Ok folks, let's get something straight:

[PCIntern]

Last edited Mon Feb 26, 2024, 12:45 PM - Edit history (1)

I would assume that every poster here is going to vote in November. Ok?

Now I FULLY AGREE with the notion that many Americans are for various horrifying, in my opinion, reasons are either not going to vote or are going to vote for a third party candidate, or most horrifically, for the noisy, degenerating, sociopathic creamsicle. Our job as citizens, day to day, is to encourage people on the fence, to vote our way. Absolutely. I’ve been doing this my entire adult life and it is my avocation.

I will state for the record, however, that I don’t really enjoy having people scream at me in their replies to one of my posts that I’m intimating that “we have it in the bag” or “don’t worry” or phrases of that ilk. If i thought everything were secure in America, I wouldn’t be spending time At this website, I’d be writing my novel or entertaining friends, or watching reruns of old TV, or whatever. Believe me, I and virtually every legitimate member of DU, and I’ve been here twenty years now, is fucking scared to death of what may happen in our nation.


All that being said, I would honestly appreciate, if I or for that matter anyone else, posts a note of optimism, that the shouted pedantic warnings of “all will be lost if you continue to post messages such as this one. “Or, “we’ve got to go get out and vote… don’t forget to vote.” Are lessened or eradicated.

I promise you, no one here is going to forget to vote on November 5.

[Maeve]

1. Five rec's before a reply

We may not know what to say, but you have found agreement

[1WorldHope]

2. I'm with you PC. I don't think tsf has a chance of beating Biden.

I think people listen too much to Russian propaganda. I got 2 people to register for the first time in their lives, age 70 and 72.
Fuck TSF. Americans can't possibly be that naive. Some, yes. More? No!

[COL Mustard]

22. In 2016 I didn't think he had

A chance of beating Hillary. But he did. A few thousand votes differently in a couple of swing states and we would have avoided the hellscape that we’ve had since then. Every vote counts, and we need to encourage our neighbors to vote. It’s the only way.

[onecaliberal]

37. He killed A LOT of people since, and literally millions will either not vote or not vote for president.

[MOMFUDSKI]

3. I will vote straight Dem ticket like I always

have.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. All I want is 67 Senators and 400 Representatives to work with Joe.

You will vote however many times it takes to achieve those numbers, comrade, or no tacos for you.

[soldierant]

50. Except no more than once in the same election.

I realize that gows without saying - if you're not a Republican. But just in case...

[Demobrat]

5. People thought we had it in the bag in 2016.

No way did a failed casino operator and game show host have a shot. He was a joke. So they stayed home. We saw how that worked out. Now, there’s nobody and nothing more motivating to Dem voters than the risk of that happening again.

So no, we have no guarantees. But we have reason to e optimistic.

[PCIntern]

7. Yes. I know this.

We all know this. We all know it could happen again. We all are going to vote.

[Demobrat]

9. It's not the people here I'm talking about.

It’s the ones who stayed home. I don’t think they will make that mistake again. Maybe I’m wrong.

[PTL_Mancuso]

39. I think very much of 2016 was down to voter disenfranchisement and little prods and tweaks here and there.

The GOP bag of Dirty Tricks and of sneaky snakes to pull them off is simply Bottomless!!!

A few thousand votes here a few hundred there, etc. The Comey announcement, timed as it was, caused ginormous harm. I can only imagine he was hounded/harassed/threatened to an insane level to do what he did when he did it.

Remember Greg Palast reporting about hundreds of thousands of illegal voter disqualifications? [link:https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/19/georgia-governor-race-voter-suppression-brian-kemp|

It is almost like we will NEED to get 67% of the vote just to get to halfway.

[Tribetime]

45. Both 2016 and 2020 we had big lead in polls and

We barely won EC in 2020 and lost in 2016. The polls are way worse now so I don't see how anyone is optimistic now.

[Hekate]

6. Kick and another Rec

[Joinfortmill]

8. This one counts. Our democracy is on the line.

Do the right thing and encourage everyone you know to do the same. If we all do our part, we will save our Republic. God bless, May the force be with you, Peace.

[Pototan]

10. K & R

You have captured my sentiments exactly.

Thank you.

[CTyankee]

11. PC, the only thing I worry a lot about is all the chicanery at the state level that can be pulled.

and I think the Trumpers know that. They have their operatives in crucial swing states figuring out how to fix the next election. Fortunately, Biden's campaign strategists know this and are prepared for chicanery to happen.

[wendyb-NC]

12. Thank you for your post it is right on target

Yes, I am definitely voting Biden blue this November 5th, 2024. The precinct I live in had its organizational meeting. We are psyched to work from now till November, in order to get people out to vote. I have been a poll observer in early voting for the March 5, 2024 Primary Election. The numbers of people casting their ballots, is variable, and the numbers seem to be declining. Historically, his county tends to have fewer voters show up at the polls for the Primaries than in November. The turnout in November, 2020, for the Presidential Election was 75.35%, for the State of NC, according to the NCSBE. The county where I live voted for Democratic Candidates. The otherside won the majority in a number of counties and which reinforced the, Red State, classification. Gerrymandering is an issue, here.

People not only have to vote but use their brains and ask themselves have they ever seen a p[resident act like tfg, listen to those who are ringing the alarm bells about faschist leanings by the former president, and the R's embrace of dictators and autocrats, such as Putin and Orban. It is terrifying. If he goes back to the White House we are cooked. We must vote and get others to do the same.

[Blue Idaho]

13. I find optimism a road worth traveling on

Especially when we work like hell for the things we dearly believe in along the way.

[Aussie105]

14. There is no 'bag' for something to be in.

Don't fall for any polls that suggest 'it is in the bag' either way.

Every vote counts.

Vote like your future depends on it. Because it does.

[PCIntern]

16. Oh...ok...

I was thinking about not voting but you’ve convinced me.

[orleans]

17. lol

[littlemissmartypants]

32. Better to be in the bag than be the bag....

[PTL_Mancuso]

41. The cat's in a bag and the bag's in the river

according to Sidney Falco in The Sweet Smell of Success

[littlemissmartypants]

33. Or ...

Sometimes you do the vote.
And sometimes the vote does you.

[calimary]

15. Our Call to Action email that my Indivisible group issues every week

always aims to keep our readers engaged, or at least, informed about these things, so they’re ready to vote - and to do so intelligently.

We won’t be letting up, anytime soon.

[DinahMoeHum]

18. "Do More - Worry Less". . .

. . .as Simon Rosenberg reminds us.

https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/

Pedal to the Metal, folks!

[niyad]

21. Happy 22nd DUnniversary.

[byronius]

19. This is our history.

And we get the chance to start to change everything.

My entire extended family is voting Dem. My lifelong GOP father in law has been voting the straight Democratic ticket since Bush. He likes Biden.

Trump has poisoned the GOP well forever. That party leans Nazi, but now it’s gotten embarrassing. They’ll never be able to pretend they’re centrist again, and that’s going to hurt soon.

Each year brings a fresh wave of young lefties hoping and not hating. The GOP can’t make the demographics work for them. They’ll try, but it’s a weak position.

I hope. I think.

[niyad]

20. Like you, I have been here on DU for over 20 years, and I am scared to death.

I was one of a very, very few back in 2016, who cautioned about taking that traitorous monster seriously. I kept pointing out that hitler was regarded as a joke by many in his time, and look how that turned out.

I just early-voted for President Biden in our primary, and will vote a straight Dem ticket in November. In the meantime, doing everything I can, as I know you, and many here, are as well.

[TSExile]

42. Are you in Ohio?

I did vote for President Biden in our primary as well.

[niyad]

46. Colorado

[TSExile]

49. Ahhh!!

I think our primaries may have been on the same day.

[niyad]

53. March 5, Super Tuesday?

[czarjak]

23. As long as we are NOT cheated again with EC BS, it's in the bag.

A seven million vote deficit can't be overcome. Fingers crossed anyway?

[IbogaProject]

24. Both 2016 & 2020 were decided by miniscule margins

Yes 2020 was a "7 some million vote" margin, but the actual vote margins in 3 states were very close. 2016 was lost by less than 200,000 votes total. So get out the vote and advocating for what this administration has done. I'm proud to point out how large that infrastructure act has been. Roads and bridges getting fixed most everywhere. Along with how TFG talked infrastructure, but he failed to ever have his "infrastructure week" to help jog memories how absurd that entire administration was. It's obvious to us but there are so many completely under and mis informed people who need a simple boost towards Biden.

For Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020, winning a handful of large, winner-take-all states by very close margins proved key to their Electoral College victories. In 2016, Trump carried Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (total electoral votes: 75) by less than 2 percentage points each – or a combined total of 190,655 votes out of more than 23.3 million cast in those states. This year, Biden carried Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (total electoral votes: 57) by that same narrow margin – or a combined total of 124,364 votes out of 18.6 million cast.

I found that from https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/12/11/bidens-victory-another-example-of-how-electoral-college-wins-are-bigger-than-popular-vote-ones/

[ancianita]

25. You are absolutely right. Battlegrounds are the bottom line. Right there is where our GE optimism must get real.

Thanks.

[BaronChocula]

26. Confidence and optimism are contagious

and can have an impact on those characters that either don't vote or vote for TPCs. Many people simply side with strength and/or morale. It's a simple psychological principle. Projection of fear and/or panic is not attractive to the lizard brain.

I'm confident, I'm optimistic and I'm voting BEFORE Nov 5.

[Walleye]

27. My optimism is based on Joe Biden's optimism. Not because I worship him or I'm in a cult but because I know the man

Because he’s never lost a general election, and he knows what is doing. If he sees trouble coming he will let us know

[ancianita]

28. Amen.

[BlueMTexpat]

29. I truly enjoy reading

your posts, although I do NOT share some of your opinions.

But you are certainly correct in that we WILL be voting for the same person and the same party this upcoming November!

[betsuni]

30. I hate the word "complacent" because of 2016. Number of voters wasn't that different from 2012

or other elections as far as I can see, don't understand the idea that if anyone says a positive thing it will mesmerize Democrats into not voting. What the hell is that?

[greblach]

31. Sunshine

I too am optimistic about this year and the elections...and not just optimistic, but feeling a certain confidence in the human spirit that would not allow another round of idiocracy (great movie by the way). I know, I know, we felt the same way in 2016, but the feeling is massively stronger this time. Optimism is the way I live my life and there is no other way for me. Trust me we got this.

[spanone]

34. K&R

[birdographer]

35. Exactly

All of it. Especially the request to quit screaming.

[camartinwv]

36. I will proudly vote straight Dem like I always do.

[kimbutgar]

38. All I know is the day I receive my mail in ballot for President Biden I will drop it off in person the next day.

[Sympthsical]

40. Are our posts being read on MSNBC nightly or something?

It feels like they must be with the arguments that what we say here has some profound effect on the election, so happy thoughts or serious thoughts only.

It's a very small corner of the internet. It's just a discussion site for a small number of Democrats. If I wanted to influence an election, I'd leave the house.

[H2O Man]

43. Recommended.

Exactly. Well said. Thank you for this.

[Demsrule86]

44. Of course!!! I would as they say crawl through broken glass to vote.

I don't need excitement or to always get my way on every issue...put a Democrat on the ballot and he/she has my vote. For those who say but what if we got a Trumpian candidate. That would never happen. Democrats have a brain, a heart, and courage.

[yellowdogintexas]

47. Down here in Texas, we have this NVD problem: Non Voting Democrats.

It is so sad, since a good number of these people seriously do not think their vote counts
Not in the sense that it isn't counted, but in the sense that it won't make a difference.
We have had so many years of blank lines on the Democratic side of the ballot that our voters only turn out for Presidential & gubernatorial years. Then they only vote the top lines and wonder why things don't change .
SO we have: downballot issues, gerrymandering, folks who don't vote at all, and the ones who aggravate me the most: "I just don't pay attention to politics/ I don't know much about politics"
It is really hard to convince people to vote when they feel it is a wasted effort.
In my precinct of 1200 registered voters, I have about 120 who have never voted, voters who skip primaries (I can't find Democrats if they skip primaries)and a number of infrequent voters.

At least the state and county parties have been working hard to populate our ballots with Democratic candidates.

I am under no illusion that we can swing Texas for Biden, however I keep reading that the senate race has shifted enough that a contest between Cruz and Allred is at 2 points. Colin is raising lots of money and the DNC is supporting candidates around the state. If we can get rid of Raphael Eduardo I will be very pleased. He is not well liked.

[TigressDem]

48. One thing about DU, DEMs are like cats.... you can only lead them where they want to go.

Our ideas and opinions get heated and such, but in the end, I believe you are right most will understand quite depressingly that we have one last election to keep Democracy 2024.

Personally, I think it's depressing because we should NOT be in a position to have to choose between a Dictator and Democracy.

But life is what it is. People in Ukraine don't like having their lives blown up. If they can get through that and if we can help, great.

But ANYTHING any sane and rational person can do to keep our Democracy is needed now.

I for one keep pointing out every time someone brings up Biden's age that it makes him THE MOST EXPERIENCED PRESIDENT EVER.

I watch his speeches and I have cried with joy to have see how he actually cares about people who have lost loved ones. He knows how it feels and never forgets to make his pain move him forward to honor those he's lost by being a better person.

His thoughts about McCain and his presence at the Union Picket line. His Dark Brandon smirk and calling out tRUMP for racist posturing and his awful Hoover record of job losses show me he does get it.

And he got 7 billion for HBCUs. THAT IS A REAL piece of progress. Selling nasty sneakers for $400, please. Putin's puppet has NO CLASS.

Biden got US out of Covid disaster. It's still a thing but we don't have thousands dying daily anymore.

BIDEN/HARRIS could do SO MUCH MORE with an EFFECTIVE CONGRESS - READ BLUE TRIFECTA. Because ONLY THE DEMs seem interested in DOING the work it takes to make America better and better and better.

Enough with Orange Mussolini. VOTE BLUE.

[SarahD]

51. I need to do something other than post here.

We have good discussions, but there is no impact from talking with each other. My thing is writing GOTV letters to likely voters in swing states. I usually get a list of voters from the Sierra Club or ACLU so they're mostly Democrats or uncommitted. I encourage everyone to get off the keyboard for a weekend and do something else. Register some voters. Go to a town hall. Knock on doors. Help your precinct leaders. Go to a candidate rally and yell your lungs out. Then come back here a d tell us how much fun it was. Thanks.

[Torchlight]

52. I'm damned optimistic about '24.

That same optimism fuels my household to keep campaigning for our community's GOTV initiatives. I think it's a win, but maybe it won't be. Either way, I just kinda ignore the consistent 'woe-is-us' cries of anguish; from watching, reading, and observing my llittle part of America over the years, my guess is a third of it's just pretense, a third's trolling, and the last third are people more invested in fear than in hope.