John Hockenberry with, from left, Al Jones, Marisa Cornachio, Veronica Dahlberg, Kim Lobe, Joe Tirpak, John Rampe, and Kiarra Jones.
(WNYC)
Lake County, Ohio has become a good bellwether of how the swing state will vote, and thus, is also a fairly good predictor of presidential elections. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Lake County, Ohio has most closely matched the swing state's voting patterns in nearly every election since 1960. Seven voters coming from different backgrounds, and bringing very different concerns to the table, discuss what's swaying them.
Marisa Cornachio, mom and prosecuting attorney, thinks Fox News gets a bad rap. She's coming down on the conservative side of things because she worries about her parents, both of whom are small business owners. She says they've been hurting because of the Affordable Care Act. "The premiums alone have gone up 150 percent" she says. "Those are real numbers that effect both my mother and father."
Kim Lobe, a working mom, says that with two sons who are recent college graduates, she's very worried about the job market.
Joe Tirpak, an HR management consultant, agrees. "I think it's a tragedy when kids graduate from college and can't get a job," he says. "My daughter graduated in '83, and she still has friends who are still paying off their college loans."
Veronica Dahlberg, an activist for immigrant rights, is most worried about the Hispanic community. "When I look at things through the prism of my own personal family, but also my connection with the Hispanic community, which I meet with weekly, I like to focus on the down to earth, what is happening. And it's not good."
Al Jones, a contractor and deacon at St. John's Baptist Church, is also concerned about immigration issues. "I think the American public believes that the Latinos, the Hispanic community, are getting a free ride," he says. He points out that undocumented immigrants "pay the same taxes as everybody else, but after that, they cannot get unemployment, they cannot get any of their taxes back. It's done for." Jones thinks there needs to be a better path to the United States
For Kiarra Jones, a college student at Lake Erie College who identifies as part of the LGBT community, her greatest concern is her rights. "I have no problem with people not believing in same-sex marriage," she says, "But where you want to ban it across the board? That's where I have a problem."
John Rampe, a small business owner, also shares his views. As things stand, at least within our test group, it looks like Romney has Lake County in the bag. But this conversation will continue over the next few days, and it might have surprising outcomes for our bellwether voters.
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The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International, in collaboration with New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
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Comments [4]
A womasn cannot make a slave out of a child and do with it whatever she wants. And, women should be aware of the high correlation between birth control pills, abortion and breast cancer. Do you ever hear about this? Why not? Because someone wants to make a slave out of you and they know it's easier to do if you have made a slave out of your child. Who has the right over life and death --you?! You don't want to get pregnant then have yourself sterilized. That is the control you have over your body. But make no mistake--abortion and lower birth rates in Europe and U. S. and Mexico and almost everywhere effect the economy negatively. Think of a pyramid and think of the top as being the elderly with a strong base of productive young people. Now invert that pyramid. That is where we are today. Who benefits from this? Well, people like the Gates, Buffets, and Soroses who will be dead in 25 years and could care less the legacy they leave behind with all their millions going to control populaton worldwide. Fewer people and the rich can robe those countries easier of their natural wealth of which children are the greates.
If you want to lend your thoughts as remotely credible, you might not want your first "point" mentioned to be about climate change (if that is a priority in this election you must live under a rock). Second, where do you get your facts? Mitt Romney isn't trying to overturn a woman's right to choose, his stance is that tax payers shouldn't have to fund it. "I believe that abortion should be safe and legal." "My mother and my family have been committed to the belief that we can believe as what we want, but we should not force our beliefs on others on that matter, and you will not see me wavering on that." - Mitt Romney....The Healthcare Mandate was approved in the middle of the night and is unconstitutional. The USA is not a Country that forces it citizens to depend on the Government. This Bill is Un-American and will be shredded very soon. FYI, Obama was elected in 2008 because the race was a popularity contest so you should hope it remains that way in 2012 or you are going to hear We the People speak and I believe it will be a landslide.
Thank you, Pamela, I was about to write the same thing!!
Why do people vote for president (or US senators) as if it's a popularity contest??? There are STARK differences between Obama and Romney, voters!
If you are pro-choice, don't vote for Romney.
If you are concerned about our global environment, don't vote for Romney.
If you didn't like the Bush years, don't vote for Romney. He's just planning to repeat the same economic policies Bush had, but if he listens to Paul Ryan, things would be even worse!
I live in Mass. and know Romney very well....
I am appalled at what I just heard on The Takeaway's discussion with the voters in the room. These Democratic leaning women and men, or those who have voted for Obama, never thought to mention the ideological differences between the two candidates. Here are a couple of giant points that they missed to my dismay. Do they really want to vote for someone who doesn't believe in basic tenants of science and disavowing climate change? Or how about vowing to overturn the right to a woman's right to choose? Romney aligns himself with a party that has archaic ideas about women's rights. Dismantling the healthcare mandate, underscoring the concept that healthcare is a right? Voucherizing and defunding Medicare? Medicaid, providing services to the dusabled? Dismantling unions and the protections they provide workers? Romney's party unanimously voted down a jobs bill that would benefit veterans, and just how unaware the public is of this fact is disconcerting.
As a Democrat and as a woman, I am deeply disappointed in the ability of the Democrats in the room to raise these issues with those undecided voters, and show the Republicans in the room what stand for and are voting for.
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