Just when things couldn't get worse for the Dem Dwarves than their lackluster performance, petty infighting, gaffs and election losses...they do.
The world's largest maker of computer networking equipment racked up $5.1 billion in sales for the most recent quarter, a jump of 8.5 percent from the previous three months and Cisco's best performance since early 2001.
However the Dem Dwarves can take heart, their goal of tanking the economy to win the White House still has a slim chance as California auto sales plummet in the wake of the Davis auto license fee increase.
Car sales usually slip between September and October as the weather cools and dealers sometimes have to wait for shipments of next year's models. But, comparatively, this year looks like more of a free-fall than a slip. Last year,sales fell 9 percent during the first few weeks of October nationwide and just 5 percent in California.
"The major difference we're aware of this year versus last year in California is the (increased) tax being put into effect," said Tom Liddy, director of industry analysis at Power Information Network, a division of J.D. Power and Associates, a research firm that calculated the numbers.
The difference between the Golden State and the rest of the country is even bigger for higher-priced cars, for which the fee increase has had the biggest impact. Luxury car sales dipped 22 percent in California but only 5 percent in the other 49 states.
Auto sales have weakened for October 2003, comparison of sales in October 2003 with sales in October 2002, and year-to-date totals for the two years. Light trucks include pickups, vans, minivans and sport utility vehicles.
Of course that will hurt their bedrock union base in the Northeast more than middle America and may result in union defections in 2004 on the order of the 32% who voted against Gray Davis.
Looks like the Dems best hope is still the wholesale slaughter of American GI's and failure in Iraq.
Today General Clark revealed "The Clark Doctrine":
Clark said his Iraq plan draws on his experience leading NATO forces in Kosovo. Clark would transform the U.S. occupation into a NATO operation led by the U.S. forces. A civilian from an allied nation would guide reconstruction, taking over the job from the U.S. chief administrator, L. Paul Bremer.Giving more authority to allies and the Iraqis themselves would "defuse the American hand in Iraq," Clark said before his speech, and should deflect the resentment that fuels attacks on U.S. forces.
On the military front, Clark would shut Iraqi borders, rebuild the Iraqi military and send in more intelligence officers and troops to guard weapons dumps.
He said Iraqis should have more control of their future -- including responsibility for drafting a constitution and control of oil revenues
The money graf/pander to the left base of the party:
Finally, Clark would create a new Atlantic Charter that would stipulate that although the United States will not give up the right to act alone, working together with European allies should be the first option.
A sure-fire plan to a quagmire on the order of that he left in the Balkans.
Posted by feste at November 6, 2003 12:15 PM | TrackBack