2022 Midterm Elections

[jonmx 2,429]

1 hour ago, dogcows said:

This is just Republican cheerleading. Everybody knows that the opposing party historically does really well in midterms. However, the GOP whiffed on this one, BADLY. This kind of spin doesn’t change that one bit. Look at 2010 - didn’t they gain like 60 seats in the House?

Maybe in 2024 the party will push the election deniers, culture war crusaders, and extreme anti-abortion candidates to the sidelines and actually try to win. Ever since 2018, the GOP has been all about pandering to the extreme elements of their base, and I hope by now they realize that strategy isn’t working.

Lol...why does it matter.  As long as they control one of the chambers, it is gridlock and nothing will get done.  It does not make the slightest difference if they have 240 in the house or 219.  A victory is a victory. 

[dogcows 1,030]

Just now, jonmx said:

Lol...why does it matter.  As long as they control one of the chambers, it is gridlock and nothing will get done.  It does not make the slightest difference if they have 240 in the house or 219.  A victory is a victory. 

Ask the Dems about Manchin and Sinema if you think the size of the majority doesn’t matter.

And the only goal of Republicans is gridlock? No wonder the red wave turned out to be a mirage. 

[avoiding injuries 1,580]

1 minute ago, jonmx said:

Lol...why does it matter.  As long as they control one of the chambers, it is gridlock and nothing will get done.  It does not make the slightest difference if they have 240 in the house or 219.  A victory is a victory. 

Technically, you are right, but “Republicans” missed big here. There should have been the red wave that was predicted. This has shown me how bad and out of touch the Republican leadership is. The opportunity was there, and the messaging was completely botched. 
How do you lock down the country, destroy the economy, set record breaking inflation, get involved in a worthless war and let crime soar out of control and have little repercussions? We now have two men who can’t form a coherent thought that have won elections and are shaping this country. 

[Hardcore troubadour 15,416]

13 minutes ago, jonmx said:

Lol...why does it matter.  As long as they control one of the chambers, it is gridlock and nothing will get done.  It does not make the slightest difference if they have 240 in the house or 219.  A victory is a victory. 

The right will now control the oversight committees. Let the inquisitions begin. Finally some accountability. And the squad are now nothing but carnival barkers. Let’s go!!

[BuckSwope 654]

13 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

Since you are noting things, my position is as follows:  I don't know if there were shenanigans in 2020.  What I know, as an engineer who has worked in systems analyses, is that so much new and unvetted process was added to the election that it is impossible for it all to have gone smoothly.  There was insufficient testing and validation to even come to an objective conclusion about how well it went, so here we are, with one side screaming shenanigans and the other side calling it The Big Lie$#@! with caps and bold and italics and punctuation.  In the end we'll never really know.

 I think there are levels of "things going wrong".  

1.  0 mistakes or cheating

2.  Some of the above, but not enough to move the needle on election results.  

3.  Some of the above, but enough to tip the scales in the election.  

4.  Flat out fraud and collusion to have Biden president.  

 

I think we are firmly in #2 territory and probably always have been.   Yes, it's rational to reevaluate, test, and try to make the elections as secure and quick as possible.  But we are never going to have #1, it's not reality.   

[Hardcore troubadour 15,416]

7 minutes ago, dogcows said:

Ask the Dems about Manchin and Sinema if you think the size of the majority doesn’t matter.

And the only goal of Republicans is gridlock? No wonder the red wave turned out to be a mirage. 

Gridlock and investigations. I’ll take it 

[IGotWorms 4,058]

14 minutes ago, jonmx said:

Lol...why does it matter.  As long as they control one of the chambers, it is gridlock and nothing will get done.  It does not make the slightest difference if they have 240 in the house or 219.  A victory is a victory. 

It sure matters when 2024 rolls around and you lose your majority with one flipped seat

[BuckSwope 654]

14 minutes ago, jonmx said:

Lol...why does it matter.  As long as they control one of the chambers, it is gridlock and nothing will get done.  It does not make the slightest difference if they have 240 in the house or 219.  A victory is a victory. 

Come on, you can't tell me it was the goal of the GOP to eke out a majority in the house and that's it.    Both sides were predicting a much better outcome for the conservatives, especially in governor races.  

The smart move would be some self reflection and trying to understand why the outcome was what we saw and how they should adjust for 2024 so similar doesn't happen.   More likely it will be finger pointing and blaming stupid dem voters for not knowing what is going in in the country.     Like I said elsewhere, I thought the GOP would be smarter and not do exactly what I heard a lot of conservatives (with good reason)  bitching about in the lead up to 2020.   So far I haven't see that much but I think they will and should come around.    Trump vs. DeSantis if it happens will fracture and weaken the GOP again though, won't it?   Usually a strength of theirs vs. the Democrats is their lack of infighting and seeming more universal front.  

[craftsman 1,045]

3 minutes ago, avoiding injuries said:

Technically, you are right, but “Republicans” missed big here. There should have been the red wave that was predicted. This has shown me how bad and out of touch the Republican leadership is. The opportunity was there, and the messaging was completely botched. 
How do you lock down the country, destroy the economy, set record breaking inflation, get involved in a worthless war and let crime soar out of control and have little repercussions? We now have two men who can’t form a coherent thought that have won elections and are shaping this country. 

Part of it could also be attributed to a larger percentage of the youth in this country are chiming in with their votes. Where as before they were more interested in scoring chicks or being scored upon by guys. And other youth things. And this is not a good thing that the liberals would make it out to be. How many 20 year olds voted for liberals because it's a vote for queer people? I bet a lot.

We know public schools in this country are mostly liberal run cesspools. I'm sure they push the students to vote and for all the wrong reasons. And combine that with the idealistic feeble minds of 20 year olds who think socialism would be a grand way of living (which has been here since the beginning of time seemingly), and I bet that has an impact. What 22 year old is worried about their shrinking stocks and smoldering 401ks? Not many of them at all. They just want their student loans paid off at no effort of their own. Think of all that talk about paying those off by the government and press. You can bet your life that got 25-30 year olds salivating and ready to vote democrat. There are a lot of people susceptible to government handouts and promised freebies. Coming out of a couple years of Biden sending out checks to the lazy only stirred up hopes of more. 

There are so many reasons. Although, your reasons are valid as well, that doesn't speak the whole truth of the situation.

 

 

[Shooter McGavin 618]

39 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

Most 20-somethings don't understand what causes inflation or can debate whether or not we should raise rates more quickly to stave off further recession.

Apparently adults don't understand this either

[TimHauck 2,860]

2 hours ago, Masshole said:

So, where is he wrong?    He may be a doosh, but is he wrong?

I’m sure it’s more about young people than marital status.  It’s just that young people also tend to be not married.  They don’t vote more Republican because they get married, they do it because they get older.

[craftsman 1,045]

9 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

The right will now control the oversight committees. Let the inquisitions begin. Finally some accountability. And the squad are now nothing but carnival barkers. Let’s go!!

Yeah, and don't let the minority leader choose who they want to represent on the committees from the left.

Pelosi set a precedence. 

[BuckSwope 654]

3 minutes ago, craftsman said:

Part of it could also be attributed to a larger percentage of the youth in this country are chiming in with their votes. Where as before they were more interested in scoring chicks or being scored upon by guys. And other youth things. And this is not a good thing that the liberals would make it out to be. How many 20 year olds voted for liberals because it's a vote for queer people? I bet a lot.

We know public schools in this country are mostly liberal run cesspools. I'm sure they push the students to vote and for all the wrong reasons. And combine that with the idealistic feeble minds of 20 year olds who think socialism would be a grand way of living (which has been here since the beginning of time seemingly), and I bet that has an impact. What 22 year old is worried about their shrinking stocks and smoldering 401ks? Not many of them at all. They just want their student loans paid off at no effort of their own. Think of all that talk about paying those off by the government and press. You can bet your life that got 25-30 year olds salivating and ready to vote democrat. There are a lot of people susceptible to government handouts and promised freebies. Coming out of a couple years of Biden sending out checks to the lazy only stirred up hopes of more. 

There are so many reasons. Although, your reasons are valid as well, that doesn't speak the whole truth of the situation.

 

 

I'm 48 and I don't worry about shrinking stocks and 401Ks.    Not everybody votes on the same issues exactly the same or has the same worries.   That's the beauty of having a diverse population, and the youth voting D at a higher clip probably has been the case for a long time.    Each political party knows what buttons to push to try to get their base to the polls.   Yes, the prospect of $20K less in student debt probably was attractive to many voters.  

[craftsman 1,045]

2 minutes ago, Shooter McGavin said:

Apparently adults don't understand this either

You are the living embodiment of that for sure. At least you admit it. 

[nobody 2,669]

47 minutes ago, jerryskids said:

You know I was joking, right?   

I knew.  I just wanted to drag this concept of equity.

[craftsman 1,045]

2 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

I'm 48 and I don't worry about shrinking stocks and 401Ks.    Not everybody votes on the same issues exactly the same or has the same worries.   That's the beauty of having a diverse population, and the youth voting D at a higher clip probably has been the case for a long time.    Each political party knows what buttons to push to try to get their base to the polls.   Yes, the prospect of $20K less in student debt probably was attractive to many voters.  

You are right. When Hillary was running for president the college girls were all flocking to her because they all wanted the first woman president. They had no other reasons.

There is a pattern that has formed over the years on what drives the youth to vote. And it's not what you think from what I see you saying. 

[avoiding injuries 1,580]

9 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

I'm 48 and I don't worry about shrinking stocks and 401Ks.    Not everybody votes on the same issues exactly the same or has the same worries.   

Is that because you aren’t retiring soon and are confident that the market will bounce back? Because the market isn’t coming back while the current policies are in place. 
Or you could be like the 20yo voters who didn’t have anything to lose. 

[BuckSwope 654]

3 minutes ago, craftsman said:

You are right. When Hillary was running for president the college girls were all flocking to her because they all wanted the first woman president. They had no other reasons.

There is a pattern that has formed over the years on what drives the youth to vote. And it's not what you think from what I see you saying. 

Yes, you are right- I don't share your bleak views on that demographic.   I don't think it was for "no other reasons" than to have a lady president and whatever else you claimed- queer issues this time, is that right?  Yes, those were some of the factors as well.  

But continue to not try to understand those groups and write them off like the Ds were doing with Rs leading up to 2020.  

[BuckSwope 654]

1 minute ago, avoiding injuries said:

Is that because you aren’t retiring soon and are confident that the market will bounce back? Because the market isn’t coming back while the current policies are in place. 
Or you could be like the 20yo voters who didn’t have anything to lose. 

My money situation has never been a factor in my voting ever, especially at the president level.  It doesn't drive my motivations. 

[craftsman 1,045]

2 minutes ago, avoiding injuries said:

Is that because you aren’t retiring soon and are confident that the market will bounce back? Because the market isn’t coming back while the current policies are in place. 
Or you could be like the 20yo voters who didn’t have anything to lose. 

That was a really poor argument by him. I guess that's all he had though. 

[avoiding injuries 1,580]

1 minute ago, BuckSwope said:

My money situation has never been a factor in my voting ever, especially at the president level.  It doesn't drive my motivations. 

Noted

[Shooter McGavin 618]

4 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

My money situation has never been a factor in my voting ever, especially at the president level.  It doesn't drive my motivations. 

I find this very hard to believe.

[nobody 2,669]

12 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

My money situation has never been a factor in my voting ever, especially at the president level.  It doesn't drive my motivations. 

Too bad you get a vote then.  You're doing it wrong.

[Strike 5,538]

1 hour ago, jonmx said:

Lol...why does it matter.  As long as they control one of the chambers, it is gridlock and nothing will get done.  It does not make the slightest difference if they have 240 in the house or 219.  A victory is a victory. 

Actually it does matter.  If Joe Manchin/Kristin Simena taught us anything, it's that no matter how supposedly principle people are they can be bought so if you have a slim majority don't be surprised if a small percentage of that majority votes the other way when they think it benefits them or their constituents.

[Herbivore 1,134]

1 hour ago, jerryskids said:

Since you are noting things, my position is as follows:  I don't know if there were shenanigans in 2020.  What I know, as an engineer who has worked in systems analyses, is that so much new and unvetted process was added to the election that it is impossible for it all to have gone smoothly.  There was insufficient testing and validation to even come to an objective conclusion about how well it went, so here we are, with one side screaming shenanigans and the other side calling it The Big Lie$#@! with caps and bold and italics and punctuation.  In the end we'll never really know.

Stop The Steal had rallies and bold lettering too

[Reality 3,121]

33 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

My money situation has never been a factor in my voting ever, especially at the president level.  It doesn't drive my motivations. 

Same age as you. I'm absolutely worried about my 401k. How could you possibly not be? Odd.

[BuckSwope 654]

29 minutes ago, Shooter McGavin said:

I find this very hard to believe.

Ok. 

[IGotWorms 4,058]

1 minute ago, Reality said:

Same age as you. I'm absolutely worried about my 401k. How could you possibly not be? Odd.

If you have even 1/10th of the financial savvy you claim, you know that all that matters in your 401k is contributions and time. The day by day rise and fall of the market is meaningless

[Sean Mooney 1,983]

1 minute ago, IGotWorms said:

If you have even 1/10th of the financial savvy you claim, you know that all that matters in your 401k is contributions and time. The day by day rise and fall of the market is meaningless

Exactly...the handwringing over a 401K only means something if you are retiring imminently. If you have a good 5+ years you are most likely going to be okay

[nobody 2,669]

3 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

If you have even 1/10th of the financial savvy you claim, you know that all that matters in your 401k is contributions and time. The day by day rise and fall of the market is meaningless

Biden's policies are leading us to a lost decade of growth.  That translates directly into postponed retirement for people in their late 40s.

[IGotWorms 4,058]

Just now, nobody said:

Biden's policies are leading us to a lost decade of growth.  That translates directly into postponed retirement for people in their late 40s.

Yeah I guess if you wildly overstate some chicken little scenario then it could matter

[avoiding injuries 1,580]

Normal person: My portfolio is down 25%.

Centrists: IT’S ONLY AN ISSUE IF YOU’RE ABOUT TO RETIRE!!!1!1!11!!!

[nobody 2,669]

Just now, IGotWorms said:

Yeah I guess if you wildly overstate some chicken little scenario then it could matter

Overstate?  He's driving us directly into a recession.  

I guess this will be another situation where you guys will claim no one could've known without the benefit of hindsight.

[nobody 2,669]

1 minute ago, avoiding injuries said:

Normal person: My portfolio is down 25%.

Centrists: IT’S ONLY AN ISSUE IF YOU’RE ABOUT TO RETIRE!!!1!1!11!!!

These people vote. 

[dogcows 1,030]

I will preface this by saying I don’t agree Biden’s policies are what's hurting the economy. However, inflation and the economy are a big concern, so it should have had a much more negative effect on Dems this cycle.

Imagine if, instead of “CRT is the devil! Abortion is murder! MUH FRAUD! MOAR GUNZ!” ... We had all the GOP candidates talking about plans to fix the economy. You might have seen a different outcome.

When the GOP is ready to dump all that stupid , they might turn things around. But I don’t see it happening quite yet. In DeSantis’ most recent speech, he said the word “Woke” about 10 times in less than a minute. I’m sure that gets all the far-right types' nipples hard, but it’s a turnoff to independents and Dems, and doesn’t say anything about how he’d help the economy.

[nobody 2,669]

Biden spends us into exacerbated inflation.  That has a triple whammy.  First, it takes more money to retire.  Second it tanks stocks.  Third, it requires us to raise rates which in turn is going to hurt housing and as a result drag on stocks even more.  

Please, for love of abortion, please please please don't say we needed hindsight to know this was going to happen. 

This is very, very basic.

But I suspect many centrists would be happy to work an extra 5 years because insurance will pay for a chick to travel a state over to get an abortion.

[Hardcore troubadour 15,416]

Impeaching Mayorkas has to be the first order of business. 

[Hardcore troubadour 15,416]

Good thing all those young people got out and voted so they could get their student loans forgiven. Soy lattes for everyone!! Didn’t even make it to the weekend after the election.   Lol. 

[Reality 3,121]

44 minutes ago, nobody said:

Biden's policies are leading us to a lost decade of growth.  That translates directly into postponed retirement for people in their late 40s.

Down 20% YTD, straight up disappeared. Inflation is a runaway train. It's all good though, don't stress. 

[Sean Mooney 1,983]

41 minutes ago, avoiding injuries said:

Normal person: My portfolio is down 25%.

Centrists: IT’S ONLY AN ISSUE IF YOU’RE ABOUT TO RETIRE!!!1!1!11!!!

When you open a 401K one of the very first things they (if you go through a brokership) do is look at how far away you are from retiring because: a.) it affects what they invest in for you and b.) they remind you not to worry about the small fluctuations in a year and look more at the long game.

 

It's not like the thing drops and it is gone forever.