US Midterm Election Megathread II: The Stretch Run Begins

[Shrillland]

Well, this is a bit down-ballot, but it could throw a spanner into the works while reinforcing negative stereotypes in the process:https://www.yahoo.com/news/ellison-denies-abuse-allegations-ex-girlfriend-185404044--election.html

And just before Primary Day too. The Republicans will lead at this chance to make the DFL seem like they're covering up domestic abuse. Whether anything will come out of it at the polls, that remains to be seen.

[Freezic Vast]

You linked an article about a constitutional convention. Then went on about treason, we know what you're talking about, we just think it's absurd.

You think it's absurd that I'd rather turn my back on America than follow the insane Constutuion the Koch brothers want to make? What if they actually make it that only wealthy home owners can vote? There is no limit to the amount of damage they can do In a con-con...

You literally just admitted that you'd commit treason for no reason other than things not going your way, so yeah...

Well maybe some people shouldn't vote, especially the uneducated, dumb, and ignorant populace. AKA, people like you.

[Sick Jumps]

Well, this is a bit down-ballot, but it could throw a spanner into the works while reinforcing negative stereotypes in the process:https://www.yahoo.com/news/ellison-denies-abuse-allegations-ex-girlfriend-185404044--election.html

And just before Primary Day too. The Republicans will lead at this chance to make the DFL seem like they're covering up domestic abuse. Whether anything will come out of it at the polls, that remains to be seen.

Here's another example of that sort of stereotyping creeping into a race.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/17/us/p ... yrics.html

“Is a guy who makes a rap album the kind of guy who lives here in rural New York and reflects our lifestyle and values?”

[Telconi]

You linked an article about a constitutional convention. Then went on about treason, we know what you're talking about, we just think it's absurd.

You think it's absurd that I'd rather turn my back on America than follow the insane Constutuion the Koch brothers want to make? What if they actually make it that only wealthy home owners can vote? There is no limit to the amount of damage they can do In a con-con...

I think you and I have different ideas of what constitutes 'damage'.

[Triassica]

You think it's absurd that I'd rather turn my back on America than follow the insane Constutuion the Koch brothers want to make? What if they actually make it that only wealthy home owners can vote? There is no limit to the amount of damage they can do In a con-con...

You literally just admitted that you'd commit treason for no reason other than things not going your way, so yeah...

Well maybe some people shouldn't vote, especially the uneducated, dumb, and ignorant populace. AKA, people like you.

Oh my Christ you just don't get it. This is NOT just about something not going my way! Like auuuggghh! I'm done! I can't argue with you. I'd find it more productive arguing with fish, cause at least they don't make non-productive snide remarks...

[Freezic Vast]

You literally just admitted that you'd commit treason for no reason other than things not going your way, so yeah...

Well maybe some people shouldn't vote, especially the uneducated, dumb, and ignorant populace. AKA, people like you.

Oh my Christ you just don't get it. This is NOT just about something not going my way! Like auuuggghh! I'm done! I can't argue with you. I'd find it more productive arguing with fish, cause at least they don't make non-productive snide remarks...

Yes it is, maybe it's just you who doesn't get it then, have you thought of that?

[Shrillland]

Well, this is a bit down-ballot, but it could throw a spanner into the works while reinforcing negative stereotypes in the process:https://www.yahoo.com/news/ellison-denies-abuse-allegations-ex-girlfriend-185404044--election.html

And just before Primary Day too. The Republicans will lead at this chance to make the DFL seem like they're covering up domestic abuse. Whether anything will come out of it at the polls, that remains to be seen.

Here's another example of that sort of stereotyping creeping into a race.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/17/us/p ... yrics.html

“Is a guy who makes a rap album the kind of guy who lives here in rural New York and reflects our lifestyle and values?”

True, but Keith Ellison suffers from the additional problem of being Muslim, and don't think for a moment that there won't be anyone who would gladly link the two things in the general campaign. Given that the evidence is spotty, I'd wait and see, but that's not something a lot of people do well in election season.

[Triassica]

Oh my Christ you just don't get it. This is NOT just about something not going my way! Like auuuggghh! I'm done! I can't argue with you. I'd find it more productive arguing with fish, cause at least they don't make non-productive snide remarks...

Yes it is, maybe it's just you who doesn't get it then, have you thought of that?

I'm done arguing with you. I got nothing else to say. I'll just leave you with your head buried in the sand...

[Valgora]

That's not how it fuckin' works.

Voting is not a requirement to be able to complain.

By you're logic, those who can't vote shouldn't be able to complain.
What about those who decide not to vote because they have no choices they support?

Im sorry the candidates dont inspire you or excite you. People used to just man up about it and vote. if you dont like whose running then run for office yourself.

I have no tolerance or sympathy for those who say I dont like the candidates. Then get off your butt and run if you think you can do better.

I refuse to "man up" and vote for what I don't support.
And it's not that the candidates don't inspire or excite me, it's that I don't support the candidates. Literally, I DON'T SUPPORT THEM and I ain't voting for candidates I don't support.

And you should probably know that it is literally impossible for me to run for office. I'm not going to leave college to run for government office, and I don't plan on becoming a politician and I sure as hell don't want to become one.

[Telconi]

Here's another example of that sort of stereotyping creeping into a race.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/17/us/p ... yrics.html

True, but Keith Ellison suffers from the additional problem of being Muslim, and don't think for a moment that there won't be anyone who would gladly link the two things in the general campaign. Given that the evidence is spotty, I'd wait and see, but that's not something a lot of people do well in election season.

I think the bigger problem Ellison faces is being a decently well known member of a party that has harper on the idea of throwing support behind accusers. They have made it a political issue, and I have the feeling it's going to come back and bite him now.

[Freezic Vast]

Yes it is, maybe it's just you who doesn't get it then, have you thought of that?

I'm done arguing with you. I got nothing else to say. I'll just leave you with your head in the sand...

Then shut up and stop responding to me, simple.

[Old Tyrannia]

THAT'S NOT HOW IT FUCKING WORKS!!!

We've explained this to your so many times, either your acting stupid on purpose to get a rise out of some of us, or you literally are that dumb that you can't take the fucking hint.

"if you dont like whose running then run for office yourself" Bitch shut the fuck up, I don't see you running for office, yet all you do is bitch and moan to us how awful everything is, just like Triassica.

"I have no tolerance or sympathy for those who say I dont like the candidates" Well what the fuck do you want us to do then, we're not gonna vote if both candidates suck, and voting third party means nothing, especially if they're not gonna win. None of us have the time, the money, the stamina, nor the public experience to do so, stop acting like a stuck-up, stubborn, obnoxious, arrogant bitch all the fucking time by telling us the same thing every time. So take your fucking bullshit argument and GO AWAY!!!

You literally just admitted that you'd commit treason for no reason other than things not going your way, so yeah...

Well maybe some people shouldn't vote, especially the uneducated, dumb, and ignorant populace. AKA, people like you.

Then shut up and stop responding to me, simple.

Freezic Vast: *** One week ban for flaming and trolling *** plus an impressively poor history.

Everyone else: Freezic is not the only one who has been contributing to elevated temperatures in this thread. Let's cool it right down, okay?

[San Lumen]

True, but Keith Ellison suffers from the additional problem of being Muslim, and don't think for a moment that there won't be anyone who would gladly link the two things in the general campaign. Given that the evidence is spotty, I'd wait and see, but that's not something a lot of people do well in election season.

I think the bigger problem Ellison faces is being a decently well known member of a party that has harper on the idea of throwing support behind accusers. They have made it a political issue, and I have the feeling it's going to come back and bite him now.

Personally I think this allegation against Ellison is bogus and politically motivated. How convenient it comes out two days before the primary. I don’t normally dismiss claims of abuse but this woman’s allegations are absurd. Who uses their children to make claims of abuse? If you have a video evidence release it and talk to the media instead of hiding. Also none of her alleged texts are abusive in the slightest

I believe Ellison’s ex wife Kim that this is total nonsense and I hope the voters of Minnesota do as well but I don’t have much faith in the general public. We will find out tomorrow.

If he loses tomorrow it will show that ambush tactics and false allegations can derail a candidacy and people are not interested in what the accused has to say.

And now the accuser claims she can't find the flash drive and doesn't want to traumatize both families by publishing it and that she didn't intend to hurt him or his candidacy by coming forward now. Really? The timing is very suspicious. I dont by her story one bit and hopefully many in Minnesota dont either.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/13/politics ... index.html

[Vassenor]

Also for those of you saying it's hard to spread misinformation, keep in mind it took an eleven year old less than ten minutes to crack a replica of the Florida state election website and change voting results displayed there there.

And this is before we get into how easy it turns out voting machines are to actually hack.

[Shrillland]

Also for those of you saying it's hard to spread misinformation, keep in mind it took an eleven year old less than ten minutes to crack a replica of the Florida state election website and change voting results displayed there there.

And this is before we get into how easy it turns out voting machines are to actually hack.

I'm aware of all this, I'm only saying that I'm not going to cry "hacker" after Florida's primary unless and until I see proof of it.

Speaking of primaries, today four more states go vote, so do so if you live in one of them, NSG! Polls close at(all times EDT):

Vermont: 19:00
Connecticut: 20:00
Minnesota, Wisconsin: 21:00

[Claorica]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.salon.com/amp/the-biggest-threat-to-our-democracy-that-you-have-not-heard-of_partner

Another reason why Republicans must lose in November, esepically at the state level. This basically a fucking coup they are trying to pull. I'd rather commit treason than follow what ever insane corporate shit show they turn this country into if they succeed...

This is fucking hilarious.

If it was California and New York trying to pull this off you'd be happy and salon wouldn't have anything to say.


If anything this is a reason why republicans need to WIN at the state level considering that the Article V Convention: A) is generally expected to be limited in scope, and B) We already know what the Convention of States group is planning on doing:

balanced budget amendment, clarifying thatonly congress, not the fucking EPA/Whatever other federal agencies, can write laws, a long overdue strengthening of the second amendment that once and for all puts aside any notion that it does anything but establish an individual right, and a strengthening/refanging of the 10th amendment so that federalism can actually make a comeback.

all of which are long overdue and absolutely needed

the only other possibilities I see that would get on a large amount of states would be maybe be a long-overdue repeal of the 16th Amendments (alas, despite the fact I'd much prefer it, I don't think I'll get my repeal of the blasted 17th Amendment) or a modification to the powers of courts to stem the rising power of federal courts to decide things based on extraconstitutional things (Trump has the power to stop the DACA program no matter what the federal court says. Anything done by the executive can be undone by the executive the same as anything done by the congress can be undone by the congress, any judicial attempt at destroying that is a rank partisan attempt at forcing an official to carry out the agenda of his predecessor.)

[Shrillland]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.salon.com/amp/the-biggest-threat-to-our-democracy-that-you-have-not-heard-of_partner

Another reason why Republicans must lose in November, esepically at the state level. This basically a fucking coup they are trying to pull. I'd rather commit treason than follow what ever insane corporate shit show they turn this country into if they succeed...

This is fucking hilarious.

If it was California and New York trying to pull this off you'd be happy and salon wouldn't have anything to say.


If anything this is a reason why republicans need to WIN at the state level considering that the Article V Convention: A) is generally expected to be limited in scope, and B) We already know what the Convention of States group is planning on doing:

balanced budget amendment, clarifying thatonly congress, not the fucking EPA/Whatever other federal agencies, can write laws, a long overdue strengthening of the second amendment that once and for all puts aside any notion that it does anything but establish an individual right, and a strengthening/refanging of the 10th amendment so that federalism can actually make a comeback.

all of which are long overdue and absolutely needed

the only other possibilities I see that would get on a large amount of states would be maybe be a long-overdue repeal of the 16th Amendments (alas, despite the fact I'd much prefer it, I don't think I'll get my repeal of the blasted 17th Amendment) or a modification to the powers of courts to stem the rising power of federal courts to decide things based on extraconstitutional things (Trump has the power to stop the DACA program no matter what the federal court says. Anything done by the executive can be undone by the executive the same as anything done by the congress can be undone by the congress, any judicial attempt at destroying that is a rank partisan attempt at forcing an official to carry out the agenda of his predecessor.)

I don't think we need a convention for either Left or Right changes. The constitution's fine as is....OK, I would like a corporate personhood amendment, but that's not anything that requires a convention.

[Claorica]

This is fucking hilarious.

If it was California and New York trying to pull this off you'd be happy and salon wouldn't have anything to say.


If anything this is a reason why republicans need to WIN at the state level considering that the Article V Convention: A) is generally expected to be limited in scope, and B) We already know what the Convention of States group is planning on doing:

balanced budget amendment, clarifying thatonly congress, not the fucking EPA/Whatever other federal agencies, can write laws, a long overdue strengthening of the second amendment that once and for all puts aside any notion that it does anything but establish an individual right, and a strengthening/refanging of the 10th amendment so that federalism can actually make a comeback.

all of which are long overdue and absolutely needed

the only other possibilities I see that would get on a large amount of states would be maybe be a long-overdue repeal of the 16th Amendments (alas, despite the fact I'd much prefer it, I don't think I'll get my repeal of the blasted 17th Amendment) or a modification to the powers of courts to stem the rising power of federal courts to decide things based on extraconstitutional things (Trump has the power to stop the DACA program no matter what the federal court says. Anything done by the executive can be undone by the executive the same as anything done by the congress can be undone by the congress, any judicial attempt at destroying that is a rank partisan attempt at forcing an official to carry out the agenda of his predecessor.)

I don't think we need a convention for either Left or Right changes. The constitution's fine as is....OK, I would like a corporate personhood amendment, but that's not anything that requires a convention.

My point is that the freakout is stupid at best, malignant at worst (and I'm assuming the worst considering he openly admitted to being willing to commit treason, and considering Salon is well-known to try it's absolute best to make democrats think that republicans are evil and the world is going to end).

We already know what changes the Convention of States movement wants to make, and they are things that quite honestly are on my wishlist of how I would change the constitution. If anything I'd be more afraid of a runaway constitution where the tiny populated new england states push for stuff like rescinding the 2nd, weakening the senate, or giving more powers to the central government.

[Valrifell]

This is fucking hilarious.

If it was California and New York trying to pull this off you'd be happy and salon wouldn't have anything to say.


If anything this is a reason why republicans need to WIN at the state level considering that the Article V Convention: A) is generally expected to be limited in scope, and B) We already know what the Convention of States group is planning on doing:

balanced budget amendment, clarifying thatonly congress, not the fucking EPA/Whatever other federal agencies, can write laws, a long overdue strengthening of the second amendment that once and for all puts aside any notion that it does anything but establish an individual right, and a strengthening/refanging of the 10th amendment so that federalism can actually make a comeback.

all of which are long overdue and absolutely needed

the only other possibilities I see that would get on a large amount of states would be maybe be a long-overdue repeal of the 16th Amendments (alas, despite the fact I'd much prefer it, I don't think I'll get my repeal of the blasted 17th Amendment) or a modification to the powers of courts to stem the rising power of federal courts to decide things based on extraconstitutional things (Trump has the power to stop the DACA program no matter what the federal court says. Anything done by the executive can be undone by the executive the same as anything done by the congress can be undone by the congress, any judicial attempt at destroying that is a rank partisan attempt at forcing an official to carry out the agenda of his predecessor.)

I don't think we need a convention for either Left or Right changes. The constitution's fine as is....OK, I would like a corporate personhood amendment, but that's not anything that requires a convention.

The thing is the State's dont really get to choose which amendments get discussed at the convention, it's just an open invitation to amend it broadly. They could come with a stated purpose to expand the 2nd and end up revoking the 8th.

[Farnhamia]

I don't think we need a convention for either Left or Right changes. The constitution's fine as is....OK, I would like a corporate personhood amendment, but that's not anything that requires a convention.

The thing is the State's dont really get to choose which amendments get discussed at the convention, it's just an open invitation to amend it broadly. They could come with a stated purpose to expand the 2nd and end up revoking the 8th.

Kind of like what happened in 1787. But you guys digress.

[Valrifell]

The thing is the State's dont really get to choose which amendments get discussed at the convention, it's just an open invitation to amend it broadly. They could come with a stated purpose to expand the 2nd and end up revoking the 8th.

Kind of like what happened in 1787. But you guys digress.

Midterms midterms

[Farnhamia]

Kind of like what happened in 1787. But you guys digress.

Midterms midterms

Midterms, all alone on a Tuesday,
I can smile at the old days
Politics was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the midterms live again ...

[Zurkerx]

Also for those of you saying it's hard to spread misinformation, keep in mind it took an eleven year old less than ten minutes to crack a replica of the Florida state election website and change voting results displayed there there.

And this is before we get into how easy it turns out voting machines are to actually hack.

While it is undeniable websites are vulnerable to hackers, election night reporting websites are only used to publish preliminary, unofficial results for the public and the media. The sites are not connected to vote counting equipment and could never change actual election results

Well, I would hope not. I will say that while our electoral security needs vast improvements, I do feel confident that our elections will be fair. Of course, I suspect that if the Dems win in November, the GOP and Trump will blame Russia, which is hypocrisy at its finest.

[Firaxin]

Also for those of you saying it's hard to spread misinformation, keep in mind it took an eleven year old less than ten minutes to crack a replica of the Florida state election website and change voting results displayed there there.

And this is before we get into how easy it turns out voting machines are to actually hack.

While it is undeniable websites are vulnerable to hackers, election night reporting websites are only used to publish preliminary, unofficial results for the public and the media. The sites are not connected to vote counting equipment and could never change actual election results

Well, I would hope not. I will say that while our electoral security needs vast improvements, I do feel confident that our elections will be fair. Of course, I suspect that if the Dems win in November, the GOP and Trump will blame Russia, which is hypocrisy at its finest.

But If they did that it would make it more unlikely that Trump colluded with Russia.

[Petrasylvania]

While it is undeniable websites are vulnerable to hackers, election night reporting websites are only used to publish preliminary, unofficial results for the public and the media. The sites are not connected to vote counting equipment and could never change actual election results

Well, I would hope not. I will say that while our electoral security needs vast improvements, I do feel confident that our elections will be fair. Of course, I suspect that if the Dems win in November, the GOP and Trump will blame Russia, which is hypocrisy at its finest.

But If they did that it would make it more unlikely that Trump colluded with Russia.

No, it would make it more likely they assumed Russia would help them when they neglected to improve cybersecurity for the midterms and got taken for a surprise ride instead.