By David Futrelle
We’re on the eve of what may be the most consequential midterm elections in American history — quite possibly our last chance to protect what remains of democracy in America from the preening autocrat in the White House and from a party that’s been conspiring against our democratic institutions actively for decades.
So here’s an open thread. Post your thoughts. Post useful information, Talk about your concerns, Talk about what you’re doing to help hold back the Republicans and rein Trump in — canvassing, phone or text banking, helping people get to the polls?
No trolls.
Went to vote early this morning, but lines were snaking into parts of the building I had never seen before, so I am heading back at lunch. My distrct is deep blue, so that level of turnout is one small good sign.
Just got back from voting. No obvious problems at the polling place.
More wise advice from Canadians…
@Red R. Lion
Thank you <3 Today the vote, tomorrow the revolution.
All I (in the UK) can think to say is: hopes and prayers.
I’m terrified in case the Trumpster gets more power, and also in case he doesn’t…
But the US, generally, is a lot better than his regime, and deserves a lot better too. May you get it. May we all.
@ Tovius and Jesalin regarding Brexit
Thing is, it was easy for Farage to say that, because it was not a claim HE had ever made.
It’s even more cynical than that: there were two separate pro-Brexit campaigns, and the one Farage fronted was not the one which had a totally false promise about money for the NHS painted on the side of a bus.
Totally separate, one hand not knowing what the other was doing, meaning each campaign for the same damn thing could shrug off the utterly outrageous claims the other campaign made. With Farage it was racism and a doctored photo of refugees trying to cross Turkey falsely claimed to be coming right here, right now (shades of “the caravan”), with the other lot it was £350 million a week for the NHS. Bizarrely the top banana in that bunch later became our foreign secretary and apparently went around asking his civil servants if they’d found the £350 million yet…)
Except it turns out, 4 months before we fall off a cliff, that there was funny money from unknown sources behind BOTH totally separate campaigns for the same damn thing and that some of that may have come from altogether elsewhere. Turns out the two totally separate campaigns were just two cheeks of the same bum.
Another Ohioan here. I voted this morning and my freshly minted 18 year old voted by absentee ballot- which is confirmed arrived in time. More people at the polls than I saw at Gore V Bush and Kerry V Bush and Trump V Clinton – not particularly optimistic- regardless of how this turns out- we still have huge income inequality, seething pools of hatred both virtual and IRL, massive sense of entitlement and a crapload of guns. We have a lot of work to do- I hope this is a good start to getting more viewpoints into elected positions.
@Cyborgette
Uh, that’s just cruel and rather brain-dead considering the steady attacks on trans folk under Rump. I hope you can find a better therapist and get your letter asap.
Just got back from voting. We moved to a different town a few months ago and I was nervous that my updated registration might have gotten “misplaced”, but there were no issues – I got waved right in. It was mid morning, the parking lot was full, and there was a steady stream of cars going in and out. We’re the bluest county in Maine, so it was good to see crowds of energized, motivated people.
For comparison, in 2016 my old polling place, which was in an urban area with twice the population, was eerily quiet and empty at peak lunch time. The gym looked like a ghost town. It gave me a really uneasy feeling. Hillary just didn’t draw people to the polls the way Obama did. In 2012, the lines snaked out the door and there was an hour and a half wait (which was awesome with two hangry babies in a stroller).
Whichever way the election turns out, our horrible governor LePage, who is basically a clone of Trump minus the charm and intellect, term-limits out this year and we’ll be rid of him for good. That’s the happy thought I’m clinging to today. My only regret is that Susan Collins isn’t up for election this year.
Here in Oakland California, we’ve been getting more mailings and phone calls than any election since 2008. Even some live person get-out-the-vote calls! My stock response: ‘everyone in this household has voted; thank you for your call and I wish you the best of luck in your future calls’. They seemed to appreciate the courtesy.
Florida is a cluster-fuck, as usual, and I’m not at all confident that Gillum can overcome the rampant racist fuckery in most parts of this hell-bog. As a citizen of Tallahassee, I’ve seen his political work up close, and he’d most likely be a good governor…which is why he probably won’t win.
Florida is why Florida can’t have nice things.
That said, I voted last Saturday, but I have no confidence that things will get anything but much, much worse starting tomorrow.
@jone
from a fellow millennial who waited three and a half hours in line to vote, thank you! anyone out there working to remove ted cruz from the national stage and foil his plans for a 2024 presidential run is a fucking hero.
@moregeekthan
same, 538 has my democratic representative as winning 90% of the vote and my state senate race is between two democrats and still there were hundreds of people of all ages and backgrounds lined up to vote on a saturday. what i found most encouraging is how many people’s house signs advocated for or against ballot initiatives too. i just hope people are as hyped in swing states/districts.
in contrast, i remember hearing from people in 2016 “oh i got in and out in 15 minutes”.
@Jesalin
Thanks and yeah 🙁 There was something very broken going on there, and I’m glad I’ve ditched her.
The Captain woke me up early so we could go straight to the polls as they opened. I was grumpy to be woken up so early, but happy to cancel out some C.H.U.D’s vote.
Proudly voted for Beto this morning. I hope Cruz is sweating like a pig in August right now.
Anxious over today like many. I hope Orange County finally goes Democrat Blue. GOP voters have declined over the years in all major cities so I remain hopeful.
An observation made by some of my more politically inclined friends.
“The calls he received from Democratic candidates were all about getting out the vote. Do you know where to go in your district, do you need a ride, do you need to confirm you’re registered.
From the GOP? Nothing but fearmongering. Not one word about how to go vote.”
@sylvia bath: **gives sylvia bath a consensual(?) cyber hug**
And thank you, too.
@Red K Lion I’m not quite following what your complaint about the “50 state electoral systems”
Sorry to be unclear. I meant that each state has its own voting methodology and each is riven with processes that allow parties to game the system. There is no universal standard and oversight. The working Tuesday is an artifact from horse and buggy times as you note but the fact it is not universal public holiday across every state means poor people who work are less likely to vote because they can’t take time off.
I’m lucky, I’m in Australia and as Pres Obama says we have the world’s best methodology to ensure we vote—we get fined if we don’t, it’s on Saturday and it’s a public holiday and there is gold standard voting monitoring and scrutiny that also preserves fully the secret ballot. Plus it’s deeply ingrained culturally you turn out.
I am deeply sad other countries don’t have it as good as us.
Also schools which are voting locations put on sausage sizzles so for two dollars after you vote there’s a sausage with sauce with onions in white bread to enjoy on your trot back to the car.
@Mikey
Ok, I got ya.
@Cyborgette
So, shall we light the pitchforks on fire now or later? ???
@Red R. Lion
Later, please – when the panic attacks are done and I’m sure I’m finished puking.
Woo-effin’-hoo!
Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar first Muslim women elected to Congress
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/rashida-tlaib-ilhan-omar-muslim-congresswomen-181105161422470.html
Bonus information:
Rashida Tlaib: Why I disrupted Donald Trump
Rashida Tlaib, Free Press guest writer Published 9:48 a.m. ET Aug. 24, 2016
https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2016/08/24/rashida-tlaib-why-disrupted-donald-trump/89251860/
Well, I saw an ad for Kemp several months ago, in which he used the phrase “politically correct” and talked about the NRA, and I knew that anyone who didn’t talk like a a scumbag with the IQ of a mushroom , was getting my vote.
And I & and my hubby got to vote for Stacey Abrams! Whoohooo!
Early voting in case of a broken leg or flat tire on Nov 6. GA had a lot of early voting locations for several weeks which is a real plus.
The first order of business is to get all Dems fired up to fix the electoral process.
#1. Anyone who runs for office is legally forced to resign from running the bodies that oversee the election.
#2. Make evening and weekend voting legal, or make it a holiday.
I heard the early Democrat wins and thought of this song for some reason.
Tantrums are coming.
https://b3ta.com/board/11270059
@Cyborgette
VICTORY! Time to light the pitchforks and find our human sacrifices! I can make you some tea first, if you’d like? ???
I mailed in my ballot and my GOTV letters from VoteForward on the 30th.
Last night, I watched my DVR’d MSNBC shows from Friday and yesterday (I had house guests this weekend) because I never watch election returns.
I’ll start getting election results this afternoon when I’m doing my email because if it’s bad news, I’ll need enough coffee. Probably extra.