Republicans in Detroit [[photos)

[Bearinabox]

So if out of 100 times I vote republican 100 times I am still an independent because I technically could get an anti-abortion, pro-gun rights, small government, anti-tax democrat that I could vote for.

I believe most, if not all, pollsters would have an extremely hard time labeling me "independent"

Well, maybe you aren't. Not everybody is. I don't think I am, at least not entirely. But whether or not you've voted for a candidate of a specific party at some point in your voting career has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not you're an independent. Again, the word you're looking for is "centrist" or "moderate."

[English]

that absolutely passes muster with me--I just hate when people call themselves independent but have never voted for a republican--Liberal blacks are the worst offenders of this way of thinking

What did you just say?

You really do not want me to start in on the voting practices of American white people. You really don't want to start that kind of tit for tat. I guarantee that you will lose.

Leave race out of this conversation. This thread was doing just fine and was quite interesting without your baseless ad hominem.

[Hermod]

"Well, where else was the United States going to build its war machines? Of course they had to build them here."

Between WWI and WWII, the small number of army tanks built were fabricated at Rock Island Arsenal. Planning for mobilization envisioned that tanks would be built by the railroad industry [[Baldwin Loco, Lima Loco, Pacific Car and Foundry, American Car and Foundry). Much of the early war production was carried out by these firms. When the army realized just how many tanks would be required, they realized that they would have to adapt automotive assembly line production techniques. They turned to the auto industry and the recommendations were to build a tank plant near Detroit. This was done..

Somewhere in my books, I have a list of WWII tanks by manufacturer. I can't find it tonight. Maybe later.

[jflick3535]

What did you just say?

You really do not want me to start in on the voting practices of American white people. You really don't want to start that kind of tit for tat. I guarantee that you will lose.

Leave race out of this conversation. This thread was doing just fine and was quite interesting without your baseless ad hominem.

uh what did I say that was wrong?

We were talking about independent voters and I opined that most people who say they are independent voters are not really independent because they vote for the same party over and over again and have never voted for the opposite side. I then said that liberal blacks were guilty of this mind sent due to the fact that they always vote Democratic yet still tell people that they are"independent voters"

no how did I offend your sensibilities again?

[PeachLaser]

The fact that the South had a pattern of electing Senators over and over again which gave them top-seniority and power was a major reason the South got many military installations. Sen. Russell from Georgia was known as the 2nd most powerful man in Washington for almost 20 years and was head of the Armed Services Committee and was on the Appropriations Committee ensuring that Georgia and the South got more than its fair share of installations. I would say this fact was more of a factor than unionization. IMO

[Hermod]

The fact that the South had a pattern of electing Senators over and over again which gave them top-seniority and power was a major reason the South got many military installations. Sen. Russell from Georgia was known as the 2nd most powerful man in Washington for almost 20 years and was head of the Armed Services Committee and was on the Appropriations Committee ensuring that Georgia and the South got more than its fair share of installations. I would say this fact was more of a factor than unionization. IMO

Because the "solid south" was firmly Democratic, the same senators and congressmen could be elected again and again. In the north, the Republicans and Democrats would have competitive races and it was difficult for anyone [[except the big city or rural representatives) to get much seniority. Look at how the senatorial seats in Michigan went back and forth between the parties.

[Det_ard]

That was great. Michigan was really hurting, shedding thousands of jobs a week. And Reagan came to town. His message for Detroiters was always a good one, full of hope and inspiration: "Move to Texas." We're busy starving this region until we kill the labor movement. "Pack up and move down to Houston, get a job." If not for old man Reagan, who'd have thought of that! What a wonderful person. Let's name every single thing after him.

In 1980, Texas had 14 million and Michigan 9.3 million people. Now, Texas has 24 million and Michigan has 10 million. Texas has gained the equivalent of the entire population of our state. I guess lots of folks listened to Reagan.

[Hermod]

In 1980, Texas had 14 million and Michigan 9.3 million people. Now, Texas has 24 million and Michigan has 10 million. Texas has gained the equivalent of the entire population of our state. I guess lots of folks listened to Reagan.

Even when the metro area was booming [[Oakland was one of the five fastest growing counties in the US), northern Michigan [[UP and upper LP) was losing population. For each decade of the 20th century, Michigan was the leader or among the leaders in the percentage of its rail net abandoned. Almost every railroad north of a Bay City-Muskegon line has been torn up.