Santorum’s Michigan lead down to 4%

Interesting:

The Republican race for President in Michigan has tightened considerably over the last week, with what was a 15 point lead for Rick Santorum down to 4. He leads with 37% to 33% for Mitt Romney, 15% for Ron Paul, and 10% for Newt Gingrich.
The tightening over the last week is much more a function of Romney gaining than Santorum falling. Santorum’s favorability spread of 67/23 has seen no change since our last poll, and his share of the vote has dropped only 2 points from 39% to 37%. Romney meanwhile has seen his net favorability improve 10 points from +10 (49/39) to +20 (55/35) and his vote share go from 24% to 33%.
What we’re seeing in Michigan is a very different story from Florida where Romney surged by effectively destroying his opponent’s image- here Romney’s gains have more to do with building himself up.
Groups Santorum has double digit leads with include Protestants (up 47-30), union members (up 43-23), Evangelicals (up 51-24), Tea Partiers (up 55-20), ‘very conservative’ voters (up 54-23), and men (up 40-28).
Romney is leading the field with women (38-34), seniors (42-34), moderates (35-24), ‘somewhat conservative’ voters (40-34), and Catholics (43-31).
Newt Gingrich’s continued presence in the race is helping Romney a lot. If he dropped 45% of his supporters would go to Santorum, compared to only 29% for Romney and it would push Santorum’s lead over Romney up to 42-33. 47% of primary voters think Gingrich should drop out while only 40% believe he should continue on, but he’s certainly not showing any indication he’ll leave.
Santorum’s advantage over Romney seems to be a reflection of voters being more comfortable with where he is ideologically. 48% of voters think Santorum has more similar beliefs to them, compared to only 32% who pick Romney on that question. 63% of primary voters think Santorum’s views are ‘about right’ compared to only 42% who say that for Romney. 37% believe that Romney is ‘too liberal.
via Michigan GOP race tightens – Public Policy Polling.

It could be the fact that people from Michigan are beginning to realize that Santorum is a Religious extremist. Which is fine, if you are a lowly blogger like myself. But when you are running for President of the United States; that can be a problem. Mitt Romney is more a moderate; but his Religion sucks. My issue with both of these guys is this; their religion, because you have one guy who is a part of what the Bible calls, “The Great Whore of Babylon” and then you have a guy who’s a part of the biggest false Christian cult since the Roman Catholic Church. But as an protestant Christian, as a Fundamentalist Baptist, of this stripe here; both of these religions are a problem, and a big one at that! The question both of these candidates need to answer is this; of where do these two gentleman’s allegiances lie? Are they with the Roman Catholic Church or in Romney’s case, are they with the Mormon Church?

Is Romney’s plan for America one to uphold the Constitution and restore America’s greatness…. or is it to fulfill the Mormon agenda? Which can be read here and here.

Is Santorum’s plan to fulfill the Roman Catholic’s plan for America? Which can be read about here.

For all of Ron Paul’s issues; at least he is a protestant Christian; and I believe I could actually trust him in the White House. I might just for him in the primary here.

Mitt Romney pimps out Donald Trump

How Ironic:

ABC News’ Michael Falcone reports:
With just over a week to go before Michigan voters head to the polls, Mitt Romney is enlisting the help of one of his highest-wattage surrogates: Donald Trump.
The real estate mogul is preparing to spread his pro-Romney, anti-Rick Santorum message in a series of radio interviews this week on local stations from Traverse City to Detroit.
Trump’s effort begins Monday morning with an interview on the “Art Lewis Show,” on WSGW news radio in the Flint-Saginaw media market.
On Tuesday he will call into the “Ron Jolly Show” on WTCM in Traverse City. On Wednesday it’s the “Paul Smith Show” on WJR in Detroit. And on Thursday, Trump will talk to Michael Patrick Shiels, host of a drive-time radio program on WJIM in Lansing
via Donald Trump Hitting The Michigan Airwaves For Mitt Romney – ABC News.

A Wishy-Washy independent stumping for an indecisive Moderate, how quaint. An old saying, “Money looks out for money.” This is perfect example of that. I do not think that it will much help or hurt. Either Romney will bag the primary here or he will not; I seriously doubt that “The Donald” will influence that at all.

I have touched on this, in this blog posting here; But to repeat, Michigan’s largest voting bloc is the Independent voter and I am not entirely convinced that these voters are overly impressed with either Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum; at least not among the working class folk, or as they’re called “The 60k or less a year crowd.” I know that, as someone who is a working stuff, (Present Employment situation notwithstanding) I am not overly impressed with either of them really. Although, I could be very well wrong. Something just tells me, that Santorum and Mitt are going to be barking up the wrong tree around here. Especially with Santorum’s dog-whistle comments about Obama.

It remains to be seen; but I have feeling both of these guys are going to be highly disappointed.

Memo to Rick Santorum: This is not helping your cause

This is not a smart move, Mr. Santorum.

Via the Detroit News:

Washington — Rick Santorum on Sunday condemned what he called President Barack Obama’s world view that “elevates the Earth above man” and requires insurers to pay for prenatal tests that will encourage more abortions.
A day after telling an Ohio audience that Obama’s agenda is based on “some phony theology, not a theology based on the Bible,” the GOP presidential candidate said he wasn’t criticizing the president’s Christianity.
“I’ve repeatedly said I don’t question the president’s faith. I’ve repeatedly said that I believe the president’s Christian,” Santorum said in a broadcast interview. “I am talking about his world view, and the way he approaches problems in this country. I think they’re different than how most people do in America.”
The former Pennsylvania senator said Obama’s environmental policies promote ideas of “radical environmentalists,” who, Santorum argues, oppose greater use of the country’s natural resources because they believe “man is here to serve the Earth.” He said that was the reference he was making Saturday in his Ohio campaign appearance when he denounced a “phony theology.”
“I think that is a phony ideal. I don’t believe that is what we’re here to do,” Santorum said. “We’re not here to serve the Earth. The Earth is not the objective. Man is the objective.”
Obama’s campaign said Santorum’s remarks were another attack on the president’s faith by Republican rivals in a nominating contest that has grown increasingly bitter and negative.
“It’s just time to get rid of this mindset in our politics that, if we disagree, we have to question character and faith,” said Robert Gibbs, Obama’s former press secretary. “Those days have long passed in our politics. Our problems and our challenges are far too great.

I really hate to be the one to bring this out; nothing bothers me more than to have to point out the obvious. However, because I am a Lincoln Conservative, a libertarian-minded Conservative and because I happen to believe that all forms of bigotry are simply immoral, I must address this issue.

Mr. Santorum, your dog whistle racism needs to stop. This idiotic notion that President Barack Obama is not a Christian because he happens to disagree with your political stance is asinine at best. Mr. Santorum your use of the word “worldview” is troubling. Because I happen to believe that what you are actually saying is that because President Barack Obama is a man of color, because he is a black man; that somehow or another he views American differently than say yourself or even me.

My simple question to you sir is this; would you make the same statement of that nature to a Democratic Party Presidential candidate who was of the White race? I happen to believe that the answer to that very important question would be a resounding no. Because sir, it is a fact that your Party and the Conservatives that happen to reside in have been fanning the flames of an belief that because President Barack Obama is a black man and has ancestral ties to the African nation of Kenya; that somehow or another he is a communist. Further that he somehow or another loves the Nation of Kenya more than he loves the United States of America.

Mr. Santorum because I grew up on the southwest side of the City of Detroit, in the state of Michigan here, I find all of this to very mightily offensive. Furthermore, sir, I have a solemn warning to you and your campaign, and to the Republican National committee. If you do not drop this idiotic and utterly contemptible pursuit of dog whistle racism in your pursuit of the White House, you sir will lose and the Democrats will win the election in 2012.

Because there is something that you, your campaign and the Republican National Committee need to know, Michigan is a very diverse state; racially, politically and economically. Good portions of the residents of this wonderful state of ours are neither Republicans nor Democrats; many of them, like me, indentify ourselves as political independents, who usually vote for other third parties, if the candidates in the two major parties do not meet to what we feel meet our needs as citizens of this great Country of ours.

Mr. Santorum, if you continue this practice of “dog whistle” racism during this primary, you might actually succeed in defeating Mitt Romney in the primary here in Michigan. You might just also successfully be able to win the nomination of your own party. However, I assure you that you will lose the general election, not only here in Michigan, but nationally as well; because the America know when nuanced racist language is used against a black man. We knew in 1964, when the southern Democrats wanted to keep blacks in the south from being truly free and we know it now. We knew it during World War 2, when people from your own party objected to rescuing Jews from the insanity of Hitler. Sadly, some of your people in your party are still bigots of that sort.

So, please sir; stop this madness while you still can maintain control of your own message.

This is the way that politics used to be

I think that this is a great story.

Via NYT:

LAKE JACKSON, Tex. — Once there was a challenge of a softball game from the Ron Paul clan to the Mitt Romney clan. “They didn’t show up,” Mr. Paul says. “We didn’t schedule it. We really razz them about that, ‘You guys chickened out!’ ”
This is the way that politics should be today!
In a Republican presidential contest known for its angry rivalries, the Romney-Paul relationship stands out for its behind-the-scenes civility. It is a friendship that, by Mr. Paul’s telling, Mr. Romney has worked to cultivate. The question is whether it is also one that could pay dividends for Mr. Romney as he faces yet more setbacks in his struggle to capture the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination.
Ideological similarities among supporters of Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich suggest that if Mr. Gingrich dropped out, many of his backers would coalesce behind Mr. Santorum. But as Mr. Paul steadily collects delegates, one thing that remains to be seen is whether his affinity — at least on a personal level — for Mr. Romney could help the former Massachusetts governor as the fight drags on.
Mr. Paul, a 76-year-old congressman from Texas, sees his three Republican rivals as more or less the same politically. He can be tough on Mr. Romney, whom he describes as a flip-flopper with a dubious political core.
“He’s been all over the place on some of this stuff,” Mr. Paul said in a recent interview near his Texas home. But he seems to segregate those views from his personal feelings for Mr. Romney, whom he sees as a steady, dignified personality whose devotion to wife and family reflect his own values.

I would recommend that you head on over and read the rest of that; it is a truly great story of how two men who disagree on much and still are friendly to one another. This is the way that it was back in the days of Ronald Reagan, him and Tip O’Neil would fight like dogs during business hours and then after business hours, Tip and Ron would have a drink at the White House and discuss the days events.

Again, at the risk of sounding like a nostalgic old fogie, this is the way things were done in the olden days. When leaders were statesmen, and not the idiots we have today. We could learn much from these people of old, it is tragic that people like Ron Paul are not more followed in the way they do things. Not that I support all of Ron Paul’s policy positions, but his statesmanship is something to be admired.

By the way, yes, I did give Althouse a little grief on her blog; she is a two-bit phony, in my humble opinion. She gives Ron Paul and Mitt Romney grief for their kindness toward each other. I think Ann Althouse could learn a little about what true Conservatism is from Rep. Paul. Because it is surely not what she pawns off as Conservative; that is for sure. Sorry, but voting for a liberal socialist Democrat is not conservative, not even close.

Gov. Rick Snyder sells out to the Republican establishment

I voted for the man, I now regret that choice.

In a Detroit News op-ed today, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced his support of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the contest for the GOP presidential nomination.
Romney, who is campaigning in Michigan ahead of the Feb. 28 primary here, faces a tough challenge by former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Ahead of a Grand Rapids visit Wednesday, Romney’s campaign announced a list of endorsements from other Michigan Republicans.
via Rick Snyder: ‘Mitt Romney is the man for the job’ | MLive.com.

Good luck in your reelection bid Mr. Governor. You certainly do not represent my views. I will not make that mistake again. Here is hoping that you will be voted out. Just more living proof that the so-called “Tea Party” was nothing more than an abject failure that really did not change a thing. At least not in the Republican Party.

Why I cannot stand Mitt Romney

For this crap right here:

The Obama Administration’s $85 billion auto bailout in 2009 was “crony capitalism on a grand scale,” according to Mitt Romney.
In an opinion editorial published today by The Detroit News, the Republican presidential hopeful not only attacks the way the administration handled the bailout of General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, but argues that the United Auto Workers union benefited from the bankruptcies in wake of contributing millions to Democrats and Barack Obama’s campaign.
“Thus, the outcome of the managed bankruptcy proceedings was dictated by the terms of the bailout,” Romney writes. “Chrysler’s ‘secured creditors,’ who in the normal course of affairs should have been first in line for compensation, were given short shrift, while at the same time, the UAWs’ union-boss-controlled trust fund received a 55 percent stake in the firm.”
via Romney: Auto bailout was ‘crony capitalism,’ taxpayers should get reimbursed | MLive.com.

I mean, the man is a serial flip-flopper, to the point when Jennifer Granholm, of all people, had to point this out. Now he is trying to appeal to the wealthy Republicans by capping the auto industry. The dude is a two-bit phony and I believe Michigan is getting hip to this. Which is why he is failing in the polls here. I am not a fan of Santorum either; but at least he is honest about what he actually is. But, no matter, neither of them will win to Obama. Which is why I believe we need a brokered Convention in the Republican Party. So we can put a real Conservative in there, a Tea Party candidate and not some beltway veteran.

Is this the best that the AFL-CIO can do?

Shocker! Not. (Via InstaPundit)

Protesters at Friday’s “Occupy CPAC” event, organized by AFL-CIO and the Occupy DC movement, told The Daily Caller that they were paid “sixty bucks a head” to protest outside the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.
One protester told TheDC that all the “Occupy” activists were being paid to protest, and that his union, Sheet Metal Workers Local 100, approached him about the money-making opportunity.
“I have nothing nice to say about Local 100. … They just told me ‘you wanna make sixty bucks? So c’mon,’” the protester said.
Other “Occupy CPAC” protesters were unwilling to speak on camera because they were unaware what they were protesting and what the CPAC event was about.
via Occupy CPAC | Union | Paid | The Daily Caller.

Allow me to say this; as the son of a retired General Motors worker and retired member of the UAW —- is this is the best that the AFL-CIO can do for a protest? If this is the case, and I do fear that it is — then I do fear for the future of the labor movement. Because this is how lame, desperate — pick a damn adverb — that they have become. The once great AFL-CIO, which stood for the common man and made sure that crony capitalists were held in check; is now nothing more than a casting service for the far liberal left.

Another thing too; if the AFL-CIO is paying people to protest — my question is, what else are they planning on paying people to do? I mean, and I hate to be the one to say it — But these people are a part of the far liberal left, we used to call them communists. Anyhow, what else will they pay people to do? All I am going to say is this; it was a glitter bomb used here here recently on Mitt Romney, I just hope the secret service is up for the job. Because I will say this; in 1970 Walter Reuther‘s plane went down near Black Lake, Michigan. Most union people believe the plane was sabotaged. They also believe that the crony capitalists at the big three were responsible; I disagree with that. I believe the the communists did him in. Because in 1949, Reuther expelled the Communist-backed unions from the CIO. Who is to say, that they did not kill Reuther in an act of revenge? Communists, much like their brothers-in-arms — Muslim Terrorists — are very patient people and will wait for their moment of revenge, years if it takes that long.

Because you have to understand, these people on the far communist left; they know no valor, no morals — nothing. They are power hungry people and they have much invested in Barack Obama and they will stop at nothing to protect him. This is why I worry about whomever becomes the nominee of the GOP. Because in 2008, they had nothing really to lose. In 2012, it is another story; they have a whole bunch to lose. I am not saying that I have any sort of inside knowledge at all. However, I know these people and I know how they play their game. I just hope the GOP, the secret service and everyone else on the right is on their game. Because to be quite honest, in this election; I fear the worst. I don’t know why. But I do. You can call it a gut feeling that I have.

I just hope, for everyone’s sake — that I am wrong. 🙁

The Donald endorses Mittens

A crony capitalist endorses a crony capitalist:

The Video:

The Story:

(CNN) — Celebrity business magnate Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney for president Thursday, telling reporters he will not mount an independent campaign if Romney is the Republican nominee.
Trump, who has repeatedly flirted with the possibility of his own White House bid, revealed his decision in Las Vegas two days before Nevada’s Saturday caucuses.
“It’s my honor, real honor, to endorse Mitt Romney,” Trump said, with Romney and his wife standing nearby. Calling Romney “tough” and “smart,” Trump said, “he’s not going to continue to allow bad things to happen to this country.”
Romney responded by praising Trump for “an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works and to create jobs” and for being “one of the few who has stood up to say China is cheating” in international trade.
via Trump endorses Romney – CNN.com.

The White House reacts: (Video) (H/T Washington Examiner)

Drudge called that sneering. I thought it was rather funny myself. 😛

Blogger Roundup Here.

Ann Coulter flips her cork

Oh Yeah, she’s lost it.

If only the Democrats had decided to socialize the food industry or housing, Romneycare would probably still be viewed as a massive triumph for conservative free-market principles — as it was at the time.
It’s not as if we had a beautifully functioning free market in health care until Gov. Mitt Romney came along and wrecked it by requiring that Massachusetts residents purchase their own health insurance. In 2007, when Romneycare became law, the federal government alone was already picking up the tab for 45.4 percent of all health care expenditures in the country.
Until Obamacare, mandatory private health insurance was considered the free-market alternative to the Democrats’ piecemeal socialization of the entire medical industry.
In November 2004, for example, libertarian Ronald Bailey praised mandated private health insurance in Reason magazine, saying that it “could preserve and extend the advantages of a free market with a minimal amount of coercion.”
A leading conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation, helped design Romneycare, and its health care analyst, Bob Moffit, flew to Boston for the bill signing.
via Ann Coulter – February 1, 2012 – THREE CHEERS FOR ROMNEYCARE!.

It’s terrible when Conservatives go into the tank for a candidate. This is living proof.

Audio: Mark Levin challenges Ann’s Column

Others: Campaign 2012, The Other McCain, The Right Scoop, Riehl World View, iOwnTheWorld.com, Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit, Mark America, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Patterico’s Pontifications

Explaining myself

I really do not feel the need to do this; but just in case someone tries to accuse me of talking out of both sides of my rather large pothole — I will. 😀

I said in the space of 24 hours a few things that might make some of you think I am either being hypocritical or double-minded. (who me? 😯 )

Quoting me here:

Furthermore, the reason for my decision is this; the race of the GOP’s nomination for President of the United States is not supposed to be a religious test. If that is the case in the Republican Party, then why in the name of the Almighty God of Heaven did Newt Gingrich use the Jews as a proxy to attack Mitt Romney’s Mormonism? I know the answer —-desperation. I do not wish to support a man, who instructs his advisors to play “Dirty Pool.” It shows of the man’s character and I find it lacking greatly. I will not call Newt Gingrich an Anti-Semite, as I do not know his heart or him personally. However, I found this attack to most untactful, idiotic and highly unbecoming of someone who is supposed to be a Reagan Conservative.

and…quoting me here:

…and by the way, Mitt? We’re not that concerned about your stupid, out of touch, rich, white Mormon ass either!

Now at first blush, you would say, “Hey! You’re just as bad as Newt!” and to your credit, it does look that way.

However, one thing is missing; and that is the fact that I was not attacking Mitt Romney because he is a Mormon — I was attacking Mitt Romney because he sounded like an out of touch elitist.

Sometimes I do not make stuff like that clear and I get accused of being a hypocrite or not practicing what I preach. One of my worst character traits is that I always assume that everyone else knows what I am referring to; and sometimes I use the wrong words or wrong express to covey a thought. It might have something to do with my A.D.H.D. So, pardon me if you misread the above thought I was double-jaw-jackin’ ya’ll. I wasn’t. I knew what I meant! Now, everyone else? Not so much. 😛

One of these fine days I will finally learn that we as humans are not clairvoyant! 😀