2022 Midterms

[CastletonSnob]

This is an article about why students in Texas don't vote, with voter suppression being a major reason, especially after a bill Gov. Abbott passed last year.

https://www.dailytoreador.com/opinio...024b1db20.html

THIS is what we're dealing with in Texas, and why "Just vote harder, guys!" isn't a valid response to those of us who are upset with our politicians.

[DarkTZeratul]

THIS is what we're dealing with in Texas, and why "Just vote harder, guys!" isn't a valid response to those of us who are upset with our politicians.

"Just vote harder" is generally a reaction to people who could vote but choose not to, rather than people who want to vote but are prevented from doing so.

[CastletonSnob]

"Just vote harder" is generally a reaction to people who could vote but choose not to, rather than people who want to vote but are prevented from doing so.

It's kind of hard to vote when voter suppression in your state is so bad that Harris County, a county with 4.7 MILLION people, only gets ONE ballot drop box.

[Edge-]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/11/polit...der/index.html

CNN looks at some of the lies from Herschel "I like killing kids" Walker -

Walker’s campaign has aired a fall campaign ad in which Walker looks into the camera and claims that Warnock “called police ‘thugs,’ then cut their funding.”

Facts First: Walker’s claim about Warnock and police funding is false; Warnock has not voted to cut police funding and does not support the idea of cutting police funding. And Walker’s other claim leaves out critical context: Warnock’s use of the word “thug,” in a 2015 church sermon, was not a broad insult about police officers in general. Rather, Warnock was talking about abusive policing in Ferguson, Missouri.

So it wasn't an issue of framing or perspective, but simply unfounded bullshit with no actual basis.

In a September interview with Black media outlet Rolling Out, Walker said that while some people only talk about him in reference to his past as a football star, “I’ve been very fortunate in the business world. I’ve been very fortunate in my military, uh, career – that I was doing a lot of things in the military.”

Facts First: Walker has never served in the military. Rather, he has worked as a paid spokesman for a for-profit company that runs a mental health program for servicemembers and veterans. While Walker has visited numerous military bases to discuss mental health and other issues, it’s misleading at best – and arguably just false – to refer to a military “career” or to claim that he did anything “in the military.”

This one is from less than a month ago, well after his initial claim of service was debunked. But again, he has never served in the military. This is an unfounded lie he keeps repeating because he worked with an organization that did work with the military...as a spokesperson.

In various public remarks in September, Walker claimed that Warnock has “voted to put men in women’s sports.”

Facts First: Walker’s claim is not true: Warnock has never “voted to put men in women’s sports.” Rather, Warnock voted in 2021 against a Republican proposal that would have prohibited the education funding in the American Rescue Plan pandemic relief bill from going to states, colleges and local educational agencies that allow “any student whose biological sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity designated for women or girls.”

More on Republican's obsession with girls and womens sports despite them not actually watching or caring about it.

When Rolling Out asked Walker about his false 2019 insinuation that he had been an FBI agent, Walker said, “I’m so glad you brought that up. Because if you look at the tape, when I talk about the FBI, you can clearly see I was joking. But I have trained with the FBI…”

Facts First: It’s possible that some listener might have thought Walker was joking when he strongly suggested he had been an FBI agent, but Walker certainly didn’t make that unambiguous – and in June 2022, when the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper reported Walker’s comment about having been an FBI agent as a serious claim, Walker’s campaign didn’t tell the newspaper that he was joking. Also, when Walker told the same story in a 2017 speech, he claimed to have an “FBI clearance.”

He tries the, "I was just joking!" defense regarding his claim of being an FBI agent. Problem is this is the first time he's told anyone it was a joke, he had never said so previously when questioned about his claim.

Just a reminder: The best Republicans can apparently do is a brain damaged, "baby killing", lying former football star who claims to have both law enforcement and military background - two things Republicans say they care a lot about - without having either.

[DarkTZeratul]

It's kind of hard to vote when voter suppression in your state is so bad that Harris County, a county with 4.7 MILLION people, only gets ONE ballot drop box.

Yes, we agree. Again, most people aren't saying "just vote harder" in response to "local government is making it hard to vote," they're saying "just vote harder" in response to "I voted once and things still suck, why should I vote again?"

[Edge-]

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/...ry?id=91348349

Walker now claims to know who his other baby momma is, I wonder if his wife told him after she texted the anonymous woman whom Walker claimed he didn't know previously.

After Walker subsequently called the story a "flat-out lie" and promised to sue The Daily Beast -- which he has not yet done -- the woman went back to the outlet to say she was the mother of one of Walker's children.

Waiting on him to make good on that threat of a lawsuit. Right now the Republican playbook seems to be to threaten lawsuits any time anyone reports on stories they don't like and then do absolutely nothing to follow up on that threat...because they know that they don't have an actual case and that if they did take whoever they were threatening to sue to trial they'd have to go through discovery which would probably guarantee a swift loss.

[Spectral]

This is an article about why students in Texas don't vote, with voter suppression being a major reason, especially after a bill Gov. Abbott passed last year.

https://www.dailytoreador.com/opinio...024b1db20.html

THIS is what we're dealing with in Texas, and why "Just vote harder, guys!" isn't a valid response to those of us who are upset with our politicians.

From your link:

Voting locations on Texas Tech’s campus include the Student Recreation Center and the University’s library and give students the chance to exercise the right during Election Day(s).

Despite Tech offering these voting stations, it is not enough to spread awareness about active voter participation.

Wow, sounds like really brutal suppression. Having to make it all the way to rec center or library is just a completely unreasonable setup, college students can't be expected to do something like that.

- - - Updated - - -

It's kind of hard to vote when voter suppression in your state is so bad that Harris County, a county with 4.7 MILLION people, only gets ONE ballot drop box.

Harris County appears to have 99 early voting locations that are open for about two weeks. You can also just vote by mail if you're not able to show up in person.

[CastletonSnob]

From your link:

Wow, sounds like really brutal suppression. Having to make it all the way to rec center or library is just a completely unreasonable setup, college students can't be expected to do something like that.

- - - Updated - - -


Harris County appears to have 99 early voting locations that are open for about two weeks. You can also just vote by mail if you're not able to show up in person.

Recently, Brazos County got rid of an early voting location at Texas A&M University, and last year, Harris County got rid of drive-thru voting and 24-hour voting.

But tell me more about how voter suppression is being blown out of proportion.

[Spectral]

Recently, Brazos County got rid of an early voting location at Texas A&M University, and last year, Harris County got rid of drive-thru voting and 24-hour voting.

But tell me more about how voter suppression is being blown out of proportion.

Acting like it's hard for students to make it to the library or for others to head to one of 99 locations in two weeks really is pretty wild. You're apparently relying on voters that are lazier than anyone I've ever met in my entire life and acting like they're victims. The fact that you linked to an article as evidence of "suppression" that states that there's are campus locations at the library and rec center is legitimately pretty funny.

[Edge-]

Acting like it's hard for students to make it to the library or for others to head to one of 99 locations in two weeks really is pretty wild. You're apparently relying on voters that are lazier than anyone I've ever met in my entire life and acting like they're victims. The fact that you linked to an article as evidence of "suppression" that states that there's are campus locations at the library and rec center is legitimately pretty funny.

I don't disagree that the article linked earlier was bad, but this whole pretending that it's not happening is fairly silly.

https://publicintegrity.org/politics...ge-in-turnout/

It's not as if this is all well documented, is in-line with the historical Republican approach to voter suppression amongst likely Democratic voters/people of color, or that some of their provisions like the one banning people from assisting others with their ballots without some fairly burdensome requirements have already been struck down by the courts.

[CastletonSnob]

I don't disagree that the article linked earlier was bad, but this whole pretending that it's not happening is fairly silly.

https://publicintegrity.org/politics...ge-in-turnout/

It's not as if this is all well documented, is in-line with the historical Republican approach to voter suppression amongst likely Democratic voters/people of color, or that some of their provisions like the one banning people from assisting others with their ballots without some fairly burdensome requirements have already been struck down by the courts.

It's worse than "fairly silly". It's actively denying reality.

Denying that voter suppression is real is actively harmful.

[shimerra]

I don't disagree that the article linked earlier was bad, but this whole pretending that it's not happening is fairly silly.

https://publicintegrity.org/politics...ge-in-turnout/

It's not as if this is all well documented, is in-line with the historical Republican approach to voter suppression amongst likely Democratic voters/people of color, or that some of their provisions like the one banning people from assisting others with their ballots without some fairly burdensome requirements have already been struck down by the courts.

Shhhh. According to him it's just pure coincidence when 95% of the DMVs closed in Georgia after their voter ID law was implemented were in majority black areas. In some cases forcing people who generally didn't own a car to travel 2 plus hours to vote and then stand in lines deliberately made longer and slower.

He must have been asleep basically all of COVID where Republicans crusaded against mail in voting and specifically removing drop boxes in blue areas of their states.


At this point the only people who don't see the blatant attacks in voting rights and ease of voting from the right have such a thick layer of orange Cheeto dust around their mouths it's all they can taste.

[Paranoid Android]

Acting like it's hard for students to make it to the library or for others to head to one of 99 locations in two weeks really is pretty wild. You're apparently relying on voters that are lazier than anyone I've ever met in my entire life and acting like they're victims. The fact that you linked to an article as evidence of "suppression" that states that there's are campus locations at the library and rec center is legitimately pretty funny.

You do understand people can't just go to any poll? In Houston and many metro areas there are less polling stations to vote thus creating long lines which undoubtedly discourages voting. We have stated this so many times that people can't take time off to sit in line for hours. And honestly while you think people are lazy I bet if they made every who wanted to vote stand in line for hours that would discourage many people.

So young people, students and whoever want ease of access to vote. Why not make voting easier for You Know, Democracy. As much shit as Republicans cry, there is no large scale voting fraud that mail in voting and other methods.

Conservatives have admitted numerous times publicly they want less people to vote. No doubt targeting people such as students or metro areas is the easiest. Republicans would be fine with people who can take time or want to travel to vote since it tips the scale.

Ironically the 2nd Tuesday of November was made for convenience of our agricultural society. Not the growing season and allowing travel time, plus can't have on weekend cause of Sunday service. So we can't advance our laws since we have this thing called cars, internet and whatever else. Can't have a national holiday and automatic registration which would help people vote.

[Spectral]

You do understand people can't just go to any poll? In Houston and many metro areas there are less polling stations to vote thus creating long lines which undoubtedly discourages voting.

Harris County voters can vote at any polling location:

Any qualified voter may vote in person at the main early voting polling place or at any other designated early voting branch location during designated times.

Again, that's 99 locations across the county, open for two weeks.

[CastletonSnob]

Who should the Texas Democrats run in 2024 and 2026? Lina Hidalgo? Veronica Escobar? Clay Jenkins? Sylvester Turner? Colin Allred? Greg Casar?

[Edge-]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-he...ans-restaurant

Did y'all know Hershel Walker sued an 84 year old man with the same name for naming his restaurant after himself?

Well he did.

And they tried to get him to drop the lawsuit, appealing to his "Christian Values" that he's promoting right now.

I guess he was a real piece of shit back then because he wouldn't drop the lawsuit.

The Daily Beast could not find Georgia business records for the family operation, which appears to have ceased to exist shortly thereafter. The building where it was once listed has been torn down and replaced by a four-story hotel.

And he killed a family-run small business.

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-...view-rcna51865

Social Security and Medicare eligibility changes, spending caps, and safety-net work requirements are among the top priorities for key House Republicans who want to use next year’s debt-limit deadline to extract concessions from Democrats. The four Republicans interested in serving as House Budget Committee chairman in the next Congress said in interviews that next year’s deadline to raise or suspend the debt ceiling is a point of leverage if their party can win control of the House in the November midterm elections.

Republicans want to use the debt-ceiling limit to try to force through Social Security and Medicare cuts so they can blame it on Democrats.

Reminder that republicans don't actually care about helping people and moves like this are pointlessly pernicious, especially during a recession when cost of living is already increasing and those on fixed income - like Social Security - are already tightening their belts even more than previously.

Reminder: They could have done this when they controlled the House, Senate, and White House, but didn't do so because they're largely incapable of governing and don't like accepting credit for passing much of what they want to pass, knowing that it's deeply unpopular. Like cuts to Social Security or Medicare, or a historically and impressively unpopular 2017 tax cut that they still are hoping everyone forgets about. Wonder why they didn't run on that in 2020 or aren't running on that in 2022?

[Milchshake]

Having 2 of the 3 major news networks being GOP comms departments is probably my biggest worry for 2022 & 2024.

[CastletonSnob]

I read the comments section of an article about how Ken Paxton will be re-elected despite being America's worst Attorney General.



I'm tired of being victim blamed by people who don't understand how bad voter suppression is in Texas.

[Spectral]

Having 2 of the 3 major news networks being GOP comms departments is probably my biggest worry for 2022 & 2024

They could have just picked a guy that's capable of having a normal conversation. Probably ableist to suggest that being able to talk to someone is a meaningful qualification for the Senate though.

[Edge-]

They could have just picked a guy that's capable of having a normal conversation. Probably ableist to suggest that being able to talk to someone is a meaningful qualification for the Senate though.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/john-f...ter-may-stroke

He had his stroke literally right before the primary, not exactly a lot of time.

Also, per stroke experts who have seen his appearances on TV, including this one -

Burns added that stroke experts say Fetterman’s symptoms would not indicate that he has any cognitive impairment or memory issues, and that he can fully recover.

So as long as doctors are saying he can fully recover and that he's capable of doing the job during his recovery, I see no issue here.