Tuesday is a big day!

[Strong]

I was just reflecting that this coming Tuesday November 6th, will a big day in American history. Americans will come together and vote for the next President of the United States.
And, I believe that what the president does directly effects me.
I believe that what the president does directly effects Detroit.

So, I'm going to vote for the guy who most recently visited Detroit and who ideas most match up with mine.

I understand that Detroit is only as strong as the national economy. No matter how we look at it, Detroit is still a manufacturing town and Detroit goes as does the sales of the products we manufacture. Then what we manufacture are sold relative to the national economy.

Plus I'm self employed.

I am voting for......

[d'oh]

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/201...o-bailout.html

How come nobody is covering this??

[313WX]

For the state proposals, I'm voting no on the odds and yes on the evens.

[Honky Tonk]

For the state proposals, I'm voting no on the odds and yes on the evens.

I don't like the odds.....

[rb336]

For the state proposals, I'm voting no on the odds and yes on the evens.

Why would you vote to maintain Matty's Monopoly?

[Bham1982]

Don't like Obama, but we're only given two choices, so he gets my vote. I only disagree with Obama on 80% of things; with Romney it's 99.9% of things.

Voting no on all but one ballot proposal.

[313WX]

Why would you vote to maintain Matty's Monopoly?

While I'm not fan of Maroun, I also don't appreciate Snyder lying about the cost of the bridge and also going around the legislator. That may be how he ran Gateway into the ground, but that's not how he's going to run this state.

I want the new bridge as well, but we need to lay all of the cards on the deck now and go through the proper authorization.

[Bagley]

Don't like Obama, but we're only given two choices, so he gets my vote. I only disagree with Obama on 80% of things; with Romney it's 99.9% of things.

Voting no on all but one ballot proposal.

I'm calling malarkey! You can't disagree with Mitt Romney without adding a day and time you disagreed with him. Chances are that you misunderstood him or he's decided that you were right.

[ndavies]

Snyder's not lying about the money for the bridge. The Canadians are Paying for the bridge. The Canadians are 100% responsible if tolls cannot meet the payback of the bonds. The feds are paying for the custom plazas. No state money is needed.

The only reason "proper Authorization" didn't occur is Matty Moruon Gave freely to the legislature to stop it. The bridge plan was killed in commitee by Maroun backed legislators.

[Bagley]

I saw an ad last night and there was a guy who seemed really upset about having to pay for the bridge--I'm assuming that he's Canadian but I didn't know they were up in arms over the bridge.

[Honky Tonk]

"I'm calling malarkey! You can't disagree with Mitt Romney without adding a day and time you disagreed with him. Chances are that you misunderstood him or he's decided that you were right"

I guess I just plain misunderstood him when he was totally against the coal industry as Governor, and now for he's it. And misunderstood him again when he announced that Jeep was sending all their jobs to Asia because of Obama's policy's. I also liked the way he dismantled companies in MI as CEO [[?) of Bain Capitol, and put MI workers out of work, while he was making a profit. But you're right, I'll vote for him because he "knows what it's like to live from paycheck to paycheck, he's read about it".

[Bham1982]

Snyder's not lying about the money for the bridge. The Canadians are Paying for the bridge. The Canadians are 100% responsible if tolls cannot meet the payback of the bonds. The feds are paying for the custom plazas. No state money is needed.

This is totally misleading, and yeah, the Governor is lying. Michigan taxpayers will pay for this bridge, guaranteed.

First, we are still paying off the bonds on the Blue Water expansion, which has been a disaster because of far below expected crossings. If you add another bridge, we will never pay for Blue Water, because even the current crossings barely cover the debt service.

Second, we are still paying off the new "International Plaza" which just opened for Ambassador, and our level of financial exposure, just like at Blue Water, is completely dependent on the volume of crossings.

So, even if the Governor were telling the truth about the new bridge [[and he isn't), there's no way a new bridge won't cost Michigan taxpayers hundreds of millions+, just based on the redirected traffic volume from existing crossings.

But, it's even worse than that. First, Canada's agreement covers only the bridge. So they only promise to pay for the bridge, not all the other assorted infrastructure. And even the bridge part isn't really ironclad, because the U.S. taxpayers [[of which Michigan is obviously a contributing member) will pay if tolls are insufficient to meet projections.

Canada is NOT agreeing to pay for the bridge. They are agreeing to advance the money, to be repaid by tolls. They have made NO promise to cover shortages based on insufficient tolls.

[I <3 DET]

In my opinion as an Independent...

The new bridge debate has been going on for years, even before Snyder was governor.

The billionaire Matty Moroun wants a bridge monopoly while he has let Michigan Central Station fall into disrepair since the 80's. The station is used as a symbol all over the world of the devastation of Detroit, ruining the image ofo ur entire metro area.

At the same time, Moroun has spent a record $32,000,000 to alter people's perceptions and spread complete lies on what proposal 6 actually is.
http://www.windsorstar.com/Moroun+spent+record+Proposal/7466239/story.html
http://www.freep.com/article/20121101/NEWS15/121101068/cnbc-moroun-proposal-6-bridge

He made commercials stating that money would be taken from schools, police, firefighters, etc., but Canada has stated that they will pay all the costs for the government owned bridge, except for the U.S. customs plaza.

The Ambassador bridge location is bad for the city of Windsor. To get from the bridge to E C. Row Expressway, trucks must cross 17 intersections in Windsor. The new bridge location will be a direct link to the expressway. Saving trucks money from wasting gas while idling, and creating a better traffic situation for the city of Windsor.
http://www.ezbordercrossing.com/list-of-border-crossings/michigan/ambassador-bridge/

We NEED a new bridge, we have 1 international trade crossing while Buffalo, N.Y. has 4, but our bridge alone has 43% more traffic than all of Buffalos 4 bridges combined.

Basically... Do you want a corrupt billionaire to have a monopoly of an international trade crossing, or do you want a Canadian owned bridge that will be costless to American tax payers? And we will get 50% ownership of the bridge in 50 years once Canada has been payed back through tolls.

A great video where Governor Rick Snyder explains the entire proposal in detail: http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/story/19979693/let-it-rip-proposal-6?clienttype=printable

I will Vote NO on Proposal 6.

[ndavies]

So the Canada's General Counsel Roy Norton is also lying.

http://www.freep.com/article/2012110...text|FRONTPAGE"
Snyder signed a Crossing Agreement with Canadian officials in June that calls for Canada to pay to build the bridge, with Michigan responsible for no costs. Canada would be repaid through tolls. On Thursday, Canada's General Counsel Roy Norton was on a bus tour talking about Proposal 6 with Snyder.
"Let me raise my right hand and solemnly swear, the State of Michigan will face no cost and no liability," he said.

Also if the bridge is not needed why is Maroun trying to build 2 bridges. One here and one at Niagra falls?

[Traxus]

This is totally misleading, and yeah, the Governor is lying. Michigan taxpayers will pay for this bridge, guaranteed.

First, we are still paying off the bonds on the Blue Water expansion, which has been a disaster because of far below expected crossings. If you add another bridge, we will never pay for Blue Water, because even the current crossings barely cover the debt service.

The only reason commerce [[main source of profits for either of the bridges) uses the blue water bridge is when the lines for the Ambassador are 6+ hours. Drivers hate using the blue water because it is poorly positioned. The Ambassador cannot sustain the international traffic, and if Michigan does not relieve the pressure, New York will. Furthermore, the Ambassador is long overdue for repairs that will require shutting the bridge down. We need another span to save the current one.

Gaurnteed, How? Right now you've given us the equivalent of 'nuh uh'

Second, we are still paying off the new "International Plaza" which just opened for Ambassador, and our level of financial exposure, just like at Blue Water, is completely dependent on the volume of crossings.

So, we're still paying off something we just got? I'm still paying off the loft I just bought, this is how credit works.

So, even if the Governor were telling the truth about the new bridge [[and he isn't), there's no way a new bridge won't cost Michigan taxpayers hundreds of millions+, just based on the redirected traffic volume from existing crossings.

What do you mean he isn't? Does that mean Moroun is? Who is more trustworthy?.. and if it is such a goddamn burden to build this thing than why is Moroun so eager to stop it and bear the burden himself? He makes 100 million a year by owning that bridge, this is nothing more than an attempt to maintain his monopoly.

But, it's even worse than that. First, Canada's agreement covers only the bridge. So they only promise to pay for the bridge, not all the other assorted infrastructure. And even the bridge part isn't really ironclad, because the U.S. taxpayers [[of which Michigan is obviously a contributing member) will pay if tolls are insufficient to meet projections.

Canada is NOT agreeing to pay for the bridge. They are agreeing to advance the money, to be repaid by tolls. They have made NO promise to cover shortages based on insufficient tolls.

Okay, lets say this comes to fruition. Tolls aren't cutting it. This is the largest international trade crossing in the world, by breaking Moroun's monopoly, the newer bridge can offer more competitive prices to pull traffic from his bridge, as well as making Detroit a more viable trade route. I'm sorry, I don't see this being a persistent problem.

[Traxus]

And as far as the presidential is concerned, I think the economist summed it up quite well:

America could do better than Barack Obama; sadly, Mitt Romney does not fit the bill


As a result, this election offers American voters an unedifying choice. Many of The Economist’s readers, especially those who run businesses in America, may well conclude that nothing could be worse than another four years of Mr Obama. We beg to differ. For all his businesslike intentions, Mr Romney has an economic plan that works only if you don’t believe most of what he says. That is not a convincing pitch for a chief executive. And for all his shortcomings, Mr Obama has dragged America’s economy back from the brink of disaster, and has made a decent fist of foreign policy. So this newspaper would stick with the devil it knows, and re-elect him.

http://www.economist.com/news/leader...bill-which-one

[Honky Tonk]

"This is totally misleading, and yeah, the Governor is lying. Michigan taxpayers will pay for this bridge, guaranteed."

Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that everyone is lying. Rick Snyder, Stephen Harper, the Canadian Parliment, all the bean counters and fact checkers. This is the WORST possible investment that the State of MI could make. Just ask yourself, "Why would Matty Moroun spend 33 million, [[let me repeat that), 33 MILLION, of his own dollars on an ad campaign to stop construction on the newly proposed bridge? Civic Pride? Save us from ourselves? Staunch supported of civil rights and upholder of the MI Constitution? Why would he do this? You don't have to answer, just think about it.

[downtownguy]

In my opinion as an Independent...

The new bridge debate has been going on for years, even before Snyder was governor.

The billionaire Matty Moroun wants a bridge monopoly while he has let Michigan Central Station fall into disrepair since the 80's. The station is used as a symbol all over the world of the devastation of Detroit, ruining the image ofo ur entire metro area.

At the same time, Moroun has spent a record $32,000,000 to alter people's perceptions and spread complete lies on what proposal 6 actually is.
http://www.windsorstar.com/Moroun+spent+record+Proposal/7466239/story.html
http://www.freep.com/article/20121101/NEWS15/121101068/cnbc-moroun-proposal-6-bridge

He made commercials stating that money would be taken from schools, police, firefighters, etc., but Canada has stated that they will pay all the costs for the government owned bridge, except for the U.S. customs plaza.

The Ambassador bridge location is bad for the city of Windsor. To get from the bridge to E C. Row Expressway, trucks must cross 17 intersections in Windsor. The new bridge location will be a direct link to the expressway. Saving trucks money from wasting gas while idling, and creating a better traffic situation for the city of Windsor.
http://www.ezbordercrossing.com/list-of-border-crossings/michigan/ambassador-bridge/

We NEED a new bridge, we have 1 international trade crossing while Buffalo, N.Y. has 4, but our bridge alone has 43% more traffic than all of Buffalos 4 bridges combined.

Basically... Do you want a corrupt billionaire to have a monopoly of an international trade crossing, or do you want a Canadian owned bridge that will be costless to American tax payers? And we will get 50% ownership of the bridge in 50 years once Canada has been payed back through tolls.

A great video where Governor Rick Snyder explains the entire proposal in detail: http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/story/19979693/let-it-rip-proposal-6?clienttype=printable

I will Vote NO on Proposal 6.

Well stated.

[Richard]

So if and when the bridge gets built and Areo kicks in with the funding conveniently set aside and all of the new business relocates there from the city and burbs ,well because why would you want to buy and rehab a old building and deal with the nasty brownfield and such when you have the Gov standing there saying pssst over here my buddies and the taxpayers can venture capital for you just sign here and move in you brand new shiny building in 30 days.You do not want to set up business in that mean city ,we are friendly here with no red tape.

When you want to catch the Wolverine to Chicago for the weekend ? Well have fun going all the way to the other side of the airport,but hey no problem $50 you can park right here.

Of course then again the feds could say ,well I do not know about building those customs plazas,tight budget this year and all,just cannot seem to find that checkbook,maybe Canada will pay for that also ,opps they cannot as they are US Gov buildings.Bridge, what bridge? So all is well in the end no worries carry on.

[professorscott]

Don't like Obama, but we're only given two choices, so he gets my vote. I only disagree with Obama on 80% of things; with Romney it's 99.9% of things.

That's as well as I've seen anyone put the dilemma. With Romney, how much I disagree with him depends on which Romney is speaking at any given moment: the moderate Republican governor of Massachusetts, or the puppet and voice of the "tea party".

[professorscott]

While I'm not fan of Maroun, I also don't appreciate Snyder lying about the cost of the bridge and also going around the legislator. That may be how he ran Gateway into the ground, but that's not how he's going to run this state.

I want the new bridge as well, but we need to lay all of the cards on the deck now and go through the proper authorization.

Why has it not occurred to anybody that it is just absolutely not effing up to a state whether or not to expand an international border crossing or build a new one? This is a Federal issue and it will get done however the most relevant Federal departments - Transportation and Homeland Security, and not necessarily in that order - decide it's going to get done.

Matty Maroun and Rick Snyder aren't even players and neither is any Michigan voter referendum. Sorry people of Michigan - we don't get to decide as a state how the Federal highway system gets built at international crossings. All of this nonsense between BridgeCo and the Guv are just a flailing in the wind.

[JVB]

Don't like Obama, but we're only given two choices, so he gets my vote.

What do you mean we're only given two choices? Have you never voted for President before - there are always more than 2 choices. This year in Michigan we will have 6 choices. Jill Stein [[Green Party), Virgil Goode [[US Taxpayers Party), Ross Anderson [[Natural Law Party) and of course Gary Johnson [[Libertarian). Gary Johnson may not be allowed on the ballot since he was in the Republican Primary - the Libertarian Party is fighting it in the courts now, but he is eligible as a write-in candidate regardless.

Every election we bitch about voting for the "lesser of two evils" as if we're powerless to do anything about it, but we go right in the voting booth and ignore the 3rd Party candidates year after year. People would rather vote for a "winner" than vote for real change.

We deserve the government we have. It's our fault, not the politicians.

[Danny]

Since these 6 proposals almost confuse me, my decision is clear:

Prop. 1 Can't tell you!

prop. 2 Can't tell you!

prop. 3 Can't tell you!

prop. 4 Can't tell you!

prop. 5 Can't tell you!

prop. 6 Can't tell you!

Folks! It's your right to tell or not to tell how are you going to vote. I'm going to vote to according to my beliefs and principles for a better democratic society.

[313WX]

What do you mean we're only given two choices? Have you never voted for President before - there are always more than 2 choices. This year in Michigan we will have 6 choices. Jill Stein [[Green Party), Virgil Goode [[US Taxpayers Party), Ross Anderson [[Natural Law Party) and of course Gary Johnson [[Libertarian). Gary Johnson may not be allowed on the ballot since he was in the Republican Primary - the Libertarian Party is fighting it in the courts now, but he is eligible as a write-in candidate regardless.

Every election we bitch about voting for the "lesser of two evils" as if we're powerless to do anything about it, but we go right in the voting booth and ignore the 3rd Party candidates year after year. People would rather vote for a "winner" than vote for real change.

We deserve the government we have. It's our fault, not the politicians.

There are at least 150 million voters in this country.

Most voters don't even bother with politics, let alonw know anything about 3rd parties.

So essentially, voting 3rd party would be a waste of a vote.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Most people that don't vote, do so because they truly believe, their vote won't count in the grand scheme of things.