck housing over 100 cars, exactly one — only one — Obama bumper sticker. This in a town where pretty much everyone benefits economically from ever expanding federal regulation and continuously increasing government spending, even as these phenomena suck jobs and resources out of the rest of the nation.
So, go figure. Maybe I’m missing something, but in my view people are hesitant about Mr. Obama and his agenda this time around. Whatever the reason, the bumper sticker and yard sign gap does not bode well for Mr. Obama’s reelection prospects.
About the Author
Ray V. Hartwell, III is a Washington lawyer and a senior fellow at the Alabama Policy Institute.
Robert Nowall | 10.16.12 @ 6:55AM
I've noticed this on the road and in local yards...but I rarely extend my road trips beyond halfway up the East Coast, and, this election season, not at all. So it's not a representational survey. I wonder if it means anything...or whether the candidates in question have just invested in bumper stickers and lawn signs.
(But it's definitely Romney in the majority down here.)
Appleby| 10.16.12 @ 7:02AM
Our Liberal Premier here in Ontario abruptly resigned yesterday, shutting down the government until nobody knows when -- whenever the Liberals manage to come up with a new leader and conveniently shutting down the investigation of two really major scandals caused on his watch by people openly and continuously stealing money from the "Free" Health Care System (google ORNGE for details) and the multimillion dollar shutdowns of two under construction power plants that were being opposed by continuous screaming of Marching Mommies (who want the power they will produce, but are convinced the power plants will kill babies) to save 4 Liberal government seats at the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. Yes, the American political system is a circus, but trust me, it's nowhere near as deadly as the Canadian socialist model that is quickly turning us into Greece. Meanwhile, the citizenry is unblinkingly focused on the NHL lockout -- millionaires and billionaires refusing to talk to each other -- $595,000 per year (minimum wage for a hockey player) is JUST NOT ENOUGH!
Perhaps the lack of Bumper Stickers and Yard Signs is only a sign that people are too busy figuring out how we can get a new President without voting for either of the alternatives.
Harry the Horrible| 10.16.12 @ 8:48AM
Don't complain too much. You haven't dug as deep a financial hole for your country as we have!
PJ| 10.16.12 @ 7:19AM
Another reason for not seeing to many yard signs: political campaign organizations are not managed efficiently like a company who wants to make a profit. I ordered my Romney yard signs 2 weeks ago on their website. Yesterday I received I received an aknowlegement via email that the signs were on the way to my house. UPS or Fedex employees definitely do not volunteer for these organizations. Maybe the USPS.
PJ| 10.16.12 @ 7:21AM
Pardon the grammatical & spelling errors.
Harry the Horrible| 10.16.12 @ 8:49AM
Yet another reason - not wishing to be vandalized. I would never put a 'Pubbie sticker on my car, in case I had to go into Atlanta.
During 2008, I had a magnetic sticker: "McCain: If I have to, I guess." I still pulled it off in parking lots.
Von Mises Jr| 10.16.12 @ 10:08AM
I have a magnetic Romney Ryan bumper sticker. Living in New Jersey, one would not want to drive into Newark or Trenton with a Republican sign one could not remove.
But the other issue is that conservatives rarely have signs on their vehicles. We are independent thinkers and not groupies.
Liberals are groupies that display signs to make themselves feel good. They want to belong and be loved.
Jonah Goldberg spoke at the "Defending the American Dream Summit" and explained that conservatives believe in Lockean inalienable rights. We thank God.
Liberals believe in Rousseau's "General Will." They love the state, and they desire the state to love them. It is really freaking weird when you think about it. How pathetic.
KyMouse| 10.16.12 @ 11:44AM
I made my own anti-Obama bumper sticker last week out of paper, and fixed it on top of a magnetic bumper sticker. I got the Obama "o" from Google Images and made my sign read,
"Fool us twice,
shame on us."
With the "o's" replaced by Obama's logo. I like my homemade one better than the commercial versions I've seen.
I don't leave the bumpersticker on my car when it is parked; but even so, it gets lots of looks.
A few elections ago, a friend of mine had a yard sign, and someone drove clear across her lawn in order to run it down. Nothing suprises me anymore.
Von Mises Jr| 10.16.12 @ 11:56AM
I make an Obama poster every time I wipe my....
AllAmericanAmerican| 10.16.12 @ 7:57AM
The only folks I see with Obumbler yard signs or bumper stickers are black.
Cobalt| 10.16.12 @ 7:57AM
These people are ashamed to display Obama bumper stickers and yard signs.
Buyer's remorse can be a real bitch.
Obama's cool factor has dissipated. It has left town, and hopefully, so will he.
KyMouse| 10.16.12 @ 11:46AM
Most people in my part of town are very Liberal, so I see lots of Obama bumper stickers and yard signs.
It's interesting that on holidays such as Independence Day and Veterans Day, there are only a few houses (such as mine) that fly the American flag.
Pecos Pete| 10.16.12 @ 8:28AM
I've been commenting on this for several weeks in various forums. Santa Fe and northern New Mexico are liberal and democrat party controlled areas. Granted the governor is a Republican. However, there simply are no bumper stickers or yard signs of any quantity for Obama. I've seen exactly one yard sign (next to a Romney sign) and one bumper sticker on I-25. I'm sure there are more out there but, as Mr. Hartwell notes, not anywhere near the hysteria of 2008.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 10.16.12 @ 8:32AM
During the 2004 election my Bush bumper stickers would be torn from my vehicle and my yard signs vandalized. My Jeep window was shattered.
Perhaps an indicator of the lack of enthusiasm by the Democrats is that the vandalism directed against those who support their opponent is not as frequent as before (but I imagine we're just hearing of it less).
Butch| 10.16.12 @ 4:18PM
Kinda tells you all you need to know about leftist Democrats, doesn't it? We measure their voter enthusiasm inversely with their vandalism.
Ned Ferguson| 10.16.12 @ 8:45AM
I'm not seeing much of either candidates signs or stickers in my area. If others share my attitudes, that would be due to general cynicism over our corrupt political system. Romney does not offer much hope for those of us yearning for a serious change in direction, while Obama offers sure self-destruction. What a choice.
Alej| 10.16.12 @ 10:29AM
I see a lot of the same sentiment about Romney not offering a "serious change in direction." The Founding Fathers concocted a brand new form of government, incorporating intentional inefficiency in "changing direction." Evolution, as opposed ot "revolution." Like the illegal alien in the White House remarked, "It would sure be easier governing in China."
Romney is indeed a choice... not to sweepingly right the wrongs of the previous administrations by mass roundups and executions and reversal of hundreds of laws, but to slow the decline that has been in effect for decades. Hopefully, the decline will ponderously stop, and like putting the Queen Mary in reverse, begin to swing the pendulum the other way.
Although a couple of selected life sentence prison terms might encouragement the cooperation of certain parties in the process.
Maxwell| 10.16.12 @ 8:54AM
It should come as no surprise that Princeton is covered with Obama 2012. On my block those connected with the University have their signs back up just like the last election cycle.
In the next cube, which has six programmers, it is STILL the fault of 'W' & Mitt wants to take away the 'free' health care. Most days I'd love to toss a few glasses of cold water on those jerks. The social break down of that cube is 1 gay male, 1 African-American (politically correct there), one Indian female, 1 white male & female.
My cube, life members of the NRA and dog lovers.
EastTexasRancher| 10.16.12 @ 9:01AM
I noticed this lack of signs in E. Texas in early September. I found it significant. I suspect the seriousness of this election far outweighs campaign slogans and symbols.
Pecos Pete| 10.16.12 @ 1:32PM
EastTexasRancher: We miss your regular posts! Come on back more often.
Prester John| 10.16.12 @ 9:27AM
I am in Virginia 25 miles outside of DC in a solid GOP area (McCain won here 55-45) but the difference in signs of support for R&R vs BHO is clear--Romney signs are everywhere and I mean everywhere (my personal count is running on the order of 6:1 in favor of R&R). There'd be even more signs but most of the HOAs of the newer developments i.e build in the years before the bubble burst, don't allow them. The historical black area of town is devoid of any sign of support for BHO while older areas consisting of very modest middle class homes are full of Romney signs.
The bumpersticker battle is also in R&R's favor although not by nearly as much as the yard signs (it's about 3:2).
What is particularly heartening as I go door to door is the number of federal civiliam employees and retired military who are besides themselves about BHO and can't wait to vote for Romney, as well as the number of young first time voters who are planning to do the same.
Biden's debate performance has only made people more determined to vote for R&R.
I have moved from cautiously optimistic to fairly optimistic about Romney taking VA as well as winning overall.
PolishKnight| 10.16.12 @ 11:18AM
This is my explanation living in Northern Virginia. In 2008, we had just had 8 years of GW who was a moderate similar to his father. He had made a speech promising citizenship for undocumented immigrants but it wouldn't be "amnesty". He had just approved a massive bank bailout. During the Katrina disaster, his marshals had confiscated firearms from law abiding, productive citizens. He had federalized the TSA and made airports miserable. In other words, support for GW was exceptionally low and the next candidate, McCain, was basically an extension of GW and even going out of his way to alienate his base. Leftist Obama supporters were voting for him in the primaries precisely so he'd lose and McCain didn't appear to notice the setup.
Obama on the other hand was the anointed one. The media gave him a free pass, didn't examine or publicize his past, and he promised everything while going lean on details and why not? All he had to do was show up to win. And he did. Then when he won, leftists went insane: The "witch" (GW or his proxy) was "dead" and their whole ideology of "diversity" was coming to fruition.
Now that the party is over, and they have $4 gasoline and 7.8% unemployment, they aren't happy but they don't want to admit they were wrong either. They're living in a hangover.
WhiteBikerTrash| 10.16.12 @ 12:45PM
I saw the strangest thing on the way to work the other morning.
I was behind an upscale Japanese luxury car that had a strange combination of bumper stickers. There were Obama Biden 08 and Obama Biden 12 stickers on the car, so I can assume that they have not changed their mind, and a group of anti abortion stickers? These stickers weren't "Pro Life" they were more radical than that, they were Anti-Death!
Good Democratic Catholics?
Orwell warned us, now we must live through it!
Tafuna| 10.16.12 @ 3:10PM
Here in ultra liberal Hawaii I've yet to see one new Obama sticker or house sign unlike in 2008 when these were all over the place. In fact, the only presidential sign I've seen thus far was one for Romney and a couple that mocked Obama like "Nobama."
I've encountered a lot of folks that voted for Obama in 2008 but have changed their minds this time around. I've not seen any of the reverse, no McCain voters who this time will vote for Obama.
Woolpalette| 10.16.12 @ 3:52PM
Living in a highly Republican county I was surprised how many Obama stickers I saw in 2008. Now, much to my delight, I'm not seeing very many at all and seeing more along the lines of my favorite - Obama Bin Lyin
Cyrus| 10.16.12 @ 4:29PM
I've noticed the same thing here in blue Connecticut: Masses of Romney signs on lawns and not a single Obama sign yet ween
Drunken Sailor| 10.16.12 @ 4:52PM
Lots of "NOBAMA" and "STOP OBAMA'S WAR ON COAL" in the southern end of Illinois. More and more Romeny signs popping up. Very rare to even see a Obama sign or bumper sticker around here anymore.
At least this end of the state has some frigging sense.
Wendy| 10.16.12 @ 6:24PM
US citizens don't give a damn anymore about so called politics; no matter who wins this election, we all lose, big time, about as big as last time when Oprah convinced us about the greatness of His Royal Hiney. People are pissed and signage can't begin to express their pissed-off ed-ness.
I'm not voting in this election because we don't have a country. When we get a country back from the baddies, then I'll vote. Or, when I'm fined for not voting, and that day draws nigh, I'll pay the effing fine.
Occam's Tool| 10.16.12 @ 8:42PM
Wendy: for goodness sakes', the election is between a traitor and a not-traitor. If you can't see that, I'm sorry for you. Stay at home and let Obama win.
Tony_H| 10.16.12 @ 6:42PM
I recently completed a 8000 miles road trip through 11 western states and have hardly seen any Obama bumper sticker or lawn sign. On rural roads, especially in Colorado and Nevada, there were quite a few Romney signs but no Obama at all. While driving through a suburb of Seattle the traffic was slow and I decided to stop and let a car come out of a plaza in front of me. Usually in this kind of situations, even in my hometown of Vancouver, Canada, where many drivers were very rude, the driver will acknoledge and show some gesture of thanks. This guy was completely rude and don't even make eye contact. Then I saw he had an Obama/Biden sticker on the bumper. Lucky for me, I did not encounter another rude driver or Obama sticker until I hit Denver.
Occam's Tool| 10.16.12 @ 8:43PM
Very few Obama stickers/posters in this college town I live in. He's gonna lose.
Bob K| 10.16.12 @ 9:00PM
I live in a heavily Democratic area the heavily Democratic state of PA. Locally and in my travels I haven't seen signs for either Obama or Romney. Since Republicans traditionally come out to vote in higher percentages in this area and in this state than Democrats do this does not bode well for Obama.
ebonystone| 10.16.12 @ 10:18PM
Well, Wendy, your line of thinking just makes it more likely that the baddies keep the country, and we never get it back. Romney may not be a goodie, but Obama is definitely a baddie.
TLP| 10.17.12 @ 8:51AM
I accidentally landed on one of the Channels that was playing The Candy Crowley Show, and there was vtwin's "Nigga" (that's what vtwin calls him on this site) defending Windmills and Energy from the Sun, as "Energy Sources of the Future".
As I recall............These are Energy Sources of the Past. But then, Everyday is Opposite Day, with the Left.
They want to take us back to The Middle Ages where The King owned enerything, and the people merely lived to Serve His Wishes.
They want to Strip us of our Liberties and our Freedoms in order to Create a More Perfect Union of Slave and Master - circa 1917.
As Mao took his people FORWARD, back to an Agrarian Peasant way of life? Our Leader wishes to take us FORWARD, back to the days of Sailing Ships and Community Gardens. Wind and Water Powered Grain Mills, like the ones used by Ancient Rome.
FORWARD, back to Standing in Long Lines for a chance to buy something to eat, at the Government Store, with its Empty Shelves.
If he ever gets his Dreams from his Muslim Marxist Whore Chasing Father? He will open our Gates to the Visigoths, and the World will move FORWARD, once again, Back to The Dark Ages.
Period.
It's not even debatable.