The States: Where We Wish Texas Would Secede Already

[Swansong]

IMO, Biden needs to find a way to make at least some progress on his agenda between now and August or they are toast.

Just a point of order here. He managed to get the ARP and the infrastructure deal passed. Those are two gigantic accomplishments. Yes, I want more, but let's not start going on about how his presidency - less than 1 full year in - is already on the brink.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Funny, when gas was $4+/gal during Bush's second term (adjust that for inflation and it was over $5/gal in today's dollars), I don't recall Republicans blaming him.

[Swansong]

Funny, when gas was $4+/gal during Bush's second term (adjust that for inflation and it was over $5/gal in today's dollars), I don't recall Republicans blaming him.

Well, because team. Go team go.

2020 was exceptionally low, between the super low demand and the Russians trying to rat**** our shale industry by increasing production, it was an artifical and temporary lull. Now we're about back to where the market approximately should be.

[SJHovey]

Funny, when gas was $4+/gal during Bush's second term (adjust that for inflation and it was over $5/gal in today's dollars), I don't recall Republicans blaming him.

I also don't recall a Republican winning in the election following that second term.

A chunk of people (big enough to make a difference in elections) vote based upon how hard their life is in the weeks and months leading up to the election. If it's hard to find or pay for housing or transportation or food for their family, or even if they perceive that it's hard, they will vote for the person or party out of power.

You can say what you want about James Carville, but he wasn't wrong.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Is it really the economy, stupid? Or is it the perception of the economy (right or wrong) pushed by whatever media one watches?

[Swansong]

Is it really the economy, stupid? Or is it the perception of the economy (right or wrong) pushed by whatever media one watches?

Why not both? Perception is reality for most people.

[SJHovey]

Why not both? Perception is reality for most people.

Reality and perception are equally dangerous for the party in power.

[rufus]

That won't matter. Even if he got everything he wanted in the BBB bill, you'll never see even the slightest effect by November.

Keep track of what people are paying for their gas and groceries this summer and fall. If it's the same or worse than it is now, the D's are toast. If it turns around by October and November, they have a shot.

Funny how when you have a quarter of your country out sick it leads to supply shortages and price increases.

I guess other people not getting vaccinated does affect you after all.

[rufus]

I also don't recall a Republican winning in the election following that second term.

A chunk of people (big enough to make a difference in elections) vote based upon how hard their life is in the weeks and months leading up to the election. If it's hard to find or pay for housing or transportation or food for their family, or even if they perceive that it's hard, they will vote for the person or party out of power.

You can say what you want about James Carville, but he wasn't wrong.

Imagine how much better their lives would be if they were still getting $350/kid every month.

Thanks, Joe Manchin.

[Kepler]

I also don't recall a Republican winning in the election following that second term.

A chunk of people (big enough to make a difference in elections) vote based upon how hard THEY PERCEIVE their life is in the weeks and months leading up to the election. If it's hard to find or pay for housing or transportation or food for their family, or even if they perceive that it's hard, they will vote for the person or party out of power.

You can say what you want about James Carville, but he wasn't wrong.

That is the key. As long as a significant portion of the media, including the so-called "liberal media," is devoted to playing up every small issue or concern into a HUGE DISSATISFACTION AND POLITICAL THREAT in order to attract viewers, an incumbent can be unseated purely by the way stories are spun. You should know this -- it happened to Bush Senior.

[Kepler]

OK, Gophers. Regale us with tales of Mapleton.

[state of hockey]

OK, Gophers. Regale us with tales of Mapleton.

It is close to Mankato, so Mavericks would be better at describing it. Luckily enough I actually am one! Unfortunately there isn't much to tell. Small town. I see the guy is from Coon Rapids (yes, that is the name) which is a NW suburb of MPLS. Coon Rapids still having the name it does really tells you all you need to know about it.

[Kepler]

It is close to Mankato, so Mavericks would be better at describing it. Luckily enough I actually am one! Unfortunately there isn't much to tell. Small town. I see the guy is from Coon Rapids (yes, that is the name) which is a NW suburb of MPLS. Coon Rapids still having the name it does really tells you all you need to know about it.

I believe CR has come up here several times before. A little corner of the South in the tundra.

[state of hockey]

I believe CR has come up here several times before. A little corner of the South in the tundra.

It is actually pretty diverse for the county it is in, and more than likely leans blue because of it. But there are the usual olds running the show. Oh man, the xenophobic tirade my grandmother went on when they opened the 610 bridge that joined CR to Brooklyn Park (which she called something else) and Hennepin County. Woof.

[dxmnkd316]

The OH Supreme Court issued opinions on the redistricting map. Pretty harsh rebuke of the GOP by the Republican justices.

There are a lot of really... interesting... notes in it. Like these:

The dissenting justices assert that they are unable to evaluate the simulated maps because they
were not part of the record. However, Dr. Imai and Dr. Chen submitted expert affidavits extensively
describing their methodology, data sources, and conclusions based on the 6,000 simulated plans
reviewed, and they also submitted as exhibits examples and data referenced in the affidavits. We
find that this evidence in the record sufficiently supports the conclusions cited herein.

This was particularly bizarre:

The dissent has chosen to use the unprecedented format of a "joint dissent." This authorship
label has never been used by this court. Its use now, without explanation by the dissent, is unusual
and inexplicable.

The dissent responded with:

The majority says the joint authorship of a dissent is "unusual and inexplicable." Majority
opinion at 70, fn. 9. It's not. See, e.g., Natl. Fedn. of Indep. Business v. Dept. of Labor,
Occupational Safety & Health Administration, __ U.S. __, __ S.Ct. __, __ L.Ed.2d __, Nos. 21A244
and 21A247, Slip Opinion, 2022 WL 120952, *8 (Jan. 13, 2022) (joint dissent of Breyer, Sotomayor,
and Kagan, JJ.).

So, the majority said "Ohio SC has never issued a joint dissent." The dissent replies with "UH DID YOU SEE THE SCOTUS DID THIS YESTERDAY?!"
HUH?


The whole thing reads like a screamfest.

Edit: And holy hell. One of the dissenting justices is the son of the governor (one of the named defendants). Unreal.