StarTopic US Politics |ST| The Kyrsten Sinema-tic Universe

[bellydrum]

Me and my partner voted tonight. Was dreading getting off my ass but damn I'm glad we went

 

[samouraï]

We need another insane shake-up.

If Democrats won't listen to their constituency, then I will not vote for them. Period. At least withholding votes out of a sense of boycott will maybe make them reassess. Otherwise, they'll just be emboldened in giving cover to Republican legislation and even sanctifying them with similar legislation with maybe a concession or two.

...Frankly? I don't know what the right answer to this situation is. Ever since the 1980s, they've been going downhill. I get that the Republicans are worse, but what happens with the Democrats start taking their own electorate for granted? If anything, they'll just tail the Republicans in policy-making even more...

I'd say Democrats already take minorities like me for granted. There were so many people back in 2020 astounded that Hispanics were seemingly voting red in larger numbers than before, not realizing that left leaning Hispanics stayed home because Biden was terrible. Of course said people respond with massively racist and condescending generalizations about how all of us are self hating, wannabe white, and uninformed religious zealots who are desperately trying to be the 'good ones.'

As attractive as third party voting is, the reality is that filling any of the bubbles on the ballot aren't gonna stop say the increasingly accelerating climate catastrophe. Republicans are of course worsening it, but everybody else has fantasies that we only have to accept small, gradual changes over the course of decades by somehow spending our way out of it. The nonsense fantasies that the likes of 'carbon capture,' EVs, Green New Deals, etc. will save the earth will only leave hundreds of millions, if not billions in the global south dead as said 'solutions' only make things worse. The capitalist mindset which prevails in this republic just won't save anyone.

 

[merp]

I'd say Democrats already take minorities like me for granted. There were so many people back in 2020 astounded that Hispanics were seemingly voting red in larger numbers than before, not realizing that left leaning Hispanics stayed home because Biden was terrible. Of course said people respond with massively racist and condescending generalizations about how all of us are self hating, wannabe white, and uninformed religious zealots who are desperately trying to be the 'good ones.'

As attractive as third party voting is, the reality is that filling any of the bubbles on the ballot aren't gonna stop say the increasingly accelerating climate catastrophe. Republicans are of course worsening it, but everybody else has fantasies that we only have to accept small, gradual changes over the course of decades by somehow spending our way out of it. The nonsense fantasies that the likes of 'carbon capture,' EVs, Green New Deals, etc. will save the earth will only leave hundreds of millions, if not billions in the global south dead as said 'solutions' only make things worse. The capitalist mindset which prevails in this republic just won't save anyone.

I'm also Hispanic.

There's much I want to say here, but I'm afraid to say it, though I do agree with you.

 

[bellydrum]

Well, recreational marijuana was legalized in my state.

On the other hand, police get more funding overall, so fuck everything I guess.

 

[Lozjam]

Everything is looking good.

We are in line to get the Senate, maybe even enough to repeal the fillibuster, and the house may even be in the cards. What an impressive midterm performance.

 

[jkm23]

I was wrong. Turns out not only have I been burned by the past few elections and been running my mouth on vibes, so have many of the political opinion pieces and publication I read. (The Atlantic, Politico and a few others) Doom and gloom over the past few weeks got me down.

Shockingly, the generic 'Democrat vs Republican polls showing roughly 50-50 support was correct. Wow.

I'm not surprised by the coming shift to Desantis by the Repubs. Man is a morally bankrupt, intelligent and effective political operator. Only thing holding him back is total lack of likability and charisma. Trump shows again that he just a flat out bad politician. Can't pick the right people to run, can't expand his support and is losing the faith of his purse holders. He sucks. On the plus side, we're that much closer to never hearing about him again and on the negative side, we have now have a capable and competent Trump 2.0 to deal with.

 

[chocolate_supra]

Everything is looking good.

We are in line to get the Senate, maybe even enough to repeal the fillibuster, and the house may even be in the cards. What an impressive midterm performance.

Help me out with this. I'm seeing on the map that the Repubs have 48 now, with Alaska and Nevada likely going to them, which'd be 50. Split down the middle, again. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to not have a red majority but how is that gonna translate to enough for a filibuster repeal?

 

[Lozjam]

Help me out with this. I'm seeing on the map that the Repubs have 48 now, with Alaska and Nevada likely going to them, which'd be 50. Split down the middle, again. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to not have a red majority but how is that gonna translate to enough for a filibuster repeal?

Nevada is actually likely going Blue which would be incredible. It's looking like that's the case with current results. The rest of the current ballots are mail in ballots now, and they vote almost overwhelmingly democratic. Catherine Casto just needs to eek out around 56-57% of the uncounted mail in ballots to get the win. Which is actually really doable considering how weirdly partisan mail in voting is nowadays.

Georgia will also likely go blue.

So a 49-51 Senate. However, that's actually really good. Worst case scenario, dems can basically hold Manchin and Sinema to abstain from voting. It doesn't affect their voting record, and it also benefits them politically. Basically, so much credit for the stuff that they do, vs. not being held accountable to banning the fillabuster.

They then vote, and abstain from voting, and if it's a 49-49 split the tie breaker goes to Harris.

Republicans used to do this shit all the time. But now Democrats can do the same.
If they can keep the house that is. It is pretty advantageous for pretty much everyone involved, and I am sure at the very least Manchin will play ball. Which will be enough to get things done.

 

[chocolate_supra]

Nevada is actually likely going Blue which would be incredible. It's looking like that's the case with current results. The rest of the current ballots are mail in ballots now, and they vote almost overwhelmingly democratic. Catherine Casto just needs to eek out around 56-57% of the uncounted mail in ballots to get the win. Which is actually really doable considering how weirdly partisan mail in voting is nowadays.

Georgia will also likely go blue.

So a 49-51 Senate. However, that's actually really good. Worst case scenario, dems can basically hold Manchin and Sinema to abstain from voting. It doesn't affect their voting record, and it also benefits them politically. Basically, so much credit for the stuff that they do, vs. not being held accountable to banning the fillabuster.

They then vote, and abstain from voting, and if it's a 49-49 split the tie breaker goes to Harris.

Republicans used to do this shit all the time. But now Democrats can do the same.
If they can keep the house that is. It is pretty advantageous for pretty much everyone involved, and I am sure at the very least Manchin will play ball. Which will be enough to get things done.

Oh! I didn't realize Nevada had that much of a shot of going blue, I just saw Masto was trailing by like 20k votes and figured it was over.

Well that's rad, then. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[SammyJ9]

I rarely poke my head in here, but checking the results tonight seems… surprisingly not bad? Democrats seem poised to keep the senate, and if Republicans take the house it looks to be a very narrow majority

 

[chocolate_supra]

 

[Red Monster]

That’s damn good

 

[chocolate_supra]

That’s damn good

It's the bottom comment that got me

 

[ZephyrPhoenix]

Welp, he did it. Announced 2024 run. Game on then, he's getting humiliated for the second time. Must be a kink at this point :d

 

[chocolate_supra]

Welp, he did it. Announced 2024 run. Game on then, he's getting humiliated for the second time. Must be a kink at this point :d

My dream is that DeSantis gets the nomination and then Trump, in his endless narcissism, runs anyway either as an independent or creating his own party (he's floated creating "the Patriot Party" before), thus splitting the conservative vote and destroying their 2024 chances.

I ain't betting on it, but I'm sure dreaming.

 

[SammyJ9]

My dream is that DeSantis gets the nomination and then Trump, in his endless narcissism, runs anyway either as an independent or creating his own party (he's floated creating "the Patriot Party" before), thus splitting the conservative vote and destroying their 2024 chances.

I ain't betting on it, but I'm sure dreaming.

Either this, or Trump and DeSantis/whoever having such bitter infighting that the party tears itself apart during the nomination process is all I can really hope for.

 

[chocolate_supra]

Either this, or Trump and DeSantis/whoever having such bitter infighting that the party tears itself apart during the nomination process is all I can really hope for.

hmmmm

I have two dreams now

 

[chocolate_supra]

 

[CastletonSnob]

There are a lot of naïve people who think you can just vote out fascism.

Like, if fascists get fewer votes than their opponents, they'll just snap their fingers, say "Oh, man!", and walk off like Swiper the Fox.

 

[jkm23]

Two years of complete congressional dysfunction, oh be still my beating heart...

At this point I'm thinking that McCarthy lost a game of musical chairs and was forced to attempt to heard the cats that are the current republican party. People always think that it'll be different for them, especially once they sniff power. Lessons to be learned for everyone I think....

 

[chocolate_supra]

Happy January 6th to those who believe it happened

I'm a believer btw

 

[jkm23]

Happy January 6th to those who believe it happened

I'm a believer btw

I heard on NPR that zero high ranking republicans went to the Ceremony today honoring the Capitol police.

Fickle friends indeed lol. Zero class.

 

[chocolate_supra]

I heard on NPR that zero high ranking republicans went to the Ceremony today honoring the Capitol police.

Fickle friends indeed lol. Zero class.

Yeah I'm blown away by the national split on that. Like it happened live on television with the world watching, yet both politicians and voters on that side just insist it didn't really happen and the people (including the "blue lives" that were there that day) are making it all up. Absolute madness. US politics is not even disagreement anymore, it's alternate reality.

 

[jkm23]

Spoiler

I wouldn't bring up classified documents to anyone you know IRL (and better not to bring up anything political wise, appearing apathetic or unknowledgeable keeps things frosty, I'm glad as hell I never even spoken to another person out loud about Trump's docs. Honestly, you don't need that stress and you will never change anyone's mind. I know that you think you will, but you won't. I guarantee you that you won't.)

Garland has just appointed a special prosecutor to look into Bidens handling of classified docs. Facts be damned, Bidens classified docs scandal officially equal to Trump's for 95% of the general public. And if you think someone hasn't heard, it got the red banner treatment on MSN this afternoon, they know.

Move on from hoping Trump sees a courtroom. He's a political problem first and we've gotten great news on that battle last year. The threat from him isn't gone but it's really faded as he's been exposed as a failed kingmaker who has lost his grip on the party internally.