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So there are a few interesting things coming up tomorrow. Virginia may give us an indication of whether running against Trump rather than your opponent is a viable strategy. Although the waters there are a bit muddied by fake tiki torchers and school board kerfuffles, so it may not be a perfect test.
And I understand Minneapolis will be voting on replacing their police department with a department of public safety, which will employ police officers “if necessary”.
iris lilies
11-1-21, 5:32pm
So there are a few interesting things coming up tomorrow. Virginia may give us an indication of whether running against Trump rather than your opponent is a viable strategy. Although the waters there are a bit muddied by fake tiki torchers and school board kerfuffles, so it may not be a perfect test.
And I understand Minneapolis will be voting on replacing their police department with a department of public safety, which will employ police officers “if necessary”.
Oh yes. We have a Department of Public Safety here in St. Louis. Most here are aware or how “safe” it is here in my city.
gimmethesimplelife
11-1-21, 9:39pm
I lit a candle that Minneapolis does away with their issues ridden perhaps no longer insurable Minneapolis PD. This could be a start to.a better America. Fingers crossed. Rob
I've been reading about all the craziness around school boards and the desire of some to cancel the teaching of history but not about the tiki torch event. Thanks for alerting me.
Perhaps Minneapolis should just institute a vaccine mandate for cops. That seems to be the easiest way to reduce their numbers...
I've been reading about all the craziness around school boards and the desire of some to cancel the teaching of history but not about the tiki torch event. Thanks for alerting me.
Perhaps Minneapolis should just institute a vaccine mandate for cops. That seems to be the easiest way to reduce their numbers...
Yes--and the ones most likely to bail out are likely Trumpists, racists, and malcontents. IMO.
gimmethesimplelife
11-2-21, 10:18am
I've been reading about all the craziness around school boards and the desire of some to cancel the teaching of history but not about the tiki torch event. Thanks for alerting me.
Perhaps Minneapolis should just institute a vaccine mandate for cops. That seems to be the easiest way to reduce their numbers...Good idea! Rob
I've been reading about all the craziness around school boards and the desire of some to cancel the teaching of history but not about the tiki torch event. Thanks for alerting me.
Perhaps Minneapolis should just institute a vaccine mandate for cops. That seems to be the easiest way to reduce their numbers...
I don’t think it was “history” per se they objected to; otherwise we would have heard something from them in the previous couple of centuries. I think it was the current fad in race based ideology. But not to worry, the FBI will soon see to those domestic terrorists. Of course, McAuliffe, true to the haughty hypocrisy of his Clintonian roots, needed to weigh in on not letting parents make decisions on education. This carried special import due to his sending his own children to a private school with seventeen parent committees.
When he wasn’t getting the traction he hoped for from the traditional “racist dog whistle” allegation, some supporters hired a clutch of white supremacy cosplayers in an attempt to drive the point home. You can’t blame them for trying, but it remains to be seen if the voters will be impressed.
As to Minneapolis, it looks like less formal efforts to de-support and demoralize the cops have already succeeded in driving many away, as evidenced by the recent spike in violence there. If this referendum, which seems to be more popular in safer, paler neighborhoods than the ones who will bleed the most, passes, that trend seems likely to continue if not accelerate.
It’s not all history that they want to cancel. Just that part of history that makes the white snowflakes feel bad because of how prior generations of white folks treated non-white folks.
While I doubt slavery and it’s consequences was a closely guarded secret before CRT, I think the dissatisfaction with schools went beyond that. There were a number of issues, but the dismissive stance struck by the schools, the unions and McAuliffe himself can’t have set well with the electorate.
Simply slapping a MAGA hat on your opposition and calling them racist doesn’t seem to have been a winning strategy. If the Democrats don’t learn that lesson, 2022 will be a pretty bleak year for them.
CRT is a lot like Antifa--They're both almost completely marginal in any other context, but they're effective used as a straw man, apparently.
CRT is a lot like Antifa--They're both almost completely marginal in any other context, but they're effective used as a straw man, apparently.
I don’t think the issue in Virginia was a plurality of bigots beating on CRT straw men. The problems people were having with the schools were much more varied than that. But the common element seems to have been the arrogance of schools, unions and Democratic politicians ordering parents to stay in their lane. Even to the extent of branding people as “domestic terrorists”. They even created some live action white supremacist straw men of their own in an attempt to press the point.
catherine
11-3-21, 12:27pm
Well, I'm just happy that my brother ran, and won, a seat as Alderman in my hometown that he still lives in. (He's a lifelong Dem, BTW).
I think critical race theory should be taught - to children not wearing masks.
rosarugosa
11-3-21, 4:39pm
Well, I'm just happy that my brother ran, and won, a seat as Alderman in my hometown that he still lives in. (He's a lifelong Dem, BTW).
Congratulations to your brother, Catherine!
Well, I'm just happy that my brother ran, and won, a seat as Alderman in my hometown that he still lives in. (He's a lifelong Dem, BTW).
Those people are the unsung heroes of American democracy. They put up with all kinds of grief for very little compensation.
Those people are the unsung heroes of American democracy. They put up with all kinds of grief for very little compensation.
Thank, you, LDAHL. Yes, I'm proud of my brother, especially because he's an introvert like me, so it couldn't have been easy for him to put himself out there. But he served in the Air Force (I think you did, too?) and he does believe in democracy.
gimmethesimplelife
11-3-21, 9:07pm
I'm not seeing the decision in Minneapolis as a loss or failure. This decision will be seen by problematic officers as permission to continue business as usual. Long game? If the Minneapolis PD can't knuckle under to the rule of law - this issue is far from over. Rob
happystuff
11-3-21, 9:17pm
Congrats to your brother, catherine!
I'm not seeing the decision in Minneapolis as a loss or failure.
It was certainly a loss for the four pro-referendum council members who lost their seats that night.
Thank, you, LDAHL. Yes, I'm proud of my brother, especially because he's an introvert like me, so it couldn't have been easy for him to put himself out there. But he served in the Air Force (I think you did, too?) and he does believe in democracy.
It’s one of those jobs where you have to listen to anyone with a grievance, now matter how insane. Ridiculous demands can be pretty common, along with legitimate needs you simply don’t have the resources for. Clueless state and federal mandates add to the joys of the job. I admire anyone willing to serve at the level of government that actually does things.
iris lilies
11-4-21, 8:51am
It’s one of those jobs where you have to listen to anyone with a grievance, now matter how insane. Ridiculous demands can be pretty common, along with legitimate needs you simply don’t have the resources for. Clueless state and federal mandates add to the joys of the job. I admire anyone willing to serve at the level of government that actually does things.
We have been fortunate in the 30+ years I’ve lived here to have excellent alderman. Every one of them has been good and responsive.
St. Louis is undergoing a scary change, scary to the board of alderman: they are having to cut themselves in half in number. This was a movement started by the voters more than 10 years ago. So the fiefdoms are being increased but the number of small kings is being decimated. The battle for remaining seats at the next election will be horrific.The proposed aldermanic board lines have been drawn proudly by the powers that be as “seven black wards and seven white wards.” To put a racial spin on it as we must do in the ‘Lou.
Our own excellent alderman who is a white man and is therefore seen as a Republican and I suppose he sort of is in a way, even though there are no Republicans in city government, will be fighting for his life. He barely squeaked by last time when challenged by a nobody.
Teacher Terry
11-4-21, 1:31pm
In the 1960’s my dad was the first blue collar alderman in Kenosha. It was a part time job. He ran because his alderman wouldn’t listen to his concern of needing a stop sign and the alderman told him that he didn’t need his vote because he was unbeatable. He ran 3xs before he beat him. Every year for 16 years my dad went door to door to talk to his constituents. Twice a year we put flyers in the doors updating everyone on what was happening.
Despite the rich people in power changing the boundaries of his ward 3xs having him run against other alderman he never lost. If someone called with a problem he immediately drove over after work. He finally had to resign due to ill health. He taught others how to run using his personal touch and helped elect Kenosha’s first blue collar mayor.
rosarugosa
11-4-21, 5:40pm
In the 1960’s my dad was the first blue collar alderman in Kenosha. It was a part time job. He ran because his alderman wouldn’t listen to his concern of needing a stop sign and the alderman told him that he didn’t need his vote because he was unbeatable. He ran 3xs before he beat him. Every year for 16 years my dad went door to door to talk to his constituents. Twice a year we put flyers in the doors updating everyone on what was happening.
Despite the rich people in power changing the boundaries of his ward 3xs having him run against other alderman he never lost. If someone called with a problem he immediately drove over after work. He finally had to resign due to ill health. He taught others how to run using his personal touch and helped elect Kenosha’s first blue collar mayor.
What a cool story, Terry. It sounds like your dad was a great guy!
Teacher Terry
11-4-21, 6:04pm
Thanks Rosa. He actually was awesome and last time I was in Kenosha my friends were reminiscing about how he would always drive us places and have all of us singing songs from the 40’s with him. He was lots of fun.
iris lilies
11-4-21, 7:25pm
That is great, hearing about your dad’s work as Alderman. Sounds like he was really good at it.
Teacher Terry
11-4-21, 9:27pm
It was his happy place as he was a tool grinder in a auto factory and didn’t like his job. He was also president of the conservation club and a union steward. He was always upbeat and happy and never met a stranger. He ended up on a great committee and got some great trips for city business and conferences. My mom and dad and 500 others were in The White House and had dinner with Lyndon Johnson when he was president. He absolutely loved taking care of his ward and so responsive which is why no one could beat him.
It was his happy place as he was a tool grinder in a auto factory and didn’t like his job. He was also president of the conservation club and a union steward. He was always upbeat and happy and never met a stranger. He ended up on a great committee and got some great trips for city business and conferences. My mom and dad and 500 others were in The White House and had dinner with Lyndon Johnson when he was president. He absolutely loved taking care of his ward and so responsive which is why no one could beat him.
Sounds like such a great guy! Shows that you don't have to "prove yourself" through your paid employment. You can serve in so many ways, just as your dad did. Inspirational!
I will say one thing about Virginia's election - I find it highly ironic and entertaining that the underage son of the Republican winner Youngkin - who ran on a platform including "election integrity" - tried to vote illegally .... not just once, but twice! That would have been voter fraud.
Durr, a truck driver upset that he was denied a gun permit, spent $153 in his primary and went on to beat the longest serving state senate president in New Jersey.
Also in New Jersey a 19 year upset over missing out on senior year activities due to covid lockdowns beats an incumbent school board member.
Watch out all you blue state dictators.
Next week I, a two time Bernie, Ralph Nader, blue as can be voter in years past will attend my first meeting of the city Republican committee, because one of their members stood with me in speaking out against the mask mandate forced on fully vaccinated people. Enough is enough!
Durr, a truck driver upset that he was denied a gun permit, spent $153 in his primary and went on to beat the longest serving state senate president in New Jersey.
Also in New Jersey a 19 year upset over missing out on senior year activities due to covid lockdowns beats an incumbent school board member.
Watch out all you blue state dictators.
Yeah, my son, a Poli Sci major and lawyer for the State of NJ for years was really taken aback by the NJ election. I think it's because of the way the wind is blowing at the moment--not because of masks. But we'll see. It's a long way to 2024.
iris lilies
11-5-21, 11:06pm
Oh I tire of every midterm election called a harbinger of… Whatever. Which ever party is up at the midterm thinks things have turned for them.
The reality is that Joe Biden is a lackluster politician and no one was excited by him, and these midterms reflect that he was not able to pull his party out of tge doldrums.
It also may realistically reflect a bit of a course correction for government that has overstepped its bounds. But only a bit I wouldn’t get too excited by it fellow Republicans.
Oh I tire of every midterm election called a harbinger of… Whatever. Which ever party is up at the midterm thinks things have turned for them.
The reality is that Joe Biden is a lackluster politician and no one was excited by him, and these midterms reflect that he was not able to pull his party out of tge doldrums.
It also may realistically reflect a bit of a course correction for government that has overstepped its bounds. But only a bit I wouldn’t get too excited by it fellow Republicans.
Yes. In the end, all politics are local and this was a mid-mid-term at best. I certainly wouldn’t think complacency was justified. But that won’t mean a few conclusions won’t be drawn. Maybe the whole universe doesn’t revolve around Trump after all. Maybe every vote isn’t cast based on racial attitudes. Maybe most voters aren’t waiting anxiously for the next mammoth spending bill. Maybe “Defund the Police” isn’t a slogan to inspire mass support. I think there’s a certain extent to which both major parties are mis-identifying their “base” as the most extreme. As Jonah Goldberg said, the first one to regain its sanity will dominate.
The reality about the VA governor election is that it was entirely predictable. Every time there's a democrat in the white house they vote republican governor the following year, and vice versa.
4059
The reality about the VA governor election is that it was entirely predictable. Every time there's a democrat in the white house they vote republican governor the following year, and vice versa.
4059That was the prevailing thought on MSNBC and CNN too, well that and a profound sense of disappointment. I think the real reason was that Younkin spent the campaign talking to his constituents about their concerns and McAuliffe went for the national stage with his wokeness and fixation on Trump, knowing it would play well in media but not realizing that media doesn't reflect the populace.
I think the same principle applied in New Jersey where an upstart Republican nearly won against an established Democrat. In both cases the Republicans very much out performed expectations, which should cause Democrats to re-think their strategies going forward. But, I see that one of our favorite progressives, AOC, has been very vocal in her belief that Democrats simply haven't been consistently woke enough. For the good of all of us, I hope she gets lots of airtime.
The reality about the VA governor election is that it was entirely predictable. Every time there's a democrat in the white house they vote republican governor the following year, and vice versa.
4059
Vote in haste, repent at leisure. Most of Virginia will live to regret that choice, I'll wager.
The reality about the VA governor election is that it was entirely predictable. Every time there's a democrat in the white house they vote republican governor the following year, and vice versa.
4059
What about 2013? Wasn’t McAuliffe elected governor while Obama was in office?
There’s no such thing as inevitable in American politics. Just ask Hillary.
happystuff
11-7-21, 7:37pm
There’s no such thing as inevitable in American politics. Just ask Hillary.
Don't know why but this statement made me think of the question... is ours the only country where a candidate can receive/win the majority of the popular votes from the citizens, yet still lose the election?
gimmethesimplelife
11-11-21, 12:34pm
Oh I tire of every midterm election called a harbinger of… Whatever. Which ever party is up at the midterm thinks things have turned for them.
The reality is that Joe Biden is a lackluster politician and no one was excited by him, and these midterms reflect that he was not able to pull his party out of tge doldrums.
It also may realistically reflect a bit of a course correction for government that has overstepped its bounds. But only a bit I wouldn’t get too excited by it fellow Republicans. Don't drop dead of shock, IL.....I agree with you that Joe Biden is a lackluster politician. I much more wanted Elizabeth Warren to win, and then Pete Buttigieg.
My take of the 2020 Election was more between two candidates, who knows how to behave appropriately, in public, when dealing with foreign heads of state, and with the media?
Looking at 2020 in this way led to my vote for Biden. I'm grateful that Biden won, yes.....but I
I would have preferred someone else. And then of course we have my neighborhood involvement (though not much lately due to OT), and various other beliefs I hold which I will spare you'all from.
I had to post here as it's not often that we agree. Who did you want to win? No snark from me if you answer DJT. Rob
Teacher Terry
11-11-21, 1:56pm
Rob, I totally agree with you. I would like to see presidents that aren’t so old.
iris lilies
11-11-21, 2:50pm
Don't drop dead of shock, IL.....I agree with you that Joe Biden is a lackluster politician. I much more wanted Elizabeth Warren to win, and then Pete Buttigieg.
My take of the 2020 Election was more between two candidates, who knows how to behave appropriately, in public, when dealing with foreign heads of state, and with the media?
Looking at 2020 in this way led to my vote for Biden. I'm grateful that Biden won, yes.....but I
I would have preferred someone else. And then of course we have my neighborhood involvement (though not much lately due to OT), and various other beliefs I hold which I will spare you'all from.
I had to post here as it's not often that we agree. Who did you want to win? No snark from me if you answer DJT. Rob
If the dems had put up Mayor Pete, I MIGHT have even pulled that Blue lever. Maybe.
I said here many times how I voted in the Presidential election, and it was not Trump either time. But it wasn’t the official Democratic candidate either.
Neither party gave me a viable choice.
iris lilies
11-11-21, 2:54pm
Don't know why but this statement made me think of the question... is ours the only country where a candidate can receive/win the majority of the popular votes from the citizens, yet still lose the election?
Many European leaders of their country are not even voted on by the people. Consider that.
I see President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua has won a fifth term with an overwhelming majority. As did his Vice President and wife. Of course, most of the potential opposition candidates are currently being detained. North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and the Russian Federation also use direct elections as an expression of the will of the people.
Last night I definitely felt like I live in a one party state though of course I do not. Went to a Republican City Committee meeting. It was moved from the original venue of a sympathetic business because it went permanently out of business to a dank smelly basement of another establishment. The guest speaker was a woman who brought three female friends, but other than that I was the only woman. There were five men. I was probably tied with two of the men for youngest person there. Many were seniors and they didn't follow the agenda, instead spending their time grousing about how much better things were in the good old days. In a very diverse city everyone was white. I asked one question and it went completely over their heads. So I didn't bother trying to recruit support for my mask mandate battle.
I got home and emailed the state Libertarian group.
happystuff
11-12-21, 10:37am
Many European leaders of their country are not even voted on by the people. Consider that.
Yes, that true. I was thinking more along the lines of countries that actually held elections similar to ours. One-person, one-vote type thing.
There were a number of issues, but the dismissive stance struck by the schools, the unions and McAuliffe himself can’t have set well with the electorate.
From that, to school board members in virginia supporting the idea of book burning in just a couple of weeks. Perhaps Virginia and Texas will race to see who can repurpose their fire departments to be more fahrenheit 451 style.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/11/12/school-book-challenges-conservative/
gimmethesimplelife
11-13-21, 9:34pm
If the dems had put up Mayor Pete, I MIGHT have even pulled that Blue lever. Maybe.
I said here many times how I voted in the Presidential election, and it was not Trump either time. But it wasn’t the official Democratic candidate either.
Neither party gave me a viable choice.I very much respect that you, as a Conservative, did not auto-support DJT. We don't often agree, IL - but here I very much respect your take. Rob
iris lilies
11-13-21, 9:52pm
I very much respect that you, as a Conservative, did not auto-support DJT. We don't often agree, IL - but here I very much respect your take. Rob
Ok, that’s nice.
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