Why Does Senator Barack Obama Hate Michigan?

Senator Barack Obama doesn't seem to like Michigan (I believe he's pointing at our star in the picture). He didn't want to help the democrats of Michigan have their voices heard by supporting some kind of primary re-vote. Of course, that wasn't in his best interest as he was satisfactorily ahead in the delegate count when the issue was brought up (maybe his tune will change if Sen. Clinton wins some more primaries).

But now, Sen. Obama wants to blame the Detroit auto industry for our nation's oil woes (see recent news story "Obama hits Big 3 on SUVs"). This is a well worn leftist doctrine to blame industry for nearly everything. You see according to this doctrine, industry is the faceless enemy out to rob us of our dollars, our freedoms, our future. Well I'm a centrist and I think the leftist doctrine is a bunch of hooey. What Sen. Obama fails to acknowledge is the "personal responsibility of each American" in regards to our environment and economy. The American consumer has had automobile choices (even from the Big 3) over the past decade that were reasonably fuel efficient. The American consumer voted with its pocketbook for SUVs and trucks. Well it is a free market (hear that Sen. Obama) and the American consumer wanted what its appetite demanded - large, hulking vehicles. The automotive companies simply met the desires of the consumers. Funny though, while Sen. Obama throws rocks at the Big 3, he fails to acknowledge that Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW and whole lot of brands also have large, hulking vehicles in their current portfolios. To borrow his own phrase "that's truth-telling" Sen. Obama.

The reality is the the stakes have changed. The world oil market has been infiltrated by speculators (like the housing market was until it went bust). Competition for available oil has increased because of a combination of world population and a thriving economies like those of China and some other emerging countries. Our own refining industry is overburdened. But in the end, we Americans are most to blame. We wanted what our psyches and appetites demanded - bigness. We Americans like all-you-can-eat buffets; biggie-sized meals; large McMansions; and big hulking vehicles. But Sen. Obama doesn't want us to look in the mirror. He would prefer to let us off the hook and shift the blame on to faceless industry. That's a shame. And that makes me question his overall judgment.

If Senator Obama wants to really establish some "truth-telling" in our country then he needs to call-out the American consumer. But he won't. Tell America that it needs to buy (more likely lease) more fuel efficient "available" alternatives (my suggestions besides the obvious hybrids: Honda Fit, Ford Focus, Toyota Yaris or this fall's Saturn Astra). Fuel efficient vehicles are sitting on retail lots across America gathering dust and pollen just waiting for a good home (though I hear a few are finally rolling off the lots since gas recently surpassed $3.50 a gallon). Now that's some "truth-telling" that I'd like to hear from Sen. Obama. Also, he needs to assure us Michiganders that he doesn't hate us.