Debate #3 coverage - first wave

High expectations?? (4.00 / 1)

Only thing high in this picture is Tim himself if he thinks DeVos actually WON debate #2.

What are they smoking down at Anuzis's shop?

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by: eartha651 @ Mon Oct 16, 2006 at 22:20:55 PM CDT

Dick Devos' Newest Billboard (4.00 / 3)

Here's a billboard in Detroit for Dick Devos. Courtesy of my friend who pulled over and snapped the picture with his camera phone, so I could post in on my blog, LJ's Blogorific.



You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything. LJ's Blogorific

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by: LJ @ Mon Oct 16, 2006 at 22:39:09 PM CDT

OMG (4.00 / 3)

They were going to use it- how would they know to bring pictures?

From Hoffman's AP story-

Granholm opened by accusing DeVos of using the images of dead children for recent political attacks.

Granholm was alluding to criticism DeVos has launched against her over the deaths of children, including Ricky Holland, a 7-year-old Williamston boy whose adoptive mother is on trial for his death in the summer of 2005. Republican supporters showed a picture of the boy outside the WXYZ-TV studios where the debate was held.

Republicans are exploiting this kid for political purposes. Unbelievable. 

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by: wizardkitten @ Mon Oct 16, 2006 at 22:49:15 PM CDT

The Dead Children Issue (4.00 / 1)

During the 2004 Democratic Primary Presidential debates Al Sharpton (Whom, I have to keep reminding myself, is a charlatan) said it best:  "Republicans love the fetus, but they hate the baby."  Maybe the governor (or her posse) can start pointing out that before he died, nobody in the republican party cared one bit about Ricky Holland or the other thousands of children who are wards of the State.  Cut taxes cut taxes, cut taxes....shrink government, shrink government, shrink government...this is all we hear from the Republicans.  Well, when you cut funding to the most vulnerable, bad things happen to them. 

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by: go_dem @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 09:15:13 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I have just the article on that (0.00 / 0)

From the LSJ last year-

State funding for the Department of Human Services has dropped 9.5 percent since 2000-01, from $1.3 billion to $1.15 billion this year.

Granholm has proposed a bump of 2.6 percent next year, but it's possible the department will get far less of an increase as lawmakers wrangle over a $773 million hole in the state budget.

And GOP lawmakers have targeted several programs for cuts. In the past, the brunt of funding shortfalls were made up through early retirement options and hiring freezes.

As a result, staff levels have dropped nearly 20 percent, going from about 13,000 workers to 10,500. That has meant fewer people overseeing adoptions, foster care, and child abuse and neglect cases.

-snip-

The department thus far is slated to receive an increase in state funding next year - $30 million under Gov. Jennifer Granholm's plan to spend $1.18 billion on social services. A Senate subcommittee cut the increase to $12.3 million.

About $4.3 million would pay for new technology to ease the burden on caseworkers.

But Republican lawmakers have targeted some specific programs for cutting, including eliminating training for child protective workers.

I don't know how this was resolved when they completed the budget, but time and time again it is the Republicans in the legislature who want to cut these services.

Bite that, DeRoche.

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by: wizardkitten @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 09:36:20 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

And yes, this was the Michigan Republican Party (0.00 / 0)

I am absolutely disgusted with these people- from Pete Luke's story today-

After the debate, DeVos said he hadn't seen Michigan Republican Party posters featuring the photos of dead children and titled, "Another Granholm victim."

My God. What a bunch of hypocritical assholes these people are.

Cut the kids off welfare. Cut the child protection services. And when the kid is dead, then we can use them as political fodder.

I think I'm going to be sick.

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by: wizardkitten @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 16:09:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

?!?! (0.00 / 0)

There are BILLBOARDS of that?  Who would look at that and honestly disapprove of Granholm?!  That is absolutely revolting and tactless.

My lord.  Where are they putting these up?

-- Signature! --

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by: quaker21 @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 21:41:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

According to one of my sources... (0.00 / 0)

...one was hanging on the Michigan Republican Party's "jobs clock" outside debate #3.

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never." - Winston S. Churchill

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by: matt @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 21:46:32 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

DeVos is the biggest outsourcer of jobs! (4.00 / 5)

It's quite saddening that DeVos avoids talking about the sacred company that has brought him great wealth and his token businessman designation. He prides himself in being a Michigan manufacturer but candidly avoids mentioned his blood deep ties to Alticor, Fox Motor Group and other monopolizing operations. Michigan voters need to know the truth about DeVos's intimate relations with his father's MLM scheme and his brothers spawning car dealership network. Collectively known as Alticor/Access Business Group/Quixtar, this group of companies is the money pit that feeds DeVos's self funded campaign and is the largest temp agency on the West side of the state

Let me tell fellow Michigan liberals a first hand experience of Alticor's corporate culture. In 2004 my girlfriend took a customer service job with Alticor through temp agency Manpower. To save money, Alticor has abolished the hiring of permanent staff for customer service, warehouse and cleaning positions. Instead of hiring permanent staff, Alticor uses Manpower temps which receive low pay and no benefits. An average non-professional employee with benefits costs Alticor upwards of $30+ per/hour, while a Manpower temp is only $18 retail cost. Now, you may ask, “what do you mean by retail cost”? Well, $18 per/hour is the retail cost that Alticor pays Manpower per temp/hour. Manpower turns around and keeps $8.25 for administrative fees, ultimately paying temp staff a raw cost of $9.75 per/hour. Of course this is good for DeVos, thought certainly bad for Michigan. In total, about 800 of Alticor's 3000 employees are temps through Manpower. These temps are hired for 12 month contracts and then let go regardless of performance. Would you want a Governor that would fire you after 12 months?

There's more...tune in tomorrow for Alticor's imposed religious gatherings, political intolerance, and various other appalling MLM practices.

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by: euroliberal @ Mon Oct 16, 2006 at 23:06:34 PM CDT

Great stuff... (4.00 / 2)

Please post these into diaries. That way they can be featured on the front page or recommended. This stuff shouldn't be lost in the comments.

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by: NoviDemocrat @ Mon Oct 16, 2006 at 23:30:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

new link for DN "How the Pros Rate it" (0.00 / 0)

http://detnews.com/a...

Why on earth do they ask former Republican and Democratic staffers? As more non-partisans for their opinion.

Why also do people cheerlead for DeVos simply because he's the poorly-skilled underdog? Yeeech.

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by: land of the free @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 08:38:35 AM CDT

Am I the only one here (0.00 / 0)

who doubts Little Dick punched a car? I'm sorry, this guy strikes me as a man with very little emotion. That story also strikes me as something being circulated by his folks to try and show that he's "really furious" and not just "disappointed" - something to make him look like a tough guy. It could make it look like he's saying the governor is a bad person (for pointing out how he's exploiting dead children for political gain.) I believe he was pissed that she turned that issue around on him, but I don't buy the notion that he punched a car.

Ok, maybe he was upset enough that he gave the car a little tiny girlie-man swat, but then it hurt his hand and his nifty "I look smart!" glasses became askew, so he started crying. I'd buy that story.

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by: land of the free @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 08:44:32 AM CDT

From what I'm told... (0.00 / 0)

A certain journalist witnessed him do it. We'll see if it makes its way into print.

It is hard to imagine. But in his defense, campaigns do sometimes make people act in ways they ordinarily wouldn't.

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never." - Winston S. Churchill

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by: matt @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 08:59:36 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Perhaps (0.00 / 0)

It's starting to dawn on Dick that all the millions of dollars he's spent may all be for naught. Kind of like how George Steinbrenner probably felt after he realized some upstart team from out in flyover country had completely disassembled his big money Yankees.

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never." - Winston S. Churchill

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by: matt @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 09:28:19 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I heard (0.00 / 0)

He paid someone in China to punch a car for him.

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by: go_dem @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 09:22:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hey -- Did Anyone (0.00 / 0)

Watch the live stream on the Battle Creek Enquirer site?

It was pretty funny, because it was streaming in the studio before the debate started, so you could see/hear everyone as they were prepping.

Then you could also hear them rip off DeVos' mic and swap it out for a new one.

It was pretty interesting to watch it all being prepped. 

-- Signature! --

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by: quaker21 @ Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 09:42:00 AM CDT