Thanks for the independent, non-partison review. I live in the area, and agree that it seems Michigan will be the closer state this time around – but also doubt it will tip red. I think the only McCain could swing Michigan would be to put Romney on the ticket and then have Romney campaign in the area for most of the campaign (with a few side trips to Nevada & Colorado). If that happens, McCain may be able to pull out an ‘Engler’ and win by a hair as an economic conservative.
“GetReal” needs to get real, though. The claim that “GW Bush has done more to cause our country to lose power and influence than anyone or thing since the Civil War” is beyond silly. In the first case, American influence has waned in some areas to be sure (Russia, the Mediterranean, parts of Latin America), but it is increased in other areas, such as India, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. And with conservatives replacing liberals in Germany, France, and Italy in recent elections, and with the Conservatives ascending in England, I really find GetReal’s assertion to be quite comical. In the second place, any student of history can point to several presidents who diminished our influence around the world far more than even Bush’s detractors in the media would claim for him. (Carter, Hoover, Harrison, and Taft come to mind).
On a more serious note, I think GetReal needs to wrap HIS mind around what people actually say. Here are two examples: He cals GetReal “not very intelligent” for supposedly claiming that “‘only the most wealthy’” hate Bush, when Cal ACTUALY wrote that “that the majority of folks who hate Bush the most are the wealthiest, most sheltered Americans—who enjoy the best lives and are affected least (positively mostly) by his policies.” Note the shift from “the majority of folks” (a fact born out by polling demographics) to “only the most”. The other example comes straight from polling. Yes, the Presidents APPROVAL ratings are in the low 30′s. But that doesn’t mean that 70% think he is doing a “terrible job” as “Get Real” suggests. Many of those who disapprove of his performance think he is doing a poor job, but not a terrible one. Others in that group post “no opinion” or “neither approve nor disapprove”. These numbers have been consistent for about a year now.
And let us not forget that many of those who disapprove of the President’s job performance do so because they critique him from the RIGHT, not the LEFT. They fault him for not being an articulate champion-advocate of conservative policies, for signing off on congressional overspending, or for taking too long to fire generals and change course so that we can WIN the war, not retreat from it.
Hate does prevent the mind from thinking clearly.
