Georgia Runoff Races 2020

I Can’t Think of a Better Way to Spend 22 Minutes

by WaterGirl| March 23, 20212:37 pm| 40 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Georgia Runoff Races 2020, Open Threads, Politics

I cannot think of a better way to spend 22 minutes than to listen to this speech by one of our two new GA senators, Senator Raphel Warnock.

I watched this last week and wanted to share it then, but I have been feeling kind of blue for the past couple of months and I didn’t have the heart to put it up.

So many of our Democratic senators are amazing human beings, and we are lucky to have them in public service. I can’t think of a single Republican senator who is fit to even shine Warnock’s shoes.

Open Thread.

I Can’t Think of a Better Way to Spend 22 MinutesPost + Comments (40)

Come On, Georgia

by WaterGirl| January 5, 202110:28 pm| 312 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Georgia Runoff Races 2020, Political Action, This Fight Is For Everything

I’m gonna take my cue from TaMara yesterday and bigfoot my own On The Road thread with another Georgia post.

Come On, GeorgiaPost + Comments (312)

Georgia On My Mind

by WaterGirl| January 5, 202111:30 am| 202 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Georgia Runoff Races 2020, Open Threads, Political Action, This Fight Is For Everything

Today is January 5. Sometimes I thought we would never get here. Now a part of me wants to press pause – because even though I mostly think we will prevail today and we will win both seats in Georgia, I know we could lose, and I don’t even want to contemplate 2 more years of obstruction when everything is on fire and there are a bunch of elected officials who are perfectly willing to burn down our democracy if it keeps them in power.

Watching Rev. Warnock and Jon Ossoff speak yesterday, I was struck once again by how you have to give it your all, until the very last second, believing that you can win. And then suddenly, it’s all over, and you have either won or you have lost. Well, that’s the way it’s always been, and I hope it will be that way again once the Republican insurrection has been put down.

We can’t control the outcome, so the name of the game is no regrets. Did we give it our all? If we didn’t, then we don’t beat ourselves up; we up our game next time. And by next time, I mean starting again less than a month from now, because if we learned anything from the 2020 elections is that wins are built on organizing that doesn’t just happen in the year before an election. It’s an investment in the future.

So today, while we are on pins and needles about Georgia, awaiting the outcome of the race, I hope everyone here will take a minute and share what they did to help with Georgia. To state the obvious, giving it your all will look different for everyone. So for today I hope you will join me in focusing on our accomplishments, and by sharing what you did, maybe that will inspire someone else. And maybe some of us will be inspired to do more next time.

While we’re doing that, in case you missed it, here is Jon Ossoff showing us how it’s done.

FOX News walked up rolling live, and I appreciated the free air time!

Also, Kelly Loeffler campaigned with a klansman. pic.twitter.com/ZlmO0xoFvr

— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) December 31, 2020

And here’s Jake Tapper trying to play gotcha with Jon Ossoff, showing us that Tapper may have woken up about Trump, but he is still either on board with the Republicans or he thinks this is all a game.

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/01/03/sotu-ossoff-attack-on-loeffler.cnn

If you watch until the end, you’ll see that Tapper wasn’t asking a question, he was pushing an agenda.

Beyond that, what’s on your mind today about Georgia, or anything else?

Georgia On My MindPost + Comments (202)

Stacey Abrams & Georgia: What Can My Contribution Do So Close to Election Day?

by WaterGirl| January 3, 20213:10 pm| 67 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Georgia Runoff Races 2020, Political Action, This Fight Is For Everything

Several people have asked something like this: “They have already raised an obscene amount of money for the Georgia runoffs, why do they need more money? At some point, more money can’t make a difference.”

Stacey Abrams answers that question:

Mitch McConnell and his friends are pouring millions of dollars into Georgia and flooding our airwaves with ads.

We can’t stop his special interest money from pouring in during these last days, but you, right now, can help us reach more voters and turn them out on Tuesday. We saw the power grassroots donors had in Georgia when we voted for Joe Biden not too long ago. Now, Jon and Raphael are running strong campaigns but they need your grassroots support to cross the finish line.

You may ask yourself: What can my contribution do so close to Election Day?

Well, I can tell you that whether you give or not today will have a huge impact on these races. Turnout is the deciding factor in runoff elections, and Jon and Raphael are running huge get out the vote programs that need all the funding you can provide.

Stacey Abrams specifically asks for an equal split of donations to Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, but I am including all the thermometers so you can decide for yourselves.

Let’s do this. Let’s get two great senators and make Mitch McConnell Irrelevant!

Balloon Juice for Fair Fight

Jon Ossoff, Georgia Senate Runoff! YES, this includes the 2018 race.

Raphael Warnock, Georgia Senate Runoff!

America Votes – Georgia

If you donate to America Votes – Georgia, they are making sure they get distributed directly as needed to groups that are having the biggest impact on the ground.

This fight really is for everything.

Stacey Abrams & Georgia: What Can My Contribution Do So Close to Election Day?Post + Comments (67)

Four Directions: I Should Have Asked DougJ for Song Lyrics

by WaterGirl| December 22, 20202:11 pm| 15 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Georgia Runoff Races 2020, Political Fundraising

DougJ asked if I would put up a fundraising thread for Four Directions.

Four Directions (ballot access for Native people)

They are doing good stuff in GA too, and the money we give them goes a long way.

In case you missed it, this is a great story passed on to us from gkoutnik at the end of October:

A few days ago, Doug put up a fundraising post for Four Directions, a GOTV organization “dedicated to getting Native Americans to the polls.” I thought it was a good idea (everybody votes!) and donated, and then the link appeared in comments the next day. I thought it was still a good idea and added a little more.

Yesterday I got a phone call from Lewis Cohen, Finance Director for Four Directions, thanking me for the donation. Then he said, “Let me ask you what may seem to be a strange question, but… where did you hear about us?”

Turns out they had a big spike in donations, mostly from some place called “Balloon Juice.” They had no idea who we were or how we found them. I described BJ as best I could (that was interesting) and he again expressed his gratitude.

Their motto seems to be: “Advancing equality at the ballot box across Indian Country.” So – thanks, folks, from Indian Country.

Let’s make Mitch McConnell irrelevant.

Open thread.

Four Directions: I Should Have Asked DougJ for Song LyricsPost + Comments (15)

Rev. Raphael Warnock: Everyone’s Hair Is On Fire (and 4 unrelated reminders)

by WaterGirl| December 19, 202011:23 am| 109 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Georgia Runoff Races 2020, Open Threads, Political Action, Politics, This Fight Is For Everything

Fundraising emails are ever-present, but these feel different.

They all have the same specific request: asking for donations for Raphael Warnock. Not for Fair Fight, not for both candidates. For Rev. Raphael Warnock. People who desperately want both candidates to win are coming hat-in-hand, pleading for money for Raphel Warnock.

Mitch McConnell-aligned super PACs just booked an unprecedented $70 MILLION ad campaign against us – and our opponent is spending at least $23 million of her personal fortune to buy this seat.

Sorry, fuckers, democracy is not for sale.

I know you guys have given and given and given til it hurts. But Rev. Warnock doesn’t have a $23 million dollar fortune to dip into, and that fucker Mitch McConnell’s and company just booked a $70 million dollar ad campaign, ads filled with lies. Racism, fear and lies, that’s what they are selling with these ads.

Let’s make Mitch McConnell irrelevant.

Raphael Warnock

Barack Obama:

Join me in supporting Reverend Warnock before it’s too late.

Rachel Maddow:

If you have money to donate, now is the time!

Open thread. Also:

Wind of Change Podcast Discussion

Plus, those of you who are interested in the Wind of Change podcast discussion, please weigh in on evening vs. daytime and weekday vs. weekend.

Ghosts of Holidays Past

Also, a quick reminder to send in your pictures for the ~~Ghosts of Christmas Past,~~ oops make that Ghosts of Holidays Past series we are starting next week during the On The Road After Dark time slot.

Major Major’s Hogfather Book Discussion

Hogfather thread will be on Sunday (tomorrow) at 3pm Eastern.

Calendar Update

All calendar orders have already shipped, with the exception of one of the two calendars that were ordered today.

Adding the other BJ thermometers for people who prefer to donate to other relevant funds, as well.

Balloon Juice for Fair Fight

America Votes – Georgia (this is split between organizing groups on the ground)

John Ossoff

Rev. Raphael Warnock: Everyone’s Hair Is On Fire (and 4 unrelated reminders)Post + Comments (109)

Stacey Abrams: Warnock Donations

by WaterGirl| December 14, 202010:56 am| 71 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Georgia Runoff Races 2020, Open Threads, Political Action, Politics

After the wonderful Georgia fundraising concert for Fair Fight, Warnock and Ossoff last night, which you can still watch this morning – Stacey Abrams has a very specific request this morning. She is asking for donations for Raphael Warnock. ~~That tells me that the Republican efforts to hit Warnock hard is probably working.~~ Sorry I opened the door to speculation in a thread where I am promoting action.

I trust Stacey Abrams, and if Stacey Abrams says Warnock in particular needs donations, that’s good enough for me.

Let’s make Mitch McConnell irrelevant.

Raphael Warnock

Stacey Abrams, in her own words:

show full post on front page

In a moment, I’m going to ask you to make a donation to Reverend Raphael Warnock’s campaign for U.S. Senate in Georgia. But first, let me explain why I am proud to endorse him and why your support is so critical.

In 2018, we built a diverse coalition of hardworking folks from all over Georgia, especially Georgians from marginalized communities who felt unseen and unheard. Our fight was rooted in the belief that poverty is immoral, that Georgians deserve access to affordable health care and that the economy ought to work for everyone.

The fact is, people in the White House and the U.S. Senate are failing Georgians of every political party, every race and every region.

The Republican Party’s divisive agenda – and systematic voter suppression – goes against everything we stand for as Americans. But here’s what gives me hope: All around the country, good people – including many folks who have never been involved with politics before – are stepping up to fight back and defend American values. We have the grassroots energy we need to restore this nation’s democracy – and if we all do our part to elect leaders who share these values, I know we can make our vision for the country a reality.

That’s why I am so excited Reverend Raphael Warnock, a champion for Georgians in the fight for justice, is running for U.S. Senate. Reverend Warnock is a strong leader, a pastor and an advocate – and he would be the first Black senator our state has ever elected.

Reverend Warnock knows the incredible movement we built in Georgia in 2018, and he’s determined to build the energy we need all the way to the ballot box in January. He’s ready to fight voter suppression, ensure that health care is protected and expanded and break barriers to opportunity so that future generations know that the sky is the limit.

For the past 15 years, I have watched Reverend Warnock lead on issues of social justice, economic access and voting rights. We stood shoulder to shoulder on the toughest fights, against opponents who used their power to belittle and erase their fellow Georgians. He’s dedicated his life to public service, and I know without a doubt that he will be a strong advocate for folks in every corner of our state.

But if we are going to build momentum and flip Georgia blue, we need to show Reverend Warnock – and a Republican Party that thinks they can steal this seat by spending millions of dollars and suppressing the vote – that we have a grassroots movement strong enough to win. That is why I need supporters like YOU to help us get this campaign off the ground.

Open thread.

Stacey Abrams: Warnock DonationsPost + Comments (71)

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Consistently wrong since 2002

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

The frogs are rarely mistaken.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Washington Post’s Catch and Kill, not noticeably better than the Enquirer’s.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

The revolution will be supervised.

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Chutkan laughs. Lauro sits back down.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

Compromise? There is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

In after Baud. Damn.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Dead end MAGA boomers crying about Talyor Swift being a Dem is my kind of music. Turn it up.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

“And when the Committee says to “report your income,” that could mean anything!

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

I Can’t Think of a Better Way to Spend 22 Minutes

Come On, Georgia

Georgia On My Mind

Stacey Abrams & Georgia: What Can My Contribution Do So Close to Election Day?

This fight really is for everything.

Four Directions: I Should Have Asked DougJ for Song Lyrics

Rev. Raphael Warnock: Everyone’s Hair Is On Fire (and 4 unrelated reminders)

Stacey Abrams: Warnock Donations