Midterm Elections

[JohnyMac]

Well November 4, 2014 is going to be a busy day across the USofA. Every state has someone running and or something to vote on.

It would be great to get a couple of paragraphs about what is going on your state or AO around the forum - Hence around the country.

Here is my (hopefully short) overview:

Rhode Island is a solid Blue state. There is no way around it the Democrats have a very strong hold on the states politics. Rhode Island currently has the worst economy in the country - Yes even worse than WVA.

The biggest race here is between Mr. Allan Fung and Ms. Gina Raimondo for governor. IMO, Raimondo is a Sen. Elizabeth Warren clone and is primarily running on a Pro-women anti gun platform. Fung is running on a primarily increasing jobs and reducing taxes platform. If the election was held today, Raimondo would win. Now if 2A supporters get off their collective asses, Mr. Fung will win by a Nose.

What's going on in your state?

[brat]

Big story here is the constitutional amendments being put before the citizens for vote.

Amendment 1 - Inserts constitutional language empowering the legislature to enact, amend or repeal statutes regarding abortion. Very heated debate on this one here in the Bible belt. Unsure whether this passes or not.

Amendment 2 - Empowers the governor to appoint judges subject to confirmation by the general assembly. Predicting this will fail as we like voting on our judges. Keeps them accountable to keep their job. No appointments.

Amendment 3 - Prohibits the legislature from levying or permitting any tax upon payroll or earned personal income. The state income tax has "always" been defeated and it keeps rearing it's ugly head when they want "mo money". This will keep them from bringing it up again, forever. Predicting this will win.

Amendment 4 - Empowers the legislature to permit lotteries for events that benefit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) organizations. Thinking this one will win, we'll see.


Elections for office.....

1 US senator
9 US congress
Governor
18 State senators
99 seats for State congress

Currently, State senate has 33 seats, 26 are currently Republican.
State congress has 99 seats, 71 are currently Republican.

Governor is Republican.

Thinking this will not change. If any, it won't be significant or change the big picture.

Whooops.... Edited to say... Tennessee.

[special-k]

Don't forget to mention which state... otherwise you'll leave the rest of us guessing.

[JohnyMac]

Great run down Brat!

[Nemo]

OK, short story.  Georgia.  Rep. for my county is Austin Scott, republican, running unopposed, one of 14 for state of Ga.  A+ by NRA.

Governor,  Nathan Deal, R,   incumbent, being challenged by Jason Carter, a grandson or some such relative of Jimmy.
Near on dead heat but Deal is favored.  He has solid support of NRA and about any gun related association.  He approved and signed the broadest gun rights legislation ever passed in about any state anywhere, anytime.  Still waiting on the blood to hit the streets that all the gun control organizations were predicting and near on saying they would do if it passed.  Either it has not happened or I missed the news reports.

 About the only places ccw is not permitted is courthouses and govt building, with deputy at door (no deputy, ccw good, but not courtrooms), jail, schools (inside but open to interpretation).  Churches not permitted unless church say yes and colleges.  But college you get max $100 civil infraction fine.  About all else is good unless sign put up directing not permitted by owner.

Senate is contested by Perdue and Nunn.  Perdue is cousin of gov and business operations takeover and get straight expert and Nunn is daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn.  She ran Bush points of light foundation and using G.W.B's pic (against his request and instructions not to) to separate herself from Obummer.   Perdue has small lead but near on dead heat.  She has chance but on Nov 5 I believe Ga will stay red. Perdue has A rating from NRA based on answers handwritten to questions submitted by NRA.  Nunn sure seems to be solid dem in line with Obummer.  Seat is open due to retirement of Saxby Chambliss, R.

I kinda think that big O's comments that he is not upset by people and dems running will do what they need to do to win will come back and bite them all in the ass big time.

Quote below
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/all?name=georgia#is_currently_moc=true&most_recent_role_type=Representative

    MIDTERM MESSAGING: “The bottom line is, though, these are … all folks who vote with me; they have supported my agenda in Congress.”  Those words from President Obama on Rev. Al Sharpton’s radio show yesterday are going to make life more difficult for Democrats in tight races who are campaigning on their independence from the unpopular president, ABC’s DEVIN DWYER reports. “So this isn’t about my feelings being hurt.  These are folks who are strong allies and supporters of me,” Obama continued. “I tell them — I said, you do what you need to do to win. I will be responsible for making sure that our voters turn out.”

With all that and the solid country boy gun culture here, I think Ga will stay solid Rep Red.

Nemo

[crudos]

Sounds like alot of people would rather vote for more of the same old song and dance from all the usual suspects. Red or blue, we are all fukked if people keep voting for the status quo.

[Nemo]

No realistic alternatives available here.

Nemo

[special-k]

Bill Hicks on politics

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Don't worry - Faux News is making sure only guys, you know the ones with the actual brains unlike women with their little brains , are going to be the only ones voting.

http://www.salon.com/2014/10/22/fox_news_to_young_women_dont_worry_about_voting_just_focus_on_your_tinder_profile/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

For us in PA it's Corbett vs Wolf.  I am not a huge fan of Wolf, but he's better than pro-fracking, pro-big business (well, more than Wolf, but that's not saying much) Corbett.

[JohnyMac]

Please, I am not trying to start a firestorm here however, I would add to what Ms. Guilfoyle said, many young men too. I would not want my 23 year old nephew deciding my fate in a jury trial either.

Yes, it's Wolf vs. Corbett here in PA. Didn't mention that in my earlier post as I can not vote in PA.

As only an observer here, I think Wolf will win. The lure of "free money" from upstate gas fracking and an elimination of the income tax is too much to walk away from for the Philly, Allentown and Iron City voters. What folks don't understand is PA. is a Commonwealth. Very basically, a state law, tax, whatever has to be for all the citizens for the state - Not a select group. An example of this is: The laws for CCW for the state are the same for Philly, Doylestown, Pottsville, any small town PA., Pittsburgh, etc. Taxes will be the same. 

Here’s what we know about Wolf’s plan, as he’s described it in three gubernatorial debates and published accounts from editorial board meetings with Pennsylvania newspapers: Wolf says he would do away with Pennsylvania’s current income tax system, in which all residents of the state pay a flat 3.07 percent, replacing it with a progressive tax scheme that would see those making more than $70,000 potentially paying more while cutting a break for those below that threshold.

“Under (Wolf’s) income tax plan, people at the top will pay more and the middle class will get a break,” campaign spokeswoman Beth Melena told PA Independent.

Because the state constitution forbids placing people into tax brackets with different rates – like the federal income tax system – Wolf would have to raise the income tax rate for all Pennsylvanians, then offset the increase by creating a new tax break, which his campaign is calling a “universal exemption,” for low-income people.   

[crudos]

Wisconsin Governor's Race: Going to be a squeaker between Scott Walker and Mary Burke. I don't see much between them, other than four years of mostly failed policies and a bumpy economy from SW. This time Walker doesn't have those who disliked the recall to help prop him up again. Mostly though, win or lose, we'll see SW care more about his run-up for the 2016 Presidential race, than the people of Wisconsin. Libertarian candidate Robert Burke (no relation to Mary) is on the ballot, but with zilch exposure from the usual outlets.

[JohnyMac]

Thanks Crudos! 

As a gut feeling today, who do you think will win - Walker or Burke?

Being 1,300 miles away from WI. and only having the national  MSM to go by, my gut tells me that Walker will squeak it out ONLY because of the anti-Obama agenda vote. 

Some President Obama former supporters will not do a protest vote and vote GOP they will just stay home. The GOP folks will come out in droves and vote.

 

[crudos]

I can't see many protest votes for SW. He's done a damn fine job of polarizing most people, whether intentional or not. My gut is that Burke will win, barely.

[JohnyMac]

Blake or Walker, it will be by a nose. Stay tuned...

[rah45]

Hey Nemo, you might want to reconsider the support for Deal. The NRA supports him officially, but Deal never wanted to sign the bill he was given. Casey Cagle, the Lt. Gov., worked in the legislature to kill the meaningful parts of the bill. Cagle also killed the college campus carry bill,  but didn't notice the backup, workaround college carry bill, HB 875. Deal didn't either, and signed it before he realized what he did. He signed them at the same time/day, which makes them equal in the law. However, the official signing date was manipulated online a day or two later, meaning that any conflict between the two regarding campus carry would be overridden by the "Guns Everywhere" bill, not 875.

Anyway, point is that Deal and Cagle wanted to gut the bills as much as possible while retaining their official pro-gun endorsements. They play dirty.

[Nemo]

Cannot disagree with you rah.  BUT, they both know which side their bread is buttered on and by who.  They also know what and who pulls the lever or pushes the button in the voting booth.  They also know they they are being watched closely.

I am sure the NRA and others have the eagle eye on about every one of them out there.

Nemo

[rah45]

Yeah, and I guess that's about as good as you can expect in today's world. Sad.

[Nemo]

Yeps, its truly a pisser for that to be reality.  But I have an one eagle eye on them and a good stink eye available if necessary.

Nemo

[JohnyMac]

Thank you for voting!

Some of the members of this forum think that it is stupid to vote - A total waste of their time. Got it and of course you have a right to your opinion. 

This country was based on a Covenant With God. To keep that Covenant with God we as USofA Citizens, need to hold up our end of the bargain by reviewing the issues, vetting candidates and then voting.

So to you folks who voted DEM, GOP, Independent or did some write-ins - Thank you. 

PS: Everyone of the candidates and issues I voted for lost in Rhode Island. I am still happy we voted. We kept our Covenant with God. 

[Burt Gummer]

Will you be in this Sunday to brake new EBT cards and partake in the I am free because i vote coolaid at the altar of social security?
Go thou with Lincoln my child.

 

[special-k]

...Some of the members of this forum think that it is stupid to vote - A total waste of their time...

I just don't want to encourage any of the bastards by voting.   

[Erick]

I voted the straight republican ticket.
Though I felt a bit saddened when I did given that there were independents and libertarians on that ticket that problem deserved at least my scrutiny and perhaps my vote.

[JohnyMac]

Thank you all for your opinions. 

I LOVE America! 

[Grudgie]

Some of the members of this forum think that it is stupid to vote - A total waste of their time. Got it and of course you have a right to your opinion. 

It runs deeper than that. Voting encourages participation in a coercive and destructive system. I don't care who you think you are, or what country you come from, you don't have the 'right' to vote for my rulers.

George Carlin Doesn't vote

[Nemo]

The human mind is not to a stage (or past it) that it can exist without external rules and rulers to make sure those rules are followed.  So, there will be rulers and rules.  And the rulers will be selected and rules made.  Done deal, it will happen, accept it.  If you cannot, you will not be permitted to exist in anything but an extremely well controlled environment and separated from the general system.  So you have a choice to make.

Do you want to have some small bit of input on the selection of the rulers or just let the rulers be selected.  Whether that is by the rulers themselves or other people.  Should those rulers be selected by themselves, they shall make the rules, however broad or narrow they choose.  And if you disagree with those rules . . ..

Nemo