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You are here: Home / Politics / Political Action / Wisconsin: Tireless, Persistent, Tenacious, Dogged, Determined Efforts To Bring It Home

Wisconsin: Tireless, Persistent, Tenacious, Dogged, Determined Efforts To Bring It Home

by WaterGirl|  October 16, 20208:15 pm| 116 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Political Action, This Fight Is For Everything

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It looks to me like Wisconsin organizers are leaving it all on the field.  No regrets.  i respect that.

Organizers are working hard, on every front, to bring Wisconsin home for us in November.  We all know about Ben Wickler’s impressive efforts, and most of us know about Souls to the Polls in Milwaukee.  But what about the other work that’s going on in Wisconsin?  How much do we know about that?

VidaLoca was kind enough to bring two inspirational articles to my attention this week. I believe that he is an organizer in Wisconsin, and some of you may remember him from his guest posts here a few years ago. I wanted to share the articles with anyone who might be interested, and let you know that VidaLoca plans to be here for the thread in case anyone wants to talk or has any questions.

But first, a bit of levity from one of the great movies of all time.  This may be all of us on November 3.

Wisconsin: We’re All Counting On You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhw0eBCVXR4

The New Yorker: Can Latino Voters Tip Wisconsin in Biden’s Favor?

Each month, the list of Latino voters who have promised Gabriel Quintero to cast a ballot for Joe Biden has steadily grown. Quintero works the night shift at a foundry in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where he settled in the nineties, after moving from Mexico City. Outside work, he is known as a vocero—someone who spreads the word—and a leader of a volunteer effort to increase turnout among Latinos in Wisconsin. “In the beginning, I was very skeptical,” Quintero told me of the initiative, which was started by a Milwaukee-based advocacy group, Voces de la Frontera Action. As someone who has not yet gained the right to vote, Quintero couldn’t conceive why anyone would choose to forgo theirs. In conversations with relatives, close friends, and members of his church, he realized that a sense of alienation was at play.

“A lot of them asked, ‘Why go voting if my vote won’t make a difference?’ They thought the margins of victory were much larger than they actually are,” Quintero said. Over the past several months, the group has been trying to persuade twenty-three thousand voters to support Biden in November—a number roughly equal to Donald Trump’s margin of victory in the state four years ago. The work has been painstaking because of distrust sown in the community by a federal immigration crackdown and the state’s history of voter suppression. So far, nearly eighteen thousand voters have pledged to back the Democratic nominee; Quintero has persuaded fifty people, triple the number he had initially hoped. “And that’s only me,” Quintero said, alluding to the fact that he is one of five hundred voceros in Milwaukee. “If each one of us can draw some fifty voters to the polls, just imagine how that number grows.”

New York Times: What Will It Take to Vote in Milwaukee?

The pandemic is making voting more complicated, with higher stakes. But, activists note, it’s just one more thing to worry about on top of strict identification and mail-in ballot laws that can disproportionately make it difficult for eligible low-income voters, and Black and Latino voters, to cast their ballots.
…

Across the city’s predominantly Black North Side and Latino South Side, organizers and activists are registering new voters and helping others navigate the system.

Eugenia Medina moved to the United States from Mexico for a housekeeping job in the 1970s, but was naturalized just this summer. She cast her first ballot at an elementary school on the South Side last month.

In her work for Voces de la Frontera Action, a voter advocacy group, she calls and texts community members to make sure they know how to vote.

“You have to push the door until you finally have what you dreamed for,” she said. For her, that dream includes voting in the presidential election and helping others do the same.
…

Nadxely Sanchez, 18, and Gissell Vera, 20, are both first-generation Americans who became organizers in their communities.

Ms. Sanchez has spoken to several people who didn’t know they could vote by mail in the November election. Many lack information, she said.

Ms. Vera, who was born in the United States but grew up in Mexico, returned to attend Marquette University. Voting this year is so important to her, she said, that she planned to go in person, despite the risks.

“I know that way my vote is being counted,” she said. “We’re not in times of giving people the benefit of the doubt.”

Just a few minutes ago, someone posted this article about Wisconsin.  Lots of good info.

FiveThirtyEight:  Wisconsin Was Never A Safe Blue State

These trends have left Wisconsin a light red state; according to FiveThirtyEight’s partisan lean metric (newly updated for the 2020 cycle!),2 the state is 2.8 points more Republican-leaning than the nation as a whole. Yet Democrats could easily still win it in 2020, given Biden’s double-digit lead against Trump nationally, and considering they have multiple (non-mutually exclusive) paths forward in the state.

First, they could keep improving among suburban voters. As the map above shows, the Milwaukee suburbs were pretty much the only part of Wisconsin that actually moved toward Democrats in 2016. The problem is that, unlike, say, the Philadelphia suburbs, Milwaukee’s are still deeply Republican. The so-called “WOW counties” — Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington — have historically been the center of Republican power in the state, powering such politicians as former Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus and former Gov. Scott Walker. And all the Trump era has done is turn them from maroon to crimson: Even as Republicans bombed in other suburban areas around the country, Trump still carried the WOW counties in 2016 by 28 percentage points, and Walker carried them by 35 points in Wisconsin’s 2018 gubernatorial race. It will be very interesting to see if Biden can continue to eat into that margin, though — if so, it could have long-term implications for Wisconsin politics.

Second, Democrats could fix their turnout problem among Black voters. According to the CAP analysis, 74 percent of eligible Black voters turned out to vote in Wisconsin in 2012, but only 55 percent did in 2016. Given that Black Wisconsinites voted for Clinton 92 percent to 4 percent, that was a huge blow to Democrats: According to CAP’s calculations, Clinton would have won Wisconsin if Black voters had turned out at 2012 levels but everything else had stayed the same.3

Third, of course, Democrats could win back some non-college-educated white voters. This may be the path of least resistance: In the 2018 gubernatorial race, Democrat Tony Evers won six predominantly white, working-class counties in southwest Wisconsin that Trump carried in 2016. And according to a Siena College/The New York Times Upshot poll of Wisconsin from early October, Trump led Biden just 50 percent to 44 percent among white voters without a bachelor’s degree — much closer to the 2012 margin than 2016’s.

Indeed, it appears that Biden is on track for something much closer to the comfortable Democratic victories he and his old boss enjoyed in Wisconsin in 2008 and 2012 than Clinton’s showing in 2016. The FiveThirtyEight forecast gives Biden an 88 in 100 chance of winning the state; the average projected vote share margin is Biden 53.0 percent, Trump 46.1 percent. But Biden owes that commanding lead mostly to his overall national strength: We’re expecting him to win the national popular vote by 8.3 points — which means that Wisconsin is still more Trump-friendly than average.

Happy Friday, everyone.  Just 17 days to get it done.  If we win, no matter how crazy it gets, the end of this madness will be in sight.  Let’s do it.

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Reader Interactions

116Comments

  1. 1.

    jl

    October 16, 2020 at 8:31 pm

    I hope commenter pat sees this post, s/he was worried about the disappearing Wisconsin.
    I’ll repost my response below, since I’d like to contribute some money for GOTV where it would be most useful. Does the Wisconsin flavor of early voting still start next Tuesday?

    ” Uh Wisconsin…???

    did I dream that? ”

    “Unless I’ve missed an update on it, WI starts their early ‘in-person absentee’ voting next Tuesday. Maybe it’s saved for opening day.

    I think FL starts sometime next week. NH doesn’t have any.

    All the other swing states have already started some kind of early voting or other. So, maybe a good time to contribute to campaigns where they need GOTV cash? Anyone have any suggestions? I’m wondering where money can be best used, so I’m interested.”

  2. 2.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    October 16, 2020 at 8:33 pm

    Surely you can’t be serious

  3. 3.

    gwangung

    October 16, 2020 at 8:34 pm

    Second, Democrats could fix their turnout problem among Black voters.

    Voter suppression problem? Or lack of GOTV effort among that segment. (Because I do NOT believe it’s lack of enthusiasm for a candidate, given the appreciation the Black community has for voting rights).

  4. 4.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 8:35 pm

    @David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch: ?

  5. 5.

    zhena gogolia

    October 16, 2020 at 8:36 pm

    @WaterGirl:
    Leslie Nielsen reference. Don’t call him Shirley.

  6. 6.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 8:37 pm

    @jl:

    Wisconsin voters can also vote before Election Day through a process called absentee in-person voting. The period for absentee in-person voting runs from Tuesday, October 20, 2020 to Sunday, November 1, 2020,

  7. 7.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 8:38 pm

    @zhena gogolia: Oh, of course!

  8. 8.

    lurker

    October 16, 2020 at 8:38 pm

    @zhena gogolia:

    Surely you must be joking…

    I’m not joking … and stop calling me Shirley.

     

    Said every adolescent boy, whether 12, 25, 50 or older

  9. 9.

    VidaLoca

    October 16, 2020 at 8:41 pm

    @jl:  Yes, Wisconsin starts in-person absentee voting Oct. 20.  As far as places to donate money here for GOTV, you could consider Voces, BLOC, “Souls to the Polls”, the Democrats.  Everyone has some kind of operation going.

  10. 10.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 8:46 pm

    @VidaLoca: I was in Iowa volunteering for Obama for the two weeks right before the caucus on Jan 3, 2008.

    We were so busy we didn’t have time to look at polls or even worry.  We started early in the day and were exhausted by the end of the day, so we just went to sleep.

    Is that what it’s like in Wisconsin right now?

  11. 11.

    zhena gogolia

    October 16, 2020 at 8:47 pm

    Okay, I contributed to qualify for the Hamilton fundraiser for Biden tonight, but you have to give them your phone number and agree to receive calls and texts. No thanks.

  12. 12.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 8:51 pm

    @zhena gogolia: What’s the Hamilton fundraiser?

  13. 13.

    HumboldtBlue

    October 16, 2020 at 8:51 pm

    For the Wars of Treks and Stars or whatever they are called fans here’s a good boy who knows his music themes.

  14. 14.

    Yutsano

    October 16, 2020 at 8:53 pm

    I’ve been to Milwaukee twice. Driven through Wisconsin from Minnesota twice. Have absolutely enjoyed the trip both times. That state definitely deserves better than Republican rule. Maybe that will be the impetus to update the General Mitchell airport, because ye gods is it terrible.

  15. 15.

    Mousebumples

    October 16, 2020 at 8:54 pm

    @WaterGirl: hard to say. WisDems is generally a good move, since I agree that Ben Wikler is on top of stuff, and I trust he’ll put resources where needed.

    I just gave to my local us House race. (WI-8) Perhaps more of a dream flip, but I’ve given enough money to WisDems that I budgeted for some dream donations.

    I was getting calls and texts like crazy until I told them that I had already voted so they could stop spending resources on me. With a little one in the house, I don’t have much extra free time, but there’s lots of good stuff going on in Wisconsin, and I’m cautiously hopeful.

    I’ve got a neighborhood filled with Trump signs but I’m getting friends to register and vote. And got a friend who asked me for help filling out her absentee ballot so that’s the plan for next week.

    Under 3 weeks to go. Let’s win this thing.

  16. 16.

    Mousebumples

    October 16, 2020 at 8:55 pm

    @zhena gogolia: if you donated, the link should be in the ActBlue email. No extra anything required.

    Never mind. Sigh. That’s misleading.

  17. 17.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 8:55 pm

    @Mousebumples: Seems like they should have known that you already voted.

  18. 18.

    VidaLoca

    October 16, 2020 at 8:57 pm

    @WaterGirl: Honestly, for me at least, no.  I’m part of a team of people that’s pushing as hard as we can but we’re getting traction.  I’m very confident in our leadership and I’m confident that we’ve got the numbers of people that it will take to do the job.  And we’re growing.

    I’m not looking at the polls because I can’t do anything about the polls — we’ve got exactly one job to do and that’s to keep 10 electoral votes away from Trump.  Everything else is just a distraction; I can’t change what’s going to happen in 49 other states so I’m not going to worry about it.

    If we’re going to win Wisconsin we’re going to have to move votes in Milwaukee especially, and in Racine, in Kenosha, in Madison.  I think we can do that.  It may not be a huge win but I think we can pull lit off.

  19. 19.

    Kent

    October 16, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    Just curious for the Wisconsinites here.

    Does the utter collapse of Walker’s Foxconn mega deal affect local politics at all?  Saw something on the national news about that recently.  Has it actually cost the state a lot of sunk costs?  It’s gotta take some of the shine off the pro-business shellac that the GOP likes to paint itself with.

  20. 20.

    schrodingers_cat

    October 16, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    Did you guys see  the out and proud racist Perdue pretending not to know how to pronounce Kamala’s name?

  21. 21.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    October 16, 2020 at 9:02 pm

    On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Plunge right through that line!
    Run the ball right down the field, a touchdown sure this time.
    On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Fight on for her fame,
    Fight! Fellows! Fight! Fight, fight, we’ll win this game.

  22. 22.

    CarolPW

    October 16, 2020 at 9:04 pm

    @zhena gogolia: If you have not seen Hamilton before I think it would do you a world of good, since you seem to be majorly stressed recently. I already get texts and calls from the campaigns (including from the republicans, which I do not answer until I am feeling particularly angry and curse them out). Does it say you need to respond?

    Give them MY number if you want, I am already getting the full court press and do not pay attention. If you are interested contact a front pager to see if they can facilitate me giving you my phone number.

  23. 23.

    Baud

    October 16, 2020 at 9:04 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    It was on Chris Hayes.

  24. 24.

    Mousebumples

    October 16, 2020 at 9:05 pm

    @WaterGirl: one would think. Hard to say who’s (which committee/group) doing what work, so I’m happy to help them out and confirm.

  25. 25.

    schrodingers_cat

    October 16, 2020 at 9:06 pm

    @Baud: I don’t get cable. I saw it on Twitter.

  26. 26.

    VidaLoca

    October 16, 2020 at 9:07 pm

    @Kent:

    Does the utter collapse of Walker’s Foxconn mega deal affect local politics at all?

    I would have to defer to someone closer to Racine/Kenosha to give you a real close read on current local fallout from the FoxConn deal.

    I will say that the deal was turning sour even as far back as the summer of 2018 and while it might have won Walker votes in the SE corner of the state, he lost many more in the other parts who didn’t see any benefits coming from the taxes they were spending to subsidize that boondoggle.

  27. 27.

    zhena gogolia

    October 16, 2020 at 9:08 pm

    @CarolPW:

    This isn’t Hamilton itself (which I know by heart and have watched on Disney+ twice), but some kind of fundraiser for Biden with the cast. I think I can give it a pass.

  28. 28.

    Baud

    October 16, 2020 at 9:10 pm

    Rachel’s intro is kind of interesting tonight.

  29. 29.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:10 pm

    @VidaLoca:

    If we’re going to win Wisconsin we’re going to have to move votes in Milwaukee especially, and in Racine, in Kenosha, in Madison.  I think we can do that.  It may not be a huge win but I think we can pull lit off.

    Is there anything that any of us can do to help with Wisconsin at this point?

  30. 30.

    James E Powell

    October 16, 2020 at 9:12 pm

    @Baud:

    You’re just going to leave us hanging?

  31. 31.

    Baud

    October 16, 2020 at 9:14 pm

    @James E Powell:

    Nixon bailed on debates in 1968. The night before the election, both he and Humphrey had competing “telethons” on NBC and ABC.  She was comparing it to the town halls this week.

  32. 32.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 16, 2020 at 9:14 pm

    @Baud: the historical looks back are always the most interesting to me, though it was disappointing to learn Jackie Gleason was a Nixon supporter

  33. 33.

    jl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:15 pm

    A little more promising news coming out. Deal includes releasing reapportionment and immigration status data. That would be good. Story says Census is having a hard time getting good data on immigration status needed to cut out some of the persons Trump doesn’t like, except for ICE data, which apparently don’t include that many people. If immigration status data are public, will be easier to at least make them throw out dodgy counts.

    Anyone know to what extent Ross was forced to do this? I wonder how far high up the rat chain the calculations of probability of consequences go? I read a report that Barr may be the source for some of the Giuliani news coming out. I guess the bigger rats have to jump ship under deep cover, or with solid deniability. If, please oh God, Trump loses, they might try to sell the idea that they were really just on the bleeding edge of the desperate attempt to keep Trumpsters from taking over the country.

    Maybe so… if that brave effort required committing crimes, well, the life breaks can be tough in an national emergency.  I will thank them for their sacrifice and will push for more prison reform so they do their time under humane conditions.

    ” EXCLUSIVE: Ross Commits To Protocols That Make It Harder For Trump To Mess With Census

    TPM By Tierney Sneed October 16, 2020″

    talkingpointsmemo.com/news/wilbur-ross-census-data

  34. 34.

    Mousebumples

    October 16, 2020 at 9:15 pm

    @WaterGirl: Is there anything that any of us can do to help with Wisconsin at this point?

    Yes! Texting and phone calls can be done remotely from across the country.

    wisdems.org/get-involved/volunteer/

  35. 35.

    Kent

    October 16, 2020 at 9:16 pm

    @James E Powell: I’m watching Maddow live right now.  I’m not sure what the intro was.  They did a big thing on the Iowa senate race and Ernst completely fucking up the farm prices question that everyone in Iowa knows is coming.  She looked horrible and then pretended she couldn’t hear.   Maybe that was the end of the Chris Hayes show though.

  36. 36.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:16 pm

    @Baud: What is Rachel saying?

  37. 37.

    James E Powell

    October 16, 2020 at 9:16 pm

    @VidaLoca:

    It may not be a huge win but I think we can pull lit off.

    Wait. Is Wisconsin dropping from “we got this” to “I think we can pull it off”? I just transferred my anxieties to the Michigan senate race.

    At 538, the most recent Siena College/NYT Upshot poll is Biden +10.

    Can it be that far off?

  38. 38.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:17 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: He’s a pig, so I am not surprised.

  39. 39.

    frosty

    October 16, 2020 at 9:17 pm

    @jl: PA Dems. I really regret missing the Spinal Tap cast fundraiser on Wednesday. Here’s their donation site. I’m signed up for canvassing, lit drops, and poll watching.

    secure.actblue.com/donate/padems-organize?refcode=site_cta

  40. 40.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:21 pm

    @James E Powell:

    At 538, the most recent Siena College/NYT Upshot poll is Biden +10.

    Is that a state poll or a national poll?  If state, is it WI or MI?

  41. 41.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    October 16, 2020 at 9:22 pm

    @Kent: Ernst not knowing the price of soy beans even at a ball park level is shocking in Iowa. Commodity prices are in every news report on the hour on your car radio. A big part of that debate audience knew the answer to the question. Ernst didn’t.

  42. 42.

    NotMax

    October 16, 2020 at 9:23 pm

    @James E Powell

    Regardless, the one sure thing is that reporting of returns from Milwaukee will be late. As always.

  43. 43.

    Baud

    October 16, 2020 at 9:23 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    Trump called Iowa stupid and they still voted for him.  But 2020 is a new year.

  44. 44.

    jl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:24 pm

    @WaterGirl: That is WI. The last 6 polls since Oct 4 that 538 gives B or higher rating have Biden up by from 5 to 10  points.

  45. 45.

    Baud

    October 16, 2020 at 9:24 pm

    @WaterGirl: See # 31.

  46. 46.

    NotMax

    October 16, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor

    Bet she could rattle off the price of bread bags, though.

    //

  47. 47.

    VidaLoca

    October 16, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Is there anything that any of us can do to help with Wisconsin at this point?

    I’ll admit, I’m biased. I put my time and money into Voces and BLOC and Souls to the Polls because I think those groups are the ones that will be able to move votes in Milwaukee’s inner city. That’s the biggest chunk of Democratic votes in the state. Voces is also strong in the Latino communities in Racine, Kenosha, Green Bay, Waukesha, and Madison so they have a little larger geographic reach as well.

    I’m honestly not as sure about the Democrats, they seem to be doing good work in the north and west suburbs of Milwaukee County that I go through from time to time and they may also be succeeding in mitigating damage out in the counties to the north and west where the Republicans have their base. If they are, bless their hearts, we’ll need every one of those votes too.

    One other point on your question though. All of the organizations are going to be cutting back starting Nov. 4 — win, lose, or draw the money will start to dry up. So while it helps everyone to be getting money now, it will help as much or more when the election is over — because the work won’t be over, the work is never over.

  48. 48.

    catclub

    October 16, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    @jl: ” Uh Wisconsin…???

     

    isn’t it “On Wisconsin!”

  49. 49.

    James E Powell

    October 16, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    @Baud:

    Thanks. I can’t be watching news shows when My Beloved Dodgers’ backs are against the wall.

    My murky memory of that campaign – I was 13 – is throughout the fall thinking that Nixon would win and being surprised when the popular vote turned out to be so close.

  50. 50.

    jl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:31 pm

    @catclub: I think pat was talking about the recent political history, not the football.

  51. 51.

    raven

    October 16, 2020 at 9:31 pm

    @James E Powell: I lied to my brother and told him I was more behind him and his beloved Dodgers than I was my Braves.

  52. 52.

    jl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:33 pm

    @NotMax: Does Ernst know the breakeven price for pig balls?

    Edit: that was Ernst who put ‘piglet castrator’ in her political pitch, wasn’t it?

  53. 53.

    schrodingers_cat

    October 16, 2020 at 9:33 pm

    @WaterGirl: People rountinely butcher my name IRL  so this irritated me more than the routine R hjinks. FWIW Kamala’s name is not even that hard to pronounce.

  54. 54.

    Steeplejack

    October 16, 2020 at 9:34 pm

    @zhena gogolia:

    I thought you were going to give them your antique land-line number?

  55. 55.

    TS (the original)

    October 16, 2020 at 9:34 pm

    @James E Powell:

    NYT & 538 doing some campaigning for trump.

  56. 56.

    Baud

    October 16, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    I can see getting one of the vowel sounds wrong.  But that’s not what Perdue did.

  57. 57.

    CarolPW

    October 16, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    @Steeplejack: I offered mine but no go.

  58. 58.

    Aleta

    October 16, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    Edward J Olmos:  VOTE!  

  59. 59.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:37 pm

    @VidaLoca:  Links to the organizations you mentioned.

    Voces de la Frontera

    Voces de la Frontera is a membership-based community organization led by low-wage workers, immigrants and youth whose mission is to protect and expand civil rights and workers’ rights through leadership development, community organizing and empowerment.

    BLOC (Black Leaders Organizing Communities)

    We are uniters, working to lift up the Black citizens, leaders, and businesses of our community. We are transparent in our work to ensure the community we advocate for can hold us accountable.

    Souls to the Polls

    Souls to the Polls is an organization that unites ministers and their congregations in Milwaukee’s central city to strengthen the voting power of the Black community. An alliance of churches committed to building an army of 100,000 voters.

  60. 60.

    Goku (Amerikan Baka)

    October 16, 2020 at 9:37 pm

    @VidaLoca: @Kent: 
    That reminds me of the similar situation with the fallout from the HB 6 (aka the FirstEnergy Nuclear Power Bailout Bill) here in Ohio. I saw a front page headline in the Plain Dealer about how Democratic and Republican campaigns are attempting to use HB 6’s taint to smear their opponents

  61. 61.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:38 pm

    @VidaLoca: Was there a photo you wanted me to put up?

  62. 62.

    James E Powell

    October 16, 2020 at 9:38 pm

    @raven:

    My Georgia born & bred brother-in-law has a passion for the Braves that dwarfs mine for the Dodgers. They are, after all, my adopted home town team. I hold myself down to keep peace in the family.

  63. 63.

    NotMax

    October 16, 2020 at 9:38 pm

    @catclub

    Wisconsin fits and and scans perfectly in place of a different W word.

    Buckle down!
    :)

  64. 64.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:40 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: Especially when she said “it rhymes with Mama-la”

    Even with Pete Buttigieg, I was shocked at how many people said his name wrong.  Good people, like late night show hosts who should know better.

    Same with Beto.  Listen to him pronounce his name, and then say it that way.  Beeto made me crazy!

  65. 65.

    schrodingers_cat

    October 16, 2020 at 9:40 pm

    @Baud: Sure. As written in Devnagari there is no ambiguity

    कमला

  66. 66.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    @Baud: Yep.  He mocked her. These guys show their asses all day long with no consequences.

    Hopefully that changes in about 17 days.

  67. 67.

    raven

    October 16, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    @James E Powell: My brother is an LA native and really lives and dies with them and the Lakers. He was at the Gibby home run game and may others.  I like the Braves and look back on that incredible string of division championships with great glee but it ain’t like him.

  68. 68.

    VidaLoca

    October 16, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    @WaterGirl: No, but thanks.  I had an idea of one that might come up in the conversation but it doesn’t seem to be pertinent.

  69. 69.

    NotMax

    October 16, 2020 at 9:44 pm

    @WaterGirl

    If the O’Rourkes employed a butler while he was a lad, said person would have been firmly instructed never to refer to him as Master Beto.

    :)

  70. 70.

    James E Powell

    October 16, 2020 at 9:45 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    State polls of likely voters Oct 6 – 11

    Michigan – Biden +8 w/8% don’t know/refused

    Wisconsin – Biden +10 w/5% don’t know/refused

    Michigan senate – Peters up 43 to 42 w/13% don’t know/refused

    That last one is what caused the flags to go up for Peters this week.

  71. 71.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 16, 2020 at 9:48 pm

    @James E Powell:

    Michigan senate – Peters up 43 to 42 w/13% don’t know/refused

    That last one is what caused the flags to go up for Peters this week.

    Yeesh. I gather Biden spent part of his speech in MI talking up Peters. I’m wondering if Obama will pay a visit

  72. 72.

    dmsilev

    October 16, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    President has thoughts on presidenting:

    “I used to go and I’d imitate a president who’s playing presidential — it’s so easy compared to what we do,” he said. “I said, ‘I can be more presidential than any president in our history with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln when he wore the hat, that’s tough to beat.’”

    Yes, it was definitely the hat, that’s tough to beat.

  73. 73.

    jl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    @James E Powell: That +1 is starting to look like an outlier. But, I don’t regret sending a little money. Better safe than sorry.

  74. 74.

    Steeplejack

    October 16, 2020 at 9:50 pm

    @raven:

    I used to go to five or six Braves games every season back in the ’90s/​early ’00s with a client/​friend who had a share in some season tickets. Those were great years. Paid me back for my loyalty watching the Braves on TBS back in the day when they perennially sucked. Even went to a Yankees-Braves World Series game. It was cold as hell.

    ETA: Atlanta looking good tonight.

  75. 75.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:51 pm

    @James E Powell: Now I know why you shifted your anxiety to Michigan!  8% undecided/won’t say is way too high at this point.

    Plus 13% undecided/won’t say, that is super scary.  I thought Peters was up by 10.

    Guess that’s why we shouldn’t put to much stake in polls.  They are a snapshot of a moment in time.  Like a puff of air that is gone when the wind blows.

  76. 76.

    frosty

    October 16, 2020 at 9:52 pm

    @raven:  That’s very kind of you. I was a Dodger fan when I lived in CA. My dad came to visit me and my roommates when he was out for a conference and totally impressed them when he said he was a Dodger fan growing up … in Brooklyn!

  77. 77.

    Kent

    October 16, 2020 at 9:53 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:@WaterGirl: People rountinely butcher my name IRL  so this irritated me more than the routine R hjinks. FWIW Kamala’s name is not even that hard to pronounce.

    They serve together in the Senate.  He has a graduate degree from Georgia Tech.  He fucking knows how to pronounce her name.

  78. 78.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:53 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    I’m wondering if Obama will pay a visit.

    Oh gosh, I hope so.

  79. 79.

    jl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:53 pm

    @dmsilev: I don’t know if people remember, but Trump rolled out that con periodically in interviews during the 2016 campaign, in order to gull people he was putting on an act to get through the GOP primary. I still remember some of the phrases distinctly.

    “I will be very presidential,” “THings will change after the election,” “I needed to get to the general.” “I can be anything I want to be, very easily”.

    That last bit suggests that his pathetic self-delusion might be part of it too. What he thinks that regurgitated BS will accomplish now, who knows?

  80. 80.

    frosty

    October 16, 2020 at 9:54 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: All you need to do is hear Kamala correctly once and it’s easy-peasy. Anyone who mispronounces it now is either a) an asshole or b) bone dumb.

    ETA: Then again, the Rs have had a problem saying DemocratIC Party for at least 80 years now, so I think we can confidently go with a).

  81. 81.

    Kathleen

    October 16, 2020 at 9:54 pm

    @James E Powell: I was 19 year old college student and I was sick to my stomach when he won. I felt like some very bad things were going to happen.

  82. 82.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 16, 2020 at 9:56 pm

    here’s another one point race

    Doug Jones @DougJones·51m
    US Senate candidate, AL
    It’s true folks — our latest poll has us winning this race by 1 point. It’s going to be neck and neck until Election Day, and I could really use your help

  83. 83.

    VidaLoca

    October 16, 2020 at 9:56 pm

    Folks, I’m on my way to bed.  Early day tomorrow.  Enjoyed chatting with y’all.

  84. 84.

    NotMax

    October 16, 2020 at 9:56 pm

    @jl

    Stock response to which remains “No, Trelane.”

    :)

  85. 85.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:57 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Doug Jones, neck and neck?  I really want Doug Jones to win.

    Doug Jones, Alabama Senate (incumbent)

    Goal Thermometer

  86. 86.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 9:57 pm

    @VidaLoca: Thanks so much!

  87. 87.

    dmsilev

    October 16, 2020 at 10:01 pm

    @jl: Political journalists so so badly wanted Trump to pivot into something resembling a normal President. Never seemed to happen…

  88. 88.

    frosty

    October 16, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    @WaterGirl: Damn!!! That thermometer is just too easy!

  89. 89.

    NotMax

    October 16, 2020 at 10:03 pm

    @frosty

    It’s a thing they do; the type of childish attempt at taunting the majority of us left in the schoolyard. Like George H. W. purposely and repeatedly mispronouncing Saddam.

  90. 90.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 10:03 pm

    @frosty: I ❤️ Doug Jones.

  91. 91.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 10:04 pm

    @frosty: Sorry?  (definitely not sorry)

  92. 92.

    zhena gogolia

    October 16, 2020 at 10:07 pm

    @Steeplejack:

    We watched the first 45 minutes of The Go-Between instead. I’ve read the book 5 times but never seen the film. It’s quite good.

  93. 93.

    zhena gogolia

    October 16, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    @frosty:

    I was struck that the moderator of the Harris-Pence debate mispronounced Breonna Taylor.

  94. 94.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    @James E Powell:  I am wondering if sharing his story about their abortion hurt him?  Peters seems like one of the good guys.

    Gary Peters, Michigan Senate (incumbent)

    Goal Thermometer

    (498 / 29,572)

  95. 95.

    frosty

    October 16, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    @WaterGirl: Yeah, now I need to send some bucks to Espy so Mississippi can match Alabama. Also in honor of my grandma who was born there in 1897.

  96. 96.

    WaterGirl

    October 16, 2020 at 10:13 pm

    @frosty: Did someone say Espy?  :-)

    Mike Espy, Mississippi Senate

    Goal Thermometer

    (307 / 15,615)

  97. 97.

    Geoboy

    October 16, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    @NotMax: Although H.W.’s son W the Lesser couldn’t even pronounce “Nuclear” correctly.  You’ve got to be a special kind of stupid to screw that one up.

  98. 98.

    Steeplejack

    October 16, 2020 at 10:18 pm

    @zhena gogolia:

    The Joseph Losey film? Jeez, I haven’t seen that since it first came out. Let me know if it holds up.

  99. 99.

    J R in WV

    October 16, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    @jl: 

    Immigration status has nothing to do with census totals. The census counts people resident in the nation. Not citizens. End of sentence!!!

  100. 100.

    Goku (Amerikan Baka)

    October 16, 2020 at 10:37 pm

    @James E Powell:

    @WaterGirl:

    Huh. That’s not what I’m seeing on 538. For either Biden or Peters. Link

  101. 101.

    Mary G

    October 16, 2020 at 10:41 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    @Baud:
    This makes it even worse:

    Much tweeting now about Sen. David Perdue's racist/nativist mocking of Kamala Harris's name. Worth noting he's not only her colleague, but he was a sr. exec with global companies & spent years in India! He's a corporate suit using bigotry to play populist. t.co/K2EJkxVCMh— David Karol (@DKarol) October 16, 2020

  102. 102.

    jl

    October 16, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    @J R in WV: You are correct, but tell that to Trump, his flunkies, and corrupt courts

    Edit: I don’t know the details, but the story clearly implies that the census has counts of at least some undocumented residents, which they apparently refer to as ‘immigrants’.

  103. 103.

    Another Scott

    October 16, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    @J R in WV:  Amy Howe at SCOTUSBlog.com:

    Court fast-tracks census appeal
    The Supreme Court announced on Friday afternoon that it would expedite an appeal by the Trump administration in a dispute over the administration’s plan to exclude people who are in the country illegally from the state-by-state breakdown of the population for use in the allocation of seats in the House of Representatives. The justices will hear oral argument in Trump v. New York on Nov. 30, just over one month before a report by the secretary of commerce containing that information is required to go to the president. Barring some unforeseen development, the court is likely to be operating with all nine members again by then, with Judge Amy Coney Barrett expected to be confirmed to succeed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the next few weeks.

    Under the federal laws regulating the census, the secretary of commerce is required to provide the president with a state-by-state breakdown of the total population of the United States, which is then used to allocate seats in the House. The dispute now before the court centers on a July 2020 memorandum by President Donald Trump that directs Wilbur Ross, the secretary of commerce, to include information in the state-by-state breakdown that would enable Trump to exclude people who are in the country illegally from the apportionment calculation. Within a few days after the memorandum was issued, New York and other state and local governments, along with several immigrants’ rights groups, filed a lawsuit in federal court to challenge the memorandum.

    A three-judge district court issued an order on Sept. 10 that blocked the Trump administration from implementing the memorandum. The district court agreed with the challengers that, by requiring seats in the House to be allocated based on something other than “the results of the census alone,” the memorandum violates federal law. Moreover, the court added, the president does not have the “discretion to exclude illegal aliens on the basis of their legal status, without regard for their residency.”

    The lawsuit falls into the narrow group of cases decided by a three-judge district court, which allowed the Trump administration to appeal directly to the Supreme Court. In a filing in late September, the Trump administration argued both that the challengers do not have a legal right to sue, known as standing, and that the district court’s decision is wrong. Federal law and the Supreme Court’s cases, the administration stressed, gives the secretary latitude to decide how to carry out the census and tally the population. Emphasizing that the secretary is required by law to provide a report to the president by Dec. 31, and that the president must in turn send a report containing the total population of each state and the number of representatives to which each state is entitled to Congress by Jan. 10, 2021, the administration also asked the court to expedite the appeal.

    The challengers urged the court to affirm the district court’s decision, telling the justices that the July memorandum is harming the governments “by deterring immigrant households’ responses to the ongoing census count.” And even when the census count has finished, they continued, they will still be harmed by the apportionment: Some states could lose seats in the House and electors in the Electoral College, for example. On the merits, the challengers continued, both federal law and the Constitution “plainly require the inclusion of all persons who usually reside here” in the apportionment calculation.

    In a brief order on Friday afternoon, the justices announced that they will hear oral argument in the administration’s appeal on Nov. 30 – the first day of the court’s December argument session. The order was the court’s second one this week involving the census: On Tuesday, the justices granted a request by the government to immediately stop the 2020 census count, blocking a lower-court order that would have required the government to continue counting until the end of October.

    So much for those Originalists/Textualists arguing that the law follow the plain language of the Constitution…

    Grrr…!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  104. 104.

    James E Powell

    October 16, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    @Goku (Amerikan Baka): 

    538 added polls since the Siena/NYT Upshot poll.

    This Epic-MRA poll has Peters up 45-39 w/11% undecided/refused.

    It also has Peters +/- at 37/43 w/20%!! undecided/refused. C’mon people, it’s not that hard to have an opinion.

    I linked the poll because it has five questions about Trump, COVID, and taxes that might be of interest. Let’s just say neither he nor his actions are popular there.

  105. 105.

    frosty

    October 16, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    @WaterGirl: You got me! I’d better update the checking account this weekend.

    (But thanks!)

  106. 106.

    Barbara

    October 16, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    @Goku (Amerikan Baka): There was a close poll last week from a highly regarded pollster, that is why people are worried. More recent polls have been more favorable to Peters.

  107. 107.

    Bill Arnold

    October 16, 2020 at 11:09 pm

    @Geoboy:

    Although H.W.’s son W the Lesser couldn’t even pronounce “Nuclear” correctly.

    That’s mostly an olde-Tyme Republican thing, dating back to Eisenhower, with some Democrats using it as well.
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucular
    That article references an amusing theory by Steven Pinker that seems wrong to me.
    Cheryl no doubt knows more, or at least first-hand.

  108. 108.

    aliasofwestgate

    October 16, 2020 at 11:13 pm

    My roomie has been in Kenosha since long before the Foxconn was attempted. The locals call it Walker’s Folly, so i don’t think it falling through is going to change much here.  Pretty sure most of our neighbors are going to vote Biden, and roomie and i are planning to vote on Oct 20th ourselves.  I have my ID, so no contesting going on there!

  109. 109.

    Goku (Amerikan Baka)

    October 16, 2020 at 11:21 pm

    @Barbara:

    That’s what I saw too. Planning on donating to Peters tomorrow just to be safe

  110. 110.

    rikyrah

    October 16, 2020 at 11:25 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    That is who they are??

  111. 111.

    Aleta

    October 16, 2020 at 11:38 pm

     

    State Rep. Sarah Anthony continues to fight to have firearms prohibited from the capitol building in Lansing   By: Lauren Edwards

    MICHIGAN — When State Representative Sarah Anthony found out about an extremist group’s plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer before the election, she was shocked.

    …  Rep. Anthony said during an interview over Zoom on Thursday October 15 …   “We now know that on that day they stormed our capitol building, several of the men were named in the terrorist plot,” Rep. Anthony said. “That just goes to show you that those fears were affirmed. So it is validating.”

    On April 30, dozens of people stormed the capitol with firearms. That day Senator Dayna Polehanki’s tweet went viral, which stated in part “Directly above me, men with rifles yelling at us. Some of my colleagues who own bullet proof vests are wearing them.”

    “Michigan is one of a small number of states that still allow firearms in the state capitol building. ”

    Whenever Rep. Anthony brought up her safety concerns, she was met with harsh criticism, she said. When she went to work the following week, escorted by several armed men who asked to be by her side, people said she was trying to “grab a headline or play partisan games,” which wasn’t true.

    … Also, immediately following the protest, she wrote a letter to the Capitol Commission asking that they sincerely consider prohibiting firearms from the capitol building. Since then, she’s sent additional letters, testified before the commission and sent emails requesting an update. However there’s been no resolution, she said.  … “So we continue to go into the building with the possibility that armed gunmen could once again return and use their weapons to incite fear and intimidation.”

    FOX 17 reached out to the commission via email who stated that they’d like to meet with legislative leaders and that “we put off any decision until negotiations with leaders have either concluded or run their course.”

  112. 112.

    Aleta

    October 16, 2020 at 11:47 pm

    Doug Reardon  @ReardonReports

    Today @FOX17 obtained new FBI docs in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan @GovWhitmer – the docs lay out tactical training, surveillance, and violent threats against lawmakers and police officers…..

    (video)

    …and this is suspect Brandon Caserta talking about killing police officers and legislators…  (video)

    …and even discussed killing a police officer in Maine… (image)

    …they discussed their disdain for police, and even talked about stalking them on their shifts…  (image)

  113. 113.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 16, 2020 at 11:52 pm

    @rikyrah:

    Neal Katyal @neal_katyal· 4h
    Oh he knows. I’ve seen this my whole life. It is what it is.

  114. 114.

    Ivan X

    October 17, 2020 at 1:41 am

    @zhena gogolia: Google Voice is your friend.

  115. 115.

    JoJo

    October 17, 2020 at 11:18 am

    @James E Powell: I would act as if we are behind a few points so as not to get complacent. Various different conservative groups are busy pouring what money they have into the state, so nothing in set in stone. They are especially hoping to get a veto-proof majority in the state Lege, which means they are really going after our incumbent in my district, Robyn Vining, who was the first Democrat to win this district in like forever.

  116. 116.

    JoJo

    October 17, 2020 at 11:40 am

    Hi, I assume this thread is dead, so I will probably post this again in another appropriate thread, but for those that would like to help, WE NEED HELP WITH GOTV PHONE BANKING. People out of state are very welcome to help. This is true at all levels of government, but especially the Presidency (obviously) and the state lege. The Republicans are close to having a veto-proof majority in the legislature, which would ensure continued gerrymandering in Wisconsin. For example, they are targeting Robyn Vining, the D incumbent in the 14th District where I live-Republicans were livid that we won in 2018 and they HATE Robyn, a lot. What makes the situation in the 14th worse is that Wauwatosa is in the midst of a shitstorm regarding a police officer here (named Joseph Mensah, and who, incidentally, is black, which conservatives are trying to make much of) who has killed three people of color in 5 years. We have had a series of about 60 protests over the summer and fall about it, trying to get him fired and charged. The DA decided last week not to charge the officer-the third time they have let him kill someone, under questionable (to say the least) circumstances. Protesters in ‘tosa, which included MANY TOSA RESIDENTS regardless of how it was covered in the news, were tear-gassed twice last week, and the local PD has been steadily getting more and more aggressive in an attempt to provoke a violent response. Needless to say, local conservatives have been trying to tie this around Robyn’s neck to their benefit and the state’s ultimate detriment, and we in Tosa, who had been making calls etc. for candidates, have been less able to phone bank while we try to work all of this out. So, any help, for state races, House races,  and the Presidential race, from people here or elsewhere to make calls, would be greatly appreciated. We’re being torn locally in a lot of directions and can’t do as much of our normal calling as we would like.

    A link to calling events:

    secure.everyaction.com/Wy_wMoBmC0Ci3-f2j8KNyA2?fbclid=IwAR2hS_DClYK-S-58htk6IkBSA86t7pJApAt-j9nLlhqo…

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