Ohio is Gone

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/9/26/14322/6881

Ohio is Gone

by BooMan
Wed Sep 26th, 2012 at 02:32:02 PM EST

Mitt Romney kicked himself in the balls when he opposed the auto bailout, and it's killing him in Ohio. That probably explains something that is puzzling Nate Silver. Why is Obama performing better in Ohio than he is nationally, when that never happens for a Democrat? It's because one in eight jobs in Ohio are tied to the auto industry. It doesn't help that the Republican governor of Ohio picked a high-profile fight with the labor unions and lost. If you think white working class guys in Ohio are lining up to vote for the "plutocrat married to a known equestrian," you are quite mistaken. Ask them who is better on the economy and they will tell you 'Obama.' This is evidence that the GOP is no longer a national party. Ohio is supposed to be a right-leaning state that Democrats can occasionally win. But, right now, it is a left-leaning state. And it will probably stay that way, just like Michigan and Pennsylvania.

[K Gardner]

1. Happy to be first K&R !

[avebury]

2. K&R nt

[gademocrat7]

3. K&R

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. BooMan!

[skeewee08]

5. K&R.....

[Cha]

6. Thanks for booman's take on Ohio, babylonsistah!

Here's another take from TNR.. Ohio being in the news and all.

Obama's Stunning Ohio Turnaround

http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/107729/how-obama-made-ohio-lean-dem-state

h/t http://theobamadiary.com/

[lumberjack_jeff]

7. Hey, ho, way to go, Ohio.

[The Wizard]

11. Is Rash Limbaugh

still using OHIO as a bumper?

[calimary]

48. Rash limbaugh! LOL!

The Wizard scores!

[Still Sensible]

8. As a native Ohioan

that has moved to a number of other places, I am thrilled. It would be nice to see an auto worker actually kick Rmoney in the balls, but the symbolic kickson election day will have to do.

[CrispyQ]

9. It's still early, but I hope so.

A lot of white working class guys work along side black working class guys & they work well together & with respect. Collar color binds them more tightly than skin color separates them. The corporate elite hate that. They hate it. It's one of the reasons they want to destroy unions. It's a way to fight back.

[jamesatemple]

19. Damn fine post, CrispyQ!

That line, "Collar color binds them more tightly than skin color separates them.", caught my attention immediately. I don't know if those words are yours or are borrowed but, in either case, I commend your use of them.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

24. Mine too. Great quote.

[CrispyQ]

27. Thank you.

My words, but shared sentiment among the majority of the working class, at least the ones I know.

I've been blue collar most of my life & was in a union. Even as a salaried programmer, I felt more kinship with my blue collar coworkers, as management loaded more & more hours on us without compensation. Coming from a union shop, that really bristled me!

I think there are a lot of people who have been voting against their best interests & are realizing that this is not a red/blue fight, this is a class fight. The same fight we have been fighting since we crawled out of the cave. Are we in this together or are we on our own? They are conflicting world views.

Jared Bernstein was VP Biden's economic adviser when Biden first took office. He's written a few books. In one of them*, he writes:

"In a just society, there is no limit to how high one can climb, but there is a limit to how far one can fall."

I love this statement! It's the community version of "What you do to one, you do to all."

We need to take care of all. I believe humanity is about inclusiveness, not exclusiveness. Celebrate diversity!

Welcome to DU, jamesatemple. I am a better person for this site. And smarter too.



* All Together Now: Common Sense for a Fair Economy by Jared Bernstein

[MyOwnPeace]

69. "Q"

You are a master with words, my friend!

[calimary]

38. KICK! Proud union member here!

DESTABILIZE AND DEMORALIZE THE ENEMY.

Especially THIS enemy - that isn't used to having an opponent who fights back - and hits HARD. That's only been a recent development - where OUR side is actually showing a backbone, and claws, AND teeth. And brains and LOTS of heart. And the enemy is being shown as the cold, heartless, "let 'em eat cake" types they always have been, but may have been better at concealing. Our friend mitt "47 percent" wrongney certainly ripped the Emperor's clothes off in that one.

[CrispyQ]

41. Hey you!

Especially THIS enemy - that isn't used to having an opponent who fights back

That Harry Reid - let's hope he keeps the gloves on!

Teeth, brains & heart, Oh, my!

[calimary]

47. That Harry Reid is impressive. It kinda sneaks up on you.

Hugs back atcha!

[donqpublic]

10. Loved the "known equestrian" comment! (n/t)

[DCKit]

50. +2, too funny! Sholdn't we be ashamed of ourselves? It's almost racist, certainly classist. nt

[Ikonoklast]

12. North of I-70, east to west, Ohio is full of auto manufacturers and suppliers.

That industry employs hundreds of thousands directly in Ohio.

Those people aren't entirely all idiots, they know that if GM was allowed to fail, Honda would have gone down, too, along with Ford, along with all their jobs.

[hunter]

62. They know Obama is on their side.

Romney would take their jobs to China or someplace cheaper and worse.

I once worked an entire summer making a little latch part for American built aircraft.

One little part turned on the lathe before lunch, and another little stamped springy part after lunch.

The pay was pretty good too.

Maybe these parts could have been made in China for cheap, but the quality of the parts I made here in the USA was first class, and I spent every dollar I made here in the USA too.

[Ikonoklast]

64. There is a huge backlash over sub-standard Chinese and Indian auto and heavy truck parts imported

into this country.

The shoddiness of manufacture, the substandard materials used, the sloppy tolerances, bearings that seem to be made out of cream cheese, and electrical parts that glow blue and go snap, crackle, and pop the moment you put power to them are giving parts suppliers migraines as they are not only on the hook for warranting the defective part, but many shops also ding them for part of their labor costs if the repair with a defective part doesn't even make it out of the shop, and they have to do the same work twice.

That labor gets partially charged back to the parts supplier, and if the supplier wants to continue doing business with that shop, they'll eat the cost.

Many independent repair facilities now specify to their parts suppliers, "Made In North America ONLY" parts when ordered, or they get sent back.

One day a couple of years ago at the shop that does my repairs, the service manager called me over and asked me to look at a pallet of brand new heavy truck brake drums imported from India, and asked if I could see anything wrong with them.

To my naked eye, each one was visibly out-of-round. Each drum was oval-shaped, instead of being as close to perfectly round as could be. If they had been used, it may have resulted in some rather serious consequences for all involved.

After that, all of their purchases are Made In America, and they don't care if they cost three dollars more for each drum.

[hunter]

66. My boss, who made parts for manned space missions...

... had zero tolerance for crap...even when he was making "consumer" stuff like microwave oven parts.

But I suppose our disposable sub-$75 Wal-Mart microwave-ovens-that-don't-last are too important in our modern Romney economy...

[CindyinIndy]

13. Thanks

More good news. Lots of it today!

[mountain grammy]

14. It shouldn't even be close

[johnnyrocket]

15. THAT'S more like it, Ohio! Know your true 'left leaning' self.

It always perplexed me that Mitt was ever ahead there.

[TrollBuster9090]

16. Hahah! I'll believe it when Mitt pulls out of Ohio, and spends all his time campaigning in

Mississippi and Kentucky. Wandering around in a barn coat saying "PLEASE vote for me. It'll be so embarrassing if I don't win even ONE STATE!"

[DFW]

17. I wouldn't go so far as to say Ohio is a "left-leaning" state

After all, Bonehead and mean Jean are from there. Blackwell is from there, and they did elect Kasich governor, so it's not all Kucinich and Sherrod Brown.

BUT--it sure as hell is NOT Rolls-Ryan country! Not this year, anyway.

[geckosfeet]

18. I agree. They have been screwed by the repubs, but if you travel through Ohio you

realize how conservative it can be. Especially down south. They may lean dem just because of the clown car that now passes for the repubs, but there is long way to go before I would call Ohio a liberal or left leaning state.

[ReasonableToo]

54. Check your elections

Did they really elect Rs? Or we're Rs certified as winners. Unfortunately there is sometimes a difference.

[OldDem2012]

20. Ohioans know who has their back...

...and it doesn't really matter to which party they belong.

Romney, Ryan, and the right-wing branch of the GOP have made too many mistakes to win in Ohio or nationally.

[mikekohr]

21. I'd kick & Rec. this a 1000 times if I could

[HughBeaumont]

22. The Sea of Tea isn't helping the GOP this year.

I think the county-by-county map should be just as it was in 2008. More than a few Bush/McCain-voting Republicans I know do not like Romney at all, and that speaks volumes.

[AAO]

23. K&R

[defacto7]

25. K&R

[ellie]

26. Let's certainly hope so!

There is no reason Ohio should not always go blue. We had Howard Metzenbaum and John Glenn as our senators once for god's sake!

[RBInMaine]

28. KEEP CAMPAIGNING LIKE EVERYWHERE THOUGH!! AND BURY THAT FUCKWAD MITT-TWIT!

[Kolesar]

29. Ohio was a mess under Bush* and under GOP Governors Voinovich and Taft

The domestic auto industry was dissolving during most of the last decade.

[Uncle Joe]

30. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, babylonsister.

[babylonsister]

31. Uncle Joe! I haven't seen you around!

I hope you are well! It's crazy out there, isn't it?!

[Uncle Joe]

34. babylonsister! It's good to see you as well.

I am well thanks for asking but my business has been picking up and I just don't have as much time to visit D.U.

It is crazy out there, every time I come to think that Romney has hit a high point in low points he exceeds my expectations.

I keep thinking he can't possibly be a worse candidate but then he surprises me and becomes a worse candidate!

At this rate I believe Romney will kill a puppy during the debates to prove to the American People that he is tough on terrorism.

Peace to you.

Uncle Joe

[babylonsister]

37. Hahaha! I'm so glad you're doing well and that's the

reason I haven't seen you! I'm really busy also; go figure!

Romney hasn't ceased to amaze! It's all good! What a nimrod!

And peace and happiness to you!

[cheezmaka]

32. K&R

Somebody tell John Boehner, "Ohio given to Obama...DONE!"

[JBoy]

33. +1 for anything that starts with "Romney kicked himself in the balls".

[lordsummerisle]

35. After 2004

I'm very nervous about what can happen in Ohio...

[JohnnyRingo]

36. I owe the president for my pension.

I'm from Ohio and retired from GM.

When the company was teetering on the edge of failure, the cards were laid out before me. I was told if GM went belly-up, the union contracts would be shredded and the pension fund liquidated. I spent some nervous weeks considering my future, whether I'd be able to collect welfare, or what I'd have to do to rejoin the workforce at my vintage. My options were glum indeed and I was facing a distinct change of lifestyle.

Then in the midst of Republican demands to let GM dissolve, the president stepped up and loaned GM the money to get back up without devastating one of the largest union paid workforces in the country.

Now, near here in Lordstown Ohio, the Cobalt plant is working 3 shifts building one of the most popular cars on the road, and my pension check shows up every month. Thank you president Obama.

BTW... Darrrell Issa is still trying to end the PBGC portion of my retirement by accusing the president of collusion with the UAW in awarding our pensions. He's demanded every document created during the bailout to find evidence that he can use to render our pensions null & void. So far, the White House has offered only their middle finger.

[iemitsu]

44. your post ought to be made into an obama campaign ad.

i'm sure you had some sleepless nights while the uber-class attempted to steal your pension. i'm sorry you had to go through that.
your story is wonderful in that things have worked out fine (so far). it is a story that all americans ought to hear before the election.

[JohnnyRingo]

45. I'm just one of thousands

I hate to take it personal, After all, it's about destroying the unions, not me directly. Still, I do and it makes me despise Republicans and their enablers all the more.

While the jury was still pondering the bailout I had a conservative explain to me that GM would be fine on it's own because private investors would step right up and supply the company with the money needed to keep building cars. Of course he strongly implied that the UAW would have to find another line of work for that to happen.

Months later we learned that GM couldn't even find a buyer for their Hummer line, so he was proven full of shit, just like Mitt Romney who proposed the exact same thing.

The first thing that the White House did was shitcan GM's much reviled CEO Rick Wagoner, the man who blamed workers for bad decisions he himself made. I have special reasons for supporting this president over Mr Bain Businessman.

[iemitsu]

56. your story is more common that we are lead to believe.

because there has been so much effort into convincing americans that government is the problem not the solution.
i hate corporatists and republicans too. as a teacher, i and my union are under attack too.
it is important to remember that our "revolutionary experiment" in democratic government was supposed to create a government that worked for the common good. and if it stopped doing that we were supposed to revolt again.
thanks again for sharing.

[Major Hogwash]

39. The GOP went after their union jobs in Ohio, and that was a huge mistake!

The Republican vulture capitalists went after their very livelihood in Ohio -- the way those families have earned a living for decades.
And that shattered their belief system that the Democrats can sometimes be as bad as Republicans.

From what I am hearing, Kasich and Co. is going down the tubes, just as soon as he has to face the voters again.

Just like in Michigan, where Mitt's dad was a popular Governor, there is no personal connection for Mitt to the people who live there.
The folks who made up the middle class, and held those jobs for decades, loyal to the company, believed in the American dream, and hoped to make a better life for their children, while Mitt was busy cannibalizing other companies around the country.

Mitt's reputation as "a business man" is finito.
He may make millions of more dollars from his investments, but he is just too stupid to ever become the President of the United States.

[davidpdx]

40. Romney is going to have to double down on Florida

He can't lose both Ohio and Florida. It will be interesting to see what his next move is.

[fujiyama]

42. If those FL numbers from today are anywhere near accurate

showing Obama with a huge 8-9 point lead in the state, Romney is done.

FL is the equivalent of NY, electoral vote wise. It's importance cannot be overstated, especially for Romney.

This may be an odd election with a slightly narrower popular vote margin of victory for Obama, a larger margin in a few swing states (like OH and FL), but a higher margin of victory for Romney in what are already deep red states. If he's playing to the base, there's just not enough of them anymore, especially in the states that matter.

He can run up his margins in OK all he wants. It won't make a difference in the states that matter. And the demographics will just get worse every election for the GOP unless it completely re-invents itself.

[davidn3600]

43. That poll appears to be an outlier

The Quinnipiac showing an Obama 9 point lead appears to be an outlier. No other poll is coming even close to that. The other polls are agreeing on a 3-4 point lead.

At this point, I'd toss that poll. I mean when 8 other polls show a 4 point lead or less and 1 poll says a 9 point lead... the 9 pt is probably a bad sample.

[MFM008]

51. OR

it could be the showing of the effects of the 47% comments.

[davidpdx]

49. I agree

The EV will be a large margin, but maybe Obama will win by a more narrow percentage then he did in 2008. There are going to be certain states where one of the two candidates will win by large margins, yet maybe the state's electoral vote is not large (Oklahoma was a good example as is Kansas, Utah and Wyoming for Romney. For Obama, Illinois, Hawaii, and Massachusetts)

[ermasdaughter]

46. I am an Ohioan that that's my take on it too...

My uncle said that even his hardcore republican colleagues are voting obama. Even republicans, who have legitimate gripes with Obama's policies, don't want a jackass in the White house....

[madrchsod]

52. where did it go?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

53. According to the NY Times

The Romney Campaign's latest $3.4 million ad buy includes TV time in eight swing state - but ZERO for Ohio.

They've packed up and gone home.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/27/1136961/-Romney-pulling-out-of-Ohio-ZERO-spent-out-of-3-4m-in-ads-Plan-B-Hail-Mary

[DCBob]

55. Wow. thats big news.

how the F can he win without Ohio??

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

58. According to Nate....

He would have to win Virginia and Florida, and basically run the table on everything competetive.

Without Ohio and Florida, there appears to be no statistical chance of a Romney victory.

Among Romney's problems is that Obama is no longer the "scary" outside with a foreign-sounding name. People know him and (for the most part) are comfortable with him. Romney's going to have a hard time scaring seniors the way McCain did in 2008.

[CrispyQ]

59. Tabulators.

Maybe he knows something we don't know.

They stole OH in '04. What's to stop them from doing it again?

[NorthCarolina]

57. The GOP has the Diebold advantage that

delivered Ohio to Bush in 2004. They just may have the brass to attempt a replay.

[CoffeeCat]

60. Ohio has lower unemployment that the national average...

...and everyone knows it is because those auto-industry jobs were saved.

The differences between Mittens and President Obama couldn't be more evident than with this issue.

Mitt Romney wrote an op-ed that ran in the New York Times titled,

"Let Detroit Go Bankrupt"

Hello?

Here's the first paragraph of Mitt's Cassandra moment:
"IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed."

This is one of the main reasons that Mitt is losing handily in Ohio. Contrary to Dick Morris's laughable explanation for the polls, this is WHY. Romney was wrong....so very wrong. And he was just stupid enough to put his idiocy in the New York Times, in an op ed.

STUPID.

[lebkuchen]

61. You are always bringing good news

[eallen]

63. No, really, it's not

Ohio isn't gone until November 7th. Until then, there's no certainty which way it will go.

It's not time to crow.

It's time to help Get Out the Vote.

If you want Ohio to go our way, call your Ohio friends, donate to Ohio campaigns.

And don't take anything for granted, until the election is done.

[SpankMe]

65. Dems are going to lose with this attitude.

Stop saying and promoting the Republicans are no longer a national party or that they are becoming a regional party of the South.

That's EXACTLY was was being said when the Democrats landslided the Whitehouse, House and Senate in 2008. Then, Republicans refocused and took back a lot of ground in 2010 and have been causing trouble ever since.

This talk of a Republican party in decline causes progressives to relax and get lulled into a false sense of security. By bleating that Republicans are in freefall and everything will be OK causes liberals to be less aggressive voters and activists because they think that everything will take care of itself and that there are enough "other" voters out there to keep Repubs out.

Conservatives, on the other hand, go out and vote in all cases. Many elections have been lost by us (libs) simply due to low voter turnout. This is why polls consistently show people broadly favor Democratic principles (by wide margins in some cases) and yet Republicans still win elections and dominate. (They own the House, the Supreme Court and over 30 state houses and governorships.)

Repeat after me: "Republicans are ALWAYS a threat and must ALWAYS be voted against and must NEVER be assumed to be in decline."

[Pericles0753]

67. The GOP Tea Party cannot hold

"When sorrows come, they come not single spies but in battalions." [Hamlet, Act IV]

[Pericles0753]

68. Hamlet

Forgot to say: my quote is from Hamlet Act IV.

[AAO]

70. For a second I thought you got up to the border and there was a huge sinkhole that ate Ohio! n/t

[colsohlibgal]

71. Ohio Rocks!

It's been pretty split depending on where you are. Pretty red down toward Cintucky, really blue NE. Columbus is an increasingly blue oasis in the middle. Overall Ohio seems to be trending blue.

The people who amaze me are the dirt poor folks down in rural southern Ohio counties, who keep voting for the people who keep them poor. Played and they don't get it.