Well, I voted
Just got back from voting, on a beautiful but seasonably cold day.
When I was a young adult, elections weren’t at all stressful to me. I cared about the outcomes, of course. But it seemed that no matter what, the big picture would go on more or less as before.
Now I get very stressed out and can barely stand to watch the returns. In fact, I don’t always watch them till later in the evening, after quite a bit of time has elapsed. That doesn’t help much either, though; the tension is there no matter what.
I am very much hoping for a good night.
Now I get very stressed out and can barely stand to watch the returns. In fact, I don’t always watch them till later in the evening, after quite a bit of time has elapsed. That doesn’t help much either, though; the tension is there no matter what.
What Neo said. For me, the worst aspect of election-night stress is that I no longer have any trust in either the method of voting or the larger system of government; I’ve become a complete cynic.
I voted today too; as well as yesterday and the day before – all by mail in ballots.
This time I only had to send in one death certificate with my various mail in ballots.
Oh yea, I also voted in person today. I did not have any ID, so I just told them – in a heavy spanish accent- that my name was Ernesto Hidalgo Suarez – and that since I had just crossed the Rio Grande into Texas very recently, I did not have time to obtain a ID.
I also told them I would vote democrat.
And that did the trick.
There are very disturbing reports from AZ (Maricopa), from NJ, and from Il, of serious problems with the voting machines, while Democrats are warning that what may seem initially to have been a “red wave” may turn out to have been a “red mirage”, but, of course, no-one ought to be even slightly concerned should the tabulating of the votes take days, or even weeks. One should never forget the wise words of the Soviet “Uncle Joe” (who did not, in fact, actually utter them) that what matters is not so much who votes, but who collects the votes and who counts the votes.
Worked at our precinct (SE PA) poll. Was #800 after i got done with shift at 1300. They had about 3k ballots on hand, so a bit over 25% at half day. Likely 60+% for midterms, which is pretty high (though we also have gov and a senate race to add to turnout)
Just saw a local news report that the results in the LA area may not be available for days or weeks. (Makes you wonder if Caruso is surging for Mayor.)
Voting machine problems reported in Maricopa County.
Philadelphia announced last minute changes to voting regulations/procedures.
Biden said results could be delayed for days.
There is good reason to be stressed.
I voted here in Michigan around mid morning, and was surprised at how crowded it was. I’m not sure if that is a good or a bad sign. Like Neo, I find myself a little stressed out. Much of the stress comes from the expectation of significant fraud on the part of the democrats, and our likely inability to do much of anything about it once it’s over.
All of the crowing on our side about the coming “red tsunami” makes me a little nervous as well. We could wake up tomorrow morning like in 2020 wondering what the hell happened.
I sent in my ballot (I live in Washington) several days ago. In a deep blue county in a blue state, my vote is of little consequence. But…Tiffany Smiley does have a real chance; so my vote might have a small impact this year. In the end, Murray will likely win. But that it’s so close makes me very happy and hopeful for the results nationwide
I’m not terribly stressed. My expectations are modest (GOP wins the House with at least 225 seats and at minimum the Senate stays 50/50) and are likely to met. Everything beyond is icing on the cake.
My hopes are much broader, but they are just hopes. Largely plausible hopes, but just hopes
FWIW– JoJo shut down his “activity” before noon today: “Biden . . . laid low on Tuesday except for an interview taped earlier in the morning with the D.L. Hughley Show, which was expected to air later in the afternoon. . . . The White House called a lid at 11:20 a.m. before the noon pool call time with reporters.”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2022/11/biden-avoiding-election-day-put-a-lid-on-everything-before-noon/
That means we won’t know what flavor pudding cup he had for lunch.
The level of plain deceit in Democratic/liberal politics now is perhaps no better illustrated than through Chris Hayes.
1. He claims “Democracy is on the ballot” before the election.
2. He throws in the towel at 3 pm EST today and admits Republicans are going to win.
3. He then says “Democracy wasn’t really on the ballot.”
So, this guy pretty much knew the GOP was going to win but still engaged in absolutely reckless and destructive rhetoric before the election, then backed off it before Election Day was even over with no real explanation or apology.
https://ace.mu.nu/
Mike
I feel the same way. Usually try to find something to binge until later in the night.
If the Dems lose the Senate, I think it likely they’ll have a lit lame duck session where they pass a wish list by 50+ Kamala–which they can do, because suspending any Senate rule only ever requires a majority vote and is only a precedent if the majority wants it to be. Possibly they may do this through reconciliation, by hollowing out an already-passed bill.
The House will still be Dem-controlled until January of course. When the Rs take over they’ll throw up their hands, citing the filibuster and how important it is for norms…
I would be delighted to be proven wrong by events, but I’m not sure the new Rs are Trumpy enough.
The cloud behind the silver lining is that there’s not enough Trumpy R’s to make a dent in the Swamp, but there’s enough to be left to take the blame for things not meaningfully changing.
If the R’s are allowed to win today, it’s theirs to show me that my cynicism is misplaced. Personally I voted for the Trumpiest and most extreme R’s available in both primary and general elections.
We had a surprisingly long line for early voting a couple of weeks ago. There are no close races on the ballot where I live. None. There are a whole lot of angry Republican voters who needed to vote even when all their races were easy dunks.
The stress is understandable. Back in the day, both parties:
– supported the electoral college and the constitution,
– opposed packing the Supreme Court,
– understood that threatening judges with violence was appalling
– believed in the need for a border,
– understood that leaving violent criminals loose on the streets was a bad idea,
– recognized that the FBI, CIA, DOJ and the rest of the federal government shouldn’t serve as the partisan Gestapo for one party,
– understood that censorship is destructive of civil rights,
– believed that an effective, functioning military was important,
– knew that women don’t have penises and men can’t get pregnant
– refused to support men dominating women in sports
– defended young girls from having to share showers and bathrooms with boys in school
– opposed sexualizing little children at public schools and public libraries
– opposed small kids having sex organs hacked off
– believed that the public’s belief in honest elections mattered
– supported and expected honest science and economics
– opposed totalitarians whether fascist or communist
– understood that economies cannot function without energy
None of this is true any longer.
Finally, both parties believed in the existence of truth.
If you weren’t stressed, you wouldn’t be a responsible citizen. You wouldn’t be a patriot. You wouldn’t be a loving aunt, caring neighbor or supportive member of society.
I assume that vote fraud will defeat Oz in PA. That state is corrupt/run by Democrats and they keep changing the rules. The Maricopa fiasco is disheartening. Katie Hobbs is in charge of elections (why Soros supported her) and refuses to recuse herself, so we will see what happens.
I have hopes for the other Trump endorsed candidates but the Ds perfected vote fraud in 2020.
Yup, I voted today too. Also gave blood. Feeling though that the later of those two “civic duties” has more benefit than the first. I live in a deep blue area of New Jersey, our congress critter is Frank Pallone whose seat is considered “safe” since he has been in that seat since 1988. Our district is very gerrymandered to keep it safe.
One thing about voting this year which I thought was a good thing is that the sample ballot they mail out has a bar code that they can scan rather than looking your name up in the registered voters book. I’ve always brought the sample ballot with me and just handed it over for them to see who I was. But, this year the sample ballot suggested to bring it in so it can be scanned. Makes sense to me – anything to make work easier for the poll workers. Also, leads to less mistakes maybe?
Hoping for a red landslide; but, know not to hold my breath. Too many of my neighbors/colleagues in this area have said to me over the years that they “vote Democrat or they don’t vote.” And they wonder why we end up with idiots in government?
Voted about 6:20 this morning in Kentucky. Federal offices are not likely to go blue but there are a lot of local ones up for grabs and a pair of constitutional amendments. No lines, but there were about a dozen people patiently filling out their ballots.
“If the Dems lose the Senate, I think it likely they’ll have a lit lame duck session where they pass a wish list by 50+ Kamala”
I have a GREAT deal of disdain for Mitch McConnell but even I can’t imagine that happening and him not going completely thermonuclear when the GOP takes over the Senate. I’m not sure how much Mitch cares about his fellow Americans but he does care about the Senate as an institution.
Mike
Guam has elected a R delegate…. so that may be an good omen for the rest of the election .
https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-guam-elects-first-republican-delegate-to-u-s-congress-since-1993
Mark me down as officially scared. This sounds like an accurate description of the landscape :
https://boriquagato.substack.com/p/if-i-stole-it-by-el-gato-malo
Heck stan, I remember when we had a President that didn’t casually mention the likelihood of armageddon with a foreign adversary or routinely discuss using F-15s against the citizenry because they wanted AR-15s. Times have changed.
I voted in my new home in deep red West Virginia. Not too much at stake here. I am usually very nervous on election day but not so much this year for two somewhat contradictory reasons. I am cautiously optimistic that the Senate will flip and the Rs will pick up 30+ house seats. But after the last two years I’ve become somewhat resigned to the fact that I don’t live in the country that I thought I did.
I haven’t given up on our system and my heart tells me we can still turn things around. But my head tells me we may very well have passed the point of no return and these elections may not matter that much in the bigger picture.
Wow stan – nice list.
@MBunge:Mitch McConnell but even I can’t imagine that happening and him not going completely thermonuclear…
Mitch McConnell was willing to “nuke the filibuster” against his own party in December of 2021–an occasion accompanied by complete media silence about “nuking” or “norms” or “Senate tradition”.
The Democrats were raising the debt ceiling, and didn’t have the votes to block a Republican filibuster, but the Uniparty always has a numerical majority and Mitch saw to it that people got paid. He would have done it other ways, he spent a lot of time working with Schumer on alternatives to see to it that it happened.
Oh, did you think Republicans opposed raising the debt ceiling? Lol.
If whatever is passed by the lame-duck session pays the right people, it’ll stay. Some of Mitch’s friends will get paid, he’ll see to that privately while saying something completely different in public, and then next year will say “but the filibuster”.
This kabuki dance is what the filibuster is FOR.
Republicans opted to go this circuitous route because they’ve long wanted to claim that they didn’t vote in favor of a debt ceiling increase. However, failing to increase the debt limit was not seen as an option by leadership, due to the negative economic consequences that would have.
This put Republicans in a bind, particularly because certain members could have filibustered a debt ceiling increase again, as they did in October. That would have forced members of the conference to vote in favor of overcoming the blockade, much as some had to do previously. In this case, they are technically voting to approve another bill that allows Democrats to pass the debt ceiling increase unilaterally, and can now say that they did not vote in favor of the increase.
“We want a simple majority without a convoluted, risky, lengthy process and it looks like Republicans will help facilitate that,” Schumer said in a press conference Tuesday.
Schumer and McConnell both announced their support for the proposal on Tuesday.
Mitch may not be long in the saddle. “The times are a’changin …”
His days of screwin the pooch are dwindling. But a complete cynic may disagree.
I watched a bit of the early returns just now…depressing. To me looks like the red tsunami may be more like a little 3ft breaker. Kemp and Walker both not looking good in Georgia. If Abrams win, no sympathy at all for what those Georgians are going to get.
One bit of good news, the heavily Cuban Hispanic Miami Dade going red.
I can’t vote! I was unexpectedly called out of state by a family emergency (now under control) on Sunday, won’t be back until I don’t know when, didn’t vote early and it’s too late to get an absentee ballot. Frustrating. Where I live in NY, my vote wasn’t going to matter anyway, but I wanted badly to do it.
I’ve been stubbornly refusing to vote early because the safest route seems to be to vote on Election Day, in person, in front of poll watchers who know me by name, just as I always have. But now I wish I’d voted last week while I still could.
Neo wrote this: “When I was a young adult, elections weren’t at all stressful to me. I cared about the outcomes, of course. But it seemed that no matter what, the big picture would go on more or less as before. … Now I get very stressed out and can barely stand to watch the returns.”
I’m a few years younger than Neo, but this is just the way my own attitude has changed over the years. Beyond aging itself, what’s the explanation? Looks like a theme for a new novel by Thomas Hardy. A new novel to help us understand the American experience? We already know the answer: white male heterosexual cisgender oppression.
Now there’s no need for any further thought or fiction; and, no coincidence, you know how to vote and think about everything, so all that stress disappears.
You’re welcome.
“But it seemed that no matter what, the big picture would go on more or less as before.”
Coming of age during six decades of one-party control of Congress may have had something to do with that.
Always been a Red guy in a Blue state; Massachusetts for my first 63 years, Maine for the last two. I’m accustomed to backing the losers. As a consequence I don’t invest too much of myself into election outcomes, and generally speaking whoever wins doesn’t have a major impact on my life and circumstances. C’est la Vie!
Mrs Whatsit, tesseract.
At least the @#$&$# phone calls and texts have stopped.
Back from a fourteen-hour day at the polls, too tired to watch TV, and they bother me anyhow. Around here, early vote results are from early voting totals, and election day votes come in later in the evening.
I put up a new thread for election results.
I feel just like Neo and like PA+Cat: incredibly stressed now by every election. I live in Pennsylvania, and my congressional district has been gerrymandered by the Democrat-dominated PA Supreme Court, which took over redistricting without any justification at all, simply because Democrats didn’t like the map produced by the Republican legislature. My congressional district now reaches from Pittsburgh into my county–25 miles away!–and the Democrat won easily.