US Politics: the Moore things change...

[Starkess]

Looks like the shiny new GOP tax bill doesn't include the graduate student tuition waiver tax. A personal relief for me, for sure. The bill still seems like a rushed pile of shit overall, though.

[Kalbear]

Require all states to do vote by mail. This would solve so many, many things. 

[lokisnow]

Democrats should really start investing today in replicating Alabama in Mississippi. Mississippi has a larger african American population than Alabama, and if you can get more African Americans to vote than voted for obama at higher percentages than they voted for obama, you can win Mississippi too. Black Women! 98%! my God, what a number!

the same holds true for Tennessee, lets replicate the Alabama results there.

and Wyoming, there's only like 350 thousand voters state wide. Lets start investing in registration and gotv now. Big Bang for the buck in a state that tiny.

[Mexal]

22 minutes ago, SkynJay said:

I know Gerrymandering is a state issue, as are many of the voter suppression tools.  So what could be done at the federal level to support the right to vote if the Dems were able to take all three branches again.  I've have heard federal holiday for elections thrown out but i fail to see that helping the poor and working class voter.

Could a national ID card help?  Can some state level suppression be stopped by federal laws?  What else am i missing?

First thing would be to update the Voting Rights Act. Second would make voting on weekends or declare national holiday for election day. Third, what Kal said so you don't need a holiday (voting by mail and also automatic voter registration).

[Werthead]

4 minutes ago, lokisnow said:

Democrats should really start investing today in replicating Alabama in Mississippi. Mississippi has a larger african American population than Alabama, and if you can get more African Americans to vote than voted for obama at higher percentages than they voted for obama, you can win Mississippi too. Black Women! 98%! my God, what a number!

the same holds true for Tennessee, lets replicate the Alabama results there.

and Wyoming, there's only like 350 thousand voters state wide. Lets start investing in registration and gotv now. Big Bang for the buck in a state that tiny.

There was an interesting quote doing the rounds during this election: "The Democratic Party needs to remember African-Americans exist other than when they need them to vote for them." I think if African-Americans start seeing policies addressing their issues they will be far more likely to turn out and vote for Dems. There seems to be a lot of discontent that Obama did relatively little for them as opposed to other minority groups.

The difference in this vote is that Dems didn't take the African-American vote for granted (as perhaps Hillary did, to a degree) and actively mobilised that vote. Also, other votes may not have the "benefit" (throws up in own mouth) of the Republican candidate being a child molester.

[Dr. Pepper]

8 minutes ago, lokisnow said:

Democrats should really start investing today in replicating Alabama in Mississippi. Mississippi has a larger african American population than Alabama, and if you can get more African Americans to vote than voted for obama at higher percentages than they voted for obama, you can win Mississippi too. Black Women! 98%! my God, what a number!

the same holds true for Tennessee, lets replicate the Alabama results there.

and Wyoming, there's only like 350 thousand voters state wide. Lets start investing in registration and gotv now. Big Bang for the buck in a state that tiny.

If we're going to be relying on black voters, we need to also consider issues that affect them.

[Mexal]

3 minutes ago, Werthead said:

There was an interesting quote doing the rounds during this election: "The Democratic Party needs to remember African-Americans exist other than when they need them to vote for them." I think if African-Americans start seeing policies addressing their issues they will be far more likely to turn out and vote for Dems. There seems to be a lot of discontent that Obama did relatively little for them as opposed to other minority groups.

The difference in this vote is that Dems didn't take the African-American vote for granted (as perhaps Hillary did, to a degree) and actively mobilised that vote. Also, other votes may not have the "benefit" (throws up in own mouth) of the Republican candidate being a child molester.

Obama had no control over Congress for 6 of the 8 years he was in office. Republicans don't like African Americans and want to continue to suppress them. If you put two and two together, you get little help for African Americans. If they want policies to help them, then they need to continue to mobilize, run good candidates in districts they can win and vote. They need more representation in Congress.

[Kalbear]

1 minute ago, Mexal said:

Obama had no control over Congress for 6 of the 8 years he was in office. Republicans don't like African Americans and want to continue to suppress them. If you put two and two together, you get little help for African Americans. If they want policies to help them, then they need to continue to mobilize, run good candidates in districts they can win and vote. They need more representation in Congress.

The DNC needs to have a lot more representation as a whole, then. Tom Perez's strategy appears to be a good one, and I hope that it continues - but Democrats need to start recruiting from AA leaders in the community and encouraging them to run at every single level. Especially women. 

[Mexal]

Just now, Kalbear said:

The DNC needs to have a lot more representation as a whole, then. Tom Perez's strategy appears to be a good one, and I hope that it continues - but Democrats need to start recruiting from AA leaders in the community and encouraging them to run at every single level. Especially women. 

I agree. They also need to express interest, similar to what women are doing right now. Think it works both ways but I do agree with you that the DNC could do more to recruit.

[Kalbear]

Just now, Mexal said:

I agree. They also need to express interest, similar to what women are doing right now. Think it works both ways but I do agree with you that the DNC could do more to recruit.

Yep. 

At the same time, Perez coming out and specifically saying that their strategy was to target youth and AA - and AA, especially women, got this done - is a really good sign.

It's interesting to me given this calculator (which hasn't been updated since before the 2016 election, so numbers are off) how consistent AA are in voting, period. Far better than anyone else. Again, it tells me it's a lot better to go after the AA communities in droves if at all possible. If all AA people voted as they have historically, you'd see basically the whole South vote Democrat.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

24 minutes ago, Mexal said:

First thing would be to update the Voting Rights Act. Second would make voting on weekends or declare national holiday for election day. Third, what Kal said so you don't need a holiday (voting by mail and also automatic voter registration).

Create a system where everyone is automatically registered to vote on their 18^th birthday.

[aceluby]

Just now, Tywin et al. said:

Create a system where everyone is automatically registered to vote on their 18^th birthday.

Automatically register everyone that files a tax return.  Should be a no-brainer.

[Dr. Pepper]

6 minutes ago, aceluby said:

Automatically register everyone that files a tax return.  Should be a no-brainer.

So now you have to be employed in order to vote?

[OldGimletEye]

Consider Conservative Clowns To Be Like Dr. Frankensteins.

Now they are horrified by the monsters or monster they’ve created.

More on the conservative clown crew turning Bannon.  Not that I care of course, and its likely a good thing. But, it’s just I find the self righteous hypocrisy kind of special.

https://www.vox.com/2017/12/12/16770678/roy-moore-loses-steve-bannon

Quote

Doug Jones’s shocking victory in Alabama’s Senate special election is a tremendous humiliation for former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who had made Moore’s candidacy the centerpiece of his effort to reshape the Republican Party.

And Bannon’s enemies — Republican congressional leaders and their allies, and conservatives who’ve long been skeptical of President Donald Trump — are wasting no time in blaming him for it.

*I never read the original Frankstein, as I was too lazy. But, my understanding was the original Frankenstein monster was more human than some of the monsters conservatives helped to create.

[James Arryn]

49 minutes ago, Dr. Pepper said:

If we're going to be relying on black voters, we need to also consider issues that affect them.

True, but also the eternal curse of the bigger tent. One of the reasons Republicans have disproportionate power is that, with fewer groups under the tent, they can boil it down to just a few chore issues...taxes, guns, sexism/racism/ homophobia/religious bigotry say...and be pretty confident they’re not alienating anyone. And why they stay pretty lockstep.

Whereas the Dems have a much wider range of interests to address, which means more people in general, but a lower likelihood of overall enthusiasm for any particular platform and/or candidate. Maybe Trump being this special brand of horrifying will push people into a little more gestalt altruism.

[Paladin of Ice]

1 hour ago, SkynJay said:

Could a national ID card help?  Can some state level suppression be stopped by federal laws?  What else am i missing?

The problem with the National ID card is that you're going to have to prove who people are before they can get one. And the people currently locked out of getting IDs like a driver's license will likely face the same problem with a National ID card. Granted the National ID card and a national ID number that is actually designed to be one instead of makeshift such number as social security numbers i would be a good idea, but it's kind of a different issue, unless you're giving them out for free.

Most of my suggestions have been brought up in some of the last couple of posts: automatic registration once someone reaches the age of 18, make it a holiday and strictly enforce that any business or places of employment that must stay open also must give a generous amount of time to allow people to vote. Add in a requirement for non-partisan bodies to handle drawing up districts and making it illegal to gerrymander for partisan purposes, and a good portion of the problems with access to the polls and fair representation get sorted out. (I'd love to sharply limit campaign donations again, although I'm not sure what would be the right way to do so. Public bankrolling of any candidate that gets a certain amount of the vote/signatures, perhaps?)

 

On another issue: Rod Rosenstein, the person in the Trump administration with the actual authority to fire Mueller, tells right wingers that there is no cause to do so and to STFU.

Quote

For weeks, conservatives in and out of government have aimed to discredit special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into whether or not the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election. That criticism could potentially pave the way for Trump to demand Mueller’s ouster.

But on Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein backed the Mueller probe in an exchange with the House Judiciary Committee’s Ranking Member Jerry Nadler (D-NY) during an oversight hearing.

“If you were ordered today to fire Mr. Mueller, what would you do?” Nadler asked. “I would follow regulation,” Rosenstein replied. “If there were good cause, I would act. If there were no good cause, I would not.”

And when Nadler pushed further, asking if Rosenstein had seen any cause to terminate Mueller, Rosenstein said he had not.

Here’s why that’s important: Rosenstein appointed Mueller as the special counsel in May, and he’s the only one with the authority to fire him. If Trump asked Rosenstein to remove Mueller, Rosenstein could decline to do so. That could potentially lead to a situation where Trump could then fire Rosenstein and replace him with someone who would do Trump’s bidding.

But Rosenstein also told lawmakers during Wednesday’s hearing that no one so far has asked Rosenstein to fire Mueller. And Rosenstein even went so far as to defend Mueller himself, saying, “It would've been difficult to find anyone more qualified for this job.”

Rosenstein’s defense won’t make Mueller’s critics happy. There’s a growing conservative effort to remove Mueller, which makes Rosenstein’s comments all the more noteworthy.

“I think the president should’ve fired Mueller long ago,” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), one of the leading voices in the push to discredit Mueller, told me in an interview.

Gaetz and his cohort point to perceived corruption and bias in the Mueller probe, including recent texts where a top FBI official who was once part of Mueller’s staff called Trump an “idiot.” They fear the investigation is actually aimed at removing Trump instead of dispassionately gathering facts.

It’s important to note that top Republicans — like House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — say they continue to support Mueller’s investigation. And officials in Trump’s orbit have also told him that removing Mueller would be a bad idea.

But the timing of the anti-Mueller push is not coincidental. It comes as the special counsel appears to be closing in on Trump’s inner circle. Mueller has already charged four people — two of whom pleaded guilty, including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Multiple reports suggest Trump’s son-in-law and top adviser Jared Kushner could be the next target. Plus, it appears Mueller is building a case that Trump himself may have obstructed justice.

 

[James Arryn]

Maybe I’m just coming down, or in a mood or w/e, but my increasing takeaway from yesterday is depression that this even needed celebrating. Moore should never be anywhere near elected office with his track record. What a fucking shitshow. I know...baby steps. But we’re crossing the fucking Gobi.

[Kalbear]

20 minutes ago, James Arryn said:

True, but also the eternal curse of the bigger tent. One of the reasons Republicans have disproportionate power is that, with fewer groups under the tent, they can boil it down to just a few chore issues...taxes, guns, sexism/racism/ homophobia/religious bigotry say...and be pretty confident they’re not alienating anyone. And why they stay pretty lockstep.

Whereas the Dems have a much wider range of interests to address, which means more people in general, but a lower likelihood of overall enthusiasm for any particular platform and/or candidate. Maybe Trump being this special brand of horrifying will push people into a little more gestalt altruism.

There's one that is universally hated and is causing massive problems: voter reform.

Fix gerrymandering. Fix voter registration. Fix primaries vs. caucuses. These affect everyone, but they ESPECIALLY are problematic for minorities. They speak directly to unfairness in elections, unfairness in general, and weird issues that everyone hates.

 

[James Arryn]

2 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

There's one that is universally hated and is causing massive problems: voter reform.

Fix gerrymandering. Fix voter registration. Fix primaries vs. caucuses. These affect everyone, but they ESPECIALLY are problematic for minorities. They speak directly to unfairness in elections, unfairness in general, and weird issues that everyone hates.

 

Honestly, that’s a great answer. It’s certainly easier than, like, getting the fucking Electoral College out on it’s ass where it ought to be. 

[Maithanet]

18 minutes ago, James Arryn said:

Maybe I’m just coming down, or in a mood or w/e, but my increasing takeaway from yesterday is depression that this even needed celebrating. Moore should never be anywhere near elected office with his track record. What a fucking shitshow. I know...baby steps. But we’re crossing the fucking Gobi.

It is just that I would feel a lot safer if Democrats held at least one chamber of Congress.  Then we could at least get investigations into Trump's many wrongdoings, and we wouldn't have to worry about this terrible "no Democrats allowed" legislation. 

Jones winning makes taking the Senate a lot more possible.  It's still a long shot, but prior to this I thought it was a pipe dream really.  Even still, defending all of those Senate seats (particularly MT, ND, FL*, IN, MO and WV) and picking up at least two of TN, AZ and NV is going to be really hard.  But at least now the Democrats only have to go 8/9 amongst the states I named, rather than 9/9. 

* I'm really hoping this result convinces FL Gov. Rick Scott (R) to wait for a better opportunity rather than challenge Sen. Nelson.  Although I don't really know what that would be.  He's term limited for governor.  I doubt he wants to run against Rubio, and that seat isn't up for grabs until 2022 anyway.  I also don't see him challenging Trump for the Presidency.  So running against Nelson seems like the logical choice.  Scott is a formidable politician, which is why I'm hoping he doesn't run.  Losing that Senate seat would be a disaster for Democrats.