On a scale of one to ten, today is a brutally busy day. I have a heavy load of personal tasks, like preparing my grocery order, editing a letter to the Governor for the President of our volunteer organization, arranging my lift ride for next Monday’s Podiatry appointment, and routine cooking and cleaning. In addition, I had to compose a new poll, collect all the data and make all the graphics for tomorrow’s Monthly Report, and am writing today’s articles. On top of that, I’m trying to keep track of the Iowa Caucuses. The winners I predict in Iowa are Bernie and Hateful Hairball.,
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:04 (average 5:54). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: On a May 19 CNN broadcast with Blitzer, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders unveiled a plan to eliminate college tuition by taxing Wall Street speculation.
Sounds pretty simple and straight forward doesn’t it? Yet, Blitzer just couldn’t wrap his mind around it….. watch……https://www.youtube.com/…
That’s why Bernie is the one!
From NY Times: …Voters on the ideological edges, who dominate both parties in Iowa, have made Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, and Donald J. Trump and Mr. Cruz, whose views are anathema to Republican leadership, the standard-bearers of the left and the right.
Iowa’s left can be as right as Iowa’s right is wrong. We’ll see tonight.
From Think Progress: An important but little-discussed aspect of American elections is the built-in advantage that Republicans have in the nation’s gubernatorial races.
The reason why is simple. Turnout is far higher in years when there’s a presidential election, and that boost in turnout is predominantly reflected in minorities and young people, constituencies that tend to vote Democratic. Conversely, turnout is typically over 20 points lower during midterm elections, with far fewer minorities and young people going to the polls. But just nine states have gubernatorial elections that exclusively coincide with presidential votes, whereas 34 states vote for governor during midterm elections. (Five states vote in odd-numbered years and the remaining two elect their governor every two years.)
This bias towards midterm elections is a contributing reason why swing states that twice voted for President Obama, such as Florida, Wisconsin, and Ohio, also elected Republicans during the last two gubernatorial races.
But one of those purple states could soon shift its gubernatorial elections to presidential years: Michigan.
According to the Detroit Free Press, an unidentified group of Democrats and independents are considering a ballot initiative to move gubernatorial races by two years so as to line up with presidential elections. Other statewide races, such as those for attorney general and secretary of state, would also be moved. If the initiative comes together and is passed by voters this year, the elections could shift as soon as 2020.
This may be the end of Sturmbannführer Snyder, if he isn’t in a prison cell first. However, we need to get this on ballot measures all over the country.,
Cartoon:
11 Responses to “Open Thread–2/1/2016”
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I am glad you are finally able to (be up to) have the hands on with the data so can feel the more minor trends, etc. as well now.
I guess the Blitz thinks all things policy need to be so complicated no one is expected to understand.
Tonight might eventually be noted as a total shift in our political landscape much like TET is now viewed.
I hope the people's initiative in Michigan succeeds.
5:45 (5:54) Well, you probably want to make sure the kitty dish is clean.
DKos – Republicans can never wrap their minds around the plain fact that (sometimes?) (most of the time?) always whenever a public good is in question, spending money now will save a lot more money down the road. Or maybe they can't wrap their minds around the concept of a public good. Whatever. They waste a lot of money, and the money they waste is OUR money. Feel the Bern!
NY Times – And people wonder why we are polarized as a nation.
Think Progress – Given the statistics cited, the fact that "only" 31 states have Republocan governors practically represents a Democratic landslide! Gubernatorial elections in Presidential years? Bring it on! But remember we still need to teach people to vote down-ballot.
Cartoon – Maybe I'd better not go there. I wouldn't want to burn up your post.
DK: Bernie was spot on!! in talking about Income Inequality. Register to Vote, and go all the way with Bernie!!
TP: I hope it works out for Michigan.
Cartoon: The first Miss America was Edith Hyde Robbins. The affair was held at the Hotel des Artistee, at 1 West 67th Street in Manhattan. Interesting history.
You've had a very busy day, I hope that you get a chance to rest. Take care, enjoy your evening, Thanks, Tom.
If we could get the governorship elections moved to presidential election years, there would be a monumental shift in the colors of states that are now deep red. I wish that OK would change this!!! It would make a huge difference in the quality of life for a LOT of people!!!
TC, I am very glad tht you CAN have a "brually heavy day."
Gubernatorial races coinciding with presidential ones s somehting the GOPigs will fight, tooth and nail, I love it!
Bernie has sooo many good ideas!
I await the caucus results with something like bated breath!
2:56 I love the bright colours!
Whew, you had a lot to do for one day! Get some rest!
Daily Kos: Still don't have th sound right on the new Pc so could not hear this one. However, I am not surprised that Blitzer could not wrap his head around any thing Bernie said. He really is Faux light.
NY Times: Cruz won for the Republicans and last news I heard was Hillary was 1 percent ahead of Bernie. So much for predictions.
Think Progress: I wish this would happen all over the US. Morepeople vote in Presidential elections, and if gubernatorial elections were held at the same time, we would surely have more democratic governors.
Cartoon: They wish we were still there.
I'm so far at the back of the row when commenting, I can now tell you that you're predictions were wrong on both accounts, but that Hillary won only by a hair so it was fair when Barnie called it a draw. That Ted won in pseudo-religious Iowa isn't as much of a surprise as rather scary. When you've finished all your chores, have a catnap on me.
Daily Kos: You'd think that Wall Street investors would (reluctantly) accept paying for college tuition as that would lead to more highly educated workforce everywhere including in the financial sector, something they could stand to gain from. But that is of course our way of thinking, not theirs. They don't want Everyman's kid working in finance, they wat THEIR kids, and ONLY their kids, who do not ever have to worry about a loan, to come and work in finance, or any top job for that matter. Their legacy should be preserved, not threatened by upstarts from the 90%.
NY Times: The left was almost right, the right is always wrong.
Think Progress: It seems only natural to me that Americans would chose a president and the state "presidents", i.e. the governors all at the same time, but must be because to a foreigner they seem to be very much alike in the "power" they are given to govern. It would also make more sense in a constitutional unity of states, but that may be exactly the reason why it's not going to happen in red states.
Tom, do they charge you half price when you go to the Podiatrist? When I was still nursing, we had a unilateral amuptee petient. I asked this same question of the Podiatrist.. He was not too pleased with me and did not answer. Gee, I was just trying to make a funny !!
LOL!
Thanks all! Hugs!! No Time!!