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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

Ads Obama needs

By Tony Collings | 09.12.08 | 11:23 am

Let’s face it. Right now the Obama campaign seems to be outpunched by the McCain campaign, what with their nasty but effective lies, their clever use of Sarahmania, their terrifying images of wolves, their distractions about pigs, and their overblown patriotism. Between now and election day, it’s going to come down to the debates and the ads. Here are two proposed TV ads that I think could help put Obama over the top:

1) KITCHEN COUPLE – Just like the Harry and Louise ads that were so effective in sinking Hillary’s healthcare plan (and now have been revived in favor of action on healthcare), I recommend having a series of ads showing a middle class, middle aged couple sitting at their kitchen table. Call them Eddie and Debbie. Each week we would see them talking about what is in the news that week. For example: Debbie says, “Did you see Sarah Palin on ABC? She seemed confused.” Eddie: “Yeah. Makes me wonder if she’s ready.” Another example: Debbie says, “McCain says he’ll cut everyone’s taxes.” Eddie: “But will that help the country? We’re already way too deep in debt.” Debbie: “And why should the super-rich get another handout? Do they really need it?” Etc. These kitchen conversations would resonate with ordinary voters and would be a lot easier to understand than speeches and debate talking points.

2) WAR ROOM – Show a simulated McCain campaign war room, where cynical political operatives like Steve Schmidt plan a series of ads. In one sequence, they talk about an Obama comment. First strategist: “We’ll say he said Palin’s a pig.” Second strategist: “But won’t we get caught if people see he didn’t really say that?” First strategist: “Naw. Who’s going to know?” Another sequence: “Let’s keep beating the drum that she’s against earmarks and lobbyists. We’ll keep saying she said no thanks to that bridge to nowhere. Big applause line.” “But even some Republicans are saying she first said yes, thank you, to the bridge, and she hired lobbyists and went for earmarks.” “Do you want to win or not? If we keep saying she said no thanks, the voters will believe it. They’ll believe anything.”

These two series of ads would play into Obama’s strengths as a person of honesty and integrity and hope, in opposition to the mean-spirited, cynical operatives who will say anything to close the deal.

Comments

  • TheAudacity

    and McCain needs a healthcare ad that says “Are you willing to give up at least 50% of your income to pay for healthcare for your family AND for every other person in the US (legal citizens & illegal immigrants included)? Oh and by the way, it is really good healthcare system you are paying so much of your income for that you can't even afford to pay a mortgage for a home. Just like Medicade, Medicare, & the VA hospital! That is what Universal “socialist” Healthcare is, you know!

    But Obama hasn't filled you in on that part yet. huh?

    • Rayne1

      Perhaps a bit more self-education on the total cost of health care and the actual results in this country are called for. Americans pay far more as a country than most other industrial countries. The 2.4 trillion dollars we pay as a nation is equal to 16.9 percent of our GDP; contrast that with 10.9 percent of the GDP for health care in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France (source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).

      Yet with 16.9 percent of GDP, tens of millions of Americans do not have health care. Further, the rapidly rising cost of health care threatens American manufacturers' competitiveness in a global market; the desperate condition of the automotive industry is due in no small part to our lack of a nationalized health care system, unlike that in countries of other automotive makers.

      The lack of a national health care system makes for a national security problem; we are now an importer of technology, rather than an exporter, because health care costs make us noncompetitive. We are at risk in the event of a pandemic if uninsured do not seek early, preventative care for lack of health care coverage.

      Voters should ask exactly who and what McCain represents when you see any ads from his campaign that make such claims about health care costs under a national program; are there any lobbyists for insurance, health care or pharmaceutical firms on his campaign staff? has he received money from any of these entities as campaign donations?

      Voters should also ask themselves what they are getting for their money if they are already paying for the nose for health care, but mortality rates are higher here than in other countries. Perhaps we could be paying far less and getting healthier at the same time.

  • TheAudacity

    Oh by the way, part of McCains healthcare plan is to give you $5000 tax credit per year to you so you can pick your own affordable healthcare plan. While regulating the insurance companies and making them compete to give you affordable rates, plans that cover what they should, & giving the decisions for your medical care back to you & your doctor.

    Imagine that!

    • Rayne1

      See my reply above. Do the math.

  • Earthdreams

    Too simple minded. Let their official records say it all!

  • Druk

    Great ideas. Simplification is the only way to go in a democracy. The war room scene is actually quite realistic. The cynicism of these people knows no bounds. Tony is also right to make the point that Obama's strengths — integrity and honest y — would shine through implicitly in such an ad. We should only worry that the strident voice from the north might actually have some appeal. Let us hope Obama is not obliged to stoop to her level. The very idea of this woman becping our leader in a dangerous world is just too absurd to discuss.

    • Rayne1

      There was an interesting piece by James Fallows at The Atlantic that made two great points:

      – an interview on NPR's Fresh Air with Andrew Bacevich points out that vetting of candidates by the American public is pretty weak with so much at stake, and

      – Obama may be making a Sun Tzu-like “move to the shade”, letting McCain-Palin ticket cook its own goose. Obama-Biden can simply stay out of the way and let the opposition implode, as they appear to be. McCain's interview on The View is one example, as is Palin's interview on ABC wherein she made numerous misstatements and did not understand the Bush Doctrine. Obama-Biden didn't need to lift a finger.

      Personally, I'd like to hear more from libertarian candidate Bob Barr; maybe Barr should be running some ads about real conservatism?

  • Rayne1

    Perhaps a bit more self-education on the total cost of health care and the actual results in this country are called for. Americans pay far more as a country than most other industrial countries. The 2.4 trillion dollars we pay as a nation is equal to 16.9 percent of our GDP; contrast that with 10.9 percent of the GDP for health care in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France (source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).

    Yet with 16.9 percent of GDP, tens of millions of Americans do not have health care. Further, the rapidly rising cost of health care threatens American manufacturers' competitiveness in a global market; the desperate condition of the automotive industry is due in no small part to our lack of a nationalized health care system, unlike that in countries of other automotive makers.

    The lack of a national health care system makes for a national security problem; we are now an importer of technology, rather than an exporter, because health care costs make us noncompetitive. We are at risk in the event of a pandemic if uninsured do not seek early, preventative care for lack of health care coverage.

    Voters should ask exactly who and what McCain represents when you see any ads from his campaign that make such claims about health care costs under a national program; are there any lobbyists for insurance, health care or pharmaceutical firms on his campaign staff? has he received money from any of these entities as campaign donations?

    Voters should also ask themselves what they are getting for their money if they are already paying for the nose for health care, but mortality rates are higher here than in other countries. Perhaps we could be paying far less and getting healthier at the same time.

  • Rayne1

    See my reply above. Do the math.

  • Rayne1

    There was an interesting piece by James Fallows at The Atlantic that made two great points:

    – an interview on NPR's Fresh Air with Andrew Bacevich points out that vetting of candidates by the American public is pretty weak with so much at stake, and

    – Obama may be making a Sun Tzu-like “move to the shade”, letting McCain-Palin ticket cook its own goose. Obama-Biden can simply stay out of the way and let the opposition implode, as they appear to be. McCain's interview on The View is one example, as is Palin's interview on ABC wherein she made numerous misstatements and did not understand the Bush Doctrine. Obama-Biden didn't need to lift a finger.

    Personally, I'd like to hear more from libertarian candidate Bob Barr; maybe Barr should be running some ads about real conservatism?

  • Rayne1

    Perhaps a bit more self-education on the total cost of health care and the actual results in this country are called for. Americans pay far more as a country than most other industrial countries. The 2.4 trillion dollars we pay as a nation is equal to 16.9 percent of our GDP; contrast that with 10.9 percent of the GDP for health care in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France (source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).

    Yet with 16.9 percent of GDP, tens of millions of Americans do not have health care. Further, the rapidly rising cost of health care threatens American manufacturers' competitiveness in a global market; the desperate condition of the automotive industry is due in no small part to our lack of a nationalized health care system, unlike that in countries of other automotive makers.

    The lack of a national health care system makes for a national security problem; we are now an importer of technology, rather than an exporter, because health care costs make us noncompetitive. We are at risk in the event of a pandemic if uninsured do not seek early, preventative care for lack of health care coverage.

    Voters should ask exactly who and what McCain represents when you see any ads from his campaign that make such claims about health care costs under a national program; are there any lobbyists for insurance, health care or pharmaceutical firms on his campaign staff? has he received money from any of these entities as campaign donations?

    Voters should also ask themselves what they are getting for their money if they are already paying for the nose for health care, but mortality rates are higher here than in other countries. Perhaps we could be paying far less and getting healthier at the same time.

  • Rayne1

    See my reply above. Do the math.

  • Rayne1

    There was an interesting piece by James Fallows at The Atlantic that made two great points:

    – an interview on NPR's Fresh Air with Andrew Bacevich points out that vetting of candidates by the American public is pretty weak with so much at stake, and

    – Obama may be making a Sun Tzu-like “move to the shade”, letting McCain-Palin ticket cook its own goose. Obama-Biden can simply stay out of the way and let the opposition implode, as they appear to be. McCain's interview on The View is one example, as is Palin's interview on ABC wherein she made numerous misstatements and did not understand the Bush Doctrine. Obama-Biden didn't need to lift a finger.

    Personally, I'd like to hear more from libertarian candidate Bob Barr; maybe Barr should be running some ads about real conservatism?

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