MILWAUKEE
The drone of democracy in my native North Side warmed my heart. Vans circled the blocks, picking up senior citizens and those with disabilities for early voting. One of them was Darlene Whitelaw, 54, who needed assistance because of a stroke. But she was determined to strike her personal blow in the presidential election. “It’s my duty,” she said slowly.
Comments
Nothing like getting those unmotivated, uninformed voters into the polling booth. Did they receive a free gift card before or after they voted?
Kind of like getting white working class men to vote. Lord knows every time we've done studies on their knowledge of American History and Civics they do worse than foreigners.
I thought we were voting on our future and not what has happened in our past. Free cellphones for everyone!!!!
"jim1751"
I wasn't speaking to you specifically I was simply saying if you vote, you in the general, simply R or D then you are just as uninformed as anyone else. I too am quite comfortable. I however do not see the great disaster that you have seen for the past four years. My portfolio has doubled, in the area I live in Florida the economy is doing quite well. The fact is the Bush years hammered my portfolio, but in neither case do I lay much blame at either Presidents feet. As a businessman you should recognize that the economy is the economy and Pres. don't have a great deal of impact on its movement.
As an ex-Mass resident I voted for Mitt when he ran for Gov. and that was a mistake, one I did not repeat and did not repeat in the Pres. election. I find Mr. Romney to lack integrity and to have a pretty weak relationship with the truth. I don't buy into all of this "far right" socialist, muslim, not an American nonsense. I vote my economic well being and the past four years have been good for me. You know the basic question. Are you better off? My answer was yes.
I want the name of your broker! In truth, the market has done very well because unlike recessions of the past, corporate executives and small business owners didn't attempt to outlast the recession but rather they took immediate action so they could survive the recession. Unfortunately the action that most businesses take is to reduce variable expenses, the most significant of which is paytoll. And that means job layoffs, work week reductions, cutback of benefits and an increased share of health insurance costs to the employees. With few exceptions, the folks out there are in a world of hurt and many are barely hanging on. In your new home state and my secondary state, I don't see it as rosey as you do. Over in the southwest part of the state, property values are 40 to 50 % of what they were at the peak in 2006. My condo is worth less than half of what it was worth in 2006 yet still twice what I paid for it after the early 90's recession, so I'm ok but more than 45% of Florida homeowners suffer with negative equity and 90+ delinquency effect more than 22% of households in most Florida metro areas. I've invested in Florida Tax Certificates for the past 4 years and my analysis shows some very serious issues that will take a decade or more to correct. I see Mitt Romney in a different light. I see him as a well-educated, very successful business man that perhaps has too much integrity and just maybe the reason why he has trouble in the political arena. He has been a compasionate man who has given generously to charities that provide for those less fortunate while you have Biden and Obama who have given less in their lifetime than Romney has given in a year. While many few some of his slight chances in his positions as flip-flopping, I see is as someone who is willing to move in the direction of the majority of the people that he represents. He really is a good man who is best qualified to turn our economy around. While the market has done well, it is primed to come crashing down unless we have some substantial growth in our economy. Corporations don't have much wiggle room to cut additional expenses to preserve the bottom line and real revenue growth is becoming non-existant. With nearly 23 million people looking for work or more hours, there isn't a lot of descretionairy income to fuel the growth that our economy needs. With Obama in there for another 4 years there is little optimism yet with Romney they'll be some new found hope. Of course, that's only my opinion. Enjoy the sun Turk.
This guy can't seem to write a column without citing some statistic; although this one is not anywhere near as bad as most of his columns. A suggestion to the editors: Please include a link to the studies/sources cited so that an interested reader may investigate whether the statistic used in the piece is being referenced properly, or if it even exists.
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It's always a pleasure to read reports from another former Milwaukeean about what is happening in inner-city neighborhoods there, especially with something as uplifting (for me!) as in this DZJ column. Let's hope that this imaginative GOTV effort and the movement toward the Democrats in some formerly right-wing Republican inner suburbs (for example, Whitefish Bay, which was formerly a redoubt of some of the most racist right-wingers in the state, voted for Obama in 2008!) will be an effective counterweight to suburban Waukesha County, which was the most solidly pro-Walker area in the Walker recall.
I should add that Milwaukee, which was one of the nation's major centers of unionized heavy industry, was particularly hard-hit by almost 30 years of de-industrialization encouraged by the planned de-industrialization since Reagan. Industrial businesses were, along with a strong group political consciousness, the basis of what was a strong and vigorous African-American middle class. With the disappearance of thousands of well-paying jobs at Allis Chalmers, A.O. Smith, International Harvester, and American Motors (its 7-story, 5-block-long body plant was torn down and replaced with a Wal-Mart), along with those of these companies' many supplier firms--all of the big breweries, except for Miller, were shut down too--much of this community was deprived of their prosperity and the possibility of obtaining well-paying jobs. The result was an increase in despair, as evidenced by a skyrocketing drug-related crime rate in neighborhoods that previously had had lower crime rates than comparable neighborhoods in other big cities. It's in this context that makes the development that Mr. Jackson reports so uplifting. Implicit in this is that those who will be voting in this neighborhood will be voting for Obama, not Romney. Whatever Mr. Obama's shortcomings, including those that affect African-American neighborhoods, it is clear that these prospective voters know that the chances that he will further their interests are much greater than with Mr. Romney, who has made it clear, despite soothing rhetoric and vague promises of "more jobs", that he will not.
I am grateful to Mr. Jackson for his ongoing coverage of African-American and Latino residents of our inner cities as our fellow citizens in real neighborhoods, rather than as fright-provoking caricatures, as we too frequently see in the major news media.
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Studies of African Americans find that they find 'no difference' in their economic situation after 4 years of Obama's presidency. Also, it is interesting to hear the African American claim that it was them who elected this President: In other words, they appear to think that non-African Americans voted for the challenging candidate.
"jim751" I don't use a broker. I do my own investing. I never invested in condo's as I thought there worthless investments. As far as home prices go, sure the Bush collapse knocked the heck out of them, but they are coming back. I in fact sold my property up in Mass. back in 2003 when the prices were topping as I felt the bubble couldn't hold. Most economic indicators are up. I am heavily into pharma, health insurance, and a diverse number of heavy equipment manufacturers. I've also been doing some investing in some areas in the India market. If you've lost money in the market over the last four years I don't know what you've been doing. I'd have to know your areas of investment.
As to folks suffereing. No doubt about it undereducated, undertrained individuals are having a real hard time. And unless govt. looks to help in cross training that will be the future for those who fail to get educated or trained in the upcoming industries. Mitt as I noted turned me off when he was governor. Tax cuts, fee hikes, and the cost to local towns and municipilaties cost me more than his tax cuts gave back. In addition I do not favor tax cuts at this time. Frankly I think the President is aiming too low in terms of who gets tax increases. I think anyone with six figures after the normal deductins should pay a higher rate.
I have not noted the delinquency rate that you refer to regarding home mortgage's. I won't be around for it but regardless of who is President Florida home prices will crash in thirty or fourty years given the over building that has taken place. But I would never deny anyone their rationale for voting if it is sensible. And unlike many you make a reasonable case for your vote. I simply disagree. Not to be a wiseguy but I think you'll not get to see Mitt as Pres. unless the polliing is really off and I agree with the 538 that seems unlikely. This race is over.