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By saul anuzis Posted in Electoral Votes | Michigan Republican Party | Phone Tax | Republicans | Ronald Reagan | Saul Anuzis | State Committee — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

151 Days until Election Day

June 6, 2008

MORNING UPDATE:

STATE COMMITTEE MEETS...today and tomorrow. Pizza and Politics tonight and the formal state committee meeting Saturday morning.

RONALD REAGAN REMEMBERED...yesterday, we commemorated the death of President Ronald Reagan who died June 5, 2004. Even before he made the White House his home, Ronald Reagan spoke for the American people, capturing the hearts of small-town citizens and world leaders alike. His remarkable career in public life, spanning over fifty years, began in the Midwest as a student leader and sports broadcaster, then in Hollywood as an actor and long-time director of the Screen Actors Guild, later as Governor of California, and finally, as President of the United States. His legacy, too, is extraordinary: In eight short years as President, Ronald Reagan presided over epochal international changes and ushered in unparalleled peace and prosperity - not only to his country but the world.

ELCTORAL COLLEGE ANALYSIS...by MSNBC's Chuck Todd shows how close the presidential race promises to be. As with almost every other analysis out there, Michigan is in the "toss up" column. See the details below.

STOP TAXING OUR CELL PHONES...States and cities are all too often raising the cost of your monthly wireless service by imposing new discriminatory taxes and fees. The "Cell Tax Fairness Act of 2008" - would place a five-year hiatus on new unfair state and local wireless taxes.

GOP LEGACY BRICK...make a permanent contribution to the Michigan Republican Party's building fund, to ensure we have a home for a long time to come. See more information below.

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FOR THE LATEST NEWS, COMMENTARY & INFORMATION:

Check...out...our...online Articles of Interest.........News...you...can...use.........

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THE REST OF THE STORY:
ELECTORAL COLLEGE ANALYSIS BY CHUCK TODD OF NBC:

Obama's Wider Map: About two months ago, we unveiled our early look at the electoral map. And this brings the second official day of the general election, now's as good a time as any to see where we stand in the McCain vs. Obama race.

Base Obama: CA, CT, DE, DC, HI, IL, MD, MA, NY, RI, VT (153 electoral votes)
Lean Obama: ME, NJ, MN, OR, WA (47 votes)
Toss-up: CO, FL, IA, MI, NV, NM, NH, OH, PA, VA, WI (138 votes)
Lean McCain: AR, GA, IN, LA, MS, MO, MT, NE, NC, ND (84 votes)
Base McCain: AL, AK, AZ, ID, KS, KY, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, WV, WY (116 votes)

While both McCain and Obama get to 200 when adding up their base and lean states, it's clear to see that Obama has an early edge with the map. Not only does he have a stronger base than McCain does (153 votes vs. 116), but he also has more potential pick-up opportunities. When you add toss-up and "Lean McCain" states, Obama has the potential for another 222 votes outside his favored states. By comparison, McCain's toss-up and "Lean Obama" states comes to 185. Of course, potential sometimes means just that -- potential. At the end of the day, Obama will likely win few, if any, of those Lean McCain states. But his reach right now seems much longer than McCain's.

LEGACY BRICK...Give a Gift that Will Last a Lifetime!
The Michigan Republicans moved their headquarters to the Secchia-Weiser Republican Center in 2006 and plan to install a legacy site to honor those who have served the party and the citizens of Michigan. The legacy site will create a well-deserved tribute to honor Michigan's past, present, and future Republican leaders! Buy a brick to celebrate, to inspire, or to commemorate friends, family, or yourself! They are a great way to honor others in memoriam, birthdays, anniversaries, or any special occasion. Your honoree will receive a certificate commemorating their personalized brick. Choose from our four different options and be a part of the Michigan Republican Party Legacy!
To order your personalized Legacy Brick please visit http://www.migop.org/legacy/, or contact Erin Meteer, Major Donor Program Manager at emeteer@migop.org.

TODAY'S TOP STORIES

The following stories and more are available at my Articles of Interest online.

Obama, McCain vie for Michigan swing vote

Gordon Trowbridge / Detroit News Washington Bureau

With Sen. Barack Obama established as the Democratic presidential nominee, he faces dual challenges in securing Michigan's 17 electoral votes: the late start to his state campaign and an opponent hoping to secure the votes of its moderate swing voters.

Sen. John McCain and aides have said for weeks they believe McCain can be the first Republican nominee to capture Michigan in two decades. The campaign describes a strategy built to capitalize on McCain's favorable standing with independent voters, Obama's struggle to attract white working-class votes during the primaries and the controversy over Michigan's January Democratic primary.

At the same time, the Obama campaign describes advantages of its own, most important his appeal to African-American voters and the campaign's awareness that it has work to do in building an organization in Michigan.

Granholm sticking with Clinton for now

by The Associated Press
Thursday June 05, 2008, 5:37 PM

LANSING - Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm isn't switching her support quite yet to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Granholm and Lieutenant Governor John Cherry both endorsed New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton last October. They're among seven Michigan Democratic superdelegates who backed Clinton.

Fifteen support Obama, with one more expected to endorse Friday.

Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said Thursday that, while the governor has made it clear she'll support the Democratic nominee, she won't make a formal statement supporting Obama until after Clinton announces a decision on her campaign.

Obama Meets Clinton At Her D.C. Home

New York Senator To Endorse Obama On Saturday

POSTED: 10:07 pm EDT June 5, 2008
UPDATED: 1:05 am EDT June 6, 2008

Hillary Rodham Clinton and likely Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama met privately Thursday night to talk about uniting the Democratic Party.

"Senator Clinton and Senator Obama met tonight and had a productive discussion about the important work that needs to be done to suceed in November," their campaigns said in joint statement.

The statement included no details of their talks, as pressure mounted for Obama to invite Clinton to become his running mate.

Clinton, Obama meet for private talk

Christina Bellantoni
Friday, June 6, 2008

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama met Thursday evening for their first extended talk since Mr. Obama clinched the Democratic presidential nomination.

A senior aide to the Obama campaign confirmed the face-to-face meeting to The Washington Times, but did not disclose any details about the encounter, which was thought to be happening in the Washington area.

Late Thursday, the two campaigns issued a joint statement, saying "Senator Clinton and Senator Obama met tonight and had a productive discussion about the important work that needs to be done to suceed in November."

Clinton's exit: When push came to shove

By AMIE PARNES & AVI ZENILMAN & BEN SMITH | 6/5/08 7:21 PM EST

In the end, the same man who ushered Hillary Clinton into electoral politics nine years ago pushed her out.

Wednesday, Clinton was asking supporters to wait - it was unclear for what - and to give her time to gather her thoughts. Many seemed willing to accede to the request, but Charles Rangel, the blunt, 77-year-old dean of New York's congressional delegation, had had enough.

In public statements and on a crucial afternoon conference call, he told Clinton it was time to go. And Rangel, for reasons of state politics, personal history, and race, was not a man Clinton could afford to ignore.

Lieberman Savoring Life On Both Sides of the Aisle

Democrats Want Him in Caucus Despite His Backing McCain

By Paul Kane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 6, 2008; Page A17

Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) was running a few minutes late as he bounded onstage to cheers from environmental activists gathered in a park near the Senate chamber on Monday for a rally promoting climate-change legislation, which he is sponsoring with some of the Senate's staunchest liberals.

"I just said good things about you -- that's a true test," Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) told Lieberman, drawing laughter from a crowd that understood that not many Democrats have nice things to say about Lieberman these days.

Lieberman's outspoken advocacy for John McCain's GOP presidential candidacy crossed a line this week, prompting Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) to corral the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee into pointed face-to-face discussions.

House OKs lakes water removal bills

Key differences in state Senate version are likely to be resolved by a joint conference committee.
Gary Heinlein / Detroit News Lansing Bureau

LANSING -- The House completed its version on Wednesday of new state regulations to comply with a compact among the Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces that would protect against massive water withdrawals by outside states or regions.

The House-approved rules differ in three key areas from similar proposals passed by the Senate, meaning a House-Senate conference committee will have to work out a compromise for final approval by the Legislature.

"It's been my assumption all along that we would end up negotiating somewhere along the line and it looks like a conference committee is going to be the place," said Rep. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, chief architect of the House proposals.

Schools fight tough classes

District officials testify before House panel that new graduation requirements will increase dropouts.
Karen Bouffard / The Detroit News

LANSING -- Many of this year's freshmen are likely to drop out of school because they can't pass the tough new mandatory classes -- especially the math, school officials told state lawmakers Thursday.

"By having them leave high school without a diploma you doom them to a life of poverty, and doom their children to a life of poverty," said Rebecca Rocho, an assistant superintendent with the Calhoun County Intermediate School District. She was among several school officials giving testimony to a House education subcommittee looking into how the requirements are working out.

She said the new requirements could mean some kids leave school after four years without a diploma because they can't pass all the classes.

Dropout rate fuels statewide forums

Online high school courses helped, young mom says
Derek Wallbank • Lansing State Journal • June 6, 2008 • From Lansing State Journal

Five years ago, Kim Babcock almost became another high school dropout statistic.

The then-16-year-old Charlotte High School student was pregnant and said school didn't take precedence over her soon-arriving daughter or the job she'd have to get to support them both.

Counselors at Charlotte High recommended she enroll in Michigan Virtual School, which works with schools to offer online courses to complete degrees. She did, and graduated two years later - on time and with honors.

Despite Interest Rate Cuts, Foreclosures Hit Record High

By Renae Merle
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 6, 2008; Page D01

Even though lower interest rates have made many adjustable-rate mortgages more affordable, foreclosures continue to reach new heights as more than 1 million homeowners face losing their home, according to industry figures released yesterday.

That's because what began as a mortgage crisis focused largely on subprime borrowers has spread and is being fed by the slowing economy it helped create. Borrowers once considered the most creditworthy have been hamstrung by declining home prices, making it difficult to refinance their home to dodge a financial crunch.

About 2.47 percent of home mortgages were in foreclosure during the first quarter of the year, up from 1.28 percent during the comparable period last year and the highest point since the Mortgage Bankers Association began compiling figures in 1979. Another 6.35 percent of home mortgages were delinquent but not yet in foreclosure, up from 4.84 percent last year, the survey found. Taken together, that means that almost 9 percent of mortgages nationally were in trouble, even though sharp Federal Reserve interest rate cuts have cushioned payment increases for some homeowners.

Saulius "Saul" Anuzis
Chairman
Michigan Republican Party