The old adage, 'You can attract more flies with honey than you can with vinegar,' would have been good advice for Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., to follow when he visited Niles last Friday. But, he didn't.
Instead, Michigan's longest-serving senator chose to throw barbs and spit venom at whatever displeased him.
Granted, he has his reasons for being upset. His party isn't in power in the U.S. Senate and, except for a brief period in 2001 and 2002, hasn't been in power since 1994 - one of the longest stretches in the last 50 years. Republicans also control the House, and in the White House sits a man who Levin truly seems to despise - President George W. Bush.
Levin's animosity was obvious. Using colorful language, Levin made his feelings well known while he was speaking at the American Legion hall, ranting about the Bush administration, U.S. involvement in Iraq and the GOP prescription drug plan. He even took pot-shots at Michigan Republican candidates.
These tactics may resonate inside the Beltway, but out here in the proverbial sticks, not so much.
Don't get me wrong. I'm happy to see our politicians - particularly one of our federal senators - show up in our humble little town. But with his ample criticism, I would have really liked to have heard just what Levin thinks should be done in the alternative - aside from simply voting Republicans out of office.
"You suck" is not a valid campaign message. It is also all the democrats have had to offer since 2000. For a clear example of that, take a look at Mike McGonegal's campaign against Chris Ward or Jim Marcinkowski's campaign against Mike Rogers. The only campaign message I've seen from those two is how bad the other guy sucks. Where's the plan?
14 comments:
You are definitely a piece of work dan, with no shame. How many times have I presented well-thought out arguments on this blog only to get the very same reply you falsely attribute to Sen. Levin, this reply, “yea, well you suck.” Every rightwing bloger I have engaged in debate eventually sinks to that level after you punch holes in their myths. It’s all such a waste of my time when I could be reaching out to reasonable, open-mined people, but I always fall into the trap.
Can someone please explain to me how you unseat an incumbent without being allowed to point out his sorry record? And Mr. Ward’s record and conduct in office is a bad one. Neither he nor dan wants us to bring up that record, and that’s that why we get BS posts like this. Mr. Ward’s record is one of arrogance, catering to special interests and unprecedented non-corporation and maliciousness.
Dan also fails to disclose that he works for Mr. Ward. We know this is partisan site and have no problem with that, but we didn’t know he had to buy it from you, dan.
The “plan” that dan lies and says we don’t have is on both our blog and our campaign web site, and he knows it. Apparently dan – and by default the Ward campaign – must be a little concerned. The poll on dan’s blog has Mike McGonegal leading Mr. Ward 50-42 percent. Now, I know that means absolutely nothing, but getting that result on a rightwing site is nice. Of course, dan will claim I urged everyone to come over here and vote for Mike.
Not true. On my blog today is the only time I have ever mentioned this blog. We’re too busy asking people to vote for Mike on Nov. 7.
I’m sure anyone who has visited our blog already knows I am Mike’s volunteer Communications Director, and for those that have not yet visited this is for full disclosure.
Mike either doesn't have a plan, or is afraid to reveal it. All his campaign message (outside of two generalities in his issue section that doesn't mention any plan in those areas) happens to be "You suck". I'm disapointed, since he seems like a nice guy in person. Unfortunately, he chose to take his campaign advice from Kevin S aka "communications guru". Go to Mike's official blog and read the trash there from kevins (who lies and claims to be kicked off my blog). Better yet, read what kevins or communications guru has to say here on my own site.
Yes, Chris is a client. That's not a secret. It's fully disclosed as well on the Campaign Finance Site as Chris is legal and reports his finances (The County Democrats still haven't reported their office expenditures - no rent or purchase payments???). Chris' contract with my business is an independent contract for the webwork on Chris's own website, and has nothing to do with my own blog site outside of familiar names.
He didn't have to "buy" my support either. I've voted for him in 2002 and supported him in 04 (When I was in Hune's District), and am supporting him again in 06.
"A regular person" - What's Jim's plan. What the hell does he plan to do when he gets to Washington?
"Mike Sucks" is not a plan.
Again, Mike does have a plan and you know it dan, and for those of you who want to see it visit the campaign web site and the blog. We will continue to point out the lousy record Chris Ward has accumulated while in office, and with that record it is obvious why dan doesn’t want us to do that. I’m sure he’s giving us helpful advice to help to stop pointing out Mr. Ward’s atrocious record to help our camping. Get real.
An incumbent enjoys every advantage in a campaign, from free mailings to voters to a free web site, but now, according to dan, we can’t point out the horrible record he has amassed.
Yes, please take dan's advice and go to our blog and read what is written about Mr. Ward because it will show how he caters to special interests, disrespects people and cannot corporate to solve problems. If it were untrue you would think they would dispute it, but they can’t.
We have been over this a hundred times, and no matter how he tries to spin it Kevins was kicked off this blog. I was one of the few posting on this blog willing to put my name to everything I posted, yet he banned me and every other non-blogger because someone said something about a friend of his - probably his client, actually - dan didn’t like.
Show me on this blog where you disclose you work for Chris Ward. As for the county party, you can find their info on the Secretary of State’s web site, and if you have a problem or think they are doing something illegal, file a complaint with the SOS. She actually investigates claims against Democrats.
Of course you vote for him and support Mr. Ward, you work for him.
Are you honestly trying to tell us oil companies are not making record profits with gas more than $3 a gallon? Get real. The five largest oil companies had total combined profits – that’s profits more than - of $111 billion in 2005. The largest of these companies, Exxon Mobil, reported $36.1 billion in profits in 2005, making it the largest corporation in the world; and Exxon Mobil’s net income last year came to $1,146 per second.
NAFTA was approved under President Clinton, but it was bush that stripped out all the fair trade part and enforcment tools out of it that encouraged companies to offshore jobs in search of the cheapest workforce at rock bottom wages.
Now, what lies are you alleging “us guys tell?”
What are you talkign about? You have no problem with paying $3 a allon for gas? What about the auto companies moving jobs to China? I don't like it, but apparentlly you do.
I'm still waiting for dan to show where he disclosed he worked for Chris Ward.
Guru you honestly do not know how crude oil prices are set. You are dumber than I thought. You need a remedial course in economics 101. The crude prices are set by the futures market. The reasons the prices are going down are 3 fold.
1 The summer driving season is over
2 There were no hurricanes in the gulf as predicted.
3 There is a glut of crude oil on in the pipeline as OPEC has over produced.
Your constant LIES about the Big Oil Companies is a all out TOTAL LIE. You *#%^* liberals will not admit the truth if it bit you in the behind.
(Futures Market) An auction market in which participants buy and sell commodity/future contracts for delivery on a specified future date. Trading is carried on through open yelling and hand signals in a trading pit.
http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/
Read this Guru and join us with some grown up conversations.
It has been three days since I asked this question and this will be the third time I ask it, dan. Show me on this blog where you disclose you work for Chris Ward.
I notice you ignore questions you can't answer. The silence speaks volumes.
Guru, pratice what you preach. So me when it states that Big Oil controls crude oil price?
Kevins - I ignored the question since it's a stupid question I already answered in this thread.
BS. Where on this blog, your blog, does it say you worked for Ward, before I called you out on it.
Birds of a feather, I guess.
I hope you’re not going to disappear without telling me where on your blog you disclosed you worked for Chris Ward. But based on past performance, I see that being the case.
I never said he did disclose it on this site. That's the problem.
Previous post deleted for language.
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