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

[Magnetic]

Biden's narrows down VP choices; Abrams, Duckworth and Klobuchar are out. (https://apnews.com/cfb9f51767aeee83f1f426fb42070a9e)

Current choices are Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Susan Rice, Val Demings, Keisha Lance Bottoms and Michelle Lujan Grisham.

I *love* Susan Rice.

Ooooooo, I like Susan Rice as well.

[versusreality]

considering Susan Rice seemed to recently come out of nowhere on his list, I think she's the pick.

I hope she's the pick. She has great experience and has already worked with Biden.

[bobbie solo]

Sigh...Susan Rice would be f'ing terrible, but would also be exactly on-brand for Biden. She is as boring & establishment as they get, and would excite precisely no one who isn't already plugged into Dem politics & has their mind made up.

[versusreality]

I'll say this...of the list, I prefer either Demmings or Bottoms.

I think Rice has the best shot.

I just REALLY don't want it to be Harris.

[theimage13]

I'll say this...of the list, I prefer either Demmings or Bottoms.

I think Rice has the best shot.

I just REALLY don't want it to be Harris.

Just noting this because I've already been (rightly) corrected for it - it's Lance Bottoms. That's her full last name.

[allegro]

^^

Not “corrected” - just noted. I now actually thinks she goes by both, so your original observation of the unfortunate “Biden Bottoms” tag (bleh) is correct.


I'll say this...of the list, I prefer either Demmings or Bottoms.

I think Rice has the best shot.

I just REALLY don't want it to be Harris.

Susan Rice is brilliant, and has a TON of foreign diplomatic experience (which is THE most-necessary thing in a President).

You want your CONGRESSPEOPLE to be progressive, because only Congress can legislate. But, Rice isn’t exactly conservative.

The only issue with Susan Rice is Benghazi, but she’s made clear in her book that the Administration needed someone to go out front to explain the situation before they had all of the facts, so they stuck her out there (to protect Hillary Clinton). Rice’s mother was LIVID. It wrecked Rice’s shot at becoming Secretary of State after Clinton. Rice was sandbagged, unfairly. But, her voice during the Mueller and Ukraine stuff has been blistering.

Biden has stated that, due to his advanced age, he wants someone who could IMMEDIATELY step into the role of President, effortlessly. The only one I see who can effortlessly do that on the current list is Susan Rice. She has THE most extensive foreign relations and foreign policy experience, period.

Mayors don’t have foreign policy experience. Governors = ditto. I’m looking at their foreign policy history and foreign committee history, first and foremost, with the primary focus on trade and international relations.

AND, Rice is a black woman.

[Jinsai]

OK, I'm on board with Rice, but Biden needs to announce a good choice soon.

[allegro]

OK, I'm on board with Rice, but Biden needs to announce a good choice soon.

He’s not announcing until August 1st. The convention starts August 17th.

[allegro]

BUT I WANT IT NOW!!!!!

Seriously. It’s at least August first already, if we’re going by the amount of subjective time that’s passed in lockdown since he became the presumptive candidate way back in...what...February? Of 2013?

I want it now. Give it to me now. Gimme.

I guess the security clearance shit takes months. They do a deep-dive investigative security clearance into the finalists that’s really intense. Once you announce it, you can’t take it back.

[allegro]

A few of my Twitter friends make a valid point that Susan Rice’s unfair Benghazi debacle might affect down-ballot votes so Harris is likely a better choice. But that leaves Rice for Secretary of State.

Edit: I do like Val Demings a lot, too.

[ltrandazzo]

Sigh...Susan Rice would be f'ing terrible, but would also be exactly on-brand for Biden. She is as boring & establishment as they get, and would excite precisely no one who isn't already plugged into Dem politics & has their mind made up.

"He (Lindsay Graham)'s a piece of shit." - Susan Rice

I guess they don't cover this on Chapo Trap House.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz-Yg6h5VhA

[theimage13]

I'm encouraged to see numerous Republican ads against Trump.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Xpwyd4aMM

[bobbie solo]

"He (Lindsay Graham)'s a piece of shit." - Susan Rice

I guess they don't cover this on Chapo Trap House.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz-Yg6h5VhA

You're still that mad I'm not gonna vote for Biden that you're coming for me? Don't worry man, I believe he's polling 28 points over Covfefe in NJ last time I checked.

I assume you posted a Pod Save-related link on purpose bc you were excited that you recently learned about Chapo & thought you'd get that clever dig in at me? Regardless, leave the boys alone!

Anyway, that's great that she called out Lindsey Graham & Fox a bit. How brave! Will she bring that same energy on a debate stage against Pence? Doubt it. Cuz at this point in the Trump presidency, that kind of blunt talk needs to be brought right to Trump's face as well as anyone in his admin.

I don't know why it would annoy anyone that she doesn't meet a standard progressive litmus test or at least mine. Why come at me just b/c i said so?

She's a corrupt establishment Dem insider. Your buddy gushes for whoever the current flavor of the week VP pick is (remember when the gushing was over CloutBootJar? LOL) & was touting her lovely foreign policy experience. No one would be surprised to find out that a Bernie supporter would find her foreign policy stances to be ghastly & backwards. If put into office, she will do nothing to dismantle the American military machine around the world. She will propagate it like she & her ilk did during Obama's presidency. She has kinda said otherwise in some interviews since 2016, but you know what? I don't believe her! I don't think she'll stand up to the US military machine in a way that I could actually support her. She would bring respect back to the office at least, of course I'll give her that.

And none of my strong dislike for her has anything to do with the false right wing conspiracy theory bullshit that's come out recently re: Flynn etc.

Yes, she, and Biden for that matter, are light years ahead of the bloodthirsty, criminal right wingers currently in power. Yes I sincerely hope he trounces Trump & we can move on from this stain on our country. But I won't be voting for him short of Noam F'ing Chomsky himself being the VP pick at this point, with, again, the alternate reality caveat that if I lived in a swing state...I absolutely would vote for him.

Back to Rice, her being a black woman, in the current climate especially, is basically the only thing I like about her. That would be a powerful statement, and would certainly play better than the two cops in Harris & the former police chief from Jacksonville.

Anyway, maybe I'll sign up for the Chapo Patreon & I'll let you know if they have any hot takes about Rice.

[Swykk]

I’m voting for Biden but I agree that video is confusing in that it does absolutely nothing to disprove that Rice is centrist establishment but I get it, the progressive candidate didn’t win the nomination for...reasons (because I’ve thoroughly stated my case on that one and don’t need to list the proven and disproven reasons and who betrayed who, for what, and why).

I mean, she’s better than Klobuchar but who isn’t?

Now, sadly, it’s just about getting rid of Trump.

[allegro]

Most Democratic voters are liberal.

Yup.

And most of those voters are suburban white women.

Those are the demographics.

It is what it is.

Klobuchar was never hinted to be a heavy contender for VP, that was a myth created by anti-Democrats and Russian bots. And possibly Amy Klobuchar. Nobody knows anything about who is a true contender. They’ve barely started the process.

Btw: Noam Chomsky and Angela Davis endorsed Biden.


Edit: Looks like all the final SCOTUS decisions will be out by the end of June. This might have a huge impact on this election.

[Deacon Blackfire]

Klobuchar was never hinted to be a heavy contender for VP, that was a myth created by anti-Democrats and Russian bots. And possibly Amy Klobuchar. Nobody knows anything about who is a true contender. They’ve barely started the process.

Granted the chances of her getting the VP slot now are slim to none (unless the Biden campaign actually WANTS to lose), but where the hell are you getting this "she was never a contender, anti-Democrats and Russian bots made it up" stuff from? Obviously as you say our insight into this process is limited and it has only just begun, but until George Floyd's murder made Klobuchar's damning conduct in the past RE: Chauvin directly compromising, she was pretty consistently named among insiders as among those Biden was considering for a running mate. Not at a lot of 'hard' evidence that points to her being on that list but by the same token, certainly no hard evidence to indicate that her standing was entirely contrived by 'anti-Democrats' and Russian bots that I can see. Like I get that it's more comforting to think that the Democrats never seriously considered her but is it really that much of a stretch for this ticket?

At this point, whoever it ends up being, I'll be shocked if they don't go for a woman of color. To not do so would be a mistake.

[Swykk]

I was genuinely surprised (which doesn’t happen much anymore; especially with politics) that Klobuchar was getting any kind of traction; previously I’d only seen Abrams and Harris being mentioned.

[Sarah K]

Klobuchar was never hinted to be a heavy contender for VP, that was a myth created by anti-Democrats and Russian bots. And possibly Amy Klobuchar. Nobody knows anything about who is a true contender. They’ve barely started the process.


The thought of Klobuchar herself starting that rumor is hilarious. And definitely seems within the realm of possibility for her particular brand.

(Disclaimer that no, I don't think she did it and she was getting vetted - just a "funny because it seems like it could be true" thing)

From what I'm reading, the list is essentially down to Demings, Harris, Rice, and Warren. Abrams, Klobuchar, Lance Bottoms, and Whitmer are out. Of course this early, absolutely everything is speculation and we've seen unexpected picks before. But this generally seems to be the assumed shortlist with a few outliers here and there.

If accurate, I think my preferred order would be Harris, Rice, Warren, and then Demings. Abrams was my #1 favorite, because she is young enough for the VP spot to hold legitimate value for future elections. But it sadly sounds like she is no longer in the discussion.

[allegro]

but where the hell are you getting this "she was never a contender"
I said: "Klobuchar was never hinted to be a heavy contender for VP"

Because NOBODY in the Biden camp or the DNC is or ever was hinting at one single candidate ; Biden has only confirmed that he'd choose a woman. He's fought back at any insistence of any "hints." So, any "hinting" was strictly from armchair quarterbacks.

Any "news" is speculative bullshit. What’s “trending on Twitter” which the FBI has shown often comes from fake Russian accounts. What’s trending on Twitter, now? Howie Hawkins. Gee, what a surprise.


The thought of Klobuchar herself starting that rumor is hilarious. And definitely seems within the realm of possibility for her particular brand.

Well, yeah. But, Abrams was actually advertising herself for the job. Which people were losing their shit over, but I say, hey, sisters are doing it for themselves. You don't get anywhere by sitting politely waiting to be chosen for the dance. Fuck that.

[ltrandazzo]

You're still that mad I'm not gonna vote for Biden that you're coming for me? Don't worry man, I believe he's polling 28 points over Covfefe in NJ last time I checked.

I really don't give a shit who you're voting for anymore, honestly. You can spout nonsense about NJ being a safe blue state, but you guys finally got Christie out in 2018 after giving him two straight terms, so you're not super safe as you think you are.

I shared the clip for the first ten seconds because I found it comical how oblivious you are. Yes, I'm a Crooked Stan, but that clip was reported on by the major outlets because you had the former head of the NSA calling a US Senator a piece of shit. I'm not advocating for her to be Biden's VP pick (I'd rather it be Warren out of the current field being discussed), but I just thought it was funny.

Bobbie, you're boring and predictable. I've made it clear that Biden was not my first pick and how I voted for Bernie in the OH primary and that I was bummed that I couldn't vote for Warren. Your long term memory needs improvement.

Anyway, I'd only ask you to get involved in your local elections, vote for liberal progressives and do something productive.

Enjoy giving your money to Chapo Trap House so that those goofs can keep making their angry podcasts.

[allegro]

Senator Amy Klobuchar just told Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC that she called Joe Biden last night and withdrew herself from consideration as VP and told him he needs to choose a woman of color for the VP slot.

[Deacon Blackfire]

This is actually the final desperate phase of her self-generated Vice Presidential contender hype, in which she deploys reverse psychology in a last effort to convince Biden to pick her!

For real though, Biden should clearly pick a woman of color as his running mate and this just makes it that much more obvious.

[Sarah K]

Virtually all people with knowledge of the situation said she had been eliminated last week. But she still had to get on some YOU CAN'T FIRE ME, I QUIT type of shit. Amazing. I love it.

[allegro]

But she also just put Elizabeth Warren on the white lady hot seat.

[Sarah K]

She ain't wrong, though. And Warren would be much better as Treasury or Education Secretary.

[bobbie solo]

I really don't give a shit who you're voting for anymore, honestly. You can spout nonsense about NJ being a safe blue state, but you guys finally got Christie out in 2018 after giving him two straight terms, so you're not super safe as you think you are.

Bobbie, you're boring and predictable. I've made it clear that Biden was not my first pick and how I voted for Bernie in the OH primary and that I was bummed that I couldn't vote for Warren. Your long term memory needs improvement.

Anyway, I'd only ask you to get involved in your local elections, vote for liberal progressives and do something productive.

Enjoy giving your money to Chapo Trap House so that those goofs can keep making their angry podcasts.

We agree on almost all issues, and I have no hostility towards you at all. Know that's the case if we continue to go back & forth.

Why is my description of NJ as safe "nonsense"? When I say I would vote for Biden if the state was in danger, I mean it. I follow this diligently bc I'm not gonna be part of a fuck-up here. Hillary won NJ by 14 points. Two years later we elected Murphy as governor fairly easily. He ran & has governed more to the left than alot of us expected him to considering his Goldman background. He currently has a 74% approval rating I believe. And Biden is polling 28 points ahead of Trump as I said. Taking all that info together, there would need to be a seismic shift in this state in a matter of months for Biden to be in trouble. Extremely unlikely, but I will be careful & keep paying attention.

I am pretty involved in my local elections imo. My wife & I sent in our mail-in primary ballots this week, voting for Bernie so he will hopefully have more delegates at the convention, and progressive Eugene Mazo (also donated to him) over empty suit Donald Payne Jr for the House. Payne will probably retain the Dem nom, but we tried. Only one person is running for our freeholder position.

Just today I donated to a bunch of progressives that have upcoming primaries, most notably Justice Dem Jamaal Bowman in the Bronx, who it looks like is gonna oust long time establishment, Dem leadership defender Elliot Engel. This will be a fantastic win next week hopefully. New poll has him up ten points over Engel, but primary polling can be unreliable.

Donated to Booker in Kentucky too. Hope he gets the nom over the corporate blecchh Dem Amy McGrath. She sucks, and considering the current climate in Kentucky, I think a progressive could oust McConnell just as well as an establishment candidate. There's a new poll out that has him over McGrath by 8 points, but it's from a progressive think tank and she has a MASSIVE $ advantage over him, so I'm still nervous.

Chapo Patreon was a joke. I love the boys but not that much. Damn right they can get angry. You should be angry too. We all should be seething w/how this country is being run from both parties.

Yes, I guess my posts can be predictable b/c I've made it clear where I stand on things & I haven't waivered much. Don't know why that's bad. I know you are rankled by people that won't suck it up & vote for Biden, but I feel like i gave a clear & nuanced answer in the past. It's not some "pox on both houses" dead-ender bullshit.

[versusreality]

fellow Bayonne resident here- I agree with everything bobbie said. Biden is beyond safe in NJ. south Jersey has a lot of racist Trump fuckheads, but it's not even a close comparison to the northern/north east part of the state, the population of which is quadruple of the rest of the state.

[allegro]

https://twitter.com/ava/status/1274749524871806976?s=21

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1275497731964801024

[Sarah K]

Fuckshit happening in Kentucky. Look at all of these people they tried to block from voting. Makes you wonder how many left.

1275573293907611650

[allegro]

(I’m crying)

https://twitter.com/rachelbitecofer/status/1275576793039343617?s=21

[Sarah K]

Kentucky does not allow early voting (https://ballotpedia.org/Voting_in_Kentucky#Early_voting). But the bigger issue here is if you are *in line* by 6:00, they have to let you vote. They can't just shut the doors at 6:00 and call it good.

Edit - looks like they did allow for some this year on Friday, Saturday, and yesterday but it had to be at the county clerk's office and scheduled ahead of time: https://www.fox19.com/2020/06/19/in-person-early-voting-kentucky-primary-held-county-clerks-office/

[allegro]

According to KY Dems on Twitter, a record number of people did no-reason absentee ballots for the primary, which is unprecedented. The early voting dates were also unprecedented. The court prevented additional polling places because it was “too close to the election” which is just fucking bullshit. But, I guess black people have not historically voted by mail. That being said, if Republicans and a pandemic are going to fuck with the number of polling places, then we have to help black voters understand that voting by mail is the way to go. AND, organizations have to start suing way earlier and have to appeal to younger poll workers during a pandemic.

Because these same conditions WILL exist in late-October/early-November.


Thank you for making me feel less crazy. So what the fuck was with the whole week of voting? Why would you decide to tell that lie today? Fuck, I’m sick of this. Whoever said we need a Secretary of Elections might not be wrong. But that person CANNOT be an appointed office.

We need to reinstate the entire Voting Rights Act of 1965.

But, since experiencing a racist and corrupt Attorney General, we’d need to rewrite Section 5.

https://www.justice.gov/crt/history-federal-voting-rights-laws

I think there needs to be a special court for this.

[allegro]

Rep. Karen Bass moves onto Biden’s vice presidential list. (https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-06-23/karen-bass-biden-vp-list)

[allegro]

https://twitter.com/projectlincoln/status/1276112782187003904?s=21

[allegro]

https://twitter.com/ariberman/status/1276164964789747712?s=21

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1276211281591230467

I get the idea that an impeachment right before the election could spur some voters into voting with spite but also come on!

[Wretchedest]

What a coward

[Jinsai]

nah, fuck that, impeach Barr. We can chew bubble gum and say "FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUUUUUUUUUUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! FUCK YOU!!!!!!!" at the same time.

EDIT: sorry, I've been having a shitty day. Anyway. I'm seeing the libertarian candidate, whose name I'm almost hesitant to name because this is all a grasp for traction and clicks... so I won't name her. Nobody knows who she is, she isn't going to win... but her campaign is encouraging her supporters to spam outlets that have a perceived liberal bias (like NYTIMES) with huge support to tell Biden voters that they have "another choice!"

I feel there's a disingenuous thing going on here... if you're a libertarian and you're trying to reach out to like minded people, why aren't you reaching out to Trump voters, Jo? Oh shit, I named her.

[allegro]

Please, the Republican-majority Senate is NOT going to oust Barr.

The Presidential impeachment was a waste of time, and this will be, too. Trump will replace Barr with someone worse.

Focus on Covid relief, preventing voter suppression, unemployment relief, Covid testing, preventing foreign election interference, meaningful police reform, etc.

Democrats aren’t going to vote for a Libertarian, because pretty much all of these Libertarians are Republicans in “Libertarian” shrouds who caucus with / vote with Republicans (Justin Amash, Rand Paul).

[allegro]

Man, this New York Times report about Barr is disturbing (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/nyregion/geoffrey-berman-william-barr-michael-cohen.html?referringSource=articleShare).

When Biden wins, I want Barr INDICTED.

And I want Biden to make HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON his Attorney General.

(Evil laugh.)



Edit: I also think that there should be a MASSIVE push to have Bill Barr disbarred. The ABA should remove his law license.

[allegro]

I don't know. To a lot of younger people and folks who have shorter memory spans or just started paying attention, Rand Paul looks like Ralph Nader thanks to the past four years of Trump's overton window shenanigans.
Lolwut

Rand Paul has been kissing Trump’s ass for 4 years.

Ralph Nader is forever in MY memory as the Corvair guy (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsafe_at_Any_Speed).


I think Hillary Clinton is brilliant. Republicans think Obama is a Muslim monkey from Kenya. I don’t give one fuck what Republicans think. They’re all garbage to me.

[allegro]

Yeah, well, I don’t see Hillary Clinton as “baggage,” personally.

I see her as being railroaded by a bunch of sexist pigs.

Did you see the Hulu Hillary doc?

Bernie and Warren?

Rep. Katie Porter is running circles around both of them. Kamala Harris gets a far more progressive score than Warren OR Sanders. Hell, I think Ilhan Omar is far more progressive than any of them. But, that’s Congress. Which has nothing to do with the Executive or the Administration.

The Republicans are going to be obstructionists for generations. Don’t count on them “working with” anyone.

[allegro]

the whole Clinton family

You mean two people? Who are boiled down to the extreme vilification of one person, namely Hillary?

Because Bill generally gets a pass.

Because there are no other Clintons. It’s not a dynasty, like the Bush family. No W, HW and Jeb. No, Chelsea isn’t in politics. No, the Clintons aren’t the Kennedys. There are two Clintons, but the intense 2-decade hatred of one gets morphed into a village of “Clintons.”

Yeah, check out the documentary.

[allegate]

interesting critique of the latest moves.
I’m honestly spellbound.

Between this and the border news, I have to wonder if he looked at that tepid Tulsa crowd and panicked that his base was dissatisfied with him. But dissolving the ACA, delivering a mandate on Trump, and immigrant caravan panics were the defining issues of 2018, and it resulted in a blue wave election. Adding that on top of the last six months feels like purposeful suicide.

[GulDukat]

What if Trump just gives up and drops out? (https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/morning-joe-suggests-trump-may-leave-the-stage-rather-than-suffer-400-electoral-vote-blowout-in-november/)

Don't think this will happen, but it's worth thinking about.

[versusreality]

huh? dude wants to be president for life, not drop out.

[marodi]

That analyst doesn't know the Orange Moron at all. He will never drop out. He is actively paving the way to his refusal to concede defeat if he loses in November.

You poor ladies and gents are so, so screwed.

[M1ke]

That analyst doesn't know the Orange Moron at all. He will never drop out. He is actively paving the way to his refusal to concede defeat if he loses in November.

You poor ladies and gents are so, so screwed.

I think it's relatively common knowledge that he didn't actually want to be President, he was going to claim a rigged vote against him when he lost and use it to launch Trump TV where he could spout far-right conspiracy theories. He didn't expect to win.

He's lost and confused when he tries to actually run the country, and he doesn't like that part of the job, he just wants the soapbox.

The article talks about Trump leaving the stage, and that absolutely won't happen, but I do believe that he's actively trying to figure out how to hold on to the attention without having the job. If he thinks that he has a play that will allow for that, he'd take it.

[versusreality]

I don't know...he will automatically get attention if he's not in the office. He's Trump.

He wants the power, not the responsibilities, of being a president, it seems.

[Wretchedest]

The thing about "trump refusing to leave office"

First all, in the event that a fair election passes and Joe Biden wins, Trump *will* fight back and refuse to leave.

But most importantly, one does not to be physically *in* the white house to be president lol

[allegate]

don't get complacent, keep it up.

https://i.imgur.com/7clH4VU.jpg

[Wretchedest]

Ok, people keep coming back to that but somehow never remark on the broader accuracy of polls, recently, and the notion that if polls were just soooo irrelevant, nobody would pay for them or care about them.

So yes, once, 4 years ago, polls were remarkably inaccurate.

[sweeterthan]

Ok, people keep coming back to that but somehow never remark on the broader accuracy of polls, recently, and the notion that if polls were just soooo irrelevant, nobody would pay for them or care about them.

So yes, once, 4 years ago, polls were remarkably inaccurate.

maybe the polls were accurate but the guy who said it was rigged rigged it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[versusreality]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2020/06/27/wall-street-quietly-begins-warning-about-a-biden-presidency/#531f91c22ba4

Here's my concern...it seems like the big money wants Trump in office.

[allegro]

Ok, people keep coming back to that but somehow never remark on the broader accuracy of polls, recently, and the notion that if polls were just soooo irrelevant, nobody would pay for them or care about them.

So yes, once, 4 years ago, polls were remarkably inaccurate.

They weren’t, though. The polls were actually pretty correct. But no polls dealt with the Electoral College.

[allegro]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2020/06/27/wall-street-quietly-begins-warning-about-a-biden-presidency/#531f91c22ba4

Here's my concern...it seems like the big money wants Trump in office.

The economy is going to be in the shitter no matter what. The economy was already sliding as of February, before Covid slammed us. Wall Street can’t change people’s votes. Wall Street didn’t like Obama, either. But he won two terms.

[allegro]

https://twitter.com/projectlincoln/status/1277034391710113793?s=21

[Wretchedest]

It's weird to me how often people seem to forget that.

A lot of them do take into account the electoral college though. A lot of them place an emphasis on battle ground states. And this year, for the most part polls quite accurately handled each of the primary votes. I'm not saying they are perfect but I'm saying that dismissing them is kind of silly.

[Jinsai]

it's so weird that we have this libertarian group funding the effective dirty hit ads, one of its key members is Kellyanne Conway's husband... it's so bizarre.

Maybe it is best if Biden just shuts up, lets the Lincoln Project hit him with these ads, and then just PLEASE (you can do this) destroy him in the debates.

[versusreality]

Biden needs to secure the swing states somehow, especially in the time of corna cases rising. heck, try to capitalize on some hurting red states too. show that you care not just for all of us, but for all of us and specifically to them.

after that, he'll need a strong debate.

he could pull it off that way...

[allegro]

A lot of them do take into account the electoral college though. A lot of them place an emphasis on battle ground states. And this year, for the most part polls quite accurately handled each of the primary votes. I'm not saying they are perfect but I'm saying that dismissing them is kind of silly.

You said 4 years ago the polls were remarkably inaccurate. Except the polls had Clinton up by 2 to 4 points. She won the popular vote by 2 points. Clinton lost Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania by 79,316 votes (Electoral College): 46,435 in Pennsylvania; 22,177 in Wisconsin; and 10,704 in Michigan. Consider the massive voter suppression in Milwaukee and Detroit.

[allegro]

it's so weird that we have this libertarian group funding the effective dirty hit ads, one of its key members is Kellyanne Conway's husband... it's so bizarre.

The Lincoln Project IS NOT LIBERTARIAN. They’re all Republicans (or ex-Republican independents). Hence “Lincoln.”

Here are their Advisors:


GEORGE CONWAY
George Conway is a lawyer in New York City and a founding member of Checks & Balances, a group of conservative and libertarian lawyers organized to defend the rule of law.

REED GALEN
Reed Galen is an independent political strategist. He left the Republican Party in 2016 and has spent the last three years dedicated to the political reform movement, creating a better system for all voters.

JENNIFER HORN
Jennifer Horn is a communications strategist and former Chairman of the NH Republican Party. She was the first Republican woman in New Hampshire nominated for Federal office.

MIKE MADRID
Mike Madrid is a Republican strategist and former political director of the California Republican Party. He serves as a senior advisor to the California Latino Economic Institute.

STEVE SCHMIDT
Steve Schmidt is a national political strategist. He previously worked for President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

RON STESLOW
Ron Steslow is a brand and marketing strategist and independent political consultant. Since leaving the GOP in 2016, he has worked to put voters first in our political system.

JOHN WEAVER
John is a national political strategist. He worked for President George H.W. Bush, Senator John McCain and Ohio Governor John Kasich.

RICK WILSON
Rick is a long time Republican media consultant and author of the New York Times bestselling book, Everything Trump Touches Dies.

[GulDukat]

Trump in ‘fragile’ mood and may drop out of 2020 race if poll numbers don’t improve, GOP insiders tell Fox News (https://news.yahoo.com/trump-fragile-mood-may-drop-152718908.html?soc_src=community&soc_trk=fb)

[versusreality]

Trump in ‘fragile’ mood and may drop out of 2020 race if poll numbers don’t improve, GOP insiders tell Fox News (https://news.yahoo.com/trump-fragile-mood-may-drop-152718908.html?soc_src=community&soc_trk=fb)


lol, I don't believe this at all. articles like this just energizes his base even more. no way he drops out.

[GulDukat]

lol, I don't believe this at all. articles like this just energizes his base even more. no way he drops out.I don't know if they necessarily energize his base, but I agree, I doubt he drops out, unless his approval rating reaches the low 30's by the time of the convention.

[allegate]

can we fantasy football some scenarios?

1) Trump drops out and Pence is promoted to Pres, so who is the VP nom?

2) Trump drops out and Pence is left as VP and they nominate someone else as Pres?

3) Trump drops out and they realize Pence is a worse ticket so get rid of him as well?

[GulDukat]

1) Trump drops out and Pence is promoted to Pres, so who is the VP nom?

Pence/Haley 2020

2) Trump drops out and Pence is left as VP and they nominate someone else as Pres?

I don't think that would happen. Pence would either be nominated for POTUS or not on the ticket at all.

3) Trump drops out and they realize Pence is a worse ticket so get rid of him as well?

Who is someone who MAGA idiots will go for as well as disenchanted Republicans who can't stand Trump who isn't Pence? I really don't know.

[Wretchedest]

There is no way that is going to happen

[Jinsai]

unless there's a medical emergency, Trump isn't going to drop out of the race, and everyone should know that. He knows that if he drops out, he is doing it because he's afraid he'll lose, and he knows that everyone will know that, and that will be his legacy. His ego can't handle that.

I hate that when I talk about Trump's psyche, I feel like I need to break everything down into words a five year old could get, because that's really where he's at. This is not a complex man, he doesn't have deep thoughts.

I think there's a good chance that he really doesn't wanna keep doing this, and has every intention of dropping out, but only after he wins the election. Or maybe it's just the only version of reality that I can tolerate accepting at this juncture should he win.

[allegro]

The talk is that he makes a deal with the SDNY that they won’t prosecute him after he is no longer President, in exchange for resigning.

This is what Nixon did. Then Ford pardoned him (Pence would pardon Trump while Pence is President for the last few months.)

This guarantees that Trump won’t win a 2nd term, but it also guarantees that he won’t get indicted if he loses a 2nd term. If his AG knows what kind of discovery they have against Trump, a plea deal is the way to go. Nobody else gets the deal, though.

SCOTUS is expected to issue their decision re Trump’s taxes and financials tomorrow. Maybe.

GulDukat, I’m not sure what the GOP rules say about this scenario. But everything I’m seeing says that Pence would be the likely nominee, and the RNC picks the VP.

[GulDukat]

unless there's a medical emergency, Trump isn't going to drop out of the race, and everyone should know that. He knows that if he drops out, he is doing it because he's afraid he'll lose, and he knows that everyone will know that, and that will be his legacy. His ego can't handle that.


I honestly don't know. If Trump's approval rating drops to say 35% (it's 41.2% now, RCP average (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_trump_job_approval-6179.html)), I don't think it's totally unrealistic. If it becomes clear that there is no way Trump can win, he may walk away. I'm not saying this will happen, but I think it's a remote possibility.



@GulDukat (https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=3921) , I’m not sure what the GOP rules say about this scenario. But everything I’m seeing says that Pence would be the likely nominee, and the RNC picks the VP.

I think Pence would have a better chance of beating Biden than Trump would. Maybe the RNC is secretly hoping Trump will drop out.

[versusreality]

^ I was thinking that about Pence over the weekend once I saw him wearing a mask. I thought "hmm...ok, that's a bit out of character. he must be trying ti win people over. maybe even make a power move or have the move made for him"

[GulDukat]

^ I was thinking that about Pence over the weekend once I saw him wearing a mask. I thought "hmm...ok, that's a bit out of character. he must be trying ti win people over. maybe even make a power move or have the move made for him" The protest against wearing a mask is beyond the pale. Right now Trump could save lives by going on TV and telling everyone to wear a mask, but he won't and people will die because of it. I was no fan of Bush, but he would have done that. Fuck Trump.

[allegro]

^ I was thinking that about Pence over the weekend once I saw him wearing a mask. I thought "hmm...ok, that's a bit out of character. he must be trying ti win people over. maybe even make a power move or have the move made for him"
MITCH MCCONNELL told people to wear a mask the other day.

LIZ CHENEY posted a photo of DICK CHENEY WEARING A MASK, with the caption “Real Men Wear Masks.”

[GulDukat]

MITCH MCCONNELL told people to wear a mask the other day.

LIZ CHENEY posted a photo of DICK CHENEY WEARING A MASK, with the caption “Real Men Wear Masks.”
Nah, they just want to be politically correct:

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

[Jinsai]

I couldn't believe when he said that people were trying to be "politically correct" by wearing masks. How "politically correct" of you to attempt to do your small part to mitigate the spread of a deadly disease.

[allegro]

I couldn't believe when he said that people were trying to be "politically correct" by wearing masks.

That narrative is leading his people over the cliff, and got the U.S. numbers higher than any other country on the planet. Because of HIM.

[GulDukat]

Here is the video in question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ktGpng8I0

[Jinsai]

I've been thinking about this possible plea bargain that may or may not be a thing to pardon his crimes after he resigns...

I don't want it. I want him to actually face the news. Fuck this fucking guy. If I've EVER wanted someone to see justice of SOME FUCKING KIND, it's this sack of inhuman shit. I want him and his shitty family to rot in jail.

[zero]

My prediction: Trump will drop out. Biden will succumb to Covid-19. I wish the first prediction will happen, but really hope the second does not. Sometimes I am wrong. But sometimes I am right. :)

[GulDukat]

Trump to Trump: You're fired!
(https://prospect.org/politics/youre-fired-sad-trump-resignation-deal/)
Another article on the possibility of Trump resigning.

If Trump senses a blowout defeat well beyond the usual Republican margin of theft, the champ may decide that it’s more dignified to retire undefeated. He can claim that the election was rigged, that he would have won, blah blah blah, and he can have the satisfaction of agitating his base as president-in-exile with no responsibility whatever for the consequences.

[Wretchedest]

I mean I do like living in the magical fairytale land where this might happen

[GulDukat]

So now Trump's campaign is using the Nazi eagle. (https://www.rawstory.com/2020/07/its-real-trump-campaigns-new-t-shirt-insignia-looks-a-lot-like-a-nazi-symbol-and-people-are-noticing/)

You look at the Nazi eagle and the one Trump is using, and you're telling me that they don't look very similar?

Question is, was this done on purpose or are the people running Trump's campaign just plain stupid?

[allegro]

I’ll take both for $600, Alex.

[Jinsai]

So now Trump's campaign is using the Nazi eagle. (https://www.rawstory.com/2020/07/its-real-trump-campaigns-new-t-shirt-insignia-looks-a-lot-like-a-nazi-symbol-and-people-are-noticing/)

This is clear whistle blowing.... and it's disturbing. The eagle over the symbol (as long as it isn't a fucking swastika) predates WWII. It's the Reichsadler. By itself, not associated with nazis or fascism or whatever.

That's why they can just say "well, we didn't mean it THAT way." And we all move on. I hate these fucking people so much.

[GulDukat]

This is clear whistle blowing.... and it's disturbing. The eagle over the symbol (as long as it isn't a fucking swastika) predates WWII. It's the Reichsadler. By itself, not associated with nazis or fascism or whatever.
I'lltry
That's why they can just say "well, we didn't mean it THAT way." And we all move on. I hate these fucking people so much.The swastika also predates WW2 by about 12,000 years. Trump could use that too and claim he didn't know Hitler used it.

[Jinsai]

The swastika also predates WW2 by about 12,000 years. Trump could use that too and claim he didn't know Hitler used it.

yeah, well, I guess that's how it works

[M1ke]

The swastika also predates WW2 by about 12,000 years. Trump could use that too and claim he didn't know Hitler used it.

I remember being in my early 20s and visiting the Royal Ontario Museum and seeing Buddhist statues with swastika's on them and being really confused and shocked. In the western world, the other contexts for the symbol aren't commonly known.

[DF118]

I was wondering if this might be an attempt at sabotaging Trump by a designer. Someone who knew that they could slip this under the radar and hopefully cause a shitstorm. Then I remembered the Facebook triangle thing, which shot that theory straight away.

[sweeterthan]

I was wondering if this might be an attempt at sabotaging Trump by a designer. Someone who knew that they could slip this under the radar and hopefully cause a shitstorm. Then I remembered the Facebook triangle thing, which shot that theory straight away.

art is resistance!!!

[GulDukat]

One professor thinks Trump has a YUGE chance of winning.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/professor-doubles-down-on-prediction-model-showing-trump-having-91-percent-chance-of-winning-election-despite-polls

This model is based on Biden's poor performance in the early primaries and doesn't take Trump's tanking poll numbers or COVID into consideration.

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/1281688979411271686

Wait...what. 2020 what are you doi...


https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/1281693077325975556

oh. never mind.

[Jinsai]

Trump just commuted Roger Stone's sentence. Yeah... well, great...

[Swykk]

Nothing will happen to Trump because of this.

It’s so infuriating because it’s painfully obvious what happened and who did what and why.

And they’re all going to get away with it.

[allegro]

Stone knows where all the bodies are buried.

[allegro]

I must not understand something about Kentucky’s election?

It’s against Mitch McConnell

https://twitter.com/kriskobach1787/status/1281251353537454080?s=21

[allegate]

https://i.imgur.com/NUHz63i.png

[allegro]

https://twitter.com/Lori_Resists/status/1282035682416836609?s=20

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/demydanger/status/1282710720946360321

https://media1.giphy.com/media/dBsFq055TLornhVAKV/giphy.gif

https://media1.tenor.com/images/b88d14fed0bb576851efcf441de76e8e/tenor.gif?itemid=4979225

https://i.gifer.com/78tk.gif

[allegro]

^^ THAT is my biggest issue with voting by mail.

Not potential fraud, but the fact that the U.S. Postal Service has been totally unreliable for most of my life.

I’m AMAZED when something arrives.

In any law office that I worked at in my entire career, we NEVER mailed important documents. Ever.

Stuff too often never arrived or took forever. We either used messenger services or reliable overnight services.

I don’t even trust my own checks arriving in the mail. So why would I trust the Post Office with my ballot?

Sure, my Mom is 82 and can’t risk exposure to a pandemic.

But we have nearly a month of early voting in Illinois and that’s what I’ll be doing.

[Jinsai]

Kanye is saying he wants back on the ballot again... can someone please talk some sense into him?

[allegro]

Kanye is saying he wants back on the ballot again... can someone please talk some sense into him?
He won’t take his meds.

[versusreality]

jesus...he is going to fight the fucking results

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5ZQaRPwQjw

[allegro]

Start buying N95s. We are going to HAVE to go to the polls to insure that this isn’t disputed by him for months.
Whatever it takes. His new Postmaster General is going to purposely delay the mail to fuck up the election that way. He’s ALREADY doing it. Trump is a cheating evil prick, do NOT vote by mail where Trump can fuck it up.

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/posadist_trapgd/status/1285245207580160003

Are we due for another sea change in politics where the Dems and Repubs switch sides? Or maybe they both break up into two parties? In the election book here there are people whose political parties are listed as "Pre-Trump Republican Party" and "Trump Republican Party" so I can totally see it happening.

[allegro]

Kasich is there because he won't vote for Trump, and the GOP is full of people right now who are jumping ship if only just for this election, to "save the country."

Hence groups like the Lincoln Project, etc.

Look at Biden's current economic plan (https://joebiden.com/madeinamerica/), which was designed in concert with Elizabeth Warren (based almost entirely on her plan). It's progressive, but it's also Nationalist. Patriotic. It focuses on green initatives, but also with a heavy focus on made-in-America and Union, etc.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joe-biden-credits-elizabeth-warren-with-helping-craft-his-new-economic-plan_n_5f089e66c5b63a72c3414f28


Yes, during the 1968 election, we DID see a split in both parties, due to civil rights. The Democrats in the South - a/k/a the "Dixiecrats" - quit the Democratic party and jumped ship to the Republican party due to LBJ and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Likewise, Republicans who rejected the GOP's disdain for these civil rights programs jumped ship to the Democratic side. We are seeing the same thing, IN HUGE NUMBERS, right now due to Trump's embracing the Confederate flag*, his Gestapo "Law and Order" policies, and his total botching of the Covid crisis.

*See also, "Why isn't the Southern Strategy Working? (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/briefing/coronavirus-hong-kong-patrick-mahomes-your-tuesday-briefing.html)"


See Elizabeth Warren re Biden's "Build Back Better"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKTMEgeX8H8

[versusreality]

as each day goes by, I'm starting to think Duckworth is going to be the pick. I'm ok with that.

[Cookster426]

as each day goes by, I'm starting to think Duckworth is going to be the pick. I'm ok with that.

Biden considering four African American women for VP.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/politics/joe-biden-four-black-women-vice-president/index.html

[versusreality]

Biden considering four African American women for VP.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/politics/joe-biden-four-black-women-vice-president/index.html

"I am not committed to naming any (of the potential candidates), but the people I've named, and among them there are four Black women,"

key phrase: among them
that means there are others

[Wretchedest]

I get that there's a lot of tire spinning and corruption among the Democrats, but Joe Biden has been at least saying words I like in the last 2 weeks. Most notably, a plan to cut power plant emissions entirely by 2035, while not absolutely perfect, is very ambitious.

And I was definitely glad for a moment to think about solving problems other than simply climbing out of the hole

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/jennycohn1/status/1288308790157164577

[Jinsai]

I'm surprised by the optimistic tone of most of the Biden ads I've been seeing. It's a good/smart contrast to the "IF YOU VOTE FOR BIDEN YOU WILL DIEEEEEEEEEEEE!" stuff that's coming from the Trump camp.

[GulDukat]

The Massachusetts Democratic primary is very interesting. Joe P. Kennedy (grandson of RFK) is challenging incumbent Ed Markey.

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

[bobbie solo]

Markey is one of the few solid progressives in the Senate. Fuck that overly ambitious, fast speaking little Kennedy fuck. Putting Markey through a primary b/c this mealy mouthed, platitude spouting failson can't wait his turn b/c of his fucking last name is some foul shit.

Some fun things to note about Kennedy:

He had to be shamed into finally backing marijuana legalization where it was already legal in his state. Originally he was against it bc he used to be a prosecutor & thought it was a good idea to keep it illegal bc then cops could use the smell of it in cars as probable cause to search & mess with people more. Lovely.

https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2018/03/08/joe-kennedy-iii-marijuana

Post-George Floyd murder, who did he hire to "advise" him on racial & social justice? A fucking cop. And one with a history of ethics violations no less.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-MHMotgOxA&ab_channel=TheRationalNational

Kennedy is just another useless eastablishment shill. Talks alot, says nothing. He can fuck right off. Primary looks like it's gonna be real close.

[allegro]

IMPORTANT:
Confirm with your county clerk, but most counties allow you to HAND-DELIVER mail-in ballots to the County Clerk’s Office, bypassing the U.S. Post Office. Some Counties have drop boxes. Check your own county clerk’s office. Avoid the Post Office!!!!

[Jinsai]

The attack on the postal service is beyond the pale. Can we put together a gofundme to make sure the post office is funded to function properly through the election? I don't know, maybe Mike Bloomberg should jump in wearing his superman-billionaire cape and make sure votes aren't thrown away.

The intention is so transparent, and it should feel completely wrong to everyone, no matter what your politics are. What do you do in response to something like this? It's just insane that he's even remotely able to do this, surely there's SOMETHING we can do in response?

[hellospaceboy]

I'm surprised by the optimistic tone of most of the Biden ads I've been seeing. It's a good/smart contrast to the "IF YOU VOTE FOR BIDEN YOU WILL DIEEEEEEEEEEEE!" stuff that's coming from the Trump camp.

I sort of disagree, I don't understand why the Democrats don't continuously hammer Trump on his record every single goddamn second of this campaign. The only memorable anti-Trump ads are coming from the Lincoln Project and other disillusioned Republicans, I honestly feel the same as I did in 2016, the Dems are banking on a sure win and in retrospect really failed to stress to the people how bad things could be. The difference is that those bad things HAPPENED since, so it should be the obvious strategy.
"Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?!"
The Biden team needs to go after the rational Republicans and those who didn't bother to vote in 2016. Their game plan doesn't have urgency and the sense of danger we're actually in.

[Jinsai]

I sort of disagree, I don't understand why the Democrats don't continuously hammer Trump on his record every single goddamn second of this campaign. The only memorable anti-Trump ads are coming from the Lincoln Project and other disillusioned Republicans, I honestly feel the same as I did in 2016, the Dems are banking on a sure win and in retrospect really failed to stress to the people how bad things could be. The difference is that those bad things HAPPENED since, so it should be the obvious strategy.
"Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?!"
The Biden team needs to go after the rational Republicans and those who didn't bother to vote in 2016. Their game plan doesn't have urgency and the sense of danger we're actually in.

It's such a strange position to be in right now if you're Biden. You might be right, but I see these ads that Trump is putting out, and I like the contrast. Trump's ads are all "you will FUCKING DIE if you vote for Biden!!!!!!!!!!! MWAHAHAHAHA, Grandma's going to get a home invasion, and she's going to be terrified! Watch out Grandma!"

It's all fear and bullshit. It's not offering hope or any kind of a message that we can look forward to.

At least Biden is espousing stuff that feels encouraging and hopeful. Maybe it's all bullshit, but the tone matters right now, and I think it matters a lot more than we might realize. People are justifiably afraid right now; just that they're afraid of real things, not the horrors of Antifa or whatever. People are frightened of a pandemic that's being handled in an astonishingly incompetent manner, even for Trump. They're worried about the economy, their jobs, their health care, and all Trump has to offer them is this scorched earth promise if Biden is elected.

And I really think there's power in contrast. Maybe if Trump was being sensible in his ads, a different approach might be better to draw attention to the stark difference. It doesn't hurt that there's some good-guy Republicans actually doing the dirty work for us. Lincoln Project is awesome.

[allegro]

Jinsai, that's a good point, too.

At this point, Biden can continue hiding in his basement and not campaign AT ALL and still win.

Because Trump is running against himself.

[bobbie solo]

I sort of disagree, I don't understand why the Democrats don't continuously hammer Trump on his record every single goddamn second of this campaign. The only memorable anti-Trump ads are coming from the Lincoln Project and other disillusioned Republicans, I honestly feel the same as I did in 2016, the Dems are banking on a sure win and in retrospect really failed to stress to the people how bad things could be. The difference is that those bad things HAPPENED since, so it should be the obvious strategy.
"Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?!"
The Biden team needs to go after the rational Republicans and those who didn't bother to vote in 2016. Their game plan doesn't have urgency and the sense of danger we're actually in.

A quick answer to your initial question is two fold. One, Democrats are still scarred from the beatings they took during the Reagan era, the 2nd Bush reign, and losing to Trump in 2016. It needs alot more unpacking than this, but the Democratic mindset has basically been to eternally be on the defensive & refusing to be bold for the past 40 years. I am referring to the party as a whole & leadership especially...there are of course some bold people in the party that aren't afraid to go for the jugular like you propose.

Two, they are paid to lose. Pelosi & Schumer fundraise more effectively when they aren't in power and can just point to the boogeyman. They have little incentive to really tear down the Republicans the way they need to be attacked, b/c it would disrupt their own personal existence. They would then be held to account more often.

[allegro]

During the Reagan administration, Republicans controlled the Senate from 1980-1986, but the Democrats controlled the House. Republicans lost control of the Senate in 1986.

Bill Clinton was elected in 1992 when George HW Bush failed to win a 2nd term. The Democrats also won the majority Congress, until 1994.

After the Clinton impeachment, Republicans maintained control of Congress between 1995 and 2007.

In 2008, Barack Obama won the Presidency, and the Democrats took back control of Congress. The Democrats lost that control to Republicans two years later with the advent of the Tea Party movement. In 2018, the Democrats took back control of the House, but Republicans maintain control of the Senate.

Congress doesn’t control Presidential election candidates; the Speaker fundraises for downballot candidates. Democrats won back the House in 2018, and they’re expected not only to maintain the House in 2020 but also possibly win back the Senate.

The DNC is partially responsible for Democratic candidate’s campaigns, but a lot rests on the campaign manager and strategies. There’s science behind this.

The GOP has used Karl Rove many times. He’s the guy who helped GW Bush win by designing the “Swift boat” campaign against John Kerry. Kerry was an actual Vietnam veteran, vs. Bush who was drunk and got deferments.

There is logic behind what Jinsai said: That Trump is the incumbent, and his terrible record speaks for itself. 150,000 are dead; the Covid pandemic has been handled horribly; unemployment and the economy are in a shambles because of Trump; Trump used military against American citizens during peaceful protests; etc. There’s no good reason to spend millions convincing voters of what they already know. The better money is spent making sure voting integrity is insured, that voting rights are guaranteed, and that Democrats win Congress as well as all local elections.

The Democratic Party is tight and assembled under a “Big Tent.”

The Republican Party is wreckage. The Tea Party started the split, but Trump stuck a fork in it.

Younger voters are MUCH less apt to become Republican voters. The GOP has not done anything to attempt to appeal to young voters. Their voter attrition rate means the party will be extinct in a short period of time,

[bobbie solo]

Fuck around & find out:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/us/politics/cori-bush-missouri-william-lacy-clay.html


ST. LOUIS — Cori Bush, a progressive activist and a leader of the swelling protest movement for racial justice, toppled Representative William Lacy Clay Jr. of Missouri in a Democratic primary on Tuesday, notching the latest in a stunning string of upsets against the party establishment.

Ms. Bush, 44, had captured nearly 49 percent of the vote by late Tuesday evening compared with 45.5 percent for Mr. Clay, according to
The Associated Press. She had tried and failed to unseat Mr. Clay in 2018, but this year rode a surge in support for more liberal,
confrontational politics within the Democratic Party amid the coronavirus pandemic and the national outcry over festering racial
inequities.
Ms. Bush’s victory, which came on the same night that Missouri voters decided to expand Medicaid eligibility, was a significant milestone
for insurgent progressive candidates and the groups, like Justice Democrats, that have backed them across the country. It showed that the
same brand of politics that has helped young, liberal candidates of color unseat veteran party stalwarts in places like Massachusetts and
New York could also resonate deep in the heartland against a Black incumbent whose family has been synonymous with his district for
decades.
Ms. Bush now joins figures like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who defeated the 20-year veteran Representative
Joseph Crowley in 2018, and Jamaal Bowman, who last month won a primary against Representative Eliot L. Engel, a powerful committee
chairman in his 16th term representing a district straddling the Bronx and Westchester.
A single mother, former nurse and pastor, Ms. Bush would be the first Black woman to represent the state of Missouri in Congress. The
plurality of the district, which encompasses St. Louis and some of its innermost liberal suburbs, is African-American and considered safely
Democratic.
“Tonight, Missouri’s 1st District has decided that an incremental approach isn’t going to work any longer,” Ms. Bush told supporters at a
jubilant news conference after the race was called. “We decided that we the people have the answers, and we will lead from the front
lines.”
Mr. Clay, the scion of a storied Black Missouri political dynasty in his 10th term in Congress, had tried to make the campaign a referendum
on not only Ms. Bush’s suitability for elected office but also the progressive movement behind her. He carried out a series of dark, personal
attacks in the campaign’s final days to try to halt Ms. Bush’s momentum and described her as a “prop” of out-of-town interests seeking to
divide the Democratic Party along racial lines.
Mr. Clay highlighted his own ties to the Democratic power structure, earning endorsements from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Kamala
Harris of California and groups like Planned Parenthood.
Late Tuesday night, it was Justice Democrats, which helped groom Ms. Bush and other successful progressive challengers, that was
celebrating.
“If you don’t know, now you know: The Squad is here to stay, and it’s growing,” said Alexandra Rojas, the group’s executive director.
Unlike other incumbents who have lost in recent years, Mr. Clay did not fit neatly into the moderate or progressive wings of the party. He
had supported some hallmark progressive policies in Washington, including “Medicare for all” and the Green New Deal, but also
continued to take campaign money from corporations. Ms. Bush’s backers bashed him for helping payday lenders.

Ms. Bush built her campaign around her personal story as a working-class Black woman who was pulled into public life after a white
police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014. She joined protesters in the days after
the shooting, and in the weeks and years that followed became one of their leaders, staring down tear gas, mace and rubber bullets.
Ms. Bush was a fixture at protests across the district this summer after the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Speaking to reporters and a small group of supporters Tuesday night through a medical mask, Ms. Bush drew a bright line from her
experience confronting the police on the streets where Mr. Brown died to her victory at the ballot box.
“I was maced and beaten by those same police officers in those same streets,” she said. “Six months from now, as the first Black
congresswoman in the entire history of Missouri, I will be holding every single one of them accountable.”
She added: “If you didn’t understand what happened, what was birthed right here in St. Louis, Missouri, in St. Louis County, in Ferguson,
we’re about to show you.”
Amid a worsening health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Ms. Bush pushed drastic changes to the nation’s
criminal justice system, including defunding and dismantling police departments; called for Medicare for all, a $15 minimum wage and a
universal basic income; and swore off corporate campaign contributions.
But as the campaign wore on, she also began sharpening her attacks against Mr. Clay directly, accusing him of “failed leadership” after
two decades in office. She noted that he was largely absent from the protests and questioned his commitment to fighting for voters in a city
troubled by segregation and economic stagnation.
“He’s had 20 years to make a change, not only in St. Louis but across this country,” Ms. Bush said on Saturday. “He waits until something
is popular to stand up for it, or he waits until there is pressure. I do it just because that is the need.”
The message ultimately resonated with voters, many of whom had never before voted for a congressman not named Clay. William Lacy
Clay Sr., a local civil rights figure, entered Congress in 1969 and handed the seat to his son when he retired in 2001.
While Mr. Clay narrowly carried the portions of the district in suburban St. Louis County, Ms. Bush won a commanding victory in the city
of St. Louis.
Ms. Bush’s campaign explicitly benefited from the momentum claimed by progressives this summer and since 2018. A documentary about
her 2018 campaign and that of challengers like Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, “Knock Down the House,” helped build a national profile. And donations
to her campaign far outpaced those in 2018, allowing her to advertise on TV here, as other progressives notched victories.
Ms. Bush’s victory comes just a few weeks after Mr. Bowman, a middle school principal from the Bronx, upset Mr. Engel, the chairman of
the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In Illinois in March, Marie Newman, another progressive, defeated Representative Dan Lipinski, a
conservative Democrat who opposed abortion rights and the Affordable Care Act. Like Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, each challenger had the
backing of Justice Democrats.
But while Ms. Bush had the group’s enthusiastic support as well — she was one of only two challengers to Black incumbents it endorsed
this cycle — and was endorsed by Mr. Bowman, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez had conspicuously sat on the sidelines. She had campaigned for Ms.
Bush in 2018, but Mr. Clay courted the New York Democrat in Washington, signing onto the Green New Deal, and inviting Ms. Ocasio-
Cortez and other progressive lawmakers to support some of his bills.

In Missouri they also voted to expand Medicaid under Obamacare, another statewide rebuke of Republicans wishes on the ACA in a deep red state, after Oklahoma I believe did the same recently.

With Cori Bush's win & Rashida Tlaib's easy defense of her seat in tonight's primaries, that means at least 10 Justice Dems will be in Congress next year. Next up is Alex Morse, attempting to kick out corrupt corporate establishment shill Richard Neal in Massachusetts 1st District. Gonna be real tough, as Neal is one of the most powerful Dems in the house, and has a ton of $ behind him. Neal has to go for a myriad of reasons, but the most recent & egregrious is his dragging his feet last year on seizing Trump's tax records when he had the chance, all b/c he was protecting his own ass re: tax records of elected officlals -

https://prospect.org/politics/trump-tax-returns-hidden-blame-richard-neal/

And hopefully Justice Dem Kara Eastman can pull out the win in November against whichever shithead Republican she's running against in Omaha. That would make her #11. Morse would be 12.

Sadly, disgusting racist monster Kris Kobach lost his Republican primary fight in Kansas, now making him a three time loser, as he has lost House, Governor & Senate races there. Take a hint MAGA chud. But it actually would have been great if he won his primary, as it would have given the Dem attempting to win the Senate seat there, Barbara Bollier, a much better chance of victory bc of how unlikable Kobach is. Ah well.

[allegate]

To celebrate our 20th anniversary my wife and I went back to Kansas where we met and got married, spent about two weeks there driving around the Leavenworth and Ft. Riley areas.

I am honestly surprised that he lost.

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/kirkacevedo/status/1291491884909527040

[mfte]

https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-rows-back-suggestion-african-american-community-not-diverse-2020-8

Is this not such a big deal since Trump has set the bar so far for spouting off-the-wall, border line racist rhetoric?

Are those two actually going to be in a debate?

If Joe wins is it a safe bet to assume that whoever is the running mate will shortly become POTUS thereafter?

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/MarkJacob16/status/1291530133921320963

sigh.

[Jinsai]

I don't know, I thought "I'm not going to argue with you, Jesus is King" was pretty unsettling.

[versusreality]

I am not surprised at all of that 50% statistic and I'd imagine it might even be higher in reality.

[eachpassingphase]

That graph is why I don't believe people when they say they are "not political". 9/10 times when somebody says they "aren't political" what they really mean is "i'm conservative but I haven't put a lot of thought into it and don't want to argue about it because I can't defend my position." If you really press people like that on specific issues and political figures, you can figure out rather quickly that they are gonna pull the lever for Trump.

Then on the other end of the spectrum you have lukewarm Democrats who you can't count on to show up to the polls or protests. I'm not talking about folks who typically get the brunt of voter suppression tactics. I'm talking financially stable, white, straight folks who hate Donald Trump but won't do anything about that. My husband and I were appalled by some of our friends who relentlessly bitch about and mock the GOP...but didn't bother to vote in the primaries this week. These are folks who have easy access and plenty of time to go to the poll or fill out an absentee ballot. They just don't feel like it because they think it doesn't do anything. I'm sympathetic to their disenfranchisement, I feel it too. But Medcaid expansion FINALLY passed in Missouri this week, and only by a hair. Better believe those non-voting friends of mine shared the news stories of that passing on Facebook as if this was something they personally helped bring to fruition.

Nothing surprises me when I see a poll anymore. Folks are often not terribly honest with themselves and others about their political leanings or level of political involvement.

[allegro]

I don't know, I thought "I'm not going to argue with you, Jesus is King" was pretty unsettling.

https://twitter.com/danielbice/status/1291800597579137026?s=21

https://twitter.com/wgnnews/status/1291941224438550528?s=21

See also:

https://www.wisn.com/article/challenge-to-kanye-wests-nomination-papers-filed/33549864

[Jinsai]

allegro, that last link sounded great and encouraging, and then it ends with this: "Ultimately, the Wisconsin Elections Commission will determine whether the campaign met all the qualifications for his named to be placed on Wisconsin's ballot."

[allegro]

allegro, that last link sounded great and encouraging, and then it ends with this: "Ultimately, the Wisconsin Elections Commission will determine whether the campaign met all the qualifications for his named to be placed on Wisconsin's ballot."




Well, yeah. But someone can sue.

[allegate]

https://i.imgur.com/uIkn1LL.png

[versusreality]

I also wouldn't be surprised if Trump brings in about the same percentage of black votes (8%) from 2016 and the same, if not more, percentage of Hispanic (22%) votes.

Biden has an uphill battle still in my eyes.

[Jon]

That graph is why I don't believe people when they say they are "not political". 9/10 times when somebody says they "aren't political" what they really mean is "i'm conservative but I haven't put a lot of thought into it and don't want to argue about it because I can't defend my position." If you really press people like that on specific issues and political figures, you can figure out rather quickly that they are gonna pull the lever for Trump.

I'd say it's much more likely that those 9/10 times are people being evasive because they know politics are too divisive (whether they were "raised" to not talk about politics or have previous experience with things going south). I grew up in a split household, both religiously and politically, and it was something you didn't talk about. My mom and stepfather didn't even tell each other who they voted for.

[allegro]

EDIT: I couldn't get the tweet to embed and the html then wouldn't disappear from my post. Anyone want to show me how this is done? Bonus points for doing it in a way where the tweet doesn't appear too big to see on the screen?
See below. Quote my post to see how it’s done, then hit cancel.
https://twitter.com/mehdirhasan/status/1292118479542325249?s=21

[Jinsai]

I keep hoping that Bloomberg is going to step up to the plate and put his money where his mouth was. It's pocket change for you - just help us fund the postal service through the election.

[versusreality]

they don't care.

the post office will continue to get attacked between now and November, and nothing will be done. if they haven't done anything by now, which they haven't, it's already too late.

sorry for sounding so cynical. one of those moods tonight, I apologize. the news has really been getting to me lately. from both parties.

[Jinsai]

So the Covid relief bill was loaded with tons of unrelated things like jet planes and a new FBI building... it’s almost like the GOP put together something they knew the Dems would reject, just so they could say “the Dems don’t wanna help people suffering!” And then hope voters cry tears of joy when they get a 400 dollar check signed by Trump

[allegro]

Well, one good thing happened:

Tulsi Gabbard lost the primary.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/509988-democrat-kai-kahele-wins-hawaii-primary-to-replace-tulsi-gabbard

[halo eighteen]

Not sure the chances of Whitmer actually being Biden's VP pick, but I'm kind of torn on that being a possibility. On the one hand, it's pretty rad and it would therefore give Michigan our first black (acting) governor. On the other hand, we really kinda need Whitmer in Michigan right now.

[bobbie solo]

Not sure the chances of Whitmer actually being Biden's VP pick, but I'm kind of torn on that being a possibility. On the one hand, it's pretty rad and it would therefore give Michigan our first black (acting) governor. On the other hand, we really kinda need Whitmer in Michigan right now.

Whitmer as VP would be terrible, as that be another signal that M4A/single payer has no chance of happening during Biden's time in office, or when/if she takes over. I know it's a slim chance anyway, but with her it will never come to pass. Horrible, horrible pick, and one that doesn't deliver a state either, as Michigan is now safely going to vote for Biden according to polling averages.

They're almost all terrible picks though when it comes to policy. Warren & Bass are the only ones I can stomach, but what can they deliver electorally for Biden by 11/3...especially Warren?

[versusreality]

I'm with you. I like Duckworth, but I don't see him picking her. I'm expecting Harris which would be a major, major, disappointment for me.

[allegro]

I think Harris is a good choice as President. She’s progressive. And the BLM movement is demanding a black VP and I don’t blame them, because idiot white women voters delivered Trump. Now it’s time to reverse this damage.

Until Congress is fully-loaded with M4A advocates and Congresspeople who are fully prepared to go to war with hospital monopolies - including anti-trust action - and this means more than 60 members of Congress fully behind M4A and for breaking up hospital monopolies and who are not receiving one penny from hospital lobbyists, then nothing - AND I MEAN NOTHING - is going to happen. The zombie corpse of Che Guavara could be strong-armed into the Presidency and it’ll STILL be business as usual.

People need to focus on STATE ELECTIONS, PRIMARIES, STATE legislators, school boards, municipal elections, and keep hammering and hammering at progressive agendas and voting and not rely on a President who cannot possibly UNCORRUPT a TOTALLY FUCKING CORRUPT system.

This isn’t going to be a magic wand, here. The ACA was enacted and that’s why Democrats lost control of Congress to the Tea Party and Republicans shifted even farther to the right, and Republicans have had the Senate ever since and put in two SCOTUS justices. All due to the ACA.

You want M4A, you have to entirely LOAD CONGRESS WITH AN ARMY that can stay there to DEFEND the policies because IT WILL BE FUCKING WAR. Because if you DON’T, you will immediately be GONE in the next election and those policies will be challenged and reversed. And the next war will be in the streets and this shit show will look like a parade.


I want Biden to win and he’s not my candidate but I want Trump out.

But I am interested in his cabinet.

And I want Andrew Yang on that cabinet.

I want him to be President, eventually. He and Warren are the only brilliant ones there. The others are political animals with zero original ideas.

I think UBI is the future.

[versusreality]

I was yang gang from the get go. He'll be in the cabinet for sure. If not, mayor of NYC.

[allegro]

I was yang gang from the get go. He'll be in the cabinet for sure. If not, mayor of NYC.

I’m PISSED that Yang isn’t a speaker at the convention.

PISSED!!!!

[cdm]

1293255251567542276

[versusreality]

I’m PISSED that Yang isn’t a speaker at the convention.

PISSED!!!!

me too.
I wonder if it's a conflict of interest since he's hired by CNN now.

[cdm]

560

[allegro]

(Doing happy dance. Omg I’m so happy about this.)

Edit: Relieved more than anything. He could have really fucked this up. Whitmer or Duckworth would have been disastrous to black voters who were demanding a black woman VP. And as much as I like Rice, she is saddled with too much baggage.

[versusreality]

is that real?

edit: apparently it is. ugh.

[allegro]

Yes.

It’s everywhere.

https://twitter.com/joebiden/status/1293280412144267264?s=21

[allegro]

Rev. Al Sharpton likes it.

Joy Reid loves it.

Jim Clyburn loves it.

I’m sure Shirley Chisholm is proud.

[october_midnight]

Imagine what she'll do to Pence in a debate. Yikes.

[allegro]

https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1293290628995063808?s=21

[tony.parente]

I'll take it, could be worse.

She voted with Sanders 93% of the time. (https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fprojects.propublica.org%2Fre present%2Fmembers%2FH001075-kamala-harris%2Fcompare-votes%2FS000033-bernard-sanders%2F115%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3NOLn76qKcJ-H7RVhQHwRduwsaIaf_W86P6_10QWnx5i-aNosXfiLppRY&h=AT1mItiZdTuwLKUqHmw4d852xg7DQHuLfg1Fs7AZg3iZu57P aeheNWnLA2FlzHzI4SNnyNdhrGyQAAOxApyP8Gxte2ZI7SC9Ik S8kvZOmDKPEFArKNS86Zg4tcCSiuZctCnlNJpBJHkC_g)

EDIT: Plus she isn't trying to electrocute the gay out of people so that's tight.

[allegro]

Kamala Harris is No. 4 on Progressive scale (https://progressivepunch.org/scores.htm?house=senate).

[cdm]

1293313716260352003 (https://twitter.com/shanegoldmacher/status/1293313716260352003?s=21)

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/Rschooley/status/1293288165856305153

oh man that would be so funny to see Pence and Mother dropped like that.

yes I know it's like 90% guaranteed not to happen but it's put a smile on my face.

[Jinsai]

I don't know how I feel about Harris > Rice, but I expected it to be between them. So, like I am with everything, I'm 100% team Harris until the election, and you're not going to hear me say a goddamn negative thing about her until after November 3rd.

[allegro]

I’m not criticizing anything about her for a long long while, if at all. She’s a candidate for VP, not Jesus.

I’m sick of these dudes running things.

Double standards and misogyny be damned.

[allegro]

1293313716260352003 (https://twitter.com/shanegoldmacher/status/1293313716260352003?s=21)

I guess it’s now up over $20 million.

[october_midnight]

An open letter to General Milley. (https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2020/08/all-enemies-foreign-and-domestic-open-letter-gen-milley/167625)

That was definitely a great read. Wow.

[allegro]

Public defender: I worked with Kamala Harris. She was the most progressive DA in California. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2020/08/10/kamala-harris-progressive-pioneer-san-francisco-da-column/3334668001/)

[bobbie solo]

So the donors got their way. Harris has been who the party insiders, big $ bundlers & their ilk have wanted since Trump won:

https://www.mic.com/articles/183105/democratic-rising-star-kamala-harris-has-a-bernie-sanders-problem


Freshman Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has recently become the subject of much speculation about a potential 2020 presidential run. Several major (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/06/us/politics/senator-kamala-harris-democrats.html) news (http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/kamala-harris-is-having-a-moment-967055939734) outlets (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/22/kamala-harris-2020-election-democratic-party) have run feature-length profiles of Harris, and top Democratic donors are starting to coalesce around her as their preferred candidate to take on President Donald Trump.

She is the preferred candidate of extremely wealthy and out-of-touch Democratic party donors,” said Winnie Wong, co-founder of the group People for Bernie, which played a prominent role the grassroots movement behind Sanders in 2016. “Her recent anointing is extremely telling. These donors will line her coffers ahead of 2020 and she will have the next two years to craft a message of broad appeal to a rapidly changing electorate.”

Now, she ran an absolutely horrible campaign, waffled on over a dozen issues & did not appeal to enough actual normal people that aren't in the DNC $ bubble. She had to drop out b/c real people saw through that fake laugh & the rest of her bullshit. But the donors got their way in the end, as they usually do. She checks all their boxes: the right skin color & gender to cover their woke asses on the identity politics front, but bathing in Dem donor & Wall St $ so she won't upset the apple cart there. There is zero chance she pulls Biden left on almost anything. Althought she is certainly to the left of Joe, so if she took over the presidency things would shift left at least nominally.

As said, she will do well on TV this fall, as well as on the campaign trail if that exists.

Wonder how long it will take the right wing machine to dig up those old, unsubstantiated stories of who she has slept with ( I don't even know the specifics, just remember some smears I read a long time ago). They don't really have anything to attack her on from the hard right. So expect them to just go in the gutter post haste.
Jinsai, the day after inauguration day we all need to start to do something to make our voices heard. Peaceful protests, call to our reps, becoming ungovernable in the streets like we did in June, threats to primary these clowns in 2024 (yes I mean it) if they don't follow through on progressive ideas...some combination of these. I fear a Biden win will let many feel comfortable going back to sleep though like they did for 8 years under Obama.

[versusreality]

Wonder how long it will take the right wing machine to dig up those old, unsubstantiated stories of who she has slept with ( I don't even know the specifics, just remember some smears I read a long time ago). They don't really have anything to attack her on from the hard right. So expect them to just go in the gutter post haste.
@Jinsai (https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=272), the day after inauguration day we all need to start to do something to make our voices heard. Peaceful protests, call to our reps, becoming ungovernable in the streets like we did in June, threats to primary these clowns in 2024 (yes I mean it) if they don't follow through on progressive ideas...some combination of these. I fear a Biden win will let many feel comfortable going back to sleep though like they did for 8 years under Obama.

I suspect they will call her out for the high amount of black males incarcerated under her watch, as well as some of the lies she said (like smoking weed while listening to snoop dogg in college) . Essentially, they'll play the race game and Trump will say "I've done more for blacks than her, she locks them up" . It's going to get ugly. Uglier, I should say.
But I agree with everything you said about the donors getting their way. And yes, that fake laugh annoys the hell out of me!

[allegro]

I suspect they will call her out for the high amount of black males incarcerated under her watch, as well as some of the lies she said (like smoking weed while listening to snoop dogg in college) . Essentially, they'll play the race game and Trump will say "I've done more for blacks than her, she locks them up" . It's going to get ugly. Uglier, I should say.
But I agree with everything you said about the donors getting their way. And yes, that fake laugh annoys the hell out of me!


The Snoop Dogg / weed comment was already shown to be comments taken out of context.

There is no perfect VP.

Only unelectable ones.

Fake laugh is just ... Jesus Christ, now we are in sexist territory. Again.

I’m going to hate a bunch of you motherfuckers by November, for sure.

I have some blocked. Time to block some more.

[hellospaceboy]

Who cares what dirt the right will dig up on her?!??

They will drag ANYONE! They turned Hillary's emails into a campaign-destroying scandal, Obama was a Muslim, Al Gore "claimed that he invented the internet", and let's not forget that they beat Kerry ON his military service in Vietnam! Not despite, but on his service, during a war-time election! They will make up stuff if there is nothing to attack, so don't worry about them! Fuck 'em!

[cdm]

Harris wasn't my first choice nor was she my last so I'm OK with this. I'm also OK with her past record as long as she acknowledges times and viewpoints have changed. I don't have the same political views I had 10 years ago and I think it's fair to allow some political and social introspection and growth. Now with that said, I didn't play a part in a state's prison pipeline...but I digress.

[versusreality]

I am a fan of her wanting to give $2,000 a month to Americans during the pandemic. If that had passed, none of this ridiculousness going on now with stimulus/unemployment would be going on.

I'm going to give her a chance. I'd give anyone who Biden picked a chance. The number 1 goal is to get the orange idiot out of the office.

[Wolfkiller]

I wouldn't be surprised if some of y'all would defend Hitler if he was reincarnated as a black woman.

[tony.parente]

I wouldn't be surprised if some of y'all would defend Hitler if he was reincarnated as a black woman.
Hitler Hybrid Selector:

Hitler

Black

Woman

Pick 2

[Wolfkiller]

Lawyers for Attorney General Kamala Harris had argued in court that if forced to release these inmates early, prisons would lose an important labor pool. (https://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ff-federal-judges-order-state-to-release-more-prisoners-20141114-story.html)

[allegate]

https://media.riffsy.com/images/f1e985733cfdea41ca98c59f51cfeb60/tenor.gif?riffsid=TSlGONpthoCA1HkYGaZlSzB6QK8O8MTg UcQ2e36wveF46_G-5CFcMRC2oMw4se1w9Szs4viaCQNpiW7YQ4eu

[Deacon Blackfire]

First of all, as someone who will end up voting Biden/Harris, something important for us white people to keep in mind:

https://twitter.com/austin_walker/status/1293282411837612033

As for my opinion on the selection, pretty much what I expected with this VP pick. For a while I've been thinking/saying that it would be either Harris or Klobuchar, and once George Floyd's murder put a damning spotlight on Klobuchar's record she was obviously done. So I was expecting Harris, and while it is unsurprising, it could be a lot worse. Yes, she (like a majority of DAs I would imagine) has done some really regrettable things in her career but all of the potential options had baggage of some sort or another. Joe Biden's running mate was never going to be some far left insurgent - this is Joe Biden we're talking about - so we should probably be grateful that her voting record as a senator is as left-leaning and progressive as it is. It would be nice to imagine the administration would actually lean in this direction (rather than just using a seemingly-progressive appearance to get votes and promptly ignore the issues once elected), but again, this is Joe Biden so I'm not going to hold my breath.

She has charisma and public speaking ability, which is definitely a plus considering that Biden's campaign strategy seems to be hiding him as much as possible.

Part of me imagines (only half jokingly) that Biden promised most of his primary opponents save Sanders the Vice Presidential slot - separately asking Buttigieg and Klobuchar to drop out before Super Tuesday, asking Warren to drop out after it - only to award it to the woman whose campaign folded before voting even began, whose biggest moment of the election cycle was bodying him during the debates. I can't stand the fact that Biden got the nomination but the fact Buttigieg dropped out and endorsed Biden when he was leading him in delegates, giving him a big boost against Sanders, and got seemingly nothing out of it does admittedly warm my heart.

And to wade into this rough discussion of identity politics...obviously, it is important that our elected representatives have insight into and passion about rectifying the systemic issues facing people of color, women, the disabled, and the LGBTQA community, and people from those groups are clearly the most likely to have that insight and passion through experience and so thusly their presence in the political system should be encouraged. But I find it discouraging how often idpol talking points allow people to flatten the humanity and intellectual diversity of entire demographics, and the corporate weaponization of that language has done a lot of damage to progressive momentum. We should strive for a political system where the actors are as diverse as the country they represent, but someone embodying a marginalized identity does not inherently mean their political agenda will serve the group they represent (one would hope Obama had illustrated this clearly enough), and if diverse representation does little more than continue the typical Washington injustice and the political inequities of the past, how beneficial is it?

[Jon]

Hitler Hybrid Selector:

Hitler

Black

Woman

Pick 2

Insight Check D30

[versusreality]

Biden/Harris joint presser going on now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=324akR35czE

Biden's giving a good speech so far. Harris isn't out yet. I am assuming she'll be there in person. edit: yes, she's there sitting close to Biden. she's speaking now. I'm liking her approach.

[Jinsai]

I wouldn't be surprised if some of y'all would defend Hitler if he was reincarnated as a black woman.

Wait... I... eh... what...?

Are you implying Kamala Harris is sorta like Hitler?

[versusreality]

The Snoop Dogg / weed comment was already shown to be comments taken out of context.

There is no perfect VP.

Only unelectable ones.

Fake laugh is just ... Jesus Christ, now we are in sexist territory. Again.

I’m going to hate a bunch of you motherfuckers by November, for sure.

I have some blocked. Time to block some more.

I'm trying to PM you, but it seems I have been blocked. would like to speak with you if possible. thanks.

[cdm]

First of all, as someone who will end up voting Biden/Harris, something important for us white people to keep in mind...

This whole post is a good perspective. Thanks.

[Jinsai]

I'm trying to PM you, but it seems I have been blocked. would like to speak with you if possible. thanks.

I don't think you've been blocked if you're able to quote someone's post.

[versusreality]

I don't think you've been blocked if you're able to quote someone's post.
ah ok. I was given an error message when trying to send a PM.

[Jinsai]

ah ok. I was given an error message when trying to send a PM.

I think you can also disable PM on here, so that might be it.

[Wolfkiller]

Wait... I... eh... what...?

Are you implying Kamala Harris is sorta like Hitler?

No, merely commenting on the ridiculousness of identity politics (Deacon did a better job.) But then again, keeping people in prison for cheap labor...

[versusreality]

I think you can also disable PM on here, so that might be it.
that could be it, thank you!
allegro I wanted to apologize in private, but will do so here. I want to apologize for ruffling any feathers and coming across as insensitive. I'm sorry if I offended you/angered you. that was not my intention.

I'm willing to learn, listen, and grow.

[Jinsai]

that could be it, thank you!
@allegro (https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=76) I wanted to apologize in private, but will do so here. I want to apologize for ruffling any feathers and coming across as insensitive. I'm sorry if I offended you/angered you. that was not my intention.

I think she's probably fine... I think if she was mad she'd be more direct. She's told me to go fuck myself a ton of times.

I'm reminded how hostile this board used to be. That was a different era.

[versusreality]

ah ok, thanks!

sorry for derailing for a bit. back on topic:
Trump's presser tonight, I guess his response to Biden/Harris, was very very low energy. out of sorts. repeated himself, word for word, multiple times throughout. bizarre. if this is is response, he's in trouble.

[Jinsai]

the thing is, him sounding deranged isn't new.

How do we bring the heat to the people enabling this? I think we're putting that consideration on the sideline because we're so sure we're gonna win the election, but really...
Do we really have no other option than to just wait around until November 3rd? It's hard to believe that it's been allowed to go on for this long.

[bobbie solo]

Who cares what dirt the right will dig up on her?!??

They will drag ANYONE! They turned Hillary's emails into a campaign-destroying scandal, Obama was a Muslim, Al Gore "claimed that he invented the internet", and let's not forget that they beat Kerry ON his military service in Vietnam! Not despite, but on his service, during a war-time election! They will make up stuff if there is nothing to attack, so don't worry about them! Fuck 'em!

I don't actually care. It was just a thought I had while watching Fox last night for 30 minutes. Laura Ingraham spent that 30 minutes with very weak, scattered attacks on Harris. Some about her being a radical leftie, some attacking her tough stances as DA. None of it stuck. It sincerely felt like grasping as straws. Then I remembered some really scummy things I had read years ago. Turns out it is true sadly. She was sleeping with former SF mayor Willie Brown while he was still married, and he had admitted to putting her in certain positions as a result. She kind of got her political start from this. You can expect the smear merchants on the right to bring this up plenty over the next few months.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2019/01/27/willie-brown-kamala-harris-san-francisco-chronicle-letter/2695143002/


Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown addressed his past relationship with Sen. Kamala Harris in a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle (https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Sure-I-dated-Kamala-Harris-So-what-13562972.php) on Saturday and acknowledged giving her appointments that furthered her career. "Yes, we dated. It was more than 20 years ago," wrote Brown, who said he had "been peppered with calls from the national media about my 'relationship' with Kamala Harris, particularly since it became obvious that she was going to run for president."
Harris' office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Brown's letter to the Chronicle.
Brown was married at the time he and Harris dated, but – because he had been "estranged from his wife" Blanche Brown since 1981, according to People magazine (https://people.com/archive/no-mere-mayor-vol-45-no-25/) –the relationship was not kept secret. A Sacramento Bee reporter told People that Brown "had a succession of girlfriends" and would "go to a party with his wife on one arm and his girlfriend on the other.”

A 1994 Los Angeles Times report (http://articles.latimes.com/1994-11-29/news/mn-2787_1_brown-associates) about then-California Assembly Speaker Brown's "rush to hand out patronage jobs" described Harris as Brown's "frequent companion" and said several people referred to her as Brown's girlfriend. That report also cited a column from the Chronicle's Herb Caen that called Harris "the Speaker's new steady." When they met, she was 29 and Brown was 60.
According to Caen (https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/HERB-CAEN-Twas-the-Day-After-3017150.php), the couple split up in 1995, which "flabbergasted" those "who found Kamala the perfect antidote to whatever playboy tendencies still reside in the mayor-elect's jaunty persona."
Although Brown supported Harris in her successful 2003 run for San Francisco district attorney, she tried to distance herself from him in that race, telling SF Weekly (http://www.sfweekly.com/news/kamalas-karma/) that Brown – whose career was dogged by corruption allegations – was an "albatross hanging around my neck."
"His career is over; I will be alive and kicking for the next 40 years. I do not owe him a thing," she told SF Weekly, vowing, "If there is corruption, it will be prosecuted."
Among the issues that followed Harris from her time with Brown was the allegation of cronyism in his appointment of her to two well-paying posts.
"Yes, I may have influenced her career by appointing her to two state commissions when I was Assembly speaker," Brown wrote Saturday. Brown was the speaker from 1980 to 1995, prior to his stint as San Francisco mayor.


Brown appointed Harris to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and then to the Medical Assistance Commission – positions that paid her more than $400,000 over five years, according to SF Weekly. Brown also gave Harris a BMW.
"And I certainly helped with her first race for district attorney in San Francisco," he said in his Chronicle letter Saturday..
"I have also helped the careers of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and a host of other politicians," he added.
"The difference is that Harris is the only one who, after I helped her, sent word that I would be indicted if I 'so much as jaywalked' while she was D.A.," Brown wrote. "That’s politics for ya."

[bobbie solo]

Part of me imagines (only half jokingly) that Biden promised most of his primary opponents save Sanders the Vice Presidential slot - separately asking Buttigieg and Klobuchar to drop out before Super Tuesday, asking Warren to drop out after it - only to award it to the woman whose campaign folded before voting even began, whose biggest moment of the election cycle was bodying him during the debates. I can't stand the fact that Biden got the nomination but the fact Buttigieg dropped out and endorsed Biden when he was leading him in delegates, giving him a big boost against Sanders, and got seemingly nothing out of it does admittedly warm my heart.

Mayor Rat is just waiting his turn. He's like 12 years old. You can bet the same people that have pushed Harris into this spot will be pushing Mayor Pete as the next establishment trendy pick in 4 or 8 years. Remember how much big time donor $ he got this summer, part. from billionaires. And remember that Obama called him directly about dropping out before Bloody Tuesday. Who knows what was promised to him. He's putting out a book this fall to capitalize on the political season, and to keep his name out there until his number is called.

I would love nothing more than to see that vapid, platitude spouting nothing get catapulted into the sun. Fucking rat.

[bobbie solo]

The Snoop Dogg / weed comment was already shown to be comments taken out of context.

There is no perfect VP.

Only unelectable ones.

Fake laugh is just ... Jesus Christ, now we are in sexist territory. Again.

I’m going to hate a bunch of you motherfuckers by November, for sure.

I have some blocked. Time to block some more.

ah looney tunes is being a tough guy again. Thought we weren't acknowledging each other anymore, as per you? Either keep doing so like I have, or address me directly. Lose me on that passive aggressive shit. Don't think I didn't see that post directed at me that you completely edited also.

@versusreality (https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=6336) in some older Headlines thread (or maybe just earlier in this thread...i dont remember), I mentioned how I, like you, attempted to PM to sort stuff out & found out she blocks everyone b/c of all her past drama here. Then there was a lovely back & forth publicly. Better to just avoid at all costs.

[Jinsai]

It sincerely felt like grasping as straws. Then I remembered some really scummy things I had read years ago. Turns out it is true sadly. She was sleeping with former SF mayor Willie Brown while he was still married, and he had admitted to... etc[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR]

Id say first never watch Fox... it’s just a crazy propaganda outlet at this point.

then again so is CNN really, even if they agree with me.

and I don’t see this scandal going anywhere, and it surely was dissected as a liability when they vetted her. republicans can’t really run on “the sanctity of marriage,” but the political assistance is bad. Really though, you’re running against the most corrupt sack of shit on earth, I don’t see it sticking

[october_midnight]

Thanks folks, I'll be here all week.

https://scontent.fyyc5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/117619479_757361568426954_4207121253080033093_n.jp g?_nc_cat=101&_nc_sid=b96e70&_nc_ohc=VfWNt5ImaHYAX8itW7s&_nc_ht=scontent.fyyc5-1.fna&oh=e8ece08335b473889dc43b449386e784&oe=5F59BB30

[cdm]

People are still tweeting from his account? That's....not normal.

[allegro]

I think she's probably fine... I think if she was mad she'd be more direct. She's told me to go fuck myself a ton of times..

Wait, when was that? In 2005? Trent Reznor did that a lot. But, yeah, I’m pretty direct. I tend to post via my iPhone and sometimes I’m a passenger in a car or something so I don’t quote, I just respond to the post above mine. I need to not do that. If I’m really pissed, I’m direct about it. You are, too. But we’re still ETS friends. It’s cool. Yeah, this place was REALLY hostile. Like a sport.


versusreality - I never have my PMs turned on, anywhere, because I don’t like them. I’ve sent them a few times to help people here but otherwise they are always off on ETS for 16 years. Familiarity breeds contempt. No apology necessary, glad you are civil, thank you.

[allegro]

I emailed the Cook County Clerk about whether or not my elderly Mom could ONLY hand-deliver her mail-in ballot to the downtown Cook County Clerk's office (if she didn't trust the USPS), or were there other options.

I received this response:


If you are concerned about the Post Office returning your ballot, there are other options for you this election:

* You can hand deliver your ballot to any of our Early Voting Sites, beginning October 19 - November 2, 2020. Please check our website on October 1, 2020 for the list of Early Voting Sites in Suburban Cook County.

* You can hand deliver your ballot to your LOCAL Polling Place on Election Day - November, 3, 2020.

I wrote back, asking if I could hand-deliver the ballot on her behalf. I received this response:


You can hand deliver her completed ballot.

I then received a flyer from Lake County, Illinois, which indicated that this was per a law that was passed in June that affected all polling places in Illinois, statewide. But please confirm with your own County Clerk's office.


In other states, if you don't wish to vote in person but you're not comfortable with the USPS right now due to Trump's illegal meddling: Check with your own County Clerk's office about hand-delivering a mail-in ballot.

[versusreality]

that is some good information to have, thank you. it's good to know it can happen as early as October. EVERYONE in the country needs to know this!! he's trying to demolish the USPS, but mail in can still happen if hand delivered...fuck you Trump!!

[allegro]

that is some good information to have, thank you. it's good to know it can happen as early as October.
We have early voting in Illinois that starts then.

I believe an early voting decision is still pending in NJ.

Here is information for voting by mail in New Jersey: https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/vote-by-mail.shtml

See also this information, Union County: https://ucnj.org/boe/make-sure-your-vote-by-mail-ballot-is-counted-2/

Hudson County: https://www.hudsoncountyclerk.org/elections/vote-by-mail/

New Jersey Ballot Drop Box Locations (https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-drop-box-locations.pdf).

[versusreality]

very grateful, thank you!

[allegro]

HOORAY!!!! :D

https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1293896832003735552?s=20

[versusreality]

yes!!

[allegate]

you know if this were 2019 I think more people would be voting for him and his UBI platform.

[versusreality]

UBI would have been great during the pandemic

[cdm]

FYI in NJ you ARE NOT automatically sent a mail-in ballot, even in COVID times. You must request one. To do so you must snail mail a paper request form to your county election office. You have the choice to request mail-in ballot(s) for A. all future elections or B. ONE election, as specified (there are boxes to check the appropriate election). You cannot fax or email application. Postage for the application is NOT prepaid however the actual ballot postage is (as of the primary election).

The above is the Cliff's Notes version, consult the website for more info. (I'm posting this because I just inquired about my status today. I'm glad I did because I thought I was setup for general election mail-in (I'm not).)

[versusreality]

speaking of that....

NJ gov to soon announce that November voting will be mostly mail in, with a much reduced in person polling presence:
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/08/november-election-in-nj-to-be-mostly-mail-in-murphy-will-announce.html

[cdm]

speaking of that....

NJ gov to soon announce that November voting will be mostly mail in, with a much reduced in person polling presence:
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/08/november-election-in-nj-to-be-mostly-mail-in-murphy-will-announce.html

Thanks for this. The person I spoke to LITERALLY NINETY MINUTES AGO said nothing about this pending decision.

[versusreality]

No problem, this seems to have just come out and hasn't officially been announced yet but probably will be soon.

[versusreality]

I've been trying to look for you for NY but...sorry, I also have nothing. I'll try and dig deeper

[allegro]

I've been trying to look for you for NY but...sorry, I also have nothing. I'll try and dig deeper

LOTS of confusing data re NY.

https://www.elections.ny.gov/votingabsentee.html

https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/leroy-comrie/no-excuse-absentee-constitutional-amendment-passes-senate-0

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/ny-state-of-politics/2020/07/24/lawmakers-want-to-extend-absentee-ballot-expansion-to-november

https://nypost.com/2020/08/07/proposed-law-would-require-ny-boe-to-provide-drop-boxes-for-voters/

https://www.elections.ny.gov/CountyBoards.html

https://www.vote.nyc/page/absentee-voting

It appears that legislation allowing no-excuse absentee mail-in ballots was passed for the PRIMARIES, but no legislation has been passed like that, yet, relating to the general election.

[versusreality]

I don't know who it was, but someone in today's presser flat out asked Trump: "do you regret in your 3 and a half years all of your lieing and dishonesty? " Trump acted like he didn't hear it, the guy asked it again, Trump just ignored him and went to another one.

[allegro]

Yeah, that's all I've gotten myself. It seems so strange to me that no one's addressed this in a searchable format or posted something saying, "We'll get back to you shortly." Thank you.

What the fuck, New York?

Or at least inform voters that legislation is pending? It’s awfully late to be arguing such legislation.

[bobbie solo]

Id say first never watch Fox... it’s just a crazy propaganda outlet at this point.

Only put it on sometimes to see what they are conjuring up about certain topics. "Keep your enemies closer" etc.

[bobbie solo]

as pointed out in NIN Spotting, here's Ed Markey's new ad:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86-3yuzn5UU&ab_channel=TheHill

I think it's a great ad. Make sure to make it to the end for a nice little jab at Kennedy.

[versusreality]

just for fun, I want to see a reporter question Trump about his multiple donations to Harris in the past

[versusreality]

hah, "I gave money to a black person, I'm not racist!!! "
amazing
he's an idiot

and yes, we need more reporters holding him accountable. a non-stop barrage of questions on it. sadly, he'll just end the press conferences and walk off like the little baby he is.

[allegro]

Someone already did. He said it proves he’s not racist. So, let’s just move on to having them hold him accountable for some of the shit HE’S done and is doing.

But he’s calling Harris an angry black woman (for her treatment of Kavanaugh).

Which is, of course, a racist trope.

All these Trump ads about minorities invading the suburbs and suburban housewives (via Cory Booker, wtf) aren’t making him look less racist, either.

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1294106637154869256

what's good for the goose is an eventual months long court case for the gander, I guess?

[cdm]

No problem, this seems to have just come out and hasn't officially been announced yet but probably will be soon.

It's official: https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/08/everybody-gets-a-ballot-murphy-says-nj-to-have-mostly-mail-in-voting-in-november-election-because-of-covid-19.html

Really glad to see this and there's absolutely no reason why every state shouldn't have mail-in ballots...except...well...

Thanks again for the heads up yesterday.

[allegate]

https://i.imgur.com/p8vul9y.jpg

[versusreality]

"Pelosi weighs bringing House back early" asking them to come in sooner than mid-September
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/15/pelosi-bringing-house-back-early-postal-service-395791

We don't have fucking time. They need to be back in session on Monday. Another month? Are you fucking kidding? Imagine how much more damage Trump will do in that month.

[cdm]

1294715682358202371

Be wary of viral photos with no details, location, or any other contextual details. While not 100% confirmed, these boxes MAY be stockpiled to be refinished, as the above tweet suggests. Two things can be true: 1. The Trump admin is fucking with USPS in an effort to undermine voting by mail and 2. USPS is removing old busted ass boxes and replacing them with a more "secure" drop mechanism.

I absolutely believe Trump, through Dejoy, is trying to run USPS into the ground and I also believe Republicans are quietly in favor of it for election and budgetary reasons but I'm skeptical of a lot of these random photos being tweeted about with absolutely no context beyond "THEY'RE STEALING MAILBOXES".

[versusreality]

In my town, they put in new mail boxes. I don't know how recent, I just mailed something for the first time in a few years. They just have little slots, not a little "door" to open and put mail in. I was so confused at first, looking for the little handle. Oops. Also, there's no slot on the curb side for drivers to stick mail in. Overall, much more secure.

[cdm]

In my town, they put in new mail boxes. I don't know how recent, I just mailed something for the first time in a few years. They just have little slots, not a little "door" to open and put mail in. I was so confused at first, looking for the little handle. Oops. Also, there's no slot on the curb side for drivers to stick mail in. Overall, much more secure.

Yeah, same here. They replaced the boxes about 8-10 months ago. I was surprised and dismayed by the lack of satisfactory thud of the old mechanism swinging shut. I also recall a period of a week(?) where there were no boxes at all after they removed the old ones and before the new ones were installed.

[cdm]

Looks like I might have been fooled by a falsely attributed photo.

We all get got at some point.

As for the photos themselves, I think it's a roughly equal mix of heightened awareness (Joe sees postal worker removing boxes assuming something nefarious, takes & tweets photo) and purposeful trolling (Bob knowingly tweets unrelated photo of mailboxes with zero context to stir shit).

[Jinsai]

at this point, just don't touch the mail boxes. Don't refurbish them for a few months; something unprecedented is happening, and I don't trust anyone, except Trump here actually, when he says that he's directly attacking the USPS to win an election. He openly admitted that. So, fuck that, everything we can do to stop that.

If we can kick this Louis DeJoy fucker to the curb too while we're at it, all the better.

[allegate]

https://twitter.com/chipfranklin/status/1295487276395487232

I keep seeing reports of how his campaign in 2016 - and even now - is basically a bunch of empty offices. so maybe it's not spying so much just trying to figure out wtf is going on over there?

[versusreality]

I wish I can do a redo of the last four years too

[Jinsai]

I wish I can do a redo of the last four years too

Just give me this last year back. It's not been great, has it? This last year has really felt like, well, if it has to get WORSE than this to not re-elect the incumbent, what does it take?

[allegate]

ikr? like what kind of 'losing' will it take for the % who are going to vote for him? And let's be honest, it's probably more than those numbers just because of those who know he's an idiot but won't admit they like the idiot and lie about it to the pollsters.

[Aladdinsanity]

https://twitter.com/KyleKulinski/status/1295564262128132097
Oh... god. Oh my god, we are so fucked.

[versusreality]

https://twitter.com/KyleKulinski/status/1295564262128132097
Oh... god. Oh my god, we are so fucked.

I fell asleep right after Michelle's speech. I thought the video you posted was a joke. oh crap, it's real.

there was a lot of cringe last night. there were some strong moments too. I'm not going to be critical- I hope it gets better each night.

I am VERY disappointed that Andrew Yang got like, one sentence in. unreal. (edit, just saw that Yang will have an actual speech on thursday night, nomination night. awesome)

we need to come out and sucker punch Trump the next few nights.

[allegro]

Come on, now, that’s Billy Porter.

(And Stephen Stills from Buffalo Springfield, who wrote the song.)

It's pretty hard to do a "convention" during Covid. The whole thing looked more like a Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon than a convention.

Anyway ...

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1295542788046630913?s=21

[allegro]

Admittedly, they probably should have also played the classic version. But Stephen CANNOT SING, anymore. He has hearing issues and he says that affected his singing but whatever, I can personally confirm: Stephen CANNOT SING, anymore. He’s TERRIBLE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5JCrSXkJY

[versusreality]

I realized why I cringed while watching that Porter video (I don't mind the song, it was the green screen production that got me) . it reminded me of 90's Public Access stuff I used to watch, and ultimately, reminded me of the Faith No More video "Everything's Ruined" . I guarentee if I hadn't seen that FNM hundreds of times over the years I would have taken the Porter video more seriously lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usGQjN87BUA


they're doing the best they can in these weird times I guess. not knocking it.
didn't even recognize Stills at first, to be honest, wasn't sure he was still alive.

[allegro]

they're doing the best they can in these weird times I guess. not knocking it.
didn't even recognize Stills at first, to be honest, wasn't sure he was still alive.

Oh yeah Stills is very much alive. Crosby Stills and Nash were still actively touring up until Covid.

My husband and I had seen them several times, until Stills lost his voice, and Nash got more goofy than usual.

The visual effects were totally normal shit you saw every day on TV in the 60s.

See Peter Max.

https://youtu.be/yyTKf0B32ss

[versusreality]

I think the first few mins tonight are better than they were last night. good sign.

[Jinsai]

I think they should just stop the whole convention thing and win. Michelle's speech is surely the highlight of this, let's just wrap this up and vote already.

[allegro]

Look, in the Olden Days, a LOT of this shit wasn’t even on TV. Nobody cared, there were only 4 TV channels and none of them were gonna pre-empt shows like Gunsmoke for drunk stupid conventioneers in stupid hats.

I really like ALL the non-politician stuff.

The black woman elevator operator nominating Biden.

The retired white guy who’s a former Union President in Michigan nominating Sanders.

YES to ALL these everyday people - especially in the Roll Call, which is how the Roll Call always was but this time even better - over the BORING speeches of politicians.

I GET that they’re trying to ride this Replexit - this temporary exodus of Republicans who refuse to vote for Trump. And I also grok that they ALREADY have the support of black voters because that black vote got Biden the nomination and Biden returned the favor by selecting a black woman VP.

But a convention isn’t where the real work is done. It’s where the work starts. It’s where the official nomination begins.

Now, Biden will receive national security briefings, by law.

And he and Harris will get Secret Service protection.

Tonight will be a cavalcade of high-profile speakers, including Barack Obama and Kamala Harris.

[tony.parente]

Trump floated swapping Puerto Rico for Greenland because 'the people are poor' and 'dirty' in Puerto Rico (https://www.businessinsider.com/former-dhs-trump-floated-trading-puerto-rico-for-greenland-2020-8?utm_source=reddit.com)

[allegro]

He HATES P.R., this from many sources.

[allegro]

It's definitely not one of his bigger or more memorable scandals, but do you remember when, after Maria, he said "You know, you're really messing up my budget?" to P.R.? That really made me sick. I know he'd done worse and has done worse since, but it just disgusted me.
Me, too. Not much is worse, imo. What the GOP has done to P.R. is evil. This is easy to fix, but they refuse. The Jones Act could have been repealed, but they continuously refuse. Cruelty is the point.

P.R. should be a 51st State. And D.C. a 52nd State.

No taxation without representation.

I always think of my old friend Lunatica, who’s always in my heart.

[allegro]

Tonight’s Democratic Convention should be GOOD! HISTORIC!

Watch via MSNBC, if you can.

Kamala Harris is going to start it out, live.

If you need a live viewing invite via the DNC, go here:

https://www.mobilize.us/2020victory/event/294843/?fbAllocation=no_quote&force_banner=true&share_context=event_details&share_medium=copy_link

[allegro]

I was pleased with AOC's mention of colonization last night, though it apparently confused plenty of people allegedly on the left.

https://twitter.com/joebiden/status/1296246966381432833?s=21

[allegro]

Am I the only one who is bored by Billie Eilish?

[ltrandazzo]

Am I the only one who is bored by Billie Eilish?

Yep.

[allegro]

Yep.

Not true. My husband was equally bored. And detailing the formula.

[tony.parente]

Am I the only one who is bored by Billie Eilish?
The only thing good about Halloween Horror Nights at universal orlando being cancelled this year is we didn’t have to deal with that damned Rumored Billie Eilish house.

[allegro]

The only thing good about Halloween Horror Nights at universal orlando being cancelled this year is we didn’t have to deal with that damned Rumored Billie Eilish house.

Oh NO! We already bought the hair!

And the pre-recorded beat box. And Grammys.


They shoulda had LIZZO.

[tony.parente]

Oh NO! We already bought the hair!

And the pre-recorded beat box. And Grammys.


They shoulda had LIZZO.
What sucks is like me, she has Tourettes. And she’s weird for like, no reason. So instead of having a huge superstar with Tourette’s as an educational tool and proof it’s not a big deal we got a person who wears xxxxxxxxxxl shirts and dyes their roots green. Really perpetuates the weird predisposition that people with Tourette’s has something wrong with them.