Free Republic

WASHINGTON — A top executive of Chrysler cautioned today that a carmaker collapse could send the economy spiraling into a depression, as the United Auto Workers union braced for contract concessions.

“You just sit and you worry,” said Pat Weber, a construction administrator in Fennville who was laid off more than a year ago. “In the last year, I’ve put in for more than 100 jobs. I stopped counting after 110. It’s just so defeating.” All around Fennville and its neighbors here in southwest Michigan, front lawns are peppered with for-sale signs and merchants complain about slow days. But while this remains a beautiful place with none of the obvious blight of Detroit on the other side of the state, residents say the hardship beneath the surface is very real. It...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan said Sunday he would not object to firing executives of U.S. automakers that get proposed federal bailout money. The Democrat said in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" program that senior management at General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) and Chrysler Corp. should consider resigning their posts if it means their respective firms can get federal assistance. Congressional lawmakers are considering $25 billion in emergency loans for the struggling car makers. The Senate reportedly will take up a bailout proposal Monday. "If it was the difference...

Voters, be patient on Tuesday -- The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Secretary of State spokeswoman Kelly Chesney said people will find lines shorter if they vote between 9 a.m and noon or 1 to 4 p.m. Kent County Polling Locations Obtain a Customized Sample Ballot

In a decidedly Democratic town awash in a sea of Barack Obama political signs, William Wedemeyer knows he is going against the political grain with the McCain-Palin sign he proudly displays on the front lawn of his Ann Arbor home. Still, Wedemeyer was taken aback when he recently received a package in the mail addressed to "Joe Six Pack'' and containing a couple of bags of dog feces. He said he'd like a few minutes alone with whoever sent it. "I'd like to have a five-minute talk about First Amendment rights,'' said Wedemeyer, who lives on the 1000 block of...

One really has to ask the obvious question: If Obama’s economic policies work so well, why isn’t Detroit a paradise? In 1950, America produced 51% of the GNP for the entire world. Of that production, roughly 70% took place in the eight states surrounding the Great Lakes: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. The productive capability of this small area of earth staggers the imagination. Virtually everything that rebuilt the industrial bases of Europe and Japan came from those eight states. Cars, planes, electronics, machine tools, consumer goods, generators, concrete - any conceivable item manufactured by...

Barack Obama now leads John McCain 53% to 43% in Michigan, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state. Though Obama is down from the 16-point lead he held earlier in the month, he still holds a greater advantage over McCain than in all previous polls dating back to February. This is now the seventh straight poll Obama has held the lead in the state. Michigan’s 17 Electoral College votes have gone to the Democratic candidates in the last four presidential elections. The nominees are now tied among unaffiliated voters in Michigan at 46%. Two weeks ago,...

The Detroit Branch NAACP will "Value the Voter" with direct action on Election Day. The direct action will consist of staging Challengers at the polls. They will use monitors including the Nation of Islam to patrol for instances of voter intimidation and suppression. Attorneys will be onsite at the Detroit Branch and at six different ...

Conservative PAC Picks Up Slack In Michigan Posted at 3:05 PM Click here to watch "Obama's Patriotism Problem." Our Country Deserves Better PAC, a conservative third-party group that released one of the more controversial ads against Barack Obama this cycle, is focusing its fire on Michigan, a state that Pollster.com places safely in the blue column less than two weeks out from Election Day.PAC coordinator Joe Wierzbicki explained that the John McCain camp's decision to pull resources from the Wolverine State made it that much more important for his group to pour its resources in. "We think the people...

The Detroit News is a Gannett publication so we can't post excerpts -- only this LINK. However, the gist of the story is that according to the Michigan Secretary of state, voter registration is way up despite decreasing population -- to 98 percent of the state's voting age population. The increase comes from strong RAT areas such as college towns and Detroit. The Rat Secretary of State is pleased people are so excited about the election.

DETROIT – Chrysler LLC told employees Friday it will cut 25% of its white-collar jobs next month. In a letter to employees, Chief Executive Robert Nardelli said the cuts are necessary because of the deep downturn in the economy and the tightening credit situation, which are choking off auto sales.

The Detroit News Thursday endorsed Republican presidential nominee John McCain, but questioned the Arizona senator's vice presidential pick. The newspaper said McCain is the best candidate to lead the nation through "perilous" times, arguing McCain's "character, pragmatism and independence" are needed in the Oval Office. "During these perilous times, the nation needs an experienced, proven leader in the White House. Sen. John McCain is best equipped for the job," the editorial said.

There's a minor brouhaha in Detroit, Michigan. It all started when John McCain announced that he was giving up on Michigan. Since then, one pizza restaurant has decided that it will give away a free pizza to anyone who brings them a McCain-Palin sign. The result: People (teenagers) stealing signs from people's yards to get free pizza. By the way, the owner of the pizza joint does not hide the fact that she is a Barack Obama supporter.

Some say a Warren restaurant's tempting offer is nothing but a dirty campaign trick. The local pizzeria is offering free pizza in exchange for some campaign signs.

A judge has ordered Michigan election officials to stop automatically canceling a voter's registration if the card is returned as undeliverable.

LANSING - A gallon of gas costs more than twice what it did six years ago, the last time incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Carl Levin was up for re-election. The average statewide cost for regular unleaded gasoline was $3.27 per gallon as of Friday, according to AAA Michigan. The price topped $4 at times this summer, very different from the $1.55 per gallon Michigan motorists were paying in October 2002. Energy prices are among the top concerns for Michigan voters headed to the polls Nov. 4. The price and availability of energy, along with the nation's emerging energy policy, could...

This is from the day after Sarah sweetly beat Biden in their debate. The video is right here. McCain campaign advisers said to give up on Michigan. "Never Surrender" Sarah said no. She wants to go. She is in this to win this and will fight right through to election day.

Former Michigan Gov. William Milliken backed John McCain when he was campaigning to become the Republican presidential candidate. But now Milliken is expressing doubts about his party's nominee, saying he is disappointed by McCain's personal attacks on Democratic opponent Barack Obama and other aspects of McCain's campaign.

Just 26 days until the presidential election; allegations of voter registration fraud in at least 12 states, including Michigan. ACORN is known for helping lower income families get homes and aiding minorities. Now the organization is being accused of falsely registering voters. In Nevada, the Secretary of State said members from the Dallas Cowboys were falsely registered; reports say it happened in Michigan too. The probe into voter registration fraud started Tuesday in Nevada as state agents searched the office of ACORN. Traditionally the organization registers those who are economically disadvantaged and minorities. For this year’s presidential election in Michigan...

Hoogendyk for US Senate FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Danae Brack Campaign Manager 517-444-1181    Hoogendyk: Levin is on the Side of Big GovernmentUS Senate Candidate Calls for Action in Favor of the MarketMichigan - October 3, 2008 - US Senate Candidate Jack Hoogendyk expressed his strong disagreement with Senator Carl Levin's vote in favor of the bailout package. Two days ago, Michigan's US senators split on the bill: Senator Stabenow voted against it, whereas Senator Levin voted for it.   "I applaud Senator Stabenow's 'no' vote," Hoogendyk said, "but it does not come as a surprise that, once again, Senator Carl Levin has chosen...