OT: Election Day (and after) [LOCKED]

Submitted by crg on November 3rd, 2020 at 8:03 AM

So today is Election Day finally and most of us can and should vote, if they haven't already.

This post is *not* about the election or any candidate/party/movement/etc.  Most people already have their opinions set on these matters and we've had far too much politics spill onto this site the past few months (or years, depending on how you look at it).

This post is instead reminding people that the campaign season will formally be over after today (although the bickering will continue, no doubt, and of course tomorrow is the early kickoff for the *next* campaign season unofficially).

Here's hoping that we get back to a civilized normalcy after today (at least for a while) - and that people remember that, whoever/whatever they do with their vote (even if they choose not to do, or even if they cannot vote), we are all actually on the same team here.  Maybe we can start to act like it.

Happy 1st Tuesday in November.

Also... weekday night MACtion starts tomorrow!!!

 

[Can't we all just get along?]

MGoBoard

evenyoubrutus

November 3rd, 2020 at 8:06 AM ^

I honestly care far less about who wins than I do about people just shutting the hell up and not hating each other just because of who they vote for. Everyone has reasons for their beliefs and everyone wants the same basic things. 

I have a good friend who is stationed in Djibouti and I feel like he's in a safer place than I am today. 

Joined: 11/04/2008

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nappa18

November 3rd, 2020 at 3:38 PM ^

You are right. Not since 2016. Never thought I would see the day where so many people don’t believe in science. Yikes! People: without science, we’d still dealing with polio, TB, etc etc etc. This is NOT a political statement. Just a “shout out” for science and public health professionals.

Joined: 07/08/2011

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bluebyyou

November 3rd, 2020 at 8:55 AM ^

I actually care about people getting out and voting, regardless of their choice of candidates.

If you don't exercise your right as an American to have your voice heard, regardless of what you believe, I personally find it a lot harder to be sympathetic to your cause.

Joined: 09/07/2009

MGoPoints: 18681

bluinohio

November 3rd, 2020 at 11:24 AM ^

Amazing you are downvoted. This is so true. Most people aren't voting for who they really want, they're voting against who they don't want. 
That's like a murderer asking if you
would you like to be shot or strangled. well, neither. And I don't have to choose one, but I'm going to get stuck with one of the shitty choices either way.

 

Joined: 08/24/2015

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evenyoubrutus

November 3rd, 2020 at 9:08 AM ^

Without taking this discussion down that rabbit hole, I think you're missing the point that just because in one person's eyes, a certain policy will "rescue" them from their problems, it does not mean that someone with an opposing view point does not also see the other policy as a way to solve the same problem. If that makes sense. I'm trying to be vague enough to not arouse a debate about policies.

But unfortunately, policy debates and discussions do nothing to win elections in the modern era. Only vilify your opponent and sling mud.

Joined: 11/04/2008

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njvictor

November 3rd, 2020 at 10:26 AM ^

just because in one person's eyes, a certain policy will "rescue" them from their problems, it does not mean that someone with an opposing view point does not also see the other policy as a way to solve the same problem.

I can name plenty of examples of how this is false, but I won't get into it

Joined: 07/20/2017

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evenyoubrutus

November 3rd, 2020 at 11:10 AM ^

If that's what you think, then you aren't listening to the other side.

I was that way for a long time. I honestly thought the "other side" was evil. Then I started listening, and realized they were saying the same thing about me, and I thought, wait I don't think those things. That must mean they don't think the things either. And maybe everything I took for granted isn't actually set in stone. 

But whatever ?‍♂️ it's obvious that many people don't want to be convinced of anything.

Joined: 11/04/2008

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njvictor

November 3rd, 2020 at 2:07 PM ^

Are you living in an alternate reality? It's an objective fact that one side actively is trying to end LGBT rights, end a woman's ability to control her body and have an abortion, eliminate healthcare to millions of people without a replacement plan, and suppress votes nationwide in order to win. Those are facts and factual policy positions

Joined: 07/20/2017

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jblaze

November 3rd, 2020 at 9:09 AM ^

I'm not sure how old you are, but have you ever seen an election like this? Major cities boarded up, national guards on alert, the White House fenced in, people shutting down traffic, being harassed while voting, "calls to arms" for hate groups?

There is only one party and candidate calling for all of this, so maybe you should care more about who wins.

Joined: 08/29/2008

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evenyoubrutus

November 3rd, 2020 at 10:00 AM ^

I'm reading Rise and Fall of the Third Reich right now, and it was crazy how many different political parties there were in various western European countries back then. They just came and went and people were constantly looking for something to belong to. It was so completely different than anything we have now. It still didn't stop a genocidal dictator from rising up though ?‍♂️

Joined: 11/04/2008

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Maize4Life

November 3rd, 2020 at 10:26 AM ^

Ranked Choice voting is THE WORST Idea EVER....it allows one party to DOMINATE..States that have it are ALL BLUE ALL THE TIME which is why they support and it ONLY occurs in reliable Dem states..WHY is that u suppose? If you cant win at the ballot box change the rules..If you cant get the SC Justices u want PACK the court..its another WIN by any means necessary tool used by Liberals and is BAD for Americs..sorry just call em as I see em..Thanks to ranked choice voting California  will NEVER have a Republican Senator EVER again...and thats exactly how they want it and what it was designed for

Joined: 11/26/2017

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Shop Smart Sho…

November 3rd, 2020 at 10:54 AM ^

California doesn't have ranked choice voting for Senators. The reason California probably won't have a GOP Senator for awhile is because the policy positions of the GOP don't attract enough voters in California.

In fact, Maine is the only state to currently use ranked choice voting for Senate seats, and that starts with this election. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact it has on Susan Collins' attempt to keep her seat though.

As an aside, I think your keyboard is broken. The caps lock key seems to be getting stuck on, you might want to get that fixed so people don't think you're a raving lunatic.

Joined: 07/10/2008

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Gob Wilson

November 3rd, 2020 at 3:30 PM ^

Most EU countries today are governed by more than two parties. This can result in the necessity of forming a coalition (e.g. compromise, something we don't see much of in the U.S.) or a runoff. 

Good on you to read J. Shirer's RFTR. Great book and worth re-reading every 10 years or so. Looking back to the Germany of 1932-34, there were three major parties in Germany in 1932 with Hitler's NSDAP winning only 30% of the vote to 49.6% for Hindenberg on the initial ballot. Hinderberg increased this share to 53% in the runoff. Hitler became chancellor, there was the reichstag fire in 1933 and Hitler then succeeded Hindenberg after his death in 1934 never having exceeded 37% of the popular vote. The rest is history. 

Joined: 11/24/2012

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HateSparty

November 3rd, 2020 at 10:28 AM ^

You are correct.  People want simple and easy to make a decision around.  Complex thought and discernment is gone on the extremes, right and left.  We need a third party, at least, that has moderated their position to see that both sides have good ideas and that you can adopt both as one sensible party of thought.  I'd love a moderate party to rise out of the last four years of chaos.  A centrist candidate has made the best of this country better every time one is elected, regardless of party.  

Joined: 12/17/2014

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ChuckieWoodson

November 3rd, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^

And my hope for that party is Libertarian.  Exceptions abound of course as you (at least IMO) can't go FULL free market or have anarchy, but in general, I do feel most people are generally financially conservation and socially liberal.  Sadly, any 3rd party vote will get you labeled as a "vote waster" and in some ways that's partially true - a Libertarian will not win the Presidential election in the short term.  But get enough traction and it's possible in the future. 

Joined: 01/13/2012

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rice4114

November 3rd, 2020 at 1:21 PM ^

Problem is one party is being run by its extreme group. You can say what you want but Romney, Hillary, Mccain, Obama, were all very milktoast centrists.

The extreme party will keep its base and the more center leaning group will split with the third party. But when your voting public is playing checkers and the big money is playing chess this is what you get. I'm convinced Satan himself could run Dem or Rep and get 30% of Americas vote. Bundling sucks in cable but GOT damn if we don't love it in politics.

Example: neighbors wife and kid almost gets shot in Vegas shooting. Two days later her first facebook post is tearing Jimmy Kimmel up about talking about gun control. A damn house wife with kids? I don't know man I don't get it anymore.

Joined: 08/26/2010

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WestQuad

November 3rd, 2020 at 9:44 AM ^

Kidnapping governors, armed occupation of state capitols, warehousing arms, infiltrating peaceful protests and starting fights/violence/looting, lynching/shooting minorities, going pro-pandemic, voter suppression, etc.  (I'm being cool like everybody else by not mentioning which side is which....) 

To play the "both sides" card, things are going to get really ugly over the next few days no matter who ends up taking the Presidency and Senate.  I'm honestly scared for our democracy and everyone's safety. 

 

Joined: 07/22/2011

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Sambojangles

November 3rd, 2020 at 1:55 PM ^

I mean, look at where things are being boarded up, and who lives around those areas. It's pretty easy to conclude which side the business owners think will be involved in unrest. The White House isn't fencing itself in because it's afraid of their own supporters breaking in. 

Also, if Trump is the fascist threat to democracy that I've been hearing, isn't violence justified? If he's trying to steal the election, is violence justified to prevent that and save our country? That's a serious question by the way, since I'm very curious how you (and anyone else who wants to answer) think about all of this. 

Joined: 12/15/2008

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MFun

November 3rd, 2020 at 2:27 PM ^

Yes, the violence is overwhelmingly coming from left of center radicals and there is no debate about this. Why do you think so many boarded up buildings put pro BLM messages on the boards? "Please don't trash our store, we support you BLM". They fear the mob. 

Joined: 09/11/2020

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njvictor

November 3rd, 2020 at 10:23 AM ^

I honestly care far less about who wins than I do about people just shutting the hell up and not hating each other just because of who they vote for

Sorry dude, but this is a privileged take. Not everyone is in a position where their political position can be "why can't we all just get along?" And it's become pretty clear that not everyone in this country wants the same basic things

Joined: 07/20/2017

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L'Carpetron Do…

November 3rd, 2020 at 10:37 AM ^

Seriously- there is a lot on the line for a lot of people. And that's why everything is so intense. People realize now that the presidency isn't a total non-factor - it can actually affect our everyday lives. It matters.  And the choices are stark. Politics can get ugly and turn people off but it's vitally important we make the right decision.

Joined: 03/15/2010

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njvictor

November 3rd, 2020 at 11:09 AM ^

Exactly, anyone who's political opinion is "normalcy" or "can't we all just get along" has enough privilege or is in a good spot where politics don't matter. Healthcare is on the line. LGBT rights are on the line. A woman's right to choose is on the line. The environment is on the line. 

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