U.S. Politics - pre-election ballot hijinx

[TerraPrime]

You know what to do.

[Slurms McKenzie]

Oh yes.....

.....I know what to do

[Wee baby Shamus]

Oh yeah. Vote Red.

[TerraPrime]

1. Kansas Supreme Court to rule whether the Democratic candidate's name can be removed from the ballot. Polls showed that the incumbent Republican will win in a three-way vote but will lose if it were only the independent candidate on the ballot.

Story: http://www.kansascity.com/news/government-politics/article2124057.html , http://online.wsj.com/articles/kansas-supreme-court-to-decide-if-taylor-to-remain-on-ballot-for-u-s-senate-1410475426

2. In Alaska, the Democratic and Independent candidates merged into a single ticket, with the Independent as the governor and the Demcorat as the Lieutenant Governor, in an attempt to unseat Parnell.

Story: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/09/alaska-1014-gubernatorial-election-110538.html

3. In Nebraska, the lieutenant Governor had to quit the race for Governor late in the game and now while he is being replaced, there likely won't be a replacement candidate's name on the ballot.

Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/10/us/lt-gov-lavon-l-heidemann-of-nebraska-steps-down.html?_r=0

4. Maine's Governor race has an Independent (Cutler) who's polling low, and there is speculation on whether he will withdraw so that the Democrat can have a chance to win. Can't find a good link but saw the report on Rachel Maddow.

[Summah]

Oh yeah. Vote Red.

I don't think the Communist Party, Workers World Party or various socialist parties really run in congressional elections or anything like that, I also don't think they really have any pull to get legislation seriously considered. Some of them run presidential candidates, but they usually don't get very many votes, and it's the wrong year, so I'm not sure how easy it will be for any of us to vote for them or their platform. Oh, not what you meant was it.

[Shryke]

I vote red frequently. The Liberals are a perfectly fine party.

[Wee baby Shamus]

I don't think the Communist Party, Workers World Party or various socialist parties really run in congressional elections or anything like that, I also don't think they really have any pull to get legislation seriously considered. Some of them run presidential candidates, but they usually don't get very many votes, and it's the wrong year, so I'm not sure how easy it will be for any of us to vote for them or their platform. Oh, not what you meant was it.

If you don't know the difference between red and blue when it come to US politics then you shouldn't be voting.

[TerraPrime]

I am pretty sure summah was just making fun of your post and that indeed, she knows very well what colors meant in U.S. politics.

[Mudguard]

1. Kansas Supreme Court to rule whether the Democratic candidate's name can be removed from the ballot. Polls showed that the incumbent Republican will win in a three-way vote but will lose if it were only the independent candidate on the ballot.

Story: http://www.kansascity.com/news/government-politics/article2124057.html , http://online.wsj.com/articles/kansas-supreme-court-to-decide-if-taylor-to-remain-on-ballot-for-u-s-senate-1410475426

Shouldn't the vast majority of democrats that are actually going to bother voting in the upcoming election know by now that the Democratic candidate has withdrawn? Seems like you'd have to have your head in the sand not to know what's going on. Presumably the Democratic party has been urging Democrats in Kansas to vote for the independent candidate since the withdrawal.

[Larry of the Lawn]

Some of us are colorblind, but beyond that, anyone with a even a cursory understanding of US history would know communists have often been referred to as red. see Red Scare, the.

I assume you're referring to the current red/blue designation for republicans and democrats. The confusion probably stems from the fact that this bifurcation is typically reserved for a state's political leaning, often in reference to an electoral map. I've never heard someone say they vote red or blue.

[Wee baby Shamus]

Shouldn't the vast majority of democrats that are actually going to bother voting in the upcoming election know by now that the Democratic candidate has withdrawn? Seems like you'd have to have your head in the sand not to know what's going on. Presumably the Democratic party has been urging Democrats in Kansas to vote for the independent candidate since the withdrawal.

I'm pretty sure that is what they are going to do.

[Wee baby Shamus]

Some of us are colorblind, but beyond that, anyone with a even a cursory understanding of US history would know communists have often been referred to as red. see Red Scare, the.

I assume you're referring to the current red/blue designation for republicans and democrats. The confusion probably stems from the fact that this bifurcation is typically reserved for a state's political leaning, often in reference to an electoral map. I've never heard someone say they vote red or blue.

Well I have. I guess since I travel around the net checking out different political sites (both red and blue) I see and hear it all the time.

[TerraPrime]

Many people simply vote straight tickets so that's one factor. Another factor is absentee ballots where the voter might not be as well informed, e.g. When stationed overseas.

But part of the story from Kansas is also the excuses that the Kansas State Secretary used in this case. Taylor, the Democratic candidate who decided to withdraw from the race was possibly given incomplete information by the Secretary's office on the proper way to ensure that his name is dropped from the ballot. The story I heard reported is that Taylor talked to the Secretary's office and left with the impression that everything was done. Turns out that the person in the office didn't verbally confirm and simply shrugged in response to Taylor's question.

You cannot make this shit up.

[TrackerNeil]

Many people simply vote straight tickets so that's one factor. Another factor is absentee ballots where the voter might not be as well informed, e.g. When stationed overseas.

I think Mudguard might be right, though. People who vote in mid-terms tend to be better informed politically, and I have to think that any of those in Kansas who's paying the least attention will know the Democrat is off the ballot. Hell, if Lisa Murkowski can successfully get voters to write her in, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that the Democrats will be able to get out the word about Taylor.

Still, it is completely unsurprising that a Republican Secretary of State would pull those shenanigans to boost his party's chances.

[Mudguard]

Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous that the Secretary of State is refusing to remove his name from the ballot, but I think that even if his name is left on, it won't have much of an impact. Pretty much everyone has to be aware by now, and if not, there's still a lot of time to get out the message. Even the people living overseas should know. The internet has really changed the availability of information.

If the Democrat stays on the ballot and still gets a very small number votes, I would think it's likely those voters did so deliberately and wouldn't have voted for the independent candidate anyway.

[Wee baby Shamus]

I think Mudguard might be right, though. People who vote in mid-terms tend to be better informed politically, and I have to think that any of those in Kansas who's paying the least attention will know the Democrat is off the ballot. Hell, if Lisa Murkowski can successfully get voters to write her in, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that the Democrats will be able to get out the word about Taylor.

Still, it is completely unsurprising that a Republican Secretary of State would pull those shenanigans to boost his party's chances.

Kind of like the Democrats in the Senate trying to pass a bill on women's pay that was very broad and open to litigation just so that they could perpetuate the myth that the Republicans have a war on women right before an election. Even though the women who work in the Obama administration make less than the men who work in the Obama administration.

[Shryke]

Kind of like the Democrats in the Senate trying to pass a bill on women's pay that was very broad and open to litigation just so that they could perpetuate the myth that the Republicans have a war on women right before an election. Even though the women who work in the Obama administration make less than the men who work in the Obama administration.

Another trolling alt? Really?

[ThinkerX]

Oh well...good a place as any, I suppose.

My seldom visited Facebook page (acquired by accident) seems to be overrun with 'Huckabee for President' promo junk. 'Common Core' gets mentioned a lot; apparently Huckabee took a position here warranting the death penalty (from the conservative POV). Lots of back and forth about religion. Mention of Huckabee abandoning (?) spending (?) his fortune to get elected.

[Wee baby Shamus]

Another trolling alt? Really?

Is that how it works? You can't come up with a response other than trolling?

Playing the liberal hand book game play by play I see.

First it's name calling and then...

Let me guess?

Next you will call me a bigot or racist.

You do know that you are losing the debate when you result to name calling.

[karaddin]

Typically you will not be called a bigot or a racist until you say something bigoted or racist. Also typical is that people who are bigoted or racist don't recognise that what they are saying is bigoted or racist, because they believe it to merely be truth, so it generally leads to bewilderment and claims to the effect of "liberals call everyone who disagrees with them racists or bigots".