Um, Bush didn't carry Michigan in 2000 or 2004 - Gore and Kerry did.
Wilson's son
· 1 year ago
What are you, in the tank for McCain and his neocon acolytes? Don't you realize what the party of "Macaca" would do to you if they ever got a hold of real power?
diana in IN
· 1 year ago
Nasty comment - has no place in intelligent discussion.
levotb
· 1 year ago
My sentiments excatly! Excellent piece. Why didn't McCain wait till today, the day after the VP Debate, to announce the closing up of shop in MI? Closing up looks bad and reminds people of a store going out of business. That's no way to "sell" a campaign! Great point in asking, "Why didn't McCain come to MI and tie Granholm--a very unpopular Governor--to Obama?"
This is sort of the same feeling I've had about why McCain hasn't been more critical of Obama and Biden regarding their Open Borders, pro-Amnesty votes. McCain COULD have reversed himself on the one subject that conservatives hate him for and one that nearly cost him the campaign during the primaries. In admitting he was wrong on pushing Amnesty with Ted Kennedy and promising his supporters he would never sign an Amnesty or Amnesty-lite bill as President, McCain could have turned that issue to his favor. Instead, some conservatives are planning to stay home or vote for Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin. Of course, it all comes back to his love of illegal aliens and Bush's advisors (now McCain's) fearful of losing "the Hispanic vote", something Republican nominees only win 37% of every 4 years, The point is, this could have been an issue that he could have used to his advantage had he had the stones to admit that he's been wrong on the issue for years.
BillieJean
· 1 year ago
I think McCain just realizes he is ready for retirement. It would be very embarrasing for the publc to see his mind slip even further than it has in the last couple of weeks.
He and Palin are both to scary for the whitehouse
RMB
· 1 year ago
I think the problem is that he's tired of running. I think he's wiped out. He may have been a fierce competitor before, but, to me, his inconsistency and erratic ways are best explained as issues of fatigue and stamina. Michigan is just too much of a fight. I believe that 8 years ago he could've run toe to toe with Obama. But this 50 state ground game, even following the less intense rep primary, with all its drama shows he's not up to it. Instead of laying out a conceptual plan, he throws every junk ball he can to try and carve out some lead that will let him relax again and regroup. If he was paying attention, he would've had MI by the collar and dragged out all skeletons here. I think, he's too tired. He can only care about a handful of things at once.
MissM
· 1 year ago
The economy has been in the tank in Michigan for much longer than the rest of the country. Granholm has done a poor job of governing, but a large part of that has been the expenses that were passed back onto the states under the Bush administration. Racism remains high in Michigan, but the one candidate who is offering economic solutions is Barack Obama and neither McCain nor Palin can blunt that. Palin may have drawn crowds in Michigan - in much the same way the circus does, but that wouldn't necessarily lead to votes because she's shown time and again that she does not understand economic or foreign policy. Michigan is hurting in a way that requires a hand up from the federal government. McCain isn't willing to give them that hand up.
JB2
· 1 year ago
I find many of the assumptions in this piece either badly outdated or flat-out wrong.
Michigan has never shown any signs of swinging towards McCain. Obama held the lead all summer long and is now comfortably ahead, despite McCain outspending him by a significant margin. McCain wisely has decided to stop throwing good money after bad.
The idea that the key to an Obama victory is to suck up to John Dingell, or have a bunch of union bosses tell downriver ( not "down river") voters what to do is severely outdated. Grassroots organizing, not the weakened unions, will be the key to Obama's victory in Michigan.
And you make no mention whatsoever of Oakland County, Michigan's wealthiest and second largest county. Oakland has been to the key to Dem victories in the last several statewide and presidential elections. Educated, middle and upper-middle class Oakland County voters have little use for the Palin-esque cultural conservatism.
osage
· 1 year ago
The average annual cost to an employer who provides health insurance for his or employees is $12,000 per employee. If you are currently making $40,000 per year, under McCain's proposed health insurance program, you'd pay income tax on $52,000 instead of $40,000 ($40,000 + $12,000 = $52,000). Why in the name of self-preservation would any working class citizen choose to vote for someone who wants them to pay taxes on $12,000 of "income" they don't actually receive? Assuming a 28% federal income tax rate, an individual currently making $40,000 would pay an additional $3,360 per year or $280 per month (52,000 x 28 % = 14,560 and 40,000 x 28% = 11,200 ---- 14,560 - 11,200 = 3,360). That would be the same as increasing your income tax rate from 28% to 36.4%. Who is stupid enough to fall for this ripoff? Why would anyone vote for any candidate who is proposing to increase his or her income tax rate by 8.4% in order for them to keep the health insurance they already have? And by the way, tens of thouands of employers would immediately drop employee health insurance programs and leave tens of millions of employees without health insurance coverage of any kind. WHO WOULD BE STUPID ENOUGH TO VOTE FOR JOHN MCCAIN?
jenifer
· 1 year ago
can I repost this on other boards?
osage
· 1 year ago
OK with me.
rich
· 1 year ago
First, McCain is not a soldier, he was a sailor and there is a world of difference. Soldiers have the courage to fight the battle up close and personal while sailors fight well away from the ground combat where most of them are out of harm's way. Second, McCain left Michigan because he was gettin ghis butt beat and he is running out of money. He will be withdrawing from other states shortly.
jenifer
· 1 year ago
great response!
Melanie
· 1 year ago
McCAIN HAS NOT LEFT MICHIGAN.... THIS IS A RED HERRING!!!
Tucker
· 1 year ago
LETTER TO ALL AMERICANS
On November 4, 2008, we all get to vote for a candidate for President. Don’t let your party affiliation, surpass, the reality, of, what we are, all, presently dealing with in our every day lives as Americans.
If you are financially, OK, then you can afford another financial hit in the next four years from the Bush-Chenney/McCain-Palin administration-ticket. They have made it clear…
1.CENSORSHIP- Another factor of this teams leadership style, you had better become use to is… the censorship (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party). If, wanting to burn books in a library (Palin) that doesn’t fit with the “propaganda” (Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party); it should at least have a familiar, historical, ring. Journalists please answer this question for me… do you still have your right to “freedom of press and freedom of speech”?
2.FUNDING EDUCATION -Along with the under funding of education (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party). The less educated the people, the less questioning of “questionable” practices or citizens taking action.
3.RELIGION- In accordance, with watching a city of its own people drowning (dying), along with some of the extremist religious sermons, lectures and hypnosis’s of why it occurred (Bush, Cheney, the religious right and the Republican Party).
4.PRESERVING THE CONSTITUTION- Coupled with unconstitutional surveillance and torturing means. I guess Americans need to see people hauled off into concentration camps before we react—hey, haven’t we seen this in Cuba with the unlawful detaining of… substitute Arabs for Jews?
5.WAR- Don’t forget the familiar ring of war, war, war, all the time and the “worldview” being outside the norm for this stage in history.
6.SEPARATISM- Take a good look at the pictures of Americans that are following these two campaigns–conventions and campaign attendees. The participants–in one crowd; the crowds qualitative connotation is emphasizing an American “imperial, purist, sovereign, republican party” utilizing a totalitarian philosophy along with speeches riddled with fear tactics; and, in another crowd–it mirrors the rest of the country. Leaves other Americans to believe, if they don’t look like the incoming regime (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party) or, embrace their philosophies, you will be left out in the cold, literally, (should explain the record home foreclosures and failing economy coupled with record oil prices and overall stick it to the people on the lower end of the totem pole mentality. No point in mentioning anything about this at a convention, or on the campaign trail). Hitler’s philosophy…either you are for our beliefs, or…
7.PROPAGANDA-The staged speeches, staged campaigning and nonsensical talking points, some which are outright lies. The choosing of an actress/politician/right-wing extremist/beauty contestant, for VP, counting on the uneducated to put the party into totalitarian rule. After Americans have 12 years (the past 8 + 4 more) of Republican Party rule… do you think Americans will ever remember living in a democracy? Also, this will make the Republicans the single most dominant party in American history, insuring, in definite, future control over America.
The choice of this election is not one just based on the economy or war: It’s of preserving “America” which we can understand any community in America being focused on doing; preserving our culture and heritage.
Republicans are focused on insuring a “puritanical- morally rigorous and strict” rule and American environment, always, being afraid, of those who differ from ourselves (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party). Ask yourself…do you fit in to this perspective of America?
It’s the obvious, that is disturbing…AMERICA is not puritanical and all her people should be working together to make her the best she can be, not, tearing her apart, by race, religion, culture, political or socio economic division.
MY FELLOW AMERICANS…the choice is simple…
Either America will move forward to the 21st century adapting a more global world perspective (along with a pressure relief for us all), or, we move “backward” and stay in the 20th century clinging to ideals and concepts that have never worked in Nazi Germany and will not work in America.
IF YOU THINK THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO You are wrong. Before you vote…go on a letter writing campaign, show up at campaign stops in your area and raise hard questions, loudly, without malice, to in the least, raise doubts about their message. Fax over your concerns to your elected officials Washington office, particularly, those running for re-election. Bombard them with objections of things YOU find questionable. You will not be alone.
Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a concept used to describe political systems where a state (state of mind) regulates nearly every aspect of public and private life (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party).
The term is usually applied to Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Shōwa Japan or communist states, such as USSR, Democratic Kampuchea, Vietnam, Mao-era and modern China and North Korea (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party).
Totalitarian regimes or movements maintain themselves in political power by means of an official all-embracing ideology and propaganda disseminated through the state/party-controlled mass media, a single party that controls the state (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party), personality cults, central state/party-controlled economy, regulation and restriction of free discussion and criticism (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party), the use of mass surveillance (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party), and widespread use of terror tactics (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party).
PEOPLE we are one Republican presidency from becoming totalitarian. Particularly, if the economy keeps declining for normal folks which make them less of a voice because of socio-economics; the ideology and propaganda will be amplified and the media more controlled then the last 8 years. The world is pretty close to seeing us as Nazi America based on our actions the last eight years (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party).
If we vote (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party), we are telling the world…we the people, endorse their style of leadership. This will be the third time, for Americans doing so.
THIS WAS ISSUED TO AMERICA FROM THE WORLD
Leaders from around the world were willing to look once more to America as the leader of the free world.
Now, with the insulting choice of Palin as a vice president running mate, McCain has erased all that Obama accomplished with moving towards restoring America’s world image.
World leaders are not looking forward to pinpointing their country’s location on a map for Palin who just got a passport in 2006. Shakespeare cautioned us about individuals with vaulting ambition and a lack of self knowledge. He also told us (Hamlet) to watch out for the rash.
John McCain made a rash decision, which could haunt Americans for decades, especially when the media completes its vetting process.
Having lost love ones in the last war, we thank John McCain for his service, but I also remember some escaped, and some died. We are, not, willing to allow him to destroy the future for generations to come, because he was a POW.
How does John McCain intend to address the issues of our time?
His Vice President pick, Palin, recently asked “What does a Vice President do”?
Hence, she has ambition, but lacks the knowledge of what she can and can not do.
John McCain is just reckless, a figure straight out of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and we all know how those stories end.
VOTE MCCAIN-PALIN 2008
Chapman
· 1 year ago
McPalin is toast & they know it. McCain's campaign & eratic behavior are causing severe anxiety among this Nation's citizens. Obama instills a sense of hope & future well being. A sense of even handed, well thought out decisions & a willingness to listen. A new day is dawning in America & it's time we all pull together & dig ourselves out.
Alieninthissociety
· 1 year ago
What the writer is leaving out is McCain doesn't believe in Michigan. He is against labor unions. He refused to raise the minimum wage. And he voted against the automanufacturers. He voted to divert funding from research, development and investment, alternative energy, and fuel efficiency. His votes in the Senate aided "DEFENSE" contractors.
McCain wants to fight wars. To fight wars, oil is needed. So he fights a war to gain oil. Few planes, carriers, fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, ships, submarines, and weapons manufacturers are fuel efficient -- if any.
If Michigan wants to gain support in a McCain administration, God forbid, it will need more casinos, more bars, more pharmaceuticals, and more businesses listed in the paragraph above.
If Michigan loves its nature - land, lakes and wilderness - they shouldn't vote for McCain/Palin.
KK
· 1 year ago
I'm a democrat from New England. I'm voting for Obama. Your compelling editorial makes me breathe a sigh of relief that McCain isn't heeding your advice. And even though Kerry and Gore won the state, it seems that Obama certainly was done a favor by the McCain campaign. Thanks
LAR
· 1 year ago
The only think McCain has going for him in MI and most other states is pale males.
GOPvoterfraud
· 1 year ago
Michigan will still be in play if the GOP succeeds with their voter purge and you can bet that McCain and company will be working very hard on that! If they feel that they can swing MI using this bit of fraud then they rightly shouldn't spend anymore money there--- no sense in doing so, if you already have it in the bag.
All Comments
This is sort of the same feeling I've had about why McCain hasn't been more critical of Obama and Biden regarding their Open Borders, pro-Amnesty votes. McCain COULD have reversed himself on the one subject that conservatives hate him for and one that nearly cost him the campaign during the primaries. In admitting he was wrong on pushing Amnesty with Ted Kennedy and promising his supporters he would never sign an Amnesty or Amnesty-lite bill as President, McCain could have turned that issue to his favor. Instead, some conservatives are planning to stay home or vote for Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin. Of course, it all comes back to his love of illegal aliens and Bush's advisors (now McCain's) fearful of losing "the Hispanic vote", something Republican nominees only win 37% of every 4 years, The point is, this could have been an issue that he could have used to his advantage had he had the stones to admit that he's been wrong on the issue for years.
He and Palin are both to scary for the whitehouse
Michigan has never shown any signs of swinging towards McCain. Obama held the lead all summer long and is now comfortably ahead, despite McCain outspending him by a significant margin. McCain wisely has decided to stop throwing good money after bad.
The idea that the key to an Obama victory is to suck up to John Dingell, or have a bunch of union bosses tell downriver ( not "down river") voters what to do is severely outdated. Grassroots organizing, not the weakened unions, will be the key to Obama's victory in Michigan.
And you make no mention whatsoever of Oakland County, Michigan's wealthiest and second largest county. Oakland has been to the key to Dem victories in the last several statewide and presidential elections. Educated, middle and upper-middle class Oakland County voters have little use for the Palin-esque cultural conservatism.
On November 4, 2008, we all get to vote for a candidate for President. Don’t let your party affiliation, surpass, the reality, of, what we are, all, presently dealing with in our every day lives as Americans.
If you are financially, OK, then you can afford another financial hit in the next four years from the Bush-Chenney/McCain-Palin administration-ticket. They have made it clear…
1.CENSORSHIP- Another factor of this teams leadership style, you had better become use to is… the censorship (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party). If, wanting to burn books in a library (Palin) that doesn’t fit with the “propaganda” (Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party); it should at least have a familiar, historical, ring. Journalists please answer this question for me… do you still have your right to “freedom of press and freedom of speech”?
2.FUNDING EDUCATION -Along with the under funding of education (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party). The less educated the people, the less questioning of “questionable” practices or citizens taking action.
3.RELIGION- In accordance, with watching a city of its own people drowning (dying), along with some of the extremist religious sermons, lectures and hypnosis’s of why it occurred (Bush, Cheney, the religious right and the Republican Party).
4.PRESERVING THE CONSTITUTION- Coupled with unconstitutional surveillance and torturing means. I guess Americans need to see people hauled off into concentration camps before we react—hey, haven’t we seen this in Cuba with the unlawful detaining of… substitute Arabs for Jews?
5.WAR- Don’t forget the familiar ring of war, war, war, all the time and the “worldview” being outside the norm for this stage in history.
6.SEPARATISM- Take a good look at the pictures of Americans that are following these two campaigns–conventions and campaign attendees. The participants–in one crowd; the crowds qualitative connotation is emphasizing an American “imperial, purist, sovereign, republican party” utilizing a totalitarian philosophy along with speeches riddled with fear tactics; and, in another crowd–it mirrors the rest of the country. Leaves other Americans to believe, if they don’t look like the incoming regime (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party) or, embrace their philosophies, you will be left out in the cold, literally, (should explain the record home foreclosures and failing economy coupled with record oil prices and overall stick it to the people on the lower end of the totem pole mentality. No point in mentioning anything about this at a convention, or on the campaign trail). Hitler’s philosophy…either you are for our beliefs, or…
7.PROPAGANDA-The staged speeches, staged campaigning and nonsensical talking points, some which are outright lies. The choosing of an actress/politician/right-wing extremist/beauty contestant, for VP, counting on the uneducated to put the party into totalitarian rule. After Americans have 12 years (the past 8 + 4 more) of Republican Party rule… do you think Americans will ever remember living in a democracy? Also, this will make the Republicans the single most dominant party in American history, insuring, in definite, future control over America.
The choice of this election is not one just based on the economy or war: It’s of preserving “America” which we can understand any community in America being focused on doing; preserving our culture and heritage.
Republicans are focused on insuring a “puritanical- morally rigorous and strict” rule and American environment, always, being afraid, of those who differ from ourselves (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party). Ask yourself…do you fit in to this perspective of America?
It’s the obvious, that is disturbing…AMERICA is not puritanical and all her people should be working together to make her the best she can be, not, tearing her apart, by race, religion, culture, political or socio economic division.
MY FELLOW AMERICANS…the choice is simple…
Either America will move forward to the 21st century adapting a more global world perspective (along with a pressure relief for us all), or, we move “backward” and stay in the 20th century clinging to ideals and concepts that have never worked in Nazi Germany and will not work in America.
IF YOU THINK THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO
You are wrong. Before you vote…go on a letter writing campaign, show up at campaign stops in your area and raise hard questions, loudly, without malice, to in the least, raise doubts about their message. Fax over your concerns to your elected officials Washington office, particularly, those running for re-election. Bombard them with objections of things YOU find questionable. You will not be alone.
Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a concept used to describe political systems where a state (state of mind) regulates nearly every aspect of public and private life (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party).
The term is usually applied to Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Shōwa Japan or communist states, such as USSR, Democratic Kampuchea, Vietnam, Mao-era and modern China and North Korea (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party).
Totalitarian regimes or movements maintain themselves in political power by means of an official all-embracing ideology and propaganda disseminated through the state/party-controlled mass media, a single party that controls the state (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party), personality cults, central state/party-controlled economy, regulation and restriction of free discussion and criticism (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party), the use of mass surveillance (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party), and widespread use of terror tactics (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party).
PEOPLE we are one Republican presidency from becoming totalitarian. Particularly, if the economy keeps declining for normal folks which make them less of a voice because of socio-economics; the ideology and propaganda will be amplified and the media more controlled then the last 8 years. The world is pretty close to seeing us as Nazi America based on our actions the last eight years (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party).
If we vote (McCain-Palin, Bush, Cheney and the Republican Party), we are telling the world…we the people, endorse their style of leadership. This will be the third time, for Americans doing so.
THIS WAS ISSUED TO AMERICA FROM THE WORLD
Leaders from around the world were willing to look once more to America as the leader of the free world.
Now, with the insulting choice of Palin as a vice president running mate, McCain has erased all that Obama accomplished with moving towards restoring America’s world image.
World leaders are not looking forward to pinpointing their country’s location on a map for Palin who just got a passport in 2006. Shakespeare cautioned us about individuals with vaulting ambition and a lack of self knowledge. He also told us (Hamlet) to watch out for the rash.
John McCain made a rash decision, which could haunt Americans for decades, especially when the media completes its vetting process.
Having lost love ones in the last war, we thank John McCain for his service, but I also remember some escaped, and some died. We are, not, willing to allow him to destroy the future for generations to come, because he was a POW.
How does John McCain intend to address the issues of our time?
His Vice President pick, Palin, recently asked “What does a Vice President do”?
Hence, she has ambition, but lacks the knowledge of what she can and can not do.
John McCain is just reckless, a figure straight out of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and we all know how those stories end.
VOTE MCCAIN-PALIN 2008
McCain's campaign & eratic behavior are causing severe anxiety among this Nation's citizens.
Obama instills a sense of hope & future well being. A sense of even handed, well thought out decisions & a willingness to listen.
A new day is dawning in America & it's time we all pull together & dig ourselves out.
McCain wants to fight wars. To fight wars, oil is needed. So he fights a war to gain oil. Few planes, carriers, fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, ships, submarines, and weapons manufacturers are fuel efficient -- if any.
If Michigan wants to gain support in a McCain administration, God forbid, it will need more casinos, more bars, more pharmaceuticals, and more businesses listed in the paragraph above.
If Michigan loves its nature - land, lakes and wilderness - they shouldn't vote for McCain/Palin.
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/mak...