Farewell. The Flying Pig Has Left The Building.

Steve Hynd, August 16, 2012

After four years on the Typepad site, eight years total blogging, Newshoggers is closing it's doors today. We've been coasting the last year or so, with many of us moving on to bigger projects (Hey, Eric!) or simply running out of blogging enthusiasm, and it's time to give the old flying pig a rest.

We've done okay over those eight years, although never being quite PC enough to gain wider acceptance from the partisan "party right or wrong" crowds. We like to think we moved political conversations a little, on the ever-present wish to rush to war with Iran, on the need for a real Left that isn't licking corporatist Dem boots every cycle, on America's foreign misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq. We like to think we made a small difference while writing under that flying pig banner. We did pretty good for a bunch with no ties to big-party apparatuses or think tanks.

Those eight years of blogging will still exist. Because we're ending this typepad account, we've been archiving the typepad blog here. And the original blogger archive is still here. There will still be new content from the old 'hoggers crew too. Ron writes for The Moderate Voice, I post at The Agonist and Eric Martin's lucid foreign policy thoughts can be read at Democracy Arsenal.

I'd like to thank all our regular commenters, readers and the other bloggers who regularly linked to our posts over the years to agree or disagree. You all made writing for 'hoggers an amazingly fun and stimulating experience.

Thank you very much.

Note: This is an archive copy of Newshoggers. Most of the pictures are gone but the words are all here. There may be some occasional new content, John may do some posts and Ron will cross post some of his contributions to The Moderate Voice so check back.


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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Poll: Majorities Want Jobs Over Deficit Reduction, Out Of Afghanistan

By Steve Hynd


Bloomberg's new National Poll is out today (PDF) and two figures are worth noting:


70 per cent.


That's how many people say it sure feels like a recession to them - and that creating jobs needs to take precedence over reducing the deficit.



Many economists say the US emerged from the recession last year. Which of the following best reflects your opinion?


13 The economy is faltering and we will fall back into recession


14 The economy is on solid ground and we will not fall back into recession


71 Regardless of what economists say, it still feels like we are in a recession


2 Not sure The U.S. currently has a huge budget deficit and a high unemployment rate.


Which should take priority�reducing the budget deficit or reducing the unemployment rate?


28 Reducing the budget deficit


70 Reducing the unemployment rate


2 Not sure


 60 per cent.


That's how many want to end the one huge spend that seems to be sacrosanct to the deficit hawks, the occupation of Afghanistan.



Turning to the war in Afghanistan, do you think the U.S. can win the war or do you think it is a lost cause?


36 Can win the war


58 It is a lost cause


6 Not sure


Which of the following do you think is the best policy for US involvement in Afghanistan:


60 Stick to the plan to start withdrawal of forces in July of next year, even if the country is still as unstable as it is today


37 Be open to keeping current number of forces in Afghanistan�or even adding more�if the country is still unstable in July of next year


3 Not sure


I wonder if the aristos on their Hill will listen to the obstructionists and generals rather than to the people? Actually, no, I don't - of course they'll favor the opinions of fellow members of the elite over the wishes of the peons.



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