No one knows for sure who is going to turn out.
No one knows how people will vote.
No one knows for sure who is going to win.
We just don’t know.
Together, we’re going to win this election because we’re running with and for the people of Texas.
Polls are now open — go vote for change. pic.twitter.com/yuzmuZsPhO
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 24, 2022
I believe that Beto can win.
I believe that Stacey can win.
I believe that we can keep the House.
I believe that we can add seats in the Senate.
I believe we can stop a lot of the election-denying candidates in their tracks.
I believe we can keep our democracy.
I don’t know that we will, but I believe that we can.
I know how we can lose it, though.
If we think like losers, talk like losers, act like losers.
That’s how we lose.
How do we win? We work our asses off for the next 14 days.
And we support the people who are working their asses off. (financially & emotionally)
We vote, and we help make sure that people we know vote.
That’s how we win.
Yes. We. Can.
🐇
I don’t recall whether Anne Laurie posted this or if it was someone else, but this is a great ad.
NEW AD: If Democrats lose Congress, young women lose their futures. Elections have consequences.
Our new ad drops in swing districts today.
RT. FOLLOW US. VOTE! pic.twitter.com/vELWuqJKJn— STRIKE PAC 🗽 (@StrikePac) October 25, 2022
Oh, and I may just watch this on repeat for awhile when I start to feel anxious.
True genius..🐶🐾😅 pic.twitter.com/WtFDoELDV7
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) October 26, 2022
h/t OzarkHillbilly
TaMara
For the love of god, people, walk away from news, twitter and any other doom and gloom options you might have. For the sake of your sanity.
That pup is Jasper – that 130 lbs GIANT can squeeze himself through the smallest openings, thwarting every method I have of restricting his access. Today he was able to open the gate to the duck area just enough to squeeeeeze through, despite the world’s shortest bungee cord holding the gate closed.
I guess I’m going to have to get an actual lock now.
Dorothy A. Winsor
That dog made me laugh.
Thanks for the reminder.
RaflW
That said, it increasingly looks like at least for governor, Arizona voters are gonna get it good and hard for the next four years. May they, for the love of g-d, split ticket and keep Mark Kelly.
(Not giving up or surrendering. But the results are going to be mixed, and the next couple of years are gonna be really rough no matter what. So we keep working, know that this is now a lifetime of effort ahead – as it has been up to now, of course!)
Emma from Miami
Thank you for the adventures of the genius rascal you’ve got there. And yes, I am avoiding news like the plague. Screw that. The horse racing boys are doing their best to screw the US again so they can get the clicks.
Suzanne
@RaflW: I hope that this catches the attention of all the smart people who think that Arizona is now a blue state and just itching to elect a lefty senator to replace Sinema.
WaterGirl
@RaflW: You missed my whole point.
That may be the outcome in AZ, or it might not, but the polls are not at all reliable, so why be pre-concerned?
If you want to help and you have money to spare, there’s a thermometer in the sidebar – election protection – that has 4 AZ candidates in it.
Omnes Omnibus
Motivational song reupped from this morning.
Or to quote Joe Strummer: The future is unwritten.
WaterGirl
Can we please talk about something besides polls and predictions in the post that is about how the results are unknowable until the votes are counted?
zhena gogolia
@WaterGirl: I just hate the phrase “That said”
Alison Rose
@WaterGirl: The mayor of my city has two cats and four chickens, one of which is named Beaktrix.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: I hadn’t seen that earlier. Thanks
RaflW
@Suzanne: I think if Lake runs away with it, as at least some polls suggest, Sinema will get even more wild and stupid. She’s probably probably pondering a deal with McConnell. Or Fox Nooz.
Elizabelle
@Omnes Omnibus: I like that. We can get better, because we’re not dead yet.
TaMara
@WaterGirl: You gave it a shot…🤷♀️😏
ETA: check your email
Joy in FL
That dog video is the best. Thank you, OzarkHillbilly!
And thanks, WaterGirl, for the positivity because I really needed that. To help myself feel more positive, I’m going to our thermometers and putting in
$100$102 total donations.WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: It’s like the cartoon where the dog is being scolded and all it hears is blah blah blah Ginger blah blah Ginger.
I wrote a whole post and some people only heard blah blah blah POLLS blah blah blah SPECULATION.
I’m gonna go walk on the treadmill because at least that’s productive.
RaflW
@WaterGirl: Yeah, I hit that first thing this morning. All six, for $15 each.
I’m not giving up. But resources should go where there’s space to have impact (ie: the AZ lege is essential to act as a brake).
I also popped for Beto and other governors this morning. We aren’t done. I agree and I get it.
Mousebumples
In the interests of not talking about polls –
Immanentize
@Omnes Omnibus: Sadly, he is dead, you know.
Omnes Omnibus
@Immanentize: Then it’s up to us.
WaterGirl
@zhena gogolia: It’s better than “I hate to say it but…”
Splitting Image
I’ve been replaying Baldur’s Gate recently and it’s reached the point that I can’t hear Xan speak without thinking of politics. A representative sample of his dialogue is “Why don’t we make things easy for ourselves and just lie down and die?!”
WaterGirl
@Immanentize: But he wasn’t dead yet when he wrote the song!
Origuy
Okay, this is just bizarre.
UncleEbeneezer
@TaMara: THIS!
At the very least if you simply must be on social media, limit your feed to cute pet videos.
RaflW
@Mousebumples: Y’all know that today, and every Wednesday, is Prince Spaghetti Day. Right?
Mousebumples
https://youtu.be/IUPu_ipbVB0 – Ikea
sab
I live in Ohio and mostly I am disappointed, but often I am not. And bottom to top of ballot is important. Americans still have three ( or more) levels of government, and three branches of government. Do the math: nine levels of races you need to care about. And it isn’t mind-boggling with a tiny bit of research.
ETA and every level or branch you save is a huge victory. Really, important stuff gets decided at every level. If you don’t want to follow local details, then think about who you trust to do it for you.
Omnes Omnibus
@Origuy: One really does not want to know.
Ohio Mom
@Omnes Omnibus: Glad you reposted that, I missed it this morning — You don’t link to music videos very often but they are always great.
zhena gogolia
@Origuy: Move over, Ilyich!
Immanentize
@Omnes Omnibus: I know it is up to us. But I wish ol’ Joe was here to serenade us as we toiled
WaterGirl
@TaMara: I checked my email and don’t see anything.
Omnes Omnibus
@Ohio Mom: The old late night music threads are bereft of life.
Omnes Omnibus
@Immanentize: That’s fair.
EmbraceYourInnerCrone
Meanwhile in Iran:
Iran update: Thousands march to the tomb of Mahsa Amini as protests roil the streets of Tehran
it is 40 days since Jina Mahsa Amini’s murder, the traditional end of official morning period in Islamic tradition. Thousand of people are marching, riding bikes, driving cars to her gravesite, some crossing fields and offroad areas to avoid roadblocks…
meanwhile:
”
In the wake of recent protests at colleges and high schools, the regime announced on Sunday that it was going to post guards at all schools to enforce rules. After that announcement, paramilitary forces in support of the regime tried to take over the cafeteria at Sharif University in Tehran and force male and female students apart. But rather than giving in, the students fought back. The students broke through barricades erected by the pro-regime forces, took control of the campus, and the whole event served to feed the spreading protest against the current government.
Trying to end the protests going on at campuses across Iran is not exactly going smoothly.”
(emphasis mine)
JoyceH
@Origuy: Did they learn nothing from Stalin’s folly when he had the body of Tamerlane removed from its tomb in Samarkand?
Alison Rose
@Origuy: da fuck dey doing over der
BlueGuitarist
@Omnes Omnibus:
thanks!
Captain C
@Origuy:
If you have to ask…
Scout211
I saw several versions of this song last night while I was searching for songs for the postcard/music thread. Matisyahu One Day.
This is his acoustic version One Day
Last night I posted the global chorus version One Day
There are many different versions but all seem to be full of hope.
ETA: Yes we can!
sab
@EmbraceYourInnerCrone: I hope they get somewhere politically. Really distrubs me that all these young women risk their lives and their futures, but what choice do they have?
Captain C
Also, that Potemkin story reminds me of when I was on a college trip to the old USSR in January (yes, January) of 1991: our last stage of the trip was in Moscow, and we visited Lenin’s tomb. Upon exiting, our beloved guide asked our professor, “So, do you think he’s real?” Our professor replied without missing a beat: “Ummmm, no.”
Sure Lurkalot
Moved from the last post about the discussion about crime in the post before that, here’s Bump at Wapo
As they say, read the whole thing (it’s a no paywall linkie).
Regarding discussions about crime and criminal justice, I read Alec Katakatsanis’s twitter feed from time to time. He’s likely to evoke mixed feelings here as he really doesn’t like the police but what he points out quite often is how crime is reported, how the sources are almost always the police and how when you dig deeper, you often find the story is not what they say it is.
Here’s an interesting thread (https://twitter.com/equalityAlec/status/1584954018362982401) on a story in Ohio where a woman died and people were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The landlord, who was required by law to provide CO monitors (back in 2017) did not and yet the news story never mentioned this. Instead, the owner’s side of the story was more about how sorry they were (from the Akron Beacon Journal):
Suzanne
@Omnes Omnibus: I heard a good song the other day. Kinda felt like a slightly darker Gin Blossoms tune, real 90s feel.
rikyrah
It’s all about GOTV
PERIOD
Nothing else matters.
GOTV
EVERYWHERE
Suzanne
@Origuy: Da hell?!
There can’t be a whole lot left.
mrmoshpotato
@Mousebumples:
That joke is about a different pole. (Not sorry.)
bbleh
@rikyrah: True that. Especially in today’s environment, and specially especially in the remaining two weeks (when many states have early voting!) GOTFV!
Polling results have become just another form of newsertainment. The way they are reported lacks most of the information necessary to understand them, eg, method, context, statistical significance. Ergo they are the informational content of cotton candy as part of your diet. Switch it off and do useful things.
Of course, that said, no such speech will have the slightest effect on either the junkies or the people who deal to them, so don’t expect them to go away. In fact, it’s going to get MUCH worse over the next two weeks. (No wonder normies hate election season.)
bbleh
@Origuy: @Captain C: @zhena gogolia: @Alison Rose: Hey, hey, this is a non-judging community.
(Joke. That’s a joke. Haha, joke.)
prostratedragon
Cheryl Rofer writing in another place brings us this internet winner.
Musical accompaniment: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” Johnny Mathis
Alison Rose
@Suzanne: You say Gin Blossoms and you got my attention. I LOVED them back in the day. Agree this has a similar sound–I like it!
Suzanne
@Alison Rose: As a longtime Tempe-an, I think I’m obligated to love the Gin Blossoms. They absolutely sound like high school to me.
Jacel
@RaflW: Long before Taco Tuesday was established, in the San Francisco area Tuesday was Red’s Tamale Day.
Elizabelle
@Suzanne: The Clarks! Have seen them at the State Theatre in Falls Church, No VA, a few years back. They are very good.
BlueGuitarist
@Suzanne:
thanks!
Old School
@Suzanne: The Clarks are still around? Good for them!
Deputinize Eurasia from the Kuriles to St Petersburg
@RaflW:
If true, I despise the American people.
If Xi offers me a big enough check, I’m happy to betray them by undermining them in favor of the more enlightened rule of the PRC.
Suzanne
@Elizabelle: I had not heard them before! I enjoyed very much. I’ll be looking for more if their stuff.
I agree with Omnes about music threads. I love a good music thread. Bonus points if it is also a food thread.
I have to go to Philadelphia next week. I can’t find a hotel room. I’m staying with my coworker, I feel terrible.
SpaceUnit
I just want to point out that the reason our MSM cover elections as though they were horse races is not because they are particularly fond of horses. When they claim that elections are tightening viewers from both parties become nervous and obsessed. They tune in to news programs. When viewership goes up so do the advertising rates. Campaign donations spike. All that donated money goes to buy campaign ads on national and local media at newly inflated rates.
In other words it’s a racket.
sab
@Suzanne: I f they also live in Philadelphia they are okay with your hotel problems and you being there.
SpaceUnit
@Suzanne:
They’re also a Pittsburgh band. Your neck of the woods, if I recall.
Suzanne
@sab: I’m fucken 42 years old and having to crash at someone’s house like I’m in college. She has a really cute dog, tho.
Jinchi
Love the counter point.
Beto knows.
pluky
@Origuy: Necromancy is powerful stuff.
Omnes Omnibus
@Deputinize Eurasia from the Kuriles to St Petersburg: I doubt anyone will pony up. You’ll just have to suffer.
BlueGuitarist
@sab:
Totally agree.
I’m hopeful that the downballot candidates will have reverse coattails that help the US house candidates and statewide candidates for all 3 branches.
the 3 Ohio downballot candidates overlap the 3 toss up US house races
Nurse and researcher Rachel Baker OH house 27, Cincinnati; OH-01 US house.
local union president Erika White (CWA) Toledo vs well-funded incumbent redistricted much more D. And OH-09
And closer to you, I think, OH-S-27 Dr Patricia Goetz running against the author of Ohio’s abortion ban. US House OH-13 Emilia Sykes. And further down ballot overlaps summit county candidates running against r incumbents in state house OH-31 and 32.
Goetz and Baker have been endorsed by the SAFE communities coalition, the pro vaccine group, and 3.14 the pac to elect scientists.
Erika White has a lot of union support, and increasing turnout in each of these districts should help up and didn’t the ballot.
Backlash against the corruption of the Ohio republicans and the overreach of their social agenda is overdue.
in keeping with lyrics to the song OO posted one of the first things at @ElectDrGoetz if a picture of her with golden gloves vowing to fight, get back up if knocked down, and never give up
RaflW
@Suzanne: Dod you know that Beaulieu sur Mer (pop. 3,726) on the Côte d’Azur in France is a sister city with Tempe, AZ (pop. 184,118)? They seem different, somehow. But each has its pleasures, no doubt!
Random tidbits one discovers when traveling. (I’ll be in Ahwatukee soon so can compare and contrast first hand :) )
Suzanne
@RaflW: I did actually know that! We lived in the Tempe school boundaries and Spawn the Elder was in a Sister Cities student art competition.
What are you going to be in All-White-Tukee for?
Uncle Cosmo
@Mousebumples: I’ve posted the following before, but in a similar spirit –
And not a poll (or rushin’) in sight… ;^D
sab
@BlueGuitarist: Sykes is our local Federal. Liked her for years. I think Goetz is my candidate to State.
RaflW
@Suzanne: One of my besties moved there from the Twin Cities a few years ago. They didn’t pick it because of any, uhhh, demographic siloing (I didn’t know that nickname!), but because they could afford the area and had rented nearby before buying so knew the area.
I’m heading to San Diego first for a conference, and flights are dumb expensive. So doing a one way flight in, renting a car after the meetings, and driving to PHX to visit for a few days b4 flying back to soon-to-be-snow-land.
Elizabelle
@Suzanne: Can’t find a hotel room? What’s up with that??
J R in WV
@prostratedragon:
Aw!
I think Johnny Mathis was my mom favorite of all time, if you had some of his tapes, she didn’t care where you were going. She was up for the drive!
Thanks for the memories!
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
World Series. 😁⚾️
FelonyGovt
@Suzanne: Funny, I feel the same about Jimmy Eat World, but that’s because my daughter was at ASU about the time they were big.
Suzanne
@FelonyGovt: So I actually know two of the guys from Jimmy Eat World. Half of them went to my high school. I worked at an art supply store with Jim Adkins for a while. He’s a nice dude.
sab
@Suzanne: You are a grownup. This should not happen. But hotels. Your host will know this. But I agree. You shouldn’t have to have a private host in a major American city. I do not blame Biden. Preexiting problem.
Elizabelle
@SiubhanDuinne: Oooh boy. That would do it. Thanks.
Suzanne
@RaflW: LOL Ahwatukee is fairly expensive and pretty white. Nice if you golf!
Suzanne
@sab: Yeah, it’s fine, I am just hoping to avoid any World Series craziness. And I get doggie cuddles.
kalakal
Watergirl, thank you for the positive message
And here’s historical proof
https://images.app.goo.gl/MdUM74vVbgN78iM66
Opinion polls: Unreliable for over 70 years
sab
I love Indonesian satay, but what I have is ground turkey. I think this could be amaxzng. Not actually correct, but close enough to not insult the delicious national food of Indonesia.
eachother
I laughed my head almost off watching that dog go under the dresser. Brilliant. +!
OT. or not. WaterGirl, you are the best. +!
WaterGirl
@BlueGuitarist: Hopefully everyone knows that the thermometers are in the sidebar.
WaterGirl
@kalakal: Yes!
Dan B
Back from the import store. Got in a backup on a local street from Kamala Harris. It was low flying helicopters over our house probably watching the local airport ten blocks west of us. An hour of roaring. Yeesh!
hells littlest angel
Ay-fucking-men. I know what disappointment feels like, and I know it feels better than cynicism.
WV Blondie
Hubbo and I voted today, the first day of early voting in WV. We were told it was pretty busy most of the day, though we got through quickly when we showed up around 2:30.
Straight Dem, plus AGAINST on all four ballot initiatives.
WaterGirl
@WV Blondie: Don’t forget to add a comment in the I Voted Early thread:
I Voted Early
YY_Sima Qian
@WaterGirl: Absolutely right! Whatever your prognosis for the mid-terms, the only thing anyone can & should do is focusing on the things in one’s control – one’s own emotions & actions.
After the election, we can drown ourselves in either expensive champagne or cheap whisky, depending on the outcome. Once we recover from the hangover, we can try to adjust to the outcome.
Geminid
@WaterGirl: Glad to see that Strike Pac ad! Did you know that political [your descriptor here] Rachel Bitecofer was one of the women who founded Strike Pac last year?
Some months ago Bitecofer tweeted that she was moving on and wished them well. I think she had to concentrate on her own clients.
WaterGirl
@Geminid: I did not know that! It’s a great ad.
StringOnAStick
Just mailed another 30 postcards; I’m up to 150 so far and will get more addresses tomorrow.
AZ prognosticators: remember that last time it was the Native American vote that won that state, and we’ve been support Four Directions who are doing even more organizing there. I wouldn’t be surprised if the polling outfits are not contacting Native Americans, because of, well, you know; the other R word.
WaterGirl
@StringOnAStick: You make a great point!
moops
How the F*CK are Dems in tight races right after the GOP murdered Roe V Wade????
Wake the Hell UP!