The verdict is in: Romney isn't one of us

I drove back to Lansing from Atlanta yesterday. I was alone so the 12-hour drive was excruciatingly boring. (Anita’s the long-distance driver in this relationship.) I occupied my time by a) trying to spot humans in the windows of the homes, offices and businesses I happened to pass while heading north on I-75 for what seemed like six and a half days, and b) trying to find something on the radio besides disgusting right wing liars Rush Limbaugh and Neil Boortz, Whitney Houston retrospectives and screeching preachers glorifying Sweet Baby Jesus. (I came across a country song that I really like: “In Color” by Jamey Johnson. See post above.)

Incidentally, I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: I find it fitting that the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is headed by a guy named Richie Farmer, and I was unaware that the name of my home state – the place where I’ve spent most of my 49 years – has been changed to “PureMichigan” until I saw the large sign conveying this at the Ohio/PureMichigan border. I don’t know how “pure” we are because I’m pretty sure I brought some Georgia in on my shoes (and maybe a little Tennessee too).

Several minutes after I crossed that border, I was able to tune into Caputo & Fithian, a sports talk show on 97.1 (“The Ticket”) in Detroit. The hosts were inviting listeners to call in and comment on whether or not we thought Robotron Romney is a real Michigander since he repeatedly points to having been born here. (The hosts insisted that they weren’t interested in partisan politics or whether Robotron could beat Obama in November – they were just curious about whether he was a Michigander or not in the eyes of their listeners.)

Every caller I heard before I lost the signal insisted that he was not a Michigander and should stop claiming to be one since he opposed “Obama’s” auto industry bailout which “saved” our beloved state.

First – and this is very important – the initial $17.4 billion bailout of General Motors and Chrysler was approved by Dubya on December 19, 2008. (Through the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, Bush provided $13.4 billion immediately and made another $4 billion available in February of 2009. Dubya gave GM $9.4 billion and Chrysler $4 billion.)

Robotron wasn’t alone in opposing the industry’s early Christmas present. Republican lawmakers were initially unwilling to provide aid – and thought bankruptcy would be a better option since it would free automakers from their agreements with the unions – even though the head of GM estimated at the time that three million jobs would be lost within the first year if the industry failed. "This is all about a lot more than just Detroit,” he said. “It's about saving the U.S. economy from a catastrophic collapse." GOP politicians eventually agreed, obviously, and a second, $21 billion industry bailout – approved by Dubya but occurring during the new Obama presidency – kicked in on February 18, 2009.

GM and Chrysler both filed for Chapter 11 (reorganization) bankruptcy; both companies have already repaid their loans, with interest, several years ahead of schedule. (According to Factcheck.org, GM repaid its loan using Troubled Asset Relief Program [TARP] money that it had already received but hadn’t spent.)

One of my favorite blogs, Eclectablog, just published poll results indicating that just 26 percent of Michiganders consider Robotron one of us. Sixty-two percent are calling b*llsh*t on Romney’s claim, which is probably part of the reason why creepy Rick Santorum is beating him in Michigan by six percent according to recent polling. (I’ll be posting a separate piece about Santorum in a few days. Don’t miss it.)

I heard the following joke recently:

A liberal, moderate and staunch conservative walked into a bar. The bartender said, “Hey, Mitt. What’ll ya have?”

Looks like he won’t have Michigan on February 28 when the state GOP holds its primary election.

Sources: Eclectablog, Factcheck.org, ABC News.