Originally published at: Taking Stock of the Midterms, Three Months Out - TPM – Talking Points Memo
Where Are We Three Months Out From the Election? Following last night’s election in Massachusetts — which, in the most closely-watched race, saw Democratic Sen. Ed Markey demolish a primary challenge from the much younger Rep. Seth Moulton — we’re coming to the end of primary season and turning to the general election. New Hampshire,…
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Math is not my strong point, but I count 2 months not 3 until November.
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I sense a possible disconnect in the way the Postal Service is handling this ballot issue. I don’t know about other states, but in Ohio, the state does not send out the mail-in ballots, the counties do. That would create 88 ways to screw up ballot distribution in just one state.
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Markwayne Mullin is giving stupidity a bad name.
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I’m from Massachusetts and voted for Markey. As far as I’m concerned Moulton is Republican lite. I haven’t trusted him since he was part of the attempted coup to oust Nancey Pelosi.
Not certain how I feel about the top two primary. I like the idea of removing the influence of parties from the electoral process. But I see this as an attempt by republicans to give themselves a chance to win seats in a state that is majorly democratic. Almost a reverse gerrymander.
If you don’t agree, please try to change my mind.
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The Atlantic article is … something. Archived link.
The mother gave birth one month early because she had measles. So, not a surprise the baby was infected.
Unlike many vaccinations, apparently measles vaccination is NOT recommended if you are pregnant. Did not know that.
Neither John or Anna has strong feelings about vaccination. Anna told me she wasn’t sure why her parents didn’t get her any shots. Choosing not to immunize their children wasn’t a political statement, and they didn’t make the decision after extensive research. They just didn’t do it.
Anna and John were somber but matter-of-fact about their son’s death. “There’s nothing we can do about it,” Anna told me. John said he viewed the tragedy as part of God’s plan, and pointed out that other parents lose children too. “I guess he chose us this time,” he told me.
She and her husband already have 13 children…
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The top two games people are playing in California are not good - I was pissed when Adam Schiff advertised for the Republican in order to push Porter out. And the near death threat (two GOP candidates advancing, no Dems) thing this summer was awful.
I’m sure there are disadvantages to the ranked choice top four model (Alaska), but that looks a LOT better from a voter’s point of view. We can actually vote for the less safe but voice of the people without jeopardizing the whole thing.
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Excellent point. In MA, the Secretary of State (more precisely, the Commonwealth) mails registered voters throughout the state a form, giving each voter the opportunity to vote by mail in the upcoming primary and/or general election. Each voter who opts to vote by mail returns the form, by mail or in person, to the town clerk of their municipality. (Counties play no role.) The town clerk mails me my ballot(s), and I return it (by mail, in a drop box, or in person) to the town clerk. I think it works the same way in Connecticut (which doesn’t even have counties anymore).
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That jungle primary in California was terrifying. I believe there is an initiative to get rid of it in the upcoming election for those reasons. Ranked choice voting like Alaska has, yes!
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In Oregon (which is entirely vote by mail), I’m wondering about the possibility of the State shipping (USPS or 3rd party) the ballots (in boxes) to the county clerk’s offices in the various county then giving voters a window to go in and pick them up (with ID verification). Then mailing what is left to hazard the USPS briar patch.
My understanding is that this screening process only happens on out-going individual ballots. States should be able to mitigate that exposure to some extent.
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In VA, it is by county. And the USPS has already fucked with the ballots. Our entire family didn’t receive any ballots for over a month, getting them only a few days before early voting ended. And out county is one of the bluest in the state. Those ballots were stuck in the mail handling facility for that entire month.
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WRT the 9/11 funds for NY: I’m waiting for some nimrod to start the nonsense that 9/11 is a hoax perpetrated by the Democrats.
25 years out, a significant portion of the current population wasn’t around for the event, much like our generation wasn’t around for Pearl Harbor.
Don’t put it past them.
ETA: Approximately 70 million Americans have been born since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Not all of these would be eligible to vote now.
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Thanks for the information.
I’ll keep it in mind.
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Thanks for the information.
I’ll bring these points up when discussing the issue.
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Off to our weekly kitty chemo, one of the few distractions that actually distracts from the constant shit show from Trump and his minions. Sigh . . . .
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I think Churchill got that one from Mark Twain.
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Trump wants anyone voting for the Democrat to vote in December and for his voter to vote in November. Maybe Google and Apple will spread the word on this as they changed the map for Lake Ontario to appease dear leader.
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Trying to effectively rewrite law by making the current law unenforceable – bypassing the Congress he is hostile to [like Elon and Doge?]:
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Is party health the goal? And then that begs the question of what is party health? It seems to me that the GOP has been voting party over country for a long time, is that the goal, is that a healthy party?
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