2018 U.S election

It is looking like dems are failing to lock down the Senate races but are doing marginally better in the house. I expect 228 in the house and possibly losing a seat in the Senate.
 
The last Tennessee poll is pretty good for Bredesen. A +2 in the senate to take back control is still possible, if unlikely. On the other hand it could be as bad as -3 or -4
 
And "a quiet life lived well" ain't fixing the problems we have in our national politics, that I can tell you ... buh-leeve me.

It would fix the problems though if everyone would dedicate themselves to a quiet life lived well because someone who keeps to themselves is someone who isn't causing any trouble in the first place. It's the ambitious and those who seek a life of significance and purpose that cause all the problems in this world.
 
Yes, but Sommer's point is that it just not actively causing trouble, while necessary, is not sufficient. There are several existing problems that we have to solve and they will not solve themselves.
 
It would fix the problems though if everyone would dedicate themselves to a quiet life lived well because someone who keeps to themselves is someone who isn't causing any trouble in the first place. It's the ambitious and those who seek a life of significance and purpose that cause all the problems in this world.

And also make life as we are currently living it possible. Without a social structure managing an immense cooperative effort most places people live could not support a quarter of the people living in them.
 
I think quiet was the wrong word. I was thinking of Fred Rogers and he certainly wasn't quiet. Anything but. I've been missing him and even 1980s news more as I realize I don't particularly want anything broadcast playing in my house, but I'm going to at least need to start figuring out a way to have the news playing in the background while the kiddo is around.
 
I'm puzzled why Beto is still behind Cruz in the race for senator.

Here's a wonderful attack ad put out by "Fire Ted Cruz:" :lol: [The ad is 30 seconds]


Trump promised the largest venue available in Texas for a Cruz rally [102,000 seats] but booked a venue with only 8,000 seats--bumped up to 18,000 seat. Beto recently had a 50,000 person rally,
 
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Yes, but how many of those do you think will (be allowed to) vote?
 
I agree with Sommerswerd, Tim, & Farm Boy. Kumbaya.

--Although with a parliamentary system, if the Prime Minister goes all crazy on the country, (s)he can be kicked out with a simple vote of no confidence.
In theory, the electoral college is supposed to prevent a crazy from getting into office. It was meant to be a backstop to stop someone like Trump from getting in but over time it's morphed into a rubber stamp that simple serves to legitimize disenfranchising urbanites. Sure, we may vote but our vote is made worth much less than someone in Montana's.


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The local Republicans did me a huge favor by teaching me about the Democratic candidate for city office. When asked, a Democrat running for city hall here has stated that she'd be open to allowing cannabis shops in Irvine as prohibition is dumb and it helps create jobs and bring in tax money.

The Republicans put out a flier stating this mean the Democrat wanted to put a head shop in every pharmacy in town, which I thought was an awesome idea. I legitimately thought for a moment that the attack ad was actually a flier from the Democrat showing off some new, awesome cannabis-based business development plan and got real excited. Then I flipped the flier over and saw that the Republicans were claiming that because the Democrat was a public defender this meant she wanted to protect and coddle rapists and violent criminals. :yuck:

In any case I now know who the Democratic candidate for City Council is so I can vote for them today when I fill out my ballot.
 
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Alaskan Governor Walker (I) has dropped out of his three-way race for re-election and is endorsing Democratic candidate Mark Begich. :eekdance:
Yeah but he was previously a Republican before going Independent... it seems like he might have split the Republican votes more than the democratic ones... but I will admit that I'm not well versed in the nuances among the Alaskan electorate.
 
I'm in the Pittsburgh area now for the election and just finished the second day of knocking doors. Lots of pro-Democrat responses, a few undecideds, no Republicans.

Of course, our targets are all union member households and they skew Democrat. Still, it's better than having doors slammed in your face by people who tell you proudly they'll be voting for Trump, as happened quite frequently on the trail in 2016.
 
Yeah but he was previously a Republican before going Independent... it seems like he might have split the Republican votes more than the democratic ones... but I will admit that I'm not well versed in the nuances among the Alaskan electorate.

In the previous election he lost the Republican primary, then won the general as a write in Independent because there aren't enough Democrats in Alaska to matter and what there are voted for him rather than what everyone recognized as the 'novelty candidate' that the Democrats had put up. This election the Republicans took his proclaimed independence as an opportunity to run a crazed extremist Trumpist, and the Democrats put up a genuine candidate. With his endorsement the Democrat may well get a solid share of the NTIR* vote and possibly win.





*NTIR=Not Totally Insane but still Republican, a significant block of voters that Trump is throwing into the competitive pool.
 
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I'm in the Pittsburgh area now for the election and just finished the second day of knocking doors. Lots of pro-Democrat responses, a few undecideds, no Republicans.

"Pennsylvania is Philadelphia in the east, Pittsburgh in the west, and Alabama in the middle." ... James Carvell
 
In theory, the electoral college is supposed to prevent a crazy from getting into office. It was meant to be a backstop to stop someone like Trump from getting in but over time it's morphed into a rubber stamp that simple serves to legitimize disenfranchising urbanites. Sure, we may vote but our vote is made worth much less than someone in Montana's.
The electoral college was supposed to prevent Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Charleston from dominating the voting for President. There are plenty of period writings to show that domination by the harbor cities was a big worry.

J
 
Dems turning out in early voting. :dance:

According to data posted by Nevada’s secretary of state, Clark County voters cast their ballots in record numbers on Saturday, the first of 14 days of early voting, with Democrats taking a significant lead. Democrats also posted early vote leads in nearby Washoe County, which has more registered Republicans. It’s a stark contrast to the last midterm election, when the party lost statewide in Nevada after a poor early vote showing.
 
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