No one could ever accuse the Erie Times News of being the sharpest political analysts on the block, but their piece on the voter registration swing in the 3rd Congressional district is laughable at best.
They believe that the swing in registration, with a large number of new Democrats and a desire for “change” signals an end to the Phil English era. Here’s a news flash: registrations aren’t votes. It has become an every four years tradition for the media to point out the success of voter registration drives and how many young people are signing up to vote and how it signals a real shift in American politics…blah, blah, blah.
A simple look at the historical Presidential election vote points out that young people get energized, get registered, and then do not vote! The 3rd Congressional district is heavily weighted outside the confines of Erie County. Maybe once in a while the Times News should pack some PBJs and a Thermos of coffee and send their crack reporters out to the hinterlands of the district to get a gauge on what’s going on.
English has maintained his seat largely based on the votes coming in down district, not from Erie proper.
To win English’s opponent, Kathy Dahlkemper is going to need to get out to the hinterlands and also raise a TON of cash. I still have my doubts that the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee is going to support her to the fullest, when their handpicked boy Kyle Foust got trounced. I doubt Foust is capable of convincing them they should shift horses and support Dahlkemper. Although I have doubts about Kyle’s ability to wipe his own butt too!
The reality is the registration swing had more to do with folks wanting to have a say in picking the Democrat presidential candidate, than it did an overwhelming desire for change.
___________
While pitching his message to Oregon's environmentally-conscious voters on Sunday, Senator Barack Obama called on the United States to "lead by example" on global warming, and develop new technologies at home which could be exported to developing countries.
"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said. "That's not leadership. That's not going to happen."
What? This is what Obama is passing off as leadership? Leadership to what? Leading us back to the stone ages? Here’s a news flash for Obama: we are the economic engine of the world! We lead the way in innovation, technological advancement, and development, for now. If you have your way and tax the living hell out of us, all of this real leadership will come to a screeching halt.
While Obama is out preaching to the uninformed masses and being lapped up like a plate of chicken and biscuits, for his populist clap trap, the businesses that are the economic engine of this country are keeping a watchful eye on his plans and planning their alternatives to doing business in the United States. And don’t kid yourself that that can’t or won’t happen.
GE can just as easily make their next generation locomotives in Bangalore as they can in Lawrence Park.
__________
__________
I have to laugh at all of the speculation about Vice Presidential picks and short lists. Here’s a news flash: forget about Hillary Clinton ending up as the VP or Mitt Romney teaming with John McCain. When it comes to Vice Presidential picks, boring is the operative word.
Just take a look at recent history, does it get any more boring than Dick Cheney, Al Gore and Dan Quayle? While all of this speculation is fun and political folks love to toss out names for speculative purposes, the reality is we still vote the top of the ticket not the backup plan.
Since we’re in full speculation mode, here’s a couple of picks to chew on: for the Democrat ticket, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and for the Republicans, former Ohio Congressman Rob Portman, a fiscal conservative who recently headed up the Office of Management and Budget. Ohio has played a pivotal role in the last couple of Presidential races and that could have both parties looking for an edge in the state next door.
6 comments:
Yes, GE could build their locomotives overseas, but don't bet on them doing so. It costs about $1 million PER locomotive to ship them overseas, and with the majority of GE's orders being from domestic railroads, mostly for 100-200 locomotives each, that's a HUGE price tag.
Last I heard they were building around 700 locomotives per year...so 100-200 is far from the bulk of their orders...the foreign market has continued to grow...they can tack the cost of shipping on the cost of the finished product just like they do now...hardly an impediment to them moving overseas...and with the cost savings on labor...that million bucks suddenly shrinks pretty dramatically.
How anyone could possibly consider Barack Obama and his hatred filled wife to lead our country and outlaw the American way of life is mind boggling.
Not what I said. I said that each order is generally for 100 to 200 locomotives per order. Last year they produced 970 locomotives.
There is a competitor, EMD, based in Canada. Don't bet on GE moving overseas anytime soon; their price per locomotive is cheaper than EMD right now, but if they move, that will no longer be the case and I guarantee you that the railroads will look to EMD, and not GE.
Also of note, GE already has plants overseas that can build locomotives, such as one in Kazakstan (sp?) but they don't choose to build all of them there because of the expense.
Don't think they are able to build the entire package at the Kazakstan plant...they can build part of the finished product...like John Dineed stated recently, "I'd rather have 50 or 75 percent (of the locomotive)built here, than nothing at all."
Don't bet on GE not looking to overseas if they can't remain competitive on price due to Obama's tax and regulate policies...as I written here many times, corporations DO NOT PAY TAXES...there customers do. If it becomes cost prohibative to pass along those increases, then GE will look for a way to keep costs down and look to a more business friendly climate...lower taxes, cheaper workforce, less regulation...which was my original point. The impact this possibility would have on this community would be staggering! It's not just the 5500 who work a GE, it's everybody who supplies GE and everybody that all of those folks do business with...the trickle down would make a Tsunami look like a walk in the park...Is that the CHANGE Obama keeps yapping about? His potential slaughter of small industrial town like Erie? All you Union types may want to think twice before casting a vote for this clown.
Kathy Dahlkemper is a first class idiot and if she's voted into office...you all deserve her. She's nothing more than an air head Nancy Pelosi light.
Barack Obama is a commie idiot and if he should ever get elected...we're doomed.
Post a Comment