Date: 17/08/2022 09:45:53
From: roughbarked
ID: 1921856
Subject: US politics leading up to midterm

Historic moment Biden signs landmark climate and healthcare bill into law
President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters ahead of the November elections.

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Date: 17/08/2022 10:43:27
From: mollwollfumble
ID: 1921883
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Historic moment Biden signs landmark climate and healthcare bill into law
President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters ahead of the November elections.

Whatever happened to Obamacare? eg. why do they need a “new” healthcare bill?

> President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters

LOL. Truth. I don’t think that that was a direct quote from Biden, though.

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Date: 17/08/2022 10:46:00
From: Cymek
ID: 1921886
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

mollwollfumble said:


roughbarked said:

Historic moment Biden signs landmark climate and healthcare bill into law
President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters ahead of the November elections.

Whatever happened to Obamacare? eg. why do they need a “new” healthcare bill?

> President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters

LOL. Truth. I don’t think that that was a direct quote from Biden, though.

It’s unprecedented, the new word for the drinking game used in news.
One shot each time its said

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Date: 17/08/2022 10:48:01
From: dv
ID: 1921887
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

mollwollfumble said:


roughbarked said:

Historic moment Biden signs landmark climate and healthcare bill into law
President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters ahead of the November elections.

Whatever happened to Obamacare? eg. why do they need a “new” healthcare bill?

> President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters

LOL. Truth. I don’t think that that was a direct quote from Biden, though.

Are you shitting me?

The Affordable Care Act was a compromise option that they only barely squeaked past the Senate with the help of independents because the Dems briefly had 58-42 in the senate. It’s no one’s idea of perfect coverage.

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Date: 17/08/2022 10:52:20
From: Cymek
ID: 1921889
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


mollwollfumble said:

roughbarked said:

Historic moment Biden signs landmark climate and healthcare bill into law
President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters ahead of the November elections.

Whatever happened to Obamacare? eg. why do they need a “new” healthcare bill?

> President Joe Biden and Democrats hope the “historic” spending package will boost their popularity with voters

LOL. Truth. I don’t think that that was a direct quote from Biden, though.

Are you shitting me?

The Affordable Care Act was a compromise option that they only barely squeaked past the Senate with the help of independents because the Dems briefly had 58-42 in the senate. It’s no one’s idea of perfect coverage.

And that skated so close to being a commie

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Date: 17/08/2022 10:56:19
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1921890
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:

The Affordable Care Act was a compromise option that they only barely squeaked past the Senate with the help of independents because the Dems briefly had 58-42 in the senate. It’s no one’s idea of perfect coverage.

Nonetheless, according to the Republican party, the American Medical Association, the Health Insurance Association of America, and millions of barely-sentient ‘conservative’ American citizens, it still manged to somehow be the root of all evil.

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Date: 17/08/2022 10:59:14
From: Cymek
ID: 1921892
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


dv said:

The Affordable Care Act was a compromise option that they only barely squeaked past the Senate with the help of independents because the Dems briefly had 58-42 in the senate. It’s no one’s idea of perfect coverage.

Nonetheless, according to the Republican party, the American Medical Association, the Health Insurance Association of America, and millions of barely-sentient ‘conservative’ American citizens, it still manged to somehow be the root of all evil.

Hey massive medical profit for those lucky enough to afford insurance is the backbone of US society

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Date: 17/08/2022 11:01:27
From: dv
ID: 1921893
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

After the FBI conducted a search to retrieve classified nuclear documents from a citizen’s residence, there were some in the media saying that they’d just handed the 2024 election to 45, but there have been several polls since then and there’s nothing to suggest that.

It seems reasonable to think that while some hard core magathas might disapprove, most independents and moderates would be more concerned about the security breach than the prosecution of the security breach.

The Democrats continue to make ground on the Republicans in the polling, and are now 0.5% ahead, whereas about 3 weeks ago they were about 3% behind. There are a few possible explanations: the huge bill on the environment, health and economy that was just passed was broadly popular and perhaps weakened the narrative that the Dems couldn’t get things done. Fuel prices have come down (though that didn’t really have anything to do with the Dems, people tend to blame the govt when fuel prices are high). Zawahari was taken out. The nixing of Roe v Wade would drive some people to the Dems to legislate protections. More Trump crimes came to light. It’s hard to know which of these was more important.

The Democrats can be confident of holding the Senate in the mid terms, partly because the Republicans have selected some pretty deadshit nominees, but to have a good chance of retaining the House they’d probably want to be 2 to 3% ahead in the metric graphed above, due to the gerrymander.

Dr Oz is polling around 38% in his Senate race in Pennsylvania so that’s good.

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Date: 17/08/2022 15:41:32
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1921990
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Liz Cheney loses Wyoming Republican primary to Trump-endorsed rival

The vice-chair of the House January 6 panel faced retribution from state voters for going against the former president

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/16/wyoming-republican-primary-liz-cheney-donald-trump-harriet-hageman

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Date: 17/08/2022 15:51:20
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1921994
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Liz Cheney loses Wyoming Republican primary to Trump-endorsed rival

The vice-chair of the House January 6 panel faced retribution from state voters for going against the former president

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/16/wyoming-republican-primary-liz-cheney-donald-trump-harriet-hageman

“Ms Cheney was already looking ahead to a political future beyond Capitol Hill that could include a 2024 presidential run, potentially putting her on another collision course with Mr Trump.
Hinting at a presidential bid of her own, she said: “I have said since January 6 that I will do whatever it takes to ensure Donald Trump is never again anywhere near the Oval Office — and I mean it.”

Keep fighting the good fight lass.

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Date: 17/08/2022 16:47:21
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1922028
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The mother of a Delaware man who shot himself to death after driving into a US Capitol barricade over the weekend says she believes he was struggling with brain trauma from growing up playing football. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/16/capitol-barricade-driver-mother-cte-football

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Date: 17/08/2022 16:48:55
From: Bubblecar
ID: 1922029
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


The mother of a Delaware man who shot himself to death after driving into a US Capitol barricade over the weekend says she believes he was struggling with brain trauma from growing up playing football. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/16/capitol-barricade-driver-mother-cte-football

Seems his policy was “Shoot myself first, ask questions later.”

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Date: 17/08/2022 17:03:43
From: dv
ID: 1922038
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bubblecar said:


sarahs mum said:

The mother of a Delaware man who shot himself to death after driving into a US Capitol barricade over the weekend says she believes he was struggling with brain trauma from growing up playing football. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/16/capitol-barricade-driver-mother-cte-football

Seems his policy was “Shoot myself first, ask questions later.”

damn

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Date: 21/08/2022 03:37:45
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1923504
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

A survey for his California Firearm Violence Research Center released last month showed that half of Americans expect a civil war in the United States in the next few years. One in five thought political violence was justified in some circumstances. In addition, while almost everyone said it was important for the US to remain a democracy, about 40% said that having a strong leader was more important.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/20/us-political-violence-civil-war

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Date: 21/08/2022 03:40:34
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1923505
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:

A survey for his California Firearm Violence Research Center released last month showed that half of Americans expect a civil war in the United States in the next few years. One in five thought political violence was justified in some circumstances. In addition, while almost everyone said it was important for the US to remain a democracy, about 40% said that having a strong leader was more important.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/20/us-political-violence-civil-war

A more complex picture emerges when the numbers are broken down, including over whether such violence is targeted against people or property. But even then Kleinfeld said the results are disturbing. “You’re looking at 3 to 5 million Americans willing to harm other Americans for their political beliefs,” she said.

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Date: 21/08/2022 05:46:57
From: roughbarked
ID: 1923508
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


sarahs mum said:
A survey for his California Firearm Violence Research Center released last month showed that half of Americans expect a civil war in the United States in the next few years. One in five thought political violence was justified in some circumstances. In addition, while almost everyone said it was important for the US to remain a democracy, about 40% said that having a strong leader was more important.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/20/us-political-violence-civil-war

A more complex picture emerges when the numbers are broken down, including over whether such violence is targeted against people or property. But even then Kleinfeld said the results are disturbing. “You’re looking at 3 to 5 million Americans willing to harm other Americans for their political beliefs,” she said.

Bejesus.

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Date: 21/08/2022 07:39:49
From: The Rev Dodgson
ID: 1923529
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


sarahs mum said:
A survey for his California Firearm Violence Research Center released last month showed that half of Americans expect a civil war in the United States in the next few years. One in five thought political violence was justified in some circumstances. In addition, while almost everyone said it was important for the US to remain a democracy, about 40% said that having a strong leader was more important.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/20/us-political-violence-civil-war

A more complex picture emerges when the numbers are broken down, including over whether such violence is targeted against people or property. But even then Kleinfeld said the results are disturbing. “You’re looking at 3 to 5 million Americans willing to harm other Americans for their political beliefs,” she said.

?

But 3 to 5 million is only 1-2%, not 20%.

Also I’d agree that political violence can sometimes be justified, but not in a democracy, even an imperfect one.

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Date: 23/08/2022 00:32:57
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1924152
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Let’s talk about how Trump can’t catch a break….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrgtM4nFhzM

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Date: 24/08/2022 02:25:31
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1924473
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

#DeSantis #Florida #GOP
The Dangerous New Movement In Right-Wing America
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other far-right Republicans say plenty of disturbing things. But there’s a new and troubling trend in American right-wing politics: the desire to impose Christianity in the name of politics and nationalism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUq-h6l2W6o

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Date: 24/08/2022 03:01:23
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1924479
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:

#DeSantis #Florida #GOP
The Dangerous New Movement In Right-Wing America
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other far-right Republicans say plenty of disturbing things. But there’s a new and troubling trend in American right-wing politics: the desire to impose Christianity in the name of politics and nationalism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUq-h6l2W6o

“new”

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Date: 24/08/2022 12:53:27
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1924595
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Heather Cox Richardson
39 mins ·
August 23, 2022 (Tuesday)
Early this morning, right-wing journalist John Solomon posted on his website a letter dated May 10 from Debra Steidel Wall, the acting archivist of the United States, to Evan Corcoran, a lawyer for former president Trump. Just why the Trump camp leaked the letter is unclear because it is a damning revelation of the extent of the stolen documents and Trump’s refusal to return them.

Wall was responding to Trump’s request that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) continue to withhold from the FBI the records NARA had recovered at that point from Mar-a-Lago. She noted that NARA had worked to recover those records throughout 2021 and, when they finally got them, “identified items marked as classified national security information, up to the level of Top Secret and including Sensitive Compartmented Information and Special Access Program materials.”

These are highly secret and sensitive materials, and Trump wanted to delay review of them while he decided if he was going to assert executive privilege over them. Wall rejected that argument, pointing out that he could hardly keep them out of the hands of the current president.

“The question in this case is not a close one,” she wrote. “The Executive Branch here is seeking access to records belonging to, and in the custody of, the Federal Government itself, not only in order to investigate whether those records were handled in an unlawful manner but also, as the National Security Division explained, to ‘conduct an assessment of the potential damage resulting from the apparent manner in which these materials were stored and transported and take any necessary remedial steps.’ These reviews will be conducted by current government personnel who…are sensitive to executive concerns.”

This was no small cache of documents. In the boxes then at issue were more than 100 classified documents. They made up more than 700 pages of classified material. Since then, of course, the FBI has recovered yet more classified documents.

The New York Times reported last night that Trump resisted returning the documents, calling them “mine.”

Also in today’s news, a federal jury found Barry Croft and Adam Fox guilty of several crimes in the summer 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer. The jury found Croft guilty of kidnapping conspiracy, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, and possession of an unregistered destructive device. It found Fox guilty of kidnapping conspiracy and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.

The men were part of a plot to kidnap Whitmer at her summer home and to blow up a bridge that would stop rescuers from reaching her. They hoped to spark a second American Revolution.

In a federal court in Louisville, Kentucky, former detective Kelly Goodlett pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy. She admitted that she knew another officer’s statement that Breonna Taylor’s former boyfriend was receiving packages at Taylor’s house was false, and yet did not object when the officer put it in an application for a search warrant. That warrant sparked the March 2020 raid that left Ms. Taylor dead.

And in Tennessee a federal grand jury has indicted Republican former house speaker Glen Casada and his aide Cade Cothren on 20 counts of federal bribery, kickback, theft, wire fraud, and money laundering for a scheme that began in 2019.

The Biden administration is reasserting the rule of law in the United States.

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Date: 27/08/2022 04:07:21
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1925437
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Moments after a redacted copy of the FBI affidavit used to justify the search of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate was unsealed, Andrea Mitchell and Ryan Reilly examine the first pages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSmPyuK2eh8

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Date: 27/08/2022 13:01:20
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1925528
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Moments after a redacted copy of the FBI affidavit used to justify the search of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate was unsealed, Andrea Mitchell and Ryan Reilly examine the first pages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSmPyuK2eh8

lol

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Date: 27/08/2022 13:28:00
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1925535
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Heather Cox Richardson
18 mins ·
August 26, 2022 (Friday)
The Department of Justice (DOJ) today released the redacted affidavit that persuaded a judge to agree to issue a search warrant for FBI agents to look for classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, the property owned by the Trump Organization in Florida.
It was bad.

The affidavit explained to the judge the history behind the FBI’s request.

On February 9, 2022, the National Archives and Records Administration (what did I say about archivists?) told the DOJ that after seven months of negotiations, on January 18 it had received 15 boxes of material that former president Trump had held at Mar-a-Lago. Those boxes contained “highly classified documents,” including some at the very most secret level of our intelligence: those involving our spies and informants.

In those initial 15 boxes, FBI personnel found 184 classified documents. Sixty-seven were labeled CONFIDENTIAL, 92 were SECRET, 25 were TOP SECRET. Some were marked SCS, FISA, ORCON, NOFORN, and SI, the very highest levels of security, involving human intelligence, foreign surveillance, intelligence that cannot be shared with foreign governments, and intelligence that is compartmented to make sure no one has full knowledge of what is in it. The former president had made notes on “several” of the documents.

On June 8, 2022, a DOJ lawyer wrote to Trump’s lawyer to reiterate that Mar-a-Lago was not authorized to store classified information, and warned that the documents were not being handled properly. The DOJ lawyer asked that the material be secured in a single room at Mar-a-Lago “in their current condition until further notice.”

Trump’s lawyers told the DOJ that presidents have the absolute authority to declassify documents—this is not true, by the way—but did not assert he had done so.

The FBI opened a criminal investigation “to, among other things,” figure out how the classified records were taken from the White House and ended up at Mar-a-Lago, and to determine if other classified records might have been improperly taken and stored, and to figure out who might have taken and mishandled them.

They concluded that there was good reason to think that more classified records remained at Mar-a-Lago and that investigators would find evidence that Trump and his allies were obstructing the government’s effort to recover the material. The person who made the affidavit said they were a special agent with the FBI, “familiar with efforts used to unlawfully collect, retain, and disseminate sensitive government information, including classified N D I.” They swore that “there is probable cause to believe” that locations at Mar-a-Lago “contain evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed.”

The affidavit confirmed that the Department of Justice is “conducting a criminal investigation concerning the improper removal and storage of classified information in unauthorized spaces, as well as the unlawful concealment or removal of government records,” and asked for the affidavit to be sealed because “the items and information to be seized are relevant to an ongoing investigation and the FBI has not yet identified all potential criminal confederates nor located all evidence related to its investigation.”

Sidestepping Trump’s insistence that he could declassify whatever he wished when president, the affidavit specifies that the documents could cause damage even if they are not classified, and it notes that retaining “information related to the national defense” is illegal.
The information that Trump stole classified documents itself was eye-popping, and then that he refused to return them was astonishing. Now, the knowledge of the extent of it, and that it included information from our human sources, is stunning.

AND THIS WAS JUST THE AFFIDAVIT TO GET A SEARCH WARRANT TO GET MORE RETAINED DOCUMENTS…which the FBI did on August 8.

We still don’t know what was in those more recently recovered boxes.

Trump is in serious trouble…and so are the rest of us. This stolen and mishandled classified intelligence compromises our security. The best-case scenario is that it was never seen by anyone who knew what they were looking at. Even that would mean that our allies have every reason to be leery about sharing information with us again.

But that’s the best-case scenario. We have to wonder who else now knows the secrets designed to keep Americans safe? Multiple news stories during Trump’s presidency noted that even then, Mar-a-Lago was notoriously insecure. And, unthinkable though it should be but sadly is not, what if secret documents have already been given or sold into the hands of foreign actors whose interests conflict with ours?

I have been writing today about Trump’s first impeachment and the hearings where Marie Yovanovitch, Fiona Hill, and Alexander Vindman, immigrants all, who served our nation faithfully and fully, risked—and ultimately lost—their jobs to warn us that Trump was willing to compromise our national security for his own interests.

“He has betrayed our national security, and he will do so again,” House impeachment manager Adam Schiff warned the Senate. “You can’t trust to do the right thing. Not for one minute, not for one election, not for the sake of our country. You just can’t. He will not change and you know it.” Schiff begged them to say “enough.”

But they would not, and they did not, and here we are.

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Date: 27/08/2022 14:51:16
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1925575
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

so the imperialist colonialism isn’t a secret then

Washington froze Afghan government funds after the Taliban’s military takeover in August last year. However, it has faced pressure to find a way to release the money without recognising the new Afghan administration, which claims it as its own.

¿

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Date: 27/08/2022 15:40:52
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1925596
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

I keep seeing Donald Trump’s warrant go past and desiring it for a game of redactle.

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Date: 27/08/2022 15:45:28
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1925599
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


I keep seeing Donald Trump’s warrant go past and desiring it for a game of redactle.

I’ll have

1.which
2. that
3. he
4. his
5. him
6. were
7. have
8. had
9. its
10. known
11. some
12. other
13. also
14. are
15. time

Reply Quote

Date: 28/08/2022 23:38:51
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1925999
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Heather Cox Richardson
8 hrs ·
August 27, 2022 (Saturday)
In a speech Thursday night, President Joe Biden called out today’s MAGA Republicans for threatening “our personal rights and economic security…. They’re a threat to our very democracy.” When he referred to them as “semi-fascists,” he drew headlines, some of them disapproving.

A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee called the comment “despicable,” although Republicans have called Democrats “socialists” now for so long it passes as normal discourse. Just this week, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) called Democrats “radical left-wing lunatics, laptop liberals, and Marxist misfits.”

Biden’s calling out of today’s radical Republicans mirrors the moment on June 21, 1856, when Representative Anson Burlingame of Massachusetts, a member of the newly formed Republican Party, stood up in Congress to announce that northerners were willing to take to the battlefield to defend their way of life against the southerners who were trying to destroy it. Less than a month before, Burlingame’s Massachusetts colleague Senator Charles Sumner had been brutally beaten by a southern representative for disparaging slavery, and Burlingame was sick and tired of buying sectional peace by letting southerners abuse the North. Enough, he said, was enough. The North was superior to the South in its morality, loyalty to the government, fidelity to the Constitution, and economy, and northerners were willing to defend their system, if necessary, with guns.

Burlingame’s “Defense of Massachusetts” speech marked the first time a prominent northerner had offered to fight to defend the northern way of life. Previously, southerners had been the ones threatening war and demanding concessions from the North to preserve the peace. He was willing to accept a battle, Burlingame explained, because what was at stake was the future of the nation. His speech invited a challenge to a duel.

Southerners championed their region as the one that had correctly developed the society envisioned by the Founders. In the South, a few very wealthy men controlled government and society, enslaving their neighbors. This system, its apologists asserted, was the highest form of human civilization. They opposed any attempt to restrict its spread. The South was superior to the North, enslavers insisted; it alone was patriotic, honored the Constitution, and understood economic growth. In the interests of union, northerners repeatedly ceded ground to enslavers and left their claim to superiority unchallenged.

At long last, the attack on Sumner inspired Burlingame to speak up for the North. The southern system was not superior, he thundered; it had dragged the nation backward. Slavery kept workers ignorant and godless while the northern system of freedom lifted workers up with schools and churches. Slavery feared innovation; freedom encouraged workers to try new ideas. Slavery kept the South mired in the past; freedom welcomed the modern world and pushed Americans into a new, thriving economy. And finally, when Sumner had spoken up against the tyranny of slavery, a southerner had clubbed him almost to death on the floor of the Senate.
Was ignorance, economic stagnation, and violence the true American system?

For his part, Burlingame preferred to throw his lot with education, morality, economic growth, and respect for government.
Burlingame had deliberately provoked the lawmaker who had beaten Sumner, Preston Brooks of South Carolina, and unable to resist any provocation, Brooks had challenged Burlingame to a duel. Brooks assumed all Yankees were cowards and figured that Burlingame would decline in embarrassment. But instead, Burlingame accepted with enthusiasm, choosing rifles as the dueling weapons. Burlingame, it turned out, was an expert marksman.

Burlingame also chose to duel in Canada, giving Brooks the opportunity to back out on the grounds that he felt unsafe traveling through the North after his beating of Sumner made him a hated man. The negotiations for the duel went on for months, but the duel never took place. Instead, Brooks, known as “Bully” Brooks, lost face as a man who was unwilling to risk his safety to avenge his honor, while Burlingame showed that northerners were eager to fight.

Forgotten now, Burlingame’s speech was once widely considered one of the most important speeches in American history. It marked the moment when northerners shocked southerners by calling them out for what they were, and northerners rallied to Burlingame’s call.
President Biden’s Twitter account has recently been taken over by new White House’s Deputy Director of Platforms Megan Coyne, who garnered attention when she ran the official New Jersey Twitter account with attitude, and it seems as if the administration is taking the new saltiness out for a spin. “All the talk about the deficit from the same folks that gave an unpaid-for $2 trillion tax cut to the wealthy and big corporations. It makes you laugh,” the account said tonight. “Under my Administration, the deficit is on track to come down by more than $1 trillion this year.”

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Date: 30/08/2022 09:58:25
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1926395
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

‘Trump demands reinstatement as ‘rightful’ president or ‘a new Election, immediately!’ as some Republicans seek distance from him’

https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-seeks-reinstatement-new-election-immediately-further-dividing-party-2022-8

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Date: 9/09/2022 14:28:21
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1930174
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell analyzes a new filing from Justice Department lawyers telling Judge Aileen Cannon that her order for the appointment of a special master to review the government documents seized from Donald Trump’s Florida home is creating a national security risk and could do “irreparable harm” to their investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6W_R-3OJTo

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Date: 9/09/2022 14:43:05
From: Michael V
ID: 1930177
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell analyzes a new filing from Justice Department lawyers telling Judge Aileen Cannon that her order for the appointment of a special master to review the government documents seized from Donald Trump’s Florida home is creating a national security risk and could do “irreparable harm” to their investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6W_R-3OJTo

Gourd!

Reply Quote

Date: 9/09/2022 14:53:33
From: roughbarked
ID: 1930185
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Michael V said:


sarahs mum said:

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell analyzes a new filing from Justice Department lawyers telling Judge Aileen Cannon that her order for the appointment of a special master to review the government documents seized from Donald Trump’s Florida home is creating a national security risk and could do “irreparable harm” to their investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6W_R-3OJTo

Gourd!

Was she a Trump appointed judge?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/09/2022 14:54:10
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1930186
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell analyzes a new filing from Justice Department lawyers telling Judge Aileen Cannon that her order for the appointment of a special master to review the government documents seized from Donald Trump’s Florida home is creating a national security risk and could do “irreparable harm” to their investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6W_R-3OJTo

Gourd!

Was she a Trump appointed judge?


certainly was.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/09/2022 15:06:53
From: Ian
ID: 1930192
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1567877713506992129

Reply Quote

Date: 9/09/2022 15:17:46
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1930194
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Ian said:


https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1567877713506992129

yep.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/09/2022 15:26:21
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1930204
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Heather Cox Richardson
7 mins ·
September 8, 2022 (Thursday)

On this day in 1974, President Gerald Ford gave former president Richard M. Nixon “a full, free, and absolute pardon…for all offenses against the United States which he…has committed or may have committed or taken part in” during his time in the presidency.

In the pardon proclamation, Ford said he issued the pardon to help the nation heal from the trauma of the Watergate scandal. A trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States.”

Ford’s pardon of Nixon removed from our democratic system the principle that all of us are accountable to the same laws.

Presidents, it appeared, were in a different category than the rest of us, and that encouraged future executives to push the boundaries of what was acceptable.

Under Ronald Reagan, the next Republican president after Nixon, members of the administration broke the law to sell arms to Iran in order to funnel the proceeds to the Contra insurgents fighting to overthrow the leftist government in Nicaragua. Fourteen administration officials were indicted and eleven convicted in the scandal, but when he became president, George H. W. Bush—himself implicated in the scandal—pardoned them on the advice of his attorney general, William Barr.

Lawrence Walsh, the independent prosecutor in the case, worried that pardoning the officials removed accountability and thus weakened American democracy. It “undermines…the principle…that no man is above the law,” he said. “It demonstrates that powerful people with powerful allies can commit serious crimes in high office, deliberately abusing the public trust without consequences.”

By 2004, President George W. Bush rejected any limitation on “the unitary executive branch.” The concept of the unitary executive said that, as head of his own branch of government, the president did not have to submit to any oversight or check by Congress.

Today we learned that a federal grand jury investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is now looking into Trump’s political action committee, “Save America,” to understand its fundraising, how its money was received, and how its money was spent. The PAC was organized immediately after the 2020 election and sought donations based on the idea that the election was stolen.

Also today, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, charged Trump ally Stephen K. Bannon with two felony counts of money laundering, two felony counts of conspiracy, and one felony count of a scheme to defraud, over his role in “We Build the Wall, Inc,” an organization that promised to bring former president Trump’s wall on the southern border of the U.S. into reality.

The organization raised millions of dollars to build the wall but instead funneled money to the organization’s president, Brian Kolfage, and others including Bannon, defrauding those who contributed to the effort.

Bannon was charged by the federal government in 2020, but Trump pardoned him before he went to trial. New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, noted today: “Regular, everyday Americans play by these rules, and yet too often powerful political interests, they ignore these rules. They think they are above the law, and the most egregious of them take advantage.”

Reply Quote

Date: 9/09/2022 15:27:47
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1930207
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Heather Cox Richardson
7 mins ·
September 8, 2022 (Thursday)

On this day in 1974, President Gerald Ford gave former president Richard M. Nixon “a full, free, and absolute pardon…for all offenses against the United States which he…has committed or may have committed or taken part in” during his time in the presidency.

In the pardon proclamation, Ford said he issued the pardon to help the nation heal from the trauma of the Watergate scandal. A trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States.”

Ford’s pardon of Nixon removed from our democratic system the principle that all of us are accountable to the same laws.

Presidents, it appeared, were in a different category than the rest of us, and that encouraged future executives to push the boundaries of what was acceptable.

Under Ronald Reagan, the next Republican president after Nixon, members of the administration broke the law to sell arms to Iran in order to funnel the proceeds to the Contra insurgents fighting to overthrow the leftist government in Nicaragua. Fourteen administration officials were indicted and eleven convicted in the scandal, but when he became president, George H. W. Bush—himself implicated in the scandal—pardoned them on the advice of his attorney general, William Barr.

Lawrence Walsh, the independent prosecutor in the case, worried that pardoning the officials removed accountability and thus weakened American democracy. It “undermines…the principle…that no man is above the law,” he said. “It demonstrates that powerful people with powerful allies can commit serious crimes in high office, deliberately abusing the public trust without consequences.”

By 2004, President George W. Bush rejected any limitation on “the unitary executive branch.” The concept of the unitary executive said that, as head of his own branch of government, the president did not have to submit to any oversight or check by Congress.

Today we learned that a federal grand jury investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is now looking into Trump’s political action committee, “Save America,” to understand its fundraising, how its money was received, and how its money was spent. The PAC was organized immediately after the 2020 election and sought donations based on the idea that the election was stolen.

Also today, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, charged Trump ally Stephen K. Bannon with two felony counts of money laundering, two felony counts of conspiracy, and one felony count of a scheme to defraud, over his role in “We Build the Wall, Inc,” an organization that promised to bring former president Trump’s wall on the southern border of the U.S. into reality.

The organization raised millions of dollars to build the wall but instead funneled money to the organization’s president, Brian Kolfage, and others including Bannon, defrauding those who contributed to the effort.

Bannon was charged by the federal government in 2020, but Trump pardoned him before he went to trial. New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, noted today: “Regular, everyday Americans play by these rules, and yet too often powerful political interests, they ignore these rules. They think they are above the law, and the most egregious of them take advantage.”

so Trump was just the fall guy, in the wrong place at the wrong time

Reply Quote

Date: 9/09/2022 15:36:49
From: Michael V
ID: 1930222
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Heather Cox Richardson
7 mins ·
September 8, 2022 (Thursday)

On this day in 1974, President Gerald Ford gave former president Richard M. Nixon “a full, free, and absolute pardon…for all offenses against the United States which he…has committed or may have committed or taken part in” during his time in the presidency.

In the pardon proclamation, Ford said he issued the pardon to help the nation heal from the trauma of the Watergate scandal. A trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States.”

Ford’s pardon of Nixon removed from our democratic system the principle that all of us are accountable to the same laws.

Presidents, it appeared, were in a different category than the rest of us, and that encouraged future executives to push the boundaries of what was acceptable.

Under Ronald Reagan, the next Republican president after Nixon, members of the administration broke the law to sell arms to Iran in order to funnel the proceeds to the Contra insurgents fighting to overthrow the leftist government in Nicaragua. Fourteen administration officials were indicted and eleven convicted in the scandal, but when he became president, George H. W. Bush—himself implicated in the scandal—pardoned them on the advice of his attorney general, William Barr.

Lawrence Walsh, the independent prosecutor in the case, worried that pardoning the officials removed accountability and thus weakened American democracy. It “undermines…the principle…that no man is above the law,” he said. “It demonstrates that powerful people with powerful allies can commit serious crimes in high office, deliberately abusing the public trust without consequences.”

By 2004, President George W. Bush rejected any limitation on “the unitary executive branch.” The concept of the unitary executive said that, as head of his own branch of government, the president did not have to submit to any oversight or check by Congress.

Today we learned that a federal grand jury investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is now looking into Trump’s political action committee, “Save America,” to understand its fundraising, how its money was received, and how its money was spent. The PAC was organized immediately after the 2020 election and sought donations based on the idea that the election was stolen.

Also today, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, charged Trump ally Stephen K. Bannon with two felony counts of money laundering, two felony counts of conspiracy, and one felony count of a scheme to defraud, over his role in “We Build the Wall, Inc,” an organization that promised to bring former president Trump’s wall on the southern border of the U.S. into reality.

The organization raised millions of dollars to build the wall but instead funneled money to the organization’s president, Brian Kolfage, and others including Bannon, defrauding those who contributed to the effort.

Bannon was charged by the federal government in 2020, but Trump pardoned him before he went to trial. New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, noted today: “Regular, everyday Americans play by these rules, and yet too often powerful political interests, they ignore these rules. They think they are above the law, and the most egregious of them take advantage.”

I’m glad we don’t have executive pardons in Australia.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/09/2022 03:42:17
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1930648
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 11/09/2022 21:52:04
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1931669
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Why did Donald Trump bury his first wife Ivana at his golf resort?
Ivana Trump lies, looking like a cruel afterthought, in a stark grave that it turns out supplies her ex-husband Donald Trump with a handy trifecta of tax breaks.

https://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/cahirodoherty/why-did-donald-trump-bury-ivana-golf-resort

Reply Quote

Date: 11/09/2022 21:54:36
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1931671
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:

Why did Donald Trump bury his first wife Ivana at his golf resort?
Ivana Trump lies, looking like a cruel afterthought, in a stark grave that it turns out supplies her ex-husband Donald Trump with a handy trifecta of tax breaks.

https://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/cahirodoherty/why-did-donald-trump-bury-ivana-golf-resort

so it was true after all

damn

Reply Quote

Date: 12/09/2022 03:58:54
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1931730
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Hear how Hillary Clinton thinks DOJ should treat Trump

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSgML_3yOfs

Reply Quote

Date: 12/09/2022 20:38:54
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1932035
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Has CNN Decided to Become Fox News?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJg0jtPVyS4

Reply Quote

Date: 15/09/2022 01:25:57
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1932932
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Let’s talk about Michigan, Trump, and how it used to be….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsJjESPXixI

Trumpster shoots family.

Trump shares his photoshopped image wearing Q badge

Reply Quote

Date: 17/09/2022 15:26:56
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1934124
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Boston Children’s Hospital Becomes Latest Target Of MAGA-Right Threats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C5UL93YCQg

fn mob .

Reply Quote

Date: 20/09/2022 10:33:54
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1935171
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence Frank Figliuzzi reacts to former President Trump openly embracing and amplifying QAnon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzj_3AXnkxA

A bizarre Trump rally in Ohio for GOP Senate candidate, J.D. Vance is putting the GOP in a bind. The New York Times reports music Trump played resembled a QAnon song and the crowds reacted to it with a salute. It comes after Trump openly embraced QAnon conspiracy theories online and in recent actions. The Washington Post saying it amounted to Trump asking “QAnon to stand back and stand by.” MSNBC’s Ari Melber reports on the rally and “the main-lining of weaponized lies and hate in the GOP and America.”

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

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 03:40:32
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1935497
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

are the missing documents in Ivana’s coffin?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/20/ivana-trump-grave-classified-documents-conspiracy-theories

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 13:25:25
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1935589
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


are the missing documents in Ivana’s coffin?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/20/ivana-trump-grave-classified-documents-conspiracy-theories

bump.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 13:26:36
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1935590
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


sarahs mum said:

are the missing documents in Ivana’s coffin?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/20/ivana-trump-grave-classified-documents-conspiracy-theories

bump.

And, if they are…where’s Ivana?

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 13:34:02
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1935595
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


sarahs mum said:

sarahs mum said:

are the missing documents in Ivana’s coffin?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/20/ivana-trump-grave-classified-documents-conspiracy-theories

bump.

And, if they are…where’s Ivana?

how is concealment of items by burial anywhere near the level of delusional conspiracy theoretic of lizard overlords

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 14:28:03
From: Bubblecar
ID: 1935607
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


sarahs mum said:

are the missing documents in Ivana’s coffin?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/20/ivana-trump-grave-classified-documents-conspiracy-theories

bump.

I’d help but:

a) I don’t know where Ivana’s coffin is.
b) I don’t have permission to look in it.
c) I don’t know what the documents look like anyway.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 14:32:50
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1935609
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bubblecar said:


sarahs mum said:

sarahs mum said:

are the missing documents in Ivana’s coffin?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/20/ivana-trump-grave-classified-documents-conspiracy-theories

bump.

I’d help but:

a) I don’t know where Ivana’s coffin is.
b) I don’t have permission to look in it.
c) I don’t know what the documents look like anyway.


Ivana’s coffin was buried on the first hole of one of trump’s golf courses. the conspiracy theory here is that he is going to avoid paying taxes on the golf course because now it is a cemetery.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 14:35:51
From: Bubblecar
ID: 1935610
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Bubblecar said:

sarahs mum said:

bump.

I’d help but:

a) I don’t know where Ivana’s coffin is.
b) I don’t have permission to look in it.
c) I don’t know what the documents look like anyway.


Ivana’s coffin was buried on the first hole of one of trump’s golf courses. the conspiracy theory here is that he is going to avoid paying taxes on the golf course because now it is a cemetery.

Doesn’t surprise me that his gold holes are big enough to drop a coffin in.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 14:36:32
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1935611
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Bubblecar said:

sarahs mum said:

bump.

I’d help but:

a) I don’t know where Ivana’s coffin is.
b) I don’t have permission to look in it.
c) I don’t know what the documents look like anyway.


Ivana’s coffin was buried on the first hole of one of trump’s golf courses. the conspiracy theory here is that he is going to avoid paying taxes on the golf course because now it is a cemetery.

yeah we d’n‘o’ really it seems a bit false équivalent if you ask us, imagine if it were anyone else

“you killed your wife to get the money omg”

“no that’s just a conspiracy theory”

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 14:38:52
From: Bubblecar
ID: 1935613
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bubblecar said:


sarahs mum said:

Bubblecar said:

I’d help but:

a) I don’t know where Ivana’s coffin is.
b) I don’t have permission to look in it.
c) I don’t know what the documents look like anyway.


Ivana’s coffin was buried on the first hole of one of trump’s golf courses. the conspiracy theory here is that he is going to avoid paying taxes on the golf course because now it is a cemetery.

Doesn’t surprise me that his gold holes are big enough to drop a coffin in.

gold = golf

I’ve been falling asleep to the sound of mowing.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 17:20:55
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1935650
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Just How Close Is The U.S. To A Civil War? | The Mehdi Hasan Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nB9mfv_HFs

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 17:33:16
From: Cymek
ID: 1935651
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Just How Close Is The U.S. To A Civil War? | The Mehdi Hasan Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nB9mfv_HFs

Probably nothing civil about it, rednecks cussing up a storm as their inbreed army attacks the capitol ousting the illegal government and installing emperor Trump

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 17:36:38
From: roughbarked
ID: 1935652
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


sarahs mum said:

Just How Close Is The U.S. To A Civil War? | The Mehdi Hasan Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nB9mfv_HFs

Probably nothing civil about it, rednecks cussing up a storm as their inbreed army attacks the capitol ousting the illegal government and installing emperor Trump

It is all about the lone star state or the confederacy They still think it is happening and that they are going to win.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 17:36:53
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1935653
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


sarahs mum said:

Just How Close Is The U.S. To A Civil War? | The Mehdi Hasan Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nB9mfv_HFs

Probably nothing civil about it, rednecks cussing up a storm as their inbreed army attacks the capitol ousting the illegal government and installing emperor Trump

And it wouldn’t be over attempts to break up the union of the states, or over slavery or anything genuine.

Just based on lies, lies, lies, monumental stupidity, and more lies.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 17:40:27
From: Cymek
ID: 1935654
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


Cymek said:

sarahs mum said:

Just How Close Is The U.S. To A Civil War? | The Mehdi Hasan Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nB9mfv_HFs

Probably nothing civil about it, rednecks cussing up a storm as their inbreed army attacks the capitol ousting the illegal government and installing emperor Trump

And it wouldn’t be over attempts to break up the union of the states, or over slavery or anything genuine.

Just based on lies, lies, lies, monumental stupidity, and more lies.

Pretty much isn’t it, and removing human rights and equality.
That’s what MAGA is, going back to days were people knew their place and white men ruled absolutely

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 17:57:13
From: roughbarked
ID: 1935656
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Cymek said:

sarahs mum said:

Just How Close Is The U.S. To A Civil War? | The Mehdi Hasan Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nB9mfv_HFs

Probably nothing civil about it, rednecks cussing up a storm as their inbreed army attacks the capitol ousting the illegal government and installing emperor Trump

It is all about the lone star state or the confederacy They still think it is happening and that they are going to win.

With a bloke who was born in New York.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 18:25:18
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1935674
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

so, what is the answer then, how close is the civil war

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 19:33:13
From: dv
ID: 1935715
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 19:34:47
From: party_pants
ID: 1935716
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:



sounds good.

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 19:34:54
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1935717
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

is it legit’

Reply Quote

Date: 21/09/2022 20:23:36
From: dv
ID: 1935730
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/texas-sheriff-opens-criminal-investigation-marthas-vineyard-migrant-tr-rcna48411

Texas sheriff opens criminal investigation into Martha’s Vineyard migrant trips
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said it appeared that 48 migrants were “lured under false pretenses” to the posh Massachusetts island

A Texas sheriff said Monday that his office has opened a criminal investigation into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ unprecedented move to send nearly 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, last week.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said the inquiry was in its early stages, and he declined to name possible suspects. But in a news conference, he said: “Everybody on this call knows who those names are already.”

Salazar said it was not clear whether any laws had been broken, but he said that 48 migrants appeared to have been “lured under false pretenses” into staying at a hotel for a couple of days before they were flown to Florida and Martha’s Vineyard.

“They were promised work,” he said. “They were promised the solution to several of their problems.”

He said a recruiter was paid a “bird dog fee” to gather roughly 50 people around a San Antonio migrant resource center.

The asylum-seekers, most of them Venezuelan, were then taken to the posh Massachusetts island “for little more than a photo op or a video op, and they were unceremoniously stranded in Martha’s Vineyard,” Salazar said.

Salazar said his office’s organized crime investigators would handle the investigation.

Immigration advocates and lawyers called for a criminal investigation into DeSantis’ effort to move the migrants under a $12 million program aimed at relocating “unauthorized aliens” to what his administration has described as “sanctuary” jurisdictions.

In a statement Monday, a spokesperson for DeSantis said that Florida had helped the migrants access “greener pastures” in a place with more resources after they’d been “abandoned” in Bexar County.

Reply Quote

Date: 18/10/2022 02:14:30
From: sibeen
ID: 1945452
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 18/10/2022 02:22:47
From: sibeen
ID: 1945453
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:



Actually, that tweet was a bit disingenuous, it cut off the bottom of the graph. I went to the NYT site to look at the original and this is on their site:

Reply Quote

Date: 18/10/2022 03:10:12
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1945454
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


sibeen said:


Actually, that tweet was a bit disingenuous, it cut off the bottom of the graph. I went to the NYT site to look at the original and this is on their site:


I wonder what the 45-64 age group is all in a tizz about?

Reply Quote

Date: 18/10/2022 03:16:49
From: dv
ID: 1945457
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


sibeen said:


Actually, that tweet was a bit disingenuous, it cut off the bottom of the graph. I went to the NYT site to look at the original and this is on their site:


It’s usually better to look at polling averages: there’s a scatter in individual polls (Ipsos poll has Dems ahead 4 points).
The polling average suggests the Dems are ahead about 1% (which is probably not enough for them to hold the House due to the gerrymander).

Reply Quote

Date: 18/10/2022 11:02:05
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1945528
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

‘‘Before it is too late:’ Trump attacks Jewish Americans in post and draws swift criticism’

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/10/16/trump-post-american-jews-support-israel/10518971002/ (includes video)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/10/16/trump-says-jewish-americans-must-get-their-act-together-and-appreciate-him-in-bizarre-truth-social-post/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-truth-social-jan-6-latest-b2203795.html

Reply Quote

Date: 18/10/2022 11:28:49
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1945538
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


‘‘Before it is too late:’ Trump attacks Jewish Americans in post and draws swift criticism’

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/10/16/trump-post-american-jews-support-israel/10518971002/ (includes video)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/10/16/trump-says-jewish-americans-must-get-their-act-together-and-appreciate-him-in-bizarre-truth-social-post/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-truth-social-jan-6-latest-b2203795.html

He’ll get vaporised by Jewish space lasers if he’s not careful…

Reply Quote

Date: 18/10/2022 11:44:27
From: dv
ID: 1945543
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Kanye is buying Parler lol

Reply Quote

Date: 18/10/2022 12:29:19
From: roughbarked
ID: 1945569
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


‘‘Before it is too late:’ Trump attacks Jewish Americans in post and draws swift criticism’

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/10/16/trump-post-american-jews-support-israel/10518971002/ (includes video)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/10/16/trump-says-jewish-americans-must-get-their-act-together-and-appreciate-him-in-bizarre-truth-social-post/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-truth-social-jan-6-latest-b2203795.html

Bizarre.

Reply Quote

Date: 19/10/2022 07:23:31
From: roughbarked
ID: 1945897
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Donald Trump Has Confessed

Reply Quote

Date: 3/11/2022 09:05:23
From: roughbarked
ID: 1951808
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Two days out from the crucial midterm elections in the US, Donald Trump will host an all-out MAGA rally in Miami, Florida.

However, one key Republican isn’t on the guest list.

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Date: 3/11/2022 09:56:43
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1951832
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Two days out from the crucial midterm elections in the US, Donald Trump will host an all-out MAGA rally in Miami, Florida.

However, one key Republican isn’t on the guest list.

This might be a good time for the US Army’s Engineer Corps to saw off Florida along its borders with Alabama and Georgia. and push off in the direction of Cuba.

Reply Quote

Date: 3/11/2022 10:02:07
From: The Rev Dodgson
ID: 1951835
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Just seen on the Internet:

‘#TrumpIsDead’ trends on Twitter as users test Elon Musk’s approach to fake news

Donald Trump is not dead, nor is he back on Twitter, but the former US president became a top trending topic as users set out to test the stance of the social media platform’s new owner on disinformation.

Reply Quote

Date: 3/11/2022 10:04:54
From: roughbarked
ID: 1951837
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The Rev Dodgson said:


Just seen on the Internet:

‘#TrumpIsDead’ trends on Twitter as users test Elon Musk’s approach to fake news

Donald Trump is not dead, nor is he back on Twitter, but the former US president became a top trending topic as users set out to test the stance of the social media platform’s new owner on disinformation.

As he said, you’ll still have to pay.

Reply Quote

Date: 3/11/2022 10:21:54
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1951839
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

BREAKING:

Roger Smithfield Jr., has been identified as the killer of Donald Trump according to trending twitter activity.
The National Guard has been called out across the country but mostly in the cities where angry crowds are marching through the streets yelling “Welease Wodger”

Reply Quote

Date: 3/11/2022 10:21:56
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1951840
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


The Rev Dodgson said:

Just seen on the Internet:

‘#TrumpIsDead’ trends on Twitter as users test Elon Musk’s approach to fake news

Donald Trump is not dead, nor is he back on Twitter, but the former US president became a top trending topic as users set out to test the stance of the social media platform’s new owner on disinformation.

As he said, you’ll still have to pay.

Mow, if that had said ‘Trump is brain-dead…’.

Reply Quote

Date: 3/11/2022 17:03:17
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1951941
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


roughbarked said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Just seen on the Internet:

‘#TrumpIsDead’ trends on Twitter as users test Elon Musk’s approach to fake news

Donald Trump is not dead, nor is he back on Twitter, but the former US president became a top trending topic as users set out to test the stance of the social media platform’s new owner on disinformation.

As he said, you’ll still have to pay.

Mow, if that had said ‘Trump is brain-dead…’.

does something need to exist before it can be considered dead

Reply Quote

Date: 8/11/2022 09:08:13
From: roughbarked
ID: 1953722
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Call me Trump in a dress This rising Republican star refuses to say if she’ll accept electoral defeat

Reply Quote

Date: 8/11/2022 09:44:19
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1953736
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Call me Trump in a dress This rising Republican star refuses to say if she’ll accept electoral defeat

Reply Quote

Date: 8/11/2022 09:44:45
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1953737
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

democracy onto a bunch of winners

Reply Quote

Date: 8/11/2022 10:34:51
From: dv
ID: 1953753
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 10:49:52
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954064
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

ABC have set the election results page up, so it can be watched live.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 10:51:36
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1954067
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:

ABC have set the election results page up, so it can be watched live.

what’s the answer

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 10:55:08
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954069
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

ABC have set the election results page up, so it can be watched live.

what’s the answer

We’ll have that by midnight at the latest.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:04:33
From: fsm
ID: 1954076
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:06:04
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954078
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

fsm said:


I should I should not.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:11:13
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954080
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

I’ll start.
I’m hoping the polls are wrong and early results are looking promising for the Dems.
DeSantis is well behind early.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:13:28
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954082
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


I’ll start.
I’m hoping the polls are wrong and early results are looking promising for the Dems.
DeSantis is well behind early.

Err that turned around quickly.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:15:03
From: dv
ID: 1954086
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The boffins reckon the House is gone so the main interest will be in whether the Dems can retain the Senate and on how some of the key state government races go.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:17:28
From: sibeen
ID: 1954088
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Peak Warming Man said:

I’ll start.
I’m hoping the polls are wrong and early results are looking promising for the Dems.
DeSantis is well behind early.

Err that turned around quickly.

Apparently early results can lean heavily democrat as they tend to postal vote more. Latter results then swing to the GOP.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:27:08
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954096
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The Trump/MAGA/GOP loonies have already begun to set the stage for denying results if things don’t go their way:

Newsweek:

‘One of Donald Trump’s lawyers has said it will look “very suspicious” if some of the midterm election results are not declared by early Wednesday morning, suggesting Republicans could once again challenge some votes.

Christina Bobb, a right-wing TV presenter prior to joining Trump’s legal team, made the comment during an appearance on the Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).’

She ignores the fact that changes pushed through by the Republicans mean that in many places a huge number of votes which were lodged prior to the election day cannot begin to be counted until after the polls close on election day, so she expects that (as she says) millions of votes will be counted in a matter of a few hours.

Trump is spreading bullshit already:

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:28:10
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954098
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


Peak Warming Man said:

Peak Warming Man said:

I’ll start.
I’m hoping the polls are wrong and early results are looking promising for the Dems.
DeSantis is well behind early.

Err that turned around quickly.

Apparently early results can lean heavily democrat as they tend to postal vote more. Latter results then swing to the GOP.

some states count their postal votes last

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:29:27
From: Cymek
ID: 1954099
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


The Trump/MAGA/GOP loonies have already begun to set the stage for denying results if things don’t go their way:

Newsweek:

‘One of Donald Trump’s lawyers has said it will look “very suspicious” if some of the midterm election results are not declared by early Wednesday morning, suggesting Republicans could once again challenge some votes.

Christina Bobb, a right-wing TV presenter prior to joining Trump’s legal team, made the comment during an appearance on the Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).’

She ignores the fact that changes pushed through by the Republicans mean that in many places a huge number of votes which were lodged prior to the election day cannot begin to be counted until after the polls close on election day, so she expects that (as she says) millions of votes will be counted in a matter of a few hours.

Trump is spreading bullshit already:


Who would win Trump’s head or a high velocity hollow point bullet

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:31:07
From: Cymek
ID: 1954100
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


sibeen said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Err that turned around quickly.

Apparently early results can lean heavily democrat as they tend to postal vote more. Latter results then swing to the GOP.

some states count their postal votes last

They’d probably consume more time and slow down the initial count if you started with them.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:32:46
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954103
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


captain_spalding said:

The Trump/MAGA/GOP loonies have already begun to set the stage for denying results if things don’t go their way:

Newsweek:

‘One of Donald Trump’s lawyers has said it will look “very suspicious” if some of the midterm election results are not declared by early Wednesday morning, suggesting Republicans could once again challenge some votes.

Christina Bobb, a right-wing TV presenter prior to joining Trump’s legal team, made the comment during an appearance on the Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).’

She ignores the fact that changes pushed through by the Republicans mean that in many places a huge number of votes which were lodged prior to the election day cannot begin to be counted until after the polls close on election day, so she expects that (as she says) millions of votes will be counted in a matter of a few hours.

Trump is spreading bullshit already:


Who would win Trump’s head or a high velocity hollow point bullet

The meeting of two hollow objects.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:35:20
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954104
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


diddly-squat said:

sibeen said:

Apparently early results can lean heavily democrat as they tend to postal vote more. Latter results then swing to the GOP.

some states count their postal votes last

They’d probably consume more time and slow down the initial count if you started with them.

not really.. I mean ideally you could start with the postal votes before poling actually closed

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:38:08
From: dv
ID: 1954105
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Looks like Marco Rubio and Sarah Huckabee Sanders have won their races

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:39:52
From: Cymek
ID: 1954106
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


Cymek said:

diddly-squat said:

some states count their postal votes last

They’d probably consume more time and slow down the initial count if you started with them.

not really.. I mean ideally you could start with the postal votes before poling actually closed

Do they trickle in after the election has closed like in Australia

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:47:15
From: dv
ID: 1954110
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


diddly-squat said:

Cymek said:

They’d probably consume more time and slow down the initial count if you started with them.

not really.. I mean ideally you could start with the postal votes before poling actually closed

Do they trickle in after the election has closed like in Australia

Are they using carabiners or just clinging to the rope?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 11:58:28
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1954112
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:

Cymek said:

diddly-squat said:

not really.. I mean ideally you could start with the postal votes before poling actually closed

Do they trickle in after the election has closed like in Australia

Are they using carabiners or just clinging to the rope?

is there a RCT showing that carabiners save lives

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 12:14:22
From: buffy
ID: 1954123
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


I’ll start.
I’m hoping the polls are wrong and early results are looking promising for the Dems.
DeSantis is well behind early.

You are with Mike Moore, then.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 12:21:15
From: buffy
ID: 1954130
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


Cymek said:

diddly-squat said:

some states count their postal votes last

They’d probably consume more time and slow down the initial count if you started with them.

not really.. I mean ideally you could start with the postal votes before poling actually closed

I think we don’t do that here because of the risk of it influencing polling on the day if details were leaked.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 12:22:54
From: Michael V
ID: 1954131
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


The Trump/MAGA/GOP loonies have already begun to set the stage for denying results if things don’t go their way:

Newsweek:

‘One of Donald Trump’s lawyers has said it will look “very suspicious” if some of the midterm election results are not declared by early Wednesday morning, suggesting Republicans could once again challenge some votes.

Christina Bobb, a right-wing TV presenter prior to joining Trump’s legal team, made the comment during an appearance on the Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).’

She ignores the fact that changes pushed through by the Republicans mean that in many places a huge number of votes which were lodged prior to the election day cannot begin to be counted until after the polls close on election day, so she expects that (as she says) millions of votes will be counted in a matter of a few hours.

Trump is spreading bullshit already:


Heck!

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 12:31:00
From: Michael V
ID: 1954134
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

buffy said:


diddly-squat said:

Cymek said:

They’d probably consume more time and slow down the initial count if you started with them.

not really.. I mean ideally you could start with the postal votes before poling actually closed

I think we don’t do that here because of the risk of it influencing polling on the day if details were leaked.

Here, there’s already been a couple of hours counting in the east, before the WA polling stations close. Does that influence the poll?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 12:50:55
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954144
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Dems holding ground in the Senate in key states

Warnock (D) leading Walker ® in GA (44% counted)
Fetterman (D) leading Oz ® in PA (7% counted)
Ryan (D) leading Vance ® in OH (32% counted)

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 12:53:00
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954145
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

really looking forward to seeing the gubernatorial results in GA and TX as well..

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 12:55:58
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954147
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Charlie Crist has conceded to DeSantis

https://www.facebook.com/charliecristfl/videos/614420640371175

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:07:17
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954149
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:

really looking forward to seeing the gubernatorial results in GA and TX as well..

I think that if it’s the ‘gubernatorial election’, then the winner HAS TO be referred to on all occasions as ‘the gubernator’.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:09:12
From: Cymek
ID: 1954152
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


diddly-squat said:

really looking forward to seeing the gubernatorial results in GA and TX as well..

I think that if it’s the ‘gubernatorial election’, then the winner HAS TO be referred to on all occasions as ‘the gubernator’.

He’ll be back

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:11:52
From: dv
ID: 1954153
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:

really looking forward to seeing the gubernatorial results in GA and TX as well..

Democratic governor has held on in Kansas

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:13:07
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954155
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


captain_spalding said:

diddly-squat said:

really looking forward to seeing the gubernatorial results in GA and TX as well..

I think that if it’s the ‘gubernatorial election’, then the winner HAS TO be referred to on all occasions as ‘the gubernator’.

He’ll be back

We need to change a lot of job titles, so as to attract those more focussed on the purpose of the job rather than the prestige of the title.

For instance, if the title of ‘Governor of Texas’ was changed to ‘that jerk’, it might keep out some people whose egos are their primary driver.

A press release which begins ‘That jerk in Austin said today…’ is going to keep it rather more real.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:21:03
From: dv
ID: 1954161
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Democrats Maura Healey has been elected governor of Massachusetts, flipping the state from the Republicans.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:22:08
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954162
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Democrats Maura Healey has been elected governor of Massachusetts, flipping the state from the Republicans.

GOP lights go out in Massachusetts!’

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:25:00
From: Cymek
ID: 1954163
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Democrats Maura Healey has been elected governor of Massachusetts, flipping the state from the Republicans.

Trump “Voter Fraud !!, I’m flinging my shit”

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:42:33
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954164
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Dems already down 2 seats in the House.. I wonder how big of a flip we’ll see…

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:44:28
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954165
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

it’s a dead heat in the Walker v Warnock race.. 63% counted

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:46:02
From: dv
ID: 1954166
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Mary-land has voted to legalise Mary-jane

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:48:22
From: buffy
ID: 1954167
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Michael V said:


buffy said:

diddly-squat said:

not really.. I mean ideally you could start with the postal votes before poling actually closed

I think we don’t do that here because of the risk of it influencing polling on the day if details were leaked.

Here, there’s already been a couple of hours counting in the east, before the WA polling stations close. Does that influence the poll?

I think it is more about influencing stuff in the particular electorate than nationwide. I can’t remember the details. We talked about it here when we had our fed elections this year.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:49:50
From: buffy
ID: 1954168
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:

really looking forward to seeing the gubernatorial results in GA and TX as well..

Yes, Texas was mentioned on Planet America on Monday.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:50:18
From: Tamb
ID: 1954169
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

buffy said:


Michael V said:

buffy said:

I think we don’t do that here because of the risk of it influencing polling on the day if details were leaked.

Here, there’s already been a couple of hours counting in the east, before the WA polling stations close. Does that influence the poll?

I think it is more about influencing stuff in the particular electorate than nationwide. I can’t remember the details. We talked about it here when we had our fed elections this year.


I’m not taking any interest in the voting until counting is finished & the recriminations begin.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:55:10
From: buffy
ID: 1954173
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Democrats Maura Healey has been elected governor of Massachusetts, flipping the state from the Republicans.

This might be the women-vote.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 13:58:49
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954174
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

buffy said:


diddly-squat said:

really looking forward to seeing the gubernatorial results in GA and TX as well..

Yes, Texas was mentioned on Planet America on Monday.

there is no way Bet-o wins, it just comes down to how close he goes and what this means for his political ambitions

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:11:55
From: Michael V
ID: 1954178
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Democrats Maura Healey has been elected governor of Massachusetts, flipping the state from the Republicans.

Great!

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:18:28
From: kii
ID: 1954179
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:21:11
From: Michael V
ID: 1954182
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:



giggle

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:22:31
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954184
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Michael V said:


kii said:


giggle

They know that ‘it was stolen!’.

They just haven’t yet got an ‘accurate’ list of where it was stolen, and where it wasn’t stolen.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:24:35
From: Cymek
ID: 1954186
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


Michael V said:

kii said:


giggle

They know that ‘it was stolen!’.

They just haven’t yet got an ‘accurate’ list of where it was stolen, and where it wasn’t stolen.

Wait for them to claim to be the stolen generation and offend native populations everywhere

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:32:41
From: dv
ID: 1954189
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Republican Texas governor Abbott has won his election, no big shock.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:37:32
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954190
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Republican Texas governor Abbott has won his election, no big shock.

what do you think happens to Bet-O now?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:37:58
From: Kingy
ID: 1954191
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Republican Texas governor Abbott has won his election, no big shock.

Bugger. He’s one that should be jailed for the shit he’s done.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:38:33
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954192
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


dv said:

Republican Texas governor Abbott has won his election, no big shock.

what do you think happens to Bet-O now?

Six shifts a week at Maccas?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:45:40
From: dv
ID: 1954193
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Lauren Boebert, Republican congresswoman and conservative intellectual, appears to be trailing by about 5 %. One less rwnj in Congress might be a good thing.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:47:06
From: dv
ID: 1954194
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


dv said:

Republican Texas governor Abbott has won his election, no big shock.

what do you think happens to Bet-O now?

I’m not sure. Maybe just bide his time til there is a more favorable election.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:55:05
From: sibeen
ID: 1954195
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


diddly-squat said:

dv said:

Republican Texas governor Abbott has won his election, no big shock.

what do you think happens to Bet-O now?

I’m not sure. Maybe just bide his time til there is a more favorable election.

Not even close.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:56:55
From: Cymek
ID: 1954196
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Lauren Boebert, Republican congresswoman and conservative intellectual, appears to be trailing by about 5 %. One less rwnj in Congress might be a good thing.

Does conservative and intellectual go together

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:59:03
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954197
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


dv said:

Lauren Boebert, Republican congresswoman and conservative intellectual, appears to be trailing by about 5 %. One less rwnj in Congress might be a good thing.

Does conservative and intellectual go together

‘Conservative intellectual’ is usually a polite euphemism for ‘not quite so monumentally stupid as most of her party and its adherent’.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 14:59:18
From: dv
ID: 1954198
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


dv said:

Lauren Boebert, Republican congresswoman and conservative intellectual, appears to be trailing by about 5 %. One less rwnj in Congress might be a good thing.

Does conservative and intellectual go together

Whenever I say Conservative intellectual, it means total dingdong

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 15:05:31
From: Cymek
ID: 1954200
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Cymek said:

dv said:

Lauren Boebert, Republican congresswoman and conservative intellectual, appears to be trailing by about 5 %. One less rwnj in Congress might be a good thing.

Does conservative and intellectual go together

Whenever I say Conservative intellectual, it means total dingdong

That works

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 15:11:22
From: dv
ID: 1954203
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Democrats have picked up another governor’s house, flipping Maryland from the Republicans.

Right now it appears they will do okay in terms of the governors (which is not unimportant, governors can veto electoral maps and some legislation), probably losing the House, and Senate remains on a knife edge.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 15:19:13
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954206
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Looks like the new electoral map in Florida has resulted in three flipped House seats.. also likely that Georgia’s 6th, Tennessee’s 7th and Virginia’s 2nd have all flipped as well.. and that could just be the house to the GOP

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 15:33:29
From: dv
ID: 1954214
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The senator for Georgia election may go to a runoff again

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 15:55:58
From: dv
ID: 1954220
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

So far, only 5 House seats have changed hands (4 D to R, 1 R to D). 2 governorships have flipped (R to D). No senate seats have shifted.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 16:18:52
From: dv
ID: 1954224
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

As I type this, the boffins have announced the winners of all but 8 senate elections, giving it as 46-46.

Remaining are Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Alaska and Hawaii.

Alaska hasn’t counted yet but it’s almost certainly an R.
Hawaii hasn’t counted yet but it’s almost certainly a D.

Pennsylvania: Fetterman (D) leads Oz ® by about 50000 votes right now (about 1%).
Georgia: Walker ® leads Warnock (D) by about 10000 votes right now (about 0.2%). Seems neither will get a majority which will mean this election will go to a runoff.
Wisconsin: Johnson ® leads Barnes (D) by about 70000 votes right now (about 3%). This appears to be in the bag for Johnson.
Arizona: Kelly (D) leads Masters ® by about 240000 votes right now (about 18%). That might seem an unbeatable margin but the experts are saying that will come down as votes roll in.
Utah: Lee ® leads McMullin (Ind) by about 70000 votes (about 11%).
Nevada: No counting yet. It’s between Masto (D) and Laxalt ® and is expected to be close.

So if we optimistically give Pennsylvania and Arizona to the Dems, then they need one more to control the Senate (either Nevada or Georgia).

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 16:41:10
From: dv
ID: 1954226
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


As I type this, the boffins have announced the winners of all but 8 senate elections, giving it as 46-46.

Remaining are Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Alaska and Hawaii.

Alaska hasn’t counted yet but it’s almost certainly an R.
Hawaii hasn’t counted yet but it’s almost certainly a D.

Pennsylvania: Fetterman (D) leads Oz ® by about 50000 votes right now (about 1%).
Georgia: Walker ® leads Warnock (D) by about 10000 votes right now (about 0.2%). Seems neither will get a majority which will mean this election will go to a runoff.
Wisconsin: Johnson ® leads Barnes (D) by about 70000 votes right now (about 3%). This appears to be in the bag for Johnson.
Arizona: Kelly (D) leads Masters ® by about 240000 votes right now (about 18%). That might seem an unbeatable margin but the experts are saying that will come down as votes roll in.
Utah: Lee ® leads McMullin (Ind) by about 70000 votes (about 11%).
Nevada: No counting yet. It’s between Masto (D) and Laxalt ® and is expected to be close.

So if we optimistically give Pennsylvania and Arizona to the Dems, then they need one more to control the Senate (either Nevada or Georgia).

In governorships, before this election, the Republicans held 28 out of 50. The have now lost Maryland and Massachusetts, and look very much like losing Arizona, which would put then at 25-25.
We still haven’t got any counts from Nevada.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:04:40
From: Bubblecar
ID: 1954228
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

As I type this, the boffins have announced the winners of all but 8 senate elections, giving it as 46-46.

Remaining are Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Alaska and Hawaii.

Alaska hasn’t counted yet but it’s almost certainly an R.
Hawaii hasn’t counted yet but it’s almost certainly a D.

Pennsylvania: Fetterman (D) leads Oz ® by about 50000 votes right now (about 1%).
Georgia: Walker ® leads Warnock (D) by about 10000 votes right now (about 0.2%). Seems neither will get a majority which will mean this election will go to a runoff.
Wisconsin: Johnson ® leads Barnes (D) by about 70000 votes right now (about 3%). This appears to be in the bag for Johnson.
Arizona: Kelly (D) leads Masters ® by about 240000 votes right now (about 18%). That might seem an unbeatable margin but the experts are saying that will come down as votes roll in.
Utah: Lee ® leads McMullin (Ind) by about 70000 votes (about 11%).
Nevada: No counting yet. It’s between Masto (D) and Laxalt ® and is expected to be close.

So if we optimistically give Pennsylvania and Arizona to the Dems, then they need one more to control the Senate (either Nevada or Georgia).

In governorships, before this election, the Republicans held 28 out of 50. The have now lost Maryland and Massachusetts, and look very much like losing Arizona, which would put then at 25-25.
We still haven’t got any counts from Nevada.

Well that’s one bit of decent news.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:10:53
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954231
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

I’ve been away from the computer for a bit.

Has the civil war started in the US yet?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:18:03
From: kii
ID: 1954235
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


I’ve been away from the computer for a bit.

Has the civil war started in the US yet?

We just had a train go past with the usual noises. Gracie barked at something and when let out she took a dump at the back gate after charging around like a maniac. So all seems okay here, except my toes are cold.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:19:40
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954236
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


captain_spalding said:

I’ve been away from the computer for a bit.

Has the civil war started in the US yet?

We just had a train go past with the usual noises. Gracie barked at something and when let out she took a dump at the back gate after charging around like a maniac. So all seems okay here, except my toes are cold.

Stay safe, and keep counting the days until the Freedom Bird.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:21:10
From: kii
ID: 1954237
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


kii said:

captain_spalding said:

I’ve been away from the computer for a bit.

Has the civil war started in the US yet?

We just had a train go past with the usual noises. Gracie barked at something and when let out she took a dump at the back gate after charging around like a maniac. So all seems okay here, except my toes are cold.

Stay safe, and keep counting the days until the Freedom Bird.

Aye Aye captain!

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:24:06
From: Cymek
ID: 1954238
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


captain_spalding said:

kii said:

We just had a train go past with the usual noises. Gracie barked at something and when let out she took a dump at the back gate after charging around like a maniac. So all seems okay here, except my toes are cold.

Stay safe, and keep counting the days until the Freedom Bird.

Aye Aye captain!

You’ll get culture shock going from third world to first world

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:24:26
From: JudgeMental
ID: 1954239
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


captain_spalding said:

I’ve been away from the computer for a bit.

Has the civil war started in the US yet?

We just had a train go past with the usual noises. Gracie barked at something and when let out she took a dump at the back gate after charging around like a maniac. So all seems okay here, except my toes are cold.

popsicle toes?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:25:58
From: JudgeMental
ID: 1954241
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


kii said:

captain_spalding said:

Stay safe, and keep counting the days until the Freedom Bird.

Aye Aye captain!

You’ll get culture shock going from third world to first world

If kii comes to Bunbury though…

;-)

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:26:11
From: dv
ID: 1954242
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

MSNBC have gone ahead and said that Fetterman has defeated Oz, and also seem to be projecting a lineball result in the House of Representatives…

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:28:16
From: kii
ID: 1954246
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

JudgeMental said:


Cymek said:

kii said:

Aye Aye captain!

You’ll get culture shock going from third world to first world

If kii comes to Bunbury though…

;-)

Yeah, but it has the ocean and some decent coffee.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:28:24
From: dv
ID: 1954247
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


I’ve been away from the computer for a bit.

Has the civil war started in the US yet?

Quite some years ago

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:28:41
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1954248
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


MSNBC have gone ahead and said that Fetterman has defeated Oz, and also seem to be projecting a lineball result in the House of Representatives…

well that is something.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:29:09
From: kii
ID: 1954250
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


MSNBC have gone ahead and said that Fetterman has defeated Oz, and also seem to be projecting a lineball result in the House of Representatives…

I fucking hope so! I bought a Fetterman t-shirt!

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:33:50
From: kii
ID: 1954252
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

It’s official. I will be the next U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania.

We bet on the people of Pennsylvania – and you didn’t let us down

And I won’t let you down. Thank you.

From Fetterman’s Facebook

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:34:08
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1954253
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Annoyed about Vance.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:35:29
From: dv
ID: 1954254
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


It’s official. I will be the next U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania.

We bet on the people of Pennsylvania – and you didn’t let us down

Congratulations, kii, I never stopped believing

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:36:02
From: Cymek
ID: 1954255
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Witty Rejoinder said:


Annoyed about Vance.

Neil from Motley Crue, yeah he can’t sing anymore

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:36:04
From: Michael V
ID: 1954256
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


MSNBC have gone ahead and said that Fetterman has defeated Oz, and also seem to be projecting a lineball result in the House of Representatives…

Cool!

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:37:50
From: kii
ID: 1954257
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


kii said:

It’s official. I will be the next U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania.

We bet on the people of Pennsylvania – and you didn’t let us down

Congratulations, kii, I never stopped believing

Pfft..easy peasy.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:40:38
From: dv
ID: 1954258
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Wisconsin Governor Gretchen Whitmer has won her race. Says Nate Rakich:

“That’s a big win for Democrats in the Wisconsin gubernatorial race. Because it looks like Republicans failed to win a supermajority in the legislature, the state will remain under divided government, which means Republicans won’t be able to do things like pass an abortion ban or gut the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission.”

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 17:52:28
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954259
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Looks like the Publicans will win the hose and the Dems will hold the senate.

Looking at the negatives for both sides, for the dems the President is gaga and for the Reps they threw themselves against the ramparts of the establishment in an attempt to overthrow the elected government.
Pretty much even.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:03:47
From: dv
ID: 1954264
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

A ballot measure to amend the state constitution to restrict abortion in Kentucky has failed, with “No” winning by 53-47.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:06:36
From: Spiny Norman
ID: 1954265
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


dv said:

kii said:

It’s official. I will be the next U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania.

We bet on the people of Pennsylvania – and you didn’t let us down

Congratulations, kii, I never stopped believing

Pfft..easy peasy.

I’m a bit nervous to ask, but will you be safe there if there’s numerous riots around the country?
Stocking up with cans of food, etc, might be a good idea.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:12:48
From: dv
ID: 1954266
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Warnock (D) has pulled ahead of Warner ® in the Georgia senate race but it is still likely to go to a runoff.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:33:42
From: dv
ID: 1954268
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Warnock (D) has pulled ahead of Warner ® in the Georgia senate race but it is still likely to go to a runoff.

and indeed the the chief operating officer in the office of the Georgia Secretary of State has now confirmed there will be a runoff to be held on 6 December.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:35:36
From: Cymek
ID: 1954270
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

Warnock (D) has pulled ahead of Warner ® in the Georgia senate race but it is still likely to go to a runoff.

and indeed the the chief operating officer in the office of the Georgia Secretary of State has now confirmed there will be a runoff to be held on 6 December.

How many metres feet is the runoff, gives them time to get in shape for the run as well

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:36:57
From: The Rev Dodgson
ID: 1954271
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Looks like the Publicans will win the hose and the Dems will hold the senate.

Looking at the negatives for both sides, for the dems the President is gaga and for the Reps they threw themselves against the ramparts of the establishment in an attempt to overthrow the elected government.
Pretty much even.

But is the current Pres as gaga as the previous Pres?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:37:04
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954272
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

Warnock (D) has pulled ahead of Warner ® in the Georgia senate race but it is still likely to go to a runoff.

and indeed the the chief operating officer in the office of the Georgia Secretary of State has now confirmed there will be a runoff to be held on 6 December.

Is that like telling the voters to go away and think about what it is that they’ve done, and to come back on 6 Dec and prove to us that they can behave responsibly?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:38:41
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954273
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The Rev Dodgson said:


Peak Warming Man said:

Looks like the Publicans will win the hose and the Dems will hold the senate.

Looking at the negatives for both sides, for the dems the President is gaga and for the Reps they threw themselves against the ramparts of the establishment in an attempt to overthrow the elected government.
Pretty much even.

But is the current Pres as gaga as the previous Pres?

Trump’s degree of insanity is not a practical yardstick against which anything can possibly be measured.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:42:39
From: Cymek
ID: 1954274
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


The Rev Dodgson said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Looks like the Publicans will win the hose and the Dems will hold the senate.

Looking at the negatives for both sides, for the dems the President is gaga and for the Reps they threw themselves against the ramparts of the establishment in an attempt to overthrow the elected government.
Pretty much even.

But is the current Pres as gaga as the previous Pres?

Trump’s degree of insanity is not a practical yardstick against which anything can possibly be measured.

His presidency was one of the breaking of the seven seals

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:43:40
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954275
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


captain_spalding said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

But is the current Pres as gaga as the previous Pres?

Trump’s degree of insanity is not a practical yardstick against which anything can possibly be measured.

His presidency was one of the breaking of the seven seals

Must we now add cruelty to animals to his list of sins?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:51:00
From: dv
ID: 1954276
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Going through the list of ballot measures…

Health and Abortion:
Referendum in California guaranteeing the right to abortion: wins.
Referendum in Michigan guaranteeing the right to abortion: wins.
Referendum in Vermont guaranteeing the right to abortion: wins.
Referendum in Kentucky to restrict abortion: loses.
Weird referendum in Montana enforcing care for aborted fetuses: loses.
Referendum in Washington to guarantee healthcare access: too close to call

Voter access:
Referendum in Arizona to restrict the kinds of ID that can be used for voting: loses.
Referendum in Connecticut to allow in-person early voting: wins.
Referendum in Michigan to widen voting access: wins.

Firearms:

Referendum in Iowa to add gun rights to state consitution: wins
Referendum in Washington to increase background checks for gun purchases: wins.

Weed:
Referendum in South Dakota to allow recreational marijuana: loses
Referendum in North Dakota to allow recreational marijuana: loses
Referendum in Arkansas to allow recreational marijuana: loses
Referendum in Maryland to allow recreational marijuana: wins
Referendum in Missouri to allow recreational marijuana: wins

There are also ballot measures in Nevada to allow preference voting, and to increase the minimum wage, but we don’t have counts yet.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:51:10
From: buffy
ID: 1954277
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


MSNBC have gone ahead and said that Fetterman has defeated Oz, and also seem to be projecting a lineball result in the House of Representatives…

So do we think Michael Moore is right again?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:51:39
From: Cymek
ID: 1954278
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


Cymek said:

captain_spalding said:

Trump’s degree of insanity is not a practical yardstick against which anything can possibly be measured.

His presidency was one of the breaking of the seven seals

Must we now add cruelty to animals to his list of sins?

He’s certainly not a credit to his species the gentle orangutan

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 18:59:12
From: dv
ID: 1954279
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

buffy said:


dv said:

MSNBC have gone ahead and said that Fetterman has defeated Oz, and also seem to be projecting a lineball result in the House of Representatives…

So do we think Michael Moore is right again?

Eh, I think probably the Republicans will win the House. But what would I know

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 19:05:01
From: buffy
ID: 1954280
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Going through the list of ballot measures…

Health and Abortion:
Referendum in California guaranteeing the right to abortion: wins.
Referendum in Michigan guaranteeing the right to abortion: wins.
Referendum in Vermont guaranteeing the right to abortion: wins.
Referendum in Kentucky to restrict abortion: loses.
Weird referendum in Montana enforcing care for aborted fetuses: loses.
Referendum in Washington to guarantee healthcare access: too close to call

Voter access:
Referendum in Arizona to restrict the kinds of ID that can be used for voting: loses.
Referendum in Connecticut to allow in-person early voting: wins.
Referendum in Michigan to widen voting access: wins.

Firearms:

Referendum in Iowa to add gun rights to state consitution: wins
Referendum in Washington to increase background checks for gun purchases: wins.

Weed:
Referendum in South Dakota to allow recreational marijuana: loses
Referendum in North Dakota to allow recreational marijuana: loses
Referendum in Arkansas to allow recreational marijuana: loses
Referendum in Maryland to allow recreational marijuana: wins
Referendum in Missouri to allow recreational marijuana: wins

There are also ballot measures in Nevada to allow preference voting, and to increase the minimum wage, but we don’t have counts yet.

Most of that is quite encouraging.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 19:22:13
From: dv
ID: 1954282
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


MSNBC have gone ahead and said that Fetterman has defeated Oz, and also seem to be projecting a lineball result in the House of Representatives…

Two hours later the projection has improved a bit for Republicans but, with a +/-10 margin of error, this would mean that Democrats retaining the House is still a mathematical possibility.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 19:26:15
From: Cymek
ID: 1954285
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

It’s somewhat distressing most of the world is focussed on US elections, they aren’t exactly a great role model for the world, not the worst but certainly not the best

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 19:27:00
From: Spiny Norman
ID: 1954286
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

MSNBC have gone ahead and said that Fetterman has defeated Oz, and also seem to be projecting a lineball result in the House of Representatives…

Two hours later the projection has improved a bit for Republicans but, with a +/-10 margin of error, this would mean that Democrats retaining the House is still a mathematical possibility.


That’s a lot of pain …. sorry, red. :(

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 19:35:06
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954287
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

US voting , according to population density:

!!

There’s your gerrymander.

Given a proper electoral distribution, Republicans wouldn’t have a Paddle-Pop’s chance in a blast furnace.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 19:37:52
From: Cymek
ID: 1954288
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


US voting , according to population density:

!!

There’s your gerrymander.

Given a proper electoral distribution, Republicans wouldn’t have a Paddle-Pop’s chance in a blast furnace.

Do the red spots correspond with high fundamental religious belief, low IQ, significant inbreeding and gun ownership

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 19:55:56
From: Michael V
ID: 1954289
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


US voting , according to population density:

!!

There’s your gerrymander.

Given a proper electoral distribution, Republicans wouldn’t have a Paddle-Pop’s chance in a blast furnace.

I can see several letter in that eye test. The most prominent are a leaning Z and an oblate O.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 20:29:58
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954290
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The first openly lesbian governor

That’s Democrat Maura Healey.

The former Massachusetts attorney-general is also the first female governor of Massachusetts.

The first female governor of Arkansas

That’s Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

You might remember her from her time as the White House press secretary during Donald Trump’s presidency.

The first elected female governor of New York

That’s Democrat Kathy Hochul.

She had been governor since former governor Andrew Cuomo resigned last year, but won the top job outright in the midterms.

The first Gen Z member in Congress

That’s Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost.

The 25-year-old gun reform and social justice won a seat in Florida’s 10th congressional district.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 20:31:23
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954291
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The Rev Dodgson said:


Peak Warming Man said:

Looks like the Publicans will win the hose and the Dems will hold the senate.

Looking at the negatives for both sides, for the dems the President is gaga and for the Reps they threw themselves against the ramparts of the establishment in an attempt to overthrow the elected government.
Pretty much even.

But is the current Pres as gaga as the previous Pres?

No. His problem is he forgets where he is.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 20:45:09
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954293
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

‘You might remember her from her time as the White House press secretary during Donald Trump’s presidency.’

Yes, i remember her.

Put in front of the media to dissemble, and to try to somehow excuse or explain away Trump’s recurrent episodes of dementia-like dickheadness and her not being very good at it at all, until it got to the point where she just couldn’t do it anymore and she quit.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 20:47:27
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954294
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


The Rev Dodgson said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Looks like the Publicans will win the hose and the Dems will hold the senate.

Looking at the negatives for both sides, for the dems the President is gaga and for the Reps they threw themselves against the ramparts of the establishment in an attempt to overthrow the elected government.
Pretty much even.

But is the current Pres as gaga as the previous Pres?

No. His problem is he forgets where he is.

On the other hand, he doesn’t seem to consider himself to be omnipotent or omniscient. Unlike his immediate predecessor.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 21:25:39
From: Kingy
ID: 1954301
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

What about Perjury Taylor Greene?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 21:43:11
From: dv
ID: 1954304
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Kingy said:


What about Perjury Taylor Greene?

Her seat is safe.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 22:14:24
From: Kingy
ID: 1954308
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Kingy said:

What about Perjury Taylor Greene?

Her seat is safe.

From what, IQ points?

How does some thing like that bag full of hate and lies appeal to anyone, let alone a majority?

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 22:18:30
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954310
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Kingy said:


dv said:

Kingy said:

What about Perjury Taylor Greene?

Her seat is safe.

From what, IQ points?

How does some thing like that bag full of hate and lies appeal to anyone, let alone a majority?

The phenomenon of not voting for someone/something,but voting against someone/something is a known and powerful thing.

Our local National party MP could stand naked in the main street with a swastika painted on his chest, biting the heads off puppies and pissing on the flag and he’d still win his seat because he’s not Labor.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 22:25:56
From: party_pants
ID: 1954315
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Kingy said:


dv said:

Kingy said:

What about Perjury Taylor Greene?

Her seat is safe.

From what, IQ points?

How does some thing like that bag full of hate and lies appeal to anyone, let alone a majority?

The key is to identify the voting public think “is wrong with the country”, and then blame your opponents for it. You don’t need to promise to do anything better or have any actual policies. Just identify your opponent as “the problem”.

Reply Quote

Date: 9/11/2022 22:54:09
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954320
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


‘You might remember her from her time as the White House press secretary during Donald Trump’s presidency.’

Yes, i remember her.

Put in front of the media to dissemble, and to try to somehow excuse or explain away Trump’s recurrent episodes of dementia-like dickheadness and her not being very good at it at all, until it got to the point where she just couldn’t do it anymore and she quit.

Yep

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 03:23:09
From: kii
ID: 1954353
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:

Weird referendum in Montana enforcing care for aborted fetuses: loses.

They wanted to do what?

One of mr kii’s nieces is an RN in MT, she’s one of his sane relatives…I wonder what she thinks of this?
Another one of his nieces is a forced birther (raised in MT and lives in Oregon). She has never talked to me, acknowledged me or even included me in things like her wedding invitation.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 03:41:26
From: kii
ID: 1954355
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Spiny Norman said:


kii said:

dv said:

Congratulations, kii, I never stopped believing

Pfft..easy peasy.

I’m a bit nervous to ask, but will you be safe there if there’s numerous riots around the country?
Stocking up with cans of food, etc, might be a good idea.

I have some friends up in the mountains who would take me and my critters in – he’s a retired Army Ranger. They have 11 dogs.
NM has been relatively okay as far as riots after elections, though I think Albuquerque had some a few years back.
I did stock up prior to the 2020 election, we even bought a chest freezer and had a 2nd pantry in a hall cupboard. Since mr kii’s death I have not replenished supplies as I get ready to leave here. I threw out a lot of items I had bought for him because of his illnesses.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 04:13:41
From: kii
ID: 1954356
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Ha ha…Sarah Palin lost!

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/31/1120327126/palin-peltola-begich-alaska-special-house-election-results

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 06:17:14
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954358
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


Ha ha…Sarah Palin lost!

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/31/1120327126/palin-peltola-begich-alaska-special-house-election-results

That’s one bit of good news.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 06:24:08
From: buffy
ID: 1954360
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


Ha ha…Sarah Palin lost!

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/31/1120327126/palin-peltola-begich-alaska-special-house-election-results

And they have preferential voting there I see. The general results seem to be not as bad as predicted by a lot of people too (from my perspective).

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 08:43:42
From: buffy
ID: 1954381
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Mike Moore

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 08:45:03
From: Bubblecar
ID: 1954384
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

buffy said:


Mike Moore

Heh.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 08:47:03
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954386
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bubblecar said:


buffy said:

Mike Moore

Heh.

“The real winner tonight” said one Republican, “is Joe Biden. He’s got a big smile on his face right now.”

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 08:59:00
From: Tau.Neutrino
ID: 1954391
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

No red wave, take that Trump.

I’m happy that the election result is Good News for America.

They need more common sense over there.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 09:00:39
From: Spiny Norman
ID: 1954394
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Tau.Neutrino said:


No red wave, take that Trump.

I’m happy that the election result is Good News for America.

They need more common sense over there.

It is somewhat of a relief. I only hope the mouth-breathers don’t go postal over it.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 09:02:31
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954396
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Tau.Neutrino said:


No red wave, take that Trump.

I’m happy that the election result is Good News for America.

They need more common sense over there.

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 09:26:39
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954403
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bubblecar said:


buffy said:

Mike Moore

Heh.

The plans of the crypto-fascists have been disrupted, but the war isn’t over yet, not by a long shot.

The US is likely to be left with a government which can achieve nothing for at least two years, and the Republicans and their loonies will be back in 2024, with a revised bag of tricks.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 09:27:58
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1954404
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

STEMocracy

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 09:30:42
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954405
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


Bubblecar said:

buffy said:

Mike Moore

Heh.

The plans of the crypto-fascists have been disrupted, but the war isn’t over yet, not by a long shot.

The US is likely to be left with a government which can achieve nothing for at least two years, and the Republicans and their loonies will be back in 2024, with a revised bag of tricks.

They have two years to divest themselves of the criminal Trump family and hopefully the law will make some progress on that.
As for the rest of the loonies, maybe they’ll have an epiphany?

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 09:39:19
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954407
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:

They have two years to divest themselves of the criminal Trump family and hopefully the law will make some progress on that.
As for the rest of the loonies, maybe they’ll have an epiphany?

It depends on how they view Trump after this. He still has an irrationally large personal following, and even after all of the crap of the last two years, his influence has remained so high that what logic would have predicted to be an enormous backlash against the Republican party hasn’t happened.

As for ‘an epiphany’…we can only hope that Trump’s mental state rapidly declines to the point where, one day on a podium somewhere, it collapses altogether, and he makes such a drooling, babbling, appalling spectacle of himself that even his most ardent supporters quietly leave the building, discarding their red hats along the way. Not much else might sway them.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 09:43:56
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954410
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


roughbarked said:

They have two years to divest themselves of the criminal Trump family and hopefully the law will make some progress on that.
As for the rest of the loonies, maybe they’ll have an epiphany?

It depends on how they view Trump after this. He still has an irrationally large personal following, and even after all of the crap of the last two years, his influence has remained so high that what logic would have predicted to be an enormous backlash against the Republican party hasn’t happened.

As for ‘an epiphany’…we can only hope that Trump’s mental state rapidly declines to the point where, one day on a podium somewhere, it collapses altogether, and he makes such a drooling, babbling, appalling spectacle of himself that even his most ardent supporters quietly leave the building, discarding their red hats along the way. Not much else might sway them.

We can only live with that hope held foremost.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 10:40:40
From: dv
ID: 1954434
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

MSNBCs projection has drifted upward

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 10:58:17
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1954439
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


captain_spalding said:

roughbarked said:

They have two years to divest themselves of the criminal Trump family and hopefully the law will make some progress on that.
As for the rest of the loonies, maybe they’ll have an epiphany?

It depends on how they view Trump after this. He still has an irrationally large personal following, and even after all of the crap of the last two years, his influence has remained so high that what logic would have predicted to be an enormous backlash against the Republican party hasn’t happened.

As for ‘an epiphany’…we can only hope that Trump’s mental state rapidly declines to the point where, one day on a podium somewhere, it collapses altogether, and he makes such a drooling, babbling, appalling spectacle of himself that even his most ardent supporters quietly leave the building, discarding their red hats along the way. Not much else might sway them.

We can only live with that hope held foremost.

the good news is that their biggest export will be* disinformation, with virtually zero upfront costs

*: already is

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:03:03
From: kii
ID: 1954440
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Tau.Neutrino said:

No red wave, take that Trump.

I’m happy that the election result is Good News for America.

They need more common sense over there.

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

De Santis is worse than the orange stain. He’s a smarter version of trump.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:09:12
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954444
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


roughbarked said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

No red wave, take that Trump.

I’m happy that the election result is Good News for America.

They need more common sense over there.

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

De Santis is worse than the orange stain. He’s a smarter version of trump.

Well it would be almost impossible not to be smarter than Trump.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:22:01
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1954454
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


roughbarked said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

No red wave, take that Trump.

I’m happy that the election result is Good News for America.

They need more common sense over there.

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

De Santis is worse than the orange stain. He’s a smarter version of trump.

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:23:27
From: dv
ID: 1954455
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Looking at what’s left to be called, and all the seats where the R still leads, it does seem very likely that they’ll gain the House.

In the Senate the one that is of most interest (apart from the Georgia runoff in December) is Nevada. Quite surprising that Cortez-Masto (D) is in trouble there but she’s about 2% behind. The boffins are saying that most of what is left to count should be good for Democrats but we’ll see how it rolls out. If Masto loses then basically the Dems will be relying on the Georgia runoff to keep control of the Senate.

Also in Nevada in the governor’s race the democrat incumbent (Sisolek) is behind the Republican challenger (Lombardo) about 4% but again people are saying that will tighten towards the end of the count. Lombardo has been a prominent “2020 election denier” so that’s not so good.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:23:48
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954456
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Witty Rejoinder said:


kii said:

roughbarked said:

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

De Santis is worse than the orange stain. He’s a smarter version of trump.

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:26:41
From: Woodie
ID: 1954458
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

I bid 10 NOtrumps.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:27:53
From: Cymek
ID: 1954459
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Witty Rejoinder said:

kii said:

De Santis is worse than the orange stain. He’s a smarter version of trump.

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

The USA seems to deserve the president its gets (obviously as they elect them) but more the mindset of the population vacillates between we are racist religious zealots and something not quite so bad (nearly all are patriotic brain washed)

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:31:47
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954460
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Witty Rejoinder said:

kii said:

De Santis is worse than the orange stain. He’s a smarter version of trump.

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

lol… I do think it’s amusing that people think DeSantis would be preferable over Trump.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:32:48
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954461
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Woodie said:


roughbarked said:

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

I bid 10 NOtrumps.

America gonna be left holding a misère hand I think

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:34:19
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954462
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


roughbarked said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

The USA seems to deserve the president its gets (obviously as they elect them) but more the mindset of the population vacillates between we are racist religious zealots and something not quite so bad (nearly all are patriotic brain washed)

I think it’s lazy to just suggest that people are “brainwashed”… lots of people (essentially the best part of 50%) vote GOP.. not all of them at rwnj

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:35:07
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954464
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Woodie said:


roughbarked said:

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

I bid 10 NOtrumps.

open misere?

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:35:49
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1954465
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


roughbarked said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

lol… I do think it’s amusing that people think DeSantis would be preferable over Trump.

Yes dear.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:36:19
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954466
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


roughbarked said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

lol… I do think it’s amusing that people think DeSantis would be preferable over Trump.

We will deal with him after we lock Trump up and throw away the key.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:36:54
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954468
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Unless there’s an error in my slide rule it looks like the Publicans will win the senate.
They have 49 seats with Nevada and Alaska yet to be declared with both almost a certainty to go to the Reps giving them 51 seats, yeah?

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:39:28
From: Woodie
ID: 1954469
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Woodie said:

roughbarked said:

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

I bid 10 NOtrumps.

open misere?

Open Misere???? But you’ve got The Joker! The biggest Trump of all!!

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:41:02
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954470
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Woodie said:


roughbarked said:

Woodie said:

I bid 10 NOtrumps.

open misere?

Open Misere???? But you’ve got The Joker! The biggest Trump of all!!

:)

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:43:11
From: dv
ID: 1954472
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Unless there’s an error in my slide rule it looks like the Publicans will win the senate.
They have 49 seats with Nevada and Alaska yet to be declared with both almost a certainty to go to the Reps giving them 51 seats, yeah?

The boffins are saying Nevada will tighten as most of what remains is postals for urban areas, so that’s still a tossup.

If the Reps win Nevada then it will come down to the Georgia runoff. The win in Georgia will get the Dems to 50.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:45:03
From: The Rev Dodgson
ID: 1954473
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Woodie said:


roughbarked said:

They are still in need of a lot more of that. The Repubicans need more of this:

and a lot more of NOtrump.

I bid 10 NOtrumps.

But that means you have to win 16 seats out of 13 to win.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:55:03
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954474
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Peak Warming Man said:

Unless there’s an error in my slide rule it looks like the Publicans will win the senate.
They have 49 seats with Nevada and Alaska yet to be declared with both almost a certainty to go to the Reps giving them 51 seats, yeah?

The boffins are saying Nevada will tighten as most of what remains is postals for urban areas, so that’s still a tossup.

If the Reps win Nevada then it will come down to the Georgia runoff. The win in Georgia will get the Dems to 50.

So if thw Reps win Alaska and Nevada that takes them to 51 seats.
How many seats are there?

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 11:55:43
From: kii
ID: 1954475
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


Witty Rejoinder said:

kii said:

De Santis is worse than the orange stain. He’s a smarter version of trump.

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

No, he is not a better choice. De Santis is a dangerous man.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:01:33
From: dv
ID: 1954477
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Unless there’s an error in my slide rule it looks like the Publicans will win the senate.
They have 49 seats with Nevada and Alaska yet to be declared with both almost a certainty to go to the Reps giving them 51 seats, yeah?

The boffins are saying Nevada will tighten as most of what remains is postals for urban areas, so that’s still a tossup.

If the Reps win Nevada then it will come down to the Georgia runoff. The win in Georgia will get the Dems to 50.

So if thw Reps win Alaska and Nevada that takes them to 51 seats.
How many seats are there?

That’s not correct. If the Reps win Alaska and Nevada, that’s 50 for them.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:04:01
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954478
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


roughbarked said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Smart enough not to create a constitutional crisis and crash the economy for his fragile ego though.

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

No, he is not a better choice. De Santis is a dangerous man.

From the sounds of it, that’s true for the Republicans in general.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:05:31
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954479
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Next time you hear that slavery was ended in the United States, remember that this was voted on by Loisiana voters in conjunction with these 2022 elections:

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:06:02
From: Cymek
ID: 1954481
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


Cymek said:

roughbarked said:

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

The USA seems to deserve the president its gets (obviously as they elect them) but more the mindset of the population vacillates between we are racist religious zealots and something not quite so bad (nearly all are patriotic brain washed)

I think it’s lazy to just suggest that people are “brainwashed”… lots of people (essentially the best part of 50%) vote GOP.. not all of them at rwnj

You reckon, even those that vote democratic have been brainwashed into thinking lots of stupid things.
Saying that a significant proportion of the human race have been brainwashed either by religion or politics into believing nonsense

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:06:21
From: dv
ID: 1954482
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

The boffins are saying Nevada will tighten as most of what remains is postals for urban areas, so that’s still a tossup.

If the Reps win Nevada then it will come down to the Georgia runoff. The win in Georgia will get the Dems to 50.

So if thw Reps win Alaska and Nevada that takes them to 51 seats.
How many seats are there?

That’s not correct. If the Reps win Alaska and Nevada, that’s 50 for them.

Here’s the current status.
The Republicans have won Alaska. Although the senate election there will also go down to preferences (Alaska being one of two states in the US that use preference voting), it’s down to two candidates both of whom are Republicans.

WITH Alaska, they have 49. There are three states still in play. The R need two more to control the Senate.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:07:44
From: Cymek
ID: 1954483
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


Next time you hear that slavery was ended in the United States, remember that this was voted on by Loisiana voters in conjunction with these 2022 elections:


Their service culture is a form of slavery (not as bad for sure as that’s insulting but pretty poor form)

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:07:48
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954484
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

The boffins are saying Nevada will tighten as most of what remains is postals for urban areas, so that’s still a tossup.

If the Reps win Nevada then it will come down to the Georgia runoff. The win in Georgia will get the Dems to 50.

So if thw Reps win Alaska and Nevada that takes them to 51 seats.
How many seats are there?

That’s not correct. If the Reps win Alaska and Nevada, that’s 50 for them.

They are currently on 49, hang on I’ll get my slide rule.
49 + 2…….carry the one….. I get 51.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:19:54
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954487
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:21:50
From: dv
ID: 1954489
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:



PWM, you’re shifting cookies around on the plate expecting them to give you a different number.

With Alaska and Nevada, the Republicans get to 50. They would need also Georgia or (less likely) Arizona to get to 51.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:23:37
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954490
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


kii said:

roughbarked said:

Yeah. Sure he is still a Republican by choice. He is though a heck of a lot better choice than the trump card.

No, he is not a better choice. De Santis is a dangerous man.

From the sounds of it, that’s true for the Republicans in general.

Trump is driven by ego and money, DeSantis is an ideologue, he’s motivations are less straight forward

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:25:24
From: Cymek
ID: 1954492
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


roughbarked said:

kii said:

No, he is not a better choice. De Santis is a dangerous man.

From the sounds of it, that’s true for the Republicans in general.

Trump is driven by ego and money, DeSantis is an ideologue, he’s motivations are less straight forward

Neither of which are the people needed in the world environment at this point in time.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:25:31
From: dv
ID: 1954493
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


roughbarked said:

kii said:

No, he is not a better choice. De Santis is a dangerous man.

From the sounds of it, that’s true for the Republicans in general.

Trump is driven by ego and money, DeSantis is an ideologue, he’s motivations are less straight forward

Downside is that DeSantis may be more competent at pursuing his agenda, or building an alliance, keeping people onside. Upside is that he’s not quite as likely to put nuclear secrets on ebay.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:27:17
From: dv
ID: 1954495
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Nebraska is projected to approve a $15 minimum wage for workers amid a nationwide push for wage hikes that has predominantly taken hold in liberal states like New York, California and Illinois.

The referendum, called Initiative Measure 433, garnered support from 59% of voters in Nebraska, while ballots opposing the measure stood at 41%, according to results reported by ABC News on Wednesday.

The measure will incrementally raise the state’s minimum wage from its current level of $9 per hour to $15 per hour by 2026. Over ensuing years, the minimum wage will move in accordance with inflation.

Nebraska joins at least nine states that have raised their wage floor to $15 per hour, representing a combined 40% of the U.S. workforce, data from the left-leaning National Employment Law Project showed. The majority of those states are liberal.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:28:34
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954496
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


diddly-squat said:

roughbarked said:

From the sounds of it, that’s true for the Republicans in general.

Trump is driven by ego and money, DeSantis is an ideologue, he’s motivations are less straight forward

Downside is that DeSantis may be more competent at pursuing his agenda, or building an alliance, keeping people onside. Upside is that he’s not quite as likely to put nuclear secrets on ebay.

but for me there are at least processes in place to manage the sale of nuclear secrets – even by the POTUS

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:29:49
From: Cymek
ID: 1954499
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Nebraska is projected to approve a $15 minimum wage for workers amid a nationwide push for wage hikes that has predominantly taken hold in liberal states like New York, California and Illinois.

The referendum, called Initiative Measure 433, garnered support from 59% of voters in Nebraska, while ballots opposing the measure stood at 41%, according to results reported by ABC News on Wednesday.

The measure will incrementally raise the state’s minimum wage from its current level of $9 per hour to $15 per hour by 2026. Over ensuing years, the minimum wage will move in accordance with inflation.

Nebraska joins at least nine states that have raised their wage floor to $15 per hour, representing a combined 40% of the U.S. workforce, data from the left-leaning National Employment Law Project showed. The majority of those states are liberal.

$9 an hour and having to put up with serving or dealing with other humans

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:30:22
From: Cymek
ID: 1954500
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


dv said:

diddly-squat said:

Trump is driven by ego and money, DeSantis is an ideologue, he’s motivations are less straight forward

Downside is that DeSantis may be more competent at pursuing his agenda, or building an alliance, keeping people onside. Upside is that he’s not quite as likely to put nuclear secrets on ebay.

but for me there are at least processes in place to manage the sale of nuclear secrets – even by the POTUS

His arms aren’t long enough to turn both keys at the same time

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:30:50
From: dv
ID: 1954501
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


dv said:

diddly-squat said:

Trump is driven by ego and money, DeSantis is an ideologue, he’s motivations are less straight forward

Downside is that DeSantis may be more competent at pursuing his agenda, or building an alliance, keeping people onside. Upside is that he’s not quite as likely to put nuclear secrets on ebay.

but for me there are at least processes in place to manage the sale of nuclear secrets – even by the POTUS

(shrugs) It is an open question whether he has in fact already made these sales. Shit’s just been in his office at Mar-a-lago, he has all kinds of important guests. It’s not even clear he’ll get any kind of punishment.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:31:16
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954502
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:40:43
From: dv
ID: 1954509
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Peak Warming Man said:


PWM, you’re shifting cookies around on the plate expecting them to give you a different number.

With Alaska and Nevada, the Republicans get to 50. They would need also Georgia or (less likely) Arizona to get to 51.

I see what misled you. That site has Alaska in a light pink. I’m assuming they are doing this because the winner is not known, even though the winner is defo one Republican or another, but they have included that towards the Republican total of 49.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:47:54
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954511
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:



She’s at odds with Einstein anyway. He said that you should have reached your peak at 25.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:48:12
From: kii
ID: 1954512
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Radio interview says Gen Z and Millennials are the groups that turned the “red wave” into a dribble.
Also some good memes equating the red wave with menstrual fluids.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:52:11
From: dv
ID: 1954513
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


Radio interview says Gen Z and Millennials are the groups that turned the “red wave” into a dribble.
Also some good memes equating the red wave with menstrual fluids.


You made me snork my tea

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 12:54:15
From: Bogsnorkler
ID: 1954515
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


kii said:

Radio interview says Gen Z and Millennials are the groups that turned the “red wave” into a dribble.
Also some good memes equating the red wave with menstrual fluids.


You made me snork my tea

Boggy approves.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:04:38
From: kii
ID: 1954520
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Mark Ronchetti, the Repubican weatherman who lost the NM gubernatorial race.
A very punchable face.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:05:19
From: kii
ID: 1954521
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


kii said:

Radio interview says Gen Z and Millennials are the groups that turned the “red wave” into a dribble.
Also some good memes equating the red wave with menstrual fluids.


You made me snork my tea

Excellent.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:06:39
From: Cymek
ID: 1954522
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


Mark Ronchetti, the Repubican weatherman who lost the NM gubernatorial race.
A very punchable face.


Some people do have punchable faces don’t they

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:10:02
From: sibeen
ID: 1954524
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Best performance in the midterms by a party in power since 2022.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:10:47
From: sibeen
ID: 1954525
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


Mark Ronchetti, the Repubican weatherman who lost the NM gubernatorial race.
A very punchable face.


So, if he was a democrat the face would become unpunchable?

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:12:37
From: dv
ID: 1954526
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:13:39
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954527
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


kii said:

Mark Ronchetti, the Repubican weatherman who lost the NM gubernatorial race.
A very punchable face.


So, if he was a democrat the face would become unpunchable?

slow down there poindexter…

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:17:23
From: kii
ID: 1954528
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


kii said:

Mark Ronchetti, the Repubican weatherman who lost the NM gubernatorial race.
A very punchable face.


So, if he was a democrat the face would become unpunchable?

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:18:24
From: Cymek
ID: 1954529
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


sibeen said:

kii said:

Mark Ronchetti, the Repubican weatherman who lost the NM gubernatorial race.
A very punchable face.


So, if he was a democrat the face would become unpunchable?

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

It’s about an average punchable face, say 5 – 6 on the punchable face scale, Trump is around a 9

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:19:15
From: dv
ID: 1954530
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

It’s conceivable that one’s politics affect one’s resting facial expressions…

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:20:58
From: buffy
ID: 1954531
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


sibeen said:

kii said:

Mark Ronchetti, the Repubican weatherman who lost the NM gubernatorial race.
A very punchable face.


So, if he was a democrat the face would become unpunchable?

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

I think it’s really about broader control than that.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:23:23
From: Cymek
ID: 1954532
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


It’s conceivable that one’s politics affect one’s resting facial expressions…

Rude word resting face syndrome

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:36:48
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954540
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


sibeen said:

kii said:

Mark Ronchetti, the Repubican weatherman who lost the NM gubernatorial race.
A very punchable face.


So, if he was a democrat the face would become unpunchable?

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:42:24
From: PermeateFree
ID: 1954542
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


kii said:

sibeen said:

So, if he was a democrat the face would become unpunchable?

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Wouldn’t you like to push his head though a gap in a picket fence?

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:48:30
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954544
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

PermeateFree said:


diddly-squat said:

kii said:

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Wouldn’t you like to push his head though a gap in a picket fence?

Beating him to death with a baseball bat would be so cool.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:49:01
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954545
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

PermeateFree said:


diddly-squat said:

kii said:

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Wouldn’t you like to push his head though a gap in a picket fence?

no

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:51:28
From: Cymek
ID: 1954546
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


PermeateFree said:

diddly-squat said:

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Wouldn’t you like to push his head though a gap in a picket fence?

Beating him to death with a baseball bat would be so cool.

Lucille

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 13:57:56
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1954547
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bubblecar said:


buffy said:

Mike Moore

Heh.

Commentators on Fox called it a “disaster.”
—-
excellent.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 14:12:25
From: Woodie
ID: 1954553
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Anyway. I declare this thread fraudulent.

It is now not leading up to the midterms, it post midterms.

You lot ‘ll need ta sort that one out.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 14:15:43
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954554
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Woodie said:


Anyway. I declare this thread fraudulent.

It is now not leading up to the midterms, it post midterms.

You lot ‘ll need ta sort that one out.

A post midterm mortem.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 14:22:08
From: Bogsnorkler
ID: 1954557
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


PermeateFree said:

diddly-squat said:

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Wouldn’t you like to push his head though a gap in a picket fence?

Beating him to death with a baseball bat would be so cool.

that’s just not cricket!

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 14:25:26
From: dv
ID: 1954560
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


PermeateFree said:

diddly-squat said:

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Wouldn’t you like to push his head though a gap in a picket fence?

Beating him to death with a baseball bat would be so cool.

I think I’ll just send him a tersely phrased email.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 14:29:21
From: kii
ID: 1954561
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


kii said:

sibeen said:

So, if he was a democrat the face would become unpunchable?

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Lol…you’re so stupid.
Actually Ronchetti looks like I imagine you look like. From now on when I see your name I’ll see Ronchetti’s toothy grin and flushed cheeks.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 14:36:26
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1954569
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


diddly-squat said:

kii said:

No, he has a dreadful manner that enhances his face. It’s great when the weatherman wants to control your womb.

I don’t know this guy from a bar of soap, nor do I know his politics, but for me, that could be a stock image of a person just about of any political persuasion. I mean he looks nice enough; middle age, glasses wearing dude with a big smile. His image certainly doesn’t make me wish violence upon him.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Lol…you’re so stupid.
Actually Ronchetti looks like I imagine you look like. From now on when I see your name I’ll see Ronchetti’s toothy grin and flushed cheeks.

I can’t say that we’re complete doppelgangers; I do wear glasses but he does have more hair than I do and I don’t really smile with quite that much of a toothy grin…

In any case I hope that you and yours are well.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 14:40:25
From: dv
ID: 1954572
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Drilling in to the state of these remaining House races …
If the R win all the districts where they currently lead, then it is going to end up as 220-215.

Certainly still possible that the Dems will retain the House, as the R lead is narrow in some of these, but yeah it would be like flipping ten coins and getting eight heads.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 16:25:30
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1954605
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

If they win I should get all the credit and if they lose I should get no blame at all.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 16:35:14
From: Tau.Neutrino
ID: 1954608
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


If they win I should get all the credit and if they lose I should get no blame at all.

His getting good at deflecting blame.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 17:23:49
From: dv
ID: 1954626
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

In Australia the redistributions and new boundaries generally align with the previous. They have to nibble and shift here and there, and sometimes a division is removed or added, but there’s general overall continuity. The boundaries will be nibbled or shifted a bit, and occasionally there will be a seat removed or added, but there’s broad continuity. So I can reasonably say there was a swing of X% towards Labor in Grayndler or whatever.

Whereas in the US they often completely redraw the map. Like the new NC-10 is nowhere near the old.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 18:14:40
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954664
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Dead Democrat wins Pennsylvanian seat.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 18:22:25
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1954667
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Dead Democrat wins Pennsylvanian seat.

That’s how low the GOP has sunk in the eyes of voters.

Better a dead Democrat than any living Republican.

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 21:08:23
From: dv
ID: 1954732
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Dead Democrat wins Pennsylvanian seat.

His opponent was called Livingston

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 21:09:02
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1954733
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Peak Warming Man said:

Dead Democrat wins Pennsylvanian seat.

His opponent was called Livingston

rofl

Reply Quote

Date: 10/11/2022 22:31:09
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1954774
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 00:03:09
From: dv
ID: 1954780
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

She’s like a Floridian Malcolm Roberts

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 00:05:59
From: party_pants
ID: 1954782
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


She’s like a Floridian Malcolm Roberts

Even their friends are shirting in their pants

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 00:06:33
From: AussieDJ
ID: 1954783
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


She’s like a Floridian Malcolm Roberts

Enemies are quacking …
What are they? Ducks?

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 00:18:15
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1954788
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

you have to be jacking

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 00:20:03
From: Kingy
ID: 1954789
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


She’s like a Floridian Malcolm Roberts

If the repubs put a duck in, it would get voted in there.
And do a better job.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 00:22:52
From: dv
ID: 1954790
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Trump has indicated that he is launching his presidential campaign on 17 Nov.

If you think he’s a drag on the Republicans, you might think this will help the Dems in the Georgia runoff.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 00:25:13
From: sibeen
ID: 1954791
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Trump has indicated that he is launching his presidential campaign on 17 Nov.

If you think he’s a drag on the Republicans, you might think this will help the Dems in the Georgia runoff.

And after yesterday it’s nearly a lay down that Joe will be running again. It just gets worse for the GoP.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 03:36:26
From: kii
ID: 1954803
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


She’s like a Floridian Malcolm Roberts

ROFL!

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 03:39:02
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1954804
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArDCHdtVtN8

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 06:16:12
From: buffy
ID: 1954806
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:

Trump has indicated that he is launching his presidential campaign on 17 Nov.

If you think he’s a drag on the Republicans, you might think this will help the Dems in the Georgia runoff.

And after yesterday it’s nearly a lay down that Joe will be running again. It just gets worse for the GoP.

I’m not so sure about that. Joe might just give Trump a few months to really drag things down (I think I saw him on TV say his decision will be made early next year) and then decide the way is clear for someone else to step up on his side.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 06:56:12
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954807
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, who lost his re-election bid, alleges — without proof — that the election system is liable to fraud.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 08:41:44
From: fsm
ID: 1954820
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 08:44:06
From: fsm
ID: 1954821
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

“For those many people that are being fed the fake narrative from the corrupt media that I am Angry about the Midterms, don’t believe it,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Thursday.

“I am not at all angry, did a great job (I wasn’t the one running!), and am very busy looking into the future. Remember, I am a ‘Stable Genius,’” he added.

https://www.axios.com/2022/11/10/trump-midterms-results-not-angry

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 08:46:51
From: roughbarked
ID: 1954822
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

fsm said:


“For those many people that are being fed the fake narrative from the corrupt media that I am Angry about the Midterms, don’t believe it,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Thursday.

“I am not at all angry, did a great job (I wasn’t the one running!), and am very busy looking into the future. Remember, I am a ‘Stable Genius,’” he added.

https://www.axios.com/2022/11/10/trump-midterms-results-not-angry

He’s only digging his hole deeper.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 08:54:15
From: dv
ID: 1954824
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Lauren Boebert, Republican congresswoman and conservative intellectual, appears to be trailing by about 5 %. One less rwnj in Congress might be a good thing.

Alas she has made up that gap in late counting and may win the seat.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 14:06:29
From: dv
ID: 1954951
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Surprisingly little change since this time yesterday. Still don’t know who is going to control the House or Senate but there are skerricks of news.

NYT projects that the Dems will win the Nevada senate seat by 0.4% but that’s such a fine margin that it can still be considered a tossup.
Pretty certain now that they will win the Arizona senate seat.

Six more seats in the House have been called for the Dems, and one more for the Reps. According to ABC the total stands at 203-211 with 218 needed for a maj.
The MSNBC projection of the number of seats is on 221-214 (+/- 7). Which I suppose means they still reckon there is a chance of a Dem victory.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 14:37:40
From: kii
ID: 1954956
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Meanwhile in Texas:

Tony Plohetski
@tplohetski
·
Nov 8
NEW: The Uvalde shooting sparked calls for gun reform and a change in top state leadership. Tonight, with 10 of 16 precincts reporting, Uvalde county voters are resoundingly supporting Gov. Greg Abbott over Beto O’Rourke, 57-41 percent.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 14:44:23
From: Cymek
ID: 1954959
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


Meanwhile in Texas:

Tony Plohetski
@tplohetski
·
Nov 8
NEW: The Uvalde shooting sparked calls for gun reform and a change in top state leadership. Tonight, with 10 of 16 precincts reporting, Uvalde county voters are resoundingly supporting Gov. Greg Abbott over Beto O’Rourke, 57-41 percent.

I’m assuming a resounding no to gun reform, “It’s a god given god damn constitutional right to let anyone and everyone have a gun”

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 14:46:12
From: dv
ID: 1954960
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Surprisingly little change since this time yesterday. Still don’t know who is going to control the House or Senate but there are skerricks of news.

NYT projects that the Dems will win the Nevada senate seat by 0.4% but that’s such a fine margin that it can still be considered a tossup.
Pretty certain now that they will win the Arizona senate seat.

Six more seats in the House have been called for the Dems, and one more for the Reps. According to ABC the total stands at 203-211 with 218 needed for a maj.
The MSNBC projection of the number of seats is on 221-214 (+/- 7). Which I suppose means they still reckon there is a chance of a Dem victory.

And Washington 8th has been called now which maked it 204-211.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 16:25:03
From: dv
ID: 1955001
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

In a lengthy statement — echoed on his social media website, Truth Social — Trump jabbed at DeSantis as an “average” governor who benefited from “great Public Relations.”

He also repeated a new derogatory nickname for DeSantis: “Ron DeSanctimonious.”

In his statement, which also included characteristic complaints about his media coverage and repeated unfounded claims of election fraud, Trump touted himself as being a key endorser during the 2018 Florida gubernatorial primary, when DeSantis ran against Adam Putnam for the GOP nomination.

“He was politically dead,” Trump argued of DeSantis at the time, insisting that his support had been key to the primary win.

“And now, Ron DeSanctimonious is playing games! The Fake News asks him if he’s going to run if President Trump runs , and he says, ‘I’m only focused on the Governor’s race, I’m not looking into the future.’ Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that’s really not the right answer,” Trump said.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-takes-aim-ron-desantis-suggesting-2024-rival/story?id=93084111

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 16:28:53
From: buffy
ID: 1955005
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


Meanwhile in Texas:

Tony Plohetski
@tplohetski
·
Nov 8
NEW: The Uvalde shooting sparked calls for gun reform and a change in top state leadership. Tonight, with 10 of 16 precincts reporting, Uvalde county voters are resoundingly supporting Gov. Greg Abbott over Beto O’Rourke, 57-41 percent.

I think I can be sure where, let me see….3, probably 4 of the votes for Beto came from.

:)

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 17:17:50
From: fsm
ID: 1955024
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 17:27:28
From: Tau.Neutrino
ID: 1955026
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

fsm said:


David Attenborough voice over

…and like the red shift sound of a truck passing, the red wave faded into the distance and faded into the past and was gone.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 20:53:34
From: dv
ID: 1955087
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

Surprisingly little change since this time yesterday. Still don’t know who is going to control the House or Senate but there are skerricks of news.

NYT projects that the Dems will win the Nevada senate seat by 0.4% but that’s such a fine margin that it can still be considered a tossup.
Pretty certain now that they will win the Arizona senate seat.

Six more seats in the House have been called for the Dems, and one more for the Reps. According to ABC the total stands at 203-211 with 218 needed for a maj.
The MSNBC projection of the number of seats is on 221-214 (+/- 7). Which I suppose means they still reckon there is a chance of a Dem victory.

And Washington 8th has been called now which maked it 204-211.

Looking at the remaining 20, here’s how it looks to me.

There are a lot from California that haven’t had enough of different kinds of ballots to make a proper prediction: probably 10. In 4 of these the R have a significant lead, in 3 of them the D have a significant lead, and 3 of them are pretty much tied. The lead is dynamic in these and the situation could change a lot.

Elsewhere:

WA8 is looking pretty solid for Dems.

ME2, AR1 , WA3, OR6, NV3, Dems are leading but it’s close.

CO3 is basically tied.

OR5, AR6, Republicans are leading but it’s close.

MD6 is now looking pretty good for Republicans.

So if Democrats would win all those where they currently leading or where it is tied up, it’s still not quite enough. They would need to turn at least one other. That could be one of the up in the air Cali seats where only 30% of the vote has been counted, or it could be OR5 or AR6. Some people are saying Arizona will finish well for Democrats but I wouldn’t know. Anyway, it’s a possibility but all the cards need to land the right way.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 20:58:16
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955088
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

dv said:

Surprisingly little change since this time yesterday. Still don’t know who is going to control the House or Senate but there are skerricks of news.

NYT projects that the Dems will win the Nevada senate seat by 0.4% but that’s such a fine margin that it can still be considered a tossup.
Pretty certain now that they will win the Arizona senate seat.

Six more seats in the House have been called for the Dems, and one more for the Reps. According to ABC the total stands at 203-211 with 218 needed for a maj.
The MSNBC projection of the number of seats is on 221-214 (+/- 7). Which I suppose means they still reckon there is a chance of a Dem victory.

And Washington 8th has been called now which maked it 204-211.

Looking at the remaining 20, here’s how it looks to me.

There are a lot from California that haven’t had enough of different kinds of ballots to make a proper prediction: probably 10. In 4 of these the R have a significant lead, in 3 of them the D have a significant lead, and 3 of them are pretty much tied. The lead is dynamic in these and the situation could change a lot.

Elsewhere:

WA8 is looking pretty solid for Dems.

ME2, AR1 , WA3, OR6, NV3, Dems are leading but it’s close.

CO3 is basically tied.

OR5, AR6, Republicans are leading but it’s close.

MD6 is now looking pretty good for Republicans.

So if Democrats would win all those where they currently leading or where it is tied up, it’s still not quite enough. They would need to turn at least one other. That could be one of the up in the air Cali seats where only 30% of the vote has been counted, or it could be OR5 or AR6. Some people are saying Arizona will finish well for Democrats but I wouldn’t know. Anyway, it’s a possibility but all the cards need to land the right way.

So the red floodbath is still attempting a trickle?

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 21:03:11
From: dv
ID: 1955090
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


dv said:

dv said:

And Washington 8th has been called now which maked it 204-211.

Looking at the remaining 20, here’s how it looks to me.

There are a lot from California that haven’t had enough of different kinds of ballots to make a proper prediction: probably 10. In 4 of these the R have a significant lead, in 3 of them the D have a significant lead, and 3 of them are pretty much tied. The lead is dynamic in these and the situation could change a lot.

Elsewhere:

WA8 is looking pretty solid for Dems.

ME2, AR1 , WA3, OR6, NV3, Dems are leading but it’s close.

CO3 is basically tied.

OR5, AR6, Republicans are leading but it’s close.

MD6 is now looking pretty good for Republicans.

So if Democrats would win all those where they currently leading or where it is tied up, it’s still not quite enough. They would need to turn at least one other. That could be one of the up in the air Cali seats where only 30% of the vote has been counted, or it could be OR5 or AR6. Some people are saying Arizona will finish well for Democrats but I wouldn’t know. Anyway, it’s a possibility but all the cards need to land the right way.

So the red floodbath is still attempting a trickle?

Yes, but if you were a betting man you’d reckon they’ll get to 218.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 21:16:14
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1955093
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

dv said:

Surprisingly little change since this time yesterday. Still don’t know who is going to control the House or Senate but there are skerricks of news.

NYT projects that the Dems will win the Nevada senate seat by 0.4% but that’s such a fine margin that it can still be considered a tossup.
Pretty certain now that they will win the Arizona senate seat.

Six more seats in the House have been called for the Dems, and one more for the Reps. According to ABC the total stands at 203-211 with 218 needed for a maj.
The MSNBC projection of the number of seats is on 221-214 (+/- 7). Which I suppose means they still reckon there is a chance of a Dem victory.

And Washington 8th has been called now which maked it 204-211.

Looking at the remaining 20, here’s how it looks to me.

There are a lot from California that haven’t had enough of different kinds of ballots to make a proper prediction: probably 10. In 4 of these the R have a significant lead, in 3 of them the D have a significant lead, and 3 of them are pretty much tied. The lead is dynamic in these and the situation could change a lot.

Elsewhere:

WA8 is looking pretty solid for Dems.

ME2, AR1 , WA3, OR6, NV3, Dems are leading but it’s close.

CO3 is basically tied.

OR5, AR6, Republicans are leading but it’s close.

MD6 is now looking pretty good for Republicans.

So if Democrats would win all those where they currently leading or where it is tied up, it’s still not quite enough. They would need to turn at least one other. That could be one of the up in the air Cali seats where only 30% of the vote has been counted, or it could be OR5 or AR6. Some people are saying Arizona will finish well for Democrats but I wouldn’t know. Anyway, it’s a possibility but all the cards need to land the right way.

I was just talking to CB88 and he agrees that DV’s post falls outside the thread topic and it will be sent to the Board for offical sanction.
I’m sorry.

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 21:29:20
From: dv
ID: 1955104
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


dv said:

dv said:

And Washington 8th has been called now which maked it 204-211.

Looking at the remaining 20, here’s how it looks to me.

There are a lot from California that haven’t had enough of different kinds of ballots to make a proper prediction: probably 10. In 4 of these the R have a significant lead, in 3 of them the D have a significant lead, and 3 of them are pretty much tied. The lead is dynamic in these and the situation could change a lot.

Elsewhere:

WA8 is looking pretty solid for Dems.

ME2, AR1 , WA3, OR6, NV3, Dems are leading but it’s close.

CO3 is basically tied.

OR5, AR6, Republicans are leading but it’s close.

MD6 is now looking pretty good for Republicans.

So if Democrats would win all those where they currently leading or where it is tied up, it’s still not quite enough. They would need to turn at least one other. That could be one of the up in the air Cali seats where only 30% of the vote has been counted, or it could be OR5 or AR6. Some people are saying Arizona will finish well for Democrats but I wouldn’t know. Anyway, it’s a possibility but all the cards need to land the right way.

I was just talking to CB88 and he agrees that DV’s post falls outside the thread topic and it will be sent to the Board for offical sanction.
I’m sorry.

Nah it’s a fair cop, where would be in a world without rules?

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 21:30:37
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1955105
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

Looking at the remaining 20, here’s how it looks to me.

There are a lot from California that haven’t had enough of different kinds of ballots to make a proper prediction: probably 10. In 4 of these the R have a significant lead, in 3 of them the D have a significant lead, and 3 of them are pretty much tied. The lead is dynamic in these and the situation could change a lot.

Elsewhere:

WA8 is looking pretty solid for Dems.

ME2, AR1 , WA3, OR6, NV3, Dems are leading but it’s close.

CO3 is basically tied.

OR5, AR6, Republicans are leading but it’s close.

MD6 is now looking pretty good for Republicans.

So if Democrats would win all those where they currently leading or where it is tied up, it’s still not quite enough. They would need to turn at least one other. That could be one of the up in the air Cali seats where only 30% of the vote has been counted, or it could be OR5 or AR6. Some people are saying Arizona will finish well for Democrats but I wouldn’t know. Anyway, it’s a possibility but all the cards need to land the right way.

I was just talking to CB88 and he agrees that DV’s post falls outside the thread topic and it will be sent to the Board for offical sanction.
I’m sorry.

Nah it’s a fair cop, where would be in a world without rules?

Will you be requiring a blindfold?

Reply Quote

Date: 11/11/2022 21:38:39
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955107
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

I was just talking to CB88 and he agrees that DV’s post falls outside the thread topic and it will be sent to the Board for offical sanction.
I’m sorry.

Nah it’s a fair cop, where would be in a world without rules?

Will you be requiring a blindfold?

Nah fuckit. I did this for youse.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 00:59:41
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1955158
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

‘It’s looking better for Democrats’: See where key Senate races stand right now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnTgPDN5tJM

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 10:45:46
From: dv
ID: 1955223
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

dv said:

Surprisingly little change since this time yesterday. Still don’t know who is going to control the House or Senate but there are skerricks of news.

NYT projects that the Dems will win the Nevada senate seat by 0.4% but that’s such a fine margin that it can still be considered a tossup.
Pretty certain now that they will win the Arizona senate seat.

Six more seats in the House have been called for the Dems, and one more for the Reps. According to ABC the total stands at 203-211 with 218 needed for a maj.
The MSNBC projection of the number of seats is on 221-214 (+/- 7). Which I suppose means they still reckon there is a chance of a Dem victory.

And Washington 8th has been called now which maked it 204-211.

Looking at the remaining 20, here’s how it looks to me.

There are a lot from California that haven’t had enough of different kinds of ballots to make a proper prediction: probably 10. In 4 of these the R have a significant lead, in 3 of them the D have a significant lead, and 3 of them are pretty much tied. The lead is dynamic in these and the situation could change a lot.

Elsewhere:

WA8 is looking pretty solid for Dems.

ME2, AR1 , WA3, OR6, NV3, Dems are leading but it’s close.

CO3 is basically tied.

OR5, AR6, Republicans are leading but it’s close.

MD6 is now looking pretty good for Republicans.

So if Democrats would win all those where they currently leading or where it is tied up, it’s still not quite enough. They would need to turn at least one other. That could be one of the up in the air Cali seats where only 30% of the vote has been counted, or it could be OR5 or AR6. Some people are saying Arizona will finish well for Democrats but I wouldn’t know. Anyway, it’s a possibility but all the cards need to land the right way.

Shows what I know, MD6 got a massive surge in late counting and has now been called for the Democrats

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 11:50:36
From: dv
ID: 1955230
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Nearly every election-denying secretary of state candidate lost

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/10/nearly-every-election-denying-secretary-state-candidate-lost/

This is pretty important, as the Secretaries of States operate the elections.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 11:52:33
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955231
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Nearly every election-denying secretary of state candidate lost

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/10/nearly-every-election-denying-secretary-state-candidate-lost/

This is pretty important, as the Secretaries of States operate the elections.

Trump will continue to spruik the stolen election rant.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 12:25:50
From: dv
ID: 1955233
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Nevada-3 has also been called for the Democrats in the House of Reps. Of the last 10 called, 9 have been for the Dems.

Democrat Tina Kotek has also won the governor’s race in Washington

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 12:29:50
From: sibeen
ID: 1955235
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Nevada-3 has also been called for the Democrats in the House of Reps. Of the last 10 called, 9 have been for the Dems.

Democrat Tina Kotek has also won the governor’s race in Washington

So what is the state of play?

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 12:40:01
From: dv
ID: 1955239
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:

Nevada-3 has also been called for the Democrats in the House of Reps. Of the last 10 called, 9 have been for the Dems.

Democrat Tina Kotek has also won the governor’s race in Washington

So what is the state of play?

202-211 have been called, but in the fair dinkum department, Alaska-1 and Maine-2 are certainties for the Dems. I think the reluctance of the networks to call them is because of their unfamiliarity with preference voting. So it’s 204-211 really.

So there are 20 in doubt. The Republicans are leading in 10 of these. If they win every seat they are currently leading, it will be 214-221. If the Democrats are to win they would need to take the lead back off at least 5 (or net 5).
Two of those where R are leading it is extremely close (Calif-13, Colo-3). Some others are pretty close and with large numbers of ballots left to count (Oregon-5, Ariz-6, Calif-41).
It’s very likely the Republicans will win the House, but there’s still a window for the opposite to happen.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 12:52:14
From: sibeen
ID: 1955243
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


sibeen said:

dv said:

Nevada-3 has also been called for the Democrats in the House of Reps. Of the last 10 called, 9 have been for the Dems.

Democrat Tina Kotek has also won the governor’s race in Washington

So what is the state of play?

202-211 have been called, but in the fair dinkum department, Alaska-1 and Maine-2 are certainties for the Dems. I think the reluctance of the networks to call them is because of their unfamiliarity with preference voting. So it’s 204-211 really.

So there are 20 in doubt. The Republicans are leading in 10 of these. If they win every seat they are currently leading, it will be 214-221. If the Democrats are to win they would need to take the lead back off at least 5 (or net 5).
Two of those where R are leading it is extremely close (Calif-13, Colo-3). Some others are pretty close and with large numbers of ballots left to count (Oregon-5, Ariz-6, Calif-41).
It’s very likely the Republicans will win the House, but there’s still a window for the opposite to happen.

Ta, you should write for the gran. If you look at their site you have to dig, dig and dig to try to get to this level of understanding.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 13:06:56
From: dv
ID: 1955248
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:

sibeen said:

So what is the state of play?

202-211 have been called, but in the fair dinkum department, Alaska-1 and Maine-2 are certainties for the Dems. I think the reluctance of the networks to call them is because of their unfamiliarity with preference voting. So it’s 204-211 really.

So there are 20 in doubt. The Republicans are leading in 10 of these. If they win every seat they are currently leading, it will be 214-221. If the Democrats are to win they would need to take the lead back off at least 5 (or net 5).
Two of those where R are leading it is extremely close (Calif-13, Colo-3). Some others are pretty close and with large numbers of ballots left to count (Oregon-5, Ariz-6, Calif-41).
It’s very likely the Republicans will win the House, but there’s still a window for the opposite to happen.

Ta, you should write for the gran. If you look at their site you have to dig, dig and dig to try to get to this level of understanding.

I always read pollbludger, indeed I am a donor, but he seems to not understand about US elections.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 14:03:03
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1955270
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Is the world ready for President DeSantis and a Floridian foreign policy?

A disappointing night for most Republicans turned into a very good night for one Floridian. Gov. Ron DeSantis not only won a second term in Tuesday’s midterm elections but also did so by a sizable margin — even winning Miami-Dade County, marking the first time a Republican has taken that largely urban electorate in two decades.

The results cemented many expectations that DeSantis would run for president in 2024 — a situation that’s already sparking tension with another Floridian Republican, former president Donald Trump. And to some Democrats, the double-digit wins seen by not only DeSantis but Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio on Tuesday have firmly ended the chapter where the state could be seen as a swing state.

The midterm vote was closely watched overseas, with European allies, in particular, breathing a sigh of relief that the more incendiary Trump-aligned Republicans had a relatively poor showing. In a statement reported by my colleagues, German politician Reinhard Bütikofer wrote approvingly that “the pessimistic assumption that Donald Trump would become U.S. president again in 2024 has become a bit more unrealistic.”

But the results on Tuesday opened up another possibility: President DeSantis. What would that mean for the world? In some ways, that may seem more palatable to many than Trump or another Trumpian alternative. But DeSantis would also be the United States’ first Florida-born president — and if the Democrats give up the Sunshine State to the Republicans, the wider impact on U.S. foreign policy could be significant.

Here are three things to consider:

DeSantis is not Trump. He may not always act like it, but DeSantis’s résumé is more of a run-of-the-mill Republican civil servant than the bombastic-businessman-turned-political-arsonist Trump.

In some ways, DeSantis’s background makes him look closer to former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, whose more interventionist leanings were sometimes at odds with Trump.

Despite a relatively humble upbringing, DeSantis went from Jacksonville to Yale, before going on to Harvard Law School. He went on to work as a lawyer for the U.S. Navy, serving at the base in Guantánamo Bay and deploying to Iraq. When he returned, he served as a federal prosecutor before winning two terms in the House.

It’s a fairly typical career path for an American politician. Reflecting that, DeSantis has largely focused on domestic policy in the House and later as governor, but most of what he has said about foreign policy fits well within preexisting norms, rather than Trump’s often ad hoc style.

DeSantis has condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and was critical of President Biden’s decision to pull out of Afghanistan. He is also strongly opposed to traditional U.S. foes like Iran, notably opposing the nuclear deal with that country, as well as newer rivals like China, and has pledged to be “the most pro-Israel governor in America.”

He is, however, a Florida man. Unlike Trump, born wealthy in New York City and only belatedly becoming a resident, DeSantis is a real Florida man. And to some extent, he lives up to the reputation, notably paying extra attention to foreign issues close to many Floridians: Including Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia and Haiti.

He claims to not be a fan of rules and big government. The Florida governor first came to real national attention when he pushed a controversial laissez-faire approach to covid-19. That approach put DeSantis at odds with World Health Organization guidance, even if it wasn’t quite as combative as Trump’s move to pull the United States out of that body. (Most accounts of Florida’s time during the pandemic suggest DeSantis’s policies were neither the success he portrayed them as nor the disaster his critics feared).

Unlike Trump — who still has his reputation as a dealmaker at heart — DeSantis may be more rigid and less open to persuasion. Profiles have repeatedly suggested that he has little of the personal charm or interest in social functions that many politicians have. Any world leaders who would seek a bromance with this man may end up with a cold shoulder.

DeSantis is happy to use brash rhetoric and even cruel stunts to make his point. He has flown Venezeulean migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in a bid to own liberals and battled with Disney over gay rights — breaking with Republican orthodoxy to complain about corporate power. He has said France would fold if Russia invaded and sided with Elon Musk over Ukrainian leaders after the U.S. billionaire suggested Kyiv needed to negotiate a peace deal with Russia.

And while DeSantis appears to have accepted the reality of climate change’s likely impact on Florida, he has favored throwing money at climate adaptation rather than working to actually mitigate the problem.

As one critic recently put it, his plan has been “Hand out big contracts for patching up the impacts on pricey waterfront property while ignoring essentially everything, and everyone, else.” If the United States goes all in with that approach, it could impact everywhere in the world.

What happens if Democrats give up on Florida voters? If DeSantis is on the ballot in the presidential race in 2024, he is likely to carry the state — long considered a toss-up — easily. Democrats, already skeptical about their chances in the state, may consider it a lost cause.

That could have major implications. Many in Florida’s large Latino population have fled extreme or socialist regimes in places like Cuba and Venezuela, which has influenced the policies of both Republicans and Democrats vying for votes in the state.

But some believe Democrats have already begun to move on. Certainly, it looks like Biden’s foreign policy is far from beholden to Florida’s Latino voters. His administration has eased sanctions on Venezuela, loosened restrictions on Cuba and removed Colombian rebel group FARC from a list of foreign terrorist organizations.

On Tuesday, the same day that voting was underway in the United States, climate envoy John F. Kerry had a brief meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Egypt. Though U.S. officials downplayed the interaction, it comes at an interesting time: The Biden administration has been easing sanctions related to Venezuela’s enormous oil reserves, as energy prices rose amid the war in Ukraine and tensions with Saudi Arabia, the oil market giant, further roiled the market.

Washington Post Email Newsletter

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 14:11:50
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1955273
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

GOP exuberance crashed into Democratic resistance to defy midterm expectations
Few foresaw an election that potentially shifts the balance of power in Congress but signaled a desire for seriousness and left America as polarized as ever

By Dan Balz and Dan Keating
November 9, 2022 at 7:45 p.m. EST

The 2022 elections will be remembered for Republican exuberance colliding with Democratic resistance to produce an unexpected outcome that, while potentially shifting the balance of power in Congress, suggests no call for a dramatic change in direction nor a mandate for the GOP.

In a season of election denialism and warnings of disruptions or worse on Election Day, democracy held, with few problems and robust turnout that, when all of the ballots are counted, could eclipse that of 2018, the previous record for a midterm election.

Few foresaw that Democrats would defy expectations of a “red wave,” and yet the pattern of results has been an integral part of the country’s politics for some time, ever since Donald Trump won the White House in 2016. The forces that aligned against Trump in 2018 and 2020 were evident yet again on Tuesday, less noticed or appreciated in advance, but every bit as determined to be heard.

Abortion and concerns about extremism in the Trump-dominated Republican Party proved as potent in energizing voters on the left as inflation, crime and illegal immigration did in aiding Republicans. President Biden’s low approval ratings turned out to be less catastrophic for Democratic candidates than history would have suggested. Polarization remains deeply embedded in the electorate and this, too, helped to blunt Republican hopes of major gains in the House and a clean victory in the Senate.

“With inflation at a 40-year high, crime out of control in many cities and our southern borders still porous, coupled with Joe Biden’s job approval in the low 40s, Republicans should have run away with this election,” said Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster. “It should never have been close.”

It was close, he said, for two reasons. First, the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade proved to be a major catalyst for Democratic voters and others who support abortion rights. For that, Republicans can blame themselves and Trump, for having assembled the current 6-3 conservative majority on the court.

The second reason, Ayres said, was the quality of Republican candidates. Many with Trump’s backing predictably proved not to be ready for prime time, including two in Pennsylvania — Mehmet Oz, who lost the Senate race to Democrat John Fetterman, and Doug Mastriano, who was soundly defeated by Democrat Josh Shapiro in the governor’s race.

Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network, said too many analysts misread the signs that have been evident since the court ruled in June to overturn abortion rights in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

“Since Dobbs, Democrats checked all the boxes,” he said. “They overperformed in five special elections, overperformed in Kansas . Voter registration went up. Our candidates raised more money. The question was would the intensity carry over to the election. The early vote showed that intensity had carried over to the election and then it carried over to Election Day. Republicans hadn’t checked any of the intensity boxes.”

Red and blue divisions continued to hold and in one particular place — Florida — intensified. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’s double-digit reelection victory was the most talked about single outcome of the night, converting, at least for now, a state once regarded as America’s quintessential swing state into a Republican stronghold.

Meanwhile, Democrats reasserted themselves in three northern states that have long been presidential battlegrounds and where Trump had made inroads in 2016. In addition to Shapiro in Pennsylvania, Michigan voters reelected Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Wisconsin voters narrowly reelected Gov. Tony Evers.

Those victories, along with the reelection of Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic secretary of state in Michigan, blocked Republican candidates who questioned or denied the outcome of the 2020 presidential election from holding public offices in which they could have created serious mischief in the 2024 election.

Coming out of the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, voters appeared ready for stability, soundness and reason. The results suggested that they were not looking for dramatic change or extreme candidates, instead searching for something safer.

“As much as anything people are trying to find their equilibrium,” Democratic pollster Peter Hart said. “It’s been a tough two years for America. It’s an election about normality rather than ideology.”

“When you feel like things are unsteady and close to unraveling, you look for candidates who will provide a safe harbor,” said Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson.

Extreme candidates found themselves in tougher-than-expected contests, the most prominent being Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who as of Wednesday afternoon was trailing her Democratic opponent, Adam Frisch, by a few thousand votes.

“Trump lost on Election Day,” said Democratic pollster Celinda Lake. “Many of his endorsed candidates and his style of politics lost. Despite low job numbers and dissatisfaction with the economy, voters actually affirmed the Biden-type politics.”

Exit polls, while not definitive, offered some evidence to support this. More than 9 in 10 of those who approved of Biden’s performance, strongly or somewhat, voted for Democratic House candidates, just as more than 9 in 10 of those who strongly disapproved voted for Republicans. But among the 10 percent of the electorate who said they somewhat disapprove of the way Biden is handling his job, 49 percent backed Democratic candidates to 45 percent who supported GOP candidates.

The data also offered telling indicators of the clash between issues advanced by Republicans and those pushed by Democrats. Nationally, abortion ranked a close second to inflation as the most important issue in people’s voting choice. In some key states, the comparisons were even more dramatic. In Michigan, where a referendum to put abortion rights into the state constitution was approved by voters, 45 percent of the electorate said that issue was most important compared with 28 percent who named inflation. In Pennsylvania, 37 percent named abortion compared with 28 percent who cited inflation.

In New Hampshire, it was 36 percent naming inflation and 35 percent citing abortion. And in that state, even as Republican Gov. Chris Sununu rolled to reelection, Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan held off a strong challenger to win by 10 percentage points, and two Democratic House members, Ann Kuster and Chris Pappas, easily defeated their GOP challengers. Republicans had thought any or all three of those contests could end up in their column.

“I think the voters were saying, ‘Don’t tell us what we care about; we’ll tell you what we care about,’ ” said William Galston of the Brookings Institution. “The conventional wisdom in the week before the election was that abortion had faded as a burning issue, that the Democrats had made a huge mistake not talking about the economy more, and that the combination of inflation and crime was going to be a killer one-two punch.”

If there was one other big message, it was the damage done to Trump and to his wing of the Republican Party. “It’s not a catastrophic fall for him, but it feels more that we’ve reached an inflection point,” historian Gary Gerstle said. “The Republican Party may be pulling away somewhat from Trump, but not in a way it’s acknowledging that. … We’re beginning to see in this election a quiet divergence, which Trump will notice because he pays close attention.”

Rosenberg added, “The big Republican mistake in this cycle is they ran toward the politics of that had been rejected by the American people in the last two elections.”

Trump’s politics appeared to be most problematic in the handful of swing states that decided the last two presidential elections and that were at the center of Tuesday’s battle for control of the Senate.

“Voters might be exhausted by the rhetoric or just tired of him hanging around,” said Jennifer Piscopo, chair of the politics department at Occidental College. “His very core base does not have the majority in these more diverse swing areas.”

Some analysts see the results as a shift in the balance of power inside the Republican coalition, with DeSantis the biggest winner of the night. In Florida, DeSantis won 58 percent of the Hispanic vote and carried traditionally Democratic Miami-Dade County, the state’s most populous county, with 55 percent of the vote overall.

Galston speculated that Republicans may conclude that DeSantis is “the one who can break the logjam of the 50-50 nation” and give them a governing majority. “I’m sure a lot of Republicans are asking, ‘Why isn’t he our best candidate?’ ” he said.

There was evidence that the polarization that has defined the electorate deepened with this election. According to a Washington Post analysis of election returns nationwide, counties where at least 40 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or more went strongly Democratic, by nearly 60 percent, down only marginally from Biden’s performance in 2020. Counties where fewer than 22 percent of adults have a bachelor’s degree cast 69 percent of their votes for Republican candidates in House races, up six percentage points from Trump’s performance in 2020.

The highest-income counties went for Democratic House candidates, but not as strongly as they backed Biden in 2020. But in middle-income and lower-income counties, Republican House candidates did better than Trump’s performance in 2020.

Republicans were hoping to make major gains in suburban areas on Tuesday. They improved on their performance in 2020 but not spectacularly so. In 2020, suburban counties backed Biden with 52 percent of the vote. On Tuesday, based on current data, Republicans won those counties with less than 51 percent of the vote.

As control of Congress has swung back and forth over the past decade or more, independent voters have moved accordingly, generally backing the winning party and sometimes by big margins. On Tuesday, something different happened, which provides a window into why the Republican results fell short of expectations.

With more than 9 in 10 Republicans and Democrats casting votes for candidates of their own party, independents went 49 percent to 47 percent for the Democrats over Republicans, according to exit polls produced by Edison Research.

It remains to be seen whether the final margins in the House will affect how Republicans approach governing — whether they will pursue an agenda that includes a federal ban on abortion in the face of votes around the country showing opposition to such policies, or initiate investigations of the Biden administration or the president’s son, Hunter Biden, as many in the party’s base would like to see.

“The voters are still divided and so neither party has a big incentive to change direction,” said Linda Fowler, a professor of government, emerita, at Dartmouth College. “And as long as we have low-turnout primaries for nominations, that probably won’t change.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/09/gop-exuberance-crashed-into-democratic-resistance-defy-midterm-expectations/?

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 14:38:30
From: dv
ID: 1955290
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

NBC News projects that Democrat Adrian Fontes, a former Marine, prosecutor and county elections official, has won the Arizona secretary of state over an election-denying Republican who was at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Fontes’ victory is sure to provoke some small sigh of relief from those who were worried about American elections being overseen by people promoting former President Donald Trump’s big lie. In Arizona, the secretary of state also steps into the role of governor if the governor can’t complete a term.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 14:41:03
From: dv
ID: 1955291
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Arizona senate seat has been called for Democrats.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 14:41:09
From: kii
ID: 1955292
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Mark Kelly has won in Arizona.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 17:11:18
From: dv
ID: 1955317
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

https://youtu.be/ZqThNScBh74

Fox News stars break with Trump, suggest it is time for him to leave the stage.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 17:14:16
From: party_pants
ID: 1955318
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


https://youtu.be/ZqThNScBh74

Fox News stars break with Trump, suggest it is time for him to leave the stage.

Excellent. Took them long enough, but they got there in the end. I think they’ll switch to backing Rhonda now. Trump can be left to his own devices, and the courts, now.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 17:29:56
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1955321
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

How Trump, infighting and flawed candidates limited Republican gains
The GOP’s historic tail winds collided with the fractious reality of a political party in the midst of a generational molting

By Michael Scherer, Josh Dawsey, Hannah Knowles, Isaac Arnsdorf and Tyler Pager
November 10, 2022 at 5:00 a.m. EST

Florida Sen. Rick Scott made a plea to about 35 of his colleagues during lunch at the National Republican Senatorial Committee offices in early August: Send money to the NRSC from your personal campaign accounts. The candidates were in need.

The Republican outlook had gone from glossy to grim since the July campaign finance reports. Despite $5-a-gallon gasoline and a historically unpopular president, Democratic Senate candidates in pivotal states had big financial and polling leads. First-time Republican candidates propelled by former president Donald Trump, on the other hand, were viewed unfavorably in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arizona and Georgia.

But Scott’s hopes of a united GOP response were dashed as soon as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) stood to address the same room: Send 20 percent of the money from their leadership PACs, he told the senators, to the Senate Leadership Fund, an outside group controlled by his own loyalists, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The implication, said multiple people familiar with the exchange, was that senators needed to choose sides in a months-long battle between the two Senate leaders about the best strategy for winning, a conflict that would have serious consequences in the fall.

At least one senator left the meeting frustrated that Scott had to come hat-in-hand so late in the campaign, according to people briefed afterward. Other senators raised private concerns broadly about how Scott had managed the committee. Others blamed McConnell.

“The way it was perceived in the room was ‘Don’t give your money to NRSC. Give to SLF,’” said one person who was present. “And absolutely that hurt our candidates.”

From the outside, this year’s elections looked like a virtual Republican lock. Since Lyndon B. Johnson, new Democratic presidents have lost an average of 45 House and five Senate seats in the midterms. Republicans went to the polls Tuesday needing to gain just five House seats and a single Senate seat to take control, amid soaring inflation and broad dissatisfaction with the nation’s direction.

But behind the scenes, nothing came easy to Republicans this cycle, as their historic tail winds collided with the fractious reality of a political party in the midst of a generational molting. GOP leaders spent much of the last year fighting against each other or plotting against their own primary voters. They were hobbled by unprepared first-time candidates, fundraising shortfalls and Trump, whose self-concern required constant attention — right up to the eve of the election, when he forced party bosses to beg him once again to delay a presidential campaign announcement.

In the weeks that followed that August lunch, the uneasy public truce between McConnell and Scott, the head of the NRSC, essentially collapsed. Major donors failed to fulfill their fall pledges to the NRSC, as the SLF accounts swelled. McConnell publicly raised concerns about candidates backed by Trump, while privately fuming about being cut out of NRSC strategy discussions. Aides to both men clashed over where to spend money and over Scott’s personal policy agenda, which included a politically toxic proposal to reauthorize Social Security every five years.

“They made it very clear early on they were not going to include anybody in their strategy, leadership or not,” Josh Holmes, a strategist close to McConnell, said of the NRSC. “So McConnell decided to do his own thing. He wanted to get as much money in SLF as possible.”

Scott responded by publishing an op-ed attacking his GOP critics as “treasonous” cowards. Allies of Scott went so far as to privately suggest that McConnell preferred winning only a narrow majority that would support him for leader — a claim that McConnell’s team found absurd.

Republicans entered the midterm elections needing to gain five House seats and a single Senate seat to take control of Congress. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rick Scott ran separate political operations that were sometimes at odds with one another. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy moved closer to former president Donald Trump amid campaign season, meeting with him nearly a dozen times over the course of the cycle. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)
This story of how the Republican Party red wave became a ripple — with Republicans on track to narrowly win control in the House and still at risk of falling short in the Senate — is based on interviews with 47 strategists, donors, advisers and candidates from both parties, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly share private details.

They described how Democratic efforts — to label Republicans “MAGA extremists,” elevate concerns of a tectonic abortion ruling by the Supreme Court and highlight threats to the democratic process embraced by GOP candidates — helped blunt overwhelming frustration with inflation and growing fears about crime. Exit polls conducted by AP VoteCast found 27 percent of voters cited abortion as the most important issue for their vote, compared to 31 percent who said inflation. Eleven percent of voters said crime was the most important, exactly the same share as said gun violence.

The massive barrage of paid advertising — fueled by more than $9 billion in spending from both sides — revealed weaknesses in both parties, which were viewed negatively by a plurality of voters in the final days of the election. Democrats found themselves with a White House leader who struggled to command the bully pulpit and candidates who were wounded by months of public infighting over their legislative agenda. Republicans struggled to hold together their new populist base, which embraced Trump’s lies about the 2020 election and absolutist views of abortion, with their moderate marginal voters, who were turned off by the party’s more radical turn and did not trust the party under Trump’s leadership.

As the election approached, those contradictions simply became harder to contain. Historical patterns, Republicans realized, could break.

“Our peak was really in June, June 13th or so. We were going to have a record-breaking night,” House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said in an interview the day before the election in his U.S. Capitol office. “I never questioned whether we win the majority. The question was how big the majority would be.”

Receding wave
The first warning signs popped up days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion on June 24. Until then, Republicans had enjoyed an almost comically favorable environment, with 9 percent inflation, a Democratic legislative morass and successive waves of coronavirus variants that caught the Biden administration off guard.

After Dobbs, the tracking data kept by both parties showed Democratic House districts, which had been slipping away, behaving again like Democratic districts. One Democratic House poll in the field when the ruling hit showed an immediate shift in the responses.

Strategists for both parties soon calculated that a massive wave of Democratic congressional retirements and redistricting impacts might only net the GOP a 10-seat gain in the House, enough to take control — but not enough to avoid intraparty chaos that would follow.

“Every single poll, no matter what office you were running in, no matter who the electorate is, no matter what state you were in — whether it was a South Dakota Senate race or a congressional race or a state race — showed that abortion was the best-testing argument,” Democratic pollster Celinda Lake said.

That hope was confirmed when Kansans voted Aug. 2 by an 18-point margin to keep protections for abortion. Two weeks later, Democrats won a statewide special election in Alaska, followed by a special election in New York’s Hudson Valley, outperforming even President Biden’s margins in 2020.

“It was night and day,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee executive director Tim Persico said.

Republicans responded with a two-front approach. Leaders like Ronna McDaniel, Republican National Committee chairwoman, encouraged candidates to quickly “move on” from abortion to other issues that were better for Republicans. Republican leaders begged candidates to avoid rigorous antiabortion positions without exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. “Stakeout common ground with a majority of Americans who support exceptions,” read a September memo from the Republican National Committee, a sentiment Trump echoed at his rallies.

The party then focused on giving the nation something else to talk about.

At the National Republican Congressional Committee, Chairman Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) convened a late-August summit of pollsters. They had succeeded in tying inflation concerns to Democratic policies, with ads as far back as the Fourth of July in 2021 about the rising costs of hamburgers and propane after the first Democratic stimulus bill. But they needed something more to harness the broad dissatisfaction with the direction of the country.

The answer had appeared in focus groups and polling from the spring: Suburban swing voters would volunteer that they didn’t feel safe going downtown anymore.

“You get a little bit deeper, and the concerns about rising crime and their own personal safety were there all along,” said B.J. Martino, a pollster at the Tarrance Group who attended the private meeting. “For our campaigns, it was about making sure we connect the policies of Democrats in Congress with the consequences that they are already seeing as we had already done on the economics.”

Emmer appeared days later on Fox News Sunday with the marching orders. “It’s about Americans’ economic security,” he said of the coming election. “It’s about Americans’ physical security.”

Democrats had seen the crime concerns in their spring polling as well, prompting the DCCC to send a March memo to candidates telling them to begin vetting “at least one active or retired member of law enforcement who can go on the record” on their behalf.

The problem was that the crime attacks would do damage if left unanswered, even if they were based on misrepresentations. Republicans spent more than $50 million on crime messaging after Labor Day, according to AdImpact, forcing Democrats to divert about at least $38 million by late October.

“Fox News goes from not talking about crime at all to talking about crime all the time. Every ad that they run goes from talking about the economy to just talking about how every Democrat wants to murder your entire family,” Persico said.

It was a painful combination, given Biden’s ongoing struggle to get ahead of the nation’s economic challenges. Many Democrats, including leadership aides, grew frustrated down the stretch as Biden talked more about other topics than the issues voters seemed to care most about.

“When you survey the American people, they do not think Democrats are strong on the economy,” said Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), who announced her retirement due to family considerations in a tough political environment in Florida. “Then you have some Democrats saying things like ‘inflation is transitory, gas prices are only going to be high for a little while, we’re not really in a recession.’”

“When Democrats take a faculty lounge approach to real people’s problems,” she added, “it further undermines our credibility on the economy.”

On Tuesday night, those who had gathered in the White House were too elated to dwell on those concerns. A nerve center was set up on the second floor of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to watch returns. But senior staff gathered in the West Wing’s Roosevelt Room to eat pizza.

The staff made light of McCarthy’s late appearance at his own victory party as it was broadcast on a television, according to a person familiar with the events. At moments, someone remarked, there were more people in the camera shot than Democratic House seats Republicans would likely be able to claim when all the ballots were counted.

Primary problems
As Republicans began to gain back ground in House races through the fall, aided by a return to rising gas prices in mid-September, they continued to struggle in the Senate contests, where candidate quality was king — just as Democrats had always hoped.

For months, McConnell grew concerned that some of the candidates were going to lose — even in a favorable environment — according to allies. When he publicly raised the concern this summer, it was a thunderclap in the party. He infuriated RNC and NRSC staff. Some donors, such as mega-hotelier Steve Wynn, privately said they were no longer going to support him. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich told Republican donors McConnell had made a mistake in a bid to soothe nerves.

“Somebody had to say it, because nobody else was saying it, and you had candidates down 5 or 10 points in the polls in red states,” Holmes, the McConnell adviser said. “It wasn’t working. We weren’t winning.”

Democrats saw exploiting individual Republican candidates as their best shot at victory — knowing the political environment was a difficult one.

“Our theory of the case from the beginning was we assumed that this was going to be a very tough election for us,” said Christie Roberts, executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “We had to utterly discredit and disqualify our opponents.”

A former opposition researcher, Roberts had plotted the attack from early 2021, when she directed her committee to get involved, often in secretive ways, with Republican primaries across the country. In many cases, her work targeted an audience of one, Trump, who had the power to get a candidate through the primary with a simple endorsement.

The Democrats planted early stories about past criticism of Trump by former North Carolina governor Pat McCrory ®, aiming to push Trump to endorse someone less electable in the state’s Senate primary. (The successful nominee, Ted Budd, went on to win Tuesday.) They built up the idea in the press that Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ® might run for Senate, prompting Trump to lash out and make clear his opposition; Ducey passed on running.

They handed out other hit pieces against Ohio GOP chairwoman Jane Timken and Pennsylvania Senate contender Dave McCormick, mining their old public comments for any criticism that might raise Trump’s ire. The committee even subscribed to a service that allowed for constant monitoring of right-wing radio, so divisions could be picked up early and amplified.

It was opposition research as psychological warfare, directed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club and Bedminster, N.J., golf resort. During internal meetings at the DSCC in 2021, senior strategists spoke about creating a “summer of chaos” and a “fall of fighting” in the Republican Party.

Ultimately, the GOP candidates Democrats most feared facing, like Ducey and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, declined to enter the race, giving them a fighting chance to hold the Senate. Sununu, the most popular politician in his state, had been targeted early by the DSCC with attacks on his abortion record. He ultimately blamed fellow Republicans for his decision.

“I was going to run,” Sununu said during an October appearance at Rice University, before laying blame on the Republican senators who tried to recruit him. “Man, they are the worst used-car salesman you ever heard. They said all the wrong things. I had one U.S. senator start talking about how much vacation time they got.”

Democrats in the House were also trying to meddle in Republican primaries, aiming to elevate their least electable opponents. In New Jersey, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D) sent out primary mailers to promote Trump’s 2020 endorsement of the man he wanted to face in the general election, Frank Pallotta, who had described abortion as “legalized manslaughter.”

In Western Michigan, the DCCC took out ads to boost the flailing primary campaign of John Gibbs, a candidate who had denied the validity of the 2020 election, suggested a senior adviser to former secretary of state Hillary Clinton engaged in satanic rituals and criticized giving women suffrage. The strategy carried risks. “We might be wrong,” said a House strategist days before the election. But on election night it paid returns. Gibbs fell, flipping a seat to Democrats, and Gottheimer easily won reelection.

Aware of the danger, and eager to shift the reputation of his party, McCarthy was also playing a delicate primary game.

After outperforming expectations in 2020, and picking up 15 seats, he was on the verge of attaining the speakership he always wanted. But his caucus had begun the cycle in chaos, reeling from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol that McCarthy publicly blamed on Trump. Some of his colleagues, like Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), called on McCarthy to follow McConnell’s lead and break ties with Trump.

McCarthy — always focused on winning the electoral numbers game — went the other way, embracing the former president, defending him and offering to bring Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), whose incendiary statements he had previously condemned, further into the fold.

At the same time, his allies worked to defeat some of the most extreme House candidates flying Trump’s America First banner, including one incumbent, Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.). He also continued his decade-long quest to bring more racial, gender and ethnic diversity to a party increasingly known for its appeal to White men.

McCarthy considers his efforts over the last two cycles to elect more women and racially diverse members of Congress as central to the imprint he leaves on the party. “A Republican minority or Republican woman, their hardest election is not the general election. It is the primary,” he said.

He recruited John James, a Black former Senate candidate, to run for a redrawn House seat in Michigan. He fought to get Jen Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot on the ballot in Virginia. McCarthy repeatedly spoke with Trump, according to people familiar with the efforts, to keep the former president from endorsing in Arizona’s sixth district, clearing the way for Republican Juan Ciscomani, the son of a Mexican immigrant to run for a seat with little Democratic opposition. Kiggans won easily, and Ciscomani and James were leading in their races Wednesday as votes were being counted.

McCarthy met with Trump nearly a dozen times over the course of the cycle, according to people familiar with the situation, often following a format they had established in the 2020 cycle. With the executive director of his political operation, Brian Jack, a former political director for Trump in the White House, McCarthy would go through printouts of candidates in each race, showing the president their pictures, polling and campaign fundraising.

With the exception of some Republicans who voted for Trump’s impeachment, McCarthy and Trump mostly avoided disagreement. In a sign of the relationship, Trump even agreed not to work against one impeachment voter he had previously threatened to unseat, Rep. David G. Valadao (R-Calif.), who McCarthy argued was the only candidate that would win his district in California’s Central Valley. Valadao’s race had not yet been called Wednesday.

McConnell, meanwhile, refused to have anything to do with Trump, leaving the communications about primary campaigns to Scott, who largely chose a hands-off approach. It was a decision, many Republicans came to believe, that would create problems in the fall.

As he jetted between his resort homes, Trump’s agenda, as it had been for years, remained transactional. He seemed to delight in the public and private attention he could attract. Up to the final day of the midterm campaign, he demanded constant minding by party leaders.

On the final Monday before the election, enraged by positive coverage of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ® and determined to claim credit for what he believed were going to be the party’s wins, Trump began phoning people to say he would announce his 2024 presidential bid that evening at a rally in Ohio. A coterie of Republicans, including McDaniel of the RNC, called and eventually begged him off. Instead he came up with a troll: He would announce that he would be announcing.

“The whole day was miserable,” one leading Republican said. “It was just: Who could get him on the phone and convince him not to hurt us?”

For the previous year, he was viewed as both an asset and a liability by the rest of the party leadership. He often sat in his office above the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago — arriving in the afternoon after playing 18 to 36 holes of golf — where he would regale visitors with his personal obsessions.

“He wanted to golf every day, make money and say the election was stolen,” one person who has talked to him frequently said.

Trump, from the start, was determined to fight the notion that he was fading, according to multiple people who spoke to him. He wanted to stay part of the conversation, to have the most money, to be atop the headlines and the most influential leader of the party — and show supremacy over Republican rivals he believes will take him on, such as DeSantis.

“We are stronger than we’ve ever been,” he said during an interview with The Washington Post in April, critiquing news coverage that showed his influence slipping.

His near-constant efforts to announce a new presidential campaign were egged on by Charlie Kirk, the leader of Turning Point USA, and some of his longest-serving advisers, like Jason Miller, who said it would force other Republicans to back him and make him the front-runner. One reason the RNC paid Trump’s legal bills, a person familiar with the matter said, was to give him an incentive to stay out of the race.

A top Trump adviser said they also were not ready to have a campaign when he wanted to announce. “He has been talked to by party fathers how that is not the best idea to introduce himself into these equations and just takes the spotlight off of people who need the spotlight,” the adviser said. “He was champing at the bit to announce.”

McDaniel visited Trump once a month at his clubs, going through polling, giving recommendations on endorsements and talking him out of running. “A big part of his goal was to make sure we win the majorities,” McDaniel said. She said Trump grew to understand the election should be a “referendum on Biden.”

Trump also pushed party candidates and leaders to go with his false claims about the election, which were viewed as an unhelpful message by Scott, McConnell, McDaniel and others. He often gave candidates who sought his endorsement talking points about what to say about the “rigged and stolen” election and lambasted them when they backed away from his claims.

Richard Walters, a senior adviser and former chief of staff at the RNC, said another goal was to guide Trump to particular areas on the electoral map where he could actually help — such as rural areas in states where he ran up the score against Biden in 2020. But some candidates near the end also suggested they did not want Trump in their states, Trump advisers said, partially leading to a less robust travel schedule in the final weeks.

“I think the former president feels like he is super effective anywhere he goes. Rick Scott and the other teams would point him into areas where the data shows what we call Trump downshifters or disengagers, people who typically would only turn out to vote if Trump was on the ballot,” Walters said. “Turning out the Trump voters is important for the party. It just is.”

All told, his advisers say he played a big role in the primaries for Republicans: 52 fundraisers, 30 rallies and 44 tele-rallies for Trump-backed candidates. His allies note, correctly, that he consistently drew bigger crowds than all others in the midterms. And he stayed on a scathing message against Biden. But at the rallies, he also repeatedly injected his false claims on the 2020 election into the midterms and veered into unwelcome topics. And every time he talked about running for president, or toying with the idea publicly, Republican strategists feared he would alienate more independent and moderate voters.

“When we are talking about 2020, we aren’t winning,” said Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.).

In speeches, Trump uses dozens of lies, exaggerations to draw contrast with Biden

Trump regularly insulted McConnell privately in caustic terms — even more vicious than his public comments. “A total sack of s—t,” he told Republican leaders about the Senate minority leader at Mar-a-Lago in one early 2022 meeting.

Trump also brought Republicans a raft of unwelcome headlines: From precipitating a raid on his Florida club by taking hundreds of classified documents with him after leaving the White House and refusing to return them, to damaging revelations about Jan. 6, to attacking fellow Republicans who he viewed as insufficiently loyal.

McConnell made a point of not responding, even when Trump gave his wife a racist moniker for her Taiwanese heritage, saying privately that Trump’s drama had become an albatross for Republican goals.

“The one thing Democrats are not wrong about, and they were actually pretty smart about: Every time Trump is the center of the political conversation, Republicans had a problem in the polls,” said Holmes, the McConnell adviser. “If you take the bait on the constant incoming, all you’re doing is creating a story that makes it difficult for our candidates.”

And Trump was responsible for pushing some of the party’s weakest Senate candidates, strategists say, particularly Mehmet Oz, who he endorsed in Pennsylvania; Blake Masters, who he pushed in Arizona; and Herschel Walker, who he urged into the race in Georgia. Oz was defeated Tuesday, Masters was trailing and Walker now faces a December runoff against Sen. Raphael G. Warnock (D-Ga.) that could decide control of the Senate.

Trump remained, through it all, a constant force in fundraising, since he was both a magnet for money and a drain on resources for the rest of the party. He took in about $150 million for his PAC — a remarkable haul for a candidate not running for office, and much of it raised on false claims about the election — but spent just a fraction of the funds on the elections.

Supporters of Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio before a midterm election rally Nov. 6 in Miami. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)
Beyond Trump, whose name and likeness raised hundreds of millions this cycle, Republicans suffered all year when it came to small-dollar fundraising.

Senate Democratic candidates raised $126 million more than Republicans, as of a week before the election, according to Federal Election Commission records, despite much more costly Republican primaries. House Democratic candidates raised $31 million more than the Republican counterparts. AdImpact reported that Democrats had outspent Republicans every month starting in June, building an overall advertising advantage of $63 million through the cycle.

At the root of the problem was a difference in how the grass roots of each party participated. GOP calculations, according to two people familiar with the data, found that there were about 7 million people who had given through WinRed, the primary GOP small-dollar processing firm, compared to 20 million people for ActBlue, the preferred platform of Democrats.

Republican consultants, meanwhile, had a habit of selling each other existing lists and then keeping huge cuts of the proceeds, instead of bringing new donors into the system. And new prospecting proved prohibitively expensive. Republican groups that invested heavily in recruiting new donors, like the NRSC, found themselves cutting their budgets late in the cycle.

“This leads to almost zero net dollars to campaigns but tens of millions of dollars to vendors,” said one prominent Republican digital strategist. “Closing the cash gap with ActBlue requires bigger long-term thinking on how to acquire brand-new GOP donors from the 75 million who voted in 2020.”

’It’s a rip off‘: GOP spending under fire as Senate candidates seek rescue

McDaniel, the RNC chair, said the small donor erosion was a “big problem” and that they repeatedly had to ask bigger donors to give more because the smaller donors were not.

On the calls with donors, McDaniel urged them to disregard public polling and instead focus on past cycles. She enlisted Gingrich in late August to help, according to audio reviewed by The Post. Gingrich asked donors to avoid the bad news they were seeing in the polls. All the Democratic spending advantages, he said, would eventually be subsumed by the political environment. McDaniel said she told the donors, in the words of the singer Taylor Swift, that “you need to calm down.”

“What we saw both in ’80 and in ’94, no matter what ad you see, if you then walk out and fill up your gas tank, you get mad again,” Gingrich told the donors, according to the audio. “Or if you watch a 7-Eleven getting robbed by a flash mob representing sort of the end of civilized behavior, you get mad again.”

Masters’ campaign in Arizona exemplified many Republicans’ anxieties about, in McConnell’s words, “candidate quality.” A first-time candidate, Masters won his primary largely on the strength of Trump’s endorsement and $15 million from his mentor Peter Thiel, the billionaire co-founder of PayPal who invested early in Facebook.

To Masters’s critics, his primary campaign had unfolded like undergraduate performance art. He announced in an ad that “psychopaths are running the country right now,” proposed that leftists did not want “our people” to exist, and said plainly in an ad, “Trump won in 2020.” In one March interview, he described the Unabomber as a “subversive thinker that is underrated.” At another event, he proposed privatizing Social Security.

“It was an ‘oh s—t’ moment,” Chad Willems, Masters’s general consultant at the time, said of the Social Security statement. “I think Blake regretted using that phrase.”

Polling that circulated among GOP operatives over the summer showed Masters’s support among Republicans in the low 70s, putting him well behind the 90-percent-plus support for the GOP’s polarizing gubernatorial nominee, Kari Lake, well-known as a former TV anchor.

When Masters called shortly after the primary, worried about money, Willems said he offered reassurance. “The money will come now that you’re the nominee,” Willems remembered saying. But the GOP’s biggest outside spender, SLF, would soon abandon the race.

The group made its first cuts shortly after Thiel rebuffed requests from McConnell to invest more in the candidate he elevated. The McConnell-aligned super PAC came out of the summer believing there was a crisis, with candidates like Masters and J.D. Vance in Ohio lacking the resources to mount a real general election campaign.

“The huge disparity in fundraising this cycle, which was far more pronounced than any prior cycle, ended up having real strategic ramifications for us,” said SLF CEO Steven Law. “We concluded that the only chance we had of being financially competitive in the fall was to concentrate our focus on the most achievable path to the majority.”

Not everyone agreed. Scott still believed in going big, investing heavily in every state where they had a chance, because the wave would arrive. But the NRSC had spent much of its television money in the spring and summer. What followed was a comedy of television reservation cancellations and repurchases, with SLF and NRSC often taking opposite tacks. SLF ultimately pulled out from New Hampshire and Arizona, over the NRSC’s objections. The McConnell super PAC put $35 million into Ohio to bail out Vance, who would go on to win easily.

“It doesn’t make any sense what they did,” said J.B. Poersch, the president of the Democratic Senate Majority PAC, about the ping-ponging of Republican money in Senate races. “I don’t think that SLF got to the level that they needed to be communicating at in the races that will decide the majority. And the NRSC barely showed up.”

Scott’s team grew increasingly frustrated. After SLF spent $5 million in a failed effort to get New Hampshire state senator Chuck Morse through the Senate primary, because they viewed him as a better general election candidate, Curt Anderson, the top consultant working for the NRSC, tweeted some salt in the wound: “lotta GOP donor money wasted in NH,” he wrote. The eventual nominee, Don Bolduc, went down to defeat Tuesday.

It was a window into how bad the relationship had become between Scott’s allies and much of the rest of the party. As the fall progressed, McConnell’s aides blamed Scott for having released a policy plan that suggested changing Social Security. “That plan ended up in a Democratic ad in every state,” said Holmes, the McConnell adviser, adding that “nobody in the conference wanted that plan.”

A source close to Scott blamed McConnell for allowing a national abortion ban to be proposed by Graham in the Senate, which Democrats “used in every swing state in the country.”

Senate candidate Chuck Morse speaks to patrons at MaryAnn’s Diner in Derry, N.H., on Sept. 10. (Josh Reynolds for The Washington Post)
Candidates found themselves getting separate streams of advice from Washington. McConnell, who did not see NRSC polling, regularly talked to Oz about Pennsylvania and consulted repeatedly with Walker in Georgia, including working with him on a straight-to-camera ad script where he talked about mental health and redemption after he was taking incoming attacks earlier this year about his past.

McConnell’s team defended his role in raising money for the Senate effort down the stretch. “If the leader solicits a contribution, it is within the allowable limits,” said Josh Ashbrook, a McConnell adviser.

“McConnell’s view is you don’t wish things into existence, which is what a large number of players this cycle were doing,” Holmes said. “They were out talking about things that were going to happen, but weren’t doing anything to ensure that was going to happen.”

Days before the election, Anderson had lost patience with the back-and-forth with other Republican strategists.

Scott had traveled the country handing out ceremonial bowls that he called the “Champions of Freedom” awards during the cycle, celebrating conservatives who had helped the party. McConnell allies particularly scowled when Scott released a picture of giving Trump a bowl two days after Trump called McConnell a “dumb son of a b——.”

“I think some of those bowls are left,” Anderson said. “We will send them out to anyone who needs one.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/10/republicans-midterm-elections-trump/?

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 17:31:22
From: dv
ID: 1955322
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


Mark Kelly has won in Arizona.

N.M. is still blue af. 2 Dem senators, Dem governor, 3 Dem house seats.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 17:43:42
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1955325
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

An endangered bird has been rediscovered in north-west Victorian wilderness 40 years after it was presumed extinct in the state.
La Trobe University researchers and community volunteers found a white-bellied whipbird in the Mallee’s Big Desert Wilderness Park near Nhill.
It was captured, sedated, tagged, weighed and measured and had a transmitter fitted.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 18:22:07
From: dv
ID: 1955341
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


An endangered bird has been rediscovered in north-west Victorian wilderness 40 years after it was presumed extinct in the state.
La Trobe University researchers and community volunteers found a white-bellied whipbird in the Mallee’s Big Desert Wilderness Park near Nhill.
It was captured, sedated, tagged, weighed and measured and had a transmitter fitted.

Sure but is it likely to turn out in a midterm?

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 19:52:20
From: dv
ID: 1955349
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Strike a light why is counting so slow in California compared to New York? Too much wacky tobacky. This thing is probably going to come down to Cali seats in the House and at this rate they’ll still be counting through to mid next Week.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 20:04:10
From: sibeen
ID: 1955353
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Strike a light why is counting so slow in California compared to New York? Too much wacky tobacky. This thing is probably going to come down to Cali seats in the House and at this rate they’ll still be counting through to mid next Week.

New York is a city that never sleeps.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 20:05:13
From: dv
ID: 1955354
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:

Strike a light why is counting so slow in California compared to New York? Too much wacky tobacky. This thing is probably going to come down to Cali seats in the House and at this rate they’ll still be counting through to mid next Week.

New York is a city that never sleeps.

whereas California dreaming

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 20:29:46
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1955358
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The right once again decides to come at the king

Analysis by Philip Bump
National columnist
November 10, 2022 at 10:37 a.m. EST

Donald Trump was asked on Election Day how much the Republican midterm results should be considered a function of his own efforts.

“I think if they win, I should get all the credit,” he replied, “and if they lose, I should not get blamed at all. But it will probably be just the opposite.” His picks had “turned out to be very good candidates,” he added, but “if they do badly, they will blame everything on me.”

The first part of that quote got a lot of attention, being from the “heads, I win; tails, you lose” school of blame-acceptance. But the latter part, it turns out, was prophetic. Not only has the surprising Republican underperformance been blamed on Trump, but the moment has expanded into something broader: an insistence in some quarters that Trump should be excised from Republican politics entirely.

This was most obvious in the parallel excoriations coming from outlets connected to the right’s media kingmaker, Rupert Murdoch. The front page of the New York Post, largely focused on boosting the failed gubernatorial bid of Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) in the weeks before the election, pivoted to a celebration of the reelection victory of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ® on Wednesday morning and, on Thursday, to mocking the man who leads DeSantis in most 2024 presidential polling: Trump.

That … evocative image was tied to an essay from conservative writer John Podhoretz.

“Trump is perhaps the most profound vote repellent in modern American history,” Podhoretz wrote. “The surest way to lose in these midterms was to be a politician endorsed by Trump.”

For those traveling to work not on the subway but in the back of a sedan, the Wall Street Journal offered a similar assessment, albeit sans cartoon.

“Trump Is the Republican Party’s Biggest Loser,” an editorial from the paper was headlined.

“Since his unlikely victory in 2016 against the widely disliked Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump has a perfect record of electoral defeat,” it read. “The GOP was pounded in the 2018 midterms owing to his low approval rating. Mr. Trump himself lost in 2020. He then sabotaged Georgia’s 2021 runoffs by blaming party leaders for not somehow overturning his defeat.”

This left out Trump’s failed endorsement in Alabama’s special Senate election in 2017 and the backlash in Virginia’s legislative races that year, but we digress.

Even at Fox News, the network deeply intertwined with Trump’s political rise, reviews were mixed. The network elevated the Post’s celebration of DeSantis’s victory, for example, though prime-time host Tucker Carlson was careful to point a finger of blame at his eternal target: the elites (here meaning the GOP establishment). The party lost races unrelated to Trump, he accurately noted. But this was just a variation on Trump’s rhetoric from the top of this article: If Republicans win, it’s despite the elites; if they lose, it’s because of them.

The static traveled outside the Murdochverse. Various Republican officials and allies gave quotes to The Washington Post and the New York Times — even, occasionally, on the record! — pinning the disappointing results on the former president. Criticism even came from more exotic quarters.

There’s little question that some of this is deserved, of course; research published after the 2018 midterms found that Trump rallies for candidates often had the effect of boosting Democrats by energizing anti-Trump voters. But it has very post-2012 vibes: backlash at the moment when there was the least opportunity to do anything about it.

In that election 10 years ago, you’ll remember, Republicans expected to defy polling and see Mitt Romney easily beat President Barack Obama. But he didn’t. That triggered, first, an energetic round of finger-pointing and, then, a structural effort to reshape the party for success. It was a moment that cleared Trump’s 2016 path: isolating the establishment Republican approach from the angry, fringe, conservative-media-driven one, with both moving forward in different directions for several years. In 2015, Trump proved that the latter path held more political power and used it to seize control of the GOP. He has retained that control since, which is why he earns outsize criticism for the midterm results.

Part of the reason he could, though, was that there wasn’t really leverage that the establishment could exert, especially immediately after the election. The party put together a group that aimed to figure out a better path forward, but that was like carefully drawing out a route on a paper map as the party’s base was going 100 miles an hour in the other direction, radio tuned to Rush Limbaugh.

What does it mean to challenge Trump right now? Challenge him how? When the Journal replies to Trump’s promise that his party would get tired of winning by suggesting that Republicans should instead be “sick and tired of losing,” it’s an unsubtle reminder of DeSantis’s success. But even if the party did decide to circle the wagons around DeSantis right now, what does that mean?

Let’s set aside for the moment that DeSantis’s victory will itself evoke some scrutiny. That Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) won by a similar margin against a stronger opponent has generally been brushed aside by silver-lining-seeking Republicans, for now. Let’s just assess the field of play at the moment.

Trump’s party has long been the group of kids on the playground who could overpower the bully if enough of them worked together — but each of whom individually is wary of being the first to step forward. But even if they were all to step forward together, they have to do so at the right moment, not (to extend the metaphor here) after he’s already gone back inside from recess. If a number of them challenged him now, there’s no vehicle to wrench power away from him anyway. And if only a few step forward, even more will use it as an opportunity to curry favor with Trump. To shift the metaphor in a new direction: Since 2016, the GOP has been a party of remoras, not competitive, man-eating sharks.

Everyone knows that Trump is not the kingmaker he has long pretended to be and that he never has been. But Republicans went along with it through 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021, because they were worried about 1) his base of support and 2) invoking his wrath. Those points of leverage exist today as they did on Sunday.

Besides, if DeSantis were to use this moment to take on Trump directly, then what? Trump’s been champing at the bit to throw everything he can at DeSantis — and he is no more bound than he ever was to only offer valid criticisms. Perhaps a challenge to Trump now from the party’s most popular non-Trump official would weaken the former president, disinclining him from running at all. It’s more likely, though, that DeSantis would begin his second term in office fending off incessant attacks from his right flank.

Establishing Trump as an electoral disaster in the post-election heat may benefit DeSantis or another Republican in 2024. But Trump has more than a year to reframe that position and to convince his base that elections are suspect and that the candidates who lost were ones who rejected his philosophy and to batter straying Republicans back into line.

This is admittedly fatalistic, assuming that challenging Trump won’t go anywhere. But it is not uninformed fatalism. Trump attempted to subvert the results of a presidential election to seize power, and Republicans expressed frustration for about a week. They still need him to help win primaries — maybe not today, but someday. So even as the bully tried to burn down the school, they stood on the playground and agreed among themselves that someone should do something.

Trump knows this is how it works. He’s seen these small rebellions in the past. He’s pretty obviously angry that Tuesday went badly and mad that DeSantis is getting good press. But he’s seen this before. And he’s still around, hands on at least some of the controls.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/10/trump-desantis-republicans-midterms/?

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 23:52:15
From: dv
ID: 1955421
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

ABC News (the US version) has coloured in their Calif-6 and Calif-26 districts blue … but haven’t announced that they have called them yet? Could just be a glitch.

Reply Quote

Date: 12/11/2022 23:55:08
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1955422
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


ABC News (the US version) has coloured in their Calif-6 and Calif-26 districts blue … but haven’t announced that they have called them yet? Could just be a glitch.

it seems close..

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 00:07:06
From: dv
ID: 1955426
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


dv said:

ABC News (the US version) has coloured in their Calif-6 and Calif-26 districts blue … but haven’t announced that they have called them yet? Could just be a glitch.

it seems close..

MSNBC says the same

(shrugs) What would I know, they’re the boffins. This basically puts it at 207-211. Dems need 11 more, Republicans need 7.

Nailbiter.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 01:12:30
From: dv
ID: 1955431
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Republican Pat Toomey is retiring from his Pennsylvania Senate seat at the end of the term. But before he goes, he is speaking some hard truths to his party.

Asked Thursday by CNN’s Erin Burnett about how Republicans lost the contest to replace him, Toomey was blunt that “President Trump inserting himself into the race … was never going to be helpful.”

Trump had endorsed Mehmet Oz in the primary and rallied with him the final weekend before the general election.

Noted Toomey: “We were in a moment, we were in a cycle, we were at a time when it’s good for Republicans for the race to be about President Biden, who is not popular, whose policies have failed. And instead, President Trump had to insert himself and that changed the nature of the race.”

Toomey wasn’t done. He added that: “All over the country, there’s a very high correlation between MAGA candidates and big losses, or at least dramatically underperforming.”

Which isn’t wrong! In Toomey’s home state, aside from Oz’s 4-point loss to Democrat John Fetterman, Trump-backed Doug Mastriano lost the governor’s race by 15 points, a landslide in a state as closely divided as Pennsylvania.

In battleground Michigan, Trump-endorsed Tudor Dixon lost by 11 points to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a defeat that led to a blue wave down-ballot in the state. In Illinois, the Trump-backed gubernatorial candidate lost by 10. In the Maryland governor’s race, the Trump-backed candidate lost by 25.

On the Senate side, Blake Masters, the Trump-picked candidate in Arizona, trails Sen. Mark Kelly in a race that is still too close to call. Herschel Walker, another high-profile candidate backed by Trump, finds himself headed for a runoff in Georgia on December 6 against Sen. Raphael Warnock. And even in places where the Trump-supported candidate won – like Ohio – it took a massive outlay of cash from national Republicans (roughly $30 million) to drag J.D. Vance across the finish line.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/11/politics/pat-toomey-trump-midterms-comments/index.html

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 04:22:28
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1955454
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Let’s talk about Republicans losing more than the youth….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QOwb_7cTf0

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 05:02:32
From: kii
ID: 1955456
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Let’s talk about Republicans losing more than the youth….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QOwb_7cTf0

Yes! They killed off their supporters! I’ve been saying this since the beginning of the pandemic.

Can we say hoist on their own petard?

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 05:03:40
From: dv
ID: 1955457
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

https://thehill.com/homenews/3730272-trump-attacks-desantis-amid-positive-press-an-average-republican-governor/

This is an actual press release by a former and perhaps future President of the United States of America.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 05:12:09
From: mollwollfumble
ID: 1955460
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


https://thehill.com/homenews/3730272-trump-attacks-desantis-amid-positive-press-an-average-republican-governor/

This is an actual press release by a former and perhaps future President of the United States of America.

Zaphod Beeblebrox

Douglas Adams “The President in particular is very much a figurehead – he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria (Donald Trump) is one of the most successful Presidents the (USA) has ever had – he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud”.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 05:13:55
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1955461
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


https://thehill.com/homenews/3730272-trump-attacks-desantis-amid-positive-press-an-average-republican-governor/

This is an actual press release by a former and perhaps future President of the United States of America.

Should read Save America from…

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 07:02:21
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955465
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


https://thehill.com/homenews/3730272-trump-attacks-desantis-amid-positive-press-an-average-republican-governor/

This is an actual press release by a former and perhaps future President of the United States of America.

He still thinks he’s the president.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 08:07:56
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955471
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


dv said:

https://thehill.com/homenews/3730272-trump-attacks-desantis-amid-positive-press-an-average-republican-governor/

This is an actual press release by a former and perhaps future President of the United States of America.

He still thinks he’s the president.

Former US president Donald Trump is suing the house committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol in an attempt to block a subpoena requiring him to testify.
Key points:

The suit likely dooms the prospect of Mr Trump ever having to testify, given that the committee is expected to disband in January In his suit, Mr Trump’s attorneys attack the subpoena as overly broad and frame it as an infringement of his first amendment rights Mr Trump is expected to launch a third campaign for the presidency next week

The suit contends that, while former presidents have voluntarily agreed to provide testimony or documents in response to congressional subpoenas in the past, “no president or former president has ever been compelled to do so”.

“Long-held precedent and practice maintain that separation of powers prohibits Congress from compelling a President to testify before it,” Mr Trump’s attorney David A Warrington said in a statement announcing the former leader’s intentions.

He said Mr Trump had “engaged with the Committee in a good faith effort to resolve these concerns consistent with Executive Branch prerogatives and separation of powers,” but said the panel “insists on pursuing a political path, leaving President Trump with no choice but to involve the third branch, the judicial branch, in this dispute between the executive and legislative branches”.

> why does he think he cannot be the first president compelled to testify?

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 12:37:45
From: dv
ID: 1955528
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


roughbarked said:

dv said:

https://thehill.com/homenews/3730272-trump-attacks-desantis-amid-positive-press-an-average-republican-governor/

This is an actual press release by a former and perhaps future President of the United States of America.

He still thinks he’s the president.

Former US president Donald Trump is suing the house committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol in an attempt to block a subpoena requiring him to testify.
Key points:

The suit likely dooms the prospect of Mr Trump ever having to testify, given that the committee is expected to disband in January In his suit, Mr Trump’s attorneys attack the subpoena as overly broad and frame it as an infringement of his first amendment rights Mr Trump is expected to launch a third campaign for the presidency next week

The suit contends that, while former presidents have voluntarily agreed to provide testimony or documents in response to congressional subpoenas in the past, “no president or former president has ever been compelled to do so”.

“Long-held precedent and practice maintain that separation of powers prohibits Congress from compelling a President to testify before it,” Mr Trump’s attorney David A Warrington said in a statement announcing the former leader’s intentions.

He said Mr Trump had “engaged with the Committee in a good faith effort to resolve these concerns consistent with Executive Branch prerogatives and separation of powers,” but said the panel “insists on pursuing a political path, leaving President Trump with no choice but to involve the third branch, the judicial branch, in this dispute between the executive and legislative branches”.

> why does he think he cannot be the first president compelled to testify?

Also he’s more or less explicitly saying that the law doesn’t apply to former Presidents. I hope this is dealt with quickly.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 13:09:26
From: dv
ID: 1955548
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Various evening updates…

SENATE

The Democrats are expected to take the lead in the Nevada senate race as mail ballots are counted, as Democrat candidate Cortes-Masto is winning about two-thirds of the remaining ballots that are coming in. This would put the Dems at 50 and give them control of the Senate. The Republicans, as I type this, are less than 0.1% ahead now and the lead dwindles with each batch.

Daft Twat and Sycophantic Worm Lindsay Graham has already prepared the ground to cast doubt on the legitimacy of this result:


On a Republican conference call Thursday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), went so far as to suggest fraud in Nevada if Laxalt isn’t declared the winner. The midday call was hosted by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
“There is no mathematical way Laxalt loses,” Graham said on the call. “If he does, then it’s a lie.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/11/republicans-redirect-hopes-for-senate-majority-on-georgia-runoff-00066517

HOUSE

Washington-3 has been called for the Democrats. Another close seats where the Republicans lead is also getting closer:
Arizona-6 was at 1.0% R lead last night and is now a 0.4% R lead.

As things have ticked on, MSNBC’s seat projection has improved for the Dems but their margin of error has now decreased to +/- 4. Effectly this means that the range of seatcounts they expect for Dems is from 212 to 220.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 13:38:11
From: dv
ID: 1955577
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

He still thinks he’s the president.

Former US president Donald Trump is suing the house committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol in an attempt to block a subpoena requiring him to testify.
Key points:

The suit likely dooms the prospect of Mr Trump ever having to testify, given that the committee is expected to disband in January In his suit, Mr Trump’s attorneys attack the subpoena as overly broad and frame it as an infringement of his first amendment rights Mr Trump is expected to launch a third campaign for the presidency next week

The suit contends that, while former presidents have voluntarily agreed to provide testimony or documents in response to congressional subpoenas in the past, “no president or former president has ever been compelled to do so”.

“Long-held precedent and practice maintain that separation of powers prohibits Congress from compelling a President to testify before it,” Mr Trump’s attorney David A Warrington said in a statement announcing the former leader’s intentions.

He said Mr Trump had “engaged with the Committee in a good faith effort to resolve these concerns consistent with Executive Branch prerogatives and separation of powers,” but said the panel “insists on pursuing a political path, leaving President Trump with no choice but to involve the third branch, the judicial branch, in this dispute between the executive and legislative branches”.

> why does he think he cannot be the first president compelled to testify?

Also he’s more or less explicitly saying that the law doesn’t apply to former Presidents. I hope this is dealt with quickly.

And sure enough Nevada senate seat has now been called for the Democrats and hence they retain control of the Senate.

The Georgia runoff will still take place and I’m sure the Dems would prefer 51-49 to give them more negotiating options.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 13:40:40
From: wookiemeister
ID: 1955580
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

The electoral system is rigged I’m afraid

No electoral security

I made my peace with that years ago.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 13:42:08
From: Bogsnorkler
ID: 1955582
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

wookiemeister said:


The electoral system is rigged I’m afraid

No electoral security

I made my peace with that years ago.

LOL, as if you would know.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 14:24:44
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1955594
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

oh so senate doesn’t flip

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 14:28:20
From: dv
ID: 1955595
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

SCIENCE said:

oh so senate doesn’t flip

Yeah.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 14:33:08
From: party_pants
ID: 1955596
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

SCIENCE said:

oh so senate doesn’t flip

Well, there you go. May the right wing press dump Trump like a stinky nappy and stop giving airtime to his lies.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 14:38:28
From: kii
ID: 1955597
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

party_pants said:


SCIENCE said:

oh so senate doesn’t flip

Well, there you go. May the right wing press dump Trump like a stinky nappy and stop giving airtime to his lies.

They’ve started.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 14:40:47
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1955599
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:

party_pants said:

SCIENCE said:

oh so senate doesn’t flip

Well, there you go. May the right wing press dump Trump like a stinky nappy and stop giving airtime to his lies.

They’ve started.

man that VladiPut fella must be livid, not only is he faltering on the home front but overseas territories are unshackling themselves too damn

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 14:41:55
From: party_pants
ID: 1955600
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


party_pants said:

SCIENCE said:

oh so senate doesn’t flip

Well, there you go. May the right wing press dump Trump like a stinky nappy and stop giving airtime to his lies.

They’ve started.

Let’s hope it lasts.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:01:56
From: dv
ID: 1955615
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:19:36
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1955619
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


communist

almost as communist as these bastards

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/12/barcelona-students-to-take-mandatory-climate-crisis-module-from-2024

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:21:45
From: sibeen
ID: 1955621
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:



I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:26:03
From: Bogsnorkler
ID: 1955622
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:


I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

https://www.vox.com/2019/4/3/18293950/why-is-insulin-so-expensive

Link

haven’t read the whole lot…

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:26:11
From: poikilotherm
ID: 1955623
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:


I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

There are, however, not all insulins equal. The USA has odd rules regarding drug pricing.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:27:57
From: sibeen
ID: 1955624
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

poikilotherm said:


sibeen said:

dv said:


I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

There are, however, not all insulins equal. The USA has odd rules regarding drug pricing.

How much is insulin here, and what sort of outrageous mark-up do put on it?

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:32:47
From: poikilotherm
ID: 1955627
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


poikilotherm said:

sibeen said:

I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

There are, however, not all insulins equal. The USA has odd rules regarding drug pricing.

How much is insulin here, and what sort of outrageous mark-up do put on it?

NHS prescriptions either $6.80 or $42.50 (soon to $30 in January).

Our markup, fee and margin is set by the government.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:33:34
From: poikilotherm
ID: 1955628
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


poikilotherm said:

sibeen said:

I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

There are, however, not all insulins equal. The USA has odd rules regarding drug pricing.

How much is insulin here, and what sort of outrageous mark-up do put on it?

Non nhs coat for 25 pens of 300 units each ~$190.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:35:06
From: sibeen
ID: 1955629
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

poikilotherm said:


sibeen said:

poikilotherm said:

There are, however, not all insulins equal. The USA has odd rules regarding drug pricing.

How much is insulin here, and what sort of outrageous mark-up do put on it?

Non nhs coat for 25 pens of 300 units each ~$190.

2.5 cents per dose?

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:36:16
From: poikilotherm
ID: 1955630
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


poikilotherm said:

sibeen said:

How much is insulin here, and what sort of outrageous mark-up do put on it?

Non nhs coat for 25 pens of 300 units each ~$190.

2.5 cents per dose?

Doses can range from 2 units to over 100 units.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:37:14
From: sibeen
ID: 1955631
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

poikilotherm said:


sibeen said:

poikilotherm said:

Non nhs coat for 25 pens of 300 units each ~$190.

2.5 cents per dose?

Doses can range from 2 units to over 100 units.

Ahh – ta.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:41:11
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1955635
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:57:01
From: dv
ID: 1955644
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:


I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

In the United States, certain pharmaceutical companies have de facto production monopolies. It’s not like proper countries.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 16:59:33
From: Bubblecar
ID: 1955645
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


sibeen said:

dv said:


I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

In the United States, certain pharmaceutical companies have de facto production monopolies. It’s not like proper countries.

There are apparently many US citizens who have to regularly travel to Mexico to get affordable supplies.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:02:59
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1955646
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bubblecar said:

dv said:

sibeen said:

I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

In the United States, certain pharmaceutical companies have de facto production monopolies. It’s not like proper countries.

There are apparently many US citizens who have to regularly travel to Mexico to get affordable supplies.

you mean drugs

DRUGS

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:06:35
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955648
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

SCIENCE said:

Bubblecar said:

dv said:

In the United States, certain pharmaceutical companies have de facto production monopolies. It’s not like proper countries.

There are apparently many US citizens who have to regularly travel to Mexico to get affordable supplies.

you mean drugs

DRUGS

It is the 21st century, surely time for the brave new world.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:09:16
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1955651
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bubblecar said:


dv said:

sibeen said:

I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

In the United States, certain pharmaceutical companies have de facto production monopolies. It’s not like proper countries.

There are apparently many US citizens who have to regularly travel to Mexico to get affordable supplies.

To Canada, too.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:10:13
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955653
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


Bubblecar said:

dv said:

In the United States, certain pharmaceutical companies have de facto production monopolies. It’s not like proper countries.

There are apparently many US citizens who have to regularly travel to Mexico to get affordable supplies.

To Canada, too.

They only have to go to Colorado.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:11:07
From: party_pants
ID: 1955654
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:



I think this is the whole point behind the fake account.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:12:47
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1955655
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

party_pants said:


dv said:


I think this is the whole point behind the fake account.

Some forms of social comment can be a bit too subtle for some Americans. It can be necessary for someone like Bernie to clarify the point that’s to be made.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:14:32
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955657
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


party_pants said:

dv said:


I think this is the whole point behind the fake account.

Some forms of social comment can be a bit too subtle for some Americans. It can be necessary for someone like Bernie to clarify the point that’s to be made.

A lot of Yanks follow Bernie.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:16:45
From: party_pants
ID: 1955660
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bogsnorkler said:


sibeen said:

dv said:


I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

https://www.vox.com/2019/4/3/18293950/why-is-insulin-so-expensive

Link

haven’t read the whole lot…

It is not a market. it is an oligopoly where they all act the same way in order to maximise profits for the shareholders. Also the demand side is beyond ineleastic, demand is non-discretionary and the buyers are obligate users. Markets don’t function under these circumstances.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:18:43
From: party_pants
ID: 1955662
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


poikilotherm said:

sibeen said:

I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

There are, however, not all insulins equal. The USA has odd rules regarding drug pricing.

How much is insulin here, and what sort of outrageous mark-up do put on it?

Around $6 per box of 5 pens. If you have a concession card you can get 5 boxes of 5 pens for around $6. I go through about 1 pen per week.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:21:58
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955665
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

party_pants said:


Bogsnorkler said:

sibeen said:

I have no idea about insulin pricing, but surely if a company was $265 profit per dose, and a shitload of this was required, surely a dozen other manufacturers would be entering the field.

https://www.vox.com/2019/4/3/18293950/why-is-insulin-so-expensive

Link

haven’t read the whole lot…

It is not a market. it is an oligopoly where they all act the same way in order to maximise profits for the shareholders. Also the demand side is beyond ineleastic, demand is non-discretionary and the buyers are obligate users. Markets don’t function under these circumstances.

Correct analysis from where I see it.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:39:09
From: sibeen
ID: 1955672
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

party_pants said:


sibeen said:

poikilotherm said:

There are, however, not all insulins equal. The USA has odd rules regarding drug pricing.

How much is insulin here, and what sort of outrageous mark-up do put on it?

Around $6 per box of 5 pens. If you have a concession card you can get 5 boxes of 5 pens for around $6. I go through about 1 pen per week.

So it costs you about $60 per annum.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 17:47:16
From: party_pants
ID: 1955673
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


party_pants said:

sibeen said:

How much is insulin here, and what sort of outrageous mark-up do put on it?

Around $6 per box of 5 pens. If you have a concession card you can get 5 boxes of 5 pens for around $6. I go through about 1 pen per week.

So it costs you about $60 per annum.

Actually, nearly double that, because I need two types. One slow acting (one large dose once per day), and one rapid acting (small-ish dose before each meal). I use one pen of the slow acting insulin slightly more than a week, maybe every 8-9 days.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 18:34:40
From: dv
ID: 1955686
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

A member of my family needs regular meds. The for-profit price in Australia is $32: at that price the manufacturer makes a profit, the IP holders make a profit, the pharmacist makes a profit. There is also a cheaper subsidised price for health card holders that’s around $9.
I’ve talked to other people online about this. The price in the US is over $300: available from one provider who has the exclusive rights to make it in the USA. And this is a compound developed in the UK, the IP is held by a Japanese company now: the USA had nothing to do with it.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 18:37:46
From: roughbarked
ID: 1955688
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


A member of my family needs regular meds. The for-profit price in Australia is $32: at that price the manufacturer makes a profit, the IP holders make a profit, the pharmacist makes a profit. There is also a cheaper subsidised price for health card holders that’s around $9.
I’ve talked to other people online about this. The price in the US is over $300: available from one provider who has the exclusive rights to make it in the USA. And this is a compound developed in the UK, the IP is held by a Japanese company now: the USA had nothing to do with it.

Once the compound is isolated, they can manufacture it for sixpence.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 18:44:21
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1955691
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


A member of my family needs regular meds. The for-profit price in Australia is $32: at that price the manufacturer makes a profit, the IP holders make a profit, the pharmacist makes a profit. There is also a cheaper subsidised price for health card holders that’s around $9.
I’ve talked to other people online about this. The price in the US is over $300: available from one provider who has the exclusive rights to make it in the USA. And this is a compound developed in the UK, the IP is held by a Japanese company now: the USA had nothing to do with it.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 20:22:24
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1955725
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:

dv said:

A member of my family needs regular meds. The for-profit price in Australia is $32: at that price the manufacturer makes a profit, the IP holders make a profit, the pharmacist makes a profit. There is also a cheaper subsidised price for health card holders that’s around $9.
I’ve talked to other people online about this. The price in the US is over $300: available from one provider who has the exclusive rights to make it in the USA. And this is a compound developed in the UK, the IP is held by a Japanese company now: the USA had nothing to do with it.


capitalism win

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:36:44
From: dv
ID: 1955832
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:39:00
From: dv
ID: 1955834
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

In some ways I am going to miss Twitter. It’s a great place to watch the Right shred itself.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:42:42
From: dv
ID: 1955835
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:48:57
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1955838
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:



Sometimes I think about Brett’s aunty Barbara in Santa Rosa who got really upset with me saying some stuff about George Bush. ‘We don’t say nothing bad about the president in this house. Ever.’

I wonder how many houses across the states through that out the window because of Trump.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:52:18
From: dv
ID: 1955839
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11406175/Aussie-travelled-support-Trump-candidates-elections-Save-America-Australia.html

Fuckin’ hell

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:53:26
From: dv
ID: 1955840
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


dv said:


Sometimes I think about Brett’s aunty Barbara in Santa Rosa who got really upset with me saying some stuff about George Bush. ‘We don’t say nothing bad about the president in this house. Ever.’

I wonder how many houses across the states through that out the window because of Trump.

Did the rule apply in the Obama years?

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:54:28
From: sibeen
ID: 1955841
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


In some ways I am going to miss Twitter. It’s a great place to watch the Right shred itself.

Hold on – is that a real account?

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:56:02
From: sibeen
ID: 1955842
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:

In some ways I am going to miss Twitter. It’s a great place to watch the Right shred itself.

Hold on – is that a real account?

And how would anyone know?

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:56:03
From: dv
ID: 1955843
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:

In some ways I am going to miss Twitter. It’s a great place to watch the Right shred itself.

Hold on – is that a real account?

Fair question

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:56:43
From: Bogsnorkler
ID: 1955844
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:

In some ways I am going to miss Twitter. It’s a great place to watch the Right shred itself.

Hold on – is that a real account?

all twitter accounts are real.

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:57:40
From: sibeen
ID: 1955845
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


sibeen said:

dv said:

In some ways I am going to miss Twitter. It’s a great place to watch the Right shred itself.

Hold on – is that a real account?

Fair question

I love Elon :)

Reply Quote

Date: 13/11/2022 23:58:47
From: dv
ID: 1955846
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sibeen said:


dv said:

sibeen said:

Hold on – is that a real account?

Fair question

I love Elon :)

Agent of chaos, Magic Christian style

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 00:01:56
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1955848
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


sarahs mum said:

dv said:


Sometimes I think about Brett’s aunty Barbara in Santa Rosa who got really upset with me saying some stuff about George Bush. ‘We don’t say nothing bad about the president in this house. Ever.’

I wonder how many houses across the states through that out the window because of Trump.

Did the rule apply in the Obama years?

Apparently she came around to liking Obama.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 00:13:32
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1955851
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bogsnorkler said:

sibeen said:

dv said:

In some ways I am going to miss Twitter. It’s a great place to watch the Right shred itself.

Hold on – is that a real account?

all twitter accounts are real.

disagree, they’re virtual

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 00:19:53
From: dv
ID: 1955852
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Exit Poll Shows Nearly 70% Of Single Women Voted Democrat In Midterms
https://www.dailywire.com/news/exit-poll-shows-nearly-70-of-single-women-voted-democrat-in-midterms

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 00:34:10
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1955853
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:

Exit Poll Shows Nearly 70% Of Single Women Voted Democrat In Midterms
https://www.dailywire.com/news/exit-poll-shows-nearly-70-of-single-women-voted-democrat-in-midterms

so voting Democrat is an evolutionary dead end

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 00:54:58
From: sibeen
ID: 1955855
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

SCIENCE said:

dv said:

Exit Poll Shows Nearly 70% Of Single Women Voted Democrat In Midterms
https://www.dailywire.com/news/exit-poll-shows-nearly-70-of-single-women-voted-democrat-in-midterms

so voting Democrat is an evolutionary dead end

It will make the coming civil war a little one sided.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:21:41
From: dv
ID: 1955923
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

In the House, a day of counting has not changed the equation much. There are 16 seats outstanding (with WA-3 having been called for the Dems). D have won 208, R have won 211. D need 10 more, R need 7 more. Some of the California seats where the Republicans lead have become closer.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:23:18
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1955925
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


In the House, a day of counting has not changed the equation much. There are 16 seats outstanding (with WA-3 having been called for the Dems). D have won 208, R have won 211. D need 10 more, R need 7 more. Some of the California seats where the Republicans lead have become closer.

How many overs left?

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:25:24
From: dv
ID: 1955927
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


dv said:

In the House, a day of counting has not changed the equation much. There are 16 seats outstanding (with WA-3 having been called for the Dems). D have won 208, R have won 211. D need 10 more, R need 7 more. Some of the California seats where the Republicans lead have become closer.

How many overs left?

Fair question. I wouldn’t be surprised if we still don’t have an answer on Friday.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:30:46
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1955928
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


In the House, a day of counting has not changed the equation much. There are 16 seats outstanding (with WA-3 having been called for the Dems). D have won 208, R have won 211. D need 10 more, R need 7 more. Some of the California seats where the Republicans lead have become closer.

I’m super interested to see the proportion of split ticket voting … that will, I think, tell us a lot about the nature of the electorate.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:35:32
From: dv
ID: 1955930
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:

dv said:


In the House, a day of counting has not changed the equation much. There are 16 seats outstanding (with WA-3 having been called for the Dems). D have won 208, R have won 211. D need 10 more, R need 7 more. Some of the California seats where the Republicans lead have become closer.

I’m super interested to see the proportion of split ticket voting … that will, I think, tell us a lot about the nature of the electorate.

Same.

But I’ll wait til its done and dusted before I do my analysis

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:45:16
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1955932
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

“Donald Trump needs to go away, period,” Kilberg said. “He has shown yet again that he basically cares only about himself and not about the future of the Republican Party. If it doesn’t change, we are going to have a really sad state of affairs.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/13/trump-republicans-rivals-2024/?

Do the GOP even care about what’s good for America?

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:45:36
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1955933
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


diddly-squat said:

dv said:


In the House, a day of counting has not changed the equation much. There are 16 seats outstanding (with WA-3 having been called for the Dems). D have won 208, R have won 211. D need 10 more, R need 7 more. Some of the California seats where the Republicans lead have become closer.

I’m super interested to see the proportion of split ticket voting … that will, I think, tell us a lot about the nature of the electorate.

Same.

But I’ll wait til its done and dusted before I do my analysis

All things aside, it seems to me that despite the whole “the red wave never happened thing”, this result is well within the set of likely outcomes given the pre-polling.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:51:24
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1955934
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Witty Rejoinder said:


“Donald Trump needs to go away, period,” Kilberg said. “He has shown yet again that he basically cares only about himself and not about the future of the Republican Party. If it doesn’t change, we are going to have a really sad state of affairs.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/13/trump-republicans-rivals-2024/?

Do the GOP even care about what’s good for America?

I think that depends on who you ask.. there are certainty elements of the GOP (including it’s base) that have an unwavering (right leaning) ideological vision for the country, then there are others that are pragmatic enough to realise that if they don’t change they risk losing their own individual influence and power, finally there are even other elements that are genuine moderates that believe that traditional GOP policy platforms are the best thing for America.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 11:56:19
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1955935
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


Witty Rejoinder said:

“Donald Trump needs to go away, period,” Kilberg said. “He has shown yet again that he basically cares only about himself and not about the future of the Republican Party. If it doesn’t change, we are going to have a really sad state of affairs.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/13/trump-republicans-rivals-2024/?

Do the GOP even care about what’s good for America?

I think that depends on who you ask.. there are certainty elements of the GOP (including it’s base) that have an unwavering (right leaning) ideological vision for the country, then there are others that are pragmatic enough to realise that if they don’t change they risk losing their own individual influence and power, finally there are even other elements that are genuine moderates that believe that traditional GOP policy platforms are the best thing for America.

just to add to my comment… I think this election is proof that on a local level (at least), candidate quality is an actual thing and even some right-wing-nut-jobs are too much for some conservative voters.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 12:10:22
From: dv
ID: 1955936
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


dv said:

diddly-squat said:

I’m super interested to see the proportion of split ticket voting … that will, I think, tell us a lot about the nature of the electorate.

Same.

But I’ll wait til its done and dusted before I do my analysis

All things aside, it seems to me that despite the whole “the red wave never happened thing”, this result is well within the set of likely outcomes given the pre-polling.

Absolutely. Up in the blueish half of the range but not a shock.

Otoh it’s still an anomalous result. There’s usually a signif swing against the President’s party in the midterms, just as a general protest. With inflation at 8%, President at 41% approval: in the absence of polling data you’d expect the Republicans to end with at least 250 House seats, based on previous trends.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 12:16:50
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1955940
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


diddly-squat said:

dv said:

Same.

But I’ll wait til its done and dusted before I do my analysis

All things aside, it seems to me that despite the whole “the red wave never happened thing”, this result is well within the set of likely outcomes given the pre-polling.

Absolutely. Up in the blueish half of the range but not a shock.

Otoh it’s still an anomalous result. There’s usually a signif swing against the President’s party in the midterms, just as a general protest. With inflation at 8%, President at 41% approval: in the absence of polling data you’d expect the Republicans to end with at least 250 House seats, based on previous trends.

I think if there is one thing you can bank on the US it’s that government overreach is nominally frowned upon.. This election feels a bit like the dog that caught the car and now has no idea what to do with it.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 12:21:44
From: dv
ID: 1955942
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Be thankful for young people I guess

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 12:29:54
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1955947
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

did you see the tweet about Boebert?? … “Hugs win/win for Colorado and OnlyFans”

I reckon she’d make an amazing Dom… the Subs will love her. I mean imagine if your kink was being belittled for being a small-L liberal.. like dick shaming for democrats.. she’d have the market cornered…

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 12:34:50
From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 1955949
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Rupert Murdoch Is Having the Same Problem Dr. Frankenstein Once Faced With His Monster
Murdoch’s conservative media outlets seem to have launched a coordinated effort to nudge Trump off the stage. It is not going well.

Robert Mackey

November 11 2022, 10:30 p.m.

IN THE AFTERMATH of the midterm election debacle for the Republican Party, Rupert Murdoch’s conservative media outlets are trying, in more and less subtle ways, to send a message to Donald Trump: It’s over.

On Wednesday, the New York Post devoted its first post-election front page to hailing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as “DeFuture” of the Republican Party. On Thursday, the Post carpet-bombed Trump with criticism, portraying him on its front page as “Trumpty Dumpty” who “couldn’t build a wall” and “had a great fall,” leaving it to others to put the party’s pieces back together.

Trump, the Post columnist John Podhoretz argued, “sabotaged the Republican midterms” by elevating a string of weak gubernatorial and Senate candidates who supported his lies about the 2020 election but repelled voters.

The Wall Street Journal editorial pages were equally scathing, describing the former president as “the Republican Party’s Biggest Loser,” alongside a column headlined “DeSantis Is a Winner. What Does That Mean for Trump in 2024?”

On Murdoch’s most influential outlet, Fox News, two of Trump’s closest allies on the television channel he gets his opinions from, Laura Ingraham and Kayleigh McEnany, sounded like hostage negotiators, urging the former president to admit his time was up and let his supporters go.

After beginning her monologue Wednesday night by blaming “the media” for “obsessing over the losses of Trump-backed candidates in states like New Hampshire and Pennsylvania,” Ingraham addressed Trump, without mentioning his name. “Going into 2024, the Republicans are going to be looking for candidates who are focused on winning, not just making a point or settling a score,” she said, as a graphic over her shoulder read “It’s About America, Not Grudges,” and the headline on the screen beneath her changed to “Focus on Ego and Grievance Turning Off Voters.”

Appealing to younger voters, Ingraham added, has “got to be the goal for the next presidential election.” Looking directly into the camera and speaking slowly, as if addressing an audience of one sitting before a television in Mar-a-Lago, Ingraham continued: “The populist movement is about ideas. It is not about any one person. If the voters conclude that you’re putting your own ego or your own grudges ahead of what’s good for the country, they’re going to look elsewhere, period.”

McEnany, Trump’s former press secretary, seemed to be reading from the same script on Thursday when she told viewers that “there are 72 million people in this country that make up a movement. It is a conservative movement, it’s not tied to any one person.”

“In 2016, they decided, ‘Our home is in President Trump,’” McEnany said. “This time around, these 72 million people, they will decide where their home is, only they will decide. No pundit will say, ‘It’s Trump,’ ‘It’s DeSantis.’ They’re smart, they’re wise, they’re going to read the tea leaves, and I have all the trust in the world they’re going to pick where their home is.”

“Then why did the former president come up with the name ‘DeSanctimonious’ a couple of days before” the election, fellow Fox host Lisa Kennedy Montgomery broke in to ask. “Well, he shouldn’t have,” McEnany responded. “There is,” she added in a description of a future Republican Party that must exclude Trump, “no place for nicknames.”

Other Fox guests voiced more direct criticism of Trump, but the channel’s coverage largely ignored the former president and switched focus to DeSantis.

Trump, it must be said, appears to have no interest in taking any of these hints to go away quietly — even from the television network that operated as a de facto arm of his two presidential campaigns, in 2016 and 2020, and served as something akin to state TV during his years in office. “Despite having picked so many winners, I have to put up with the Fake News,” he complained on Truth Social. “For me, Fox News was always gone, even in 2015-16 when I began my ‘journey,’ but now they’re really gone.”

“NewsCorp, which is Fox, the Wall Street Journal, and the no longer great New York Post,” Trump raged on Thursday evening, “is all in for Governor Ron DeSanctimonious.” In the same rambling statement, Trump also tossed in a new conspiracy theory, claiming that he had dispatched the FBI to Florida in 2018 to shut down a Democratic plot to steal that year’s gubernatorial election from DeSantis. (In fact, Trump’s allegations of election fraud in Florida in 2018 were debunked by local law enforcement.)

It is far too early to say if Murdoch’s campaign to force Trump from the stage will be a success, but the effort to cast the former president as a loser by focusing on the cast of odd candidates he supported does have a precedent.

In the 2010 midterms, Republicans lost three winnable Senate races because of deeply flawed, pro-insurrection and racist candidates supported by Sarah Palin, the party’s former vice presidential nominee turned Fox News contributor. Palin eventually decided to pass on a run for the White House in 2012, but it was not until June 2015 that she finally lost her contract with Fox — the week after Trump announced that he was running for president.

https://theintercept.com/2022/11/11/desantis-trump-fox-rupert-murdoch/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=The%20Intercept%20Newsletter

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 12:40:30
From: dv
ID: 1955950
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:

did you see the tweet about Boebert?? … “Hugs win/win for Colorado and OnlyFans”

I reckon she’d make an amazing Dom… the Subs will love her. I mean imagine if your kink was being belittled for being a small-L liberal.. like dick shaming for democrats.. she’d have the market cornered…

I didn’t see that tweet.

I think she’s going to end up winning. Lot of military ballots outstanding.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 12:43:36
From: dv
ID: 1955951
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 14:35:18
From: dv
ID: 1955970
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Most of the boffins have called Oregon-5 for the Republicans now. This effectively brings it to 208-212.

Republicans also lead in Arizona-1 now, but only by 0.2%.

Reply Quote

Date: 14/11/2022 16:34:25
From: dv
ID: 1955999
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Most of the boffins have called Oregon-5 for the Republicans now. This effectively brings it to 208-212.

Republicans also lead in Arizona-1 now, but only by 0.2%.

Still, these changes have altered my BOTE estimate of the probability that the Dems retain the House, which is now 13%.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 09:41:26
From: dv
ID: 1956190
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

One remarkable thing is that the Dems did not lose a single state chamber (ie upper or lower house in the State legislatures).

This is the first midterm election since 1934 where the President’s party did not lose any state chambers. Indeed they’ve improved their overall position.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 09:43:17
From: roughbarked
ID: 1956192
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


One remarkable thing is that the Dems did not lose a single state chamber (ie upper or lower house in the State legislatures).

This is the first midterm election since 1934 where the President’s party did not lose any state chambers. Indeed they’ve improved their overall position.

That says a lot.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 12:28:52
From: dv
ID: 1956304
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

There’s a huge bolus of Maricopa county ballots (central Arizona) that has come in, so within the next hour or so we should have the result of the Az governor’s race as well as the House districts Arizona-1 and Arizona-4.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 12:43:30
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1956316
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


There’s a huge bolus of Maricopa county ballots (central Arizona) that has come in, so within the next hour or so we should have the result of the Az governor’s race as well as the House districts Arizona-1 and Arizona-4.

where did you get this particular update from?

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 12:48:40
From: dv
ID: 1956318
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:


dv said:

There’s a huge bolus of Maricopa county ballots (central Arizona) that has come in, so within the next hour or so we should have the result of the Az governor’s race as well as the House districts Arizona-1 and Arizona-4.

where did you get this particular update from?

https://mobile.twitter.com/NicoleSGrigg/status/1592263848681426944

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 13:07:23
From: dv
ID: 1956324
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


diddly-squat said:

dv said:

There’s a huge bolus of Maricopa county ballots (central Arizona) that has come in, so within the next hour or so we should have the result of the Az governor’s race as well as the House districts Arizona-1 and Arizona-4.

where did you get this particular update from?

https://mobile.twitter.com/NicoleSGrigg/status/1592263848681426944

That drop firmed the Democrat (Hobbs) position. She now leads by approximately 20000 votes with about 54000 ballots outstanding. 97.8% of the vote is counted The Republican would need to get 68% of the remaining ballots in order to win.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 13:13:13
From: dv
ID: 1956328
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

diddly-squat said:

where did you get this particular update from?

https://mobile.twitter.com/NicoleSGrigg/status/1592263848681426944

That drop firmed the Democrat (Hobbs) position. She now leads by approximately 20000 votes with about 54000 ballots outstanding. 97.8% of the vote is counted The Republican would need to get 68% of the remaining ballots in order to win.

It was bad news for the Dems in Arizona-6, and I don’t think they can win that one now which is a blow to their chances of holding the House of Reps. Unclear on Arizona-1.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 13:22:12
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1956329
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Bogsnorkler said:

so voting Democrat is an evolutionary dead end

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 13:34:48
From: roughbarked
ID: 1956331
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

SCIENCE said:

Bogsnorkler said:

so voting Democrat is an evolutionary dead end

They don’t always remain single and young.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 14:20:19
From: Dark Orange
ID: 1956339
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

More Covid victims.

Attractive female students no longer earned higher grades when classes moved online during COVID-19

New psychology findings suggest that attractive students earn higher grades in school, but for female students, this beauty premium disappears when classes are taught remotely.

https://www.psypost.org/2022/11/attractive-female-students-no-longer-earned-higher-grades-when-classes-moved-online-during-covid-19-64251

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 14:29:19
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1956340
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 14:29:48
From: roughbarked
ID: 1956341
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Dark Orange said:


More Covid victims.

Attractive female students no longer earned higher grades when classes moved online during COVID-19

New psychology findings suggest that attractive students earn higher grades in school, but for female students, this beauty premium disappears when classes are taught remotely.

https://www.psypost.org/2022/11/attractive-female-students-no-longer-earned-higher-grades-when-classes-moved-online-during-covid-19-64251

That was an interesting read.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 15:09:04
From: dv
ID: 1956346
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Arizona-1 has been called for the Republicans. That’s a big blow.
So has New York-22.

Oregon-6 has been called for the Democrats. They have also retaken the lead in California-13.

I think the window for a Dem win is closing but not quite closed yet.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 15:13:25
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1956348
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:

Dark Orange said:

More Covid victims.

Attractive female students no longer earned higher grades when classes moved online during COVID-19

New psychology findings suggest that attractive students earn higher grades in school, but for female students, this beauty premium disappears when classes are taught remotely.

https://www.psypost.org/2022/11/attractive-female-students-no-longer-earned-higher-grades-when-classes-moved-online-during-covid-19-64251

That was an interesting read.

fkem

oh

wait

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 15:55:59
From: dv
ID: 1956358
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

So since this time yesterday, Ar-1 and NY-22 have been called for the Republicans. Or-6 has been called for the Dems.
The Dems have taken the lead in Calif-13 but things are looking pretty dire in Ar-6.

Republicans have won 214 seats, Democrats have won 209.

So there are 12 seats yet to be called: Republicans only need 4 of them: Dems need 9.

Democrats are only leading in 5 of these 12 seats. To win they’d need to get the lead back in (net) 4.

So over the last 24 hours my BOTE estimate of the Democrat’s probability of holding the House has decreased from 13% to 10%.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 16:13:06
From: dv
ID: 1956361
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


So since this time yesterday, Ar-1 and NY-22 have been called for the Republicans. Or-6 has been called for the Dems.
The Dems have taken the lead in Calif-13 but things are looking pretty dire in Ar-6.

Republicans have won 214 seats, Democrats have won 209.

So there are 12 seats yet to be called: Republicans only need 4 of them: Dems need 9.

Democrats are only leading in 5 of these 12 seats. To win they’d need to get the lead back in (net) 4.

So over the last 24 hours my BOTE estimate of the Democrat’s probability of holding the House has decreased from 13% to 10%.

Aaaand Arizona-6 has now also been called for the Republicans. This change alone drops them down to a 8% chance.

Republicans have now won 215 to the Democrats 209.

The Dem hopes now ride solely on the possibility of a good finish in Cali.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 16:33:44
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1956365
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


dv said:

So since this time yesterday, Ar-1 and NY-22 have been called for the Republicans. Or-6 has been called for the Dems.
The Dems have taken the lead in Calif-13 but things are looking pretty dire in Ar-6.

Republicans have won 214 seats, Democrats have won 209.

So there are 12 seats yet to be called: Republicans only need 4 of them: Dems need 9.

Democrats are only leading in 5 of these 12 seats. To win they’d need to get the lead back in (net) 4.

So over the last 24 hours my BOTE estimate of the Democrat’s probability of holding the House has decreased from 13% to 10%.

Aaaand Arizona-6 has now also been called for the Republicans. This change alone drops them down to a 8% chance.

Republicans have now won 215 to the Democrats 209.

The Dem hopes now ride solely on the possibility of a good finish in Cali.

The New Yorker says it all but over.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 16:53:05
From: dv
ID: 1956367
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


dv said:

dv said:

So since this time yesterday, Ar-1 and NY-22 have been called for the Republicans. Or-6 has been called for the Dems.
The Dems have taken the lead in Calif-13 but things are looking pretty dire in Ar-6.

Republicans have won 214 seats, Democrats have won 209.

So there are 12 seats yet to be called: Republicans only need 4 of them: Dems need 9.

Democrats are only leading in 5 of these 12 seats. To win they’d need to get the lead back in (net) 4.

So over the last 24 hours my BOTE estimate of the Democrat’s probability of holding the House has decreased from 13% to 10%.

Aaaand Arizona-6 has now also been called for the Republicans. This change alone drops them down to a 8% chance.

Republicans have now won 215 to the Democrats 209.

The Dem hopes now ride solely on the possibility of a good finish in Cali.

The New Yorker says it all but over.

It pretty much is, but I note that the NYer has given up a couple of Californian seats that other outlets are saying could still go either way, due to the mail ballots expecting to be good for Dems. We should know for real by this time tomoz.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 16:58:03
From: sarahs mum
ID: 1956368
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Don’t steal electrons.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 16:59:30
From: dv
ID: 1956369
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Accordingly, MSNBC has revised their result estimate as 220-215 +/- 3, which means the Dem victory is right at the far boundary of their range.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 17:10:02
From: roughbarked
ID: 1956370
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

sarahs mum said:


Don’t steal electrons.

I’d love to see them do the election again. More Dems would come out to vote.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 17:36:09
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1956378
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


Accordingly, MSNBC has revised their result estimate as 220-215 +/- 3, which means the Dem victory is right at the far boundary of their range.


So, nothing will happen in the US for at least two years.

Nothing the Democrats propose will get from the House to the Senate.

Anything that the Republicans send from the House to the Senate will be blocked by the Senate.

And, somehow, everything will be Joe Biden’s fault.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 17:38:01
From: roughbarked
ID: 1956379
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


dv said:

Accordingly, MSNBC has revised their result estimate as 220-215 +/- 3, which means the Dem victory is right at the far boundary of their range.


So, nothing will happen in the US for at least two years.

Nothing the Democrats propose will get from the House to the Senate.

Anything that the Republicans send from the House to the Senate will be blocked by the Senate.

And, somehow, everything will be Joe Biden’s fault.

I suppose it comes with the job?

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 17:41:07
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1956382
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

roughbarked said:


captain_spalding said:

And, somehow, everything will be Joe Biden’s fault.

I suppose it comes with the job?

Perhaps.

Anyway, Americans can go back to sleep now, or back to shooting schoolchildren, whatever.

(Odd how there was no school shootings (none that made headlines, anyway) while all this mid-term stuff was going on, is it not?)

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 17:44:52
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1956384
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


roughbarked said:

captain_spalding said:

And, somehow, everything will be Joe Biden’s fault.

I suppose it comes with the job?

Perhaps.

Anyway, Americans can go back to sleep now, or back to shooting schoolchildren, whatever.

(Odd how there was no school shootings (none that made headlines, anyway) while all this mid-term stuff was going on, is it not?)

It’s a sign that the US is maturing, although still relatively young.
Unwritten law, no large, well largish school shootings during an election period.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 18:19:40
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1956387
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

“Liz Cheney sends perfect revenge tweet as Kari Lake loses Arizona governor’s race: ‘You’re welcome’”

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 18:51:30
From: dv
ID: 1956391
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/beating-election-deniers-bipartisan-group-secretaries-state-talk/story?id=93289117

With some races still outstanding, the 2022 midterm elections proved to be a particular blow to the Republican secretary of state candidates who supported former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 contest was stolen.

At a joint news conference on Monday, a panel of bipartisan secretaries of state or secretaries-elect from some of the most contested battlegrounds where Trump tried to overturn his 2020 defeat — including Arizona, Georgia and Michigan — said the squashing of election deniers last week was a signal that Americans were also rejecting evidence-free claims of election-rigging.

Supporters of 2020 election denialism — which was investigated and rejected by the courts and local officials of both parties across the country — have so far won races for secretary of state in Alabama, Indiana and Wyoming. Such offices are often the top election administrators in a given state.

Other such candidates lost in 10 states, according to counts from States United Action, a nonpartisan group that closely tracked election-denying nominees throughout the 2022 election cycle.

“I believe that most people are good … That’s what we just saw. The good people raised up, they got out, they voted and what they voted for — they voted for normalcy,” Georgia Secretary Brad Raffensperger said at the event, organized by States United Action.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 21:03:58
From: dv
ID: 1956421
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Kari Lake – live: Supporters reenact bible battle as Republican calls Arizona election a ‘laughingstock’
Bevan Hurley,Alisha Rahaman Sarkar,Rachel Sharp and Gustaf Kilander
November 14, 2022, 6:58 pm
Kari Lake supporters reenacted the biblical Battle of Jericho outside an election centre in Phoenix over the weekend as part of a protest in favour of the MAGA Republican and Arizona gubernatorial candidate.

The demonstrators gathered outside the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Centre on Saturday as Ms Lake continues to trail behind her Democratic rival Katie Hobbs

As ballots continue to be counted several days on from election day, Ms Lake has taken aim at the election process in her state, branding it a “laughingstock”.

“We can’t be the laughingstock of elections anymore here in Arizona. And, when I’m governor, I will not allow it. I just won’t,” she told Fox News on Sunday.

Meanwhile, an Arizona police lab confirmed that it found nothing in an envelope that Ms Lake’s campaign claimed was sent to their headquarters in early November containing a “suspicious white powder

Lake supporters call for military intervention amid fears she may be losing.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kari-lake-arizona-battle-of-jericho-march-b2224395.html

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 21:40:08
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1956454
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Mike Pence has indicated that he might run for POTUS in 2024.
He’d be OK.
And his hair is perfect.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 21:42:46
From: party_pants
ID: 1956456
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Mike Pence has indicated that he might run for POTUS in 2024.
He’d be OK.
And his hair is perfect.

I don’t really know enough about him to make any judgement.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 21:43:52
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1956458
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

party_pants said:


Peak Warming Man said:

Mike Pence has indicated that he might run for POTUS in 2024.
He’d be OK.
And his hair is perfect.

I don’t really know enough about him to make any judgement.

He appears to be a functioning adult, unlike his former boss.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 21:48:23
From: party_pants
ID: 1956460
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


party_pants said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Mike Pence has indicated that he might run for POTUS in 2024.
He’d be OK.
And his hair is perfect.

I don’t really know enough about him to make any judgement.

He appears to be a functioning adult, unlike his former boss.

That is a very low base to start from. Pretty much most of the non-MAGA GOP members would fall into this category. I know he decided to do his duty on January 6th rather than perpetuate the big lie, so he has a tick for that. But I know nothing of his own policy position on the big issues.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 21:50:39
From: dv
ID: 1956461
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

party_pants said:


Peak Warming Man said:

Mike Pence has indicated that he might run for POTUS in 2024.
He’d be OK.
And his hair is perfect.

I don’t really know enough about him to make any judgement.

He’s an old fashioned conservative Republican, which is pretty bad, but it certainly would be good to have a normal kind of person on the R ticket.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 21:52:41
From: party_pants
ID: 1956463
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


party_pants said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Mike Pence has indicated that he might run for POTUS in 2024.
He’d be OK.
And his hair is perfect.

I don’t really know enough about him to make any judgement.

He’s an old fashioned conservative Republican, which is pretty bad, but it certainly would be good to have a normal kind of person on the R ticket.

Anybody except Rhonda or Lindsey Graham I guess.

.. or Ted Cruz.

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 22:03:39
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1956469
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Some photos of WW1 aircraft


Avro 504


Nieuport 23


Sop With Camel

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 22:04:46
From: party_pants
ID: 1956470
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Some photos of WW1 aircraft


Sop With Camel

snort

Reply Quote

Date: 15/11/2022 22:17:19
From: dv
ID: 1956481
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Some photos of WW1 aircraft


Avro 504


Nieuport 23


Sop With Camel

Heh

Reply Quote

Date: 16/11/2022 10:49:12
From: dv
ID: 1956651
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

CA-45 has been called for Republicans, who now have 216 seats to the Democrats’ 209.

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Date: 16/11/2022 11:09:26
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1956654
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

dv said:


CA-45 has been called for Republicans, who now have 216 seats to the Democrats’ 209.

Everyone says that ‘the Republicans lost the mid-term elections’.

The Republicans, quite notably, did not gain the one seat they needed for a Senate majority, but they’ll have control of the House, so they’ll be quite able to sabotage any attempts by the Democrats at effective government, and that’s all the Republicans care about.

So, how is that a loss?

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Date: 16/11/2022 11:25:48
From: SCIENCE
ID: 1956656
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:

dv said:

CA-45 has been called for Republicans, who now have 216 seats to the Democrats’ 209.

Everyone says that ‘the Republicans lost the mid-term elections’.

The Republicans, quite notably, did not gain the one seat they needed for a Senate majority, but they’ll have control of the House, so they’ll be quite able to sabotage any attempts by the Democrats at effective government, and that’s all the Republicans care about.

So, how is that a loss?

but it was a loss compared to what people were hoping for slash predicting

in the same way that preventing pandemic disease is an intolerable socioeconomic cost compared to what people were hoping for slash predicting on the assumption that there was no pandemic

oh wait did someone say assumption

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Date: 16/11/2022 11:34:27
From: captain_spalding
ID: 1956660
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

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Date: 16/11/2022 11:44:36
From: fsm
ID: 1956664
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

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Date: 16/11/2022 12:54:36
From: Peak Warming Man
ID: 1956691
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Big announcement today.
It’s not going to be a big announcement it’s going to be the best big announcement, the best biggest biggly big announcement ever.

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Date: 16/11/2022 13:09:39
From: roughbarked
ID: 1956694
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Big announcement today.
It’s not going to be a big announcement it’s going to be the best big announcement, the best biggest biggly big announcement ever.

BAT?

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Date: 16/11/2022 13:14:54
From: Woodie
ID: 1956697
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Big announcement today.
It’s not going to be a big announcement it’s going to be the best big announcement, the best biggest biggly big announcement ever.

Bigger than Ben Hur? More biggerer than a Sydney Harbour full? Even biggerest than Kim Kardashian’s arse?

Will you be playing the Joker in a hand of no trumps?

Better start a thread, Mr Man. So we ca get the knowin’ before anyone else does.

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Date: 16/11/2022 13:16:04
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1956698
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Trump has filed the official paperwork to run for president in 2024.

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Date: 16/11/2022 13:56:15
From: kii
ID: 1956711
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

diddly-squat said:

Trump has filed the official paperwork to run for president in 2024.

Watching Game of Thrones. Lots of parallels with US politics.

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Date: 16/11/2022 14:14:28
From: Cymek
ID: 1956715
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


diddly-squat said:

Trump has filed the official paperwork to run for president in 2024.

Watching Game of Thrones. Lots of parallels with US politics.

Trump would be Joffrey ?

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Date: 16/11/2022 14:15:27
From: roughbarked
ID: 1956717
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Cymek said:


kii said:

diddly-squat said:

Trump has filed the official paperwork to run for president in 2024.

Watching Game of Thrones. Lots of parallels with US politics.

Trump would be Joffrey ?

He’s lost his jaffas for sure.

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Date: 16/11/2022 14:17:45
From: roughbarked
ID: 1956718
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Last time, Trump ran on a lark. This time, his plans include pardons, revenge and something called Schedule F
By Lucy Sweeney and Rebecca Armitage

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Date: 16/11/2022 14:19:02
From: diddly-squat
ID: 1956719
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

kii said:


diddly-squat said:

Trump has filed the official paperwork to run for president in 2024.

Watching Game of Thrones. Lots of parallels with US politics.

yep… there is a reason the King let’s the lords squabble among themselves…

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Date: 16/11/2022 14:39:20
From: dv
ID: 1956725
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

captain_spalding said:


dv said:

CA-45 has been called for Republicans, who now have 216 seats to the Democrats’ 209.

Everyone says that ‘the Republicans lost the mid-term elections’.

The Republicans, quite notably, did not gain the one seat they needed for a Senate majority, but they’ll have control of the House, so they’ll be quite able to sabotage any attempts by the Democrats at effective government, and that’s all the Republicans care about.

So, how is that a loss?

I for one have not said “The Republicans lost the midterms”.

What happened was that the Republicans underperformed any reasonable expectation based on the broader situation: you normally expect the party that is not in the White House to gain at least 20 seats strictly on protest even if the President is fairly popular. With a President on 41% approval and inflation around 9%, you expect them to gain 50 seats. You expect them to make gains in the Senate, to win governorships, to.win State Houses and State Senates.

Going by MSNBC estimates, the Republicans will pick up between 2 and 8 House seats. They’ve made no gains in the Senate, probably going to lose Georgia in fact. They lost 2 governorships net: in particular they lost Secretary of State races that are going to be important for running elections. They went backwards in the state legislatures. Considering the overall context it was the worst peformance by a non -White House party in mid terms since the 1930s.

Note that as we speak, the Republicans have not gained control of the House (though by my calculations the chances of the Dems retaining from here are about 3%).

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Date: 16/11/2022 14:40:05
From: Dark Orange
ID: 1956728
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

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Date: 16/11/2022 14:54:25
From: dv
ID: 1956739
Subject: re: US politics leading up to midterm

Peak Warming Man said:


Big announcement today.
It’s not going to be a big announcement it’s going to be the best big announcement, the best biggest biggly big announcement ever.

You buying a boat

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