Posted on 01/01/2012 6:17:50 AM PST by Kaslin
NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa- Bobby Burns has had a dramatic change of heart.
Burns, 23, was one of those young people swept up in Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Three years and one college degree later, he cannot imagine a scenario in which he would consider voting for the president's re-election.
"I guess you could say I have seen the light," he said.
On Tuesday he will caucus in a precinct right down the road from where he grew up. His vote will go for Mitt Romney.
Davenport is 60 miles east of here along Interstate 80, past two closed service-station interchanges and a relatively new but shuttered chain hotel. In the center of the city, overlooking the Mississippi River, is the majestic Blackhawk Hotel.
The century-old hotel is where presidents -- or guys who want to be president -- come to speak. Richard Nixon campaigned there; Obama stayed there just a few weeks ago.
Last week, Romney packed an enthusiastic crowd into the Blackhawk's Gold Room. Garrison Gardner, the hotel's on-duty manager, watched the former Massachusetts governor make his pitch for caucus voters.
Gardner, who leans Democrat, said he is ripe to be persuaded to vote for Romney. "Anything is better than what he have going on now at the White House," the former Obama supporter said.
While everyone focuses on the Republicans' shifting nomination process, they overlook Obama's Iowa problem.
The Hawkeye State began Obama's string of caucus victories that gave him a majority of the Democrats' "super-delegates" over Hillary Clinton in 2008, followed by a comfortable victory over Republican John McCain in the fall. It is not electrified by his presidential record, however.
Iowa does not share the country's high unemployment rate -- but it does share the Midwest's disapproval of the president's performance. A Public Policy poll late last summer showed just 45 percent of voters approved of Obama while 48 percent disapproved; independents split against him, 43 to 47; only 79 percent of Democrats thought he was doing a good job, while 87 percent of Republicans disagreed.
On Earth Day, just a handful of months after being sworn into office, Obama visited Newton, Iowa, located farther south along I-80. Standing at the TCI Composites wind-turbine plant, he praised the state's efforts in "green" alternative energy.
"The nation that leads the world in creating new energy sources will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy. America can be that nation," he proclaimed.
He stressed the significance of wind energy as part of the green economy and he said TCI's new plant was critically important to Newton, which was devastated by the closure of Maytag's plant and corporate headquarters.
Late last week, TCI Composites, recipient of city and state tax credits and federal stimulus funds, laid off almost 200 workers. The company said it hoped to rehire them next spring.
Allen Anthony, 51, one of the furloughed workers, is not optimistic. "I really have no idea if they really will hire me or any of the other guys back," he said.
Leaning against a chain-link fence outside of the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Anthony looked exhausted. "Twenty-three years ago I made more than I did today," he said. "My future, my town's future, is all heading in the wrong direction."
His family spent a combined 85 years working at the Maytag plant. "Three generations in Newton," he said. "Now it is Maytag made in Mexico."
He will not support Obama again, he added.
Economic anxiety will play a larger-than-normal role in this year's presidential election. Less than a year out, the president lacks a message (although he has shopped a few of them, such as "We can't wait") or a policy that he can run on.
It's not going to be health care -- and definitely not bailouts. If the economy starts to recover, perhaps he can point to that.
All that he has right now, despite Washington media reports predicting his resurrection in the polls, is a political machine that can turn out just enough voters for him to win electorally.
Yet with guys like Allen Anthony, Barack Obama still lacks a persuasive reason for them to turn out and vote for him.
This is just another thinly-disguised puff piece for the “sensible vote for Romney”. I don’t believe this, not even for a minute. Liberal ideologues don’t throw their spots like that, especially 2nd generation or more constituents. You can bet your a$$ this guy will vote for Obama over Romney.
Perhaps because his family spent 85 years collectively gang-banging Maytag while their Union held Maytag down?
Maytag chose to move to Mexico? Why? There are 22 right to work states they could have moved to. Maytag is no hero.
Some see it faster than others. Some never see it. The speed with which one sees the light is directly proportional to one's intelligence.
I agree. To start the selection process, one of the Carolinas (I love SC) would be great, along with a western state. I do like the caucus idea, where people have to face each other.
There is a pleasure, however, in forcing all those pretentious media-types to traipse around Hicksville in winter for a few months!
Unionized?
His vote will go for Mitt Romney.
The only thing changed here is skin color.
Iowa is a right-to-work state, and you are correct, Maytag is no hero.
Back to the jist of the article - my parents are lifelong Dems and are voting R this time around. Same with my sister and b-i-l. I know of 8 or 9 Obama voters in my inner circle that are voting R this time. None of them are involved enough to choose between the various R candidates, though. They will not caucus.
You are not paying attention, Selena. It's "screw the 'rich' and spread the wealth." Perhaps finally, after 12 years, it's time to retire "George Bush did it."
maytag is now chicom owned.
LLS
My sister and her ultra-lib husband will not be putting an Obama 2012 sign on there front lawn, in Iowa, this year. They won’t be voting for Romney either...just waiting for the next Lib who will “get it right.”
Townhall, figures. Gotta start checking the bylines before reading.
Really? Are you sure?
My research indicates Maytag was bought out by Whirlpool in March, 2006. And Whirlpool is not a chicom company.
I don't know of anybody, and I have a hard time imagining there are many, people that are going to switch from R in 08 to D in 12. Of course there will be those that stay with 0bama--but really who that voted against 0 is going to switch to him this time around?
The question is, how many switchers will there be, and will they be in the spots to flip the election.
Maytag Dairy remains in Newton (one of the Maytag cousins) making blue cheese.
Another cousin is in San Francisco, owner of Anchor Steam Beer.
I always pay attention. And it is Salena. Happy New Year. :)
Looks like Whirlpool is chicom so that is why my friend that owns an appliance parts company told me that.
I can tell you that I have had 7 breakdowns of a Whirlpool washer new 1 year ago and a one month old Whirlpool refrigerator just started dumping water out of the water dispenser about an hour ago. I will never buy another Whirlpool product again... and I have used them for 30 years.
LLS
http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2007-04-04-whirlpool_N.htm
“BEIJING — The Chinese call them “school fees.” American businessmen call them something less printable. They are the trial-and-error costs foreign businesses often pay when learning how to crack this irresistibly enticing marketplace — where 1.3 billion consumers await, plus a million challenges.
For U.S. home appliance giant Whirlpool, the past roller-coaster decade of China investment has proved “an expensive lesson,” admits Mark Hu, 54, Whirlpool's Asia vice president.
“But whatever the price is, it's worth the tuition,” Hu says.
After exiting two troubled joint ventures in China, executives at the Benton Harbor, Mich.-based company say they have graduated from their growing pains and overcome multimillion-dollar losses. The turnaround has been achieved by reducing an overambitious product lineup to focus on key strengths, by taking over joint ventures and by adapting their corporate culture to get closer to the Chinese consumer.”
...””I guess you could say I have seen the light,” he said.”....
Dumb as* college student sheep gave us Barack Obama. Now, their chickens have come home to roost. Maybe there is hope, but I would have to see proof that the morons have learned anything.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.