You know that handful of folks who show up at this here blog to taunt Clinton supporters when there’s a bad run of polling? Do not expect them today. Even this cycle’s outlier polls that Trump loves to tweet — Rasmussen, LAT/USC and IBD/TIPP — are showing Clinton leads.
Like Trump, I have my favorite polls, though unlike Trump, I don’t put too much stock in the snapshots but rather pay heed to averages. But as far as today’s crop goes, I like ABC’s daily tracking poll, which shows Clinton up by 12. I think this is my favorite part:
If it holds, that gap signifies a stunning repudiation of the Angry Circus Peanut from a group the GOP cannot write off if they ever hope to be competitive in a national election again.
White women vote Democrat in larger numbers than white men do, but Republicans typically get the majority of their votes too. Doesn’t look like that’ll be the case this year.
Thanks for getting a clue, fellow college-educated white women! Now go talk some sense into the white dudes in your lives. (Though to their credit, even white dudes are abandoning Trump — the poll shows Trump 4 points behind Clinton with college-educated white men and losing altitude with non-college white men.)
Another interesting thing to note about the above chart, as someone on Twitter pointed out: Jill Stein has essentially ZERO support with this group, which means she’s sewn up the hardcore Dudebro bloc and pretty much nothing else.
And another thing: the Cook Report predicts that Team Donkey will pick up 5-7 seats to secure a majority in the US Senate. Life might be about to get more interesting for Judge Garland.
Just 14 days to go before our long national nightmare is over, my friends. A mere fortnight. Vote. Phonebank. Knock on doors. We can do this.
gogol's wife
So my Moscow friend was right — she said yesterday that word on the street there is that Hillary’s up by “at least” 12.
Jess
I’m giving my students extra credit for voting, although it turns out it is illegal to photograph your completed ballot in Massachusetts. Crazy!
burnspbesq
Can’t provide a link because I can’t remember where I saw it, but apparently turnout in Dallas, Harris (Houston), and Travis (Austin) Counties on the first day of early voting was way ahead of both 2008 and 2012.
Fcuk, maybe Texas really is in play.
low-tech cyclist
Like I keep saying, minorities and college-educated women are saving the country. Kinda like Presidents #44 and #45!
Jess
Voting selfie and the law.
Major Major Major Major
I’m kind of curious who these Johnson voters are. The mcardles of the world? Though I wouldn’t be surprised if the actual mcardle was voting Hillary.
@Jess: Have them photograph their non-completed ballot.
hueyplong
Give me NC and FL (in part because of the Senate races) and I almost don’t need to hear about anything else.
Call me greedy, but I’d like another thing like Access Hollywood to happen right about now, so that Trump turnout gets depressed beyond all reason.
Soylent Green
How this election is different from every other election in my 64 years:
When this is over, any time I meet someone socially who is a potential friend or partner, I will ask who they voted for. If the answer is Trump I will nip that relationship in the bud. I don’t want those people in my world.
Of course I’m stuck with my brother.
low-tech cyclist
A song for the countdown:
Music by Edvard Grieg (In the Hall of the Mountain King), lyrics by Richard Perlmutter (Beethoven’s Wig):
Here’s a piece that’s quite perverse
It’s the same every verse
So for better or for worse
We’ve 17 to go
One by one we’ll count them all
It might seem off the wall
Just in case you don’t recall
We’ve 16 more to go
If the end seems far away
There’s no need for dismay
We’ll give you a play by play
15 to go
Note that this recurring tune
Is performed by bassoon
It will be repeated soon
14 to go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmTWj-YEU8U
NorthLeft12
Betty, as a Canadian I can sympathize with your sentiment of a long drawn out election process. Why just last year those freaking Conservatives put our country through a torturous seventy-five day election. They were unsurprisingly crushed at the polls, handing a very large majority Parliament to the Liberals and PM Justin Trudeau.
SEVENTY-FIVE DAYS! Can you imagine?
slag
That Circus Peanut rendering deserves a Pulitzer.
Ben Cisco
Angry Circus Peanut – HA!
I always thought those things were nasty anyway – it’s a good fit for Trumplethinskin.
Major Major Major Major
This is a really slow news week so far. When’s the next bombshell? Thursday?
laura
Early voting is awesome! There was a bigly crowd at city hall yesterday when I dropped off our two ballots. We lol’d at the donald’s campaign statement in the voter guide. He must have written it his own self. Comedy gold!
PPCLI
@NorthLeft12: Very true. And with all the time they spend the US doesn’t even have a single debate in which the leaders argue in French.
Elizabelle
Heard my hosts downstairs freaking out about CNN. Go down to see, it’s a picture of Obama looking sinister with a big caption about skyrocketing Obamacare premiums.
Holy shit. This was pretty much the Obama photo, without the Hitler mustache, you see on LaRouche stuff.
Told my host I was surprised they had not darkened his skin color.
And it was some blonde from the Trump campaign, talking about how Trump was going to fix all that. (Closed caption; happily couldn’t actually hear the harpy.)
Big Media is really pulling out the stops to slow the Democrats’ progress, are they not?
Screw Jeff Zucker.
OzarkHillbilly
@Soylent Green: murder is an option. ;-)
dmsilev
@Jess: That’s to prevent vote-buying and vote-intimidating. If there’s no proof of which way you voted, you can tell whoever is “encouraging” you that you voted the way they wanted and there’s no way they can disprove your claim.
TriassicSands
I find the ABC daily tracking poll to be really depressing.
How on earth could 30% of college educated women support Trump? Are they not really women? Did they not go to college? Are they all in comas and their husbands are voting for them? Thirty percent. Horrible.
That said, any Clinton win is great. I’d rather see it be big, but just so long as Trump isn’t our next president, we’ll figure out a way to deal with the idiots.
burnspbesq
This is somewhat surprising. Time for a chorus of “The Kids Are Alright?”
Josie
@burnspbesq: Bexar County (San Antonio) also.
Paul in KY
@Soylent Green: In my town a few Trump signs have been stolen. I told one of our Democratic poohbahs that I didn’t want any of their damn signs stolen, I want to know what idiot would advertise for the Combover Caligula!
scav
@hueyplong: I’d really like a headline trad-red Southern state to add to the shock and horror. FL would be nice for other reasons, but is too often battled over to provide the full frisson of oncoming horror. GA would do, especially if combined with some solidly worrying county level results in nearby states (especially TX). AZ at the other end would be icing and a bookend.
Can’t think of a thing, even in my wildest unhinged flights to get any of those middle flat ones to totter a little. They seem willing to import earthquakes and shakesp their own building off foundations as no big deal to worry about.
Josie
@Josie: Here is a link.
burnspbesq
@hueyplong:
How about a fundraising scandal?
J.
Sadly, I don’t think Election Day will mark the end of our long national nightmare. But maybe if Hillary wins (and isn’t it interesting how so many of us refer to her as “Hillary,” not as “Clinton”?) and the Democrats take back the Senate and pick up some House seats, some shit might finally get done.
Also, my hat is off to you, Betty, for all the GOTV work you have been doing in Florida. You go, girl! I mean, WOMAN. I am a big-time introvert and feel fortunate to live in a blue state (though we’ve been spending a lot of time down in FL, and I’m probably going to check out the local Dem club there).
NorthLeft12
@TriassicSands:
Well, this at least appears to be trending closer to the established 27% level of the true deadenders/deplorables that has previously been identified.
Personal note; I know many very well educated people who have absolutely terrible judgement and seem to be bereft of any critical thinking skills or basic concept of logic.
hovercraft
@hueyplong:
Clinton Campaign Touts 99 Percent Increase In Latino Early Voting In Florida
From TPM
catclub
@burnspbesq: Yes. If the tables were turned this would be wall to wall coverage. But maybe it is coming
even for this.
Amir Khalid
@J.:
We call her Hillary to distinguish her from Bill. Many a news story has confused me by referring to both of them at the beginning, then referring to “Clinton” in subsequent mentions without specifying which Clinton.
Steeplejack
@Major Major Major Major:
Well, my RWNJ brother is allegedly a Johnson voter. He is 61, a gun nut and self-styled “fiscal conservative,” hates Obama and Hillary Clinton (of course), but he’s not so NJ as to find Trump un-embarrassing. But I think the “voting Johnson” thing is a smokescreen. I don’t think he will bother to vote at all (in Nevada). I’ve never heard him express any opinions about down-ballot politicians or even much about policy issues beyond “somewhere somebody undeserving is getting away with something.”
catclub
@hovercraft: I find it interesting that the 99% number makes me think 99 times as many votes.
But 50% or even 100% would initially be clearer as to true magnitude. Just an oddity. Maybe just for me.
hovercraft
@J.:
That is her choice, so I don’t have an issue with it. Her campaign paraphernalia usually refers to her as Hillary, she probably wanted to differentiate herself from Bill.
catclub
@Steeplejack:
Sounds like a dick move.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
@Major Major Major Major:
I know a crapton of them: Embarrassed Republicans. Have never, will never, vote Dem. All are college edumacated and back in the 80s were the “socially liberal, fiscally conservative” douches who used that phrase as cover to vote Republican. Since the GOP has weaponized Teh Stoopid and it’s gone viral and taken over the party, these same Embarrassed Republicans can no longer look the other way. Thus, they all now proclaim they’re glibertarian. Again, still Repub To. The. Core.
They can’t abide Trump but they still espouse all the noxious things that are Republican Policy. They need an “out” so glibertarian it is! It goes like this:
They spout something along the lines of “These are the worst two candidates of my lifetime if not of the entire existence of our country. I’m a libertarian and we’re not as far apart as you might think. It’s too bad Johnson’s coming across as if he smoked too much weed growing up. This is the perfect time for a 3rd party candidate to shake up the establishment and send a message.”
Fuckem. They’re worse than the teanderthals and American Taliban.
Snarkworth, short-fingered Bulgarian
As a college educated white woman, allow me to say, “You’re welcome.” Of course, I share the honor with my POC sistren and, in fact, most women voters of all educational levels.
I am married to a college-educated white man, but he doesn’t need any help from me to do the right thing.
Summer
Dear all, If you would like to support theatre as an engaged response to this election, consider contributing to our fundraiser for an 80th anniversary reading of Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Happen Here. All the money goes to pay actors (it’s a labor of love for me) and to print beautiful posters for you! Ed Helms gave us a little money, won’t you? (And while you might not recognize my nym, you’ve been my community since JC was a Republican!)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/499483214/a-staged-reading-of-it-cant-happen-here-october-27
Ksmiami
@Soylent Green: OMG agreed! Rude Pundit basically said the same thing that he “was ashamed of fellow countrymen who were voting Trump.” They are very very bad people.” Voted opening day in Dallas, TX – University Park – decent lines, easy to click team D all the way down!
C. Isaac
@hueyplong:
How about an underage models and nose candy headline about the Darnold’s 90s era parties?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/10/24/inside-donald-trump-s-one-stop-parties-attendees-recall-cocaine-and-very-young-models.html
scav
@NorthLeft12: Agree about mere possession of a degree not meaning the horse has come to to the University to think — and, depending on generation and class, there is the possibility of a MRS degree. Piece of paper can just be a proof-of-class-badge.
OzarkHillbilly
@J.: the reason we all refer to her as Hillary is because if we said “Clinton” people would ask “Which one?” (Tho thinking about it, we all say ‘Michelle’ when speaking of FLOTUS)
scav
@OzarkHillbilly: GW for Bush v2.0. FDR going earlier (but didthey call him that at the time?)
Steeplejack
@J.:
Part of that may be a way to differentiate her from Bill—“Wait, which Clinton are you referring to?”—but that will change as he fades into the background.
ETA: What Amir Khalid said.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
There is no early voting here in Misery. You can request an absentee ballot by one of two ways:
a) Go in person to the local election authority and request one. Essentially you vote there and it’s like voting early, or
b) request by fax. Fucking fax? Only here in the ass backwards state would you need a fax for something this basic.
For me here in the reddest county in the state, the county courthouse is all of 10 minutes away so I dropped by yesterday to vote. The County Clerk said that 200 people thus far had voted absentee, a record. We’re a small county (13K crackers) that went 77% for Rmoney in 2012. I’m predicting we’ll go 80% for Cheeto Donnie in a couple of weeks. Votes like mine stand out like (white) sore thumbs.
Major Major Major Major
@J.:
This is the result of a conscious decision made in 2008, actually.
Larryb
@hueyplong:
Does this count?
Jeffro
ah dang it, I just realized I forgot to post this a few days ago…is there a song called “14 days”?
‘Cause if there is, we could party like it’s 1999…
PaulWartenberg2016
Is there a Hillary rally in Tampa Wednesday afternoon?
Major Major Major Major
@Steeplejack: @comrade scott’s agenda of rage: I meant the lady Johnson voters, if it wasn’t clear.
Skippy-san
I am getting very worried that Democrats are getting complacent. The thugs who support Trump are very motivated and they want their vengeance for 2008. We have to fight this to the finish because Trump is dangerous.
Tim C.
@comrade scott’s agenda of rage: I don’t know about “Worse” so much as “Incoherent and totally annoying” But yeah, the big story for everyone this year is what’s been said a million times: The RNC/Elites have totally lost control of the monster they created. It’s been a long time coming, but the gerrymandering, the epistemic closure, the tolerance of scam artists in their midst, the dog whistles to racist becoming train whistles, and the unintended side-effects of Citizen’s United have created one of the biggest own-goals in political history.
amygdala
Damn, I wish I could remember where it was, but I read something the other day that at a 10 point Hillary advantage, switching the House comes into play.
Even more so, I’d postulate, if many of the early votes come from left-minded voters.
Jeffro
@low-tech cyclist:
College-educated white men are even less for Trump than they were for Romney…and I know at least one who voted for neither. Just sayin’ ;)
OzarkHillbilly
@scav: Hmmmm…. I always called W ‘that idiot’. Maybe it was just me.
Jess
@Major Major Major Major: Yeah, that’s the plan. But still…weird laws in MA!
Barbara
@scav: I have to say that I would rather have more Senate seats than additional EVs at this point. I hope the campaign sees it that way when it comes to spending. So even if she doesn’t have to campaign in PA or NH, securing those Senate seats makes more sense than spending resources trying to win Texas or Arizona. I don’t think Iowa or Arizona is going to turn their senators out of office. What I wouldn’t give to see Grassley put out to pasture, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen this year.
yellowdog
@hueyplong: Well there’s the cocaine fulled parties with 15 y.o models. But there’s no tape. . .yet.
Tim C.
@srv: Once again, the real crime is identifying racism, not the racism itself.
Also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjA9uJ2dFCI
dedc79
Was telling my dad this morning, I don’t just want a win, I want a Godfather Baptism scene type November where each and every one of the biggest monsters gets their comeuppance. Probably unrealistic on my part, but in addition to a big Clinton win and retaking the senate, I want to see Rubio, Issa and McRory all lose, and for Ryan to lose his job as speaker a few weeks later. I want the Trump kids’ businesses to crater (this already appears to be happening) and I want Trump to buried under lawsuit after lawsuit.
Vindictive? Possibly. But it’s been earned.
ETA: Neglected to include: I also want to see Giuliani institutionalized and Christie in prison. Latter seems more likely than the former at this point.
hovercraft
Chris Christie Is Over
Trump’s greatest gift to the GOP may be the distraction he’s provided from other party meltdowns.
Gary Cameron/Reuters
Alex Wagner 4:00 AM ET
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Delicious, maybe we can be rid of him before 2018. The only thing that would be better is if Pat Foye brings Cuomo down with this ass.
scav
@OzarkHillbilly: Would have worked for me — no question whatsoever as to who you were referring to, which is rather the need.
Now to go think some more about how to make Scott Adams weep uncontrollably into his inkpots.
chopper
@srv:
that’s just perfect.
Barbara
@NorthLeft12: Although I think they are still voting for Clinton or not voting at all, the parents of my daughter’s best friend never pass up an opportunity to bash Clinton. College (and beyond college) educated both of them. As my daughter said, since they live in Maryland they don’t have to think their voting preferences through all that deeply.
JanieM
@J.: Besides the issue of distinguishing between the two Clintons, throughout the 2008 campaign everyone I knew who was active or even just interested referred to Obama as “Barack.”
Major Major Major Major
@srv: for somebody so sure of his opinions, genius, and the power of persuasion, Scott Adams has an awful lot of posts with “comments temporarily disabled”.
Summer
Please let me out of moderation??
Anoniminous
@amygdala:
Just about everybody is saying a10 point Clinton leads implies retaking the Senate and the possibility of re-taking the House increases dramatically.
Barbara
@hovercraft:
I hope that is the understatement of the decade. Seriously. If that didn’t do it I am not sure what would.
yellowdog
@TriassicSands: They either are hard-core anti-choice or have sufficient money to want to lower taxes on the rich is my guess. I have a cousin who is a nurse who is pro-Trump but I don’t know why because I don’t talk to her any more.
hovercraft
@PaulWartenberg2016:
Yes there is here is the link.
Major Major Major Major
@Barbara: I know a number of (maybe even many) Clinton voters who qualify everything good they say about her or bad they say about Trump with something about how Hillary is awful. It’s something between a reflex and perverse delight for most of them.
JGabriel
Betty Cracker @ Top:
… and a new nightmare of Republican obstruction, attacks, smear jobs, and unwarranted politically-motivated Congressional investigations begins.
slag
@Ben Cisco: First Skittles, then Tic Tacs; next, whoever makes the Circus Peanut will be disavowing Trump.
Barbara
@comrade scott’s agenda of rage: My white, college educated husband who sometimes votes Republican (but not for Bush II), categorically despises Trump as a completely out of control narcissist. No chance will he vote for Johnson or Stein. There are many people who are frightened and offended by Trump. That’s what we are seeing, to some extent, and it’s not clear to me what will happen with them after the election — will they try to reform the Republican party, for instance, or resume being happy with someone who has suitable manners.
scav
@Barbara: Practically yes, Senators are probably where to spend the money, I was thinking selfishly and purely in terms of emotional burn. There’s a reason I’m not in charge of any actual campaign. Still, on terms of long-term benefit to the country, getting more people in the habit of voting, especially Hispanics, Black, general minorities, getting them over that hump onto registration and voting, that’s important too. This aparent surge in registration and early voting needs to be fostered and maintained over the long haul, not just behind glass and broken in case of emergency orange peanut.
Woodrowfan
then it’s justice. works for me.
Anoniminous
Cook Political Report: Senate Democrats Poised to Pick Up 5-7 Seats:
OzarkHillbilly
@JanieM: not around here, always been Obama, in fact we blame everything on Obama.
Jeffro
PS Obama just came out in favor of making Election Day a national holiday…getting a running start on his post-presidential voting rights projects, I see.
Oh well, there went the bipartisan support for that…
Betty Cracker
@PaulWartenberg2016:There is! I’d love to go but have preexisting appointments, damn it.
PaulWartenberg2016
@Skippy-san:
Actually the polling is showing weaker turnout for Trump because he’s depressed his own voters with the “rigging” talk: they’re now convinced they shouldn’t show up at all.
Democrats are pumping each other up with GET THE DAMN VOTE OUT DEMS speeches on FB and Twitter early and often.
Shell
Wish the news about Obamacare premiums could have come out after the election,cause of course this will be Trumps haranguing point for the next two weeks.
Interesting though, if everything is rigged against him, and everybody is in on the conspiracy, how come the White House didn’t sit on this information till after Nov. 8?
Major Major Major Major
@Anoniminous: their reasoning seems about as sound as staring at sheep entrails, but here’s hoping they’re right!
PaulWartenberg2016
@Betty Cracker: I got a dental cleaning at 7:30 in the morning and was already scheduled away from work (I had to trade off to work Saturday) so YEAH I’m signed up. Parking is likely gonna a beach though, it’s downtown Tampa. You figure they’ll have designated parking areas?
OzarkHillbilly
@JGabriel: so in other words, SSDD.
yellowdog
@Barbara: Most of the gettable Senate seats are in swing states anyway (PA, NH, NC, FL) so going to those states is a twofer. Indiana is a special circumstance and Hillary wouldn’t help there. Nevada is a hold, not a get. Missouri becoming a possible Senate pickup is astounding, given that Hillary is way down there according to the polls.
hueyplong
One of my very favorite aspects of this fall has been Scott Adams’ bitter spiral into a churlish and petulant puddle of helpless butthurt. Unfurling the Trump banner so as to oppose bullying is going to be a bar under which he’ll find it difficult to limbo between now and Nov 9, but I remain optimistic that he’ll give it his best effort.
WereBear
That was the kindest thing I called him.
Shell
Watched “Shadow Of The Vampire” last night and realized how Giuliani is looking more and more like Count Orlock.
Barbara
@srv: When you are used to being in the sweet spot of having the freedom to bully others, any effort to call you on your BS looks like bullying to you. So women who stand up to harassment in the form of misogynist jokes and — gasp — might even call you a sexist, are showing bias, where as you are just trying to kid around. We all know people like Scott Adams who above all else want the freedom call people names without being called names back. Whatevs.
Iowa Old Lady
I say again that you can’t gerrymander women. If this gender split takes hold, the Rs are hurting beyond this race.
Also given that about a third of the country voted early last time, I want reporters to rephrase things like “only two weeks until Americans go to the polls.” They’re already there.
amk
@srv:
Truman: I just tell the truth on the rethugs and the rethugs think it’s hell.
WereBear
Durn it. Now I want that too!
dedc79
@Shell: It didn’t get as much attention b/c of all the crazy stuff Trump said, but the look on Rudy’s face when Hillary went after him at the Al Smith dinner was priceless.
Barbara
@scav: Absolutely. It’s especially important for maximizing House representation, and just possibly turning around the midterm blues.
Anoniminous
@Major Major Major Major:
Cook Political Report is very influential in setting the media message (what is said) and narrative (how it is said.) IF the word gets out Trump is toast some number of Undecided will change to Clinton so they can say they voted for the winner and some number of loosely attached GOP voters will stay home.
All of the above are preconditions necessary for a Landslide.
James E Powell
@Skippy-san:
I can’t tell whether this is serious or a parody.
JGabriel
@OzarkHillbilly:
I always called him Clusterfuck McFuckwit.
OzarkHillbilly
@WereBear: sometimes I called him ‘that useful idiot’. Not sure if that’s kinder or not.
amk
wth is UAF?
Major Major Major Major
@Anoniminous: all of this is true, but their reasoning is still augury.
Kay
There’s (young) men Trumpsters outside the Dem office, holding giant signs.
I’m driving by thinking “get AWAY from the LADIES” – the volunteers in there in the daytime are usually older women.
It’s actually fine. The sign waving thing is standard here, although we don’t usually go to the other side’s office and do it like they are.
SiubhanDuinne
@Jess:
Here’s a handy rundown of “ballot selfie” laws in all the states.
JanieM
@amk: I think it means unaffiliated.
SiubhanDuinne
@amk:
I’m guessing “Unaffiliated” or similar.
amk
@JanieM: @SiubhanDuinne: Thanks. Does it mean 3rd party?
catclub
@Barbara: That bit from Scott Adams was so perfect in its lack of self-awareness, I thought it was ironic, but all the previous evidence is that it is not. Too bad. He missed his calling.
Anoniminous
@Major Major Major Major:
Yup
catclub
@SiubhanDuinne: University of Alabama – Forlorn, they have no football team.
Hal
My mother (sigh) hates Hillary Clinton. Hates her face, can’t stand to see her on TV. The other day she remarked she couldn’t believe “these two” are the best this country could come up with, but this is after she supported Trump. I keep hearing this from disaffected Trump supporters and it is incredibly disingenuous. Don’t drag Hillary Clinton down the same hole as Trump because you were willing to vote for him despite everything known about him well in advance.
The good news is she said she probably won’t vote.
randy khan
@Iowa Old Lady:
I think we’re seeing a bit of a change in reporting on voting – I’m hearing and seeing much more about early voting, and a bit less on the kind “two weeks until voters go to the polls” stuff you mentioned. Some of it is tied to the apparent surges in some states, which are genuinely newsworthy.
amk
@Barbara: This.
Major Major Major Major
@Kay:
At least it’s not giant puppets, that would make them unserious.
Iowa Old Lady
@Major Major Major Major: No puppet. You’re the puppet.
jeffreyw
@dedc79: LOL! Now I’m imagining scenes…
Darrell Issa on a massage table…
JJ
@Iowa Old Lady: @Iowa Old Lady: Great point. Boom! We’re gerrymander-proof. Your move GOP.
Barbara
@Major Major Major Major: Well you will be glad to know that every day there are people holding up signs and marching at the Trump Hotel. Sometimes fewer, sometimes more, but every day this week and last, someone. Today they had a bunch of black balloons right in front of the Trump sign, with a big banner that said “Shame on Trump.” They made them take the balloons down and move away from the entrance, so now they are further away from the door. But they are still there.
Elizabelle
@amk: Thinking UAF is unaffiliated (ie. no party preference specified)?
ETA: If it’s United Against Fundamentalists or Urgently Appalled by Fanatics, I am good with that too.
Poor Colorado. All those Focus on the Family Concerned Christians.
But which of Trump’s families to focus on? Is a mystery.
amk
Conway: ‘It’s not for me to take away a grown man’s Twitter account’.
lol. live by twitter, die by twitter.
Patricia Kayden
@dedc79:
These are the kinds of snarky comments that make BJ an awesome blog. LOL. But yeah, I’d love to see both of those things happen along with Trump’s brand completely in tatters.
Woodrowfan
remember the old rule from horror movies, if you think the monster is dead DO NOT GO CHECK OR ASSUME HE IS. Instead, kill him again, just to be sure… Let;s GOTV and put another stake into Trump.
dedc79
@jeffreyw: Issa is definitely Mo Green
Woodrowfan
@dedc79: who gets shot-up in bed with his young mistress? actually that fits Trump doesn’t it..
amk
@Woodrowfan: yup, triple stab, WH, senate and the fricken house.
jeffreyw
@dedc79: Yeah, he “made his bones” by stealing cars.
The Golux
@amk:
Since he’s a petulant 12-year old, I fail to see the problem.
amk
@The Golux: touche’.
Major Major Major Major
@Woodrowfan: I thought the rules from horror movies were:
1. Dismiss the scientists/activists trying to tell you that you’re creating a monster
2. Dismiss the monster as a credible threat
3. Attempt to surrender to the monster
4. Respond with shock when the monster tries to kill you
5. “Kill” the monster
6. Assume it’s dead; celebrate
7. Get eaten by monster
Pretty on the nose, actually.
Coin operated
@Woodrowfan: Philip Tattaglia…who the Godfather referred to as a ‘pimp’ who would have never won a war with Sonny.
Woodrowfan
@Major Major Major Major: there are a ton of them!!
http://freaky_freya.tripod.com/horror_movie_rules.html
(safe for work)
smintheus
I hope Republicans will continue to block Garland’s confirmation hearings. There’s no reason why we should settle for an aging centrist, or seek to give the GOP some late cover for their obstructionism.
dedc79
@Woodrowfan: Was thinking Trump or one of his sons.
Kay
@Major Major Major Major:
I can’t wait to open the feminist re-education camps. That doesn’t have to be a negative thing. We could have crafts and kayaking, in addition to lectures and show trials.
les
@Jess:
I heard a blurb on this on NPR this morning–a number of states have that rule, and several fed courts have told ’em to fuck right off. Hard to see how it ever came up…
RSA
Taunting? No no, they’re just concerned.
Woodrowfan
@dedc79: both his sons are Fredo though.
Would this scenario make Rudy 9/11 the corrupt police captain McCluskey Michael kills in the restaurant with Sollozzo ?
The Moar You Know
I feel I should send Scott Adams a crate full of Preparation H and No More Tears shampoo. He’s obviously come down with a massive case of butthurt.
Seriously: I’ve never read such a bunch of whiny entitled crap in my life. Fucking man up, Adams.
DW Gregory
@srv: Where does that dude get his information?
hueyplong
@Kay: Now see, that’s what scares me about the feminist re-education camps. No mention of sports.
JPL
In case it hasn’t been mentioned, Paul Wellstone died fourteen years ago today. Things can happen in an instant.
Patricia Kayden
The time when Trump claimed that he would have done better as a Black man. ***shakes head and sighs loudly***
MCA1
@Tim C.: That’s about right, and Comrade Scott’s Agenda has perfectly described that particular strain of Republican. I’ll add just one more descriptor of that psyche: what drives everything in their voting, always, regardless of context, is their own personal income tax level. They’ll rationalize that through a catalog of phrases they’ve learned, like big government and unnecessary regulation and bureaucrats holding back freedom and whatever, so as not to admit to themselves that their own finances are more important than anything else in the sphere of the public good and the social contract. But it always and forevermore resolves down to “Republicans promise me lower taxes.” Always.
My fondest hope for this election is that a sufficient proportion of these nice, polite, embarrassed country club Republicans recognize either (a) that Trump’s pushed them over the edge of their own envelope of how much rancidness they’ll accept for their lower taxes, and that he is the GOP now, and/or (b) their own complicity in creating the modern Republican Party by refusing to acknowledge what was going on with the dog whistles while their taxes were kept low, so that we get a longterm effect here.
And with that, I award myself the World Champion of Naïvete Award, 2016.
amk
sam wang has increased the dem senate majority probability to 84%.
Major Major Major Major
@les: Well-meaning anti-vote-buying laws.
germy
@JPL: He inspired Al Franken to run for office. Something good came from that tragedy. I wish Paul was still around, doing good work.
Lizzy L
Charles P. Pierce reported on this before the weekend:
Kemper County is in Mississippi. Question: am I the only one who sees a First Amendment issue here? I mean, who gave the county supervisors the authority to ban Halloween costumes? I really want to know… Omnes? burnspbesq? Anybody?
Mnemosyne
@chopper:
Apparently, Adams is the guy who, when the bully gets his comeuppance at the end of the movie, wonders why no one is thinking about how the bully feels.
amk
sargent
hovercraft
Hillary Clinton is matching Barack Obama with young voters
From Vox
Not bad for the least popular, worst, weakest candidate of all time.
germy
@Lizzy L:
dedc79
@Woodrowfan: Ha! Good call re Rudy.
Christie gets the horse head under the covers.
PaulWartenberg2016
The lead singer for Dead or Alive DIED?!?
#DamnYou2016
Who’s gonna spin me right round like a record baby now?!?!
Major Major Major Major
@Lizzy L: Ha, I missed that. And yes, there’s no way that’s constitutional.
Well, there’s some way it’s constitutional, insofar as ‘constitutional’ means ‘whatever anthony kennedy says it does’.
Peale
@Lizzy L: I think they would fall under laws against wearing masks and disguises, which several states already have. Many are on the books to deter thieves. Others to deter the Klan.
Frankensteinbeck
@les:
“I’d better see a photo that says you voted for Trump, or you’ll be cooking my dinner with a black eye.”
Jeffro
@smintheus:
Ah, that’s my cue for a daily #pullthenomination notice – we can make the GOP pay just by asking PBO to pull the Garland nomination on Election Eve. He can put them on notice any time of course, or just do it quietly that evening (or on Election Day). But pull it, he should.
Major Major Major Major
@Peale: But this is a law against a specific kind of mask/disguise. And regardless of purpose, too.
amk
@hovercraft: fabulous news.
mali muso
Well this college educated white woman just voted early (absentee) in Virginia an hour ago for our first woman president! Unborn baby girl gave a big shimmy in my tummy when I loaded the ballot into the machine. She’s a future Democrat, that one. :)
side note…why does VA have to be so down on early voting? You have to prove you have some kind of reason to vote absentee and they include vaguely threatening language on the form. Lucky for me, pregnancy counts as a reason that doesn’t require “proof”. I’m not due until later in November, but babies can come early and there is no way I was going to miss my chance to vote in this election!
Jeffro
@hovercraft: LOL. I’m still waiting for a piece from any major media outlet on these mysterious (and apparently numerous!) “Clinton voters”
Wait…millenials got tired of getting pandered to, took a look at who really represents their views, and who can do so effectively? They’re not pro-stupid??
The only thing I don’t like about the quote is that is sort of implies Jill Stein might actually represent anyone’s interests but Jill Stein’s.
peach flavored shampoo
@burnspbesq: No, it’s not. Trump aint winning it by more than 15%, but it aint in play.
Major Major Major Major
@hovercraft:
Not to mention the stupidest, shallowest, greediest generation ever to grace
the earthmy lawn.MCA1
@The Moar You Know: Here’s Scott Adams’s psychological progression throughout all this:
1. Embarrassment at the attraction he felt for Trump. He thought himself above this kind of nasty, brutish stuff. He fancied himself a friend of the working class and mid-management stiff constantly shat upon by the elite and the absurdities of modern life, as evidenced by his comic strip, so was attracted by the Bern and Trump’s particular brand of class traitoring populism, but he knew the latter was repellent.
2. Unable to embrace his bro-hood, he miserably supports Clinton but, intrigued by the Trump phenomenon, finds satisfaction in not openly rooting for him but acting the contrarian. He gets to be the “You’re all underestimating this guy” overlooked sage. It allows him to safely play the “Trump’s a genius. An evil genius, but a genius nonetheless” card repeatedly, which acts as a socially acceptable way for him to get some of his Trumpcurious taboo attraction out there in the open without coming right out and saying it.
3. This has the secondary effect of setting Adams up for ridicule, naysaying, and eventually psychological besiegement. He likely subconsciously craved that state, because it allows him to now progress to…
4. “Woe is me! You’re all so mean, you Clinton people. I have hundreds of nasty e-mails and you irrationally hate me for just telling you the truth. You’re all bullies and so is she.” Which means he can, without endorsing a single thing about Trump, and indeed, without even having to acknowledge Trump’s depravity, gross lack of fitness, or everything else, cast himself as a Trump voter out of spite, simply in contravention to mean Clintonista’s and condescending liberal know-it-alls. Flying his Trump flag openly. Which is RIGHT WHERE HE WANTED TO BE ALL ALONG.
JGabriel
@Major Major Major Major:
If I’m the Clinton campaign, I’d be reserving my last bombshell until we hit the point where there is enough time for deep media penetration, but not enough for Trump to respond with anything but inappropriate rage.
So probably sometime between Tuesday and Thursday of next week. Wednesday seems most likely.
Edited to add: Of course, that’s for the last bombshell. That doesn’t mean the Clinton campaign won’t have other bombshells to drop before then.
hovercraft
@Patricia Kayden
Yes being a black man has so many advantages.
You have the opportunity to be labeled as a troublemaker from the ripe old age of 4.
Also to be suspended or expelled in kindergarten.
Arrested or ignored in grade school, because you are unruly and incapable of learning.
Oh and the privilege of being stopped and frisked as you go about your daily life.
Remember not to run in the street, loiter on the sidewalk, don’t drive at night, or a car that is too fancy, or have a flat or a breakdown.
Never approach anyone for help, reach into your pocket, or move too quickly. Talk back, or ask questions. Make sure you never have anything in your hands. Raise your voice, be too tall or too heavy.
And when it’s time to find a place to live don’t act too black. ( Since this is an entirely subjective category, there is no set of behaviors, it depends entirely on the perception of your, lender, or landowner, so good luck.)
When applying for a job see searching for a place to live. But be prepared to jump through twice as many hoops as a white man.
Yes, there are so many perks to being a black man in America, I’m sure we all wish we could have drawn that inside straight.That is Trump’s wish every day when he wakes up.
Major Major Major Major
@MCA1: This sounds about right.
p.a.
Given the fact that many of tRumps strongest supporters are self-admitted fascists (whatever 21st century name they call themselves) is anyone else here worried about something beyond GOP government sponsored shenanigans election day? I don’t think armed teatards at polls is that big a concern; there are already laws and consent decrees against that (thanks ‘Redeemers’, thanks GOP). I’m thinking along terms of bomb threats to polling places; this could be effective against Dems as they we are so urban-centered a party. We already know what GOP governments can do on election day. Cut the number of voting booths. Mis-and-disinformation about polling places. Challenge every voter. tRump supporters shutting down large polling locations by means of threats would be a logical step.
”Paranoiacs are the only ones really aware of what’s going on.”
Bobby Thomson
@Major Major Major Major: that’s called a clitoris.
JanieM
@amk: Well I’m not from Colorado, but “3rd party” and “unaffiliated” don’t sound the same to me.
If you really care, try here.
dr. luba
@srv: “Comments temporarily disabled.” Of course.
Major Major Major Major
@Bobby Thomson: You’re called a clitoris!
Patricia Kayden
@hovercraft: So we can officially put to rest all that garbage about Secretary Clinton not exciting youth voters? Yay.
@The Moar You Know: Why did Adams think that anyone cares about who he votes for? We already assume that he’s a douche and as other douches would be attracted to Trump. Not surprising at all. I still read Dilbert though.
hovercraft
@Jeffro:
All the polls show Stein and Johnson fading, not that she ever had much support, my hope is that they get about 6-7 %, Clinton 50 + and he is at 38 and change. I want him short of 40, so that he understands the extent of is defeat. he needs to know that almost two thirds of America rejected him, the silent majority was never with him.
Denali
Will no one speak up for the bullies?
MattF
@p.a.: Considering the accusations of rigging and how projection is the basic psychological mechanism– I think it’s a safe assumption that they’ll try something.
hovercraft
@Major Major Major Major:
@Patricia Kayden:
That meme will never die, the only reason they are voting for her is because Trump is so bad, if she was running against anyone else she’d be down 20 points. This is why defeating Rubio would be extra special, he is an incumbent, a future star, and latino, so what will it say if he goes down? The young people of Florida know him, Trump should not be able to bring him down with him.
Poopyman
@Lizzy L: IANAL, but you don’t have to be one to see that that Board o’ Soops has set themselves up for 1st Amendment lawsuits.
But I do love that last quote:
(Of course, that’s trespassing, clown suit or no.)
p.a.
Great line at Driftglass: Nov. 8 our national Dunning-Kruger census.
dogwood
@smintheus:
Garland isn’t a centrist. Republicans just touted him because they had to come up with some name to throw out there to make themselves look reasonable. Obama called their bluff. I doubt that the President will withdraw the nomination after the election. To do so would to admit that the Republicans are right.
Patricia Kayden
@Lizzy L: Clowns don’t have First Amendment rights! BAN ‘EM.
P.S. I must be one of the few people who isn’t afraid of clowns. Yes, they look creepy but *shrugs*. Now, if people were dressing up as earwigs or silverfish, I’d have a huge problem.
The Moar You Know
@Barbara: They’ll try to find someone with suitable manners. Every Republican I know is embarrassed by Trump. But only one is truly frightened by what the bastard unleashed. And even he will very likely vote all the downticket for the GOP. None of them want it changed, they just want it genteel and respectable.
Shorter me: The GOP as we now know it is not going away or changing.
ETA: they think, and probably correctly so, that most of the Trumpers are not regular voters and the process got hijacked, not that their platform is deeply racist and flawed. Expect the next nomination to be decided well in advance, lol. The only thing that will change them is to have an unquestionable hard-right (Pence would have been ideal, Perry even better) asshole take the same kind of thumping that Trump is about to. And that won’t happen, not in my lifetime.
Yutsano
@hovercraft: That’s YUUUGE. Because Trump has no ground game and Marco can’t possibly invest enough on his own for one, they both could be toast, especially if Clinton whips the ground game for Murphy on Election Day.
That reminds me, my ballot should be in my mailbox.
Patricia Kayden
@Denali: Rudy, Christie, Holloway, Pierson, Lewandowski and all other Trump supporters are speaking up for bullies everywhere.
Major Major Major Major
@smintheus: @dogwood: Not only should we ‘settle for’ whoever Obama wanted to nominate (as long as they’re qualified)–it’s his nomination, after all–I don’t understand where people get this idea that Obama didn’t pick Garland simply because he thought Garland would be a great supreme court justice. Obama’s not the type to use somebody as a pawn.
Larkspur
@Hal: Yeah, I know a woman who I am very fond of despite how right wing she is, and she said the other day – practically spitting with disgust – that both Trump and Clinton were EACH so reprehensible that each party should withdraw their nominations. I put on a sympathetic face and did not giggle. (I like her; she’s my friend.)
But as for moi, this nasty old white woman who dropped out of college is voting for Hillary. I’m also gonna cry when the Obamas vacate the White House, but happy grateful tears.
Poopyman
I am aware of all internet traditions, including Rule #34. Which means that someone somewhere decided to make clown porn ….
I’m sorry … I’m sorry ….
comrade scott's agenda of rage
@MCA1:
The ones who haven’t changed by now will never change.
Amazingly, I know a fair number of formerly Embarrassed Republicans who jumped ship during the Bush years. They’d had enough and to a person saw the selection of Palin as Gramps McCain’s VP as the initial stages of weaponizing the stupid. They’ve never looked back at the GOP. They might not be the most liberal of Democrats now but they’re a far cry from where they were in the 80s.
The others that didn’t jump ship, including those who always voted on “national security” issues as their single-issue ghetto, well, if they didn’t jump ship after the Bushies, they were never gonna jump. I hear them now yammer on about what a disaster Obama’s foreign policy has been. They’re that blind.
Again, they will never change. At some point they’ll morph into the members of the Crazification Factor as the older ones die off.
DCrefugee
Best internet comment I’ve seen lately:
“…but a lot of people have told me that on election day when Republicans leave their homes to vote, Obama will come and take their guns. Better stay home to guard them!”
Lurker Extraordinaire
I don’t want to speak for other women, but I think a big reason why we refer to Hillary and Michelle as such is that women relate to them like they would relate to their best friends, sisters, aunts, etc. It’s more on a personal level than a more formal level.
Honestly, Nov. 8th is when America will elect its first grandma, in all her wisdom, and I’m all for it.
Cacti
@dogwood:
I think Garland was considered a compromise candidate primarily because of his age. Starting his appointment at age 63 or 64 makes it unlikely that he would have 20-30 year tenure on SCOTUS.
hovercraft
Watch Donald Trump Prod His Employees To Say Good Things About Him On TV
At one of his golf clubs, Trump urged workers to get onstage and vouch for him. “You wanna come up? Come up. No, come on up.”
p.a.
I know he’s said no way, but I’d pay good money to see Hillary nominate BHO for the Supremes.
Snarkworth, short-fingered Bulgarian
@mali muso: Congrats! Hope she arrives on Nov. 8.
Cermet
@mali muso: For me, that counts as two votes – good!
hovercraft
@Yutsano:
So there’s a chance, a good chance.
Omnes Omnibus
@Cacti: As I understand it, the consensus view on Garland is that he is a standard center-left judge but a little more law enforcement friendly than some. I agree that the compromise was appointing someone in his 60s rather than a 42 y/o law professor.
hueyplong
@hovercraft:
You want Trump at 37.4, because McGovern got 37.5.
hovercraft
@Poopyman:
You are wrong, just wrong. No one could be that depraved. could they? Perhaps we should consult OO, see what he thinks?
dogwood
@p.a.:
Politics as entertainment.
hovercraft
@DCrefugee:
Dammit, who the hell told them about our plot? Now they won’t be able to cast their votes, and we will to be able to set up the FEMA camps. Oh well I guess we have to wait till the midterms, they all show up for those.
hueyplong
About the Florida money pullout, it’s possible they decided that FL television spots are expensive, but live visits from PBO cost no more there than anywhere else, and they’ll get lots of free TV coverage from big name people coming to the state.
In the opposite of Trump’s Razor, I assume that choosing the more intelligent of alternating thought processes has a chance of being correct regarding this particular Democratic campaign. No doubt Rachel Maddow disagrees, but that’s my story and I’m sticking with it until Nov 8 results prove the story wrong.
Grumpy Code Monkey
@burnspbesq:
I don’t expect Clinton to win TX outright, but make it close enough to where the DNC may start devoting some resources here for future races. Regardless, expect us to re-elect Lamar Smith and Louie Gohmert.
Interestingly, the race I’m probably the most interested in right now is the local shool board – our school district is at risk of losing its accreditation because of school board shenanigans (mostly relating to finances, but also to hiring practices and outright criminal behavior), and we have an opportunity to replace 2 board members this time around. I don’t have any kids, but shit like that pisses me off.
Shell
If you’re talking about him joining Diana Ross, I agree!
Oh, and meant to add, I love that sketch of Trump, the angry circus peanut, Betty.
Stan
@catclub:
No, I think a lot of people think this way. If you double a quantity, for some reason a lot of people think that is a 50% increase. It isn’t – that’s a 100% increase. When I saw the 99% figure, I thought, “There’s no way there are twice as many voting….” but it turns out to be true.
I discuss tax policy all the time with people and this kind of error is very common. You’re in perfectly good company ;)
Stan
@Snarkworth, short-fingered Bulgarian:
Tell your SOB husband to stop making the rest of us look bad!
Betty Cracker
@hueyplong: I think you’re right about the rationale for pulling out of FL — it’s an expensive media market. Not sure if they’ve factored in earned media via PBO visits as a counterweight, but I hope so. He absolutely stripped the bark off Lil’ Marco during his visit last week, and it was glorious!
Major Major Major Major
@Stan: One of my past clients was (is) a huckster ‘guru’ self-help type. In his books and articles he takes every increase/decrease statistic and switches them to percents.
hovercraft
Early voting roundup from the GOS
FLORIDA
+ Miami-Dade County (which voted 62-38 for Obama overall in 2012) had 10,000 more early voters today than on day one in 2012. Given that this is a key county for Clinton’s hopes, this is enormous.
+ Orange County (home of Orlando, 59-40 Obama in 2012) saw a yawning gap (53-27) between Democratic early voters and Republican early voters.
+ Hillsborough County (Tampa, 53-46 Obama in 2012) had a 49-34 Democratic edge among day one early voters, well ahead of the eight-point Democratic edge in registration.
+ Duval County (Jacksonville, 51-47 Romney in 2012) saw a 49-38 Democratic edge on day one. Despite being an urban county, Dems only have a 41-38 registration edge.
And while Schale did not cite statistics out of deep blue Broward County (67-32 Obama in 2012), he described early vote turnout in Broward with one word: YUGE. When all was said and done on the first day of early voting in Florida, the Democrats had almost completely offset that 1.7 percent absentee voting edge the GOP had built up prior to Monday. That spread (which, as noted above, was already very small by historical standards) was down to 0.43 percent by the end of the first day of early voting.
NEVADA
In short, the first three days of early voting in the Silver State produced a blue rout. Democrats (even with the traditionally more conservative vote-by-mail folded in) enjoyed a 47-34 edge over the GOP, a margin which is more than double the 6-point statewide registration advantage for Democrats. What’s more, the edge was substantial in the state’s two key House districts which are in play this election (NV-03 and NV-04), as well as in key legislative districts that could flip both chambers of the Nevada state legislature to the Democrats.
Even better news: Ralston tweeted late Monday that Day 3 of early voting in Washoe County split 45-37 Democratic; this is a swing county where the GOP actually enjoys a narrow registration edge. He also noted that uber-Democratic Clark County (home of Las Vegas) had turnout exceeding 2012 levels for the third day in a row.
NORTH CAROLINA
Overall early vote numbers were down fractionally from 2012 for both parties. But that might be owed to the fact that Republicans deliberately reduced the number of early voting locations in a couple of large counties (Guilford and Mecklenburg), in an effort to reduce the African-American vote.
But what’s notable, in digging into the early voting numbers accumulated thus far, is that Democrats seem to be holding up quite well. We have two pieces of evidence for this. One piece of evidence comes from the conservative Civitas Institute, in the form of their “vote tracker.” Looking at the numbers through Sunday, the two Congressional districts leading in ballots cast are the 1st and 4th districts. These are two of the three overwhelmingly (or, more appropriately, absurdly) Democratic districts created by the oft-cited gerrymander of the state.
catclub
@The Moar You Know: I am suddenly seeing lots of articles about how the far right wing griftmedia needs
to be killed off before they will have a chance of nominating a reasonable GOP candidate. The articles have a lot of hope in them that this will happen by the magic of the free market – well actually threats by very rich GOP donors of financial pain for advertisers there – and people seeing the light that they have been lied to all along.
One writer was smart enough to mention that convincing someone that they have been lied to is a thankless task.
In other words, nothing will change.
Another poster wrote this:
I have highlighted the mistake I found. … in the logic.
hueyplong
@Betty Cracker: I watched highlights of PBO’s Lil’ Marco takedown. Agree that it was a lot of fun to watch.
I wonder if the DNC would consider deploying celebrity volunteers in FL, who might be convinced to do it without pay. Maybe message control is an issue.
MomSense
@DCrefugee:
That’s why I voted early. So while the GOP is doing GOTV on November 8th I’ll be joining millions of people and going GALT
Get All Losers’ Guns
NR
Monmouth has Trump +1 in Arizona. I hope we can win there. Flipping Arizona would be good insurance against Trump possibly doing better than expected in the Midwest.
Botsplainer
@Poopyman:
I hate you.
catclub
@Grumpy Code Monkey:
Civic responsibility. Good on you!
piratedan
well I can speak to Arizona heating up… the Kirkpatrick campaign is claiming that the latest WaPo poll puts them within 3. The best outlier in regards to how heavy things are in AZ is just a review of the ads that get run during the half hour that Wheel Of Fortune runs….
We have a huge back and forth on Prop 205 – the legalization of Marijuana… the anti’s are saying that the schools donlt get any money from the taxation of it and we build more government to regulate it … bad bad bad
The pros are stating that it helps people… nough said, everything else is essentially moot after that…
Multiple McCain vs Kirkpatrick ads now… Kirkpatrick essentially tying Johnny Maverick to the circus peanut by showing how long McCain lasted in the Trump camp and the number of public statements endorsing him… the pro GOP folks unloading the kitchen sink on Kirkpatrick tying her to the ACA. More outside money ads that are anti-kirkpatrick showing up now too, so somebody out there is very bleeping nervous.
Same case for the congressional race with Heinz vs. McSally. McSally is a huge vets advocate (and good on her for that) but the way that she’s portrayed, if you’re not a vet, go fuck yourself and now that is being brought home by the nuggets that are showing that she’s been voting with the TP caucus when it comes to the rights of gays and that has brought in outside money against Heinz in a response. Clinton being up +5 in AZ and McSally winning the last election in a recount has me thinking that some of these GOP seats that aren’t gerrymandered are certainly up for grabs and that could be why we’re seeing so much DCC money filtered into the state.
MomSense
@MomSense:
HA my autocorrect knows going Galt.
Should be GALG
TriassicSands
@yellowdog:
Relatives who are Trump supporters seem to have become a real problem. I don’t know if this was a serious problem in 2012 or before, but this year Trump seems to be causing some family discord.
So far, I’ve encountered two approached to the Trump problem. Everyone I’m in contact with is a Clinton supporter. But my friends who have relatives seem to dealing with the Trump dilemma in one of two ways:
1. When speaking with relatives who are Trump supporters, politics are not discussed.
2. Ties with Trump supporting relatives have been severed.
This is a tough one. My relatives are all Clinton supporters. I can understand not wanting to cut off ties to relatives, but my feelings about Trump and those who support him are such that I don’t see how I could continue to talk to a relative who supported Trump. I hold Trump supporters in such contempt and that’s a difficult basis for any kind of positive interactions. I feel for those caught in this situation.
How are you dealing with relatives who are Trump supporters?
catclub
Slate ahs one article with title “Does Trump believe anything?” and also this video of him praising the Clintons ( from 2008)
I think the Clinton campaign should push both of those – simultaneously.
Pest Bog Mummy, Frakensteinbeck
@p.a.:
Highly unlikely. I guess it might happen once or twice, maybe, but I seriously doubt it. Chump is the candidate for assholes who are all talk and like to make anonymous internet threats. They’re too lazy to find out where minority polling places are, and too chickenshit to risk a shootout with the Black Panthers they heard will be hanging around.
catclub
@MomSense: Grab All Loser’s Toys
dogwood
@Shell:
There is something weird to me about democrats who talk about Obama for SCOTUS or Elizabeth Warren for Veep or Majority Leader. Obama on SCOTUS means we deprive the party of its most charismatic spokesperson. He would never again be on the campaign trail, or speak at a convention or work on issues that democrats care about. There are dozens of qualified SCOTUS candidates who would vote exactly like Obama. Same with Warren as Majority Leader. The Senate leaders don’t serve on committees. They are in charge of process. Why would anyone want Warren off the Banking Committee? Same with people who dream of Michelle Obama in the Senate. She has an unlimited amount of political and social capital at her fingertips to employ for good causes for the rest of her life. Elect her to the Senate and half of that capital disappears.
burnspbesq
@Lizzy L:
Lets unpack that clown ban.
Is it content-neutral? Nope. There is no ban on wearing Scooby-Doo, Spongebob, or Snow White costumes in public.
What is the compelling government interest that is advanced by the ban? Omnes might take a different view, but my answer is “hell if I know,” so I say there isn’t one.
Even if you can conjure up some compelling state interest is protecting the public from seeing or interacting with clowns, an outright ban on clowns is probably not narrowly tailored to serve that interest. You could create clown-free zones, or impose a clown curfew.
So, probably unconstitutional.
hueyplong
@TriassicSands: I’m dealing via option 1, no discussion of politics at all. That allows for a less humiliating climb down for the relative after this is over. Looking at it long term.
[If I thought yelling and shaming would work, I’d try it.]
maurinsky
Some very conservative, devout Republicans I know are shifting to Evan McMullin.
trollhattan
@piratedan:
A crazy circular reasoning behind 1. electing anti-gummint morons then 2. bitching that any new regulation gives more power to the morons (barely) in charge of the bad gummint.
Hey, I know, why not elect people who 1. understand how gummint functions and 2. are committed to making gummint work well, so roads get fixed, water stays wet, etc.?
catclub
@TriassicSands: Good advice vis a vis dealing with those whose disagree.
Thomas Merton also had some perceptive things to say about hating others – you end up hating yourself.
Patricia Kayden
@hovercraft: Because forcing your employee under threat of being termination to praise your candidacy is so cool, right? Sigh. I suppose Trump will claim that he was just “joking”.
glory b
Booman said he can see zero from Jill Stein’s house.
Patricia Kayden
@DCrefugee: And they need to remember that Trump has ordered them to vote on November 28th.
TriassicSands
Headline on the NY Times web front page right now.
Winning Texas? It doesn’t seem possible, but the fact that it is even being discussed is incredibly encouraging. I keep hoping the polls are wrong — and HRC is going to win by a lot more than the polls currently show. I said any HRC win is great, but having her win states like Arizona, North Carolina, and Texas would be fantastic.
I’ve watched enough Trump to know that virtually any consecutive five minutes of video reveals him to be unqualified and unfit to be president. As a member of Trump’s key base of support (in terms of age and race), the idea of supporting him is utterly abhorrent to me. I watched the Hugh Laurie/Colbert clip and Laurie put it well when he said he couldn’t understand the intense hatred of Clinton. He says he feels like he came in late and missed the video of Clinton burning down the orphanage. I feel the same way. But the reasons for not supporting Trump are so numerous and so obvious…
SoupCatcher
@dogwood:
This exactly! I’m looking forward to Obama campaigning in every single election going forward. Midterms? He’s punching the clock. Presidential elections? Of course he’s first in line.
Pest Bog Mummy, Frakensteinbeck
@trollhattan:
Because they’ll make sure the government stops you from discriminating against minorities, beating your spouse and children, dumping your farm’s guano into the nearest river…
geg6
@WereBear:
I don’t have a clue what the Godfather baptism scene is, but I hope it was a massacre.
**I have never watched any of those films because I despise everything about the Mob and won’t patronize anything that glorifies or mythologizes them in any way. Plus, any film or films that have both Brando and Pacino in them is too full of obnoxious scenery chewing bad acting for me. I despise Brando in everything I’ve ever seen him in and Pacino is pretty much second place to him in my book. Pacino only gets a pass for Dog Day Afternoon and that’s because the scenery chewing is actually appropriate to the film.
NR
@TriassicSands: I don’t agree with investing heavily in Texas. At the presidential level, it falls into the category of “we’ll only get it if we don’t need it.” And thanks to gerrymandering, the downballot effects will be minimal.
I’d rather see those resources go to Arizona or Missouri, both of which have Senate races at least. Maybe even Georgia. Or make the safe play and shore up the closest swing states.
Eric U.
@Paul in KY: I am not positive I have seen any trump signs on someone’s property. They have all been on roadway right of ways. The cops here are looking someone stealing signs. Couldn’t tell from the picture they have who the signs are for. I don’t usually believe in judging elections by signs, but the polite republicans in this area that usually have signs don’t have them this year and a lot of people that don’t usually display signs have Hillary signs. Out in the hinterlands, Trump is king, but that’s the way it always is.
Major Major Major Major
@burnspbesq: I think a clown curfew is probably your best bet.
Matt McIrvin
@dogwood: Paul Ryan was warning recently that if the Democrats get the Senate, Bernie Sanders will be chair of the Budget Committee. This strikes me as awesome, probably superior to a Bernie Sanders Presidency.
The Moar You Know
@Poopyman: My gig these days is as an IT guy, which includes forensic examination of laptops coming back from departing employees. The worst one ever was, you guessed it, FULL of clown porn. I don’t even know how so much clown porn got made! Fucking appalling.
PS: must confess to an overwhelming fear and hatred of clowns, so for me this was a truly nasty experience. Fucking bastard. Couldn’t even fire him for it.
Brachiator
Coming in a little late (it’s been a busy day), but after a certain point, the reports of “likely voters” becomes irrelevant as we begin to get actual voting data. From now until election day, it’s GOTV that matters more than looking for confirmation of polls, even if they (wonderfully) look good for Clinton.
glory b
@hovercraft: Hillary and Kaine were in Philly and Pittsburgh Saturday, Biden will be here today, they don’t hesitate to give shout outs to the down ballot candidates.
Cracker and toast
Yea but what about the undecides. I hear there are a lot of them. Also the bernie babies want more promise of ponies and rainbows otherwise they say they will vote Johnson. I know this is all true because I read it here on Ball Juice. Also Rasmussen says it’s really close. So I’m scared.
Turgidson
@comrade scott’s agenda of rage:
I know a bunch too. Do the ones you know regularly express dismay at what the Republicans are doing, or what they’ve become, for reasons that make sense and you at least partly agree with, only to reflexively add a coda of “but I can’t vote for the Democrats, they’re even worse!”
And of course, whatever problems they identify with the GOP – whether it be the mean-spirited social regressivism, deficit-spending benders they go on whenever they have power, foreign policy disasters, whatever – are not at all shared by Democrats, much less could a coherent argument be made that Democrats are worse. But they just know in their bones that on [any and every issue, ever] Democrats are even worse. No facts necessary. It’s axiomatic.
God, I find those people insufferable.
Matt McIrvin
@Major Major Major Major: Yes–even back then, her posters all identified her as “Hillary”. And this year, her campaign logo is an H, not a C.
Applejinx
My friend who’s got a hemophilia kid has made a veiled Facebook post… which can only mean that she’s coming around to voting for Clinton and against Trump :D
She’s a hemo activist and met and talked with Jeanne White Ginder (mother of Ryan White, a hemophiliac who died of AIDS from tainted transfusions), and says Ginder has ‘forgiven a group that many still resent’. Ginder lost her son, my friend’s son is still alive and it’s been decades since the scandals she’s always blamed on Clinton. She says ‘If she can practice forgiveness who am I to carry resentments?’
I’ve never dared argue it with her but I’m very happy to see this. I told her life was like a river: it’s important to remember the path, but the thing is you’re getting somewhere. And the easiest thing to forget is that other people are also traveling the river, too…
She liked the response. <3 for some measure of peace, but also <3 <3 <3 for probably one more vote against apocalypse, for women, for our platform and our new direction. Everything depends on the grownups in the room now :)
Jesse
@Matt McIrvin: I love it when they “threaten” us with something awesome.
japa21
@Cracker and toast: Oh shomi, don’t be a pantscrapper.
Matt McIrvin
@TriassicSands: The polling in Texas has a weird bimodal split between a set showing Trump with a 2-3-4 point lead, and a set showing him with a lead well into double digits. I’m guessing the differences mostly have to do with variant models of Hispanic turnout.
I haven’t seen any where Clinton is winning, but at times when the companies in the former category release some polls, it looks like the state has gotten really close and people get excited.
Brachiator
@catclub:
Right wing conservatives don’t see that they have a problem. And some of the money men like the Koch brothers, Sheldon Adelson, Rupert Murdoch, still want what they want.
After the dust settles, the GOP will push the refresh button on their standard fantasy that they lost because they were not conservative enough. They will look for a true believer who can pretend to be moderate. A couple of GOP strategists here in Southern Cal are already salivating over the idea of the Second Coming of Marco Rubio.
Major Major Major Major
@Cracker and toast: It’s really, really, really sad that you claim to hate this blog so much and have now come back with a third nym after being banned twice in a week.
TriassicSands
@NR:
I didn’t get the impression that the Clinton campaign has made Texas a priority. Rather, Donald Trump’s outrageousness has put Texas in play. That’s great news.
Trump is his own worst enemy. Give him a mic and let him rip. Occasionally, challenge him so he can respond in a manner far out of proportion to what a situation calls for.
According to Trump — he’s winning “everywhere.”
tkrr
@OzarkHillbilly: To be fair, she also uses her first name as her primary branding.
Applejinx
@Cracker and toast: Funny, I have a little window into a group of very typical millenials, including some self-identified conservatives. They’re an online writer group so they’re from all over the country (indeed the world).
Increasingly they are full-on Clinton, having started as mostly disappointed Bernie types. The few who are conservative are real disgusted with Trump and feel betrayed by their party. One of the frat boy millenials, a real party-hardy type, is one of the most brazen Clinton boosters. They’re all pretty considerate of the feelings of the (totally screwed) conservatives in good millenial fashion, but the consensus appears to be that Clinton has her FDR-like platform to build on, if she wants it enough to keep it. I’m sure they’d bail on her in an instant if Hillary swung right and went all neoliberal, but that would be so politically stupid it’s simply not going to happen.
Pretty sure Bernie’s stubborn and firm endorsements of Hillary (plus hey, what if he does get to chair the budget committee?) helped.
The kids are alright, and we may well be looking at good solid leadership for the changes hitting our society. It will be ideologically upsetting to the conservatives, but they’ve had every opportunity to learn, and now their legislative toys have to be taken away for at least long enough to do repairs and get the country running again. I’m sure there will be decent conservatives again, and I might even know some of ’em in this millenial group I speak of. But they won’t resemble our dying breed of psychopaths very much.
NotMax
@The Moar You Know
Hey, there’s sumthin’ out there for every possible niche.
(Not to worry, safe for work.)
NR
@TriassicSands: I know they’ve spent some money there at least, and Texas is an expensive state. I would rather have seen that money go elsewhere, but too late to change anything now I suppose.
trollhattan
@Pest Bog Mummy, Frakensteinbeck:
But, but, but, the guano yearns to be free. Patriotic guano!
hovercraft
Does Trump have any billionaires anywhere who like or admire him?
Richard Branson: Trump’s a ‘very vindictive’ man
Billionaire and founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson, joins MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle to describe his lunch with Donald Trump where he talked about wanting to “destroy” five people who refused to help him with his bankruptcy, making Branson feel “very uncomfortable” … more
Branson said that at one point he was afraid Trump was going to ask him to bail him out, turning him into number 6 on the hit list. His disdain for Trump and is business prowess or lack there of is funny. He has very complimentary things to say about Hillary. Should we be on the lookout for some nasty tweets?
hovercraft
@japa21:
You know I didn’t even notice it was back, I started to skim a comment, thought it was stupid so skipped it, should have realized that it was back.
I guess it just can’t quit this awful blog and it’s awful commenters.
SAD!
Brachiator
@dogwood:
Obama as Chief Justice some day would be a natural fit. Democrats can get cheerleaders anywhere. Individuals who can help govern are rare.
geg6
@TriassicSands:
I have no GOPer relatives. But I have cut off multiple Trump-voting friends and acquaintances. Fuck ’em. I have plenty of sane friends and acquaintances.
NotMax
@Major Major Major Major
Third within one week, but it previously repeatedly showed up as samiam, as muricafukyea, as sonofsamantha, as minutemaid, and likely under several other identities a quick and dirty search missed.
MCA1
@geg6: Disagree re: Brando, and particularly as Don Corleone. He’s so quiet you can barely hear him. I agree with you generally on Pacino, but would point out Scarface as another one where the histrionics were called for and a feature instead of a bug. But really, in the Godfather films he was so young and unknown he was really quite subdued. James Caan chewed the scenery there, and De Niro did some in II as the younger Vito, but Pacino played it pretty straight generally speaking. He got worse when he became a top billing star, IMHO.
gvg
Everyone knows if the GOP loses Texas, they are toast. It’s something that is brought up all the time for the last oh 15 years. It means the Hispanics have finally awoken, it means the GOP finally has to face the need for change. We are all kind of tired of Frankenstein’s monster stumbling around scaring us so naturally we get excited if Texas is in play. Winning this specific election matters, but there is always the next one. We already expect obstruction and more people who are nuts. Forgive us if we like hearing about that potential win.
I have actually been wondering how it will work if the national GOP gets wiped out but the state GOPs don’t. I think if it went on awhile, the state parties would start to diverge in they might start fighting each other.
Barbara
@burnspbesq: Its constitutional status is not all that clear. It depends on the level of scrutiny, which depends on which interest/right is affected by the legislation. The first thing is whether it implicates the first amendment, and if it does, well, the clown probably prevails.
But if it is not considered to be a form of speech, then there is a real question of what kind of deference the legislation is owed by the courts. Are clowns a “suspect” or “invidious” way of classifying individuals? Hmm. Probably not. But what someone “looks” like might be. Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that people have some kind of presumptive right to dress whatever the hell way they want to, including applying make-up to look like a clown if they so desire. Does this law address a compelling or at least important state interest that the state is pursuing in the least restrictive means possible? Well, I guess you could argue that no one is denying the right of anyone to dress up like a clown in private or to perform in the circus — you just can’t go out and about dressed as a clown. But it’s not like looking like a clown presents a threat to the peace, or if it does, it’s only because other non-clowns have undergone a form of hysteria when it comes to clowns. So clowns are being punished and having their liberty threatened because of the lack of common sense of other people, which seems like punishing the wrong party, or ascribing a presumptive criminality to someone because of what they look like rather than what they have actually done — a definite no no. Also, it seems like the average clown is a lot less threatening than the average open carrier. But what do I know. Sorry for such a rambling response. Constitutional jurisprudence is actually rather messy.
Iowa Old Lady
@les: Terry Gross interviewed an elections guy today, and he said his concern about taking pictures of your ballot is that it allows you to prove to someone else how you voted. In turn, this allows some of the fraud that takes place with absentee ballot, which also allow you to show someone else how you voted. You can be coerced or paid to voted in a certain way. I hadn’t thought of any of that before.
Major Major Major Major
@hovercraft: I was 95% certain it was itself, and then a few comments in it said Ball Juice and I was sure.
patroclus
Colin Powell endorses! Hillary speaking live in Fla! Polls looking great! We’re gonna carry Texas! We’re gonna take the House! And the Senate! And the USSC! Schneider over Dold! Applegate over Issa! Bye-bye to Kirk, Toomey, Rubio, Ayotte, Bluont! Things are looking good at the Circle K!
dogwood
I am very optimistic about the long-term prospects for this country. But short-term I don’t see anything changing. The Republicans might be at the height of their reactionary mania, but it will be a long time before it winds down. What worries me is this talk of a Hillary landslide that will bring forth some progressive change. The next Speaker might not be some guy who tries to placate the Freedom Caucus, but rather a member of that caucus. I doubt she will disappoint me because I’m clear-eyed about the limits of her power and the obstacles she will face. I do predict that the online liberal community will turn on her within a week of the election, or whenever she announces her first appointments.
geg6
@MCA1:
The constant mumbling he does in that film, at least from the clips I’ve seen, are just another form of scenery chewing. It’s all about “pay attention to me!” “I’m the greatest actor in the world and you’ll pay good money to hear me mumble things you can’t understand!” Ugh, I just hate that guy. I don’t understand for a minute how anything thinks he’s a good actor. He was horrible. I’ve seen plenty of other of his work to know how badly he sucked. Like I said, Pacino was perfect for Dog Day Afternoon. Haven’t like him in anything else that I can remember.
To each their own. FTR, I hated The Sopranos and The Wire, too. With a white hot hate.
Gin & Tonic
@Barbara:
Is that defined anywhere? If I put on a red foam-rubber nose, is that sufficient? If I use white greasepaint to exaggerate a frown? Do I have to do both? What about the male-pattern-baldness wig? Floppy shoes? How many of those do I have to don before I am “dressed as a clown”? How about if I do them all but skip the nose?
IANAL, but seriously, this is some bullshit.
Paul in KY
@OzarkHillbilly: I generally went with ‘Batshit McChimpy’, that I picked up from someone.
sukabi
@comrade scott’s agenda of rage: I don’t get the appeal of voting for someone who is proudly dumber than dirt. If you’re going to do that go all in for Deez Nutz.
Stan
@TriassicSands:
Have you considered DNA testing? They CLAIM to be your relatives……
sukabi
@Lizzy L: so they’re effectively banning drumpf from entering the county then. Seems like a proactive move to me.
Paul in KY
@JPL: RIP, Sen Wellstone & all the others who died in that crash. He was a damn good man, IMO.
eric
@Barbara: who has standing to challenge the law? only a clown would challenge this law…….i will be here all week, try the veal.
Brachiator
@Iowa Old Lady:
Huh? I could pick up a discarded ballot off the ground and take a selfie with it, and no one would know whether what they were seeing was actually my ballot. I suppose there could be some issues here, but I am not seeing major problems.
Miss Bianca
@Major Major Major Major: thank you for this checklist – I may have to incorporate it into my NaNoWriMo project!
Paul in KY
@Larkspur: I wish (hope) you did tell her that you respectfully disagreed. Only reason why is that ‘they’re both about equal’ BS meme needs to be responded to any time someone vomits it up.
Paul in KY
@DCrefugee: I’m gonna use that one on a couple wingnuts I know!!! Hoisting them by their own petard!
Miss Bianca
@Kay: OK, “crafts and kayaking”, in addtion to lectures and show trials? LOL!
Brachiator
@patroclus:
All you are missing is a Howard Dean scream …
StringOnAStick
I just got back from Michigan, spending time in a small town that’s only remaining economic driver is the state prisons there: heavily Trump territory, though often a yard fully festooned with solid republican signs would be missing the T/P sign. The highways of the Michigan hinterlands had plenty of huge T/P signs though.
We also spent time in western Detroit suburbs with the Jewish side of my husband’s family; the Shiva was all Jewish professionals/liberals, and my newly widowed SIL’s conservative Christian family wondering at this strange world they’d wandered into and it’s odd folkways (her dad may as well be a minister and he never misses a chance to attempt to save a Jew for Jeebus – obnoxious). I had several animated conversations with relatives, all of whom were appalled that they knew other Jews professionally who were voting T/P, but also relieved that they didn’t know many who were. Hillary signs everywhere in Detroit, only saw one or two T/P signs.
And now I get to fill out my CO ballot, and as soon as my husband returns home on Wednesday (he’s still in Michigan), we will each sign ours and I will sing a happy song as I walk them over to the ballot drop off station. I’ve had creepy bosses who bear behavioral similarities to Trump, and I am seriously enjoying being able to vote to kick the Angry Circus Peanut right where it counts: in his ego.
Joe Miller
@Major Major Major Major: It just landed: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/10/24/inside-donald-trump-s-one-stop-parties-attendees-recall-cocaine-and-very-young-models.html?via=desktop&source=twitter
WaterGirl
@patroclus: You forgot the yeehaw!!!
Stan
@geg6: @geg6:
To each his own, but: have you considered watching the whole thing to see why he mumbles? At the beginning, he is attempting to separate himself from his (much louder) family…..I think the quiet is a way of showing his discomfort with it all. Later, not to spoil it for you, but he gets hit hard in the jaw and can’t talk normally. But that’s also a part of him becoming more like his father, which is his whole transformation in the movie.
Paul in KY
@Eric U.: I have seen about 4 or 5, but I walk alot & get around my town.
Brachiator
@Major Major Major Major:
xactly. But the GOP uses people like pawns, which makes their obstructionism all the more despicable. People don’t realize that judicial and executive branch nominees often have to disrupt their lives, turn down other opportunities and sometimes endure financial losses while they are waiting for the Senate to take up their nomination. And we have seen situations in which a Senator blocks a nomination simply because he wants to insult Obama, without any consideration for the person nominated at all.
Miss Bianca
@smintheus: I’m sorry, but fuck that shit. You really think you – or anyone, for that matter – knows better than PBO who would be best qualified for the SCOTUS? And that dangling the nomination in front of someone and then yanking it away is anything but a shit maneuver? Personally, I’d love to see HRC champion Garland’s nomination and get it thru’ on the grounds that it’s the right thing to do. Fuck both GOP obstructionism and progressive whining that he’s “too old and centrist”. Just fuck.that.shit.
ETA: Or, in other words, what M4 said.
geg6
@Stan:
Nope, won’t watch it. As I mentioned, I don’t fetishize the Mafia. I don’t partake in anything that does. I have an actual relative who was murdered by them. They are disgusting and the lionization of them by the media sickens me.
Matt McIrvin
Looks like the Obamacare premiums story is the piece of Trumpian propaganda right now. Kind of doubt it will move the needle much. Maybe if Trump were a more normal Republican.
Brachiator
@patroclus:
I just saw this twitter post from the progressive lunatic fringe:
Major Major Major Major
@Brachiator: yep, this election sure is good at demonstrating Poe’s Law.
stinger
@Barbara:
I’m doing my darnedest!
Grumpy Code Monkey
@TriassicSands:
Frankly, that’s your problem, and you’re the one who needs to get past it, not them.
It’s only politics, people – it should not come ahead of family or friendships. This attitude of “I can’t be friends with you because of who you vote for” is what’s driving the whole polarization and echo-chamberization of this country.
Now, if your friends or relatives are the kind of people who inject their politics into every personal interaction, then the problem isn’t who they vote for, the problem is that they’re assholes. Tell them point blank “you’re welcome to come, but we both have to find something other than politics to talk about.” Either they’ll get it or they won’t. If they don’t, then it’s on them. If they do, then you have to hold yourself to the same standard. Talk about football, music, kids, dogs, food, beer, whatever.
Yes, who you vote for and why says something about you, but so does every other goddamned thing you do. Part of being an adult is being able to not judge others based on a single data point. “If you vote Trump/Clinton then I know everything I need to know about you” is lazy thinking, and it just makes the situation worse.
Everybody needs to get over their own shit, on all sides.
Barbara
@Gin & Tonic: Yep. It is BS. It’s public authorities not wanting to deal with a rather weird situation and trying to criminalize it out of existence in ways that seem rather stupid.
Barbara
@eric: I would dress up as a clown to challenge it. Seriously.
Matt McIrvin
@Grumpy Code Monkey: That’s my default attitude… but I’ve had people point out to me more than once that this is showing my privilege. For many Americans, supporting Trump is basically logically equivalent to believing they should be deported, shunned, abused or killed. Would I happily attend a party with someone who I knew was itching to put a bullet in my head? It’s about like that.
Miss Bianca
@Brachiator: Bitter Progressive mantra: “Never take ‘yes’ for an answer!” Put that on a bumper sticker and then slap it right next to the one that says “Co-Exist”.
Brachiator
@Grumpy Code Monkey:
I know. Tell me about it.I practice animal sacrifice. My relatives all know that all they have to do is hide their pets away and never discuss religion, and we’re all good.
opiejeanne
@Eric U.: My neighborhood is suddenly too genteel to have any campaign signs on their property. The woman next door had signs up last time for 2 water board candidates running on a ridiculous, sinister conspiracy theory about the water reclamation plant, even she has not a single sign up. We are usually awash in signs here.
Talked to our Democratic Precinct Captain yesterday and was stunned by how little she knows about what’s going on with the election right now. She was pro-Bernie so maybe she’s just disengaged from the campaign, but I was startled by it. She’s a care-taker for an elderly man who keeps bees, and we bought some honey from him. He and his wife bought the house not long after we moved here, and the wife died almost immediately. Nice old guy and I hope we are healthier at 80; that’s14 years away for me, only 11 for my husband.
waysel
@Grumpy Code Monkey: How many data points qualify as enough to judge someone?
Steve in the ATL
@Stan:
I want to party with you!
Ruckus
@OzarkHillbilly:
You left something out. It’s “that fucking idiot.”
That’s why it sounds funny.
Terry chay
@comrade scott’s agenda of rage: The schadenfreude when they wake up on Nov 9 to find out they represent less than 6 percent of the electorate. Fuck them, indeed!
scav
@Grumpy Code Monkey: It’s complicated and depends on a lot on other family / personal dynamics. My personal family bane of Trump just this last two weeks bugged out on her sick husband, leaving him without a working phone in the nursing home, states away from his deadbeat sons while she’s half the nation away from him. So the sudden descent into explicitly saying she doesn’t care what happens to other people (blacks, minorities, muslims) so long as she gets her political way shines a really profoundly illuminating light on her larger personality. As this all happened simultaneously within a few months without warning, well it’s hard being cool-blooded and genteel about it.
Grumpy Code Monkey
@waysel: Kinda depends on the data points. “Oh, so you murdered those people and ate their livers? Okay, yeah, that’s enough to go by, thanks.”
Yes, there are the Trump supporters who are the nasty unreconstructed racists who long for the good old days when you could go out and lynch the nearest handy negro and not have people get on your case about it, and yeah, they’re probably the majority of his base.
There are also Trump supporters who’ve been fed a steady 25-year diet of lies and innuendo about the Clintons and legitimately don’t know or care what Trump actually stands for or why other people support him, they just know he isn’t Hillary Clinton, and for them that’s literally all they care about. Tell them about the other shit and they’ll simply claim it’s all lies promulgated by the Clinton-loving media, that Trump really doesn’t mean any of that.
I know instances of both. The relevant data points for the former group are their racist attitudes and actions, their own demonstrations of violence and threats against minorities, etc. The relevant data points for the latter group are their absolute detachment from reality, their pants-shitting fear of literally everything outside their door, etc.
The former group I loathe and want to see DIAF, the latter group I kind of pity and want to see get some kind of professional help. Their support of Trump is just one aspect of their personalities, and not necessarily the most telling.
The Moar You Know
@Grumpy Code Monkey: Nope. You’re just flat-out wrong here.
My wife’s livelihood, and to a lesser extent mine, are very dependent upon politics. Wish it wasn’t like that, but it is. She’s a teacher, and when the school board flips to GOP (as it’s likely to this election) that will have direct, permanent, and catastrophic consequences for both our lives. So yeah, politics is going to come out ahead of friends or family, because it determines whether we continue to have a roof over our heads or not.
Millions of people who either work for a government (local, state, feds) or depend on payments from the same (Social Security, Medicare, et al) either stand or fall based on the results of politics. You cannot blame them for putting their politics in front of friends or family, because it affects them greatly – sometimes determining if they live or die.
stinger
@Cracker and toast: oh hai shomi. Mom and Dad are away and you found the key to the desk where they’ve been keeping the laptop, I see.
opiejeanne
@stinger: What was its interim nym? Is this supercallifragilistic etc?
smintheus
@Miss Bianca: So in other words ‘shut the f^ck up, you don’t get an opinion’?
catclub
@Grumpy Code Monkey:
Wouldn’t it depend on whether there was kosher/halal butchering?
stinger
@opiejeanne: Not sure — that was Major x 4. I wasn’t even aware that it had been banned; I just know the “style” when I see it. And I had promised myself not to feed the troll — sorry, everybody!
Origuy
@Poopyman:
It predates the Internet and Rule 34. I’m on my work laptop, so no links, but seek out the Dark Brothers. If you dare!
Miss Bianca
@smintheus: No. You’re free to express whatever opinion you want. Just as I’m free to express *my* opinion about it.
Uncle Cosmo
@TriassicSands: In fact he’s whining everywhere. As the duration of daylight grows shorter, Trumpolini gets more dejected. SAD!
smintheus
@Miss Bianca: And your opinion was:
To me that definitely sounds like STFU.
KS in MA
@Summer: Already gave them some $$! Thanks for posting it again!
Miss Bianca
@smintheus: Whatever, cowboy. I’m saying that the President – who besides being the President, is also a constitutional scholar – might be slightly better-qualified than you to decide who’d be the best pick for a SCOTUS justice. And that jettisoning that pick because of politics would be a shitty way to treat said SCOTUS candidate. Feel free to disagree.
TriassicSands
@Grumpy Code Monkey:
As I said in my comment, I don’t have this problem, because all my friends and relatives are Clinton supporters.
But whom one votes for is not “a single data point.” It says a lot about how someone feels about the poor and disabled, how they view science and knowledge, whether they are religious bigots or not, if they care if people have health insurance (possibly a life or death consideration) and more generally what kind of a person someone is.
Trump is so extreme and to vote for him one has to be either such a despicable person or so ignorant in many ways and about many issues that it’s hardly like voting for Mary M. for the school board because she favors universal kindergarten. When someone bases his whole campaign on fear and hatred of others, it says a great deal about the kind of person who would support that…in many cases ALL one needs to know.
My question was how others were dealing with this situation. Thanks anyway, but your lecture was not helpful.
Ruckus
@The Moar You Know:
THIS. FUCKING THIS.
I’m a case in point. Without the VA I’m quite possibly a dead man in around 5 yrs or less. And SS keeps me from living under a bridge, plucking sparrows for dinner. Yes I can still work and do but the body isn’t what it used to be and can’t earn what it used to. And I shouldn’t have to work till the minute I fucking die, falling over dead at my machine.
So yes, fuck those assholes who are voting for tRump or vote for any of the current republican party. All those fuckers want to do is end civilization, and there is no reason we should let them.
Ruckus
@waysel:
When that one data point is tRump, one is enough. This asshole hasn’t been shy about showing who he is, so if you consider Clinton to be the devil in a pants suit then your default should be not to vote. If you vote for him, you endorsed him and his bullshit. That’s all the data points I need. Just politics my ass. It’s horrible politics maybe but it’s not just normal politics. GWB wasn’t just normal politics either and he is miles above tRump on any evolutionary scale. And look how that turned out.
smintheus
@Miss Bianca:
A lot of straw there. Meanwhile you haven’t bothered to argue why an aged centrist is better for the country than a younger and more liberal appointment that’s possible now.
I don’t genuflect to this or any other president, constitutional scholar or not.
Stan
@geg6: Anyone who finds the Godfather pro-mafia isn’t seeing the movie I see.