Too Late To Start Thinking About 2018?

[pr0ner]

I see that Trump tweet timestamped at 1 PM Eastern, but I do see Will's point.

[Defiant]

This Texas Democrat may have the most refreshing campaign ad of the 2018 election season



It's an amazing political ad.

[Holman]

That is awesome.

[Isgrimnur]

That is awesome.

[YellowKing]

Seeing people like that, and then looking at my own life, I realize I suck.

[stessier]

Wow. Well done.

[LordMortis]

Wow. That's one crazy powerful ad.

[Kraken]

Really well written and produced. A compelling story doesn't hurt, either. So what's the over/under on her winning?

[Isgrimnur]

Really well written and produced. A compelling story doesn't hurt, either. So what's the over/under on her winning?

But the district, which covers northern Austin and its suburbs, is strongly Republican; the GOP has a 10-point advantage there, per The Cook Political Report. Still, the day Hegar's ad dropped, Cook shifted Texas' 31st District from "solid Republican" to "likely Republican" — and cracked the door a little bit wider for Hegar.

[Kraken]

Well, I'll be on the bus from MA to vote for her if I'm not needed in NH.

[El Guapo]

Well, I'll be on the bus from MA to vote for her if I'm not needed in NH.

Just be sure to coordinate with your local Soros operator.

[El Guapo]

Seeing people like that, and then looking at my own life, I realize I suck.

I mean, women get so many advantages. They get regularly discriminated against, which gives them the opportunity to heroically overcome that discrimination in a way that makes for a compelling political narrative. I'm sure if you were discriminated against, you would compile compelling stories like this.

So when you think about it, not getting discriminated against is it's own kind of discrimination.

[Holman]

Seeing people like that, and then looking at my own life, I realize I suck.

I mean, women get so many advantages. They get regularly discriminated against, which gives them the opportunity to heroically overcome that discrimination in a way that makes for a compelling political narrative. I'm sure if you were discriminated against, you would compile compelling stories like this.

So when you think about it, not getting discriminated against is it's own kind of discrimination.

I read YK's post as a sincere "OMG, she has accomplished so much and I've done so little."

[Skinypupy]

Seeing people like that, and then looking at my own life, I realize I suck.

I mean, women get so many advantages. They get regularly discriminated against, which gives them the opportunity to heroically overcome that discrimination in a way that makes for a compelling political narrative. I'm sure if you were discriminated against, you would compile compelling stories like this.

So when you think about it, not getting discriminated against is it's own kind of discrimination.

Damn, that is some seriously impressive spin. Huckabeast, is that you?

[Holman]

Really well written and produced. A compelling story doesn't hurt, either. So what's the over/under on her winning?

But the district, which covers northern Austin and its suburbs, is strongly Republican; the GOP has a 10-point advantage there, per The Cook Political Report. Still, the day Hegar's ad dropped, Cook shifted Texas' 31st District from "solid Republican" to "likely Republican" — and cracked the door a little bit wider for Hegar.

Texas is a crime.

[El Guapo]

Seeing people like that, and then looking at my own life, I realize I suck.

I mean, women get so many advantages. They get regularly discriminated against, which gives them the opportunity to heroically overcome that discrimination in a way that makes for a compelling political narrative. I'm sure if you were discriminated against, you would compile compelling stories like this.

So when you think about it, not getting discriminated against is it's own kind of discrimination.

Damn, that is some seriously impressive spin. Huckabeast, is that you?

Just to be clear, I was joking. Although I'm surprised that I haven't (that I can recall) read that somewhere.

[stessier]

Seeing people like that, and then looking at my own life, I realize I suck.

I mean, women get so many advantages. They get regularly discriminated against, which gives them the opportunity to heroically overcome that discrimination in a way that makes for a compelling political narrative. I'm sure if you were discriminated against, you would compile compelling stories like this.

So when you think about it, not getting discriminated against is it's own kind of discrimination.

I read YK's post as a sincere "OMG, she has accomplished so much and I've done so little."

I think El Guapo did too and was just turning it on his head as he is wont to do. I was amused, anyway and as an intern, can't ask for more than that.

[YellowKing]

Yes, that's what I meant, and yes El Guapo did some impressive #MAGA-fication on that story.

[Skinypupy]

Seeing people like that, and then looking at my own life, I realize I suck.

I mean, women get so many advantages. They get regularly discriminated against, which gives them the opportunity to heroically overcome that discrimination in a way that makes for a compelling political narrative. I'm sure if you were discriminated against, you would compile compelling stories like this.

So when you think about it, not getting discriminated against is it's own kind of discrimination.

Damn, that is some seriously impressive spin. Huckabeast, is that you?

Just to be clear, I was joking. Although I'm surprised that I haven't (that I can recall) read that somewhere.

Oh, I know. It was actually rather impressive...and something I expect to hear on Fox News shortly.

[Holman]

Seeing people like that, and then looking at my own life, I realize I suck.

I mean, women get so many advantages. They get regularly discriminated against, which gives them the opportunity to heroically overcome that discrimination in a way that makes for a compelling political narrative. I'm sure if you were discriminated against, you would compile compelling stories like this.

So when you think about it, not getting discriminated against is it's own kind of discrimination.

I read YK's post as a sincere "OMG, she has accomplished so much and I've done so little."

I think El Guapo did too and was just turning it on his head as he is wont to do. I was amused, anyway and as an intern, can't ask for more than that.

I read it in hurry, but I didn't see YK's post as naturally inviting a joke, so I got confused.

The important thing is that Texas doesn't get fooled. We know real heroes don't have vaginas.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Great ad; I can't believe The Rolling Stones let her use their music!

[Holman]

I'm old enough to remember when this was unimaginable:

George Will tells voter to reject GOP, vote Democratic this year.

[Fitzy]

I'm old enough to remember when this was unimaginable:

George Will tells voter to reject GOP, vote Democratic this year.

Fuck. This seriously hurts me to say, but I think I have to give up my dream of voting for a really good independent Senate candidate. Maybe 2020.

I hate the two party system.

[El Guapo]

I'm old enough to remember when this was unimaginable:

George Will tells voter to reject GOP, vote Democratic this year.

Fuck. This seriously hurts me to say, but I think I have to give up my dream of voting for a really good independent Senate candidate. Maybe 2020.

I hate the two party system.

Support ranked choice voting.

That, combined with a couple other electoral reforms, are essential if you want viable third party / independent candidates.

Until then, you are stuck with voting for the best of the two party candidates.

[pr0ner]

Great ad; I can't believe The Rolling Stones let her use their music!

It's better than the ad from the guy in Colorado who pepper sprayed himself.

[Alefroth]

Damn that was good.

[Fitzy]

I'm old enough to remember when this was unimaginable:

George Will tells voter to reject GOP, vote Democratic this year.

Fuck. This seriously hurts me to say, but I think I have to give up my dream of voting for a really good independent Senate candidate. Maybe 2020.

I hate the two party system.

Support ranked choice voting.

That, combined with a couple other electoral reforms, are essential if you want viable third party / independent candidates.

Until then, you are stuck with voting for the best of the two party candidates.

I would support in a heartbeat. Actually, my city is going to try it. One small step! The county should have, there’s ~1700 Democrats (give or take 1688) running for county executive. It’s possible the Democrat could win with ~20% of the primary voters, a most likely small turnout, and the Democrat is almost certain to win the spot come the real election. Meaning the winner could be the choice of a tiny fraction of the county’s voters.

Sort of related, the other day I heard a radio ad for a person running in the Democratic primary against the 2 term Democratic incumbent. The advertisement said it was time for a Socialist. I can’t recall ever hearing an ad for anyone outright claiming to be a socialist. I seem to remember Sanders flirting with it, but never just stating to be a socialist in his ads.

[Kraken]

"Socialist" is still a loaded word in American politics. People conflate it with communism, or remember the National Socialists, or point to extremist regimes like Venezuela. American democratic socialists are not like those other things; nobody is calling for wholesale nationalization of the economy, for example. But if you want to whip up fear of single-payer healthcare, call it "socialized medicine."

Socialists can get political traction in some localities or even states (Bernie in VT), but the label is still a kiss of death in national elections. That's slowly changing as young people warm to socialist policies and shrug off the linguistic baggage. But it's not going to be mainstream until the next time capitalism crashes and burns.

[Pyperkub]

"Socialist" is still a loaded word in American politics. People conflate it with communism, or remember the National Socialists, or point to extremist regimes like Venezuela. American democratic socialists are not like those other things; nobody is calling for wholesale nationalization of the economy, for example. But if you want to whip up fear of single-payer healthcare, call it "socialized medicine."

Socialists can get political traction in some localities or even states (Bernie in VT), but the label is still a kiss of death in national elections. That's slowly changing as young people warm to socialist policies and shrug off the linguistic baggage. But it's not going to be mainstream until the next time capitalism crashes and burns.

Which is strange in that everyone who sees socialism as a dirty word is being willfully obtuse about Russian interference in our elections.

[Skinypupy]

Rep Joe Crowley just lost his primary in NY. Wow, did not see that one coming.

Rep. Joe Crowley, one of the top Democrats in the House of Representatives, lost his New York primary in a shocking upset on Tuesday night to community organizer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Crowley, having fundraised nearly $3 million for the race in New York’s 14th District, fell easily to a first-time candidate with a viral introduction video, a Democratic Socialists of America membership card, and a proudly leftist agenda. She ran on Medicare-for-all, a federal jobs guarantee, and getting tough on Wall Street. The race was called just before 10 pm for Ocasio-Cortez.

For those who closely watch elections, this is the biggest primary upset since then-Majority Leader Eric Cantor was defeated by David Brat in 2014. Brat ran on a campaign of depicting Cantor as a creature of Washington rather than a true representative of the district.

Likewise, Crowley, who has been in Congress since 1999, is the No. 4 Democrat in the House and was widely viewed as an eventual successor to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Though he was a stalwart progressive on nearly every issue, he also had close ties to Wall Street. This made him a formidable fundraiser, something that Ocasio-Cortez turned against Crowley in the primary. She eventually fundraised about $600,000 through small-dollar donors.

The district, which spans parts of the Bronx and Queens, is heavily Democratic, so Ocasio-Cortez is all but guaranteed to be a new member of Congress in November.

And in typical Cheeto fashion, POTUS makes it all about him, asserting that Crowley lost because he wasn't nice to Trump.

Wow! Big Trump Hater Congressman Joe Crowley, who many expected was going to take Nancy Pelosi’s place, just LOST his primary election. In other words, he’s out! That is a big one that nobody saw happening. Perhaps he should have been nicer, and more respectful, to his President!

I liked the first comment I saw in that thread: "Dude, he lost to someone who hates you even more."

[Kraken]

The D Party is undergoing an overdue grassroots renewal, and TPTB had better roll with it.

[LordMortis]

I liked the first comment I saw in that thread: "Dude, he lost to someone who hates you even more."

Yeah hanging your hat on this isn't good, though sadly it's good for his party. More "extremist" left candidates succeeding at this point are only going to make Fitzy's supposition a reality. That his choices are illusion presented one extreme or another.

It's a hard place to figure out. On the one hand, "fuck yeah!" on the other I liked the imperfect sheltered corner of the world I lived in before this shit storm really started forming in 2008. It felt like bigotry and all forms of extremism were slowly given way to generation landslide and we were advancing toward something. Today I feel like we are a giant national 1960's experiment in trying to understand how WWII levels of nationalism or Confederate levels of civil strife could happen in a modern society. Like any day now someone will step up and go. "OK enough. Time to cancel this. You've been punk'd. The impending civil war is being canceled. Now let's watch the movie and create a study guide for the test."

Like we are part all part of this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third ... xperiment)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

I really don't like experiencing this sense of moroseness. I'm a snowflake.

[pr0ner]

Reading the spin on Ocasio-Cortez's win from both sides is kinda sad. Far left types (including Ocasio-Cortez) think it's the start of a movement. Far right types think it's a sign of an impending Republican rout in November. I don't think we can look at an extremely low turnout primary result as a sign of anything.

[gilraen]

Reading the spin on Ocasio-Cortez's win from both sides is kinda sad. Far left types (including Ocasio-Cortez) think it's the start of a movement. Far right types think it's a sign of an impending Republican rout in November. I don't think we can look at an extremely low turnout primary result as a sign of anything.

Meh...Crowley lost because he basically got too complacent (running unopposed for something like 7 out of his 10 elections will do that to a candidate). He didn't bother showing up for a debate, sending a surrogate in his place. Also, the demographics of his district has changed - it's no longer the "old Irish" neighborhoods, the district is majority Hispanic, with large Asian and African communities. And they voted for someone who appeared to connect with them and relate to their problems, not a middle-aged white guy who barely spent any time in his own district.

[AWS260]

Meh...Crowley lost because he basically got too complacent (running unopposed for something like 7 out of his 10 elections will do that to a candidate). He didn't bother showing up for a debate, sending a surrogate in his place. Also, the demographics of his district has changed - it's no longer the "old Irish" neighborhoods, the district is majority Hispanic, with large Asian and African communities. And they voted for someone who appeared to connect with them and relate to their problems, not a middle-aged white guy who barely spent any time in his own district.

In Brooklyn, my rep, Yvette Clarke, barely squeaked out a win against Adem Bunkkadeko, a young first-timer like Ocasio-Cortez. The dynamics of the race here were less about overthrowing the establishment, and more about the fact that Clarke doesn't seem to work very hard at her job. She's a reliable liberal vote, but not particularly active or influential. Hopefully this race will serve as a wake-up call for her.

[Fitzy]

I liked the first comment I saw in that thread: "Dude, he lost to someone who hates you even more."

Yeah hanging your hat on this isn't good, though sadly it's good for his party. More "extremist" left candidates succeeding at this point are only going to make Fitzy's supposition a reality. That his choices are illusion presented one extreme or another.

It's a hard place to figure out. On the one hand, "fuck yeah!" on the other I liked the imperfect sheltered corner of the world I lived in before this shit storm really started forming in 2008. It felt like bigotry and all forms of extremism were slowly given way to generation landslide and we were advancing toward something. Today I feel like we are a giant national 1960's experiment in trying to understand how WWII levels of nationalism or Confederate levels of civil strife could happen in a modern society. Like any day now someone will step up and go. "OK enough. Time to cancel this. You've been punk'd. The impending civil war is being canceled. Now let's watch the movie and create a study guide for the test."

Like we are part all part of this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third ... xperiment)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

I really don't like experiencing this sense of moroseness. I'm a snowflake.

I’m hanging on to the delusion that once Trump is gone and the Democrats surrender to their version of the tea party, that the moderates will rise up and form either a center party or two center parties. I’ve mostly given up on the idea that either of the two parties can be reeled back in, though the Democrats haven’t gone as extreme yet, it feels like they are trending that way.

In reality we’ll probably give up and keep voting for whoever is less crazy. Plus moderates are kind of boring so it’s hard to fire people up about moderation.

[El Guapo]

Reading the spin on Ocasio-Cortez's win from both sides is kinda sad. Far left types (including Ocasio-Cortez) think it's the start of a movement. Far right types think it's a sign of an impending Republican rout in November. I don't think we can look at an extremely low turnout primary result as a sign of anything.

It is kind of amusing to read the spin. Like, also last night Chelsea Manning got crushed by Cardin in the Maryland Senate primary by a margin of 81-6. And overall (across the democratic primaries) generally incumbents and establishment types are faring well.

Not that Ocasio-Cortez beating Crowley isn't significant - it is. But it's just one data point among many.

[Fireball]

Reading the spin on Ocasio-Cortez's win from both sides is kinda sad. Far left types (including Ocasio-Cortez) think it's the start of a movement. Far right types think it's a sign of an impending Republican rout in November. I don't think we can look at an extremely low turnout primary result as a sign of anything.

It is kind of amusing to read the spin. Like, also last night Chelsea Manning got crushed by Cardin in the Maryland Senate primary by a margin of 81-6. And overall (across the democratic primaries) generally incumbents and establishment types are faring well.

Not that Ocasio-Cortez beating Crowley isn't significant - it is. But it's just one data point among many.

It's a big win, and she ground it out with a lot of creative media and a very robust field campaign. She and her team should be really proud of what she accomplished against great odds.

At the same time, it's rough to lose a genuinely good guy like Joe Crowley from Congress. Part of what she hit him for was moving his family to DC — which is what every member should be doing! I also don't like seeing Bernie people win primaries, as the last thing this nation needs is a Tea Party of the Left. However, Crowley lost this race as much as she won it. He didn't take her seriously, hadn't been tending to the changing demographics in his district, and got caught flatfooted.

His concession was exemplary, and a reminder of why so many people in DC love him. I have no doubt he'll keep working hard for the Democratic candidates on the ballot across the country this November.

[hepcat]

The Mangerine's "kiss my ring" approach to politics is probably the most annoying thing I find about him. Well, other than the fact that he's a complete failure as a human being.

[YellowKing]

What I find more annoying than Trump is that people ACTUALLY KISS HIS ASS RING. The only thing I can figure is that they've figured out how easily manipulated he is, and are squeezing him for all he's worth. Because I really don't want to believe THAT many people are THAT stupid. Although I just finished Wild Wild Country and watched thousands of people move to the middle of bumfuck Oregon to live with a guy who preached love and backed it up with AK-47s, so anything's possible.