As the Ebola chaos grows, no one knows how much the situation will influence politics in the USA. It's just impossible to say at this time, but there is no question it will have an impact. Right now some experts believe Ebola is suppressing the stock market and that will affect every American as fear hurts the economy.
A new Fox News poll of registered voters gives us a political snapshot. How do you feel about the direction of the country? 36 percent hopeful; 61 percent not hopeful. How are things going in the world today? To hell in a hand basket, 58 percent; everything will be all right 35 percent.
The hand basket aside, it is clear Americans are not happy with the way the country is being run. And the next question illuminates that. Is the country worse off or better off since Barack Obama became president? 49 percent say worse off; 39 percent said better off.
So the folks are blaming the President for much of the dissatisfaction and President Obama is at fault. His leadership on many serious issues has been lacking. There's no question he made a tremendous mistake in the war of terror by pulling all U.S. troops out of Iraq.
The Obama administration has also underestimated the Muslim jihadist and has no effective strategy for containing their terror. The President has been outfoxed by Putin, Iran and China. Overall, America's standing in the world has been greatly diminished under the Obama administration.
Here at home, the most important indicator of economic well-being, take- home pay, has fallen under the President. Democrats can spin all they want, but the cold truth is working Americans have less money in their pockets than in the past. A combination of high taxation and mediocre wages have hammered the folks and now we have the stock market tottering which will bring more bad news to the marketplace.
So it's difficult to see any great improvements under President Obama. It will take years to figure out the benefits, if any, of Obamacare.
However, when Americans were asked their opinion of the Republican Party: 54 percent said unfavorable; just 36 percent favorable. On the Democratic side: 50 percent unfavorable; 43 percent favorable. Now that doesn't make much sense. You would think the Democrats would be far less popular than the Republicans with strong dissatisfaction in the country, but that's not the case.
The reason is lack of leadership on the Republican side. There is no leading GOP voice, no one person who Americans feel comfortable with in the political arena.
In fact, "Talking Points" now believes Mitt Romney will once again run for president and could very well secure the nomination. But obviously, anything can happen in this turbulent time. When asked for whom would you vote if the mid-term elections were held today instead of two and a half weeks from now, 45 percent of likely voters say they would support the Republican candidate; 42 percent the Democrat, very close. But interest in the upcoming election tilts heavily to the GOP; 79 percent of Republican voters are very interested in voting, 67 percent of Democrats are.
Now on to Ebola. There's no question the federal government is mishandling the situation and again, that will go right back to the White House. The point man on Ebola CDC chief, Dr. Thomas Frieden is botching the situation big time. We've already pounded Dr. Frieden on his inexplicable opposition to suspending visa and passports from West Africa. And yesterday the man could not even explain how Ebola should be handled in public transportation.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DR. TOM FRIEDEN, CDC DIRECTOR: If you're a member of the traveling public and are healthy shouldn't you be worried that you might have gotten it by sitting next to someone. And the answer is no. Second, if you are sick and you may have Ebola, should you get on a bus and the answer to that is also no. You might become ill. You might have a problem that exposes someone around you.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
O'REILLY: But if you can't get Ebola by traveling on a bus, how can an Ebola victim expose you?
Once again, Dr. Frieden is confused so talking points will help him out. If you are sitting on a bus and someone next to you has Ebola actively and sneezes on you, you can get it. Are you understanding that, Dr. Frieden? Therefore -- therefore the federal government has to keep Ebola victims out of public arena. That means and I'm speaking slowly for the doctor, no people from the epidemic area should be admitted to the USA. Something Frieden opposes, but is absolutely the correct thing to do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. FRED UPTON (R), MICHIGAN: We need a plan to treat those who are sick, to train health care workers to safely provide care and to stop the spread of this disease here at home and at the source in Africa. This includes travel restrictions or bans from that region beginning today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Even President Obama's acolytes are saying that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY CARNEY, FORMER WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: I think the substantive actions have to be taken and they may involve, you know, flight restrictions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Not only flight restrictions. No admittance to any person holding passports from the Ebola epidemic areas. I mean, you could fly to Montreal and drive in so the no admittance until we get things sorted out is the right thing on do.
Finally, I have nothing personally against Dr. Frieden, but his performance on Ebola has been awful and he has to go. The fact the Obama administration continues to put this man in the spotlight is going to hurt the President of the United States and that is the Ebola factor.
And that's “The Memo”.
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