What Michigan Voters Want (But Aren't Getting)

What will today's Republican primary results in Michigan tell us about what voters want? Nothing. But we don't need the results to know that Michigan voters, like those in New Hampshire and across America, want action on the economy.

The Republican candidates certainly think so, as they have retooled their stump speeches to respond to voter distress. But as all the leading candidates have rhetoric that doesn't match the reality of their proposals, or the recent history of conservative failure, there's little to learn from who wins.

The essence of conservatism is that our government should set no rules of the road for corporations. If our economy doesn't work for everyone, that's a feature, not a bug. "Suck. It. Up." is today's conservative slogan.

But conservative candidates for president know that slogan won't sell, even to Republican voters — the bulk of whom, like Democrats, earn less than $100,000 a year and are feeling the economy's weak foundations.

So Mitt Romney is proposing massive new spending for research and development of new technology. John McCain is emphasizing job training programs to help people adapt to economic changes. Mike Huckabee emphasizes that free trade must also be "fair trade."

But all have a problem squaring such proposals with the anti-tax, anti-government conservative ideology and record.

Romney never explains how he's going to invest more in R&D when he also pledges to veto any appropriations bill (except military) that doesn't cut spending.

McCain never takes into account that the current conservative president has talked up job training programs for years, while repeatedly proposing to cut their funding. McCain, too, emphasizes broad spending cuts, and doesn't explain how that would improve job training or the economy in general.

McCain sticks to classic conservatism when railing against "heavy regulation, too much government spending and taxes," saying that created "a high cost of doing business [that] has hurt Michigan] dearly."

Heavy regulation? High taxes? On who? Oil companies? Mortgage lenders? Hedge funds?

Huckabee talks of "fair trade," but doesn't explain what he actually means by that. He did not respond to a Reuters request for a detailed explanation of his trade views. Further, his call for a national sales tax is the last thing that middle-class families need.

Working families struggling in the conservative economy are calling on their government to help get our economy back on track: public investment in infrastructure, education and renewable energy; oversight of irresponsible corporations; reliable health insurance for all; and the end of tax handouts to hedge fund mangers, oil companies and those earning more than $200K.

They've seen conservatism fail, and want to go in a progressive direction.

The Republican candidates seem to know it. They're tweaking their rhetoric to respond to it.

But as no one has cleanly broke with recent conservative past with a comprehensively different economic proposal, all we can judge from the results tonight is who is the least worst panderer.

Views expressed on this page are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Campaign for America's Future or Institute for America's Future