American Politics VII: Virginia Reel

[Corrian]

The fuck is wrong with New York?

Just low turnout, really. Outside of Buffalo, there wasn't really anything competitive to drive most voters out. Turnout's an astonishingly bad 23% statewide.

Oof. That sucks because those are all good policy.

You know what else I hate in the US? Our freaking turnout. Why is it so hard to have more consistent turnout? Hell Washington dropped like 40% turnout from 2020 and that's still higher than whatever New York just had.

[Corrian]

Speaking of Washington, looks like Bruce Harrel will win for next Seattle Mayor. Statewide there really wasn't anything noteworthy this year though.

[Big Bad Blue]

(Image)

vs. 2020

Could be scaled to number of votes, most of SW and central VA would be little red dots. Barring some electoral miracle I sure hope the people of Virginia will be happy with four years of Trump Lite, vote suppression, Texas-style abortion restricitons, white supremacist dog whistles, Big Lie "audits," etc.

[San Lumen]

Just low turnout, really. Outside of Buffalo, there wasn't really anything competitive to drive most voters out. Turnout's an astonishingly bad 23% statewide.

Oof. That sucks because those are all good policy.

You know what else I hate in the US? Our freaking turnout. Why is it so hard to have more consistent turnout? Hell Washington dropped like 40% turnout from 2020 and that's still higher than whatever New York just had.

we should have minimum turnout laws like some European countries and if the threshold isn't reached the election is not valid.

[Shrillland]

Just low turnout, really. Outside of Buffalo, there wasn't really anything competitive to drive most voters out. Turnout's an astonishingly bad 23% statewide.

Oof. That sucks because those are all good policy.

You know what else I hate in the US? Our freaking turnout. Why is it so hard to have more consistent turnout? Hell Washington dropped like 40% turnout from 2020 and that's still higher than whatever New York just had.

Two reasons, Americans are far too top-down when it comes to politics and they're (rightfully) disillusioned with the whole process.

[Shrillland]

Oof. That sucks because those are all good policy.

You know what else I hate in the US? Our freaking turnout. Why is it so hard to have more consistent turnout? Hell Washington dropped like 40% turnout from 2020 and that's still higher than whatever New York just had.

we should have minimum turnout laws like some European countries and if the threshold isn't reached the election is not valid.

I don't see those passing for the same reason I don't see compulsory voting becoming a thing here: Both ultimately run afoul of the 1st Amendment.

[Galactic Transylvania]

Oof. That sucks because those are all good policy.

You know what else I hate in the US? Our freaking turnout. Why is it so hard to have more consistent turnout? Hell Washington dropped like 40% turnout from 2020 and that's still higher than whatever New York just had.

Two reasons, Americans are far too top-down when it comes to politics and they're (rightfully) disillusioned with the whole process.

I mean are they really "rightly" disillusioned if they by and large don't participate?

[San Lumen]

Oof. That sucks because those are all good policy.

You know what else I hate in the US? Our freaking turnout. Why is it so hard to have more consistent turnout? Hell Washington dropped like 40% turnout from 2020 and that's still higher than whatever New York just had.

Two reasons, Americans are far too top-down when it comes to politics and they're (rightfully) disillusioned with the whole process.

Im one of them. Im totally disillusioned with the whole process.

[Corrian]

(Image)

vs. 2020

Could be scaled to number of votes, most of SW and central VA would be little red dots. Barring some electoral miracle I sure hope the people of Virginia will be happy with four years of Trump Lite, vote suppression, Texas-style abortion restricitons, white supremacist dog whistles, Big Lie "audits," etc.

That's not gonna happen though. The House of Delegates being an absolute tie and the Senate still being under Democrat control isn't going to allow for anything drastic to happen.

[Pasong Tirad]

Two reasons, Americans are far too top-down when it comes to politics and they're (rightfully) disillusioned with the whole process.

Im one of them. Im totally disillusioned with the whole process.

We know

[San Lumen]

we should have minimum turnout laws like some European countries and if the threshold isn't reached the election is not valid.

I don't see those passing for the same reason I don't see compulsory voting becoming a thing here: Both ultimately run afoul of the 1st Amendment.

how would it run afoul?

[Kowani]

The narrative of the night? Dead people voting in New Jersey

[Corrian]

Oof. That sucks because those are all good policy.

You know what else I hate in the US? Our freaking turnout. Why is it so hard to have more consistent turnout? Hell Washington dropped like 40% turnout from 2020 and that's still higher than whatever New York just had.

Two reasons, Americans are far too top-down when it comes to politics and they're (rightfully) disillusioned with the whole process.

Yeah, its fair, I'm just real tired. I think I need to do the same and kinda just distance from politics, but its hard. I start hyperfixating on it sometimes.

[Shrillland]

Two reasons, Americans are far too top-down when it comes to politics and they're (rightfully) disillusioned with the whole process.

I mean are they really "rightly" disillusioned if they by and large don't participate?

It's one of those vicious circle things. They don't participate because they think it doesn't matter, and it doesn't matter because they don't participate...except we managed to pass laws that actively keep them from participating thanks to the safeguards that keep the two-party system in place.

[The Black Forrest]

Offensive ambitions?

Less that their goals are inherently offensive and more that a lot of the justification behind watering down things like the infrastructure bill is to make it more palatable to people... by having it accomplish less so there's less people can object to.

Oh I see what you are saying. Sometimes I forget we leave in a time where aren’t happy unless they are offended.

Well?…..the problem? We might have run out of time on a few issues for “kick the can” solutions.

[Big Bad Blue]

Austin has rejected Prop A, BQ to increase police funding (67/33)
Minneapolis Police Abolition fails (-13%)

The Mayor and new city council members who ran on opposition to the Minneapolis public safety ballot question need to get down to some real, actual, police reform including sanctions with some bite, before the next cop shoots or chokes out the next unarmed Black man. That or the city burns again.

[Dresderstan]

Here's another quote from the NYT:

As Democrats try and make sense of the wreckage tonight, one fact stands out as one of the easiest explanations: Joe Biden has lower approval ratings at this stage of his presidency than nearly any president in the era of modern polling.

[Shrillland]

I don't see those passing for the same reason I don't see compulsory voting becoming a thing here: Both ultimately run afoul of the 1st Amendment.

how would it run afoul?

Because it boils down to forcing people to have an opinion or to express themselves. The First Amendment allows us the right to do neither if wish. And because if the election is declared invalid, there's no constitutional machinery for a contingency, nor is there any momentum for such a measure.

[Kowani]

Could be scaled to number of votes, most of SW and central VA would be little red dots. Barring some electoral miracle I sure hope the people of Virginia will be happy with four years of Trump Lite, vote suppression, Texas-style abortion restricitons, white supremacist dog whistles, Big Lie "audits," etc.

That's not gonna happen though. The House of Delegates being an absolute tie and the Senate still being under Democrat control isn't going to allow for anything drastic to happen.

relevant portion here-because of redistricting fuckery, we might have to redo the HoD elections

[Kowani]

full network call (ABC, Youngkin)

and i'm not going to report the rest of those

[Dreria]

Imperial decline is doing imperial decline things

[Galactic Transylvania]

how would it run afoul?

Because it boils down to forcing people to have an opinion or to express themselves. The First Amendment allows us the right to do neither if wish. And because if the election is declared invalid, there's no constitutional machinery for a contingency, nor is there any momentum for such a measure.

Requiring someone "vote" doesn't preclude them from leaving the ballot blank or voting "Not Voting."

In fact most countries with required voter turnout do allow you to vote NV.

Unlike the US though they make voting incredibly convenient. The nonstarter of that in the US is not the 1st Amendment but that the voting process is a fucking pain in most states. You have to physically show up due to limited absentee or early options, for example.

Mandatory turn out is possible here but it'd require a whole host of other reforms.... which we should also do anyway, even if mandated turnout isn't the goal.

[Shrillland]

Because it boils down to forcing people to have an opinion or to express themselves. The First Amendment allows us the right to do neither if wish. And because if the election is declared invalid, there's no constitutional machinery for a contingency, nor is there any momentum for such a measure.

Requiring someone "vote" doesn't preclude them from leaving the ballot blank or voting "Not Voting."

In fact most countries with required voter turnout do allow you to vote NV.

Unlike the US though they make voting incredibly convenient. The nonstarter of that in the US is not the 1st Amendment but that the voting process is a fucking pain in most states. You have to physically show up due to limited absentee or early options, for example.

Mandatory turn out is possible here but it'd require a whole host of other reforms.... which we should also do anyway, even if mandated turnout isn't the goal.

That's not enough given our absolutist interpretation of the 1st Amendment and how SCOTUS would likely rule on it.

[Kowani]

Republican John Lujan flips Biden+14, 73% Latino seat in San Antonio

[The Lone Alliance]

The narrative of the night? Dead people voting in New Jersey

It's an Old meme.

And it looks like Youngkin will win, but it's still pretty close.

At least now Democrats will have a legit reason to get off their ass and realize they can't just keep fucking around till the midterms.

I do like that several progressive economic policies were passed through.... shows that overall in the ways it counts, things are still moving.