I will not vote for a Republica, potentially forever

So you'll just blindly go all in on one party.. Ok hack.

 

I'm not sure about this and someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they did away with straight ticket ballot voting. I think you have to punch them all. Maybe it's a County thing but I know after the Harris County & Fort Bend County Commissioner and Judge wins, everyone In the local political that I know pushed hard to get rid of straight ticket voting. Harris County Commissioner's Court is a mess. I think the young, Judge Hidalgo has treaded water to her credit, but IMO the County was better off with experienced folks making decisions on infrastructure and property tax increases. Just my opinion. Anyhoo... I'd urge you to consider the candidate, especially local candidates, rather than blanket statements like I'm only voting non-republicans. The locals had nothing to do with the House and Senate shi!tshows. And of course vote for who you believe is the best candidate period. I don't live inside the city limits of Houston so I can't vote or mayor but I've always thought the current and last two mayors did a fine job. Of course my interest is in seeing City/County infrastructure funded and built, so I'm partial to anyone supporting those platforms.

 

Eh, I disagree. I think literally anyone at any level who willingly puts the (R) badge next to their name is signalling a political alignment that I cannot ignore or excuse. I don't know if I'd say I'll never vote for a Republican again, but I won't do so until there is some reckoning for this era.

 

That's surprises me to hear you say that. Local politics are a different game. Which is why it troubles me when Soros or Koch brothers get involved.

 

If it is really a different game than the local politicians should be perfectly comfortable dropping their party affiliations to pick up a voter like me. If they can't do that, well it's not really a different game, is it?

 

There is a reason Republicans in Texas eliminated straight ticket voting for 2020.

Trump's stream of sewage trickled down on them in the midterms and they want an umbrella next time.

 

How do you expect a local to run as an independent and get funding? It's very rare that it happens and usually it's in rural areas. My advice is to not cut your nose off to spite your face.

 

No, you're exactly right. Candidates need the support of party machinery to win. They are beholden to the state party for their candidacy, and the state party is beholden to the national party. So why is it again that I should lend a vote to someone who has submitted to Trump's tributary system? I can't. If you want my vote, you have to leave the system. You can still run as Constitution party or Libertarian or whatever. Sticking with the Republicans is a choice that will mostly pay dividends in loyal voters, but not from me.

 

Until McConnel and all these traitors in the Senate are out, I will pull the ALL BLUE lever.

DD

 

And “establishment” vs “anti establishment” is amusing....

Is Trump establishment now with his tribute system?

 

Hard not to these days...

Virginia GOP delegate tries to kill own bill to remove Democratic segregationist statue after Democrats support the bill

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/481167-virginia-gop-delegate-tries-to-kill-own-bill-to-remove-democratic

 

I'm positive you're not alone and you know the Dems are counting on this line of thinking. They are hoping folks have been alienated and will turn away from the Republican party. And from that viewpoint, the impeachment is a success. The whole 'republican base is fired up' doesn't ring with me. They were fired up anyway. Each side is. The swing voters, especially the suburban vote that Trump won over, was tired after the first year of tweets.

 

Yep, that is what I think.....I think he will get crushed...and it will be a blue Tsunami.......of course the DNC could screw Bernie again and screw it all up.

DD

 

This is the pendulum swing. I've been posting about it since Trump won. He was an extreme candidate and I expected the Democrats to get more extreme in their response. We would not be seeing the open advocacy for socialized medicine, socialized college, reparations, and the other stuff if Kasich was our president instead of Trump. Politicians can take more extreme positions because the more extreme wing is accommodated by moderates who fear the alternative in Trump. Before the candidates declared, I was arguing Democrats should try to slow the pendulum swing by intentionally moderating themselves and returning to bipartisanship. The political environment hasn't made that possible and now we see what a sack of potatoes the moderate candidates are. So I'm not on the bus anymore.

 

Except every issue is not aligned with Trump's agenda. The GOP has really become an ethnocentric party and no longer represents the values it once had. There is no room in the republican party that doesn't agree with Trump

 

I understand what you're saying and it's been very curious to me as to why and how Trump has been able to seemingly win over his former GOP critics. What's even more puzzling is I hear things said, like he's one of the most intelligent or even the best president America has seen. Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham are two die hard supporters. Trump totally talked **** about both of them. I think there is a strategy coming from the Repubs to show undying support to their candidate. Something I've heard on a few occasions is: "you can't give in, even an inch, on anything because that's they way they (dems) fight". It didn't register with me until recently but I think that's the what we're seeing out of the Republican Party.

After this WWF 'phase', I'm looking forward to seeing a candidate who carries himself in a dignified way, is respectful and doesn't put the other side on tilt. Trump's rhetoric is bad enough but the reaction from the other side is painful to watch. I can only imagine if Bloomberg wins and starts calling us on the right losers and idiots. It would not sit well to say the least. And I would shake my head and say, that's what we get. Karma is a b****.

 

I feel America is ripe for a normalcy. Bernie is not real extreme and that's weird to say that since he's a socialist. If he wins, I pray he's a socialist along the lines of FDR. I'd prefer Mayor Pete out of all of the options. He seems level headed.

 

Anyone still think Obama is the most liberal president ever?

 

The GOP has always been a unified party against any opposition. Party above all else. Remember Mitch had said that they would oppose every single initiative from Obama in order to make him a one term president? Their agenda is power and they haven't been shy about making that clear.

With Trump having 90% approval rating of the base, the GOP has no choice but to fall in line. It's not about how good Trump is, it's about how powerful he is, and he is very powerful with his base and very weak outside of it.

The test will be the 2020 election. The economy is strong and that tends to favor incumbents. But many people are struggling with health care and housing, and that tends to favor the challengers.

No matter who wins, this country will be as divided as ever, as my expectation is that if a Dem wins, they will immediately face extreme opposition.

 

You aren't alone