[magellan]

The comeback kid keeps the momentum going (I mean Michigan, not necessarily Snyder). Eight Metro Areas in Michigan are now below the national unemployment rate of 6.3%. Also in those metro areas, the labor force stayed consistent, which means that people who were unemployed did not drop out of the workforce but were able to find employment.

Here they are and their overall rank in the economy

United States - 6.3%

56) Ann Arbor - 4.6%
56) Holland - Grand Haven - 4.6%
68) Grand Rapids - Wyoming - 4.8%
120) Battle Creek - 5.5%
120) Kalamazoo - Portage - 5.5%
120) Lansing - East Lansing - 5.5%
177) Muskegon - Norton Shores - 6.1%
177) Niles - Benton Harbor - 6.1% (that was a surprise)
203) Bay City - 6.3%
203) Jackson - 6.3%
203) Monroe - 6.3%

Warren - Troy - Farmington Hills (Metropolitan Division) - 7.1%
318) Detroit - Livonia - Dearborn - 7.9%

Michigan - 7.4%

Source

I know this will morph into a political debate, so I'll start. Does this bode well for Snyder in the elections? Or do you think the Republicans have done a pretty good job of losing a lot of women voters (both in Michigan and nationally)?

Does the fact that Michigan, Detroit and Oakland County are still above the national average not help? Since they have the largest block of voters?

[mjlo]

I don't think it can hurt Snyder. He's not super popular, but people don't care for change that much so they are likely to stay the course. If unemployment were higher he'd be in trouble. The voting block in the Detroit area traditionally wouldn't vote for him anyway. But there's enough middle class and upper middle class people there that most likely have jobs. They probably will vote for him. The 7.9 is just Wayne county only where he doesn't have a prayer anyway. I was an economics major so when people blame one singular office for their economic situation it drives me nuts. It drives me nuts when they attribute the good too it as well. The economy is a bigger animal than one single office or person can control.

People bathe in emotions and hyperbole when it comes to politics I wish that wasn't the case. But hate him or love him, you're most likely going to see him for four more years.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by mjlo

I don't think it can hurt Snyder. He's not super popular, but people don't care for change that much so they are likely to stay the course. If unemployment were higher he'd be in trouble. The voting block in the Detroit area traditionally wouldn't vote for him anyway. But there's enough middle class and upper middle class people there that most likely have jobs. They probably will vote for him. The 7.9 is just Wayne county only where he doesn't have a prayer anyway. I was an economics major so when people blame one singular office for their economic situation it drives me nuts. It drives me nuts when they attribute the good too it as well. The economy is a bigger animal than one single office or person can control.

People bathe in emotions and hyperbole when it comes to politics I wish that wasn't the case. But hate him or love him, you're most likely going to see him for four more years.

Thought you might enjoy this article:

Are you developing psychosis following Michigan's campaign for governor? | Michigan Radio

To badly parody Casablanca, many people feel the fortunes of two rival 50-something guys from Battle Creek don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. They don’t think anything Schauer or Snyder can do will make much difference in their lives.

[mgkeith]

I do wonder what Snyder's people were on when they came up with that "wedding dress" ad. Idiotic!

[mgkeith]

On the other hand, I`ll have to ask my daughters what they think. My husband thinks it's really funny and silly. Bah, humbug.

[animatedmartian]

I think the biggest issues against Synder would be his tax on pensions and cuts to education. Those alone will probably determine his election.

Other than that, I think his proactive involvement in Detroit's bankruptcy was a good thing. Detroiters might find it hard to argue otherwise (unless they're pensioners) but then that whole emergency manager thing is probably what people will point as as why they wouldn't vote for him. Plus Detroiters are pretty partisian to begin with.

I don't think actual employment rates will make a difference since I don't really think Synder drastically affected the economy one way or the other. He might have nudged it in the right direction, but it's about the same as nudging a duck in a huge river. The economy won't be a debating point.

I think Synder will win, just barely. He seems like an actual acting governor and not a textbook Republican and very rarely did things ever seem like a partisan issue with him. I'm kinda worried the other guy is going to be very partisan as evidenced by the attack ads. With all the attack ads I've seen, I feel like I know about as much as Schauer as the first time I heard his name.

[mgkeith]

This article helps to sort out the facts to some extent:Fact check: Pro-Schauer ad mostly factual, except on education cuts | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

[VM1138]

I have noticed a greater number of part-time, minimum wage jobs being advertised than this time last year.

Hurray for the Nu-Economy!

[mjlo]

I've been following the races on RCP Snyder has been consistently ahead, sometimes by narrower margins the whole time. It's very hard to unseat a sitting incumbent when the economy is stable or improving. Whether or not one thinks Rick Snyder deserves credit for Michigan's economic recovery after a decade of being down can be debated. I would be very surprised not to see him win.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by mgkeith

I do wonder what Snyder's people were on when they came up with that "wedding dress" ad. Idiotic!

Ha! No kidding. It was actually some young republican group out of Washington D.C.. They do the same ad in every district and change the candidates.