Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Sadly, media malpractice has become standard practice.

Republicans don’t trust women.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls 2 years from now.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Cancel the cowardly WaPo and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. Do not congratulate. This is not business as usual.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

A norm that restrains only one side really is not a norm – it’s a trap.

You passed on an opportunity to be offended? What are you even doing here?

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Lick the third rail, it tastes like chocolate!

It’s the corruption, stupid.

You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2017 / Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Happy Hannukah!

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Happy Hannukah!

by | 150 Comments

This post is in: , , ,


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Apart from the immediate topic(s), what’s on the agenda for the day?

***********


.

Minor good omen, FWIW…


(Yup. Chickenshite Charlie doesn’t jump for a non-Repub candidate until he’s 98% sure he’s gonna be “supporting” a winner.)

Reader Interactions

150Comments

  3. 3.

    Elizabelle

    Happy Hannukah and Christmas month, pals. May our months be bright, and may we wake up celebrating a Doug Jones win tomorrow. It could happen. (It’s actually in Alabama’s best interest, although they may not see it that way….)

  4. 4.

    lowtechcyclist

    On the first night of Hannukah, all I want is for Alabama to not elect a pedophile to the US Senate. Tall order, I know, but a Jewish girl can dream.

    But remember, the Moores aren’t anti-Semitic, one of their lawyers is Jewish!

  8. 8.

    danielx

    On the first night of Hannukah, all I want is for Alabama to not elect a pedophile to the US Senate. Tall order, I know, but a Jewish girl can dream.

    — Stephanie Wittels Wachs (@wittelstephanie) December 11, 2017

    From your mouth to god’s ear.

  9. 9.

    Betty Cracker

    @Elizabelle: I’m feeling fairly optimistic about Jones! I’m in the Florida Panhandle at the moment, and I’m sending strong “don’t fuck up” vibes to the north and west!

  10. 10.

    Mary G

    I am so happy the election is finally here. It’s a win either way – Republicans elect another big fat embarrassment or lose to a Democrat in Alabama. Alabama!!!

  12. 12.

    satby

    I got up at 4 to bake brownies for our OneSight event this morning, and to be able to get my full ration of coffee before I head out. We’re expecting 20 people for free eye exams and glasses in the 2 hours before the store opens. They’re always such fun, rewarding events because the recipients are so excited to get vision care. Many haven’t had it in years and years.

  13. 13.

    Schlemazel

    @Elizabelle:
    There is no doubt it is Alabama’s best interest to defeat Moore. One of the many problems Jones (and indeed and non-goober) has is that people in that area are sensitive to having their ignorance, bigotry and parochialism pointe out to them by people not of their state. That article about “outside interests” pouring money & time into the race is the sort of thing that will serve Moore very well in playing to his base. They are not going to let any pointy-headed East Coast elites tell them how to vote!!

    When I sent Jones $50 this summer it was not because I thought he could win, it was to force the GOP to defend their honey bucket. Now it seems there is a small chance Jones could win, I am not getting my hopes up but I do think this race will pay dividends win or lose.

  14. 14.

    NotMax

    @satby

    And apparently a rare sighting in them thar parts.

    Adult religious affiliation in Alabama.

    Non-Christian Faiths 1%
    Unaffiliated (religious “nones”) 12%

    Also too, (also from 2014):

    When broken down to the county level, it’s easy to see just how dominant Christianity is in Alabama.

    In 15 counties in the state, [non-Christian] religions do not even have a large enough presence to be statistically relevant. Documenting the second largest religion in 34 Alabama counties is reliant on potentially sketchy data supplied by faiths that keep track of their adherents through mailing lists, rather than congregations.

  17. 17.

    raven

    Ha, one of Moore’s lifer fuck fellow officers is explaining how he and Moore walked into a boom-boom parlor in Da Nang and Moore Di-Di’d like a mofo. Xi Loi asshole.

  18. 18.

    bystander

    @Betty Cracker:

    I’m in the Florida Panhandle at the moment, and I’m sending strong “don’t fuck up” vibes to the north and west!

    Careful. If that shows up on Kellyanne’s microwave, they’ll drone you and your loved ones.

    I’m going to try and keep as occupied and as distant from MSNBC today as possible. I may even dive into shopping on 5th Avenue, a definite no-no after Thanksgiving. Fighting crowds and waiting in endless lines at Uniqlo may be just the distraction I need. Plus a final 2017 spit on the sidewalk in front of a certain someone’s house.

  19. 19.

    Elizabelle

    @Betty Cracker: Best to you, and I hope your grandma still has some good life ahead of her. If it’s her time, at least she knows you are there (and recognized you)!

    @satby: Good for you. The free exams and eyeglasses; participating in that would warm the heart.

    @Schlemazel: Gonna be an interesting election night, won’t it be? Shall be burning some midnight oil (here) for this one.

    People, you will enjoy life without cable news from the US. It may add months to your lifespan.

    PS: just finished watching Netflix’s Godless last night. Loved every episode. I did not find it too slowly paced, since was not binge-watching (only 7 episodes; had to savor them).

    Do you guys think there will be a sequel to Godless? I’d love to see the characters again, but I think they wrapped the story up pretty well …. (ETA: no spoilers, if you choose to discuss the show)

  21. 21.

    PsiFighter37

    Well, if there’s ever an election I’d like to be wrong about, it’s this one. I still think the pedo’s heading to the Senate.

  23. 23.

    rikyrah

    I didn’t check previous posts. Did someone hip folks to the tweet thread about Moore’s buddy from Vietnam, and their misadventures in a brothel???

  24. 24.

    Ohio Mom

    @Betty Cracker: I’ll be thinking of you today as I sit in the totally uncomfortable visitor’s chair in my husband’s hospital room. I wonder if we will ever know why hospitals are so dedicated to making our asses ache.

    If this turns out to be your granny’s time, I hope it is a peaceful transition, and that her fear abates. Being there with her is a wonderful gift you are giving her.

  27. 27.

    Elizabelle

    @Ohio Mom: Best to Ohio Dad.

    And Suzanne, our resident architect, has her mission in life cut out for her. (Better hospital seating/snoozing for relatives and friends.)

  29. 29.

    Anne Laurie

    @Mustang Bobby:

    Surprised she didn’t trot out her black housekeeper and gay hairdresser to complete Cultural Stereotype Bingo.

    Well, “Sheriff” Dave Clark was there as the Black Friend…

    (I’m putting together a post about that rally for later — didn’t want to expose innocents to the full horror first thing.)

  32. 32.

    Anne Laurie

    @rikyrah: Come back around lunchtime, there’ll be a worst-of-the-worst post about that event.

    @raven: Now watch — there will be 15 posts about the rally before mine goes up, and y’all will rag about me piling on!

  40. 40.

    GregB

    @raven:

    Run that through the translator.

    Also too, a former FB exec. says that social media is smashing society to bits.

    Article is in The Guardian.

  42. 42.

    satby

    @Betty Cracker: I missed the news about your grandmother. I hope she is as comfortable as possible if recovery isn’t in the cards.

    @Ohio Mom: best to Ohio Dad too, here’s hoping he gets the word he can go home soon.

    @rikyrah: Good morning ?! (Though it’s snowing and 22° here ?

  43. 43.

    trnc

    If Jones scores an upset in #ALSEN, it’ll be in part bc he was deluged w cash & gotv help. Threw budget out windowhttps://t.co/tb87I9QnUO

    — Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) December 11, 2017

    WTF does that mean? A non-endorsement for his opponent by a senator is gov’t help? And a full on endorsement of his opponent by the president isn’t gov’t help?

  44. 44.

    Elizabelle

    @GregB: Do you have a good link?

    From The Verge site: Former Facebook exec says social media is ripping apart society
    ‘No civil discourse, no cooperation; misinformation, mistruth.’

    Here’s The Daily Mail, with a link to what might be your Guardian article:

    Former Facebook executive, who has banned his own children from the site, says social media is ripping society apart by manipulating users
    Comments were made by Chamath Palihapitiya who joined Facebook in 2007
    He took particular aim at the ways people communicate via social media
    He cited an incident where hoax messages led to the lynching of seven people
    He believes money pumped into social sites would be better spent addressing problems like climate change and disease

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5167631/Former-Facebook-exec-say-site-ripping-apart-society.html#ixzz512zin7If

    Guardian: might be the link? From October:
    ‘Our minds can be hijacked’: the tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia

    It’s a serious topic. Repercussions all over the world.

    We have seen how badly Fox News and the rightwing wurlitzer have distorted our politics. It’s a tragedy. We should not let this happen.

    Didn’t we learn anything from Joseph Goebbels and Hitler? Apparently not.

  45. 45.

    Elizabelle

    @trnc: Jonathan Martin is one of the kneepad set at the FTF NYTimes. He’s a Republican whisperer. Believe he arrived via Politico.

  48. 48.

    Schlemazel

    @trnc:
    no, gotv is phone calls, door knocking, document processing and in some cases rides and assistance getting to the polls/

    boots on the ground

  50. 50.

    danielx

    Luddite that I am, I find myself content with the decision not to acquire a smart phone and stick with a dumb phone instead. I cannot conceive of swiping a screen hundreds or thousands of times a day for self-validation, but I understand this is common.

  51. 51.

    debbie

    @NotMax:

    I’ve got family members in AL — They have been there close to 20 years. They still don’t reveal that they’re Jewish.

  52. 52.

    NotMax

    Chattering teeth make keeping a stiff upper lip more of a challenge..

    Freezing conditions are continuing to affect parts of the UK, as forecasters warn it could be facing the coldest night of the year.
    [snip]
    BBC weather forecaster Steve Cleaton said hazardous conditions would continue in the coming days, although there would be less snow than at the weekend.

    “A perishingly cold night is expected as we move through Monday evening into Tuesday, with another widespread and severe frost, and temperatures plummeting to below -10C across any snowfields,” he said. Source

  53. 53.

    bystander

    @Ohio Mom: Hope today is more comfortable. You shouldn’t hesitate to take cushion, tho.

    @Elizabelle: I could take fb or leave it, except that my HS reunion is coming up and it’s been a fun place to reconnect with old friends. But the more I’m on there the more I see how somebody is not randomly posting the Trending Events column strictly by number of hits. News of the guy who was let go by Mueller is far more prominent than the actual confession of Flynn to felony crimes.

  57. 57.

    Mustang Bobby

    @danielx: I’m with you. It’s cheap ($30 a month), it does text (slide-out keyboard), can’t be hacked, can’t catch fire, and if someone mugs me for it, they’ll probably give it back.

  63. 63.

    Kay

    @trnc:

    A state senator who had tried for over a decade to get the bill into law, told The Huntsville Times that a photo ID law would undermine Alabama’s “black power structure.” In The Montgomery Advertiser, he said that the absence of an ID law “benefits black elected leaders.”
    The bill’s sponsors were even caught on tape devising a plan to depress the turnout of black voters — whom they called “aborigines” and “illiterates” who would ride “H.U.D.-financed buses” to the polls

    I wish national Democrats had laid better groundwork for GOTV. Small donors could have an effect on this. We could insist that some portion of the money we give to campaigns goes toward voting rights groups or direct voter contact on voting process- getting them ID. I read yesterday that AA’s are 25% of the D electorate in Alabama, so that would be a good benchmark- 25% of campaign funding goes to voter protection work- investing in a kind of “infrastructure” instead of blowing the whole wad on tv ads. They should hire people in Alabama to do the work.

    We’re not bad at raising money. We’re bad at spending money. This is a great problem to have because it’s easy to fix.

    Part of it is because there’s a kind of corruption- self dealing- people at the top of the campaign infrastructure make a lot of money so it will be difficult to wrest control away from them and send some of it downstream. Part of it is just a lack of imagination- they’ve always bought ads so they buy more ads.

    We can do this differently and we don’t need additional campaign funding- Jones had plenty- we can just reallocate some portion of funds to more productive short-term and long-term investment. Voting rights is the long term investment.

  65. 65.

    Chyron HR

    @Kay:

    “aborigines” and “illiterates” who would ride “H.U.D.-financed buses” to the polls

    “They’re not deplorable! They’re not racist!” – Bernard S., Burlington VT

  66. 66.

    HeleninEire

    Morning everyone. I see I received a surprise visit from Gin & Tonic last night as he passed through Dublin airport.

    Slainte agus tainte.

  67. 67.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Good news:

    When Michael Malbin started crunching Federal Elections Committee data this summer to see how the 2018 midterms were shaping up, the sheer number of Democratic challengers blew him away.

    Back in June, there were already 209 Democratic candidates entering House races who had raised at least $5,000, compared to just 28 Republican candidates.
    …..
    When Malbin, the executive director of the Campaign Finance Institute, checked the updated numbers in the fall, the number of Republicans had risen to 71. By then, the number of Democrats had ballooned to 391. Of that number, 210 Democrats had raised at least $50,000 so far, and 145 had raised at least $100,000.

    “I was simply stunned,” Malbin said. “I looked, and I said these are amazing numbers.”

    It’s still too early to tell if a Democratic wave will sweep the House of Representatives in 2018. But the sheer number of Democratic challengers entering House races shows the makings of a wave.

    To put this in context, Malbin says that the number of Republican challengers entering House races at this time of year is normal. The real surprise for him came on the Democratic side, where the numbers indicate a kind of energy around midterm races that he hasn’t seen before. The big drivers seem to be the reaction to Trump and congressional Republicans as they push unpopular policies like their current tax overhaul bill.

    The numbers speak for themselves.

  70. 70.

    Kay

    I look at it as creating a temporary private sector voting rights infrastructure to replace the (missing) public one in Alabama and (now) the federal government. I say “now the federal” because Jeff Sessions enthusiastically endorses voter suppression laws and specifically endorsed those in Alabama and he’s the AG.

    Because you can’t get there from here. If (black) Democrats can’t vote in Alabama then they can’t fix their own voting laws. It isn’t that Democrats don’t do anything on voting rights when they’re in power- they pass state laws expanding voter access in blue states every year. But they have to win elections first. So there has to be a donor-funded effort before there can be a state-supported effort.

  73. 73.

    Viva BrisVegas

    @raven:

    he and Moore walked into a boom-boom parlor in Da Nang

    I think you mean, “accidentally” walked into a Da Nang brothel.

    Moore’s “buddy” claims that there was lots of underage available, but that Moore did not partake and took off as fast as his stubby little legs could carry him. Therefore Moore is a good guy and all those ladies are liars.

    I just think it proves he only likes vanilla. That or he prefers to work alone.

  75. 75.

    Kay

    @Chyron HR:

    Sanders, all other things aside, is to me the perfect example of “raising a lot of money and then spending it exactly the same as we have spent it for 50 years”

    We don’t have to do this this way! We could try something else! There’s no law that says you have to spend every dollar on tv ads and phone banking.

    Our Revolution wasn’t very revolutionary, really. They hired campaign consultants and bought tv ads.

  76. 76.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @Anne Laurie:

    Well, “Sheriff” Dave Clark was there as the Black Friend…

    Ah, yes, one of the “good ones” that you could share a meal with and allow to use your guest bathroom.

  77. 77.

    NotMax

    Q: Why is Yoda Roy Moore’s favorite Star Wars character?

    A: “Too old! Too old to begin the training.”

  78. 78.

    Sab

    @danielx:You aren’t alone. My 10 year old flip-phone was fried by its charger a few months ago. I was thrilled to discover that I could replace it with another flip-phone.

  79. 79.

    Kay

    We have our office Christmas party this week. I like kids and I like to have people over so one year I had it at my house, on a Saturday, and people could bring kids. After that they told me they prefer to go out, at night, without their kids because really they spend enough time with their kids :)

    What they want is to get a babysitter and eat and drink without their kids. One has to have the courage to resist societal disapproval to say this, but they rose to the challenge!

  80. 80.

    raven

    @Viva BrisVegas: We always said that there seemed to be no middle age for Vietnamese, they either looked really young or really old. Throw in beetle nut teeth and it was worse.

  81. 81.

    MomSense

    Wow, Jimmy Kimmel is a champion. His opening monologue with his son last night was wonderful. Go take a look and then call the House and Senate to tell them to fund CHIP now.

  82. 82.

    rikyrah

    About the story with Moore, Vietnam and the brothel..

    Adam Silverman has hypothesized from the beginning that Moore honed his predator skills in Vietnam while being an MP.

  85. 85.

    NotMax

    @raven

    Betel nut.

    Beetle nuts are too small to get a good chew on.

    ;)

    More seriously:

    It is used by almost a tenth of the world’s population. It gives people a buzz equivalent to six cups of coffee and is used variously as a symbol of love, marriage and a cure for indigestion and impotence.

    But it is also leading tens of thousands to an early grave. Source

  91. 91.

    Jack the Second

    Let’s be honest.

    Would you actually think less of Alabama if it knowingly elected a pedophile to the US Senate?

  92. 92.

    Kay

    @rikyrah:

    Easier. but also more palatable to “the campaign industrial complex”

    I say this all the time but instead of parachuting in and doing emergency patch jobs why not use some portion to build something? They could hire a year-round voting rights lead organizer in each section of Milwaukee with the kind of money they spend. That person would know everyone and everything. At this point there’s no difference between the “voting rights candidate” and “the Democrat” because there are no GOP voting rights supporters. Each effort benefits the other.

  95. 95.

    MomSense

    My dog is pulling ornaments off the tree and batting them around with her paws. I think she may be part cat.

  97. 97.

    chris

    I’m as excited and fearful as anyone about today’s ‘Bama Battle! It’s a BFD but, meanwhile, back in Washington the FCC is gonna vote to take away net neutrality in a couple of days. This is also a BFD.

    Read about it here and, for your own sake, call somebody and yell about it. It’ll be therapeutic on this very tense day.

    The phone number to call is 888-225-5332, and Pai’s email is [email protected].

  98. 98.

    gvg

    @danielx: There is a middle ground. I don’t swipe my smart phone thousands of times a day.
    I use texting a lot.
    I use google maps once in awhile when my gps seems to be wrong and I look up businesses I can’t find or check their hours.
    the nicest thing though is I can open up a newspaper while I wait in lines at stores. I’ve always hated waiting in lines and this is soothing to me. I also do it at lunch when alone. but passing the time doing something when I have to wait really is nice.
    I would like to learn to download music too but I think I waited too long to get interested. all the instructions are aimed at more knowledgeable people.
    My 5 year old phone is acting flaky lately and I have concerns I need a new one that I will have to learn about and get used to. Makes me feel grumpy.

  99. 99.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    I was talking to my brother in law who is Jewish and he telling me “Moving the embassy to Jerusalem. Insanity. Who sits on the Jerusalem planning commission; Jews. So you know it’s nothing but lawyers and bureaucrats. It will take Trump forever to get the permits” Happy Hanuka lol

  100. 100.

    SFAW

    @Patricia Kayden:

    How Clarke gets to hang around in polite society is beyond me.

    Umm, he hangs out with Republican and other right-wing scum in general, as well as a pedophile and his “some of my best friend is Joooos” wife. I think you have a different definition of “polite society” than I do.

  101. 101.

    A Ghost To Most

    Happy Arrestivus, for the rest of us. The Airing of Grievances by Mueller will continue.

  102. 102.

    tobie

    @Kay: I thought one of the priorities for the party was to register voters. In way too many states, that means getting proper ID. Is there any movement on this front? The local party club in my neck of the woods does some registration drives but it’s not a sustained or targeted effort. (Thankfully Maryland doesn’t require ID for voting.)

  106. 106.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Jack the Second: I would. As a Texas born refugee and frequent visitor to the South I know they used to be ashamed of these kinds of behaviors and keep them in the closet. Apparently not anymore.

  107. 107.

    oldgold

    The Alabama Supreme Court stepped into Tuesday’s U.S. Senate race between Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones on Monday night by blocking a lower state court’s ruling earlier in the day that told statewide election officials to take steps to preserve digital images of every ballot cast Tuesday.

    https://www.alternet.org/activism/alabama-supreme-court-issues-monday-night-order-blocking-best-practices-verify-vote

    https://www.alternet.org/activism/alabama-supreme-court-issues-monday-night-order-blocking-best-practices-verify-vote

  108. 108.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    Something interesting about Facebook memories – my posts from years preceding 2012 were generic and fun, not overtly political. I get the impression I started doing pushback afterward.

  109. 109.

    MomSense

    @A Ghost To Most:

    Happy Arrestivus, for the rest of us. The Airing of Grievances by Mueller will continue.

    Love it. The other day Fox News had a large graphic with a big cross and next to it “reason for the season”. The placement of the cross made it read “treason for the season”. I saw the graphic on twitter and wish I could find it now to share.

  110. 110.

    Jeffro

    This – Inside Trump’s Legal Team – is reassuring on two counts: 1) the president* couldn’t hardly get ANYONE to represent him (I mean, The President, right?) and 2) to keep him chilled out, they are clearly lying to him that Mueller’s going to wrap up his investigation any day now and exonerate him.

    The unfortunate thing is, Repub players who know better are orchestrating this whole “let’s investigate-the-investigators” bullshit and whipping up the base on Fox.

    Hey GOP leaders, when Trumpov tweets for his followers to take to the streets…whaddya going to do then?

  116. 116.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @Cheryl Rofer: @Jeffro: The Trump tweet to which that is a reply is

    Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office “begging” for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!

  120. 120.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Wow, just hearing that Edwin Lee, the mayor of San Francisco, died very suddenly. Apart from the fact that he was the city’s first Asian-American mayor, I know nothing about him. But condolences to San Franciscans and his family, friends, and colleagues.

    ETA mayor’s name, and that he was a big proponent of sanctuary cities. Sounds like a good man. R. I.P.

  123. 123.

    Jeffro

    @Cheryl Rofer: Let’s see…he says she ‘would do anything’ for campaign contributions (hint hint), refers to himself in the 3rd person, and then – wonder of wonders – knocks her for being disloyal to the very people (HRC especially) that he loves to beat on.

    Whenever you’re ready, GOP…

  126. 126.

    rikyrah

    Alabama Democrats, if your voting rights are challenged –
    Take this info with you and if anyone questions your right to VOTE, call
    866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) Election Protection hotline with questions or complaints. pic.twitter.com/oGfeKFkrqP

    — meta (@metaquest) December 12, 2017

  127. 127.

    rikyrah

    Alabama Democrats, POLLS ARE OPEN.
    Find your polling place: https://t.co/tHelwqDMAm …
    Polling hours are 7am – 7pm
    Take friends & family with you.
    Make sure everyone you know has a plan and a ride.
    Don’t be turned away. Make sure you have valid ID pic.twitter.com/6ElLUsJxr6

    — meta (@metaquest) December 12, 2017

  129. 129.

    rikyrah

    Today is incredibly important for the future of Alabama and we need your help encouraging your friends to vote.

    The link below will enable you to find and email your friends that are voters in AL and remind them to vote.https://t.co/LxE9CDmI5T pic.twitter.com/VqWPxhZjDe

    — Doug Jones (@GDouglasJones) December 12, 2017

  130. 130.

    rikyrah

    BREAKING: We just got a call from attorneys John Brakey and Chris Sautter from #Alabama. The State Supreme Court, without a hearing, but on the pure “ex-parte” (i.e. private) complaint of the State, “stayed” — that is, OVERTURNED THIS MORNING’S RULING TO PRESERVE ALL BALLOTS! https://t.co/lZevAjpXhH

    — Greg Palast (@Greg_Palast) December 12, 2017

  131. 131.

    rikyrah

    BREAKING: San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has died unexpectedly overnight. He was 65 years old. We are awaiting a news conference to begin shortly, and we’ll bring it to you live on-air and online. Latest here: https://t.co/nt4pIEhyV3

    — NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) December 12, 2017

  132. 132.

    Shalimar

    @Betty Cracker: The western part of the Florida Panhandle is Alabama with fewer pesky minorities. If it was part of Alabama, Moore would win easily. Thank god for line-drawing 200 years ago.

    edited to exclude Tallahassee and surroundings.

  134. 134.

    rikyrah

    Roughly a million FCC comments were fraudulently filed using real names and half a million additional comments were filed from Russian email addresses. Meanwhile, 50,000 real FCC consumer complaints are missing https://t.co/ezMfo6lyyU

    — WIRED (@WIRED) December 10, 2017

  135. 135.

    Jeffro

    @rikyrah: “If you don’t have the law on your side, pound the facts. If you don’t have the facts on your side, pound the table. If you’ve been caught red-handed by Bobby Three Sticks and the walls are closing in…try the argument that a registered Republican, appointed by Republicans, is out to get you on a partisan witch hunt and needs to be investigated.”

    They have already pounded the table and broken it, and they’re well on their way to throwing chairs at this point. This ain’t a WWF match, Trumpov, it’s our frickin’ country, with laws and everything…scum.

  141. 141.

    dnfree

    I donated money to Doug Jones via the Balloon-Juice post. Since then I have received email after email, sometimes as many as ten a day, with captions that vary between excessively alarmist and borderline threatening. I’ve had two already today, and the subject of the second one is “Please confirm: D*** N*** [my name] wants Roy Moore to lose?” The way I can confirm that is by sending more money.

    Wouldn’t that put you off? It puts me off. I don’t live in Alabama, I donated a little money, and the repeated requests are always for that amount of money or more, to avert catastrophe. And if I don’t donate again, it means my dedication to the cause is insufficient. I have donated to other people via these Balloon-Juice drives and have never received either this number of emails, or emails with this tone. I hope these emails won’t negatively affect turnout by those who support Doug Jones.

    Yes, the email allows you to select an option to get fewer emails and I didn’t do that because I figure most people wouldn’t bother and I wanted to see if this continued.

  143. 143.

    Kathleen

    @Mustang Bobby: I miss my slider. Had to switch providers when Cincy Bell ditched cellular. I took plunge and went with smart phone. I have mixed feelings. Basically I’m a 2G Girl in a 4G World.

  144. 144.

    Mnemosyne

    I got to have Fitz sniff my hand the last time I was at the Ripped Bodice. It’s a great store, crammed full of romance and feminist books both old and new.

  145. 145.

    WaterGirl

    @OzarkHillbilly: When I arrived in Iowa in Dec 2007 to help with the Obama campaign, I spent a couple of hours wondering what Go TV was. :-) Thankfully, I never asked anyone and figured it out myself.

    Not that there’s anything wrong with asking here, but I would have looked the fool if I had asked while I was there to get out the vote.

  146. 146.

    low-tech cyclist

    @dnfree:

    I donated money to Doug Jones via the Balloon-Juice post. Since then I have received email after email, sometimes as many as ten a day, with captions that vary between excessively alarmist and borderline threatening.

    Get a second email account for all the crap that you don’t want cluttering up your primary email. Disqus, ActBlue, every online business that needs my email address, they all get the second email. That keeps my primary email free to be mostly family and friends.

  148. 148.

    JAFD

    @Kay: Back in The Good Old Days, we had these people called, in my area, ‘precinct committee (persons)’ – my father was one – who made sure everyone of their political persuasion got registered and to the polls. They also knew, or would promptly find out, whom to see to resolve problems anyone had with The Government.

    Now many of them had ‘government jobs with flexible hours’, and sometime spent more time on ‘constituent services’ than on what the ostensibly did for their paycheck, but if you took a poll to see if Americans would like that system to be revived…

    And a happy Hannukah to Jew and Goyim alike!

  149. 149.

    J R in WV

    @trnc:

    You misread the abbreviation: GOTV is NOT GOV’T, they meant Get Out The Vote help!!

    Governments can’t help in elections, when they do it is unethical, and usually more often harming an opponent, by sending one voting machine for 10K people etc.

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