Pete Hoekstra's Super Bowl ad: "We take your jobs"

**partystore** · February-06-12, 01:44 PM

Anytime you personify a contentious issue with a stereotype, that's prejudice.

Hoekstra chooses an Asian woman in broken English to represent our trade deficit with China in this ad... not the very American corporations responsible for perpetuating the trade deficit by outsourcing manufacturing jobs. Classic demagoguery.

**Detroitej72** · February-11-12, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by partystore

Hoekstra chooses an Asian woman in broken English to represent our trade deficit with China in this ad... not the very American corporations responsible for perpetuating the trade deficit by outsourcing manufacturing jobs. Classic demagoguery.

He obviously feels when companies move their operations to China, they are just using good capitalist sense. And I find it funny that he neglected to mention that he's a big reason for the huge budget deficit since he voted in favor of the Bush Wall Street Bailout and the tax cuts that account for quite a bit of he deficit. He must be suffering from some form of dementia, which is a pretty good reason not to vote for him.

**Detroitnerd** · February-06-12, 01:53 PM

Yeah, what if he did a blackface ad about those shiftless people in Detroit who are so happy with Debbie for bringing them some federal money? "H'yah, boss?" And then Creaky Pete to the rescue. "Feets, do yo stuff!"

**sycloneman** · February-06-12, 01:54 PM

Hoekstra chooses an Asian woman in broken English to represent our trade deficit with China in this ad...

...because a pie chart would be so much more entertaining!

Does everyone in China speak fluent English? Does everyone in the United States speak fluent Chinese?

I understand what some people are saying but I think our society is becoming a mass of overly sensitive wimps.

**antongast** · February-06-12, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by sycloneman

...because a pie chart would be so much more entertaining!

Lots of people manage to simultaneously be entertaining and not racist. It really isn't that difficult. And I can think of lots of pie charts that have entertained me more than that Hoekstra ad.

**jolla** · February-06-12, 02:03 PM

I find it racist and in bad taste. To send the signal that racism doesn't work in MI, I'll be voting for Stabinow [[which I was not going to do...).

**gazhekwe** · February-06-12, 02:08 PM

I got that Pete is afraid our rice growing jobs will go to China, where all they do is grow rice. Rice, coolie hat, nice scene reminiscent of old Chinese art in the background, Huh? What does a rice worker have to do with taking our jobs? Plus it seemed pretty clear the actress spoke excellent English, but was putting on that she couldn't, so that pidgin bit was part of the script.

**Zacha341** · February-06-12, 09:55 PM

Yes, her speaking was obviously phoney... so fake... I hope she was well compensated, but all money is not good money!

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

I got that Pete is afraid our rice growing jobs will go to China, where all they do is grow rice. Rice, coolie hat, nice scene reminiscent of old Chinese art in the background, Huh? What does a rice worker have to do with taking our jobs? Plus it seemed pretty clear the actress spoke excellent English, but was putting on that she couldn't, so that pidgin bit was part of the script.

**Novine** · February-06-12, 09:57 PM

The ad was filmed in California with an American actress. The best comment I read was that Pete is trying to convince you how frugal he is while he wastes a gob of money on this trash.

**Thruster315** · February-07-12, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

The ad was filmed in California with an American actress. The best comment I read was that Pete is trying to convince you how frugal he is while he wastes a gob of money on this trash.

Oh great, now he's outsourcing his productions to California. You're telling me he couldn't have shot this rubbish here in Michigan?

But beyond where he shot it what bothers me about these sorts of ads are that the candidates obvious attempt to butcher the opponents' names. Why couldn't he just stick to calling his opponent by her given name? Why call her "Spend-It-Now"? That not just sounds so totally disrespectful but also sounds like something that's uttered at an elementary school playground. It's childish at best and really shows the mentality, maturity and intellect of the person approving the ads.

Define what one stands for. Don't even mention the opponent as far as I'm concerned. Kiss some babies, promise a chicken in every pot but don't even mention your opponent. Smearing one's opponent is just never a way to go. I know it's effective at times but sometimes I wish there was some legislation where one can't mention what the other camp is doing or not doing- and just focus solely on what it is they bring to the table.

But I guess I'm asking for sincerity, honesty and some form of leadership from candidates... fat chance, right?

**Whitehouse** · February-07-12, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

Oh great, now he's outsourcing his productions to California. You're telling me he couldn't have shot this rubbish here in Michigan?

But beyond where he shot it what bothers me about these sorts of ads are that the candidates obvious attempt to butcher the opponents' names.

Would be great if Hoekstra was caught in a sex scandal. His name is an anagram of "Ho steak"!!

**coracle** · February-07-12, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

The ad was filmed in California with an American actress. The best comment I read was that Pete is trying to convince you how frugal he is while he wastes a gob of money on this trash.

The "gob of money" he spent "on this trash" was his own money unlike the gobs of money spent by Debbie Spenditnow which is misdirected tax payer money. What an ad. He really hit the nerve of those sitting around waiting to be offended. [[And he spent his gob in America with an American actress - that's patriotic).

**Thruster315** · February-07-12, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by coracle

The "gob of money" he spent "on this trash" was his own money unlike the gobs of money spent by Debbie Spenditnow which is misdirected tax payer money. What an ad. He really hit the nerve of those sitting around waiting to be offended.

Now why couldn't you have simply stated that fact by calling Debbie Stabinow by her real name as opposed to mocking it?

As far as the nerve that's hit, I'd say it would be Asian-Americans, some of Pete Hoekstra's Republican colleagues, some Detroit ministers, and most people who think that his ad is racially insensitive. So coracle and Mister Hoekstra, why are YOU so ignorant and so feeble minded to continue this diatribe of stupid name calling instead of pointing out facts in an argument? Because quite honestly- it shows your lack of credibility and a huge lack of respect to an opponent.

One don't have to like the opponent whatsoever, but the fact that people like Hoekstra use such childish & boorish tactics to get attention is pathetic. If one has a point to make- state it without getting into the silly name calling and mocking tone.

**John** · February-07-12, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by coracle

The "gob of money" he spent "on this trash" was his own money unlike the gobs of money spent by Debbie Spenditnow which is misdirected tax payer money. What an ad. He really hit the nerve of those sitting around waiting to be offended. [[And he spent his gob in America with an American actress - that's patriotic).

Hate to confuse the issue with some facts, but Hoekstra voted for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout – which Stabenow voted against. Hoekstra also voted for the unfunded Bush tax cuts, the war in Iraq, and government handouts for big oil companies – all things Stabenow voted against.

For $1 trillion – the cost of the Bush tax cuts – Hoekstra could have bought nearly 7 MILLION of those ads. That means you’d be stuck watching nothing but Hoekstra’s awful ad on repeat until March 10, 2209!

**internet_pseudopod** · February-06-12, 02:25 PM

The thing that makes this ad so racist is that Hoekstra could have stopped at the Asian girl. He could have stopped at the bicycle. He could have stopped at the rice paddy. He could have stopped at the gong and bamboo hat. But no, he had to take a young lady who seems like a native English speaker and make her use pidgin english in order to make a "ha-ha funny only to him" joke. Shameful.

**j to the jeremy** · February-06-12, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by internet_pseudopod

The thing that makes this ad so racist is that Hoekstra could have stopped at the Asian girl. He could have stopped at the bicycle. He could have stopped at the rice paddy. He could have stopped at the gong and bamboo hat. But no, he had to take a young lady who seems like a native English speaker and make her use pidgin english in order to make a "ha-ha funny only to him" joke. Shameful.

Yep, that's the kicker.

**coracle** · February-06-12, 04:49 PM

The bleat goes on!

**Cinderpath** · February-06-12, 05:01 PM

What a complete butt-nugget. Sorry Pete, as the father of an Asian daughter, this moron panders to every stereotype about Asians possible. And sorry those folks in Asia are not peddling around some rice-paddy, they are building your iPhone, and loaning us money to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

**sycloneman** · February-06-12, 02:28 PM

To send the signal that racism doesn't work in MI, I'll be voting for Stabinow [[which I was not going to do...).

To send a signal that people should always give others the benefit of the doubt and be given second chances, I'm writing in Kwame Kilpatrick for mayor of Detroit.

Racism won't be the only thing not working in Michigan if you vote based on your gut reaction over a single advertisement.

**mwilbert** · February-06-12, 02:35 PM

Racism won't be the only thing not working in Michigan if you vote based on your gut reaction over a single advertisement.

Someone who really believes that Hoekstra would be a better Senator than Stabenow [[or who is convinced that it would be better to have the Republicans in control of the Senate than the Democrats) should still vote for Hoekstra irrespective of this advertisement.

However, people who are less sure of that might think that opposing Hoekstra sends a useful message about questionable ads of this sort. And of course, the ad might make someone who was not a true believer question whether Hoekstra [[and/or the Republican Party in general) is really who you want in the Senate. Or, since there is a primary, whether Hoekstra is the specific Republican you want.

**Zacha341** · February-06-12, 09:43 PM

Stabenow still needs to go, but not replaced by this man...

Originally Posted by mwilbert

Someone who really believes that Hoekstra would be a better Senator than Stabenow [[or who is convinced that it would be better to have the Republicans in control of the Senate than the Democrats) should still vote for Hoekstra irrespective of this advertisement.

**jolla** · February-06-12, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by sycloneman

To send a signal that people should always give others the benefit of the doubt and be given second chances, I'm writing in Kwame Kilpatrick for mayor of Detroit.

Racism won't be the only thing not working in Michigan if you vote based on your gut reaction over a single advertisement.

If you feel people should always be given the benefit of the doubt and be given second chances, then by all means, do that. You'd be an idiot to feel people should ALWAYS get the benefit of the doubt and ALWAYS be given second chances, but that's the beauty of America, the freedom to be stupid.

Anything Hoekstra would do 'better' is not worth the acceptance of racism, xenophobia, and scapegoating. [[Hint: not much is.)

**thnk2mch** · February-06-12, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by sycloneman

To send a signal that people should always give others the benefit of the doubt and be given second chances.

So I take it you are voting for Obama?

**Patrick** · February-06-12, 05:24 PM

Ha, that ad could have only come from the west side of Michigan anyways.

**sycloneman** · February-06-12, 02:50 PM

I am not pushing for one candidate over the other. I am neither pushing pro-Republician nor pro-Democractic and I certainly hope that making a decision on one of them would entail more research than watching a 30 second spot ad.