St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
They're what the party considers "the country."
They're what the party considers "the country."
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The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
- Thread starter Kepler
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unofan
Well-known member
Yes they did, and yes it is.
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Definitely winnable but I don't feel the need to save people from themselves. GOP in the state had a horrible 2011 election, losing just about every statewide office. That they snapped back the next time isn't too surprising.
Problem for me is Dems in these states seem to have little ability to localize elections. They need to do that a lot, lot more to keep a presence in some of these places.
Definitely winnable but I don't feel the need to save people from themselves. GOP in the state had a horrible 2011 election, losing just about every statewide office. That they snapped back the next time isn't too surprising.
Problem for me is Dems in these states seem to have little ability to localize elections. They need to do that a lot, lot more to keep a presence in some of these places.
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
There really is no generalized party at state levels -- all states are different. The discrepancy in state results really comes down to the Republicans' big advantage in voter engagement. There are two systemic tendencies in turnout: it varies directly with both income and age. Republicans benefit from both effects.
There is a bit of a vicious cycle, however, which Democrats should take seriously. Think of political office as tiered. The Presidency is tier 1. The Senate, Governorships and major Cabinet positions is tier 2. The House, Lieutenant Governor, and minor Cabinet positions is tier 3. State Senate is tier 4, State House is tier 5... all the way down to county dog catcher or district school board member at tier 20-something.
Winning at tier n makes you a subsequent favorite at n, a contender at n-1, and a dark horse at n-2. Hence, greater success in the lower tiers tends to migrate slowly upwards -- the bench is deeper, greater competition tends to promote better candidates with more impressive resumes.
The Republicans have been better than the Democrats at leveraging these effects -- in fact, donors like the Kochs have invested in the lower levels in order to build a better organization top to bottom. Conservatives have understood the power of dominating at the local level forever -- hence their seeding of local libraries with tracts by Ayn Rand and others throughout the 70s and 80s in order to create an army of local activists.
There really is no generalized party at state levels -- all states are different. The discrepancy in state results really comes down to the Republicans' big advantage in voter engagement. There are two systemic tendencies in turnout: it varies directly with both income and age. Republicans benefit from both effects.
There is a bit of a vicious cycle, however, which Democrats should take seriously. Think of political office as tiered. The Presidency is tier 1. The Senate, Governorships and major Cabinet positions is tier 2. The House, Lieutenant Governor, and minor Cabinet positions is tier 3. State Senate is tier 4, State House is tier 5... all the way down to county dog catcher or district school board member at tier 20-something.
Winning at tier n makes you a subsequent favorite at n, a contender at n-1, and a dark horse at n-2. Hence, greater success in the lower tiers tends to migrate slowly upwards -- the bench is deeper, greater competition tends to promote better candidates with more impressive resumes.
The Republicans have been better than the Democrats at leveraging these effects -- in fact, donors like the Kochs have invested in the lower levels in order to build a better organization top to bottom. Conservatives have understood the power of dominating at the local level forever -- hence their seeding of local libraries with tracts by Ayn Rand and others throughout the 70s and 80s in order to create an army of local activists.
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Don't know if you watched the CNN show, Bush v. Gore: The Endless Election the other night on CNN. Bill Daley, Gore's campaign manager was basically, "meh, the GOP controlled Florida, so we new we would likely lose. If the Democrats had controlled Florida, we'd have won. That's just the way these things work." I thought it was a pretty honest assessment from an old time pol who didn't express any hard feelings about it, just an acknowledgement of the way things work in politics
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Sounds about right. Bush stole 2000 but Kennedy stole 1960. Call it even.
Sounds about right. Bush stole 2000 but Kennedy stole 1960. Call it even.
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Yesterday's Voter Fail was not a clean sweep.
Yesterday's Voter Fail was not a clean sweep.
unofan
Well-known member
Colorado Springs successfully recalled abd replaced three Koch brother supported school board members who tried to pull AP US History from the curriculum, too. So it's not all bad.
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Glad to hear that. Dr. Mrs. and I came through Colorado Springs a few years ago. It was so gorgeous it was on our short list for places to retire to; too bad it's Ground Zero for megachurches and the f-ckwittery that implies.
Glad to hear that. Dr. Mrs. and I came through Colorado Springs a few years ago. It was so gorgeous it was on our short list for places to retire to; too bad it's Ground Zero for megachurches and the f-ckwittery that implies.
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
It may take a generation or two of families going bankrupt from medical bills, but eventually these people are going to start realizing that Medicaid is subsidized by the feds at 100% until 2020 (?) and then 90% after that (I think...)
I know people are really dumb. But eventually this will have to change. Are people really willing to go bankrupt or die just to spite Obama and the Democrats? If that's the case, then eventually Darwinism is going to cause them to go the way of the Shakers.
It may take a generation or two of families going bankrupt from medical bills, but eventually these people are going to start realizing that Medicaid is subsidized by the feds at 100% until 2020 (?) and then 90% after that (I think...)
I know people are really dumb. But eventually this will have to change. Are people really willing to go bankrupt or die just to spite Obama and the Democrats? If that's the case, then eventually Darwinism is going to cause them to go the way of the Shakers.
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
The Republicans are willing to cut off their nose to spite their face with anything touching their Obama Derangement Syndrome. I'm surprised about the voters, though, given they have voted Democratic in other elections. It may simply be the consequence of an odd-numbered year (off-off-cycle) election, where the only people who vote are the type with "Stump for Trump" scrawled on their truck windows.
The Republicans are willing to cut off their nose to spite their face with anything touching their Obama Derangement Syndrome. I'm surprised about the voters, though, given they have voted Democratic in other elections. It may simply be the consequence of an odd-numbered year (off-off-cycle) election, where the only people who vote are the type with "Stump for Trump" scrawled on their truck windows.
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
You just have to pick the right part of town.
You just have to pick the right part of town.
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Again, they lost one governor's race in a conservative state. They won two other races there (AG and Sec of State), picked up several legislative seats in NJ, broke even in VA, and won the PA Supreme Court for the next 10 years. Settle down people. Kentucky is irrelevant to national politics.
Again, they lost one governor's race in a conservative state. They won two other races there (AG and Sec of State), picked up several legislative seats in NJ, broke even in VA, and won the PA Supreme Court for the next 10 years. Settle down people. Kentucky is irrelevant to national politics.
ScoobyDoo
NPC
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Do you know how many Republican Governors Kentucky has had the last 100 years? I don't think you do.
Do you know how many Republican Governors Kentucky has had the last 100 years? I don't think you do.
Spartanforlife4
Generic Catchy Message
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Ohio voted no on legalization of the ganja, though from what I understand that was a good thing, because it was essentially going to be a legalized monopoly.
Ohio voted no on legalization of the ganja, though from what I understand that was a good thing, because it was essentially going to be a legalized monopoly.
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
They didn't break even in VA, they blew a great chance to turn the state Senate.
It was a bad day, Rover. I don't think it's a harbinger for next year because the on-cycle electorate is virtually a different nation, but it was still a bad day.
They didn't break even in VA, they blew a great chance to turn the state Senate.
It was a bad day, Rover. I don't think it's a harbinger for next year because the on-cycle electorate is virtually a different nation, but it was still a bad day.
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
1,000 pardons on my reply to your KY gov post. I read it at the time as you were criticizing the result.
1,000 pardons on my reply to your KY gov post. I read it at the time as you were criticizing the result.
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
Who gives an F? We're not living in 100 years ago, we're living in the here and now. Wasn't the Gov before the current one a Republican? That's a lot more relevant than who got elected in 1928.
Kep, it wasn't a good night, but they had a 50/50 shot at VA Senate not a slam dunk. If the Macker wants the Senate that bad, appoint one of the Goopers a judge or something.
Who gives an F? We're not living in 100 years ago, we're living in the here and now. Wasn't the Gov before the current one a Republican? That's a lot more relevant than who got elected in 1928.
Kep, it wasn't a good night, but they had a 50/50 shot at VA Senate not a slam dunk. If the Macker wants the Senate that bad, appoint one of the Goopers a judge or something.
dxmnkd316
Lucia Apologist
William Blake
Registered User
Re: The States: Mad Scientist Laboratories of Democracy
They were actually Jefferson County school board members owned by the Koch bros, not ones from the Springs. Got to sign the recall petitions and cast the votes for each of them to hit the bricks, the recalls all succeeded by around 64% in favor, so they clearly did a good job of ****ing everyone off.
They were actually Jefferson County school board members owned by the Koch bros, not ones from the Springs. Got to sign the recall petitions and cast the votes for each of them to hit the bricks, the recalls all succeeded by around 64% in favor, so they clearly did a good job of ****ing everyone off.
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