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By RightMichigan.com Posted in Barack Hussein Obama | Breaking News | Hillary Clinton | John McCain | Michigan | Spotlight Blogs — Comments (14) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Cross-posted on Right Michigan at www.RightMichigan.com.

Said it before and I'll say it again... what a difference a Party makes.  While Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to sling mud, make wild accusations and personal attacks against one another, drag American politics further into the gutter and all while telling Michigan voters to take a flying leap the Republicans look down right civil.

Our primary contest is all but officially over.  When we debated one another it was almost exclusively on the issues.  Do you remember any of the campaigns intentionally and maliciously raising the "mormon" spectre against one-time front runner Mitt Romney the way Clinton's camp has raised the "muslim" question re: Barack?  

The 2008 Presidential campaign really has been, and continues to be, a tale of two parties, especially here in the Wolverine State.  Campaign styles differ.  Clearly policy objectives and messages differ.  But the biggest difference of them all is the way moms and dads and factory workers and union laborers and the unemployed and kids and churches and job makers and families have been treated in Michigan.  One party has abandoned us completely.  The other?  We tend to get a little more love.  

Read on . . .

In fact, while the left dukes it out over who's a more liberal United States Senator the Detroit News reports that John McCain is coming back to Michigan.  Again.  As if he actually cares about the State or something.

Before a fundraising dinner Thursday night, McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, plans to tour Ford Motor Co.'s Wayne Stamping and Assembly plant, where the Dearborn automaker assembles the Ford Focus, said the candidate's spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan.

McCain also is expected to meet privately with Fritz Henderson, General Motors Corp.'s chief financial officer, as well as top executives for Ford and Chrysler LLC, although it couldn't be confirmed Monday who they would be. Buchanan said McCain had a number of meetings planned in Michigan, but declined to confirm the sit-down with auto executives.

That's not just a pop-in, folks.  And it's not the sort of day's schedule you keep if you want to only send a message to the voters that you "care," or some such malarkey.  

John McCain has scheduled a Michigan day that will hopefully open his eyes a little bit more to what's happening here.  To why we're struggling so mightily under Jennifer Granholm's failed "leadership."  To forward thinking solutions, even when they're tough.  It's not just a whilste-stop campaign tour on the back of the Straight Talk Express.  It's substance and nuance and genuine interest.  

Obama and Clinton, meanwhile, continue to hold Michigan at arms length as if we had a smelly diaper.  They won't come here.  They won't ask for a single vote.  But that's not new and unfortunately the Michigan Democrats have gotten used to it over the last several months.  It doesn't even bother them anymore.  A candidate doesn't have to ask for their vote.  They're partisans first, Michiganders second and if there's a "D" attached to a name they'll punch that ballot, period.  

Which is a shame.  Because until you give candidates an incentive to pay attention to your home town and your issues... guess what... they won't.  And if there's one State that deserves a little attention right now it's ours.  Think the 14,000 Chrysler employees who had until yesterday to apply for one of about 10,000 buyouts (read: job terminations) could use a voice and a listening ear?  

Well they'll get one from Senator McCain two days from now.  They might not get one from a Democrat nominee in the next five full years.  FREEP reports:

While Chrysler has said not all who raise their hands are likely to get the packages, which include lump sum payments of $70,000 or $100,000, the automaker is working to rid itself of as many as 10,000 hourly workers on top of the 11,000 hourly workers planned for elimination over three years as part of last February's announced turnaround plan.

A Chrysler spokeswoman declined to say how many people sought the offer.

Good bet it's a big number.  At least four figures.  Could be five.  Think their families aren't hurting over the decision?  As if there isn't enough already trying to kick in our teeth.  Heck, even our gas prices are going up again.  According to the AP:

AAA Michigan says Monday the statewide average of $3.02 per gallon is 72 cents higher than a year ago at this time.

The auto club reports the lowest prices at the pump are in the Lansing area at $2.96 per gallon while Marquette has the state's highest prices at $3.09 a gallon. Drivers in the Detroit area are paying $3.01.

Lowest prices are in Lansing?  What's the deal?  Gas companies trying to convince lawmakers that things really aren't that bad?  A 30 some odd percent jump in prices over the span of one year is bad, boys and girls.  Period.

And Andy Dillon, if you're reading... with natural spikes in prices like these... November probably won't be a good time to vote to raise the gas tax again.  Just saying.