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John Makely / msnbc.com
Penny Phelan places a Rick Santorum sign near a busy intersection in Macomb County near Detroit on Sunday afternoon two days before the primary.
MACOMB COUNTY, MI – This suburban Detroit county, hard hit by auto industry troubles and the economic downturn throughout Michigan, may well chart the path to victory for either Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum in Tuesday’s primary.
Macomb County is the famed epicenter of “Reagan Democrats” in America -- the mostly white, blue-collar, Catholic voters known not only for their conservative sympathies, but dogged independence and a tendency of swinging from party to party.
The idea behind the label was always conceptual, but more and more, these voters find themselves more at home with the GOP. And thanks to Michigan's semi-open primary, which allows same-day party registration, their voices will be heard Tuesday.
Macomb is a county where voters are maybe the most attentive to the Republican candidates’ message on jobs right now.
“Our area, we’re a manufacturing county -- pretty much middle class. It’s a blue-collar county and it’s been about jobs,” said Republican state Rep. Ken Goike, who represents a portion of the county in the Michigan state legislature. “You can just feel the devastation.”
This county is known as a bellwether in national elections. Ronald Reagan won it twice by large margins, as did George H. W. Bush in 1988 and 1992. Bill Clinton carried the county in his re-election bid, and Al Gore narrowly bested George W. Bush here in 2000, though Bush eked out a victory over John Kerry in 2004. Barack Obama beat Arizona Sen. John McCain by 8 percentage points in the 2008 election.
Penny Phelan, of Harrison Township, was driving around with her husband, James, on Sunday afternoon to place yard signs in support of Rick Santorum at busy intersections. The couple lost their home and has been living in an apartment after Penny lost her job as a kitchen and bath designer. James, an ex-Marine, works as a machinist.
A former Democrat who switched parties in the early 1980s, Penny said she felt that Democrats “have moved away from core values that are very important in families.” They’re backing Santorum not primarily because of his stance on moral issues, but because of his manufacturing agenda, and a sense that he’s more in touch with the people of Macomb than Romney, the native son of Detroit who left to start Bain Capital, later becoming governor of Massachusetts.
John Makely / msnbc.com
Michigan Republican primary voter Jared Maynard is backing Mitt Romney on Feb. 28.
“I feel like Santorum is for the basic guy. He has that connection, and understands the average worker in manufacturing and things like that have value,” she said of the former Pennsylvania senator, adding of Romney: “I just don’t think he’s lived it. And that makes a big difference, when you have people in your life who are suffering, and it’s close to you.”
But Romney has undeniable strength in the area. Many older voters can recall the days when his father, George, served as governor. And Romney has taken every stride possible to remind voters of his roots in the area, in stump speeches and frequent TV advertisements.
Jared Maynard, a former chairman of the Macomb County Republican Party who is backing Romney, said that the former governor’s jobs-oriented message should play well on Tuesday.
“The governor just needs to keep doing what he’s doing now, just talking to people about jobs,” Maynard said at a table at Crews Inn, overlooking the water in Anchor Bay. “And whether you’re the pauper on the street or the man in the mansion or you’re someone in between -- when you talk about jobs, you’re speaking everybody’s language.”
Both candidates have courted these Regan Democrats in their own ways. And they’ve both succeeded and failed, to some extent.
Santorum’s speeches are winding and sometimes disorganized, evinced by his Friday evening address in Lincoln Park. The speech was billed as a major address to outline a 10-point plan for his first 100 days as president, but these points became garbled, leaving some searching for crux of his message.
Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are making the rounds with Michigan voters on Monday, trying to overcome self-inflicted slip-ups and win a state that could throw this Republican primary into a tailspin.
And Romney has reminded these middle class voters of his immense wealth by noting that his wife owns two Cadillacs during a Friday economic speech at Ford Field, the home of the Detroit Lions. And during a trip Sunday to the Daytona 500, meant to emphasize his love for cars, Romney said he has “great friends who are NASCAR team owners."
The county has changed in a number of ways since Regan was president. Its population has grown, but the average age of the population has also risen. It’s a much more diverse place, too, driven in part by Detroiters leaving the city.
But Macomb’s most defining characteristic remains its economy. The unemployment rate stood at 9.6 percent at the end of 2011, but that actually marked a decline from the recent height of a startling 17.3 percent jobless rate in June of 2009, at the height of the troubles in the auto industry. The struggles of automakers have contributed in part to a decline in household incomes over the last decade.
“When I did move over here, it was an interesting culture of people who were very attached to the auto industry -- a well-established middle class,” said Kathy Vosburg, the first Republican chairwoman of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. “Many times they had different views and more independent thinking. And I think a lot of that has to do with Macomb County being a bellwether.”
John Makely / msnbc.com
Penny and James Phelan drive through Macomb county placing several Rick Santorum signs near busy intersections before the Michigan primary election on tuesday.
That was true in the Republican primary of 2008, when Romney won 45 percent of the vote in Macomb on the strength of a message focused on his roots in the area, and a plea for assistance from the federal government. McCain won 25 percent of the county, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee took 13 percent of the primary vote.
No polling has been conducted specifically of Macomb leading into Tuesday’s primary, though an EPIC/MRA survey last week found that Romney led in the three combined counties of Macomb, Oakland (a more liberal suburb) and Wayne (which encompasses Detroit).
Given Romney’s built-in advantages, the former Massachusetts governor’s campaign should be alarmed if they start seeing signs of Santorum inroads during returns tomorrow night.
“If you see Santorum coming in Macomb or Oakland getting above 30 percent, that should be something to worry the Romney folks,” said Bernie Porn, the president of EPIC/MRA.
“What would surprise me is if anyone wins by more than 5 or 6 percent,” said state Rep. Pete Lund, Republicans’ majority whip in the state House who represents part of Macomb.
Presidential candidate Rick Santorum touts his "positive message of hope" on jobs and the economy in the upcoming Michigan primary.
Republican State Sen. Jack Brandenburg , who voted for Santorum but has not publicly endorsed in the race, said things look good for the former Pennsylvania senator.
“In the Republican primary, between Romney and Santorum, it’s going to go down to what faction gets their people out to vote. In Macomb County, I think the conservative element will come out strong -- and that bodes well for Rick Santorum,” he said, cautioning, “Romney has a lot of dough and a tremendous amount of resources.”
Both Santorum and Romney are stumping throughout the state of Michigan in the closing hours of the campaign to make their closing argument. Romney, speaking Monday morning in Rockford, challenged Santorum to speak more directly about the economy. That follows a weekend in which Santorum hit Romney for not focusing enough on industry in the state.
And come Tuesday’s GOP primary, whichever candidate can best speak to voters on that issue may end up carrying Macomb – and, with it, the rest of the state.
“That’s what Michigan is. It’s manufacturing,” said James Phelan.
Leave a Comment:
Romney is a very poor retail politician. He is knowlegble, would probably be efficient as a manager but cannot connect with people. Santorum is the opposite- an ideologue with an economic blue collar plan. Lack of money versus lack of ideas. Whichever way it goes it helps
Obama/Biden 2012
Good ol Michigan folks; you are being taken for a ride.
These two folks; one a wall street insider and another a religious nut, dont care much about any hard working American, much less anything going on in Michigan! These two have killed jobs in Michigan, they do not support the livehood of what makes money for Michigan; the auto industry. Remember that for once folks
You can choose between the empty suit that has no clue how middle class Americans live, or the empty suit that wants to push his religion on you. Either way you lose.
... Plus you can plant all the signs you want, both of these two folks could never be president!
Most folks are already freaked out about Santorum and his religious extremism and as for Romney; he stated clearly he does not give a damn about the 99%ers of which me and my horse Rex fall into...
This guy Obama does really care for the average folks like me. I am a hard working fella, and I deserve a break once in a while, not the damn wall street folks and big banks and CEOs all the f*ckin time!
Even a wild west cowboy out in the range can tell good folks from conmen. I see conmen written all over these Teabag GOP folks! Believe me folks, I used to be one of em...
I am sticking to my conscience and will vote for Obama/Biden 2012!
This is redneck DocHolliday with his horse Big Rex; and we approve this message
Or, you can choose the only candidate, Republican or Democrat, that will limit spending, cut the defecit, reduce big government, protect the Constitution, and promote or Liberty! Ron Paul!
Only problem with Ron Paul is, we can not have a clown in high office.
Even 3rd world countries will think we have lost our minds folks.
I watched him in debates and I'm thinkin, what a clown...talks like one too, plus he answered a question one time and everybody went wtf?....
A county sheriff is as far as I can vote for him...across state lines will be askin too much
DocHolliday, do you not realize the overwhelming support the rest of the world has for Ron Paul?
These poor Republicans in Michigan. None of their candidates would have supported the auto industry.
Santorum doesn't really have any jobs plan, he's not been that kind of guy, he's been a create-an-unecessary-and-costly-gov't-program-to-offset-another-one-that-you-don't-like kind of guy. He's been a vote-for-spending-I-don't-believe-in-'cause-my-committee-buddy-wants-me-to kind of guy. He's been a cut-deals-regardless-of-ethics-or-the-good-of-the-Nation kind of guy. He blames others for his own sins and tells others to do as he says, not as he does. He's a great bag of wind, no more.
Romney doesn't have a problem connecting, he can't connect. His life, his philosophy, his ideas are all from a lifeline that has no intersection with 99% of the Nation. He's a complete crapshoot for the average guy.
Paul also can't connect to most Americans because the truth is that we all want the government for something that falls outside of his concept.
Gingrich is disgusting. A shamed disgrace with a history of deplorable judgement.
No good choice, still, the poor woman above will probably regret being pictured with Santorum signs in hand.
Doc, you only replicate what the media writes, as a typical sheep would do. Ron Paul, being the only Military Veteran in the election would make a fine Commander in Chief, primarily because he would only go to war if the people chose to - by the Congress declaring war. Go back to the flock Doc!
"
Onlyproblemwith Ron Paulis, wecan nothave a clown in high office."There....that should help the voters.
New Mr. Obama campaign slogan: "Think not what I appear to be.....BUT WHAT I AM !!!"
By BRIAN ROSS (@brianross) and REHAB EL-BURI
March 13, 2008
Sen. Barack Obama's pastor says blacks should not sing "God Bless America" but "God damn America."
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's south side, has a long history of what even Obama's campaign aides concede is "inflammatory rhetoric," including the assertion that the United States brought on the 9/11 attacks with its own "terrorism."
In the time it took you to write your post ---- one minute sound about right? ---- Obama added two million dollars to the National Debt.
Vote Mitt Romney, and he will throw this car in Reverse (getting us out of the ditch), and get us back on the road.
I'm going with Romney!
Obama doesn't connect with most people. Obama is awkward and aloof.
Obama has too many Negatives.
I need a paxil
Who is it supposed to help? Neither one wanted the government's help keeping the auto industry alive. So again who do they plan on helping? Romney thinks the trees are the right height and cars will rule the world: just not American cars and the trees are the right height of what? Is he referring to trees like businesses, Cut them down and take them apart? Romney seems to love firing people that he claims he hires but the truth is he just like firing American's. When was the last time you went in Staples and asked the employees if they are happy working part time for minimum wage? Is this what you call helping people? Santorum, he feels his Catholic and other religious employers shouldn't have to pay for certain parts of health insurance. Since when did it become legal to discriminate because of some ones religion? What's going to happen when the religious fanatics decide they don't want you to go to a doctor or hospital when you get sick? Are we supposed to let people die even though they are begging you for help because their religion proclaims God will heal them? I think everyone should have the same chances of survival with health insurance and if they decide they don't want it they don't need to use it but it's up to them not some, like I said religious fanatics. I find it hard to understand after 200 years of everyone fighting for equal rights, a church of all institutions would want to discriminate against its own followers. No one is forcing them to have anything they don't want but we should force equal opportunities for all.
Ron Paul seems like a principled guy. But the Tea Party Slayer is sick and tired of his federal government boogeyman argument. That unpatriotic, exaggerated attack on fellow Americans is corroding our economy and competitiveness. History shows America thrives when federal government and private sector work in unison against threats. The science behind computer and microchip, Internet, and GPS all come from government programs and stimulus. During the research and development stage, millions of private sector jobs were created. And of course at the end of the R&D cycle, great businesses like Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, and Google came along and used the existing science developed by government stimulus to create consumer-friendly products and services. Millions of more private sector jobs were created. The American federal government is the most benevolent force in the history of the world, even with its flaws. The current crop of GOP must be rhetorically eliminated, or America will get crushed by its global competitors.
santorium does have a zero tax obligation for any manufacturing plant bring back jobs. Should have some positive impact. Would not vote for him as his other policies, primarily social, are poison to me. Ron Paul from a non govt interference with social issues and foreign policy viewpoint I find a lot points of agreement with but his economic policies leave me shaking my head.
I live in Macomb County and there isn't that many signs for either candidate out there. It's true that we have a large swing vote, but most here are in one way or another connected to the auto industry and realize who backed keeping their jobs as opposed to those who didn't care.
Ro-money makes Barbie seem like flesh and blood. Insanitarium is an elitist college grad who thinks middle class kids are snobs for wanting to go to college.
"Sen. Barack Obama's pastor says blacks should not sing "God Bless America" but "God damn America."
Hey Gary K -- that didn't work in 2008 and it won't work today. Got any new material?
I live in Wayne county. We are tired of the same old liberal crap.
Why would any blue collar voters be a republican today? Its astounding.
What I really don't get about the conservative base-the more these wackos sound like they hate the American people, they hate poor people, they hate gay people, they hate women, they hate they hate they hate...the more you people cheer. Are you really such masochists that are so blinded by skin color that you cannot listen to economists and wall street saying Obama has the better economic plan?
I am tired of hearing about what they hate, they never get around to what they can do to make America a better place for everyone.
Romney and Santorum might pretend to support blue collar workers just to get their votes, but lets face facts people these two have never and never WILL support blue collar workers......... Any blue collar voter lending support to ether one of these guys is cutting their own throat.
The Mitt, Newt and Ron Show is on kiddies it could even outdraw the 3 Stooges marathon
The Amphibian Newt the sleaziest politician to ever infest Washington
The Lunatic In-Sanetorum a throwback to the social thinking of the Neanderthal
And the Mittens Rob-us-blind Flip Flop, the 1%'er CORPERTE RAIDER and one time governor of Liberal Mass but now he is an arch conservative. Has supported Abortion, Gay Rights, Gun Control, Stem Cell Research and has reverse himself on all of these issues.
He took both sides on the financial bailout, the stimulus bill, the auto loan package;
His biggest Flip-Flop of all Health Care Reform The national Law is modeled on the one that he championed as governor in Mass that requires every citizen to have health insurance. Now he has Flipped-Flopped. Mr. Flop has taken a hard slide to the right pandering and boot licking to the tea party.
Mitt Flip-Flop Rob-us-blind, a wishy-washy, flip flopping spineless politician without any core convictions, principals or believes a man who will say or do anything to get elected telling one crowd one thing and another crowd another. You simply can’t trust this guy to tell you the truth.
The only good thing that would happen if Flip-Flop were to get elected It would prove that Conservatism is dead as Flip-Flop would stab the Conservatives in the back.
Mittins recent foot in mouth quotes:
I like being able to fire people
I’m not concerned about the very poor
Let Detroit go bankrupt
Don’t try to stop the foreclosure process
My wife has two Cadillacs
Who could not be any less convincing as an “ordinary guy” if he literally wore a top hat and monocle?
And while we are watching this fiasco, Karl
MarxRove is preening Jebediah Bush for the convention. Why is that? Are the same people that stole the election from the Democrats on 04 planning to steal it from their own party at the convention?NO, you're tired of the same old liberal crap. The rest of Wayne Co,. which includes Detroit, is solidly in the blue column. But hey, keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll wind up back in Kansas Dorothy.
I empathize with your figurative dilemma, Michiganders... having to decide whether to stab yourself in the heart or shoot yourself in the head. Good luck with that one tomorrow.
Which is what explains your appetite for chowing down every new morsel of conservative bull@!$%# you're fed from Fox on a minute-by-minute basis. Eat up. It appears as if Penny Phelan is utilizing the same diet.
@tonybeeerm,
Jolly imagines himself as an "independent", yet spews his Teabag BS!
Obama kept his word
Romney speaks in Detroit; folks shouldn't forget that he and every other GOP candidate opposed the auto recovery, preferring to let the industry go bankrupt. From day one . President Obama has stood with the auto industry, saying, "We cannot, and must not, and we will not let our auto industry simply vanish." He's kept his word: More than 1.4 million American auto industry jobs have been saved, 200,000 created, and more than 150,000 are expected in the next few years. What did Mittens say, “let Detroit go bankrupt”.
why not let detroit go bankrupt. The union would of dissolved and a right to work state would emerged. I think gm and chrysler mad a huge mistake by not declaring bankruptcy and saying s c r e w you to the union.
Mitt "Two Cadillacs" Romney is courting the blue collar vote??? I bet he is loaded to the gills with wet wipes to use after he shakes hands with his "constituents".
@soarer - please go and play with the kids and let the adults have a conversation. Obviously you know nothing of what you're talking about and are in way over your head.
@ jo-an - yea, you're right on, but jollyoldsoul won't reply because it's past his bedtime.
I'm voting for Ricky tomorrow. I love how he thinks middle class snobbish kids shouldn't have a higher education. I want to see him debate Obama on that one alone.
In November, it is Obama/Biden all the way!
Um Harvard, Ivy league appears to many are considered be Snobbish schools. Penn State & universtity of Pittsburgh hardly ever get mensioned as Snobbish.
When I was in college we had a Transfer from an Ivy League school - he quit in one semester, Oh, he was intelligetn, but couldn't hack the work load.
My Question AGAIN: Has Santorum signed that "so-called", "Norquist Pledge"?? If so, there will NEVER be any "TRUE TAX REFORM" from him?? "Tea Party People", follow your "namesakes", grab your "axes" and "AX THE TAX CODE". With the Code's $1.1 TRILLION in "breaks, exemptions & loopholes"; Plus it allows 45% to pay NOTHING?? THERE IS YOUR "DEFICIT"!.!!
Doc Holliday said,
"we can not have a clown in high office"...
Too late there Ace...we already have one!!
I HOPE we CHANGE the President in November!!
@donbcms, Looks like he did!!
Santorum Signs ATR Pledge
Yesterday, in his first campaign stop in New Hampshire as an official candidate for President, Senator Rick Santorum joined Grover Norquist to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
Candidates signing onto the Pledge, written by theAmericans for Tax Reform, promise to “oppose and veto any effort to raise taxes.”
Santorum spoke at the event stating that, “Americans deserve a president who believes in them again, and today I am publicly committing to the American taxpayer that I believe that they know how to better spend their hard-earned money than Washington does…I have always admired the great work Grover Norquist and the entire Americans for Tax Reform team have done in keeping public officials accountable to their responsibility of being stewards of the People’s money, and I am anxious for the opportunity to bring fiscal responsibility back to Washington.”
http://www.politicspa.com/santorum-signs-atr-pledge/25185/
Once again the Anti Republican types are out in force wanting you to believe that all Republicans are obstructionists to their great Messiah Obama. When all that he could do was just keep on blaming Bush. Now you think the bailout of GM and Chrysler saved the Auto industry. It did no such thing. All it did was prolong the problem that has been plaguing the Automakers. The cost of production has gone up due to big labor costs. Now the UAW owns more of GM and Chrysler and now has itself set to bleed the industry again. We can compete and we are still getting beat by the likes of Hyundai , KIA, Toyota, Honda, Nissan etc.
Its a well known fact that the southern auto manufacturers in the south are competing very well and doing a better job without the UAW. Yes the workers make less per hour. Yet the workers are much happier and very few lost their jobs in the downturn. What would of happened if GM and Chrysler would of been allowed to go through Bankruptcy and reorganization. Well it would allowed GM and Chrylser to do away with all its Labor obligations. Those contracts would of been void due to bankruptcy. This would of made GM and Chrysler more lean, allowing them to do a complete restart of their operations with new investors.
Who for your information would of done an even better job with GM and Chrysler than the Government. You would of seen costs of production drop and cost of our American built cars go down. Now we could not let that happen. Why reduce the average cost of a new car from the 80's of 10k to now of $30k. That's what private investment would of brought. Now I know some here would argue No they would of kept the difference. That would of not happened. Now we will never know. Well at least not for a couple more years.
If you really think the economy is on sound footing then your all living in a dream world. Why do you think in the first Presidential election ever you seen a sitting President bring both candidates into a meeting of the economic state. Our economy is being artificially propped up and it won't be long before that bubble bursts.
Yeah go ahead and vote for the President who has more people on Food Stamps , TANF, unemployment, and assistance then ever in the History of the United States. Yeah for Socialism. Time to take this country back.
FYI I worked in the Auto Industry for 26 years ever since Reagan took office. I have made a great living raising my family till they grew up and left the home. I also was making over 100k per year. Then Obama came along with his Hope and Change. Now I make under 12k a year, and lost my home, cars etc. Oh and I worked for a Dealer who owned a Cheverolet, Cadillac, and Buick franchise, it was all he could do to keep his dealership and personnel. He ended up laying off a lot of people. What most don't realize is GM abd Chrysler forced alot of dealers to shut down/
So when GM and Chrysler forced dealers to shut down, what about those jobs. I guess GM and Chrysler did not care about the ones who actually sell their products. The Salesperson. I heard a lot of you say how we deserved it and etc. Well we are human beings too with families that suffered through this economy.
FYI I was better off three years ago making 120k a year paying 24% in taxes. I will take that anyday over this economy.
D B AKRON - Don't you stop and think before you responded? Wouldn't it be most likely the "the transfer" couldn't hack the Ivy school curriculum and thought going to the next level would be easier? That person would have probably done better going to a trade school but I'm sure their mommy and daddy would have had a fit. Now that person is probably living in his parents basement and waiting fore the old folks to kick the bucket so he (she) can live off their hard earned wealth!
2 deleted, racism from jack stashfb-100002586881799. Banned, never rehabbed.
Neither one of them has anything to offer for blue collar folks.
Max--really? So I'm assuming you're an Obama guy?
Did you notice today that both Ford and Chrysler's sales are growing at a faster pace than GM's?
Gee, and Ford didn't get ANY Fed Help under Obama's bailout, and Chrysler very little, and none of it a freebee.
I guess having better MANAGEMENT might be more important that gubmint handouts.
Ford actually did get indirect help from the government. You might recall that Ford was scared to death of the potential impact to their supply chain if either GM or Chrysler or both went under. The whole industry benefited by the government intervention.
A more accurate title to this article may have been "Romney, Santorum court low information blue-collar vote".
The first auto bail-out was under President Bush. Chrysler took the bail-out. $1.3 BILLION to be specific. Sales growing at a faster pace? Well GM is now the number one auto-manufacturer in the WORLD. The bailouts are working-your 'facts' are skewed at best. The republican candidates willingness to let the auto-industry fail are going to cost them this election-but keep 'beating that drum.' Its better for us democrats if you do.
MOmaid
Are you living in the same universe the rest of us live in? Or are you one of those folks that believes everything the GOP con artists tell you. If that's the kind of person you are then I have some great swamp land for sale here in Nevada.
MOmaid,
Turn off FOX (Foreign Owned News) and pay attention. GM is now the worlds largest auto manufacturer. Chrysler was first to take bailout money and you are so sadly misinformed that I doubt you will ever catch up with reality.
Say what?!? The primary is open to not only Republicans but to Independents and Democrats? In that case, look for a Santorum blowout. Ah, let the shenannigans begin.
The bail out money was LOANED to the auto industry. GM has paid back about half of it and is on schedule to pay back the rest to the American taxpayer with interest. Unlike the banks who got free handouts the auto industry got loans.
Obama kept his word
Romney speaks in Detroit; folks shouldn't forget that he and every other GOP candidate opposed the auto recovery, preferring to let the industry go bankrupt. From day one . President Obama has stood with the auto industry, saying, "We cannot, and must not, and we will not let our auto industry simply vanish." He's kept his word: More than 1.4 million American auto industry jobs have been saved, 200,000 created, and more than 150,000 are expected in the next few years. What did Mittens say, “let Detroit go bankrupt”.
The banks also got loans. They also have paid back the money they were loaned with interest. Democrats insisted at the time that the banks would pay the money back and that the CEOs would make a very small salary until they did pay back the loan. That seemed to speed them up paying back the money to the government.
HHhmmmm..maybe I should vote Willard tomorrow. The "let em go bankrupt" debate might be just as good as those damned snobbish kids wanting a higher education debate. Now what am i going to do??? Guess it might just be a coin toss at the voting booth. I could play nice and confirm my support for President Obama tomorrow, since he also is on a ballot in Michigan, but what fun would that be?
Obama/Biden 2012
It wasn't the salary watch, it was the there was a whole lot more like the fed telling them to use the money when they didn't need it. I suggest you look at PNC Bank. Didn't need the money didn't want it. Uncle Sam said insisted - use it. PNC then bought a failing bank no one else wanted. To survive that fiasco, PNC had to slash dividends or be in financial trouble. Two years later, PNC has managed to stablize again, but still is hurting, and has yet to pay the money back.
These poor misguided Macombers just don't understand the danger that Ricky presents to every American. He is the American Taliban. Pure and simple. Please you dumb clucks, try to educate yourselves.
They have no time to get an education. Don't you know? The sky is falling! The sky is falling! and a guy named Noah built an Ark so big it held eighty bazilian insects, animals, and birds. It was bigger than the USS Enterprise and its entire support fleet, and he built it with just a little help from his kids. Oh yeah! and the world is only 6000 years old in spite of the fact that Chinese history alone goes back further than that.
You said to these people " Try to educate yourselves" That is the problem, they educated themselves. They needed real teachers.
Navy Patriot,
How true, your post is a hammer among many nails.
P.S. By the way,"bazillion" is an awesome numerical category. It made me laugh. Out loud no less, as they say.
This is just more main stream media hogwash. How can someone be a reagan democrat and then vote for sanctorum???I could see if they were reagan democrats and now support romney. These poor folks were just republicans to begin with not reagan democrats.
Reagan was a libertarian leaning non interventionist. Ron Paul is the only one close. In fact when Reagan ran, Ron Paul was one of only 4 congresspersons to endorse him. Romney and Santorum are the same old same old pandering warmongering frauds.
I don't see how you peg these people as Republicans. They've voted for the winner (Dem. or Rep.) every time, except Gore in 2000 (Gore won outright, anyways, sans SCOTUS).
Oxymoron=Reagan Democrat
We aren't. There are some rwnj's, sure, but not as many as people like to think. And Macomb Co. has been growing more diverse in the last decade or so. Don't put it in the Republicon's corner just yet.
Charles
You meant FOXmoron. didn't you?
Really? What do you call him sending troops to Lebanon? Grenada?
You've succumbed to the Ron Paul Rebisionist Potion.
I have news for the '' Reagan Democrats'' Rick Santorum is no Ronald Reagan be fooled at your own peril.
It's hard to imagine young, energetic voters getting behind Santorum. The fact that Santorum is doing well is an indication of what little future the Republican party has, especially if Santorum ends up as a candidate. I am not personally acquainted with any woman who has not used birth control at some time in her life.
Well, at least if they go with Santorum we can look forward to more shows like the Duggars have. Unless women do what any woman married to a republican should do anyway... use the aspirin method. Maybe then republican men will have a change of heart.
LA99999;Great post.. Thanks for the laugh....
Watching these idiots vex over the 2 phonies makes you feel bad for this country. The only person offering any semblance of honesty is Ron Paul, but the sheep will do what the media tells them. Then they'll spend the next 4 years like the last 4, wondering why nothing changes.
Randy, you are right on! It amazes me so many people follow exactly what the media wants them to do. This article is just another example of how the establishment media ignore Ron Paul and manipulate the sheeple.
RP2012!
Out of the war by 2013 and out of debt by 2016!
Randy--just remember that the main-stream media hand selected OBAMA last time out. Hillary didn't stand a CHANCE, despite being the poll leader in the beginning, once the left media jumped with both feet onto Obama's bandwagon.
MOmaid, You too have great common sense! And again, the media want Obama to win! This is another reason Ron Paul gets no attention or only negative attention. The establishment, big government media fear the limited government and increased Liberty we would have with Ron Paul!
Why do you keep referring to people who don't support Paul as 'sheeple.' Like supporting Ron Paul makes you 'cutting edge.' If your argument can be summed up by silly name calling then I don't think that you should be judging people's 'common sense.' The fact that you seem to be ignoring is that Ron Paul has 0% chance in becoming the republican candidate and 0% chance of becoming the president. Hows THAT for common sense?
If Ron Paul had a winning platform, he would be out in front of Newt, Ricky, and Mitts. But he is not and to blame the media for that failure is disingenuous.
Ron Paul is a crazy old man with unworkable ideas that would never make it through Congress let alone get to the desk of POTUS. In all his time in Congress he has had one bill that made it that far and it was a relatively unimportant bill. If Ron Paul is so great why is he not way out in front of the others? Don't blame the media he is either getting votes or he isn't and by the last several elections he has not come in first in any of them. It looks like he will be 4th of the 4 in Tuesday's election and many more to come.
I know his supporters are dreamers enamored by the old grandpa but use your head not your heart in this or any other election. If you do you will not support Ron Paul. Like most people I don't give a rat's patootie who the so called main stream media supports I vote for who I wnat to vote for. I listen to what they actually say and what they have actually done. I don't listen to the pundits, talking heads or entertainers on either side. I have heard the ideas of Dr. Paul and they are cockamamie at best. They are impractical, won't work and won't even make it through Congress. You think the Tepublican controlled Congress has done nothing just wait until the funny old man, Dr. Paul get near the Oval office and you'd see even less getting done. Things that make sense would be vetoed by the old dude and thing he wants would never even make it to the floor. So if you want to waste your vote do so. I am not wasting mine.
Santorum is nothing but a facist, blood thirsty warmonger posing as a Christian to pull the religious vote. He is as fake as they come and one of the most corrupt politicians ever. He has supported abortion, massive debt, unnecessary war, big government and threw his cap in the ring with Arlen Specter. You know who that is right? Do some research on this piece of trash and you'll see how Santorum swings more than a 70's sex addict. He'll start WW3 and put martial law into place faster than you can pull the hair trigger on your AR15 to stop him. I can't stand Obama but Santorum makes him look like a boy scout.
He's an arrogant prick who needs to have his ass whipped to show him he's nothing but a whiny bitch in a suit and tie. Every time another candidate talks on stage he constantly shakes his head and looks like he's trying to squeeze something out his ass. Maybe its something one of those pedophile loving priests he loves so much gave him. He's a disrespectful, rude, sexist pig. If he gets the nomination I'm voting 3rd party. I hate to say it but Obama is the lesser of the 2 evils in this case.
Here are some good quotes from this fool:
1. “If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual [gay] sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything. Does that undermine the fabric of our society? I would argue yes, it does. It all comes from, I would argue, this right to privacy that doesn’t exist in my opinion in the United States Constitution. In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That’s not to pick on homosexuality. It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing.”
~**** ********, comparing homosexuality to bestiality, and saying that we don’t have the right to have consensual sex. He’s also saying we don’t have the right to privacy.
“I came to the House as a real deficit hawk, but I am no longer a deficit hawk. I’ll tell you why. I had to spend the surpluses. Deficits make it easier to say no.” -- Rick Santorum, 2/5/2003 (source)
"If you're a conservative, there really is only one place to go right now. I would even argue farther than that. If you're a Republican, if you're a Republican in the broadest sense, there is only one place to go right now and that's Mitt Romney." -- Rick Santorum, 2/1/2008 (source)
"I don’t want to go to a trade war. I want to beat China. I want to go to war with China and make America the most attractive place in the world to do business." -- Rick Santorum, 10/11/2011 (source)
“And I stood up from the very beginning back in 2003 when the Supreme Court was going create a constitutional right to sodomy and said this is wrong we can’t do this. And so I stood up when no one else did and got hammered for it. I stood up and I continue to stand up.” -- Rick Santorum, 10/22/2011, (source)
"I have always been a supporter of uniform laws on values that undergird the family. That's why I supported the Federal Marriage Amendment - you cannot have 50 different marriage laws. And you cannot have 50 different abortion laws." -- Rick Santorum, 2011 (source)
"Don’t give me this idea — I hear this: ‘Oh, you’re a moralist. You’re trying to impose your values.’ Everybody’s trying to impose their values. That’s what America’s about." -- Rick Santorum, 12/29/2011 (source)
"One of the criticisms I make is to what I refer to as more of a libertarianish Right. They have this idea that people should be left alone, do whatever they want to do, government should keep our taxes down and our regulations low, that we shouldn't get involved in the bedroom, that we shouldn't get involved in cultural issues. That is not how traditional conservatives view the world." -- Rick Santorum
Well said...
I was with you until the "Pro-Obama" thing...well, in the sense of neither Santorum or Romney. But, there are other candidates running, like Ron Paul. But, let's not let the media get ahold of that notion. They might actually cover it, it could be devastating to have an honest election process.
Having said that, Santorum is---ugh, I can't even. Honestly, I'll either vote Ron Paul (if he's the nominee) or write him in. There's no way (unless for some reason RP gets the VP nod from say Romney) that I'm voting any of those clowns in (incl. Obama). I even voted Obama in '08. I know, we all make mistakes.
If you remember from one of the debates (one of the many, yes), when the NDAA was passed, they all said (except Ron Paul) they would've signed the bill as written. So, you have Obama signing more crushing legislation towards a police state, then the Republican candidates also supporting that?? As Ron Paul so eloquently said (paraphrasing): "These people are call themselves 'Conservatives' but yet they just want to increase the size of Government and spend more money. If you're Conservative, aren't you supposed to spend less money? I don't understand it.."
Ron Paul 2012 or Police State. Your choice. Just look up the articles on the 30,000 surveillance drones in the U.S. within the next 7-8 years; Google Robert D. Steele (former United States Marine Corps infantry and intelligence officer for twenty years) and his take on the economy and the Government. It's all there. Honestly, I was hoping for solid change with Obama. I was really, really, hopefully. But, it was more rhetoric. I mean, unless the "changes" you were looking for were exponentially higher gas prices (which Stephen Chu his Energy Secretary stated he wanted in the U.S.--just like Europe), Trillions of dollars given to banks (domestic and foreign), vast violations of the Constitution like in Libya (War Powers Act/Resolution), his use of recess appointments and Signing Statements.... the list goes on. Just Google "Obama and impeachable offense" and guarantee there's way information there then you wanted to know. Not positive, either.
But, I'm a person who likes my freedom, and like to keep and spend my money as I see fit without over-taxation and prosecution from the Government. I guess I'm just weird that way.
I might have been behind Ron Paul but A) he signed the norquist pact. He is no different than all the other sheep to the oil lobbyist. He might claim to be different but he is not. B) He wants to deregulate everything and take away all agencies that have prevented further terrorist attacks. Personally I would rather not have toxic waste in my back yard or Al Quida.
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It truly amazes me how politicians constantly talk so many working class people to vote against their own best interest. The Republican party has been throwing the working man under the bus for more than 30 years yet many still continue to vote for Republicans.
It amazes me how Democrats think their party is any better. Both Dems and Reps have been throwing the working man under the bus forever. What is Obama doing for the working man? None of the current politicians have the middle class or the poor in their best interest and you my friend are kidding yourself thinking the Democrats have your back.
Yes, but the Democrats problem isn't fascism so much as the issues of diversity. And traditionally the Dems care about people and the poor and see a place for government in addressing society's problems, like poverty, unemployment, health issues, etc. Dems have a much bigger tent to accomodate. The GOP is virtually the party of racists and abetters, a diminishing size group with little diversity (a couple orientals and latinos, fine, blacks....no way!) that all want pretty much the same thing, to be Masters again.
Charlie--and tell me exactly WHAT has Obama done for the "working class" with the exception of BIG LABOR (and particularly GM's big Labor.)His biggest 'claim' to fame is letting the workers contribute 2% less to Social Security, at a time when SS is ALREADY facing future shortfalls. Where is their retirement money going to come from?
Ooops--from our kids, of course.
How can people in MI vote for those two GOP goons? They hate America. THey wish companies to outsource so that executives can get big bonuses for increasing the bottom line.
Romney in particular, who wanted the auto industry to go belly up, but was all for AIG and B of A to get their bailout. $700B for TARP, yet ZERO for the auto industry to get loans.
WTH?
So you can vote for the guy who didn't want to save the auto industry, just let them go bankrupt, I believe he said, which would mean many more thousands out of jobs, or the religious whack job that wants to have the machines inside a womans innerads so him and his faith can make a medical decision for them. Hum, let me think...no thanks, I'll pass on all of em.
You do realize the auto companies did go bankrupt right? It would be nice if the bond holders got paid back instead of the UAW.....
UAW,
You do realize Romney wanted them to file a Chapter 7, right?? A Chapter 7 would have forced the company to shut down, and liquidate the assets, meaning everyone would be let go! They filed a Chapter 11, reorganization,which is NOT what Romney proposed AT ALL!
Jo-An here is what Roney really said. Stop listening to the Unions on this...
Government checks would not solve the car companies’ long-term problems, Mr. Romney wrote in an opinion article that he asked The New York Times to publish. The better path, he suggested, was a court-administered restructuring that would leave the companies with costs more in line with the global competition. The article carried the headline “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt,” which critics continue to use against him.
General Motors and Chrysler did eventually enter bankruptcy, and the headline was written by an editor, not by Mr. Romney.
Read the other day(can't find the source) that the reason Romney wanted the auto industry to go bankrupt was the bread the unions. But no mater why he wanted them to fail, it would have really hurt the working class. So, I can't see wanting him in the white house.
UAW,
In order to "restructure" they needed CASH, something that NO private lenders were willing to LEND, so it doesn't really matter what Romney wrote...the point is HE would have let the Auto industry DIE!!!
No amount of spin can change those facts!
Jo, Seriously read the whole article in the NY Times. Romney wrote this BEFORE your boy took office. It essentially mirrors what Obama did except pay off the unions with tax payer money. I'd take Romney's business experience over Obama's any day. Do you rememebr the "investment" Obama made in Soylendra??
UAW,
Seriously, it has NOTHING to do with my "boy" taking office... the POINT IS Romney said "let them go bankrupt"!! No "give them the cash they need to restructure", JUST let them GO BANKRUPT!!
Do you NOT UNDERSTAND, they needed cash to file a Ch 11????
AND your "Soylendra" comments...really? sorry, I think this country NEEDS to start being a little more environmentally aware...all this talk about "debt" being left to our children....
WON'T MATTER if our planet is SUCKED DRY....will it??
uaw, Seriously please tell me about the "investment" bush made in Iraq. You know the c4 transport plane full of cash. What happened there? Does that answer questions about bush's "investment".
Smitty you got me there. And for what it's worth I think Obama will beat George Bush by a wide margin in 2012. (He's going to struggle with the real candidate though)
Ignore us all you want, we aren't going away. RON PAUL 2012!!!
What? You think we shouldn't ignore various cultists?
I'd rather be in the RP cult than the Sheep Cult.
Joobyfoo
And so you are, so you are. The new mantra of the GOP "My cult is better than your cult" and so it goes.
@Navy Patriot....LOL!
The cesspool backed up deep into the gene pool in JoobyFoo's family tree, it seems. Pity.
It's gonna get worse before it gets better...Here's one republican voting for Obama. Once Obama's elected again, lets HOPE and pray the republicans can come up with someone worth an ounce of what they think they're worth in 16.
Uh, Ron Paul... duh.
Good luck with that. Republicans have done nothing but put down the working middle class in this country and now they want their vote. I don't think so....
Why would a blue collar person vote for a Republican?
Unless they like gettin screwed.
Like a chicken voting for Col Saunders!
Yeppers, Romney is the Blue Collar Man alrighty! The Same Dude who said let Detroit Die so he can Pick over the Bones Later!
Mitt and Rick -- Having fun in this GOP primary? Fellow GOPers cheering you on? Go ahead and knock yourselves out.
Come the general election we're going to eat you for lunch.
Time to get out my anti-Santorum bumper strip, it says:
Dumprick
and put on the one that says "Obamanation"
Dumprick, Sanscrotum, Sanctimonium, Insanitarium etc. Thankyou all for your regressive, junior high humor. I live for these commentary blogs anymore...can't wait for the dishes to be done so I can come visit my j.h. pals for a laugh. Thankyou all
People of Michigan...
Gaze into my eyes! Your getting sleepy. When I snap my fingers, you will awake and vote Republican. You will continuously praise the party even as your jobs are taken away, your house is lost, and your sick and dieing in the streets because there is no longer that pesky Obama care!
Ready? On 3 now. 1,2,3! Snap! I SAID SNAP DAMMIT!!!!!!
Im from Michigan and I feel so sad that the citizens of Michigan have forgotten what the GOP wanted to do with our one of our primary state employers. They wanted them to die....Romney isnt all that and a bag of chips...he isnt a Michigan man...a Michigan man would not want the auto industry to die...WTH
Romoney thinks the worker bees are going to passively vote for him after he "smoked" them with his "hometown" campaign speeches. Mitt, your hive is not in MI - it's offshore somewhere.
about Santorum... at least he has family values, doesn't go after the popular vote. For me i see the American family values going right out of the window and to see a candidate who doesn't flip flop is encouraging. Check out what he has done in the past and then decide. He has done a few mistakes and admitted to them which is more than i can say for the others playing the blame game.
I also see Santorum sending the constitution out the window.
How is this family values? How is voting for No Child Left Behind which reduced the number of vocational classes helping the non college bound crowd?
Ya know? The tree's are the right height. Bwhaaaaaahahahahahahaha. What a twit.
Here in Michigan they're known as Goldilocks Trees: not too tall, not too short, juuuuust the right height.
For all of you complaining that Republicans aren't in touch, just keep following your leader. He's done nothing but spend, lie and corrupt politics.
And what specifics are you willing to offer to support your claim that the person you identified as "...your leader." has "...done nothing but spend, lie and corrupt politics."?
Dislike the current President much? Tell us how you feel about his predecessor?
Come to think of it, your description more effectively matches the actions of the former President much more than they do the current President!
And Bush didn't spend us into 11 Trillion in Debt BEFORE Obama took over?
I don't disagree that Obama hasn't spent money, but how do you sit there and say HE is the reason we are 15 Trillion in the hole?
You forget all the dead soldiers that Bush/Cheney killed in a war that the evidence was fabricated so ole Goergey Porgey could shine in daddy's eyes? (instead of being known as the family drunk, coke head)
Romney is the Poster Boy for the 1%!
His Millions are Safe in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands...
If you want the Truth VOTE RON PAUL! AH OH...YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!
Pa. got rid of Santorum, remember that Michigan! He's a liar and a cheat, AND he's a big Control Freak! You've been warned!