Research shows that in some countries, employers, especially private employers, can exert influence on how their employees vote. They can do this with both carrots and sticks. In contrast, the public sector is barred from even implying such favoritism. Of course, as we have seen with US officer corp of the military that this does not matter. It is largely a given that you vote GOP to move ahead in your career. Its all stick and no carrot. For the poor in areas with low economic opportunity such as the San Joaquin Valley, not voting becomes a survival strategy. While the employer sees brown people as likely to vote for Democrats, the effect on employment is neutralized by making it clear that you do not vote. All this talk about some sacred franchise is bullshit if you can’t feed your family next week. The majority of Americans have net savings of less than $1,000, so their economic situation is continuously precarious. 80 million adults never vote.
brissy only shows up on threads where the topic rolls around to the Russian interference investigation.
The Troll Farm at 55 Savushkina Street scans for it. So they don’t waste their time replying to uninteresting threads.
Try it sometime: invoke Mueller, mention Vesenitskaya and Flynn – voilà, brissy pops up right on cue!!
Here, too. I was a fervent participant in high school civics class (back in the day they taught us all the things our current pResident doesn’t know about) and then watched one after another assassination and friends get shipped to Vietnam and die and all that was happening before I was 21.
The year I was old enough to vote in the California primary, I proudly went to the polls and that night saw on TV my candidate murdered during his victory speech. It only made me more entrenched in the idea that I have to vote in every election.
Maybe the chaos happening today will make more young people learn about government and commit themselves to doing their part. We need everyone to take it as seriously as those of us who grew up with “duck and cover” drills in school because of the fear of Russians attacking us — they have already attacked and they had too much help in doing so.
Stupid Woody Guthrie. Obviously not aware that Democracy only now is at stake – and he uses “whilst”.
Justice, oh, justice,
Whereabouts can I hide?
Liberty’s locked up by the fascists tonight!
Freedom got sold
For her carcass and bones!
Justice, oh, justice,
Whereabouts can I hide?
Freedom, oh, freedom,
Whereabouts do you hide?
I looked through my wrecked street, but you I cannot find
Peace got beat up, by the Stormtroops last night.
Freedom, oh, freedom,
Whereabouts do you hide?
Democracy, democracy,
Hey, lift up your head!
This is the same curbstone where my family bled.
The voters are voting
Whilst the blood soaks it red.
Democracy, democracy,
Hey, lift up your head!
Same here, since I was 18. My mom made sure of it; too many people died for the right to vote. Was proud to go to polling station with her. It’s free, easy - and this was before permanent mail in ballots. I do miss the “I voted” sticker though.
[quote=“littlegirlblue, post:11, topic:63998”]
I heard a slogan way back then saying, “Vote, you lucky American!” and always felt it to be true.
[/quote] For me it’s the one where if you don’t vote then don’t complain.
I don’t just boo, I vote too. .
I don’t like the word Trumpism, it suggest some kind of coherent ideology or, at least, thinking, instead of blatant opportunism and grifting.
Me, either. And that’s 40 years of primaries, specials, generals, mid-terms and off-years. Used to be here in Kentucky we had local and legislative elections in odd years so there was a primary every May and a general every November. Elections every six months forever meant somebody was always campaining. And everybody voted.
They they switched local elections to even years, and now dems sit at home.
I love to talk about issue politics–leaving party out of it. I do it in a respectful calm way. They can’t even make that leap. Any mention, even slight, has them rapidly becoming angry. It wasn’t always like that. After they voted for Trump they don’t even want to hear anything about politics.
You’re talking about RFK of course. His brother, had he run for a second term, would have been the first ballot I cast. I’m not sure I saw it live, though I did see JFK’s assassination live.
I don’t know what it will take to get young people to look up from their phones and their social media obsession to let news from all around them sink in and then take appropriate action. We who are in the older age bracket are the ones who come to out to vote in reliable numbers, and it’s maybe because we have some degree of civic engagement, we come here to let us each other know what we know. “Duck and cover” in grade school, I remember that too.
You’re quoting our last sane president.
As soon as it started raining up far north CA, i was hoping it would be moving towards sonoma/napa - now I hope you guys don’t get mud slides. Clare - any need for hot meals or clothes for people you know? can travel down there
Sad to say I do know people who don’t mind saying they don’t vote except in presidential elections. They fail to see all elections are connected, and so IMO when they do cast that vote once every four years, I imagine it’s pretty well uninformed.
Killed Roosevelt.
You are so kind. There are already a lot of food drives and volunteer efforts going on. The response has been fast and generous. There is a lot of wealth here and they will step up in a big way with fundraisers and fat checks. The wine community is good that way. The bigger devastation is in Santa Rosa and the edge of Calistoga. Some whom I thought had lost their homes, did not, and some who’d you have thought would have been okay, were not. It is so strange what the monster chooses to eat and what the firefighters are able to fight off. We are still unpacking and getting back to normal here. The rain settled the smoke and was a huge blessing, though someone on NPR said we have more hot, dry weather coming and to remain vigilant.
Yes, the MoJo story appears to be a continuation of his work at The Nation. He mentions that he started this story while at The Nation.
The MoJo article, being more current, helps to demolish the myth that Hillz, and only Hillz, was responsible for losing WI.
I’ve been thinking we need a national conversation about voter suppression since Election 2000 (SC and FL anyone?). Maybe now we’ll have one.
Yes. I was watching the news of election returns that night, excited to have cast my first ever vote earlier that day. Moments after he stepped away from the podium we heard shots and someone shouted, and the rest of the night I spent weeping while watching it all unfold. The fact that it was another assassination in such a short period of time just enhanced the tragedy of it all.
MLK was also murdered at around the same time as RFK. It was a strange few months.
I don’t believe we’re ever going to have a national conversation about voter suppression. It works to the R’s advantage, why would they disadvantage themselves. However, there is a case before SCOTUS about gerrymandering in WI we should be paying attention to.
it’s been raining 2 days up here, so hope some comes your way. I realize SF is there full of volunteers, so one beyond the redwood curtain might not be as useful. good luck C - we love sonoma/napa
I don’t know either. It makes me sick. I like you have never not voted since I have been able to vote.
I was planning to cast my first vote when JFK ran for a second term.