Let's start with a premise many political partisans may be reluctant to accept. John McCain, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Sarah Palin all are honest, concerned, capable Americans who truly want what is best for our country. But good intentions do not guarantee good outcomes, and predicting the future is fraught with difficulty. Having reached a critical fork in the road, how should voters in Michigan and elsewhere decide which guides to follow?
I certainly can't pretend to be expert in all the issues being addressed in the Presidential campaign. However, when the topic is health care reform, I have extensive education, in the trenches experience, and a track record to back up my professional and political analysis. So I will focus on health care as a window to understanding where each pair of candidates would take America if we give them the chance.
With roughly 50 days to go, we find ourselves more or less tied in the Presidential election, if the national polls are to be believed.
We have succeeded in motivating our base, and Republicans have, as of today, done the same.
What we are not doing very well is bridging that gap and effectively spreading the discussion to the other side...which is the point of today’s conversation.
Where can our conservative friends be found? What do we need to know about the culture to be found there? What should we say when we get there?
Your friendly fake consultant has been on a mission...and I have some answers.
Michigan native and gimlet-eyed blogger Nate Silver (who knew?) asks what's wrong with Obama in Michigan. It's not a pretty picture, all the more because some of the reasons are clearly self-inflicted.
The campaign's late start is a big reason. As he explains:
In conversations with friends and family during the Democratic primaries (I am originally from East Lansing), I did not sense much frustration with Obama in particular for his decision to withdraw his name from the state's primary ballot after Michigan moved ahead of the DNC's February 5 cut-off date and had its delegates revoked. But I did sense aggravation and dampened enthusiasm for the Democratic Party in general.
Governor Granholm's diminished standing also hurts, as does the trouble over Kwame Kilpatrick.
Silver also points to the relative moderation of the GOP congressional delegation -- I wish. But that only shows how low the bar has been set in the present conservative era.
The work ahead involves more face time in Macomb, and a general work int he Detroit burbs. For those of us out-state, it certainly means greater attention to motivating all the potential voters in those hard-R districts. In this election even the Dems in mad Missaukee or Manistee have a vital role to play.
In short, there's a whole lot of work to be done, all the more since we are one of those official "Swing States."
Everyday it is becoming more apparent. The Republican Party is full of self-hating Americans. Can't-Do Conservatives is what I call them. If the lipstick fits, you conservatives gotta wear it. Then look in the mirror to see what you've become.
The Issues
National health care: Can't-Do Conservatives say it can't be done successfully in the U.S., while every democracy in Europe provides care for its citizens without becoming a Socialist outpost. Why do the Can't-Dos think so little of our American ability and ingenuity?
Government Spending: Can't-Do Conservatives complain loudly about government spending but, at the same time, have no problem spending $720 million American dollars A DAY illegally occupying Iraq, which had no role in the 9/11 attack, had no weapons of mass destruction, and had no other sin other than having the third largest oil reserves stewing under its land.
Budget Deficits: Can't-Do Conservatives complain about government spending but have no qualms about giving massive tax cuts to their Can't-Do Cronies, the rich, the super rich, and the power elite. Everyone else gets the occasional rebate check, but this, too, it put on the National Credit Card for future generations to pay. Can't meet our national priorities? We can if we eliminate the tax cuts for the Cronies of Can't-Dos.
Education: Can't-Do Conservatives don't seem to think Americans should fully fund schools. They diss teachers; they disdain university professors. They preach support for education, but expound against smart people. Basically, Can't-Do Conservatives support educated people, but only if they are taught their rigid ideology. Truth and an educated populace are like Kryptonite to Can't-Do Conservatives and their hold on power.
Community Organizing: The Can't-Do Conservatives disrespect and chide community organizers. If you organize, volunteer, and support community organizations, this means you! These Can't-Do Conservatives think you're a sucker or a chump if you work within your community for the following:
The United Way
The Red Cross
Planned Parenthood
American Foundation for the Blind
The League of Women Voters
Michigan Arts Council
United Negro College Fund
The Sierra Club
Citizens for Better Care
March of Dimes
American Civil Liberties Union
Make A Wish Foundation
Peace Education Center
Capital Area Literacy Coalition
UNICEF
Amnesty International
NAACP
American Cancer Society
Humane Society
Old Newsboys' Goodfellow Fund
Reading is Fundamental
PTA
Little League Baseball
Rotary
OXFAM
Michigan Environmental Council
...and the list goes on and on.
Half of the time with community organizing, we are trying to fix problems that Can't-Do Conservatives have created and perpetuated. If the lipstick fits...you gotta wear it.
Can't-Do Conservative Standard Bearers
The current standard bearers for Can't-Do Conservatives are John McCain and Sarah Palin. They clearly and proudly have carried this mantle since accepting their political party nomination. It's obvious, too, that they have a chorus of support from the arch-conservative pundits on radio and television, as well as from stalwarts throughout the Republican Party.
If you're part of this conservative, Republican crowd, get your lipstick because, undeniably, you gotta wear it.
-- Rico Thomas Rico
[This was cross posted from www.ricothomasrico.blogspot.com.]
John McCain has been quick to highlight "liberals" who are publicly supporting him over Barack Obama. Among those featured was Laurel Federbush of Ann Arbor. Federbush was quoted in this article about McCain's appearance in Detroit today.
"McCain and Palin were greeted at Metro Airport earlier in the afternoon by two Democrats, who said they’ll vote for McCain. ... The other, Laurel Federbush, of Ann Arbor described herself as a left wing independent, who supported Dennis Kucinich for president during the primary season. She said she liked McCain’s opposition to torture during interrogations on prisoners."
If Federbush was selected by the McCain campaign, it appears that they once again failed in their vetting. McCain's supporter from Ann Arbor turns out to be a basher of US support for Israel whose behavior has been less than civil.
In case you didn't catch this in the main blogs yet. This video speaks volumes about how the Republican Party really feels about McCain and his VP pick.
Two conservative commentators on MSNBC, after they’re off the air, say what they really think about the veep choice.
This pretty much says it all about McCain’s VP pick. They didn't realize their mics were still on!!!!
This is me, Yvette. The ultimate Hillary supporter and Obama "doesn't have enough experience" afficionado. I am here today to publicly do an about face. Over the past couple of months, I have been reluctantly trying to drag myself over to the Obama camp. You know, three cheers for the party unity bit and all.
Well... today... that is all over.
After seeing the "Seven" campaign ad that Obama just "approved" on McCain's Seven houses worth $13 million dollars, I am now, publicly, an unabashed Obama supporter! See the video - and share my feelings. I will be on his website making my first serious donation to his campaign.
I apologize for ever doubting you Obama. I repent in sackcloth and ashes!
For those who did not know, I’m a contract worker; and as a result I’m a direct beneficiary of the trend toward outsourcing.
And let me tell you, everyone’s doing it. At different times I’ve worked for school districts, a company that makes tax preparation software, agencies of State Government...even the Navy.
So it was no surprise when I found out from the agency that I was to be assigned to a Human Resources Department to help with the overflow of employee evaluations that needed to be completed—and it was no surprise when they told me the job was like working in Hell.
I was a bit surprised, however, when it turned out they were telling the literal truth...and that’s how I came to spend last week as a temp in Satan’s HR Department—vetting John McCain for his annual evaluation.
Just yesterday I was doing some reading at the BlueNC site, and I found this story by persondem who is planning to make and presumably distribute anti-McCain yard signs.
persondem was asking the community for slogans...which got me to thinking, “why not?”
Before I knew what I was doing I had created roughly 50 of the darn things—and that’s how we get to today’s story...
Our Republican friends have begun the campaign season with their usual class and style; and the resulting Internet gossip has reported that Obama is a secret Muslim, that his Christian Reverend is the scourge of American religion, that he’s no patriot...and that he associates with every evil person on the planet, either by allowing them into his campaign or by his willingness to talk to those who hate us the most.
And Obama has, to this point, chosen to remain above the fray.
Because Obama has chosen the high road, I wanted to offer a few words about how we can be a more civil blogging community—and about a few things we should seek to leave off the table.
Been watching the McCain ads that have been running here in Michigan. It is very interesting to see that his campaign is already trying to hide the ravages of time that are showing in his face. The ads show McCain speaking to the camera, but he is only shown in a "soft focus," which as someone who used to make money as a wedding photographer I can tell you is used to hide flaws and wrinkles. We have a very large screen 1080p HD TV and you can clearly see that McCain looks slightly fuzzy while the back grounds and photos of him as a POW and the Vietnam memorial are clear and sharp. His campaign is clearly trying to hide his age. Worst of all all of his ads end with an airbrushed photo of a younger McCain (although with gray hair) showing his left profile (the side without the scarring from his bouts with skin cancer).
If I was advising the Obama campaign I would makes sure that our campaign ads would include close-ups of McCain as he actually appears today so that viewers can see how deceptive the McCain campaign is about his true physical conditions. McCain is to old to hold what is one of the most physically demanding political jobs in the world. All one has to do is to look at how quickly younger men who have held that job in the past have aged while serving as President.
The stumbling McCain campaign it appears has been managing to lose a race against no one in a critical general election state, despite spending more than $500,000 per week since May 28th on TV ads there.
The presidential candidate and his wife Cindy reported piling up debt on a charge card between $10,000 and $15,000. His wife’s solo charge card has between $100,000 and $250,000 in debt to American Express.
Wow.
This is the guy who wants to spend the voters' "hard earned money wisely" -- maybe he should start with himself.
Dave G posted this over at DailyKos so I brought the news over here.
In a 4 point turnaround, Obama now leads McCain in Rasmussen's latest Michigan poll, 45% to 42%. The poll was taken six days after Obama clinched the Democratic nomination.
This is certainly good news but all of us should continue working as though Obama is 10 points down. We must continue to whip for votes in every corner of Michigan. I constantly talk with people where I live in the Republican stronghold area of Oxford. I will cede nothing, I will take nothing for granted, I will fight for every voter that gets turned away by the voter ID law and I urge every Michigan liberal, Obama volunteer and citizen to do the same from now until the vote is certified by the electoral college in December.
A story from The State News today discussed the negative effect cell phone usage by younger voters will have on political polls. Anyone who has ever made phone calls for polling purposes, on a campaign or otherwise, can understand that most of the people with landlines are likely over 50 years old or at least have families that have settled into a permanent residence, though, even the traditional family is becoming more dependent upon cell phones.
More of me acting like I know something about statistics below the fold...
As an 18 year old College Student from an American blue collar middle class family from a state where everything is going down the wrong path, this election is of historic magnitude. Two Americans running for the highest office in the land, a scholarly African-American activist and a Caucasian Vietnam War hero are both saying they will bring the change and hope needed to turn this nation around. But there is more to it than that. Many Americans will be looking at the issues, and seeing where these two men stand on the issues. But what issues should the next president of the United States of America be addressing. In my mind, the next President of the United States of America needs to address the issues of America's poor economy, the War in Iraq, and equal rights for all Americans
Recently, the company in which my dad works for laid off 50 workers in a plant of 400 workers. I never thought that my family would ever experience the fear of having a family member being laid off. Fortunately, my dad still has his job, but for millions of Americans who have lost their job, it hits home strong. The economy is the number one issue in this presidential election. With millions of American losing jobs, the millions of home foreclosures, the rising costs of gas, energy and food prices, many Americans wonder how they will be make it from week to week. It is time for America to start developing a plan to turn this around. If I was running for President of the United States, I would present this nine point plan to the America people, which I would do to start to turn the US economy around.
•Make the American job market more attractive to the global market, by providing tax credits to companies who come from overseas and better training for American workers.
•Stop investing in global markets, and invest more at home.
•Establish an energy policy and invest in alterative energy which will bring thousands of new jobs, and less dependence on foreign oil.
•Strengthen the presence of unions in the work force and have trade laws that work for the benefit of all Americans.
•Lower taxes for the middle class, and higher taxes for the wealthiest Americans
•Improving retirement security, by encouraging the investment into retirement at an early age
•Crackdowns on the loan companies and establish an American Credit Bill of Rights.
•Raising the federal minimum wage
•Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), by having an open discussion with Canada and Mexico
The Economy effects everything in this Nation, without a good economy, this country is headed for the wrong road. The Economy is the most important issue in this election, and needs to be addressed. Americans are fearful, including myself, that they will not be able to make it and the American Dream will come crashing down and never be able to be regain itself.
So much is at stake in this election, with the Economy, the War in Iraq and Equal Rights for all Americans, we need an American who will listen to the common day American, work to improve the lives of Americans and bring the needed change to this nation. I believe that the next President of the United States of America should be Barack Obama. Obama brings a message of renewed hope and the change desperately need in America. Obama will work hard to improve the US economy, end the war in Iraq, and make sure every American has equal rights. Obama will be an advocate for the Blue Collar Middle Class families like mine and many millions of other Americans. Senator Barack Obama is one of kind, and if the American people elected him the next president of the United States, that American Dream so many Americans fear is slipping away from them, will be back tight in their hands. This is why I support Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.
Now that the primary is over, and a candidate is pretty much announced, Michigan Democrats now need to unite behind Barack Obama. The concerns over the primary need to be put behind us, and we need to understand that our votes were not cast in vain.
In fact, these votes and the votes of Florida Democrats already have been counted—though not in the question of who will face John McCain in November. The some 600,000 state votes cast in the Michigan primary went to a different cause: Sending a message to the Democratic Party that New Hampshire and Iowa should not determine who will be the next President of the United States.
