Will White Blue-Collar Voters Abandon Obama?

1. 61

   chipsballposted 12 years ago

   During the Obama Administration term in office from 2008-2012 the vast majority of new jobs (admitedly not enough) created or saved have gone to white blue-collar workers. In the private section were employment has increased particulary in the auto industry related fields, most of those jobs have gone to white blue-collar individuals. Not a complaint whatsoever, but a legitimate observation. In the public section involving the employment or retention of fire fighters, law enforcement, education etc. white blue-collar individuals have gotten most of those positions. The nations demograhics would dictate that result.
   
   In the 2008 election of Barack Obama he got roughly 40% of white male voters. Obama is now projected to receive less than 25% of white male voters in November. Not sure of the breakdown between white-collar and blue-collar white voters as to which segment is larger...but my question is...
   
   If JOBS will be the dominate decisive determinate (DDD) in this presidential election...why would white blue-collar support and votes for Obama not be greater  than in 2012 instead of less?

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      Quilligrapherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Howdy Chips. You pose an interesting question here.
      
      I suspect support for President Obama will not depend upon how conditions in America are but on how they are perceived. The rate of job growth, only 0.84% since Sep. 2009 {1}, remains the biggest single hurdle for an Obama re-election even though everyone admits Presidents can not control new job creation in the private sector.
      
      According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Total Nonfarm Employment peaked at approx. 138.0 million jobs in Jan., 2008 and then fell 6% to 129.7 million by the end President G. W. Bush’s last budget in Sep., 2009. As President Obama’s first budget and his stimulus initiatives began to exert control over the economy,  jobs stopped declining at 129.2 million (Feb 2010) and began to limp back to 133.0 million jobs in Jun. 2012. {2}
      
      If new job growth continues to average 163,000 new jobs each month as seen in July 2012 {3}, we will not reach the pre-recession peak of Jan. 2008 for about 3 years. Although the job picture is better than the Clinton years, we still need another 5 million new jobs to totally recover from President G.W.’s “Great Recession.”
      
      {1} http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jobs_creat … tial_terms
      {2} http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/surveymost?bls  “Total Nonfarm Employment - Seasonally Adjusted”
      {3} http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

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   2. 0

      HowardBThinameposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Since the unemployment and the Misery Index have increased exponentially under Obama, he's likely to lose those who voted for him on jobs.
      
      He's also going to lose the antiwar crowd after his attack on Libya and his war rumblings toward Iran and Syria. The peaceniks simply want us OUT of the Middle East.
      
      He might also lose the Eco-crowd since he completely flip-flopped on his fossil fuel stance.
      
      He's going to pull some votes from those who think the Health plan will now cover them - if they don't have coverage now. But in the 2016 election - if Obama wins this time - the GOP is a shoe-in because by then, the citizens will know how Obama raped them over healthcare and sent their hard-earned dollars to the insurance industry. 2014 will be the year the public turns on Obama over Obamacare...if he's still in office.
      
      Personally, I think Obama will win this one because too many Americans aren't paying attention. And, to be honest, Romney isn't as charismatic.
      
      One interesting thing is that I think this will be a very dirty campaign. McCain pulled punches, but Romney is not letting Obama or Biden get by with anything. Biden made the comment that the GOP will put "ya'll back in chains," and Romney quickly called them on the carpet, telling Obama to take his campaign of "division, anger and hate" back to Chicago.
      
      So - pop the popcorn and enjoy the show.
      
      I plan to.

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   3. 61

      umbertoobrianposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There are those who believe it is the strategy of the Obama 2012 campaign to write off the white working man's vote.
      
      http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/ … coalition/
      
      http://www.thenation.com/blog/164854/ob … ing-class#
      
      Though characterized as purely a product of a broad demographic shift, it does represent a lessening in priority of retaining white working votes.
      
      I think a corollary to the OP is why do blacks, youth and women stick with Obama?  Unemployment among these groups has risen consistently over the last 3 years.
      
      Perhaps what is at play is not exclusivley determined by race, type of employment and employment status.

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   Mighty Momposted 12 years ago

   If someone didn't have a job in 2009 and still doesn't have one, whose administration are they going to blame? Obama's.
   Looking forward, the unemployed are asking themselves one question
   Which candidate is more likely to deliver a job for ME in 2013?
   
   Americans have notoriously short memories and attention spans.
   When we are unhappy with how things are, we turn against the status quo and expect a new "savior" to wave a magic wand and fix it.
   Like it or not, Obama's magic wand has not been powerful enough.
   (I won't get into all the reasons why, which include the fact Quilligrapher noted that the POTUS cannot control job creation in the private sector).
   So in comes the new "savior."  Acandidate offering a business background who claims to understand how to stimulate the private sector to create jobs.
   Nevermind that the policies said candidate is touting have been proven ineffective in the past.

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   Xenonlitposted 12 years ago

   If they go for Romney, I will be merciless when they whine about their problems. A lot of them voted for Bush...twice and now they are struggling for jobs, have lost their homes, went to war and can't get their veterans benefits for their injuries. I don't understand how they think that anyone is going to take care of them and figure they had better figure out how to take care of themselves.

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      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      To Xenonlit, THANK YOU A MULTILLION TIMES!     If Romney gets into office and the blue collars start whining, just say I TOLD YOU SO!   Hard head makes for soft buttocks as my late father used to say!

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      Sophia Angeliqueposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely. The thing is that no president can change the job market. The problem cannot be fixed that easily. It will take about 10 to 20 years and involves educating and re-educating two generations plus bringing back manufacturing and putting harsh import duties on. Oh, and to h... with global free trade!

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   Greek Oneposted 12 years ago

   What about Blue White-Collar voters?
   
   

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      umbertoobrianposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Blu Man Group will never be unemployed as long as there is PVC.

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5. 61

   chipsballposted 12 years ago

   Thanks for the comments for those who have provided same...however I am looking for answer as to the specific query I posed...i.e. Will White male blue collor voters Abandon Obama in 2012? Why, if they have been the most beneficiaries. Particulary those in the auto industry. Perhaps I was too general...my query goes specifically to white male blue-collar voters. Will they vote for Obama in lesser numbers than in 2008? Why?

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   1. 61

      umbertoobrianposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Of course they will vote in lesser numbers for Obama than in 2008.  Every group is going to vote in smaller numbers for Obama. Why?  Varied and complex.  It isn't solely about jobs. It's about bowing to foreign potentates, $3.68 gasoline and $1.60 eggs,  "you didn't build that," Solyndra, homosexual marriage, neighbors - who built jets, worked on oil rigs, worked for insurance companies, their doctor, their Catholicism,  their 32 ounce pop and cheese burgers. It is about the shining city on the hill that Reagan spoke of and received large numbers of Blue Collar Democrat votes.  They do not believe that Obama believes in America like they do.  It is obvious that Obama views the beer drinking, bow hunting, NASCAR loving blue collar white male as intellectually inferior.
      (added too)
      A Blue Collar Worker.  I work in manufacturing.

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      1. 61

         chipsballposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Varied and complex? Assuming JOBS is the primary factor...Why then?

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            umbertoobrianposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I made additions after my initial response.

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            1. 61

               chipsballposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Brian...you are in manufacturing. Assume for the moment with me that your job and the jobs of others at your facility has changed. Your hours are less and  production at the site has been off for several months now. However, stimulas money and the Obama Administration policies so far, has allowed you to maintain your employement to pay for that high priced gasoline to get to work and eggs to feed your family.
               
               What is most important to you this coming election...your job and the growth of your company or that shiney city on Reagan's hill? I say soley JOBS.

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                  umbertoobrianposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  That is because there are those who have a simplistic understanding of what America is about.  What happens when the government money runs out, as it must?  The errors in operation that left the company vulnerable have not been corrected.  In fact, the shoring up of a bad business does not make it better.  It makes it worse by rewarding stupid business practices and insulating it from the normal consequences, that government  stimulus distorts and destroys, of a price regualted market economy.
                  
                  More jobs will come with the shining city on the hill attitude toward the American people and economy than the "you din't make that," "we can't drive what we want," coal bankrupter Barrack Obama's negative vision of Americans and America.

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                  1. 61

                     chipsballposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Brian...Romney policies could very well cause a loss of your job...Obama policy has allowed you to maintain your job and the company is rebounding. Are you saying that matters not to you as a white male blue-collar voter and that your dislike of Obama would sway your vote?

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                        umbertoobrianposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        I needed a job when I found this one. I am not my job nor do I own my job.  I am concerned about things that transcend my job.  I am concerned about the long term damage Obama policies are doing to the economy as a whole.  Obama policies bailout failures and punish successes.  how long can that go on?  Obama Policies are hamstringing the real company for whom I work.  Young people, minorities and women are struggling without jobs.  Why do you believe that as a white blue collar man I don't care about them?
                        
                        I don't care about Obama. In fact, he would probably be a good guy to see a Bears game with.

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                     Sophia Angeliqueposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     I have no understanding of what America is about except religion/superstition, self gratification, ego, and going to war.
                     
                     So please tell me what America is about. I'd love to know.

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   seamonsterposted 12 years ago

   The job market is pretty dismal, but I agree with Sophia, Americans are looking at other issues.

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