Obama in McHenry County – 2008 vs. 2012

Romney signs on Dole Avenue.

2008 was the first year since the Republican Party was formed that a Democrat carried McHenry County.

Barack Obama got 51.8% of the ballots cast to John McCains’s 44.5%.

This year, the Republicans took McHenry County.

Mitt Romney won 53.3% of the vote, while Obama took 44.5%.

In raw numbers, 131,179 voted for either Obama or McCain in 2012.

That compares to 137,133 casting ballots for one of the two major parties in 2008.

Almost 6,000 fewer votes were cast this year than four years ago.

2012 Obama sticker.

In 2008. it was

  • Obama – 72,288
  • McCain – 64,845

In 2012, the totals were

  • Obama – 59,691
  • Romney – 71,488

Total turnout can be seen below:

  • 2008 – 140,002 or 70.22% of those registered to vote
  • 2012 – 134,323 so far or 66.1% of registered voters

Comments

Obama in McHenry County – 2008 vs. 2012 — 29 Comments

  1. Not an overwhelming majority.

    A noted economist and political contributor made a great observation.

    There is no dispute that 47% of people end up paying zero Federal income tax after deductions.

    Most get more back than they paid in.

    This same 47% could care less about the stock market and thereby the economy.

    Romney only appealed to the people that desired a stronger economy and he fail to relate to the 47% on any level.

    If anything they feared he would reduce the handouts.

    If they work, they get their check and only look at the amount in their pocket.

    Until someone can connect the dots between a stronger economy and a larger check, it’s a lost cause.

    The GOP needs to re focus the message!

    Obama on the other hand has for the past four years continually INCREASED and enhanced the benefits to the 47% via food stamps, Obama Phones and now free medical paid for by the 53%.

    When people learn they can vote themselves more government benefits, you kill the society.

    Aristotle stated ~ “Tolerance is the last virtue of a dying society “~

  2. Justin’s got it right.

    The liberal’s favorite radio host Rush said, “If you have a choice between Santa Claus and going to work, which would be your choice?”

    With a few obvious execptions, the 47% figure seems quite low.

    Granted, Romney may have not been the best Republican for the job, but his business abilities sure would have done this country’s economy a lot of good.

    Sorry Joe, but the Republicians have it right.

    If we voted your way, we’d BOTH be wrong. Watch out for that “cliff”; the lemmings are running rigth towards it at high speed.

  3. As Ronald Reagan said “You can have your own opinions but not your own facts ” (paraphrasing).

    You or Justin are welcome to believe the right wing humbuggery but you don’t get to make stuff up- like “Obamaphones.”

    If you use that “fact” as evidence of your beliefs, it brand you as clueless.

    If things are so bad WHY DOES THE RIGHT WING NEED TO MAKE STUFF UP????

  4. **This same 47% could care less about the stock market and thereby the economy.**

    LOL – you mean the stock market that has put up the fifth highest numbers under Obama among all Presidents since 1900? What an insane argument.

    http://www.bigtrends.com/trading-education/stock-market-performance-by-us-president-since-1900/

    And seriously… Obama Phones? You mean the program that was started under Bush?

    The talking points sound nice… but it mostly a bunch of lies and hyperbole.

    **Romney only appealed to the people that desired a stronger economy**

    I want a stronger economy. And I pay income taxes. And I’m not a “taker.” And I voted for Obama. Further… if you really think that the 47% actually all voted for Obama, you are oblivious to the actual facts. Here is some good information on what the 47% actually does when they vote:

    http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/how-do-the-47-vote/

    ** Sorry Joe, but the Republicians have it right.**

    Actually, no, you don’t. And that is why you lost.

    Here is what it comes down – the Republican Party has largely become the part of white men.

    And the Democratic Party has become the party of everyone else.

    If you really think you have it right, continue what ya’ll have been doing. And see where it gets you down the road.

  5. One way the Democrats won in McHenry County, in Illinois, and in the US, was by promoting $25 Billion for Education on August 18, 2012, less than three months before the Nov 6th General Election.

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/18/new-report-highlights-impacts-teacher-layoffs-need-invest-education
    http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/Investing_in_Our_Future_Report.pdf
    http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/08/18/weekly-address-congress-should-back-plan-hire-teachers

    Do you believe all that $25 Billion would actually go to hiring new teachers?

    I doubt it.

    The State of Illinois’ portion of the $25 Billion would enable the State of Illinois to shift some funding that would otherwise go to teacher salaries, to pensions.

    Does fund shifting sound familiar?

    The author of this blog has repeatedly told the story of teacher union lobbyists advocating in years past to shift funds from the pension budget to the teacher salary budget.
    Thus the $25 Billion is probably a disguised way for the Federal government to provide some assistance to the State pension crisis.

    And even if it isn’t, Governor Quinn will be asking the Federal Government for pensions assistance for entire State including McHenry County.

    And no bailout on its own will be enough to solve the pension problem.
    The Republicans have not been able to fully explain the Illinois State Pension Scam Crisis to the general public. The history of the Crisis is very important to counter union rhetoric.

    The Illinois State Pension Scam Crisis is the General Assembly and Governors increased benefit levels to the state pensions plans (TRS, SERS, SURS, JRS, GARS) over a 40 year period, obviously causing the state’s annual contributions to the pension plans to increase to ever more unaffordable levels.

    Union rhetoric is the Crisis was caused by the State not making it’s contribution. The unions do not mention all the benefit increases that caused the state contribution to increase.

    Lawmakers and unions were emboldened by the Pension (Benefit Increase) Protection clause added to the Illinois State Constitution which was interpreted to mean that no matter how many times benefits are increased through state law, the pensions would be paid because they are guaranteed in the State Constitution.

    Bill Zettler simply calls it the Illinois Pension Scam, but that does not put enough blame on the State of Illinois, the General Assembly, and Governors. And it does put enough emphasis on to the fact this is a Crisis.

    Illinois State Pension Scam Crisis is a more fitting description.

    Thus a major reason for falling short in McHenry County is Republicans didn’t fully explain the Illinois State Pension Scam Crisis.

    A key Democratic strategy every year is to promote favorable legislation (in this case $25 Billion) to a large voting block (teachers), even though the US already leads the world in funding public education, can’t pay down our existing debt, and has massive underfunded teacher pension and early retirement insurance liabilities.

    Favorable legislation promises in exchange for campaign contributions and votes.

    I doubt Democrats not benefiting from a public sector union pension and early retirement healthcare insurance will be too happy when their taxes increase, fees increase, and services are reduced, to pay for pensions and early retirement healthcare insurance which they themselves don’t receive.

    Right now, those Democrats don’t fully understand the scope of the problem.

  6. I wonder what other counties voted Obama in 2008 and Romney in 2012?

    In Illinois and in the entire United States.

  7. I still stand by my premise that the 47% are less concerned about the economy than they are about how their own pocket is affected today, not next year. Most haven’t a clue about economics.

    The borrowing of 40% of our government expenses from China does not matter to them.

    All that matters is that they still get the free stuff. (If the shoe fits)

    Very true that more than just the 47% voted for Obama.

    My brother in law makes well over the much stated $250,000 and is a hardcore liberal.

    Many millionaires voted and supported him financially.

    My fervent prayer is that the GOP can get off center and understand that there are other issues besides abortion, and keeping the rich happy.

    I also pray that the democrats will see that spending is out of control and can learn to say no.

    We are so divided and partisan.

    No ability to work together.

    That being said, it seems that we keep moving farther left.

    The left doesn’t move right they expect the right to move left.

  8. I work. My husband works.

    My children work.

    We all pay taxes on the money we earn from working. (which by the way IS NOT what Gov. Romney did- he paid taxes on the money his investments gained.)

    save for my own retirement.

    Few on this blog understand economics, international business or realize the only free market on the PLANET is Somalia because they have no government.

    This county is Republican from top to bottom.

    It is NOT springfield that raises my library tax, my fire dept. tax, my township tax, my county tax.

    Are you telling me the Democrats are all hiding on the school boards?

    No because they are Republican too.

    But in the mean time-you accept Your leadership blaming everything on Michael Madigan and expect them to do nothing.

    Cal collects his taxpayer pension.

    Your REPUBLICAN county board earns their pension and takes the healthcare paid for by the taxpayer while they raise your taxes ten years straight.

    But you believe they cut the budget because they don’t tell you about Valley HI being paid off and THAT is where the reduction to expenses came from.

    They can fail to do anything strategic and blame someone else for the lack of roads or take credit when a Democrat brings the money in. it isn’t a hand out if it benefits you.

    The board talks about too much government as they support the EDC and a tourism board. Where is your private enterprise argument there?

    I sat in a room with Joe Walsh and listen to those suporters bash everyone under the sun- all the while with a medicare and social security card in their wallet.

    Arguing about all “those” people while telling him not to cut THEIR unemployment.

    This bullshit about the uber wealthy creating business and jobs- where are they?

    It is about time you people realize the constitution was built on a compromise- and this country has only prospered when we work in the middle.

    Obama supporters are not all lazy, and waiting for a hand out- any more than all Republicans are racist bigots.

    How about you stop pretending you can impact federal policy and pay attention to the entitlement that is happening in your own back yard??????

  9. @Justin- you completely missed the point.

    My point wasn’t only that more than the 47% voted for Obama.

    My point was also that significant portions of the 47% did NOT vote for Obama.

    You clearly didn’t read the article that I linked to.

    Further- the idea that only Romney supporters care about the economy is absurd.

    You initially referred to the stock market (implying that those who cared about it would have supported Romney) while completely ignoring the fact the stock market has had HUGE success under Obama.

    The rest of your comment is more than a bit much- complaining about the polarization of our politics, while in the same thread taking an extreme partisan position and blatantly attacking half if the population.

    And as for moving left – I wish.

    But the Dems have been MUCH more willing to compromise than congressional Republicans over the last 4 years, and I fully expect that trend to continue.

  10. Hey Justin– The 47% cares more about their own pocketbook than the economy as a whole?

    WHO ISN’T?

    Obviously NOT the folks who refuse to accept the same tax rates we had in the 90’s.

    Think about what you’re saying there- that people are more concerned about their OWN circumstances than the collective good?

    Isn’t that a GOOD thing/ That collective business is for the birds- and the commies.

    Right?

  11. Joe. Of course people want more money in their pockets but too many fail to educate themselves about the whole picture.

    Without getting into a full blown discussion of macroeconomics (I’m sure you know, but for others it is the economics concerned with aggregates, such as national income, consumption, and investment)

    If people fully understood the long term ramifications of this continued deficit spending, paying for these out of control programs, they would see stocks and GDP as a bellwether of our economic strength and stability.

    We must be careful not to follow in the footsteps of France, Greece and Spain, socialist governments on the brink of collapse.

    @Dave anyone with a 401k must realize that the stocks have dramatically improved, BUT the rate of growth for the county has been anemic at best.

    Growth equates to jobs.

    The market is down about 500 points since the re-election of Obama.

    I will not lay it at his feet, but Wall Street is afraid of his new taxes and uncertainty.

    Big business is demonized and profits seen as bad capitalist evil things.

    Our corporate taxes are highest in the world.

    Some economics 101 and listening to lets say a business channel rather than the comedy channel might, and I say might…make them understand that their future is aligned with the profits of these companies.

    Their union pension is invested in COMPANIES and the profits pay the pensions.

    OK I got off subject…but business was pretty much my life.

  12. BTW Dave. you didn’t see that I cleary stated in the seventh line of my 4:55 PM post the ” Very true that more than just the 47% voted for Obama”

    I also never attacked half the population.

    I just content that they are not concerned with the economics of government other than short term affects on their pocket.

    I fear for the economic health of the country for my kids and grandkids.

  13. **@Dave anyone with a 401k must realize that the stocks have dramatically improved, BUT the rate of growth for the county has been anemic at best. Growth equates to jobs.**

    Justin… you are the one that implied that anyone that cared about the stock market would have voted for Romney, not me. And the facts say otherwise.

    **The market is down about 500 points since the re-election of Obama. I will not lay it at his feet, but Wall Street is afraid of his new taxes and uncertainty.**

    Well… if you make your investment decisions based on two isolated days of trading, you’re a fool.

    **Our corporate taxes are highest in the world.**

    Wrong… our corporate tax RATES are the highest in the world. But our effective corporate tax rates are NOT the highest in the world.

    **you didn’t see that I cleary stated in the seventh line of my 4:55 PM post the ” Very true that more than just the 47% voted for Obama”**

    Huh? I saw it, and even referred to it. I am not sure what your point is. You still don’t seem to understand that the 47% does not all vote for Dems/Obama. Many of the actually vote Republican.

    And you still haven’t responded to most of anything I said. Your Obama phone silliness. Your 47% voted for Obama silliness. The country is moving to the left, and Dems never more silliness.

    Your arguments are so full of strawman arguments, hyperbole, and outright lies.

    **I also never attacked half the population.**

    SUre… I’m sure that you meant all of these things in a positive way:

    “This same 47% could care less about the stock market and thereby the economy.”
    “If anything they feared he would reduce the handouts.”
    “Most haven’t a clue about economics.”
    “All that matters is that they still get the free stuff. (If the shoe fits)”

  14. Take tidbits and twist them such as. **The market is down about 500 points since the re-election of Obama.

    I will not lay it at his feet, but Wall Street is afraid of his new taxes and uncertainty.**

    Well… if you make your investment decisions based on two isolated days of trading, you’re a fool.

    Dave I never said I would make investment decisions based upon two days however listen to the hours of business and investment interviews and the decline is clearly attributed to that uncertainty.

    You never saw that we agreed on many points but are coming at the issue from different directions and apparently perspectives.

    You chose to twist and take things totally as a negative and not as an explanation of why people feel as they do.

    Axelrod said in a post election interview that it was clear that people were uncertain how a Romney win would affect the entitlements they had come to rely upon and for many in the Obama administration was seen as providing needed daily assistance that they were unwilling to gamble away.

    Take out the hyperbole and it translates to exactly what I said only in political code *** “If anything they feared he would reduce the handouts.”

    “Most haven’t a clue about economics.”

    “All that matters is that they still get the free stuff. (If the shoe fits)”

    It’s all in how the message is framed, painted or delivered.

    Said by a democrat it is wonderful enlightened truth, said by a conservative it is nefarious lies.

    Enough said.

  15. Sigh…you continue to either not understand or just blatantly ignore my main points.

  16. I addresed your points and even listed them. I read your links.

    Maybe you are the one that can not seem to get past zero and understand.

    You’re correct ……SIGH!

  17. I don’t understand this pitch that “Wall Street” is worried about new taxes.

    We’re talking about putting things back to 90’s levels–They sure did fine with that tax rate under Clinton.

    Why won’t they now?

  18. LOL. This country is just like Venezuela. Thanks for the enlightenment.

    *rolls eyes*

  19. I read these with curiousity.

    Dave seems to argue for the sake of arguing and never really made any real points then says that Justin didn’t address his points?????

    Justin trys to restate some point which I guess is that most people don’t give a damn???

    Try this.

    Obama won, Romney lost.

    Hugo Chavez in Venezuela is Obama’s buddy.

    We’re all screwed.

  20. **Obama won, Romney lost.

    Hugo Chavez in Venezuela is Obama’s buddy.

    We’re all screwed.**

    Impassable logic – how could anyone argue with such logic!?!?

  21. You still don’t seem to understand or care that many in the 47% don’t vote Democrat and didn’t vote for Obama.

    Oh- and the assertion that “the 47%” doesn’t have skin in the game is blatantly false.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *