Here are a couple of Halloween Eve/Election Eve impressions from a road trip to and from Michigan the last three days:
* Unleaded regular gas ranges from $2.05 to $2.22 on I-90 and I-94 and it ain't discouraging people from traveling (including me) one bit. What will it take? $2.50? $3 per gallon?
* Michigan is perceived by outsiders I met on this trip as having fallen into a deep pit of disinvestment and retrogressive policy under Engler and there's little belief that it can climb out soon. The state is far from a leader on the environment now despite the good efforts of Gov. Granholm.
* Rural areas are heavy with Bush/Cheney signs, cities with Kerry/Edwards. No surprise there. But it was nice for the first time to hear Air America with Franken on the way past Madison.
* Right-wing radio is worse than pablum. Rush Limbaugh played a clip of John Kerry sounding perfectly sane and thoughtful on Iraq (not his finest hour, of course) and His Rotundity mocked it. Are we to the point where sound reasoning qualifies one as an out-of-touch elitist?
* Lake Michigan Federation, based in Chicago, with an office in Grand Haven, is one of the most rocking Great Lakes organizations in the Basin today. Keep an eye on 'em. I am mightily impressed with the citizen participation and diversity of membership that LMF has built under executive director Cam Davis.
Posted by Dave at October 29, 2004 11:55 PM