MSNBC Continues Ratings Slide as CNN Surges Over Summer

Fox News also down but still No. 1

Strong interest in the George Zimmerman trial and improved performances for shows including “Anderson Cooper 360,” CNN is enjoying a ratings surge this summer — and has virtually caught up with or surpassed MSNBC in key categories.

Fox News remains the leader, as it has for years, though it and MSNBC were down vs. last summer.

In preliminary Nielsen data for the summer through Sunday, Fox News was averaging 1.85 million viewers in primetime (down 5% from comparable dates a year ago), followed among the news networks by MSNBC (540,000, down 22%), CNN (533,000, up 21%) and HLN (422,000, up 29%).

Among all cable networks in primetime this summer, Fox News ranks seventh in total viewers (USA and TNT top the list). MSNBC is 33rd, CNN is 34th and HLN is running 39th.

In the adults 25-54 news demo, it’s a closer four-network news race, with FNC on top (272,000), followed by MSNBC (186,000), CNN (178,000) and HLN (159,000).

CNN has seen primetime gains in all hours, with “Anderson Cooper 360″ up the most (+27% in total viewers and +36% in adults 25-54).

“Inside Man” with Morgan Spurlock launched on Sundays in the 10p hour at the end of June.  Through the first five premiere telecasts, the program increased Live+7 viewing in the time-period by 15% in total viewers and 63% in adults 25-54.

Via: Variety

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[CARTOON] US Embassies Closed

Via: California Political Review

Why get off welfare?

Poor people aren't stupid. If they can get more from the government than they can from a job, they aren't going to work.

Contrary to stereotypes, there is no evidence that people onwelfare are lazy. Indeed, surveys of welfare recipients consistently show their desire for a job. But there is also evidence that many are reluctant to accept available employment opportunities. Despite work requirements included in the 1996 welfare reform, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says less than 42% of adult welfare recipients participate in work activities nationwide. Why the contradiction?

Perhaps it's because, while poor people are not lazy, they are not stupid either. If you pay people more not to work than they can earn at a job, many won't work.

A new study by the Cato Institute found that in many states, it does indeed pay better to be on welfare than it does to work.

Most reports on welfare focus on only a single program, the cash benefit program: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. This focus leaves the misimpression that welfare benefits are quite low, providing a bare, subsistence-level income. In reality, the federal government funds 126 separate programs for low-income people, 72 of which provide either cash or in-kind benefits to individuals.

Because there are so many categories of welfare recipients and so many different types of benefits, it is extremely difficult to determine how many people get what combination of benefits. For the purposes of this study, we assumed a hypothetical family consisting of a mother with two children, ages 1 and 4, and calculated the combined total of seven benefits that family could receive in all 50 states.

If that mother received Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, it is almost certain that she would also receive food stamps and Medicaid as well. Roughly 87% of Needy Families do.

Via: LA Times

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John Boehner Is Scared Conservatives Are Gaining Momentum

John Boehner is scared conservatives are beginning to gain traction on the issue of defunding Obamacare. How do I know?

David Winston is rigging a poll to get some desired results.

Winston is a John Boehner adviser and his preferred pollster. In fact, internally, some Republicans grouse that Beohner uses Winston to direct his lead on issues instead of just . . . well, you know. . . leading.

Check out David Winston’s poll question.

In a national survey of 1,000 registered voters done July 31 and August 1, the question, from pollster David Winston, said, “Some members of Congress have proposed shutting down the government as a way to defund the president’s health care law” and asked respondents whether they favored or opposed that plan.

Ted Cruz has not proposed shutting down the government.

Mike Lee has not proposed shutting down the government.

Congressman Meadows has not proposed shutting down the government.

In fact, everyone who supports defunding Obamacare has been very clear that they’ll vote for a continuing resolution, just not for Obamacare funding. If the government shuts down over that, it would be Barack Obama insisting his health care plan nobody wants gets funded.

The GOP Leaders have placed themselves in a no-win situation. It is not of conservative doing. They have refused to fight on Obamacare despite rhetoric otherwise and then gone out and pre-emptively spun against themselves any government shutdown.

This is all John Boehner’s doing. And, like his debt ceiling deal, it will probably blow up in his face.

Via: Red State

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