I thought I'd create a thread that deals with this year's elections, both for the US Congress and other elections going on, like GA and FL governors, and state assemblies. In my home state of NC, we are trying to (at least) break the GOP supermajority so our gov gets his veto power back.
If you look at voting trends since Reagan in the midterm elections, voters tend to vote for checks and balances. That, coupled with the unprecedented energy, leans us blue for the house at least; the math for the senate makes it quite challenging. Voter manipulation has become strategic and vicious. Gerrymandering and voter suppression is rampant, but how does it match the determination and enthusiasm of Democratic voters? Overwhelming "blue" votes might be the only thing to break these manipulations.
I have some intuitions, but they get easily mixed up with my own optimism, so I'm not much help here. I look forward to hearing the thoughts and impressions you all have.
- q
Im some places, GA for instance, I dont think democratic enthusiasm is enough to overcome massive voter suppression. My thoughts on this are if this is what has come out, how much more is happening behind the scenes that hasnt been found or reported yet? Also, the massive gerrymandering will leave a few rep districts unable to be won by democrats no matter the turnout. In my district in Wisconsin, its really bad. We bought our house from dedicated republicans(between the Nazi photos and Rush Limbaugh taped shows we found in the attic, we were convinced that to be true) and as soon as we voted the first election we were here, the next year, both us and a neighbor 2 doors down were redistricted to a democratic district, yet the house between was not.
Thanks for making this thread, q. I'm in NC too, btw.
I've also been questioning some of my timeline visions and intuitions against my general optimism. Though as I write this, I'm being nudged to say that it's important that we hold positive potentials aloft together. Not naively (lower vibrations are always going to work hard to make their own timelines real), but because doing so is a collaborative act of creation. It holds us in resonance; helps ensure any negative outcomes are less negative; and, when enough of us work together, has the power to generate very positive changes, very quickly.
In that spirit—and while I confess it's not looking so good for GA considering—that state has a seriously energized Democratic base and an empowered Black middle-class. They're working hard throughout the state to overcome the flagrant voter suppression they face, which, btw, we all know ain't nothing new. It's just another day in hundreds of years of collective racial trauma. I see a golden-pink light over the capital there, so I'm giving them a chance.
Regarding the midterms overall, I've been concerned by the lack of attention paid to Russian influence. The GOP had an opportunity to help pass legislation to defend our elections, and they smugly refused. There hasn't been enough media attention paid to this, and after Nov. 6 will be too late. I sense there could be at least one recount in a major state (or just a big one...Texas?).
In the past two weeks, I've been wondering whether "the blue wave" isn't somehow (inadvertently) associated with a potential tsunami event I've been seeing for several years (about 12). Not sure on timeline. It could be connected to a very large earthquake or a Volcanic eruption somewhere in the Atlantic ocean. I don't know where, but clearly this isn't the thread for it and I've gotten a little sidetracked... 'Scuse me.
I love hearing how many people on here are from red states. So many times we get drawn into black and white thinking. A group is all bad or all good. I see little points of light all over the map. Awesome.
it's important that we hold positive potentials aloft together. Not naively (lower vibrations are always going to work hard to make their own timelines real), but because doing so is a collaborative act of creation. It holds us in resonance; helps ensure any negative outcomes are less negative; and, when enough of us work together, has the power to generate very positive changes, very quickly.
I agree. We need to understand what we are up against - that's the dark stuff we see -- and then we need to know that we can push through that darkness with our light.
it's important that we hold positive potentials aloft together. Not naively (lower vibrations are always going to work hard to make their own timelines real), but because doing so is a collaborative act of creation. It holds us in resonance; helps ensure any negative outcomes are less negative; and, when enough of us work together, has the power to generate very positive changes, very quickly.
I agree. We need to understand what we are up against - that's the dark stuff we see -- and then we need to know that we can push through that darkness with our light.
If I could make a special request, could everyone who is inclined hold up Ammar Campa-Najjar in your thoughts, meditations, and prayers?
He is running for Congress here in my (and Laura F's) district against indicted criminal Duncan Hunter. Hunter and his cronies have ramped up the tenor of their horrible attacks on Campa-Najjar over the last few days, falsely accusing him of being a muslim terrorist out to secretly infiltrate the U.S. government.
Campa-Najjar is doing an excellent job at trying to keep things positive, but the attacks have gotten so extreme that I am very worried that some crazy person may try to physically harm him.
So, if you are so inclined, please put a protective light around Ammar Campa-Najjar over the next three weeks in your thoughts and prayers. I thank anyone willing to do this, and I will put a few articles below so you can understand how the dark forces are attacking him. Thank you.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/17/race-baiting-roils-ca-contest-involving-indicted-gop-rep-hunter.html
Hey Rosieheart - I don't live in that district, I'm over here in Carolyn Davis'.... anyhoo I'm headed to El Cajon tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) to do some canvassing for Campa-Najjar. He's 10 points behind - so I'm going to ask anyone who can to consider contributing $ in addition to holding him up in your thoughts. And Rosieheart if you want to join us, email me ...
Hi All,
I hesitated to post about this for a couple of days, but I think it is important to put it out there as anecdotal evidence of possible monkey business going on during voting for the midterms.
My two adult sons and I are overseas voters who vote in the state of Georgia (as it was my last residence before moving overseas). We have participated regularly and jump through the hoops that the government sets up to be eligible to vote in Federal elections. We have to register yearly to be eligible. I mailed absentee votes for the son that lives at home and me on the 4th of October.
When I checked online to see if the ballots had been received, it said that mine had arrived on the 6th and was accepted (not very likely, as it normally takes a week for mail to get there - 2 days would be a new record!) and that my son’s ballot has not arrived. I reported this to the voter registration people and they forwarded it to the person in charge of voting for the state. I have not heard back yet, but will follow up as I believe that it is especially important to vote and be counted this year.
It may be that something has just gone wrong, but in a year in which voter suppression has been documented repeatedly, it gives me an uneasy feeling.
Added to that, my other son received a semi-literate email message earlier in the year purportedly from the voter registration people asking to confirm my email - which was very strange. I forwarded it to the voter registration people at the time and asked if it was legitimate but they did not answer. I’ll update here if and when I hear something back from them.
Baba, I mentioned in another thread tonight that there is already reporting coming in from Georgia related to early mail-in/absentee ballots. In particular, a high number of mail-in paper ballots for Gwinnett County, which has the highest diversity in the state, are reportedly being tossed out by officials there.
Thanks for that, Vestralux.
According to the ACLU, Georgia voting officials have the right to reject any absentee ballot that they believe do not have matching and therefore deemed invalid ballots.
The problem is that those doing the selective tossing have had no training in signature recognition or validation and no standard or unifying instructions.
And as links are a great help for validity here's the link to my referencing.
The ACLU has already filed a "due process violation" lawsuit :
To throw out someone’s ballot — without any prior notice or chance to appeal — is a clear due process violation. That’s why we, with the ACLU of Georgia, are suing Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and all county registrars on behalf of the Georgia Muslim Voter Project, an organization that will have to divert voter turnout resources into educating the public about the risk of being disenfranchised over handwriting.
With midterms only 19 days away, there is no time to waste. We’re asking the court to order Georgia to give impacted voters the opportunity to confirm their identity or otherwise resolve the alleged discrepancy before their ballots are rejected. The court has set a hearing date of Tuesday, Oct. 23.