11/08/2022, The Midterms, aka build on 2020 aka The Election Thread

[sweeterthan]

people are goddamn stupid.

People are definitely disappointing. They voted for him even after admitting to assaulting women and making fun of a disabled person. They willfully ignore everything that’s wrong with him and prop him because of American exceptionalism. It’s fucked up.


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[cdm]

I hope I'm wrong but I feel like Bernie dropping out has tilted the election in Trump's favor.

Fuck this self-fulfilling prophecy shit right here.

[Soma]

Oh yay now we get to choose between the two rapey, senile, capitalist white guys! Goody!

[GulDukat]

I hope I'm wrong but I feel like Bernie dropping out has tilted the election in Trump's favor.

IDK.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ep...iden-6247.html

[ltrandazzo]

[theimage13]

IDK.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ep...iden-6247.html

Isn't that more or less how it looked right up until the election in 16 though?

[GulDukat]

Isn't that more or less how it looked right up until the election in 16 though?

2016:

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html

As of now, nationally, Biden is in a better place than Clinton was at the tail end of the 2016 race. If it hadn't been for Comey and his fucking letter she would have won and you now wouldn't need to wear a mask to go to Wallgreens because she would have listened to experts who warned Trump about this in January.

[bobbie solo]

I'm not really clear on what unity or banding together fully means in this case. I live in NJ. Biden will beat Trump here by at least 12 points unless something happens to him physically or mentally before election day (good chance of this imo...just look at the guy...he's not well). I will not be voting for Biden. Fuck him & fuck the party. If I move to a swing state between now & then i'll vote for him.

No one is entitled to my vote just b/c Trump sucks. Earn my vote. So far his campaign has signaled over & over that what matters to me doesn't matter to them. So how about you try & sway me with policies that matter to me?

[cdm]

Oh yay now we get to choose between the two rapey, senile, capitalist white guys! Goody!

Stop fucking watering it down to this lazy ass one-liner. Because that's not the choice.

[theimage13]

I'm not really clear on what unity or banding together fully means in this case. I live in NJ. Biden will beat Trump here by at least 12 points unless something happens to him physically or mentally before election day (good chance of this imo...just look at the guy...he's not well). I will not be voting for Biden. Fuck him & fuck the party. If I move to a swing state between now & then i'll vote for him.

No one is entitled to my vote just b/c Trump sucks. Earn my vote. So far his campaign has signaled over & over that what matters to me doesn't matter to them. So how about you try & sway me with policies that matter to me?

https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/co...ratic/fmspbnl/

I wanted Warren. I wanted Bernie over Biden. I wanted several candidates more than Biden. Nonetheless:

2020 is SO much bigger than Biden
A 2020 Trump Presidency would mean:

• A conservative judiciary the rest of your life. A likely 7-2 SCOTUS, and another massive chunk of lifetime federal judge appointments.

This means unfavorable rulings for: climate change, abortion, gerrymandering, executive power, executive oversight, Congressional authority, civil rights, immigration issues (children in cages), and so, so much more. You can basically say goodbye to this for decades to come with a Trump Presidency. Everything Bernie, Warren, Democrats, and progressives ever stood for is going to take a sledgehammer with a Trump Presidency.

• It would mean the continuing takeover of an authoritarian rule. Trump has argued he is immune from indictments, from oversight, from the courts, and he has a DOJ and Republican Senate to help him solidify his role as America's King.
• It would mean further emboldening of a worrying white nationalist, conspiratorial presence in America. Racism, sexism, xenophobia, wild conspiracies, and more would be given a green light.
• The continued isolation of America on the world stage. Every country on the planet besides NK, Saudi Arabia, and Russia does. not. trust. us. anymore. We are a mockery on the world stage in everything we do.
• The most corrupt cabinet in history. William Barr, Betsy DeVos, Mnuchin, Wheeler, Pence. It's like a super team of unqualified, horrendous people with enormous conflicts of interest. Every position is basically hired to deconstruct the agency they work for. The intelligence community is being flat-out purged for loyalists.
• A continuing WAR against climate change efforts and science. Undoubtedly the biggest issue humanity, including our children, grandchildren, and beyond will face.

No matter what your criticisms of Biden are,
Let's remember who Trump is:
-Trump defrauded the government of $400 million dollars.
-Trump ran a fraudulent charity (one that supported veterans and children with cancer) and university.
-Trump cheated on his third wife with a porn star and illegally paid her to keep quiet before an election.
-Trump committed at least 5 felony instances of Obstruction of Justice., including trying to get Mueller (the man investigating him) fired... twice.
-Trump was impeached for Obstruction of Congress and Abuse of Power.
-Trump killed a top general of a hostile nation that posed no imminent threat.
-Trump has over twenty sexual misconduct/assault allegations.
-Trump tried to lie about a hurricane by extending a forecast with a fucking sharpie on a map because he couldn't admit he made a mistake on twitter.
-Trump doesn't believe in climate change.
-Trump thinks windmills cause cancer and raking prevents forest fires.
-Trump is a stable genius - -
-Trump's only "political experience" prior to becoming President was fueling a racist conspiracy theory that Obama was born in Kenya.
-Trump told a group of minority Congresswomen (3 of which born in America) to "go back" to the countries they came from.
-Trump got on the stage at Helsinki to tell the world he trusts Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence agencies.
-Trump is purging the intelligence community and replacing the positions with unqualified sycophants.
-Trump is exploiting a public health crisis for personal gain, and using the cover to remove oversight.
At the end of the day, we have a choice to make in November as reasonable adults and Americans.

If you can read this and tell me you're still fine with Trump being president (because that's what you're voting for by not voting for Biden), then I honestly think you're just a lost cause.

[Jinsai]

I don't care, I want the SCOTUS to not suck. I will vote blue. Screw this hand washing.

[BRoswell]

Bernie has officially dropped out.

Knew it was going to happen, but still sad. I will hold my nose and vote for Biden just like I did with Hillary in 2016, but I would be lying if I said I didn't fear a repeat performance, even with four years of Trump's bullshit to deal with.

[Deacon Blackfire]

Fantastic, another round of "bite the bullet" in November!

As I watch the Democratic party already prime itself to blame leftists for their incredibly weak candidate losing in November...as someone who voted for Clinton despite loathing her in 2016 because I knew how awful Trump was, and knew he stood a chance to win, holy shit am I tired of seeing individual voters take the lion's share of the blame for Trump and all the horrible things he has done, over the people whose job it was to bury him. I'm tired of seeing the Democrats (and the people who carry water for them) blaming Russia, or Bernie Sanders, or any random individual voter for this nightmare. Blaming anything besides themselves. The Democrats are our only viable political alternative to the unacceptable stew of repugnant shit that is the Republicans. Winning over voters and beating Republicans is literally their fucking job, and instead of any self-reflection or pivot towards what people in this nation desperately need, even after their inexcusable loss in 2016, they have remained rooted in their commitment to halfhearted corporate bullshit (still against universal healthcare in the middle of a crisis where millions stand to lose their employer-based insurance) and have clung to any narrative that absolves them of their failure with reckless abandon, despite these talking points being the exact opposite of what might actually motivate and consolidate voters. They're playing the same game with the same hateful pieces, but even worse, and again banking on the desperation of the electorate to see them win over the even-less-desirable alternative. I couldn't say it any better than this:

They're Democrats. They're paid to lose.

For the love of all that is good and decent, we didn't let Hillary Clinton down. It's the other way around. And the fact that the best, most reasoned case for voting Biden is "he sucks but Trump is worse" should let us all know we're doomed. That is not an argument that wins elections, even against the world's biggest piece of shit. Yet even if they lose to a man whose presidency is currently leading to the deaths of many thousands, them rallying around a uniquely awful, highly compromised candidate will never enter into their public assessment of that loss. They will blame it on Sanders supporters, tsk-tsking the electorate on the moral failure of not supporting them as the world spins ever closer to an all-consuming black hole.

Particularly nauseating is that Biden's triumph comes in the midst of his supporters frantically denying the credibility of Tara Reade's accusations, with some going as far as to label them Russian propaganda that Sanders' supporters only care about because it "helps Bernie." Well. It didn't "help" Sanders. A lack of accountability at this stage has only guaranteed we enter the soul-withering stage of talking points like, "Trump is the worse sexual predator."

Sorry if this upsets people. I'm just angry, and disgusted, watching the seeming inevitability of it all.

[allegro]

Wisconsin Republicans are awful:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/u...-election.html

And the SCOTUS conservative justices failed us, especially minorities, yet again:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/o...eme-court.html

Shame on them all.

[Jinsai]

Bernie or Bust friends on social media are really trying my patience today

[allegro]

Bernie or Bust friends on social media are really trying my patience today

https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/29/polit...ers/index.html

Meanwhile, narrative:

DNC put gun to Democrat voters' heads, especially black Democrat voters' heads, to vote for Biden, and/or black voters just so "dumb" they just don't "get" that they are voting for "wrong" candidate.

Meanwhile, black voters suffering most during Trump Presidency. Have most to lose. They're currently dying at the highest rates during Covid-19. Worst poverty, least education, worst housing, redlining, etc. Worst police brutality. Worst rates of incarceration. And, suffering worst voter suppression. Many black voters who witnessed lynching and Jim Crow still alive today. And, they're the HIGHEST number of black voters. Many still not able to exercise voting rights in much of America, even though VRA was passed in 1965. (SCOTUS overturned key parts of it in 2013.)

Yet, black voters willingly voted for Biden. Waited in lines, overcame crazy voter suppression in several states to vote for Biden. Vast majority of black voters sending clear message that Biden is their choice. Much like they did with Obama in '08 and '12. And with Clinton in '92 and '96. And with HRC in '16.

HRC lost the Electoral College vote by about the same as the population of Waukesha WI. She won the popular vote by over 4 million.

Sometimes we gotta suck it up and go with who the minority suppressed abused wants, because our kind has fucked things up so bad for them. Because it’s not about ideology, for them; it’s about pragmatism. It’s about SCOTUS justices and the DOJ and ICE raids and prison reform and drug law reforms and redline reforms and mortgage law equality and jobs and a bunch of other things that affect their ability to live.

For me, the only 2020 candidate with the most modern and progressive ideas was Andrew Yang. His UBI would be especially helpful right now. His views on AI are spot on. Nothing the other candidates said haven’t been said 30 years ago. Yang has true vision. I hope his ideas will come to fruition.

[Soma]

Oh yay now we get to choose between the two rapey, senile, capitalist white guys! Goody!

Stop fucking watering it down to this lazy ass one-liner. Because that's not the choice.

Sorry. I get what you're saying. It just really sucks that this is what it's come down to. I'm still gonna vote blue because anyone is better than our current pres.
It's unfortunate, but not shocking that a lot of other Bernie supporters aren't on board with this.

[theimage13]

Bernie or Bust friends on social media are really trying my patience today

I'm pasting this anywhere I see someone bitching about it and saying that they're not going to vote or vote third party this year.

https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/co...ratic/fmspbnl/

[cdm]

Sorry. I get what you're saying. It just really sucks that this is what it's come down to. I'm still gonna vote blue because anyone is better than our current pres.
It's unfortunate, but not shocking that a lot of other Bernie supporters aren't on board with this.

It does fucking suck. Biden wasn't even in my top five...but here we are. I do think his VP selection is going to be a very good one and I hope it tips the scales for some people.

[sweeterthan]

I wanted Warren. Biden was my last choice but just like the last election, I will vote for the blue candidate because I get what red means. The two party systems sucks so we have to play the "lesser evil" game yet again. I'm so over the apathy that most Americans have about politics and voting. I really hope the lock down wakes up enough people to vote. Please vote. Please!!!

[allegro]

I do think his VP selection is going to be a very good one and I hope it tips the scales for some people.

I don’t know that he’s looking to do that. He’s looking to reinforce the coalition he already has, which is black voters and a huge block of white women voters. He’s confirmed that his VP will be a woman, and that she will be someone who will work well with him. I’m guessin perhaps even a woman of color.

No, it won’t be Warren. The Democrats can’t lose another Senate seat.

He says his camp is vetting, now, and will announce by June. There might be a virtual Convention.

Short list supposedly includes Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Gov. Grisham of New Mexico.

I really love Sen. Duckworth. (But I still really love Andrew Yang.)

Reinforcing your current voting block insures that you don’t cross a line and upset them; you have to always be cognizant that there’s a reason why they voted for you.


I’ve seen a lot of Republicans switch parties after Trump. It’ll be interesting seeing how that plays out this election.

[versusreality]

what will piss me off is that so many uninformed Americans will think...if we're pulled out of this virus mess by election time, Trump "saved" us and they will blindly vote for him. he'll even use the "if it comes back again we'll defeat that virus a second time" to foolishly blind the people.

[Deacon Blackfire]

For a long time I've thought Klobuchar would be Biden's running mate if he secured the nomination. At this point I think it will be her or Harris. Harris would be a smarter choice but Klobuchar would be such a middling, Tim Kaine style pick that I can't fully discount Biden choosing her.

[allegro]

what will piss me off is that so many uninformed Americans will think...if we're pulled out of this virus mess by election time, Trump "saved" us and they will blindly vote for him. he'll even use the "if it comes back again we'll defeat that virus a second time" to foolishly blind the people.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/u...-briefing.html


Re VP:

https://www.axios.com/clyburn-joe-bi...f4be565ca.html

[versusreality]

I've become...too pessimistic, unfortunately, to believe most headlines and articles anymore. that NYT headline doesn't do much to change my opinion. but I know I need to start to change to put more optimsitic energy in the air. I feel that Trump losing will be a shock but goddamnit I want to be shocked, in the very best way.

[cdm]

Re VP: https://www.axios.com/clyburn-joe-biden-2020-elections-vice-president-982243ca-76e8-42d1-a775-f28f4be565ca.html

I'm here for Vice President Stacey Abrams.

[Sarah K]

I would love for it to be Abrams, but I will be pretty shocked if it is anyone other than Harris.

Please don't let it be Klobuchar. :|

[versusreality]

sign me up for Abrams in a heartbeat.

I am not a fan of Harris at all and would be disappointed if he went with her.

[allegro]

If the stakes weren’t so high, it would be almost amusing to watch someone working on fomenting and fortifying their base and then miscalculate so badly as to pick Harris—a black woman who tends to poll poorly among both blacks and women. She came out of her campaign looking like she really enjoyed feeding poor people to the penal system. And I don’t think the crossover Law & Order Republican appeal would amount to more than a hill of beans here; literally only one in ten Republicans are less than thrilled with Trump and, even then, it doesn’t seem like they’re not thrilled enough to vote outside their party.

Harris’ status among the black establishment is really strong. The black establishment is who is backing Biden. Rep. Clyburn has Harris on his short list. And black establishment looks to Clyburn. Black establishment looks at Harris differently than us. And I’m okay with that.

I like Klobuchar’s Senate record, but black people don’t like Klobuchar.

I love Abrams but black Twitter seems to think that she doesn’t have enough experience.

My personal choice is Michelle Obama.

I’m suspecting the ultimate choice will be someone like Susan Rice.

[bobbie solo]

Michelle Obama is not great on policy overall, but she did pull Barack left on several things when she could. Michelle running as VP would basically lock this up for Biden as soon as she's announced, so that would be a good thing in terms of everyone being able to breath a sigh of relief. Voter turnout would approach 2008 levels, and I suspect the right's voter suppression would not be strong enough to overcome it in enough swing states for Trump to retain his spot. And yes, the meltdown would be epic.

Sadly, there has been no buzz that she's interested at all. Like, Abrams denied & denied & denied publicly for a while, but the name-floating never relented & then she said a few weeks ago (on that nightmare The View I believe) that actually she is interested in the VP spot. If Michelle is interested, they are hiding it really well.

Kamala's not getting VP. She excites no one. Although her as AG is tantalizing simply b/c it appears she would not take that BS "we must look forward, not back" approach that the Obama admin took about Bush. Her approach in those Senate hearings seem to tact towards her really going after Trump if she was AG. And whoever gets that role needs to be an absolute shark after this criminal enterprise currently running the federal gov't.

Surprised no one mentioned the governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer. She's young, she's co-chair if Biden's campaign (is that why she isn't being considered? if so, i apologize), the party clearly wants to push her b/c they gave her that SOTU response a few weeks ago, she's gotten some great pub recently b/c of her refusal to back down to Trump over CV, and she's a total corporate Dem shill, right up Biden's backwards worldview alley...as she is the rich kid daughter of the former head of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Considering Biden has made it clear he isn't going to go anywhere near M4A & will most likely tack towards the middle to try & pick off Never Trump voters (ugh), why not make it clear you will do nothing to disrupt the right's stranglehold on healthcare by going with the most corporate person you can find in this area?