By: Jeffrey Klein, Political Buzz Examiner
Examiner.com

In an amazing act of political and editorial courage, U.S. News and World Report published the results of its new “Washington Whispers” poll that surveyed “1,000 [American] Households,” asking them “what potential news event do you fear most in 2012?”

At 33 percent–the winner was: “President Obama Wins Reelection.”

According to Paul Bedard’s USNWR article from yesterday, titled “Poll: Americans, 2-1, Fear Obama’s Reelection,” Bedard wrote that … ‘many voters aren’t forgetting what they dislike about Obama and want him out of office.’

The magazine, which converted to a “digital” [online] format beginning with the January 2011 issue, is best know for its’ two annual print editions, “Best Colleges” and “Best Hospitals,” but, it is also been long known for being a liberal-leaning [mainstream media] publication.

So, how did this article and its poll results get published in President Obama’s ‘do-or-die’ reelection year?

It appears that Mr. Bedard may have wanted to single-handedly attempt to ‘dull’ the affects of these [devastating] poll results for ‘the [Democrat] team’, by using tactical fact placement and his own commentary, as an example, he wrote … ‘Next to Obama’s reelection, 31 percent of Americans said they feared higher taxes, which may be proof that the president’s focus on the payroll tax cut has hit pay dirt.’

Although well intentioned, Bedard missed the mark here. Most people commonly think in terms of “federal income tax [withholding]” when they think of higher taxes, just like that from a roll-back of the “Bush Tax Cuts.”

This is quite different from the entirely useless and blatantly temporary “payroll tax holiday”, which has produced no jobs, and has redirected badly needed financial resources away from the teetering Social Security Trust Fund–threatening its’ very solvency, and the probability of receiving benefits for the very people getting this short term “feel good” fix.

Then Bedard tried again, when he wrote:

‘The poll, however, held out some hope for Obama. Some 38 percent of younger Americans, 18-24, said their biggest fear was higher taxes. Just 28 percent of those same voters said they feared Obama winning in November.’

Once again, Bedard’s ball landed in the weeds.

As it is President Obama and the Democrats who steadfastly believe the country has a “revenue problem” versus a “spending problem,” then their approach to deficit [and national debt] reduction must include increased taxes–on everyone. It has been relentlessly proven that increasing taxes to whatever extent on top income earners alone will not do the job.

With that having been made clear, we can confidently combine the top two responses, from both age groups, which are higher taxes and Obama’s reelection, and translate that into a total Obama “fear factor” of 64 percent for adults, and 66 percent for young voting-age adults–virtually the same outcome.

Finally, to round out the remaining demographics, according to Bedard’s reporting on this poll, nearly half of all Americans aged 65 and older said Obama’s reelection was their top fear, with 39 percent of those making $75,000 or more in agreement.

A scant 16 percent said their greatest fear in 2012 was that Obama would not be reelected.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Jeffrey Klein