2012 US Elections

I was, up until this year, a supporter of the Republican Party. I'm not really crazy about the Democrats or any of the third parties.

Perhaps Mitt Romney would have made a good President but he is not the man his father was (former Michigan governor George Romney, who was highly respected during his long tenure in office). When he made that remark about the 47% he lost me right then and there. I don't care if it was taken out of context. He, as a public figure in the age of Twitter and YouTube, should have known better. If he made that slip what others don't we know about? You do not tell people you don't care about half the potential voting population and expect that they will overlook that when it comes time to vote.

There are other issues I have with the Republicans in general and it is so sad because in many ways I do agree with them more than the Democrats. But I as a woman will not stand idly by and listen to one of their darlings call a young woman a slut just for expressing her opinion. That was totally uncalled for. Nor did remarks about "legitimate rape" impress me either. It is sad, it is very sad. Then there's the business of Michigan's "religious exemption" for bullying. And the Republican party chairman who hung an empty lawn chair from a tree in his front yard but couldn't understand why African-Americans were offended. Oh, yes, real cute. Keep it up, folks.

This morning MLive.com had an article about why single women voted for Obama. I'm single and I (reluctantly) voted for Obama. And it was for basically the same reasons the author stated: single women have a more precarious economic existence than married women and they do not feel that the Republican party is concerned with them. You should have seen all the negative comments from Republican readers. According to THEM, the reason why I, Spinning Compass, a single woman, voted for Obama is because I want taxpayers to pay for all the babies I pump out. I can't find a man so I want the government to support me. Because that is why single women (and I am a single woman) voted for Obama.

Well, you know what? That just drove me even further away from the Republican party. I used to call myself one with pride. Not no more. For the record, all you Republicans out there who commented on mLive, I own my own house, I work full-time and I don't get one damn dime from Obama's or anyone else's government. I have no children and I am pro-life. But you don't see that, do you? You only see "single women voted for Obama" and that's enough to start your ignorant mouths running (or your fingers typing). No, you didn't say it to me personally but you didn't have to.

Sorry Geordie, for the rant. I know you don't feel that way. But this is the problem the Republicans face. They are doing their best to drive people away from them--even people who would have supported them otherwise. And it gets even sillier and scarier . . . see my next blog.

Well, the Republicans just lost the focus, they are only interested in retaining hard-core members... But they wait for the Democrats to die.

I wish the Republicans can really work hard to engage all Americans, not just one segment of America. Until that happens, however, the current version of the Democrat Party will have a sort of political hegemony - but who knows what will happen in 2016?

I can see what you mean in your scepticism about Obama. The problem is that the republican party, under Romney, had become a party of extremists, racists, homophobic people, misogynists, the fabulously wealthy & religious fanatics. I don't mean every day normal Christians, but those who are truly fanatical & dangerous in their extremism.

By what you described, I'd bet that you haven't set foot in America since the economic crisis & the mortgage meltdown. We've driven through the country several times since & spent a lot of time there. I've seen entire neighbourhoods full of empty working class & middle class homes for sale at rummage sale prices due to foreclosure. Where families used to reside, are now row after row of boarded up houses. Where did these people go? Well, since most are heavily in debt, they cannot pass the credit checks to rent an apartment & cannot afford one any ways. Many are in pitiful state run shelters. There are long waiting lists for a room in these shelters so in the Southern states, entire TENT communities have sprung up. Whole families are living in tents in wooded areas like vagrants! It was beyond shocking & sad to see this in an allegedly 1st world country.

Many Americans have literally died after long suffering for lack of health insurance. When they lost their job, they lost their family insurance. Many don't qualify for medicare & in the USA it only covers very little. Remember the American obesity epidemic? It is far worse amongst the poor & low income people. They are the ones with the Diabetes & the heart conditions & they cannot afford either insulin or the statins they require in order to remain alive.

The thing with Romney's 'cut taxes'/slash 'entitlements' plan is that it would 'solve' economic problems by killing off the poor, the elderly, veterans & anyone not rich. Programmes like Sesame Street are aimed at the poorest demographics in US society who cannot afford pre-schools, fancy educational toys or have the knowledge themselves to provide some education to their young kids. These kids begin at a deficit & are further disadvantaged all through their childhood due to their parents' poverty. The current Republican party is one wherein poor people & formerly middle class people get blamed for their poverty: not assisted.

Similar to Compass, we own our home. We are NOT in Romney's 47%. In Canada, I vote Progressive Conservative but in our country, nobody has to choose between food & medicine. We didn't have a mortgage meltdown & we now have the most stable banks on Earth. We are a truly inclusive tolerant society where there are no 'black' or 'white' neighbourhoods: people just reside where they reside. Racially hostile politicking like Romney's campaign, appalled Canadians to where Obama had 89% support amongst Canadians when polled!

I refuse to hate & fear the Chinese: I live in an area with thousands of Chinese people who are valued citizens. I refuse to hate & fear the Russians (I married one). As for Muslims & Mexicans: I'm not about to cower in fear of them either. We Quebeckers are the most highly taxed people in North America & I'm in a very high tax bracket. If that means that an impoverished schizophrenic gets his medication, mental health care & other support for free, then GOOD! If it means that no family with kids ever has to live in a TENT because the low income housing plan will provide them with a nice apartment with the rent frozen at 1/4th their income then GOOD! If it means that low tuition allows anyone who wants to the chance to go to college (Handicapped people go FREE) then GOOD! But for incredible good fortune, it could be me in need.

Please, Geordie, never fear that because of your political opinions you must hide or retreat from the forum. Differences of opinion are what spark important conversations that people need to engage in & I personally love reading about what others think on these issues.

I wish more countries would make sensible countries like those in Canada. High tax brackets lead to a social safety net that advances opportunities for all - this is something every advanced country with no such policies should learn from.

I don't believe the problem here in the US is the taxes aren't high enough but the revenue generated by them is abused and not properly
spent. Before any americans would agree to higher taxes they would have to have their faith restored that it would be spent properly
and actually make a difference (not giving a raise to congress). I used to live in MA and the taxes are very high but the social benefits
are lower than here in FL and the homeless rate was much higher also not to mention the average rent was more than triple than here
for the same starting pay.
I used to see some people live 8-10 family in a 1-2 bedroom apartment because rent was so high but nothing like that here in FL.

@ Nolan: We have the same corruption & mishandling of taxpayer money here in QC. it has caused a change in the Provincial & Montreal gov'ts & the mayor was forced out of office in disgrace as his role in giving municipal contracts, at inflated prices, to the mafia. So much corruption & waste has occurred in Montreal that a special commission (The Charbonneau commission) has been appointed to independently & openly investigate. Organized crime is in control of costruction & municipal contracts. The investigation has led to a parade of politicians leaving office & to many people confessing to accepting bribes from the mob (in exchange for immunity from prosecution, they confess). The whole mess is infuriating.

Soup--the way things are going here in the States you Canadians might have to do with your border what we are doing with the Mexican! I'm serious. Canada sounds more and more attractive every day. Hey, I have Canadian ancestry (Quebec, no less!) so maybe it might be an advantage if it came time to emigrate? But I've heard it's awful tough to get approved for Canadian citizenship . . . Oh, well, maybe I'll just be an illegal alien and sneak across the Detroit River.

I just hope through some measures, the economy can be healthy again, and people will find the right digs to live eventually.