Political Wrinkles - View Single Post - Start Your Engines: Michigan Will Have A Real Race This Year

saltwn · #1 (**permalink**) 09-21-2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Last year, the Big Three auto makers and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union reached a historic labor agreement. In a move, fundamental to domestic automakers' competitiveness, the union reluctantly agreed to restructure workers' salaries and benefits and give Detroit a chance at erasing the $1,500 per-car labor-cost edge Japanese auto makers enjoy. This altered the state's political landscape in ways the Obama campaign has yet to understand.

Without the new labor contract, Detroit would have little hope of turning a profit on small cars as consumers shun gas-guzzling SUVs. And there would be no talk of $25 billion in federal loan guarantees to retool Detroit for the future because without the agreement there wouldn't be a future for Ford, Chrysler or General Motors.

This is the backdrop for the presidential campaign in Michigan. Ironically, the "change" candidate in the race, Barack Obama, fought the labor agreement.

"I stand with the 73,000 United Automobile Workers who are striking General Motors," Sen. Obama thundered when the UAW briefly struck GM to protest the agreement last fall. "The demands the union is fighting for -- job security, the health benefits they were promised -- are things that all workers should expect and that UAW members deserve."

Mr. Obama hasn't diverged from that script since. His campaign is built on class warfare (he blames greedy executives for mismanaging the auto industry) and protectionism (he blames foreigners for stealing American jobs). And he's been encouraged by polls over the past year that show him leading John McCain.

But now that people are starting to tune in, what's emerging in Michigan is a surprising amount of strength for the Republican ticket. The latest polls give Mr. Obama only a 1% to 2% lead. Cross Country - WSJ.com

The article goes on to say Palin has energized the ticket with her small town flavor, something many white and blue collar folks in this state can identify with.