11/08/2022, The Midterms, aka build on 2020 aka The Election Thread [Archive] - Page 15

stankeybearlover

11-05-2022, 02:16 AM

The Republicans are actually WAY smarter, FAR less splintered and FAR more organized Â… And itÂ’s likely why they will be our overlords for eternity. Because of the de facto two-party system, the Democratic Party gets to appeal to a far broader ideological base than the Republican Party. Democrats get to appeal to anyone from right-of-center to anyone to the left of that. Socially progressive or ecologically sound stances don't even get clearly articulated as party lines, because they are deemed too divisive if they're not pretty much already in the constitution. They can claim their party is ideologically pluriform all they want, but the only clear message the party as a whole has had since Bush II is: "hey, at least we aren't obvious cryptofascists". Either the Republican Party turns towards the canonical words of Christ or some new "centrist" party makes it as a realistic competitor with considerable help of billionaires. There doesn't seem to be any other way to get the Democratic Party united behind a more clearly defined political identity. Save for maybe an actual immediate existential threat to the American identity.

allegro

11-05-2022, 11:18 AM

Because of the de facto two-party system, the Democratic Party gets to appeal to a far broader ideological base than the Republican Party. Democrats get to appeal to anyone from right-of-center to anyone to the left of that.
Yeah it’s interesting that some Democratic candidates are in fact directly attempting to appeal to “Democrats, Republicans and Independents” and by “Republicans” they mean not the crazy ones, because the only candidate the not-crazy ones have to choose from on their team is clearly a fascist or will at least tow the authoritarian or theocratic line.

I’ve seen Beto directly speak to “Democrats, Republicans and Independents” in his Gubernatorial campaign many times, as well as Tim Ryan in Ohio.

Because Abbott and J.D. Vance? Hello?!?

allegro

11-05-2022, 11:35 AM

The only unifying theme in the Democratic Party right now, as it should be, is: Save democracy and the republic.

Many voters don’t seem to fully grok that it’s in danger.

And the hard right, in their typical smoke-and-mirrors fashion, is spreading ridiculous memes saying the U.S. isn’t a democracy stfu.

While I was on Twitter (I deactivated my account the night Elon Dickhead took over), I provided this information:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDOC-108hdoc94/pdf/CDOC-108hdoc94.pdf

What form of government do we have in the United States?

The United States, under its Constitution, is a federal, representative, democratic republic, an indivisible union of 50 sovereign States. With the exception of town meetings, a form of pure democracy, we have at the local, state, and national levels a government which is: ‘‘federal’’ because power is shared among these three levels; ‘‘democratic’’ because the people govern themselves and have the means to control the government; and ‘‘republic’’ because the people choose elected delegates by free and secret ballot.

A man broke into the home of the Speaker of the House, looking to hog-tie and kidnap Speaker Pelosi.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/10/31/feds-charge-pelosi-attacker-assault-attempted-kidnapping/10650638002/

"In the course of the interview, DePape articulated he viewed Nancy as the 'leader of the pack' of lies told by the Democratic Party," the federal affidavit states. "DePape also later explained that by breaking Nancy’s kneecaps, she would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress there were consequences to actions.”

The federal affidavit describes the bizarre conduct of the suspect, who broke into the house through a glass door and confronted Pelosi in an upstairs bedroom.

DePape, carrying a backpack containing a tape, rope, a second hammer, gloves and zip ties, allegedly roused Pelosi from sleep, saying he was "looking for Nancy."

When Pelosi told him the speaker was not at home, the suspect allegedly removed the zip ties, stating that he intended to restrain Pelosi so that DePape "could go to sleep" because he was tired from carrying the backpack to the home.

HOWEVER, see this crap:

https://www.metroweekly.com/2022/11/fbi-police-debunk-anti-gay-conspiracy-about-paul-pelosi-attack/amp/

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is on Truth Social fomenting this violence all day, every day.

On October 31st, Trump posted this on TS:

The Witch Hunt continues, and after 6 years and millions of pages of documents, they've got nothing. If I had what Hunter and Joe had, it would be the Electric Chair. Our Country is Rigged, Crooked, and Evil - We must bring it back, and FAST. Next stop, Communism!"

allegate

11-08-2022, 12:12 PM

still finding out who the idiots are on twitter.

https://twitter.com/mariolopezviva/status/1589761722684182528

https://twitter.com/ihatejoelkim/status/1590011912628350984

versusreality

11-08-2022, 03:06 PM

Lopez's tweet makes no sense. Gas prices and inflation are a GLOBAL problem. Is it somehow Biden's fault that the gas prices are high in say, UK?
Idiots. Seriously.

GulDukat

11-08-2022, 05:03 PM

Lopez's tweet makes no sense. Gas prices and inflation are a GLOBAL problem. Is it somehow Biden's fault that the gas prices are high in say, UK?
Idiots. Seriously.

Nah, just cut taxes for the rich. A rising tide lifts all boats. Works every time...

J/K. I'm going to turn off MSNBC and put on some Star Trek. I can't watch this.

It won't end well. I predict the GOP will control both houses. The next two years will be a clusterfuck and then things will only get worse in 2024.

allegro

11-08-2022, 08:00 PM

Wooooooo ILLINOIS!!!!!!

J.B wins Governor again (fuck you, Darren Balley), and Tammy Duckworth retains her Senate seat!

Stay tuned! Yay Illinois!

Watching closely for Wisconsin results, hoping Mandela kicks Johnson’s ass.

Meanwhile… Florida is a hopeless shit hole.

(No, I don’t watch MSNBC. I’m watching ABC.)

Wretchedest

11-08-2022, 08:21 PM

Shocking that O'Rourke, who has never won anything, has yet again, not won.

allegro

11-08-2022, 08:52 PM

Shocking that O'Rourke has not won.
In a state run by cheating Republicans. Where what is nearly the second biggest city in the country (Houston) is almost entirely Democrat. Huh.

(Beto was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 16th district from 2013 - 2019.)

Meanwhile, Boebert is losing.

allegro

11-08-2022, 09:58 PM

J.D. Vance. What the fuck.

GulDukat

11-08-2022, 10:18 PM

J.D. Vance. What the fuck.

What the hell is wrong with Ohio? Ohio and Florida are no longer purple.

allegro

11-08-2022, 10:26 PM

What the hell is wrong with Ohio? Ohio and Florida are no longer purple.

Yeah I don’t think they ever were, but they are flaming fucking crazy ass red, now.

Like, Handmaid’s Tale Red.

If the Voter’s Rights Act hadn’t been overturned, a lot of this shit wouldn’t be happening.

Lauren Underwood won her third term. Love her.
And Sean Casten wins again after the death of his daughter.
Alexi Giannoulias wins Secretary of State.

GIANT BLUE WAVE HERE IN ILLINOIS!

Leviathant

11-08-2022, 10:42 PM

Pennsylvania checking in. Fuuuuuck Mastriano! WOOOO!

Cautiously optimistic about Fetterman.

Fully expecting an avalanche of frivolous lawsuits and other challenges.

In the parts of the country where I don't live: Bye bye Boebert! Florida and Texas are lost causes. Georgia is super disappointing... but then the whole country's pretty disappointing. And yeah, J.D. Vance? JFC.

Greetings from the liberal/progressive bubble of Philadelphia.

allegro

11-08-2022, 10:42 PM

Looks like Big Gretch is going to be re-elected, AND the constitutional amendment for reproductive rights (Proposal 3) has gotten 57% “Yes” so far in Michigan.

The Dems are actually PICKING UP some Republican House seats.

This is all going to be up to California.

We are NOT going to know tonight.

elevenism

11-09-2022, 12:50 AM

Fetterman wins, according to ABC!

Fuck Dr. Oz, with his eerie ass...everything.

elevenism

11-09-2022, 12:52 AM

@Wretchedest (https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=107) , Beto is fucking BADASS.
I've sat and talked with him, twice, at a little.taqueria in a district he KNEW he had no chance of.winning.
He still.came, though. He drove fucking 5000 miles in a matter of weeks, doing multiple.town halls a day.

He lost to Ted Cruz by TWO points, in 2018.

He's never won anything?

How was he a US house rep from 2013-2019?

This shit is kind of heartbreaking, for those of us who have followed his campaign.
Idk.
I guess it's somehow funny in California? Guess I'd have to be there?

He's stayed within a few points of Greg Abbot, visited EVERY county in texas, many of them multiple times, and has been the best hope for a Dem governor in Texas since Richards won THIRTY TWO YEARS AGO.

He played in punk bands, he still skates, he's an incredible speaker.who has flipped a SHITLOAD of Republican voters, and he stands for just .about.everything I do.
I've NEVER been this invested in a campaign in my fucking.
LIFE, and, yeah.

That shit ain't funny to me, and it isn't funny to.about 46% of.texans.

He KNEW he probably wouldn't win, but at least he fucking TRIED, man.

allegro

11-09-2022, 01:30 AM

elevenism

11-09-2022, 01:47 AM

elevenism

11-09-2022, 02:43 AM

I love how Beto speaks fluent Spanish.

People come up to him and just start rappin’ with him in Spanish and he’s listening carefully and then he’ll reply in Spanish and I’m always thinking, “that asshole Abbott doesn’t speak Spanish!”

There were SO MANY people on Beto’s IG feed who used to be Republican who switched to vote for Beto.

But there were a lot of Texans on TikTok bitching that the voting machines had flipped their votes from Beto to Abbott, and they’d reported it to an election judge and got it fixed but they wondered how many before them hadn’t noticed; and if it went back to being broken, later.

This is the same issue they had with machines during the Cruz/Beto race.

There's more voter suppression and voter intimidation in Texas than any other state. Abbot ran, mostly, on "border security," aka...racism?

Beto is like me.
He doesn't feel like this is the Texas he grew up in, anymore.
And it ISN'T. This state is about 50/50, left vs right, but we've had an unshakable Republican supermajority in our government for DECADES, and it's sickening.

But, like me, he still loves this place, and is willing to fight. He gave us hope.
He visited tiny towns that had never SEEN a candidate for governor in person.
He didn't just talk, either: he LISTENED.
And he did it while his mother was fighting cancer.

He raised more money than Abbott, who was backed by oil companies and shit, for 75% of the campaign.

I didn't think he was gonna win, but this still fucking hurts.

versusreality

11-09-2022, 04:44 AM

GulDukat

11-09-2022, 05:59 AM

Wow, the GOP will likely still get the House, but I am shocked that they won't be getting the Senate.

Could have been worse.

burnmotherfucker!

11-09-2022, 06:26 AM

Wow, the GOP will likely still get the House, but I am shocked that they won't be getting the Senate.

Could have been worse.

Did they call the Senate for the Dems? I'm still seeing 48-47, but I just switched on the tv real quick and sometimes they wait to call it at the end for ratings.

The House we pretty much knew was going red, but it's still not good. Say goodbye to any chance Biden's admin gets funding for anything at all til 2024.

sweeterthan

11-09-2022, 06:57 AM

“you know me, i hate everyone. “ i really do. look at the georgia races and all you’ll see is misogyny. sad day for the women in my state. not shocked but definitely disappointed. at least i have a bevy of nin songs to rage to today. i’m gonna need my broken blanket.

Swykk

11-09-2022, 08:34 AM

chuckrh

11-09-2022, 09:00 AM

Washington turned out OK. The GOP dumped huge money in the state & lost almost everything.

cdm

11-09-2022, 09:05 AM

This is what I meant when I said don't pay attention to polls. At best they woefully underweighted for the silent Dobbs voter (that never went away and it was fucking stupid to think they did) or at worst purposefully gamed their polls to make the races seem closer to affect turnout. Personally I think it was a mix, depending on the polling service

GulDukat

11-09-2022, 09:08 AM

allegate

11-09-2022, 09:30 AM

https://twitter.com/petersagal/status/1590356795725598721

allegro

11-09-2022, 11:02 AM

So glad Fetterman won. Now, in order for me to have a glimmer of hope, I need to see Walker lose and Lake lose. It's sad that Warnock/Walker is too close to call. The fact that Walker has that much support is really sad.

Georgia was always going to be a runoff because of the 3rd party candidate. (If a candidate doesn’t get more than 50% of the vote, it goes to a runoff.)

Warnock came damned close, but it ain’t over 50%.

The midterm after a presidential win statistically always flips at least the House to the opposite party, typically by a huge margin (after Obama, and the ACA, Democrats lost 63 seats in the House) and often the Senate also flips.

So far none of that has panned out.

It ain’t over ‘til it’s over. This won’t be over for weeks.

I’m most disappointed in Johnson in Wisconsin. What a turd. Although, Barnes is a REALLY progressive candidate and Wisconsin is one of the least woke places on the planet. You can’t carry a state based solely on Madison and Milwaukee; just not enough voters. Kenosha County is far too red.

At least Evers won.

AND … Michigan flipped the House and Senate to Blue and Gretchen Whitmer retains her Governor seat (for a final second term, there’s a 2-term limit for Governor in Michigan) … so now Michigan is DEMOCRATIC SUPERMAJORITY!!!! AND Michigan passed Proposition 3, adding the right to abortion to Michigan’s Constitution!!

This is SO awesome! Big Gretch fought off these pro-life people like a WARRIOR, vetoing every damned crazy conservative abortion ban piece of legislation they sent to her desk. Then Michigan voters rejected Tudor Dixon, a Trump-backed radical right nut job with the weirdest (but totally “Michigan”) ad. With fake bikers.

https://youtu.be/S2m5JG1L_Zk

elevenism

11-09-2022, 12:21 PM

Swykk

11-09-2022, 01:11 PM

Candace Owens Lite is Jennifer Ruth Green and she absolutely sucks. I’m glad my vote counted in defeating her.

allegro

11-09-2022, 02:15 PM

Candace Owens Lite is Jennifer Ruth Green and she absolutely sucks. I’m glad my vote counted in defeating her.

OMG, yeah, we were seeing all her ads here in Chicago! She's totally right-wing radical, no abortion even in the case of rape or incest, etc.

"Jennifer-Ruth Green ... Too extreme!"

allegro

11-09-2022, 02:26 PM

Did they call the Senate for the Dems? I'm still seeing 48-47, but I just switched on the tv real quick and sometimes they wait to call it at the end for ratings.

The House we pretty much knew was going red, but it's still not good. Say goodbye to any chance Biden's admin gets funding for anything at all til 2024.

They can't call the Senate until they finish counting the ballots in Arizona and Nevada, and perhaps until the December 6 Georgia Senate runoff.

They can't call the House until they finish counting ballots in California. That will likely take at least a week.

Watching Kevin McCarthy's "Victory Party" last night ... with an empty room and the Doobie Brothers song playing to nobody ... was worth sitting there all night, LOL. Stuff on the floor and nobody around, McCarthy making a speech to the press and about 5 people.

Red wave, LOL. In your dreams, asshole.

Please let Kari Lake LOSE!!!

elevenism

11-09-2022, 02:57 PM

Candace Owens Lite is Jennifer Ruth Green and she absolutely sucks. I’m glad my vote counted in defeating her.

That was a joke, son- Foghorn Leghorn.
Owens is the lady who Snoop Dogg said that black people.traded. for.Eminem, in the Racial Draft. :P
(and he actually said that a few years ago).

But yeah. I REEALLY don't understand Owens.

Like, I've a much better understanding of Ye: we're both seriously bipolar, and often forget to take our meds (as many people with mental illness do).

But Owens? Is she just trying to be a contrarian?

Changing the subject, Swykk, you know.what REALLY sucks? Being stuck.in a district where YOUR vote doesn't count.

In my county, literally everyone but nine or.ten people.vote straight red.

Last.time I spoke with Mr. Beto O'Rourke, in fucking DALHART, he told.me."next.time, make.it ELEVEN. Dont.give up! We can do this, one day!"

Shit brings a tear to my eye, man.

versusreality

11-09-2022, 03:27 PM

Owens knows exactly what she's doing. She was a democrat earlier on, saw an opportunity to pander and make $, and went for it. I don't even know if she believes half the stuff she says...or cares.

allegro

11-09-2022, 03:51 PM

I'm just glad we don't have to see another ad with that asshole Darren Bailey in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoOGMoPvckk

Demogorgon

11-09-2022, 05:02 PM

Ohio also cemented a conservative majority for its state Supreme Court, something that bears mentioning.

elevenism

11-09-2022, 05:28 PM

Owens knows exactly what she's doing. She was a democrat earlier on, saw an opportunity to pander and make $, and went for it. I don't even know if she believes half the stuff she says...or cares.

OH, SHIT!

Ok, so I'm aware of Owens, but I didn't know she was originally a LEFTIST.

She's not.the only one to.pull.a stunt.like.that: I'm looking at YOU, Rick "livin' la vida loca" Perry.

Edit: I swear, this gvmt is BROKEN.
I still wanna leave.

allegro

11-09-2022, 08:32 PM

Ohio also cemented a conservative majority for its state Supreme Court, something that bears mentioning.

Ugh.

allegate

11-09-2022, 08:43 PM

I know this seems like it’s a bridge too far, but Uvalde doesn’t need any more sympathy (https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/yqvte0/uvalde_overwhelmingly_votes_for_abbott_just/).

burnmotherfucker!

11-09-2022, 09:38 PM

Red wave, LOL.

More like slight red mist but not really. haha

I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up to see posts that Ds are in position to hold the Senate. I mean don't get me wrong, losing the House in a midterm is always a big deal. But for those wondering why there's a ton of positivity coming from the D side, it's because historically this just doesn't happen. Like it or not we have an unpopular President and an economy that's in the shitter in the worst way with rampant inflation. That's historically an indicator of a clean sweep for the other side. The reasons don't usually matter. It's usually as simple as "I can't afford groceries, fuck this president."

And I think more importantly, this has implications for 2024. The GOP is going to think long and hard before bending over for trump after this midterm performance. Going back to 2016, the GOP is what? 1 out of 4 when it comes to actually winning? They may see the writing on the wall and finally move on. Then again, that would be rational so I'm not counting on it just yet.

allegro

11-10-2022, 12:04 AM

burnmotherfucker!

11-10-2022, 12:20 AM

And a HUGE block of voters know this is bullshit; many were around when the economy truly WAS in the shitter “in the worst way” with “rampant inflation.” This is smoke and mirrors to divert attention from election denials, abortion rights denials, an insurrection attempt, an attempted coup, and stolen nuclear secrets at a golf resort in Florida, never mind over 250 mass shootings..

Right now, Republicans offered NO plan to fix this problem because it’s a global problem and they’re all full of shit.

https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/inflation-rate

The corpse of Ronald Reagan would like a word. In 1981, the annual average interest rate was 16.63%, unemployment was 7.5%; in September 1982, Michigan led the nation with 14.5% unemployment rate; the inflation rate in 1980 was 13.5%.

Prices are higher strictly because of corporate GREED and PROFITS. These companies AND the media WANTED the Republicans to win because they make a lot more corporate profits with less taxes.

Yes you are right. Inflation was worse then for sure. But you know what? I wasn't alive then. In MY lifetime this is the worst I've seen it. My grocery bills are consistently 20% higher than a couple years ago. That shit matters.

Now, I know it isn't because of Biden and the dems. I know what led to it. But the average voter isn't always so informed. If you you think it doesn't matter at all you're fooling yourself.

allegro

11-10-2022, 12:47 AM

Yes you are right. Inflation was worse then for sure. But you know what? I wasn't alive then. In MY lifetime this is the worst I've seen it. My grocery bills are consistently 20% higher than a couple years ago. That shit matters.

Now, I know it isn't because of Biden and the dems. I know what led to it. But the average voter isn't always so informed. If you you think it doesn't matter at all you're fooling yourself.

How can it matter when it’s going to be EXACTLY THE SAME when Republicans are in office?

Do people honestly think that POOF, Republicans get into office and worldwide inflation just goes away? There’s a back room deal cut somewhere? And January 20th, an inflation switch is flipped? With the same President and different Congress?

Groceries cost more WHILE Trump was in office. I know it’s too far back to remember, but they did. The price of toilet paper, paper towels, meat, all started going through the roof during Trump..

https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2021/march/retail-food-price-inflation-in-2020-outpaced-historical-average-by-75-percent/

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/05/28/another-look-availability-and-prices-food-amid-covid-19-pandemic

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49946121997_9c18f76e50.jpg

https://www.statista.com/chart/21327/rise-in-revenue-toilet-paper-selected-countries/

Lumber? Totally nuts during Trump. Copper? Ditto, NUTS. Both of these are critical for construction.

https://www.nahb.org/blog/2022/02/lumber-prices-in-2020-and-2021-set-record-highs-even-when-adjusted-for-inflation/

https://www.macrotrends.net/1476/copper-prices-historical-chart-data

If voters are actually that naïve and think that a Republican Congress, with candidates who have offered zero solutions to inflation (except a few have offered the one that sank Liz Truss and the British economy even further), can “fix” this inflation, this country is in serious trouble.

burnmotherfucker!

11-10-2022, 01:02 AM

How can it matter when it’s going to be EXACTLY THE SAME when Republicans are in office?

Do people honestly think that POOF, Republicans get into office and worldwide inflation just goes away? There’s a back room deal cut somewhere? And January 20th, an inflation switch is flipped? With the same President and different Congress?

Groceries cost more WHILE Trump was in office. I know it’s too far back to remember, but they did. The price of toilet paper, paper towels, meat, all started going through the roof during Trump.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2021/march/retail-food-price-inflation-in-2020-outpaced-historical-average-by-75-percent/

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/05/28/another-look-availability-and-prices-food-amid-covid-19-pandemic

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49946121997_9c18f76e50.jpg

https://www.statista.com/chart/21327/rise-in-revenue-toilet-paper-selected-countries/

Lumber? Totally nuts during Trump. Copper? Ditto, NUTS. Both of these are critical for construction.

https://www.nahb.org/blog/2022/02/lumber-prices-in-2020-and-2021-set-record-highs-even-when-adjusted-for-inflation/

https://www.macrotrends.net/1476/copper-prices-historical-chart-data

I think you and I agree but I think there's just a simple misunderstanding. I'm not worried of inflation BECAUSE of Biden. I was worried that high inflation would hurt his party more this election because of public perception and historically that's what happens. You mention Reagan being reelected in 84, but even he, GOP Jesus, lost a ton of seats in the house in the 82 midterm.

"Do people honestly think that POOF, Republicans get into office and worldwide inflation just goes away? There’s a back room deal cut somewhere? And January 20th, an inflation switch is flipped? With the same President and different Congress?"

Yes, yes 1000% people from where I'm from believe this. It doesn't make them right but it is exactly how they think.

allegro

11-10-2022, 01:23 AM

Yes, yes 1000% people from where I'm from believe this. It doesn't make them right but it is exactly how they think.

I’ve been hanging around on TikTok a lot lately.

And I’ve stumbled upon groups of people who truly believe that the Democrats are “lizard people” running a pedo ring and are really from another “matrix.”

One showed a video of a few Military guys and a K-9 golden retriever. The chick narrating the video points out that, as the one military guy with the K-9 approaches, you can see a fence through the guy. Meaning, HE’S TRANSPARENT. So, obviously, lizard person pedo ring Democrat from other matrix.

Never mind that there are 3 lenses on an iPhone and …

Anyway …

I’m not aiming to teach economics to people who are convinced that 86 million Democrats “cheated” in an election and are likely to be lizard people running a pedo ring, that JFK Jr. isn’t really dead, and that a Nest thermostat can hack a voting machine.

The biggest block of voters WERE around during Reagan. And a huge chunk of them are dumb racist assholes who pretend the economy matters when they’re out buying a new truck for $15k over sticker, hate anything “woke,” want to BUILD A WALL, and would pay zero taxes if they could but still want Social Security.

Deacon Blackfire

11-10-2022, 09:21 AM

Sure, I had to dunk on Boebert and give respect to Fetterman but this was not a win by any stretch and I don’t know why it’s being looked at as one.

This wasn’t a win for Democrats. These positive posts and articles I’m seeing around the internet are confusing and on a certain level, infuriating.

I understand where you are coming from. It can be frustrating seeing this be painted as an unambiguous win, especially by a party that (especially in the last decade) only blames progressives for their losses and is allergic to meaningful introspection and or course-correcting in any way. But considering the bloodbath the GOP has been promising in these midterms since 2020, and that this turnout unfolded under Biden's incredibly anemic leadership, these midterms could have been so much worse. Closer to a blue ripple than the red wave the MAGA chodes were promising. It's obviously sad that Warnock v Walker is close enough to go to a runoff but we'll see what happens. Hard to expect anything positive out of Texas and Florida - the integrity of their voting systems is in serious doubt as far as I'm concerned, even with candidates less garbage than fucking Charlie Crist. Obviously glad Dr. Oz got trounced by Fetterman. Keeping my fingers crossed that the repulsive Lauren Boebert meets her end - the vote count is extremely close but she's still behind and boy would it make me happy to see that vile little nothing get destroyed.

There are lessons to learn here, particularly in New York and Florida where the Democrats took the GOP bait (https://twitter.com/justincharles/status/1590394046404780032), couching themselves in "tough on crime" talking points in NY and fearmongering socialism in FL only to lose miserably (Cuomo, in particular his court appointees blocking the Dem congressional map, played a major part in NY's losses as well). It's high time the Democrats abandon this "progressives ruin everything" approach (https://twitter.com/JordanUhl/status/1590234160538320897) they are so adamant about taking (frankly due to blatant self-interest) - progressive policies are generally popular (https://twitter.com/mags_mclaugh/status/1590361426539188225) but the media has been so cowed by right-wing lunatics screaming "LIBERAL MEDIA BIAS" that at this point they basically lie or use inaccurate data to insulate that fact (just look at the shitshow that was polling this season, where polls showing Dem gains were just written off as outliers, and the asinine front page (https://twitter.com/kalhan/status/1590320296149409792) of the New York Times yesterday). This piece (https://www.levernews.com/eight-key-midterm-election-takeaways-the-progressive-electorate-has-spoken/) makes some very good points, especially RE progressive policies, economic populism, and the fact no one was dumb enough to believe the GOP "INFLATION IS ALL BIDEN'S FAULT" bs.

In any case, gerrymandering is still a massive issue because this is just insane Catch-22 shit (https://twitter.com/the_transit_guy/status/1590525738729734144).

allegate

11-10-2022, 09:54 AM

https://twitter.com/JacquiHeinrich/status/1590234679839313920

you think?

allegro

11-10-2022, 01:39 PM

Ugh Boebert is up, now.

Deacon Blackfire

11-10-2022, 03:01 PM

It's not over yet, looks like there's still a few thousand mail-in ballots to count (https://twitter.com/annalynnfrey/status/1590806015263797250) (a medium mostly for Democrat voters, from areas seeming to lean Frisch), but yeah I will be disgusted if that sentient pool of diarrhea leaks its way back into office.

allegro

11-10-2022, 07:47 PM

She’s sentient? :p

I wish some Republican would run against MTG.

Or that MTG would go to prison.

Edit: Whichever comes first.

allegro

11-10-2022, 08:09 PM

My husband is really into math and data and statistics.

He gave me some data, for perspective:

This is how many House seats were lost in the Midterm during the President’s first term:

1966, LBJ: -47
1970, Nixon: -12
1974, Ford: -48
1982, Reagan: -26
1990, GWH Bush: -8
1994, Clinton: -52
2002, GW Bush (post 9/11): GAINED 8 seats
2010, Obama (post ACA): -63
2018, Trump: -40

Right now, the Democrats in the House aren’t doing that bad.

And many STATE legislatures did incredibly well for Democrats.

This was NOT a “Red Tsunami.”

M1ke

11-10-2022, 08:36 PM

My favorite quote I saw was that it didn't turn out to be a red wave, just some red mid-cycle spotting.

Wretchedest

11-11-2022, 02:26 PM

I love it, I know the trump picked candidates are the losing ones, now but I do think Trump would still do better as the nominee than DeSantis, happy to watch them tear each other apart

allegro

11-11-2022, 09:44 PM

Sen. Mark Kelly just won Arizona.

Democrat Adrian Fontes just won Secretary of State in Arizona.
(Edit: THIS IS A BIG FUCKING DEAL.)

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada is hundreds of votes away from Rep. Adam Laxalt.

A new vote dump from Clark County will arrive tomorrow night, with an expected 24,000 votes. Cortez Masto’s votes from Clark County have been 2-1 over Laxalt’s.

We are going to WIN THE FUCKING SENATE.

The Michigan state legislature and Governor is Democrat majority (with the first woman majority leader) in FORTY YEARS. The Michigan GOP leader is BLAMING TRUMP!!! Lol

allegro

11-11-2022, 09:58 PM

If I was a betting person, I’d put money on the Democrats winning the House again.

Deacon Blackfire

11-12-2022, 02:17 PM

https://twitter.com/umichvoter/status/1591330120874463233

I am trying to see, I am trying to believe

Also, to reiterate a point many are making, there's a lot of talk about how young people don't vote but Gen Z in particular came out in force these Midterms and without them it likely would have been the red wave the assholes were anticipating - we owe them a debt of gratitude, especially when their options are frequently so uninspiring. It's pronounced enough that a few of the right wings loonies actually want to raise the voting age (they'll rig as much as they can but they'll never accomplish that) because as always the people who constantly cry wolf about voter suppression and "rigging" are the people most comfortable with engaging in it themselves.

allegate

11-12-2022, 07:42 PM

Kent is clearly favored to win Washington’s 3rd District
(https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-election-forecast/house/washington/3/)
Fucking 2% chance of winning AND YET:

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez defeats MAGA Republican Joe Kent, flipping key Washington House seat (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrat-marie-gluesenkamp-perez-defeats-maga-republican-joe-kent-flipping-key-washington-house-seat/ar-AA142X1D)

Get fucking bent, Kunt.

Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, first elected to represent Washington’s 3rd Congressional District in 2010 and one of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for his role in the Capitol riot, was ousted in the 2022 GOP primary after the former president targeted her for political retribution by backing political newcomer Joe Kent.

Now Kent, a former Green Beret who criticized Beutler for her impeachment vote and who has shared conspiracy theories about voting, will lose to businesswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat.

"If Beutler had been the Republican nominee, she'd have won with 60% of the vote by now," said Chris Vance, the former chairman of the Washington State Republican Party, in an interview before NBC News projected the race.

Vance said there were three items that swayed this year's election: Perez is a good candidate, Kent is "the freakiest of the MAGA freaks" and the Portland suburbs that are included in the district are swinging slightly to the left.I beg your ever-loving pardon.

allegro

11-12-2022, 08:18 PM

Omg

WE WON THE SENATE WE WON !!!!!!!

WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WE WOOOOONNNNNNNN!!!

allegate

11-12-2022, 10:46 PM

Cortez Masto defeats Laxalt in Nevada, handing Democrats control of the Senate (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/cortez-masto-defeats-laxalt-nevada-handing-democrats-control-s-rcna54936?icid=election_results)

So with this latest loss, how badly did Trump candidates do? Do you think he's going to announce after this? I mean he's stuck between a rock and a jail cell either way.

edit: I hope this empowers the DOJ actually. Now that there's even less of a chance of them getting a wrench thrown in their spokes, to conflate some metaphors.

Pillfred

11-12-2022, 11:15 PM

Business as usual. 🫤

Hopefully they can make something with of it anyway.

TheBang

11-13-2022, 02:01 AM

This is great! This means judicial appointments can continue apace. If Dems also win Georgia, then that reduces Manchin's influence. Although major legislation is unlikely to happen without the House.

Democrat Adrian Fontes just won Secretary of State in Arizona.
(Edit: THIS IS A BIG FUCKING DEAL.)
I saw a couple interviews with him. He seems like a really good guy to have in that position.

So with this latest loss, how badly did Trump candidates do? Do you think he's going to announce after this? I mean he's stuck between a rock and a jail cell either way.
He will announce. He's ego won't allow anything else. He already has a primetime announcement scheduled for next Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago.

versusreality

11-13-2022, 04:23 AM

Trump will announce, and wait till you see how many people fall in line when he does.
The best case scenario is that he and DeSantis tear themselves apart on the trail.

We really need Warnock to win that run off.
Damn, if only the House went blue too.

allegate

11-13-2022, 06:00 PM

Trump will announce, and wait till you see how many people fall in line when he does.
The best case scenario is that he and DeSantis tear themselves apart on the trail.Trump fights DeSantis? and splits the party? it's more likely than you think.(insert meme image here)

We really need Warnock to win that run off.
Damn, if only the House went blue too.I'm hoping for a bang-up Trump endorsement again that torpedoes the whole thing considering how 'well' he helped out this midterm with his endorsements.

TheBang

11-13-2022, 07:09 PM

Damn, if only the House went blue too.
There are some people on Twitter saying there's still a chance for Dems to win it, but I haven't dug into their analysis to see whether it makes sense. Might just be hopium.

The most common prediction I've seen bandied about at this point is 219-216 for Repubs. That's a really, really slim majority.

Wretchedest

11-13-2022, 08:03 PM

It's wild to me that a republican can see some substantive difference between DeSantis and trump

Jinsai

11-13-2022, 10:02 PM

allegro

11-14-2022, 12:06 AM

I can't believe that both Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert got re-elected. What the hell America? This isn't a fucking team sport, and these people are as stupid as they are dangerous. And Matt Gaetz won 68% of the vote? WTF Florida?.

Lauren Boebert is ahead by only 1,122 votes with 99% in, and there will be a recount.

A whole shit ton of area outside of Nashville is extreme conservative.

There’s a battle between extremists and “everyone else.”

Florida and Texas have become Mecca for extremists. The Census clearly shows movement from blue states to these states, and they’re extreme conservatives who want to live among other extreme conservatives.

elevenism

11-14-2022, 12:22 AM

I’ve been hanging around on TikTok a lot lately.

And I’ve stumbled upon groups of people who truly believe that the Democrats are “lizard people” running a pedo ring and are really from another “matrix.”

One showed a video of a few Military guys and a K-9 golden retriever. The chick narrating the video points out that, as the one military guy with the K-9 approaches, you can see a fence through the guy. Meaning, HE’S TRANSPARENT. So, obviously, lizard person pedo ring Democrat from other matrix.

Never mind that there are 3 lenses on an iPhone and …

Anyway …

I’m not aiming to teach economics to people who are convinced that 86 million Democrats “cheated” in an election and are likely to be lizard people running a pedo ring, that JFK Jr. isn’t really dead, and that a Nest thermostat can hack a voting machine.

The biggest block of voters WERE around during Reagan. And a huge chunk of them are dumb racist assholes who pretend the economy matters when they’re out buying a new truck for $15k over sticker, hate anything “woke,” want to BUILD A WALL, and would pay zero taxes if they could but still want Social Security.

Watch that fucking Qanon docuseries!

But, yeah.

Gas prices, supply chain issues, Geopolitical events with worldwide ramifications... You didn't know that was all up to the POTUS?

Biden sets the gas, food and energy prices, and has total control over any foreign conflict.
He does all this in between eatin' christian babies with Obama and Tom Hanks and Oprah, and a secret cabal of Jews.

They LOVE babies. Don't believe in adrenochrome?

WATCH FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS (just make sure you don't READ anything by, or about, Hunter S. Thompson, or any MEDICAL FACTS, or the fucking history of Jewish people being fucked over since BEFORE JESUS).

All we gotta do is get Trump back. He DOESN'T eat babies.

He'll stop inflation and change gas prices and stop the global economic/energy crisis!

Remember how much he knows about Nuclear, from his uncle, and that he's the most important president of all time, and did more for black people than lincoln?

chuckrh

11-14-2022, 09:08 AM

Watch that fucking Qanon docuseries!

But, yeah.

Gas prices, supply chain issues, Geopolitical events with worldwide ramifications... You didn't know that was all up to the POTUS?

Biden sets the gas, food and energy prices, and has total control over any foreign conflict.
He does all this in between eatin' christian babies with Obama and Tom Hanks and Oprah, and a secret cabal of Jews.

They LOVE babies. Don't believe in adrenochrome?

WATCH FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS (just make sure you don't READ anything by, or about, Hunter S. Thompson, or any MEDICAL FACTS, or the fucking history of Jewish people being fucked over since BEFORE JESUS).

All we gotta do is get Trump back. He DOESN'T eat babies.

He'll stop inflation and change gas prices and stop the global economic/energy crisis!

Remember how much he knows about Nuclear, from his uncle, and that he's the most important president of all time, and did more for black people than lincoln?
I miss Hunter S Thompson. I've read all his stuff. Towards the end, his column on the ESPN site was outstanding. I totally get why he gave up. Living in constant pain wears you down.

allegro

11-14-2022, 07:50 PM

Kari Lake LOST!!!!

Yay!!!!

versusreality

11-14-2022, 08:02 PM

awesome. now we need to make sure Walker loses at all costs.

edit: this is the latest I saw on the Lake race via the NY times (11 mins ago)

Republican Kari Lake won a large batch of votes from Maricopa County by a 57 to 43 percent margin, a tally that’s at once quite a bit short of what she would need to to overtake Democrat Katie Hobbs in the Arizona governor race but apparently not quite enough to prod the news networks into a quick race call.

allegro

11-14-2022, 08:42 PM

That was the last large vote dump. There’s now no way she can catch up. She needed more like 65%.

I REALLY wish we would have won In Wisconsin.

We won the Governor, and lost the Senate in Wisconsin. Really pisses me off.

allegate

11-14-2022, 11:19 PM

https://twitter.com/Liz_Cheney/status/1592340964982808576

allegate

11-15-2022, 02:55 PM

https://twitter.com/metzgov/status/1592596315455819776

Good gravy. I have seen some say that her and Pelosi might retire this year, especially after the attack. One can hope.

allegate

11-15-2022, 05:37 PM

My God, people are stupid. There are rumors and allegations that Trump is once again asking (https://thehill.com/homenews/house/563758-democrat-unveils-bill-to-only-allow-house-members-to-serve-as-speaker/) to be named Speaker of the House.
The Constitution does not directly state that the House Speaker must be a member of the chamber, but to date, the role has never been filled by an outsider.Boyle argued that the statute should be made clear, even if electing someone outside of Congress to serve as Speaker remains a long shot. His bill, titled the Mandating That Being an Elected Member Be an Essential Requirement for Speakership Act, would explicitly limit eligibility to current House lawmakers.
“The Speaker of the U.S. House is second in the United States presidential line of succession. That Donald Trump’s name would even be tossed around as a potential speaker in the people’s house, should serve as an alarm bell that our current requirements need to be amended in the name of protecting our nation and our democracy,” Boyle said in a statement.Also, wasn't there supposed to be an announcement today? hmm.

allegate

11-15-2022, 09:21 PM

Is this when we start the 2024 thread?

Trump makes it official (https://www.tampafp.com/former-president-trump-files-paperwork-for-2024-presidential-campaign-ahead-of-announcement/)

Former President Donald J. Trump was set to announce his 2024 presidential campaign from Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night.

But minutes before his scheduled 9 p.m. announcement from Mar-a-Lago, Trump filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) saying he was running for president in 2024 and setting up a fundraising account.

“Two years ago we were a great nation, and in two years we will be a great nation again,” Trump said Tuesday.

“Are you getting ready,” Trump said. “I am too.”

“Exactly one week ago, our citizens voted in the important midterm elections, and despite a ridiculously long and unnecessary period of waiting, far longer in fact than any third world country, just a short time ago, the Republicans won back control of the house of representatives,” Trump said.

“And it was with a great Trump-endorsed candidate Congressman elect Kevin Kiley, who is a fantastic person. A fantastic person. And I’m very happy, it was his vote that did it,” Trump said.

kind of glad it was hard to find any information about this. I had to go all the way to r/conservative to find it and when I searched (not like a concerted effort, mind you) I didn't see anything on the news aggregators.

chuckrh

11-16-2022, 04:29 AM

Is this when we start the 2024 thread?

Trump makes it official (https://www.tampafp.com/former-president-trump-files-paperwork-for-2024-presidential-campaign-ahead-of-announcement/)

kind of glad it was hard to find any information about this. I had to go all the way to r/conservative to find it and when I searched (not like a concerted effort, mind you) I didn't see anything on the news aggregators.
Hopefully this drives a stake into the foul & evil heart of the Republican party. Obviously we can't let the Democrats go unchecked but we can hope that whatever rises from the ashes will be at least somewhat reasonable.

allegate

11-16-2022, 10:00 AM

https://twitter.com/AdamParkhomenko/status/1592852599702945795

lol

https://twitter.com/Scott_Bromley/status/1592911778954240000

https://twitter.com/ChristineRomans/status/1592865158359289857

GulDukat

11-16-2022, 02:51 PM

Time to rename the thread:

11/5/2024

Who will the nominees be? DeSantis? Trump? Biden? Newsom?

Demogorgon

11-16-2022, 03:51 PM

I really dont want to see yet another Trump run, Biden either. They both need to step their old asses aside in favor of some new blood.

allegro

11-16-2022, 04:08 PM

I really dont want to see yet another Trump run, Biden either. They both need to step their old asses aside in favor of some new blood.

As much as I wish there were younger people in office, Biden's midterm performance was historic. We stand to actually GAIN a Senate seat, and we only lost, so far, anyway, 18 House seats. There are 9 seat’s remaining.

That's historic shit.

Changing Presidents at this point would likely be a fatal error.

And the Republicans are blaming Trump.

The Freedom Caucus wanted to pitch Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, but in the interim were overruled ... he's still speaker for now. And it's likely that the Freedom Caucus will lose their power next year. They're a much smaller minority, now. Even Josh Hawley is going public with this "we need to rebuild the party" shit, essentially kicking Trump to the curb. They know that extremism just lost them yet MORE power, and it's going to continue.

The Biden / Harris administration has been pretty successful: https://www.whitehouse.gov/therecord/

Had the Democrats had several more agreeable Democrats in the Senate (vs. conservative Democrats like Manchin and Sinema representing conservative interests), lots more would have gotten done.

Here is a list of the Act of the 117th United States Congress (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_acts_of_the_117th_United_States_Congress)

As to renaming this thread: The Midterms are not totally done. House votes are still being counted, and the Georgia runoff is on December 6th.

M1ke

11-16-2022, 04:11 PM

As irritating as Trump is, he has zero chance of winning.

DeSantis might actually win, and is arguably more dangerous.

I'd almost welcome another Trump run just because of that.

GulDukat

11-16-2022, 04:12 PM

I am a little concerned about Biden's age. If he is re-elected he will be 86 when he leaves office. I don't think that's a deal-breaker (look at Jimmy Carter), but it is a concern.

allegro

11-16-2022, 04:16 PM

I am a little concerned about Biden's age. If he is re-elected he will be 86 when he leaves office. I don't think that's a deal-breaker (look at Jimmy Carter), but it is a concern.

He's still totally competent. And, he's surrounded by competent people he trusts. He stresses that all the time. He's not "running" the country all by himself. He relies on a team of trusted advisors across the board, in every area.

Just as Presidents are supposed to do.

He has a law degree, and he still cites law and areas of the Constitution. He still quotes favorite poetry. He still cites Montesquieu.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg continued to sit on the Supreme Court of the United States, fully competent and writing opinions, until she was 87.

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. was 90 when he retired. So was Justice John Paul Stevens.

Biden's gaffs have been there for decades. They don't reflect his mental capacity.

Wretchedest

11-16-2022, 04:25 PM

GulDukat

11-16-2022, 04:28 PM

He's still totally competent. And, he's surrounded by competent people he trusts. He stresses that all the time. He's not "running" the country all by himself. He relies on a team of trusted advisors across the board, in every area.

Just as Presidents are supposed to do.

He has a law degree, and he still cites law and areas of the Constitution. He still quotes favorite poetry. He still cites Montesquieu.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg continued to sit on the Supreme Court of the United States, fully competent and writing opinions, until she was 87.

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. was 90 when he retired. So was Justice John Paul Stevens.

Biden's gaffs have been there for decades. They don't reflect his mental capacity.

I think Biden's totally competent to be president, right now. I have no doubt that Biden has a strong team of advisors too.

While I think anyone calling him senile is horseshit and there is a lot of ageism directed towards him, his age is a legitimate issue should he decide to run for a second term.

GulDukat

11-16-2022, 04:31 PM

I actually think Trump has a better chance than DeSantis. Hard to envision a scenario where Trump doesn't get the nomination, accepts his loss, and then his die hard followers show up in November to vote for someone else.

Biden isn't going to drop out. This weird hypothetical scenario, I get that it's fun to talk about but I don't see it happening. I'd love to see Newsom make it though. I love Gavin Newsom.

If DeSantis is the Republican nominee Trump won't take it well. He will cry foul, say it was stolen, etc. Probably most doners and voters won't care, but if enough Trump diehards stay home, it could help Biden (or whoever the Democratic nominee happens to be).

versusreality

11-16-2022, 05:24 PM

That's what a co-worker was saying this morning, Gul. That the MAGA lunatics may not come out to vote if he's not ultimately the GOP candidate. I hope that's the case too.

allegro

11-16-2022, 05:48 PM

It’s only a “legitimate issue” if people make it one.

allegro

11-16-2022, 06:14 PM

As irritating as Trump is, he has zero chance of winning.

DeSantis might actually win, and is arguably more dangerous.

I'd almost welcome another Trump run just because of that.

DeSantis is popular in Florida, but he doesn’t seem to have as much likability outside of Florida.

allegate

11-16-2022, 06:28 PM

There needs to be a viable national candidate and until the Democrats stop the weird purity tests for each fractioned piece of the party there aren't going to consider anyone to be a quote-unquote good candidate. Ranked choice voting nationally? Maybe we'll get there. Maybe if the Republicans actually break apart in the the sane and insane parties they so desperately need to be in we'll see some movement on that, it did wonders in Alaska.

GulDukat

11-16-2022, 06:46 PM

It’s only a “legitimate issue” if people make it one.

And they are right to. Yes, he could step down, but whose to say that he will? It's not crazy to think that an 86 year old might have dementia. I will vote for Biden if he is the nominee, but his age going into a second term is a legitimate concern.

allegro

11-16-2022, 06:54 PM

And they are right to. Yes, he could step down, but whose to say that he will? It's not crazy to think that an 86 year old might have dementia. I will vote for Biden if he is the nominee, but his age going into a second term is a legitimate concern.

Dementia is the symptom of a disease, it's not a symptom of age (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/expert-answers/alzheimers-and-dementia-whats-the-difference/faq-20396861).

It is abnormal to think that an 86-year-old might have dementia if there's no evidence that he has a disease that would cause dementia. This is a common misconception about dementia, that it comes with "aging. (https://www.brain.northwestern.edu/about/_news-articles/20210311-aging.html)"

My stepmother died of Alzheimer's. By the time she died, she was nonverbal, couldn't walk, couldn't eat and was on a feeding tube.

She was 62.

Robin Williams killed himself at aged 63. He had Lewy Body dementia.

My little brother had AIDS dementia or HIV encephalopathy. He died at aged 37.

Jinsai

11-16-2022, 06:57 PM

And I haven’t seen stuff indicative of dementia. He’s had some “yikes” moments but it’s not in line

GulDukat

11-16-2022, 07:21 PM

Dementia is the symptom of a disease, it's not a symptom of age (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/expert-answers/alzheimers-and-dementia-whats-the-difference/faq-20396861).

It is abnormal to think that an 86-year-old might have dementia if there's no evidence that he has a disease that would cause dementia. This is a common misconception about dementia, that it comes with "aging. (https://www.brain.northwestern.edu/about/_news-articles/20210311-aging.html)"

My stepmother died of Alzheimer's. By the time she died, she was nonverbal, couldn't walk, couldn't eat and was on a feeding tube.

She was 62.

Robin Williams killed himself at aged 63. He had Lewy Body dementia.

My little brother had AIDS dementia or HIV encephalopathy. He died at aged 37.

According to the Alzheimer's Association (https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.12068#:~:text=65%2D68-,Age,or%20older%20have%20Alzheimer's%20dementia.), 32 percent of people over the age of 85 have Alzheimer's. I understand that there are different types of dementia, but we are talking about Alzheimer's. 32 percent means that statistically speaking there is nearly a 1 in 3 chance that Joe Biden could develop Alzheimer's disease during a second term. So yes, for me his age is an issue.

chuckrh

11-16-2022, 07:55 PM

We need Elizabeth Warren as president. I have a lot of issues with Biden like being owned by the big banks in Delaware & letting the gas companies run amok. Better than the alternative though. The whole 2 party system is so corrupt that it's beyond saving. We need a legitimate third party led by someone sane like Mark Cuban. Look what he's doing with his pharmacy. Very innovative & doing a lot of good. As far as ranked voting goes, it's a hair brained uber liberal scheme. I'm pretty liberal but I'm big on common sense & that's sadly lacking in a lot of circles. If you think people don't trust the integrity of the voting system wait until that takes hold somewhere. We need to eliminate the electoral college (put in place to placate slavery states) & do something about gerrymandering. With the Supreme Court packed with conservatives it won't happen. It's too bad that the Democrats didn't have the testicular fortitude (sorry ladies, WWE reference) to stand up to the GOP while they were packing the court. Basically, the US has had it's day in the sun. Historically when the military becomes the whole economy, the empire is done. I worked in the military industrial complex for over a decade & I could tell some tales but they made me sign a NDA when I left. Rome, Britian, the list is long & it's the same song on repeat. I've given up hope. I just feel bad about what the kids growing up now will have to deal with.

GulDukat

11-16-2022, 07:58 PM

My Mom has Alzheimer’s. It takes about 10 years for the cognitive effects of Alzheimer’s to move into the mid range where it becomes truly apparent. My mom’s had it at least 10 years, and she can’t type anymore or organize her own pill container, but she’s up to 2000 per game in Expert level of Microsoft Klondike Solitaire, blasts through a book of Circle-a-Word per week, and still reads and responds to email. She does great on her quarterly Montreal cognitive tests.
Anecdotal. I have an issue with an 86 year-old holding the launch codes.

I plan on voting for the (D) no matter who the nominee is, but for me his age is an issue. I've said my piece.

allegate

11-16-2022, 09:46 PM

Herschel Walker is a vampire? (https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/yxdn37/herschel_walker_veers_off_speech_to_rant_about/)

"I don't know if you know, but vampires are some cool people, are they not?" the congressional candidate said. "But let me tell you something that I found out: A werewolf can kill a vampire. Did you know that? I never knew that."

"So, I don't want to be a vampire anymore," Walker added, without further context. "I want to be a werewolf."

Sounds like a great winning platform for someone running for the U.S. Senate. /s

sweeterthan

11-17-2022, 10:26 AM

Herschel Walker is a vampire? (https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/yxdn37/herschel_walker_veers_off_speech_to_rant_about/)

this is what i’m dealing with here. folks will vote for him despite this weird little diatribe because of football. i know someone who even named their damn dog after him. i can guess who that jerk voted for.

allegate

11-17-2022, 11:40 AM

Well, shit.

https://twitter.com/Victorshi2020/status/1593295356133089280

https://twitter.com/KaivanShroff/status/1591867981377974272

versusreality

11-17-2022, 02:47 PM

no surprise there

GulDukat

11-18-2022, 06:44 AM

I was thinking 2024 might look like

Biden (or Newsom) (D)

Ron DeSantis (R)

Donald Trump (I)

allegro

11-20-2022, 12:17 PM

One additional good thing that came from the midterm election is Illinois voters passed a referendum for a worker’s rights amendment to the Illinois constitution, granting a “fundamental right” of employees to bargain over “wages, hours, and working conditions, and to protect their economic welfare and safety at work.”

allegro

11-22-2022, 07:01 PM

Yup yup gotta love it haahahahaaaa

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRQTqyRm/

chuckrh

11-22-2022, 08:05 PM

Yup yup gotta love it haahahahaaaa

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRQTqyRm/
Oh yeah, always love Chinese propaganda. I thought tik tok was getting banned. Not that the message doesn't resonate. I've been thinking about starting an anti-social media platform. Like "shut the fuck up, who cares what you think" whenever someone posts something.

elevenism

11-23-2022, 08:13 AM

I've been going on and on about a red tidal wave.

The Mrs is begging me to keep up with my theories, I THINK, because she's convinced that whatever I say, that the opposite will happen.

GulDukat

11-23-2022, 10:11 AM

Trump Ends Run of Brutal Post-Midterm Polls, Leads DeSantis By Double Digits in Two New Surveys (https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-ends-run-of-brutal-post-midterm-polls-leads-desantis-by-double-digits-in-two-new-surveys/)

allegate

11-23-2022, 11:25 AM

https://twitter.com/RalstonReports/status/1595465744564658176

craziest thing I've read today

Khrz

11-24-2022, 04:32 AM

I've been going on and on about a red tidal wave.

The Mrs is begging me to keep up with my theories, I THINK, because she's convinced that whatever I say, that the opposite will happen.

You're like The Secret, but in reverse ; whatever your mind summons the universe listens, and answers "fuck no" !

versusreality

11-25-2022, 02:36 PM

Trump meets with Kanye and white nationlist for dinner:
https://www.axios.com/2022/11/25/trump-nick-fuentes-ye-kanye

Chris Christie positioning himself for a run, rips into Trump:
https://www.nj.com/politics/2022/11/chris-christie-is-making-his-move-for-the-white-house-job-one-is-attacking-donald-trump.html

chuckrh

11-25-2022, 03:10 PM

Jinsai

11-25-2022, 08:00 PM

allegro

11-26-2022, 01:27 AM

Yeahhhhhh... so Kanye has dinner at Mar A Lago w/ Trump (along with some random millennial white supremacist) and then, I guess last night, Tweeted that he's going to be running for president in 2024?

FFS

That white supremacist was Nick Fuentes

https://www.axios.com/2022/11/25/trump-nick-fuentes-ye-kanye

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Fuentes

GulDukat

11-27-2022, 08:40 AM

Republicans will come crawling back to Trump after he 'eats Ron DeSantis alive': Rick Wilson (https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-ron-desantis-2658787040/)

versusreality

11-27-2022, 02:10 PM

Republicans will come crawling back to Trump after he 'eats Ron DeSantis alive': Rick Wilson (https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-ron-desantis-2658787040/)
would not be surprised

allegro

11-28-2022, 03:08 PM

Holy shit, this is powerful:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRCaJhK1/

leo3375

11-28-2022, 09:53 PM

Yeahhhhhh... so Kanye has dinner at Mar A Lago w/ Trump (along with some random millennial white supremacist) and then, I guess last night, Tweeted that he's going to be running for president in 2024?

FFS

Does Kanye realize that the white supremacists are only using him and will toss him aside as soon as he is no longer useful to them?

allegate

11-28-2022, 10:06 PM

Nope.

Kanye West adds far-right Nick Fuentes to 2024 campaign team (https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/us-elections-government/ny-kanye-west-ye-nick-fuentes-campaign-20221128-lo6r4u3qkngjbdpiigw2qroiwq-story.html)

ekrekel

11-29-2022, 09:37 AM

Holy shit, this is powerful:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRCaJhK1/

+999,999

I'm stealing "Y'all ain't ready for me today" for my next soapbox.

GulDukat

11-30-2022, 11:37 AM

2024 poll (https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/2024/)

Obviously these polls are a snapshot in time and don't mean anything, yet. Still, they are interesting. Biden beats Trump by six points, yet DeSantis beats Biden by four. For a small sliver of the electorate that will decide the election, it's all about personality and presentation. I know this is obvious, but it's so fucking sad when so much is at stake.

allegro

12-01-2022, 04:47 PM

Holy shit, breaking news:

Per WaPo:

Appeals court strikes down special master in Trump Mar-a-Lago documents case . The three-judge panel in Atlanta said that the special master case “must be dismissed.”

December 1, 2022 at 4:42 p.m.

Federal appeals court panel on Thursday halted an outside review of thousands of documents seized from former president Donald Trump’s Florida residence, ruling that a lower-court judge was wrong to appoint an expert to decide whether any of the material should be shielded from criminal investigators. 

Trump sought the outside arbiter, known as a special master, after the FBI executed a court-approved search of Mar-a-Lago, his home and private club, on Aug. 8, retrieving more than 13,000 documents related to Trump’s time in the White House. About 100 of the documents were classified, and some contained extremely sensitive government secrets, according to court records.

allegate

12-01-2022, 05:00 PM

allegro

12-01-2022, 06:57 PM

I wonder which is more likely: they think that the 'lower-court judge' was wrong or that the special master wasn't going the way they'd hoped.

After the railroad shit yesterday I'm just that much more cynical today.

It’s the former. The appellate court didn’t like the precedent, which was expected by legal experts immediately.

From WaPo:

But special master appointments are rare, and judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit expressed concern at oral arguments that Cannon’s decision set a troubling precedent: allowing the target of a search warrant to go into court and request a special master that could interfere with an executive branch investigation before an indictment is ever issued. 

The judges — two of whom were nominated by Trump -- did not back down from that stance in their written opinion Thursday. They said they could not issue an order that would “allow any subject of a search warrant to block government investigations after the execution of the warrant.”

“Nor can we write a rule that allows only former presidents to do so,” the Thursday opinion read. “Either approach would be a radical reordering of our caselaw limiting the federal courts’ involvement in criminal investigations. And both would violate bedrock separation-of-powers limitations.” During oral arguments, government attorney Sopan Joshi called the decision to name a special master an “intrusion” on the executive branch.

Railroad shit?

Let’s take a look back in history:
https://www.npr.org/2021/08/05/1025018833/looking-back-on-when-president-reagan-fired-air-traffic-controllers

allegate

12-01-2022, 09:38 PM

allegro

12-01-2022, 10:12 PM

that's cool that the court did that, I'm glad they saw reason.

As for the air traffic controllers, I remember that all too well. and when they deigned to name that fucking airport after him...Jesus Christ. slap in the face.
My husband was 20 years old and a college student, working his first and only job as a stock boy at a liquor store when that happened. He was working towards a degree in music, and his grandma suggested he apply for a job as an air traffic controller as a “back-up plan.” He got the job and retired 35 years later.

The fact is, air traffic controllers sign (even back then) an employment agreement barring them from striking.

Because striking is illegal: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/7311#

Basically because they’re essential employees and the government would shut down, and it would endanger the world economy.

That’s why they got fired.

Railroad workers, same thing.

GulDukat

12-02-2022, 08:09 AM

Warnock leads Walker by 4 points, 52% to 48%. (https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/02/politics/cnn-poll-georgia-senate-runoff-election/index.html)

White voters remain broadly behind Walker ahead of Tuesday’s election: 69% support him, with 30% backing Warnock...

Why are White guys so dumb and vote for these assholes?

allegate

12-02-2022, 10:53 AM

saw this elsewhere and I hadn't quite thought about it that way but it makes sense:
i love that republicans are all like early voting and harvesting is cheating meanwhile pointing and laughing at dems when dems complain about gerrymandering

allegro

12-02-2022, 11:44 AM

saw this elsewhere and I hadn't quite thought about it that way but it makes sense:

Because Democrats gerrymander, too? Illinois is HEAVILY gerrymandered in favor of Democrats. Not that it matters, much. The urban areas are heavily-populated and heavily-Democratic and far outweigh the Republicans statewide.

allegro

12-02-2022, 11:47 AM

ekrekel

12-02-2022, 01:13 PM

Because Democrats gerrymander, too? Illinois is HEAVILY gerrymandered in favor of Democrats. Not that it matters, much. The urban areas are heavily-populated and heavily-Democratic and far outweigh the Republicans statewide.

I do not know the answer to this, but do you believe both parties would equally oppose anti-gerrymandering efforts? I hear Illinois as a Dem example a lot, but looking at it the Chicago area is pretty discernable with districts spanning ~30 miles. The one highlighted below is pitting different neighborhoods against each other. Similar to Houston and Dallas below. Austin, the 4th largest city and the epicenter of Liberal Texas has 6 districts, 1 of them blue all but 1 district is 90-160 miles in length. The Texas Map below isn't even the new ones that are even more F'd. Note the 35th below is considered one of the most gerrymandered out there and it was drawn by R's that way to isolate the D vote along IH-35.

Under the new Maps my district is 2 miles wide through my area:
My Kid's school 1 mile away is in a different district.
My 2 nearest gas stations and grocery stores are in 2 different districts (neither mine).

https://thefulcrum.us/media-library/image.png?id=22061119&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=587%2C0%2C115%2C0

https://thefulcrum.us/media-library/image.png?id=22060473&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=351%2C0%2C351%2C0

Jinsai

12-03-2022, 03:00 PM

Why are White guys so dumb and vote for these assholes?

I think I'm agreeing with the assessment that Herschel Walker fits the role of the malleable stereotype that feels safe and comforting to older white people who live in GA. I don't live there, never even visited, so I dunno, but it sounds about right.

elevenism

12-04-2022, 05:37 PM

So, did you guys catch wind of THIS horrific bit of...ahem...Truth?

Donald Trump ( @burnmotherfucker! (https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=6122) 's favorite president) wishes to Terminate...the Constitution, and be reinstated.

And I quote:

“So, with the revelation of MASSIVE AND WIDESPREAD FRAUD AND DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, and the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great 'Founders' did not want, and would not condone False and Fraudulent Elections!"
-Donald J Trump, The Third and Final Beast.

This is over a revelation of Twitter (aka a PRIVATE COMPANY) censoring parts of the Hunter Biden laptop story...specifically nude pics of hunter biden, in the SUMMER of 2020.

Dumb bastard is OPENLY calling for the end of the constitution.
And, lest we forget, whatever the news says, he still has an army of supporters.

This is Election 2024 news, and FUCK ME.

I mean like...go, DeSantis?

Edit: sorry, I've been editing this for 30 fucking min, trying to get the facts straight

allegro

12-04-2022, 09:19 PM

Thing is, even if the entire contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop had been released (it pretty much has), all Democrats and a whole bunch of OTHER people still would have voted for Biden.

Not because they love Biden, but because they HATE TRUMP.

And I suspect the same will happen in the unlikely event that “Trump Lite” aka DeSatan won the Republican primary; voters would vote for anyone who ISN’T HIM.

The Constitution contains zero rules and regulations, and only specifies that states control elections for representatives and senators and establishes the Electoral College for the election of President and Vice President.

Trump proves, again and again, that he’s a moron.

But if he wants to get rid of the Electoral College, make it happen!

If he truly “won” in 2020, then the Constitution provides that he cannot run in 2024, so that may be his big dichotomy.

Kash Patel flipped on him and was granted immunity to testify before the grand jury in the Mar-a-Lago documents case, so all this bluster is just a lot of hot air.

elevenism

12-05-2022, 12:10 AM

...If he truly “won” in 2020, then the Constitution provides that he cannot run in 2024....

The rest of your points are great but, OH, SHIT!
I never thought about this one! :D

So.I had to isolate it.

Also...DeSatan. :p

And I mean, he was still claiming he won, recently, so maybe someone like Roger Stone, who is actually FAMILIAR with, like, how the American gvmt works, warned him that he needed to start talking about getting rid of the constitution, if he's running in 24, and also won in 20.

Ah, 2020...simpler times. Never thought I'd be saying THAT shit.

burnmotherfucker!

12-05-2022, 12:37 AM

Donald Trump ( @burnmotherfucker! (https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=6122) 's favorite president)

Hey, whoa there buddy! I NEVER said that he was my favorite. Ever. In fact I don't even really like the guy personally. I just think he made all the right decisions while in office and never told a lie and that he usually wore very long ties and that is what I want from a modern post modern president. Wouldn't you agree?

But my favorite president IS and always HAS BEEN Millard Fillmore.

and ALSO, none of this is true!

good day to you politicals : )

Jinsai

12-05-2022, 12:51 AM

Thing is, even if the entire contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop had been released (it pretty much has), all Democrats and a whole bunch of OTHER people still would have voted for Biden. I don't care if Joe smokes crack with Hunter, just no more Trump. Nobody loves Biden, nobody gives a shit. He's just another politician, but at least he's qualified and doesn't seem like a psychotic narcissistic dumbass.

allegro

12-05-2022, 01:13 AM

Well, I love Biden.

After the crazy tumultuous shitstorm of Trump for 4 years, the folksy boring Biden is refreshing and calm. I don’t wake up going “what the fuck did he do NOW?” Biden is a lawyer, he at least KNOWS the Constitution.

The Speaker of the House thing is gonna be a real shit show next year. The voting could drag on for-ev-ah. Seems that Craven McCarthy is not gonna scare up enough votes, too many people hate him from both sides of the Republican aisle. Good luck to the poor sucker they actually DO pick! The Freedom Caucus nut jobs are gonna be continuing to waste time with Biden impeachment bills and Hunter Biden investigation bills (note that the DOJ has already been investigating Hunter Biden for over two years, and President Biden has stayed totally independent of this investigation; it’s actually looking like Hunter might get indicted for tax fraud and for some kind of charges related to lying on a firearm application, neither of which will carry huge sentences) vs. actually getting anything done for the country.

This, in turn, will bite Republicans on the ass in 2024 because it will all be ammo for the Democrats: “Two years, no plans, nothing done!”

Jinsai

12-05-2022, 10:45 AM

chuckrh

12-05-2022, 05:01 PM

well, what I mean is, there's no "Biden cult," where, by this point, there definitely is a Trump cult, and it's not hyperbole to call it that. MAGA is a full-on cult, and the "leader" is dumber than dogshit.

Sure there is a Biden cult. The mommy state democrats. I'm not affliliated with any party. Mostly I lean Democrat on social issues but not on reality issues. Really it's 2 cupcakes, one with vanilla frosting, one with chocolate. It's a pity there isn't much opportunity for some new thinking to upset the status quo. At this point the status quo is hopelessly corrupt, both sides. It's all run by the same cabal.

allegate

12-05-2022, 05:16 PM

https://twitter.com/RalstonReports/status/1599902021741486080

I dunno, I think there's a third side that's just batshit crazy. I mean when you have the National Review saying you've lost your mind maybe you've gone too far.
National Review is an American conservative editorial magazine, focusing on news and commentary pieces on political, social, and cultural affairs.

elevenism

12-05-2022, 06:15 PM

Sure there is a Biden cult. The mommy state democrats. I'm not affliliated with any party. Mostly I lean Democrat on social issues but not on reality issues. Really it's 2 cupcakes, one with vanilla frosting, one with chocolate. It's a pity there isn't much opportunity for some new thinking to upset the status quo. At this point the status quo is hopelessly corrupt, both sides. It's all run by the same cabal.

I'd have agreed with you, and have said as much on this very board, but it was pre trump, and pre batshit crazy culture war.

I called for ANY change to the status quo, be it right or left, and it taught me to be careful what I wish for. I didn't know it could get so rough.

I'm not a dem, either: I'm a social utopianist/left libertarian/anarcho syndicalist.
But none of THOSE things will happen in our lifetimes.

sweeterthan

12-05-2022, 07:36 PM

Warnock leads Walker by 4 points, 52% to 48%. (https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/02/politics/cnn-poll-georgia-senate-runoff-election/index.html)

Why are White guys so dumb and vote for these assholes?

it’s an even worse realization when these people are your so called friends and neighbors who voted red just weeks ago. at this point i think i should move from this state. when i was 5 and went to a southern christian church, uga football was brought up all the time there. a lot of people here are fanatical about it.

despite that experience, i didn’t really pay attention to this race at first. i thought surely in georgia a preacher from MLKs church and incumbent would win over the football abuser guy with no local ties. but no, i’m voting in the runoff tomorrow for the preacher again. the third time in 3 years. and i’m agnostic. one candidate is asking congress to make $35 insulin and the other is talking about vampires and erections and lives in another state. a bunch of white christians are still gonna show up and vote for walker because football yall. and that’s it. no other reason.

i’m on tons of lists apparently because everyday i’m getting calls and texts about voting. the level is near insanity. i personally don’t think it’s a good way to motivate people. i get the point but imagine 4 and 5 texts and 3 phone calls a night. it’s been like this all last week so i’ve started replying “stop” because it’s too fucking much. and i love to talk about voting but the fervor right now is something else. especially for a race that should be easy for everyone to decide.

GulDukat

12-05-2022, 08:34 PM

I would be surprised if Walker wins, but we will see.

I was sad when Tuberville beat Jones, who seemed like a good guy.

elevenism

12-05-2022, 11:55 PM

and ALSO, none of this is true!

I know, i know: you think the stuff about trump losing in 2020 isn't true.
It's ok.

:P

burnmotherfucker!

12-06-2022, 09:47 AM

I know, i know: you think the stuff about trump losing in 2020 isn't true.
It's ok.

:P

Wait. There was an election in 2020 of the year of our lord? Nah...

Oh wait, no now I remember. Actually I voted for Hillary in that one. So the joke is on you pal!

GulDukat

12-06-2022, 11:02 AM

Walker won't concede, will say the election was stolen, rife with fraud.

elevenism

12-06-2022, 09:06 PM

...one candidate is asking congress to make $35 insulin and the other is talking about vampires...

What good is cheap insulin if you're fighting off vampires, who will drink your blood anyway?

Jokes aside, good god: SURELY Warnock will win.

He has his shit together, he seems to be legitimately for the people.

allegro

12-06-2022, 09:37 PM

Sen. Raphael Warnock has won the Georgia Senate race.

elevenism

12-06-2022, 10:06 PM

Sen. Raphael Warnock has won the Georgia Senate race.Just saw that!

Fuck yeah!

allegro

12-06-2022, 10:28 PM

Just saw that!

Fuck yeah!

And Walker conceded, and expressed support for election workers.

Sen. (Dr. Rev.) Warnock is speaking now, stressing that he represents all Georgians.

I sure love this guy.

allegate

12-06-2022, 11:18 PM

50.4% of the vote? that's all he got? 49.6% of Georgians voted for the vampire? congratulations and all that but wow.

And I agree with Blaire:

https://twitter.com/blaireerskine/status/1600328885589004288

among other tweets from her today. calling the entire state beyond hope with the rules the assholes in charge are enforcing is pretty stupid. I've done the same in the past in moments of despair and regret it. You'd think I'd know better considering where I grew up but here I am.

I cannot wait to see the breakdown of the voters.

allegro

12-07-2022, 01:31 AM

50.4% of the vote?
51.1% 1,814,827 so far, to Warnock

48.6% 1,719,376, so far, to Walker

Republicans who voted for Walker would’ve voted for a toaster possessed by Satan if they could get that toaster to vote however they wanted in the Senate. Remember that a lot of that 48% simply hates all Democrats.

Also, we have to consider stuff like this:

https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1600339069275238400?s=20&t=pRU-IPvWr2LplOm1QAB1LA

I cannot wait to see the breakdown of the voters.

That’s never actual data, though; it’s just exit polls.

GulDukat

12-07-2022, 07:37 AM

Walker won't concede, will say the election was stolen, rife with fraud.

Glad that I was wrong. I actually thought his concession speech was pretty good, although he should have congratulated Warnock by name.

GulDukat

12-07-2022, 09:02 AM

Excellent article:

Walker, Trump’s Celebrity Pick, Underscores Trump’s Fall (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/07/opinion/walker-georgia-senate-trump.html?fbclid=IwAR1Ua-2-SD27_jP6b0Xc1rKYB3WnPa3MzmcHuw1hEI1EMZYrs4Txto98Lw U)

By Charles M. Blow

Donald Trump loved Herschel Walker.

He told him so when he “fired” him from “Celebrity Apprentice.” As Trump put it: “You know how much I like you. I love you. I love you. I am not a gay man, and I love you, Herschel. Herschel, you’re fired.”

As Walker said in an interview years ago, “I’ve known Donald before he became ‘The Donald.’ I started out with Donald Trump. I tell everyone that little Donald and little Ivanka lived with me during the summer.” He took them to Disney World, Sea World, the Bronx Zoo, “any place.”

Walker’s son Christian referred to Trump as Uncle Don.

The men were clearly close. Trump believed in Black exceptionalism — but only for athletes and entertainers.

When New York’s elite shunned Trump, he found a home in pop culture. He came to understand the currency in it and the power of it. Unlike high society, which thrived on exclusion, entertainment fed on the possibility of inclusion and economic ascendance.

Trump learned early the lucrative industry of dream selling. He learned early the power of celebrity as the embodiment of those dreams.

To him, celebrities were a class onto themselves, people who could transcend race and wealth, crossing over into the golden plane of the hero. You can admire a Black celebrity, cheer for him, be thoroughly entertained by him and never relinquish your animus for or prejudices against other Black people.

As long as those entertainers avoided any mention or invocation of race — other than to discuss their upbringing or praise a parent — even people hostile to Black people could be fans of theirs.

This is why Trump could argue that he was not racist — he could always say he had known and been friendly with so many Black entertainers. But he was friendly with them even as he was hostile to other Black and Brown people. Walker has said his warm relationship with Trump dates back to 1982, but it was only a few years later, in 1989, that Trump took out full-page newspaper ads calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty in New York, so that the Central Park Five, who were just boys at the time, would “be afraid.”

The boys implicated in the attack have since been exonerated, but Trump has refused to apologize for his ad.

Trump, like many people, is able to compartmentalize on the issue of race, segregating the masses whom he abhorred from the few he idolized.

And so, when there was a need for a Republican to run for the Senate seat in Georgia against Raphael Warnock — a man who, with the support of Black voters as well as others, shocked the political establishment in that state when he won his first Senate race nearly two years ago — Trump did a simplistic racial calculation: he knew a conservative Black acolyte who could run against the liberal Black intellectual.

He called on his old friend Walker. It didn’t matter that Walker was not a political figure or even a politically engaged person. It didn’t matter that he was wholly unsuited for any form of public office. It didn’t even matter that he didn’t live in Georgia.

Trump drafted him, and he agreed. Celebrity, Trump thought, would cover all flaws.

In the end, it did not. Trump’s brand, his celebrity worship and promulgation, was not enough to push Walker over the edge. But while Walker failed, Trump failed even worse. Unlike some races this cycle in which Trump simply endorsed a candidate, Walker was one Trump personally chose.

And even before Tuesday night, Georgia had rejected Trumpism, choosing some Republicans in November who had defied Trump’s pressure campaign to steal the 2020 election and incurred his wrath because of it.

Yes, Walker was a historically horrific candidate, but the Trump brand has also begun to sour in Georgia. This is in no way to excuse the Georgia Republicans who went along with the Walker charade, even after seeing up close that he was not only unqualified to be a senator, but likely incapable of performing the duties. They saw up close his incompetence, intellectual deficiencies and glaring defects, but they still hewed more to their partisanship than to their principles.

They twisted themselves into knots to excuse Walker, using a roundabout racism to do so. Some said that what we saw as a lack of intelligence was in fact a regional affectation: Walker speaks the way many Black people in Georgia speak.

In their construction of things, deficiency was endemic to Blackness and ubiquitous among Black people. The best that could be hoped for was a Black person who was willing to fall in line and vote with the party. Walker had proven that he would do that. He would be a willing puppet for their ventriloquism.

And he came dangerously close to winning.

This will remain a stain on the Republican Party. But Walker didn’t win. Cynicism didn’t win. Trump didn’t win.

Competence and common sense prevailed.

sweeterthan

12-07-2022, 10:19 AM

well i am relieved personally. it’s still so hard for me to accept that 1.7 million people voted for Herschel walker texas ranger (saw this on twitter hehe). there was a moment last night during the vote count that walker was leading. it only lasted 20 minutes but it was a long 20 minutes for me. warnock’s hard fought victory is the one bright spot in my 2022 election experience. the redistricting affects me more than the warnock’s senate post. a lot of elected women were drawn out of their positions. georgia is still a long way from blue.

ps: this was my 5th time voting for warnock and not the third. 5th time in just over 2 years.

allegro

12-07-2022, 10:45 AM

Yeah, sitting there last night watching them see-saw could surely be nerve-racking, but I knew some shit was up when the news guys on the ground for CNN were saying that Republicans were telling them they weren’t making their rural numbers and things weren’t good … while Walker’s numbers looked like they were “up” on the TV set; and when they zoomed in on the Atlanta area, only like 5% of the votes were in … that’s when I was like, yeah, this shit’s over.

allegate

12-07-2022, 12:21 PM

the CNN video I watched last night had the Lt. Gov on and he said, "hey everyone complained about our voter laws and we still elected Warnock, it must not be as bad as everyone says" and that is pretty much exactly the wrong takeaway mofo. wow.

GulDukat

12-07-2022, 01:01 PM

Trump Is Unraveling Before Our Eyes, but Will It Matter? (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/07/opinion/trump-2024-republican-party.html?smid=fb-nytopinion&smtyp=cur&fbclid=IwAR2PpSlqC8YsgENMy6JhzYbeoc5SIToZ4z8NlDMQ0 xOo6gpvC0k5iqQdTas)

cdm

12-07-2022, 03:24 PM

Kornacki's schtick is tiring but last night he did a pretty good job of illustrating the comparisons between Nov and the runnoft. Walker gained percentage points in key counties (for him) but in those same counties Warnock also gained points relative to their respective Nov totals. So Walker didn't gain any ground. Couple that with the early reporting gaps in the Atlanta suburbs it was very clear around 8-9pm there was no way Walker was going to pull it off, even if he "had the lead" at the time. Somber talking points from his camp were just the icing on the cake.

sweeterthan

12-07-2022, 08:01 PM

I cannot wait to see the breakdown of the voters.

https://twitter.com/michelle_byoung/status/1600575309094469663?s=46&t=wkAX6WtaYKVO-3XSBYRz3w

look at me in the minority.

GulDukat

12-09-2022, 08:30 AM

Sinema is now an independent. (https://www.axios.com/2022/12/09/kyrsten-sinema-democratic-party-independent-senate)

Piece of shit.

versusreality

12-09-2022, 08:36 AM

She might as well just register as an R

Not surprised by this.

GulDukat

12-09-2022, 09:03 AM

If she is challenged by a Democrat she will split the ticket and give the seat to someone like Kari Lake. I always thought she was a dipshit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNo_U7PTGzk

versusreality

12-09-2022, 09:20 AM

wouldn't even be surprised if she starts siding with Lake's "election was stolen" bs

allegate

12-09-2022, 12:32 PM

She might as well just register as an R

Not surprised by this.
https://twitter.com/logically_jc/status/1601185950646038528 (https://twitter.com/logically_jc/status/1601185950646038528?s=46&t=KS_9kTo-5XqW4oVZKjP3ag)

GulDukat

12-10-2022, 08:55 AM

Her biggest issue with Democrats is the same as her biggest issue with Republicans: Tribal partisanship. She says she wants both parties to reach across the aisle and cooperate.

She's nothing but an opportunist.

Why Kyrsten Sinema Left The Democratic Party (https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-kyrsten-sinema-left-the-democratic-party/)

Since joining the Senate, she’s taken public stances against Democratic efforts to abolish the filibuster (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/13/how-kyrsten-sinema-defended-filibuster-bipartisanship/) and, along with Manchin, pushed her party to sharply reduce (https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/23/sinema-35t-spending-bill-506583) the outlays in budgetary legislation. Her positions have infuriated many Arizona Democrats, and the state party formally censured her (https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/01/22/senator-kyrsten-sinema-censured-arizona-democratic-party-board-filibuster-vote/6620816001/) over her 2022 vote to retain the filibuster, which helped block Democratic efforts to pass voting rights legislation.

Deacon Blackfire

12-10-2022, 01:54 PM

It's possible she doesn't run again in 2024, if only because she has literally no path to victory no matter what party she runs under. If she had remained a Democrat, she 100% would have been unseated in a primary. The Arizona Democratic Party has had enough of her bullshit and her constituents rightfully despise her. So she has avoided being tossed out by her former party, but even so, there's zero way she keeps her seat. If she ran as an independent, even if the Democrats were stupid and cowardly enough to NOT run a Democrat against her, she would lose to the Republican challenger. And she would clearly lose running as an independent against a Democrat and a Republican both - but I could see her doing this, because even though she has no chance of winning, she stands a good chance of being enough of a spoiler to hand the seat to some Republican psycho. And if you think she wouldn't be so petty and willfully destructive, I would suggest you have not been paying enough attention to who this person is.

Sinema has defined her tenure in the Senate through blatant disinterest and disdain for her constituents, a disgusting amount of shmoozing with corporate interests keeping her bank account full, and chiefly, being a crucial gift horse (along with Manchin) to the Republicans at the most consequential moments. Please do not carry water for her bs "i'M jUsT eScApInG tHe NaTiOnAl PaRtY's RiGiD pArTiSaNsHiP" spin - this lady uses rhetoric like the right wingers, or the many shitty Democrats, in the sense that her words are nothing but a deflection, a distraction, a smokescreen. She believes in nothing, her entire time in the Senate has been one giant "take the money and run" scam. She urged her colleagues to vote for the January 6th commission and then didn't even vote on it, citing a "personal family matter (https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/06/01/sen-kyrsten-sinema-answers-why-she-skipped-jan-6-commission-vote/7498330002/)." Five of the veterans serving as her liasons to the Arizona service member community straight up resigned, with their resignation letter skewering her as an opponent to progress who answered to big money donors rather than her own people. Like many of our elected representatives, she is a self-worshiping nihilist who believes in nothing save her own enrichment. Unlike many of them though, who prefer to ruin our country and lives for their own enrichment in some degree of anonymity, she clearly takes pride in being a blatant troll and feeding her narcissism with these public displays of sabotage. Like, it's not an accident that she announced this days after the Dems had seemingly locked in a slim majority over Rs in the Senate. She delights in trolling the Americans she is screwing and I genuinely hope her life from here on out is as miserable and horrible as possible.

And I won't get into this to deep, but yes, unfortunately most of our elected representatives are awful, selfish opportunists. At this point this is sadly common knowledge. But to see this commonly held and accurate notion deployed mostly for the sake of playing devil's advocate for someone as loathsome as Sinema... let's just say I find it distressing and offensive and leave it at that. Ta.

Wretchedest

12-11-2022, 11:51 PM

Yet another wild, massive gap in our system, that a a senator can just autonomously change parties mid term, with no recourse for their constituents. No accountability. Nothing. Our stupid fucking system.

allegate

12-12-2022, 09:51 AM

see, I thought you were going a different direction with that post.
Yet another wild, massive gap in our system, that a a senator can just discuss planning a coup in the open like that. No accountability. Nothing. Our stupid fucking system. (https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/marjorie-taylor-greene-steve-bannon-jan-6-armed-1234645457/)

GulDukat

01-04-2023, 01:42 PM

Every time the House votes for speaker take a shot of whiskey.

chuckrh

01-04-2023, 05:48 PM

https://i.redd.it/zydryuje8y9a1.png

GulDukat

01-05-2023, 12:14 PM

Round 7, still no speaker...

I'm thinking McCarthy may withdraw today.

ickyvicky

01-05-2023, 12:23 PM

Matt Gaetz votes Trump. Really? Just please continue to waste everyone's time.

GulDukat

01-05-2023, 01:01 PM

Matt Gaetz votes Trump. Really? Just please continue to waste everyone's time.

If you were casting an actor to play a douche-bag politician, you couldn't do any better than Matt Gaetz. What a scumbag.

allegate

01-05-2023, 04:04 PM

Every time the House votes for speaker take a shot of whiskey.
I don't know that my bank account can handle that many shots

ickyvicky

01-06-2023, 08:42 AM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FlvOH3MWQAcRLvW.jpg

Wretchedest

01-06-2023, 04:07 PM

"because it took this long," says Kevin McCarthy, referring to his election as house speaker, which as of right now still hasn't happened, "we have finally learned how to govern."

it could be on Veep

wampa

01-06-2023, 04:46 PM

If you were casting an actor to play a douche-bag politician, you couldn't do any better than Matt Gaetz. What a scumbag.
is there a more punchable face?

allegate

01-06-2023, 05:49 PM

Now the republicans are voting for “Kevin…
…
…
Hearn”

with the pause in the to fuck with people and Kevin McCarthy.

wampa

01-07-2023, 10:13 AM

:D Just fucking around at this point

allegate

01-07-2023, 06:44 PM

https://twitter.com/paulleedicks/status/1611152208502099969

https://twitter.com/mattmfm/status/1611585025614688257

elevenism

01-08-2023, 01:39 AM

Even though McCarthy is an awful bastard and a lying prick, I actually teared up a little during his Washington crossing the Potomac bit...

Until he said "THERE IS NO OBSTACLE THIS BODY CAN OVERCOME!" YAAAAAAAAH!

It's like, goddamn. You left out a letter that was, ostensibly, PRETTY goddamn key to your elelegant, eloquent metaphor, there, hoss. :p

elevenism

01-08-2023, 01:47 AM

MEANWHILE, holy shit. Did you guys catch this?

Jeffries '28.

https://youtu.be/JLOAQjjKJbM

I didn't even catch the A-Z bit until the SECOND time I watched it.

This cat could be the next obama, being a young visionary who is able to inspire his way to the White House through his oratory skill.

Jinsai

01-10-2023, 03:10 PM

I'm late to the dogpile here, but fuck Matt Gaetz. That guy is a Batman villain. I hope he eats shit one day, and then discovers that shit tastes really bad, and it's the worst thing that ever happens to him, and then I hope a fucking dumpster full of shit just pours into his gaping offended mouth. Like a goulash of shit just funneling into his face. I want the universe to offend his every sensibility the way he offends me.

bobbie solo

01-10-2023, 03:29 PM

it's absolutely disgusting that he's gonna skate on that trafficking charge. It's obvious he was with that underage girl, but they're not going to go to after him b/c of lack of evidence or whatever. Maddening.

allegate

01-10-2023, 04:50 PM

worse than that: because the person who was informing on him was a bad suspect. The guy they already arrested and pinned a bunch of stuff on? suddenly not a good witness.

allegate

01-11-2023, 11:12 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc8tju3a--o

insane that it was before the election and still he won.

oh shit, this is live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq2yX6BoL4Q

persona non grata to the Republicans? wow.

allegate

01-13-2023, 04:05 PM

https://twitter.com/palmerreport/status/1613693889835327489 (https://twitter.com/palmerreport/status/1613693889835327489?s=46&t=4bGSDdgY6B1tvCRGpyv7mw)

That’s kind of impressive, like three or four bits with one stone.

allegate

01-16-2023, 11:25 PM

2024 starting already.

Justice in the Senate? West Virginia governor 'very interested' in challenging Joe Manchin (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/justice-in-the-senate-west-virginia-governor-very-interested-in-challenging-joe-manchin/ar-AA16pJXU?OCID=ansmsnnews11)
Justice, a former Democrat who notably joined the GOP after making an announcement at a 2017 Trump rally, told "Your World" that Washington, D.C. is a "mess" under the Biden administration and that the way he turned around the Mountain State's economy and budget would serve him well in the Senate.Once upon a time the state was very blue, I can only imagine it was the exodus of the young that's driven the state to be the way it is now.

I mean, 2021 (https://www.wvnews.com/statejournal/news/as-young-people-leave-west-virginia-officials-wonder-why-and-work-on-solutions/article_b57a7908-f075-11eb-8032-27a050e9304e.html) and 2014 (https://www.wvpublic.org/news/2014-05-01/how-can-west-virginia-keep-young-people-from-moving-away) and 2017 (https://www.timeswv.com/news/what-s-influencing-people-to-move-out-of-west-virginia/article_875b3b6a-eac6-11e7-93f0-73fe86474029.html) and 2017 (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2017-05-25/to-be-young-in-a-dying-state).

Yeah, I can't imagine what's causing this.
The steady population decline has been an ongoing challenge for West Virginia. The number of residents has dropped from a peak of just over 2-million in 1950 to 1,782,959 as of July 1, 2021, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Census.

The drop in population is the result of more deaths than births and people moving out of West Virginia. The state, as well as other parts of Appalachia, has been drained by the Hillbilly Highway, the name given to the emigration of people from rural areas to more industrialized regions.

The result has been a “brain drain” of young people, a negative impact on the tax base, a dearth of new ideas, and a diminished labor force. West Virginia’s workforce participation rate is just 54.2 percent, second lowest in the country after Mississippi.

GulDukat

01-24-2023, 11:22 AM

Trump leads Biden in hypothetical 2024 match-up: poll (https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3827864-trump-leads-biden-in-hypothetical-2024-matchup-poll/)

WTF is wrong with people?

ekrekel

01-24-2023, 11:24 AM

Trump leads Biden in hypothetical 2024 match-up: poll (https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3827864-trump-leads-biden-in-hypothetical-2024-matchup-poll/)

WTF is wrong with people?

One of those dudes is going to have to pass away before either side replaces their dude aren't they?

allegate

01-24-2023, 10:56 PM

One of those dudes is going to have to pass away before either side replaces their dude aren't they?first thing I thought of

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FlVVDJyWAAIMdp6?format=jpg&name=medium

allegate

01-26-2023, 04:17 PM

https://twitter.com/santiagomayer_/status/1618456994381467648 (https://twitter.com/santiagomayer_/status/1618456994381467648?s=46&t=2GH1A-sIfLeV3940nMD_4Q)

hellospaceboy

01-30-2023, 09:05 AM

Lol, I mean not the poor woman passing out, but just as a launch of a campaign in general... what a momentum and first impression!

GulDukat

01-30-2023, 09:47 AM

Lol, I mean not the poor woman passing out, but just as a launch of a campaign in general... what a momentum and first impression!

Get ready to say President Rollan Roberts!

allegate

01-30-2023, 11:04 AM

Lol, I mean not the poor woman passing out, but just as a launch of a campaign in general... what a momentum and first impression!

Definitely shows he's a man of action. damn near takes an eye out with how fast he stands there doing nothing for several seconds.

GulDukat

02-07-2023, 11:03 PM

I thought Biden gave a very good SOTU.

The Republican response was pretty awful--a bunch of random buzz words--"woke mob" "China," etc., thrown together.

Frozen Beach

02-08-2023, 02:26 PM

IRS are going to start taxing waiters/waitresses tips. Absolutely disgusting. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-introduces-new-service-industry-tip-reporting-program

cdm

02-08-2023, 02:29 PM

https://twitter.com/santiagomayer_/status/1618456994381467648 (https://twitter.com/santiagomayer_/status/1618456994381467648?s=46&t=2GH1A-sIfLeV3940nMD_4Q)

I have no idea who this guy is and it's LOL funny that it's been a full 2 weeks since this happened...yet I never saw this go viral.

cdm

02-08-2023, 02:41 PM

IRS are going to start taxing waiters/waitresses tips. Absolutely disgusting. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-introduces-new-service-industry-tip-reporting-program

Tips are taxable income and any tips submitted through a POS system (ie: tips you leave on your credit card as part of your dinner bill) are reported. This is not new policy, just a different, voluntary program to report said tips. I'm not a fan of current food service wages, workers should be paid a living hourly wage, but these tips are taxed currently.

Frozen Beach

02-08-2023, 03:02 PM

Tips are taxable income and any tips submitted through a POS system (ie: tips you leave on your credit card as part of your dinner bill) are reported. This is not new policy, just a different, voluntary program to report said tips. I'm not a fan of current food service wages, workers should be paid a living hourly wage, but these tips are taxed currently.
Tips paid through cards, yes, but physical cash? Absolutely not. I have never met a waitress nor server who has ever reported their tips for taxes. Tipping from card has not been a thing for as long as physical cash. I live in North Carolina. Why is this a foreign concept to my state then?

cdm

02-08-2023, 03:28 PM

Tips paid through cards, yes, but physical cash? Absolutely not. I have never met a waitress nor server who has ever reported their tips for taxes. Tipping from card has not been a thing for as long as physical cash. I live in North Carolina. Why is this a foreign concept to my state then?

It's my understanding any worker earning more than $20 /month in tips, cash or otherwise, is required to report those tips as income, according to the IRS. That's the law. Do people do that? Apparently not, but they're supposed to. The proposed system is meant to replace several other systems already in use. Whether or not this new system will make it harder to dodge taxes on cash tips...I dunno...but factually, tips are taxable income.

M1ke

02-08-2023, 03:30 PM

Tips paid through cards, yes, but physical cash? Absolutely not. I have never met a waitress nor server who has ever reported their tips for taxes. Tipping from card has not been a thing for as long as physical cash. I live in North Carolina. Why is this a foreign concept to my state then?

But, they've always been taxable....

By law, cash tips are required to be reported and are taxed as income. Enforcement of that varies from country to country though. In some places, it's not enforced, in some places audits are conducted, and in other places industry averages are added by the tax authority and taxes are charged on them.

This is kind of a nothing-burger.

Frozen Beach

02-08-2023, 03:40 PM

I concede, but I've asked family members, and my father whose a hardcore liberal didn't even know. Everyone seems to assume they're considered as "gifts" and gifts aren't taxable until after $15,000, if I remember correctly.

GulDukat

02-08-2023, 09:26 PM

I thought this was one of the most powerful moments from the SOTU:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzsR-aCj98k

bobbie solo

02-09-2023, 02:26 AM

"hardcore liberal"

Frozen Beach

02-09-2023, 05:48 AM

I mean, he is. What else can you call a man who hyperventilates when he finds out his son registered as an independent one year, or wants to throw fists with anyone who doesn't agree with everything thing he says? My mother doesn't even have want to talk politics with him, and she is also liberal.

cdm

02-09-2023, 08:06 AM

I thought this was one of the most powerful moments from the SOTU:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzsR-aCj98k

To a lot of Black families, mentioning The Talk was noteworthy. Black people talk about The Talk constantly but to have it mentioned during SOTU is a big deal. Of course he had to go on about "the vast majority of cops..." blah blah but I digress.

GulDukat

02-14-2023, 02:33 PM

Nikki Haley is running for president, yay.

chuckrh

02-14-2023, 02:45 PM

Nikki Haley is running for president, yay.
God help us. I worked for a major aerospace concern that bought her lock, stock & barrel. Sold out her state to get a factory there & when she went out of office she magically was named to the board of directors. Then when the going got tough she bailed out so fast heads were spinning. She seems like a real idiot.

allegate

02-14-2023, 03:08 PM

Trump is going to eat some of these people alive and I hope it's going to be fun to watch.

edit: lots of comments about how it's a campaign for VP. That'd be just as much fun, I think.

allegate

02-14-2023, 04:33 PM

Sen. Dianne Feinstein announces she won't run for Senate in 2024 (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/sen-dianne-feinstein-announces-she-won-t-run-for-senate-in-2024/ar-AA17u946?OCID=ansmsnnews11)

Feinstein, 89, will remain in office until her term concludes at the end of next year, she said in a statement. Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Adam Schiff have already announced they would run for her seat before she officially announced her retirement, and House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said she would support Schiff if Feinstein retired.
dammit Nancy, Katie Porter is way cooler.

bobbie solo

02-15-2023, 12:32 AM

i immediately donated to Porter when she announced. Schiff fucking SUCKS. Having a road dog like Porter in the Senate would be a major upgrade. The platform she would have to call out bullshit would get much bigger.

versusreality

02-15-2023, 04:14 AM

it's sad that we'll probably never see Porter as president. she rocks. she'd fucking own people during a debate.

GulDukat

02-15-2023, 12:08 PM

Slightly off topic. An oldie but goodie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbM6WbUw7Bs

bobbie solo

02-16-2023, 12:46 AM

it's sad that we'll probably never see Porter as president. she rocks. she'd fucking own people during a debate.

as far as actual lefties that are currently serving in either part of congress, she is one of the few that I think could put together a successful presidential run through a Dem primary. She's got true leftie bonafides (Squad adjacent), she's got a proven track record of winning over indepedents as her district is in Orange County and recently was a red seat. She would run circles around many others in a debate (the team she has around her is excellent), and I think her being a heavy set, not super young white woman could play really well w/people that would be scared away by an AOC type/are just racist.

versusreality

02-16-2023, 05:10 AM

all valid points. that makes me feel better.

the establishment needs to put the rocket on her and not clamp her down.

allegate

02-16-2023, 09:31 AM

The establishment put Jeffries in place for a reason, I think.

bobbie solo

02-16-2023, 11:00 PM

Jeffries is to the right of Pelosi. He is no friend of the left. He seems to have an actual desire to play politics/to WIN unlike Pelosi, who has spent the last 15-20 years publically lamenting the loss of a sane Republican party. Like, who cares Nancy? Your job is to pummel them, win every single seat you can & push through a Dem agenda. Jeffries at least seems to have no interest in playing nice with Republicans and hoping they return to sanity. Plus, he was born after the Revolutionary War, unlike the rest of Dem leadership. But again, complete corporate shill, and has made it his goal to hurt leftists like the Squad.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-hakeem-jeffries-quiet-standoff-with-the-left

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democrats-house-incumbents-challengers/2021/07/13/5dad62a4-e327-11eb-8aa5-5662858b696e_story.html

GulDukat

02-17-2023, 08:32 AM

Off the air, Fox News stars blasted the election fraud claims they peddled (https://www.npr.org/2023/02/16/1157558299/fox-news-stars-false-claims-trump-election-2020)

GulDukat

02-23-2023, 09:16 AM

What the fuck is wrong with the Trump jury foreperson?

GulDukat

05-04-2023, 01:06 PM

Trump Could Definitely Beat Biden (https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/04/trump-could-definitely-beat-biden.html)

It could happen. WTF is wrong with people?

allegate

05-10-2023, 09:41 AM

Rep. George Santos charged with 13 counts of fraud, financial crimes (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rep-george-santos-charged-with-13-counts-of-fraud-financial-crimes/ar-AA1b0g08?OCID=ansmsnnews11)

George Santos in federal custody as feds unseal 13-count indictment (https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/10/politics/george-santos-indicted-arrested/index.html)

Santos has been charged on seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives.Just two?

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/450/411/103.jpg

GulDukat

05-10-2023, 07:09 PM

Watching the Trump town hall. Telling how half the audience applauds him while the other half looks on in horror.

GulDukat

05-10-2023, 07:32 PM

It's pissing me off that 30 minutes in, all the questions come from Trump supporters or voters who are undeclared.

GulDukat

05-10-2023, 11:44 PM

'A disaster': CNN scorched for giving Trump a platform lie and joke about sexual assault (https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-cnn/)

GulDukat

05-11-2023, 09:38 AM

Donald Trump’s CNN Town Hall Was a Disaster (https://slate.com/business/2023/05/trump-cnn-town-hall-kaitlan-collins-new-hampshire-disaster.html)

The discussion, moderated poorly by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, was simultaneously a triggering flashback to the bad old days of Trump’s presidency, a frustrating preview of what we can likely expect over the next 18 months, and a conclusive repudiation of CNN CEO Chris Licht’s doomed plan to restore the network’s fortunes by tacking to the imagined middle.

The network gave a seditious would-be despot carte blanche to openly lie on live television for an hour, in front of an adoring crowd, with ineffective pushback from a reporter who, if Wednesday night is any indication, is nowhere near ready for prime time.

GulDukat

05-11-2023, 12:16 PM

‘One of the worst hours I’ve ever seen’: Critics explode at CNN for ‘spectacle of lies’ Trump ‘spewed’ for his ‘MAGA zombies’ (https://www.rawstory.com/trump-cnn-2659998853/)

CNN, announcing the event on May 1 (https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/01/politics/donald-trump-town-hall/index.html), claimed the audience would be comprised of “New Hampshire Republicans and undeclared voters,” but on its own website Thursday morning CNN fully admitted it actually was a “mostly Trump-loyal audience (https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-cnn-town-hall/index.html).”“Where are the never Trump Republicans? Where are the skeptical independents? This is not even a balanced audience of Republicans. It is gathering of MAGA zombies,” observed (https://twitter.com/djrothkopf/status/1656460503122694148) foreign policy, national security and political affairs analyst and commentator David Rothkopf.
In other words, this was not an event designed to help undecided voters make up their minds, 18 months before Election Day. This was an event designed to help CNN’s ratings and designed to promote Donald Trump to his already-decided fans.

ickyvicky

05-11-2023, 01:32 PM

I'm just curios why Trump would even want to be on CNN?

allegate

05-11-2023, 01:35 PM

The new head of CNN is a terrible person and Trump loves to hear himself talk. Those two combine together to form!

A shit sandwich!

Wretchedest

05-11-2023, 03:43 PM

This is the more real consequences of the Warner Discovery merger and of mergers in general

BRoswell

05-11-2023, 04:39 PM

I'm just curios why Trump would even want to be on CNN?

He doesn't really have a lot of networks to choose from at this point. He's talked too much shit about Fox News (and cost them money thanks to the whole Dominion lawsuit), so odds are he won't be back on there for a while. He could go to Newsmax, but they don't have the number of viewers that he wants (and far too many nutjobs). MSNBC is never going to happen.

GulDukat

05-11-2023, 07:39 PM

He doesn't really have a lot of networks to choose from at this point. He's talked too much shit about Fox News (and cost them money thanks to the whole Dominion lawsuit), so odds are he won't be back on there for a while. He could go to Newsmax, but they don't have the number of viewers that he wants (and far too many nutjobs). MSNBC is never going to happen.
I'd love to see Trump go on Maddow or O'Donnell.

sweeterthan

05-11-2023, 08:51 PM

he could never go on maddow. he would lose his mind and call her names.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

GulDukat

05-12-2023, 09:52 AM

This is worth watching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn_BGzra5gQ

The man you heard from last night, that man is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president. And according to polling, no other Republican is even close. That man you were so upset to hear from last night, he may be President of the United States in less than two years. And that audience that upset you, that's a sampling of about half the country. They are your family members, your neighbors, and they are voting. And many said they're voting for him. Now, maybe you haven't been paying attention to him since he left office. Maybe you've been enjoying not hearing from him, thinking it can't happen again, some investigation is going to stop him. Well, it hasn't so far. So if last night showed anything, it showed it can happen again. It is happening again. He hasn't changed, and he is running hard.

sweeterthan

05-12-2023, 10:16 AM

This is worth watching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn_BGzra5gQ

why do you think it’s worth watching? i think he’s full of shit and it’s a really dumb attempt at damage control. keyword: control. he’s trying to guide the narrative so it’s not negative for cnn, the people who pay him. fuck anderson cooper. he’s the one in a silo.

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BRoswell

05-12-2023, 10:20 AM

The lack of awareness on display here is just...wow. "Maybe you haven't been paying attention to him since he left office." My man, we haven't had A CHOICE to ignore him! He dominates so much of the conversation, whether we want him to or not. That's exactly why we DON'T need to hear more from him. We've had to listen to him for almost a decade. We know what he's like, and so does his cult members. Do you really think CNN showed us something new? No. You just gave more airtime to someone who has already had more than enough. Cut him the fuck off already and stop feeding his ego, you morons.

GulDukat

05-12-2023, 11:01 AM

why do you think it’s worth watching? i think he’s full of shit and it’s a really dumb attempt at damage control. keyword: control. he’s trying to guide the narrative so it’s not negative for cnn, the people who pay him. fuck anderson cooper. he’s the one in a silo.

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I think Cooper offered a pretty nuanced POV as to why CNN hosted the town hall. He was very critical of the network and I didn't see his comments as damage control. Trump could very well be elected president next year. Ignoring him won't make him go away. The town hall is a red alert. Hopefully it will motivate people to vote for Biden (assuming that he is the nominee).

I am on the fence about whether or not it was a good idea for CNN to host the town hall, and I am getting very nervous about 2024.

ETA: The town hall did suck.

BRoswell

05-13-2023, 10:09 AM

Ignoring him won't make him go away.

Neither will giving him a platform to speak while fielding softball questions. It wasn't meant to be a warning. It was meant to enable him, and no amount of backpedaling or corporate ass-kissing on the part of CNN's employees will change that.

GulDukat

05-13-2023, 10:44 AM

Neither will giving him a platform to speak while fielding softball questions. It wasn't meant to be a warning. It was meant to enable him, and no amount of backpedaling or corporate ass-kissing on the part of CNN's employees will change that.

The town hall was terrible. It was a joke. I understand that he's running for the Republican nomination so it makes sense to have him speak to Republican voters, but where were the "no Trumper" Republicans? The audience members were told not to boo (https://newrepublic.com/post/172695/cnn-trump-town-hall-audience-told-please-dont-boo). They were only allowed to applaud. And you are right, they did only field soft-ball questions. It was disgusting. If you looked at the audience during the town hall, it looked like maybe half the audience didn't applaud and just sat there, many probably disgusted. But the optics were still bad. The loud cheering made Trump look more popular with the audience then he was.

CNN really fucked it up, but I sort of understand their argument for hosting a Trump town hall.