#last dem governor too

[socialistexan]

:(

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Kamala Harris herself has now borrowed Walz’s lingo and is also calling her opponents “weird”, while Walz is all over our television screens, bolstering the vice-president’s candidacy and playing “attack dog” against the Trump/Vance Republican ticket. I’ll be honest: last month, I would have struggled to pick Walz out of a lineup. This month? I’m Walz-pilled. I have watched dozens of his interviews and clips. And I’m far from alone. He has an army of new fans across the liberal-left: from former Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign co-chair Nina Turner, to one-time Democratic congressman Beto O’Rourke, to gun-control activist David Hogg. “In less than 6 days, I went from not knowing who Tim Walz is,” joked writer Travis Helwig on X, “to deep down believing that if he doesn’t get the VP nod I will storm the capitol.” According to Bloomberg, the Harris campaign has narrowed down its “top tier” of potential running mates to three “white guy” candidates: Walz (hurrah!), plus the Arizona senator Mark Kelly and Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. Both Kelly and Shapiro have their strengths – and both represent must-win states for the Dems. Allow me, however, to make the clear case for Walz. First, there’s his personality. The 60-year-old governor would bring energy, humor and some much-needed bite to the Democratic presidential ticket. There’s a reason why his videos have been going viral in recent days. Tim Kaine he ain’t. Pick the charismatic and eloquent Walz and you have America’s Fun Uncle ready to go. Then, there’s his résumé. A popular midwest governor from a rural town. A 24-year veteran of the army national guard. A high school teacher who coached the football team to its first state championship. It’s almost too perfect! Finally, there’s his governing record. You will struggle to find a Democratic governor who has achieved more than Walz in the space of a single legislative session. Not Shapiro. Not JB Pritzker of Illinois. Not even Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. [...] Think about it. Democrats can have Tim Walz on the ticket, who called the anti-war, pro-Palestinian ‘uncommitted’ movement “civically engaged” and praised them for “asking for a change in course” and “for more pressure to be put on” the White House, or they can have Josh Shapiro, who called for a crackdown on anti-war, pro-Palestinian college protesters and even compared them to the KKK. They can have Walz on the ticket, who has reportedly “emerged among labor unions as a popular pick” after signing “into law a series of measures viewed as pro-worker” including banning non-compete agreements and expanding protections for Amazon warehouse workers, or they can have Mark Kelly, who opposed the pro-labor Pro Act in the Senate (but has since touted support for it). They can have Walz, who guaranteed students in Minnesota not just free breakfasts but free lunches, or Shapiro, who has courted controversy in Pennsylvania with his support for school vouchers. They can have Walz, who calls his Republican opponents “weird” and extreme, or Kelly, who calls his Republican opponents “good people” who are “working really hard”. This isn’t rocket science. Walz is the obvious choice. Not only is he the ideal “white guy” running mate for Harris, against both Trump and Vance, but he is already doing the job on television and online, lambasting Vance in particular over IVF treatment and insisting he mind his “own damn business”.

Zeteo News founder Mehdi Hasan for The Guardian on why picking Tim Walz as Kamala Harris's running mate is the best option (07.29.2024).

Zeteo News founder Mehdi Hasan wrote in The Guardian why Tim Walz should be Kamala Harris’s running mate. Hasan’s opinion piece is worth reading.

[houseofbrat]

In Philadelphia, PENNSYLVANIA.

So...are we to assume Kamala is intent on picking PA Governor Josh Shapiro? Seems like it by announcing it in Philadelphia. I don't know why else she would announce not in someone's home state.

But picking Shapiro just proves how bad Kamala's political thinking and instincts are.

And also her timing.

— Student protests and Gaza. No issue has divided the Democratic coalition like the war in the Middle East. Shapiro’s strong support for Israel is arguably in line with other top Dems, but critics cite his reluctance to call for a cease-fire in Gaza and in particular his strong stance against pro-Palestinian student demonstrators, using his platform to urge Penn to shut down its protest encampment and even seeming to compare pro-Palestinian activists to “white supremacists” in interviews. But Shapiro has also spoken out against Palestinian civilian casualties, and his supporters say activists’ focus on the one VP finalist who is Jewish smacks of antisemitism. — Handling of sexual harassment. The Shapiro administration last year agreed to pay $295,000 to a former female aide who accused a long-time political associate of the governor — Mike Vereb, his legislative secretary, a cabinet post — of making unwanted sexual advances and frequent lewd talk. Female lawmakers in both parties have criticized the administration — which cites a non-disclosure agreement for not talking about the case — for an alleged lack of transparency. The Democratic candidate for state treasurer — political outsider Erin McClelland — sent shock waves through the veepstakes when she tweeted that she wanted a VP “who doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug.”

This is a hopeful moment for the whole left-liberal coalition. The vibes, for once, are good. Almost every leftist I know is excited about Harris and thinks Trump is beatable. With a newly united party behind her, there are only so many ways Harris can screw it up, but one seems all too plausible: She could select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate. On paper, it’s understandable why Shapiro is among the leading candidates reportedly being vetted by Harris. Like nearly all of the veep contenders, he’s a white male governor with a centrist reputation. At 51, he’s even younger than Harris and a fresh face, having only held his current job for 18 months. He has already shown himself to be a more than capable administrator, generating a lot of good publicity for repairing a damaged section of Interstate 95 within two weeks. Most importantly, Pennsylvania is the most valuable swing state in play, worth 19 electoral votes, and Shapiro is very popular there. Unfortunately, Shapiro also stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine. It’s not just that he, like many Democrats, is an outspoken supporter of Israel—though he certainly is, having championed Israel’s war against Hamas consistently and without any apparent concern for Palestinian civilians. Shapiro has, moreover, done far more than most Democrats to attack pro-Palestine antiwar demonstrators, in ways that call into question his basic commitment to First Amendment rights. In his previous role as Pennsylvania attorney general, Shapiro championed the state’s constitutionally dubious anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) law against Ben & Jerry’s after the ice cream maker refused to license its product for sale in Israeli settlements. “BDS is rooted in antisemitism,” Shapiro wrote in a statement in 2021, as he condemned a company named for its two Jewish American founders. “The stated goal of this amorphous movement is the removal of Jewish citizens from the region and I strongly oppose their efforts.”

[...] CNN’s John King has already flagged that antisemitism might make the selection of a Jewish vice presidential candidate risky; likewise, calls from the left to oppose Shapiro risk being branded as antisemitic. Shapiro is not, however, the only Jew who has been suggested as a possible running mate for Harris. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has also garnered attention, and he has taken a very different approach to this issue. Asked by the Illinois state politics site Capitol Fax whether he agreed with Jewish organizations calling for the resignation of Northwestern University’s president over a pro-Palestine encampment, Pritzker replied, “I support the Jewish organizations. I’m not about calling for people to step down.” He also drew a distinction between antiwar, pro-Palestinian demonstrators and “some bad actors” engaged in antisemitism, and affirmed the need to protect free speech along with student safety. Most other candidates floated for the V.P. spot have also taken a far less provocative approach to student protests than Shapiro (one partial exception is Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, who endorsed some GOP smears of campus protesters in an interview, though he hasn’t shown Shapiro’s same level of fixation). North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper actually drew criticism for making no public statement about an encampment at the University of North Carolina. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said that encampments at the University of Wisconsin were “in good faith,” even as he acknowledged they would eventually need to end. Neither Kentucky’s Andy Beshear nor Minnesota’s Tim Walz made any public statements about similar demonstrations in their states. [...]

Still, his particular hostility toward pro-Palestine activists threatens to blunt the enthusiasm among young progressive voters that Harris has managed to generate in the past few days. It could also undermine the Democratic ticket in Michigan, where Arab American activists have cheered the news of Biden’s withdrawal and are adopting a wait-and-see posture toward Harris. Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib, the lone Palestinian American in Congress, is currently holding off on endorsing Harris but has expressed interest in engaging with her on ending the war in Gaza. Beyond Arab and Muslim Americans, Harris will need to mobilize thousands of young people across the country not only to vote for her but to knock doors, phone bank, and do all the other kinds of grassroots volunteering that translates into a successful presidential campaign. Younger Americans disproportionately sympathize with Palestinians, which is one reason Biden’s approval numbers have suffered badly over the past year. As long as U.S.-made bombs keep falling on Gaza, this issue won’t go away—protests will haunt the Democratic convention in Chicago next month and the beginning of the fall term on college campuses in September, and the anniversary of the attacks on October 7 will fall 29 days before Election Day.

And what happened recently? Oh, Israel decided to assassinate someone on Iranian territory, pretty close to the new Iranian president.

And we can all tell that a bigger war is coming in the Middle East because the airlines are starting to cancel flights.

So... when is the next attack going to happen? Wouldn't surprise me if it happens next week after Kamala announces her VP pick.

That would be just her luck.

Because let's not forget that Israel is trying to drag the US military directly into this. They can't fight Hezbollah on their own.

[warsofasoiaf]

Do you think the democrats should replace Biden after last nights poor debate showing?

I like bidens policies, but to me it's clear now that he is too old to be able to win.

Biden could possibly stand down and endorse the much younger and more capable Governor Whitmer of Michigan. She is from the Midwest and is very popular there, so she could easily win those crucial Rust Belt swing states, and thus, the overall election.

I'm no political strategist, but I think the negative reaction to replacing him this late in the game would be worse. The Dems don't have many good options.

-SLAL

[tomorrowusa]

I frequently complain that people, especially on the liberal side, don't pay enough attention to state government. I hope that our readers in North Carolina take notice of this.

North Carolina Republicans have just nominated a candidate for governor who actually makes Trump seem slightly more moderate.

The Republican standard-bearer in the most competitive governor race of the 2024 election is now officially a man who has quoted Adolf Hitler, called LGBT people “filth,” and threatened to use an AR-15 on federal officials. North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson secured the Republican nomination in the state’s governor race Tuesday night. He was projected the winner of the primary by the Associated Press less than an hour after polls closed. Robinson defeated rivals Dale Folwell and Bill Graham, who were backed by figures in the GOP establishment uneasy with Robinson’s incendiary rhetoric and far-right views. Robinson’s primary win was expected. Now, he will face Attorney General Josh Stein (D) in a general election battle that is a top priority for both parties—and one that could have broader implications because of North Carolina’s status as a presidential battleground. [ ... ] A relative newcomer in politics, Robinson has quickly won many supporters and many detractors thanks to his eagerness to embrace controversy whenever possible. From making Islamophobic jokes to dismissing the Holocaust as “hogwash” in an old Facebook post, Robinson’s record offers seemingly endless opportunities for Democrats to craft attack ads. “There’s no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth,” Robinson said at a Baptist church in June 2023. “And yes, I called it filth. And if you don’t like it that I called it filth, come see me and I’ll explain it to you.”

The good news is that this is a winnable contest for Dems if moderate and liberal voters take it seriously.

While Democrats have not won a statewide federal race in North Carolina since 2008, their track record in statewide races for governor and attorney general has been strong. Gov. Roy Cooper (D) is term-limited after winning election in 2016 and re-election in 2020. The state has only had a GOP governor for four out of the last 30 years.

Never assume that because candidates are perceived as being too extreme that they will automatically lose. Just think back to 2016.

If we want democracy to survive we need to drive a stake through the heart of electoral slackerism. There is no such thing as an unimportant election. When we vote, we win; just look at Minnesota.

[bearkunin]

Just a bit of a microhistory on Obama's supposed squandered supermajority. I think this is important to clear up, because it still gets referenced to this day to cast the Democrats as no-good do-nothings.

Obama was inaugurated to work with the freshly minted 111th Congress. It was well known that Republicans had already decided that they would be the party of ‘No’ and wouldn’t give an inch, no matter the issue or the policy ramifications for the country.

But it did not matter, right? Because Obama had 60 votes! A supermajority! Well, no.

In the November 2008 elections which elected Obama, Democrats gained 8 seats, taking their total from 49 seats to 57 seats.

There was also two independents elected who would caucus with the Dems: Joe "too rightwing to be a Democrat" Lieberman and Bernie "too left-wing to be a Democrat" Sanders.

That’s 59 votes in the caucus, not 60, (assuming you could get independent Joe Lieberman (and the likes of anti-abortionist Ben Nelson!) and independent Bernie Sanders on the same page, which is no easy feat).

Also, that 59 includes Al Franken, who was not seated at the start of the 111th because of the recount and subsequent appeals in Minnesota.

So, really, on the afternoon Obama was inaugurated, Dems had, at most, 58 votes - again, counting McCain-endorsing Lieberman and socialist Sanders.

And that only lasted a few hours. Sadly, during the celebration, already-ill Ted Kennedy had seizures and, during the following months, would only be available to vote sporadically. He went months without casting a single vote.

On April 28, 2009, Arlen Specter became a Democrat. He openly admitted that he was doing this to avoid “the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate” and would “continue [his] independent voting”. Apparently, Joe Biden also played a part in him crossing the aisle, so good job there.

Still, Specter was certainly no liberal all of a sudden. For instance, even after the switch he openly opined that "There's still time for the Minnesota courts to do justice and declare Norm Coleman the winner [over Al Franken]." So now we are counting Republican supporting Specter and Lieberman in our "supermajority."

But Kennedy was not the only Democratic Senator with health issues. Robert Byrd was in hospital from May 15 through to the end of June.

So now, Dems have at best 59, if you can get Specter, Lieberman, Nelson, Sanders, and everyone else on the same page and Kennedy and Byrd could be somehow healthy enough to cast a vote, which they mostly were not.

On July 7, 2009, Al Franken was finally seated. His election was close and recount was entirely called for, but the delay in seating him was entirely political.

And that is 60, on paper. But in practice, Byrd and Kennedy were not voting.

Although no longer in hospital, Byrd did not return to the floor of the Senate until July 21, 2009.

The Senate was also busy with the pressing business of confirming Sotomayor, the first Dem SCOTUS nominee in 15 years, opposed by many on the right (Wise-Latina-Gate!) to the Senate. A vote that Kennedy missed altogether and Byrd attended in a wheelchair.

On August 25, 2009, Ted Kennedy passed away. Of a potential 270 votes in the first three-quarters of 2009, he was able to participate in just 9 of them.

Even on an interim basis, Kennedy wasn’t replaced for a month, and not without a fight. Legislation was passed restoring the governor's power to make interim appointments to serve until the special election stipulated. On September 25, 2009, Paul Kirk was appointed to the seat, only after a Republican lawsuit seeking to block the appointment was thrown out.

So now you are back at 60. This includes Byrd, who missed more than half the votes during this window. And, again to stress, too-rightwing-to-be-a-Democrat Lieberman and too-leftwing-to-be-a-Democrat Sanders.

January 20, 2010 - Scott Brown (R) was elected. Ending even any discussion of supermajority.

Between September 25, 2009 and January 20, 2010, you have 117 days. Not senate in-session days. Total days. That was really the only time they had 60. And that 60 was contingent on getting every single vote: Dems, Independents (both left and right!), interim, infirm, Byrd, Bernie, Spectre and Nelson and every Senator who knew voting with Obama meant sealing their electoral fate.

There are two lessons that should be taken from this:

1. What matters is how left the 60th most-rightwing Democratic vote is. Replacing Bernie Sanders or, say, Chuck Schumer, with Joseph Stalin himself doesn't matter. What matters is getting, and keeping, the Arlens and Spectres and Liebermans of the world as left as possible.

2. Where safe blue seats do matter and can make a real difference is in regards to gerontocracy. It matters less that Byrd or Kennedy were super progressive or super moderate but if they could turn up to vote at all. The fact the US is going through this again with Feinstein is embarrassing. Young blood is important beyond just fresh ideas.

[morgannalefey]

The notes on this post are frustrating. So I'mma ramble.

Harris will do more for what's going on in the middle east than anyone else running. Period. Full stop. Biden and Harris have been trying to negotiate on this for months and has been making progress. If you think that the president can just stop doing stuff with Israel because they want to, then you really REALLY need to learn more about how this shit works. Because they can't. They truly can't just do that without the fall out from doing that being worse for even more people in more places (see: trolley problem, and no, they can't just refuse to drive the trolley).

I am begging you to actually read up about how Walz handled the national guard thing in Minnesota and I remind you all that the governor of the state is not "commander in chief" of the national guard in their state. Walz held off on deploying the NG as long as he could, he set parameters for what they were going to be doing there. Once they were deployed, what happened on the ground was beyond his ability to control.

Nearly every complaint about Harris/Walz from the left is full of misinformation or basic misunderstanding of how the government actually works and how much power people in certain positions actually have in practice. You've all been so skewed by trump's complete lack of accountability you expect Dems to behave that same way. It's like you don't even realize that you're doing this.

I am 59 years old and I remember when rule of law meant something. I remember a functional government that actually enacted legislation to benefit the people. I remember when people with full time jobs were able to afford a one bedroom apartment near where they worked. None of you who are under 45 years old (or so) remember anything like this. Our government started tanking in the 1980s when Reagan's actions started bearing fruit. Your entire lived existence has involved a minimally-to-non-functional government running headlong into oligarchy (and yes, the democrats fully helped with that, I am not ignoring their culpability. They were too trusting and didn't believe that the republicans would sacrifice everything for power).

Your purity tests and demands are childish and unrealistic. You have a child's understanding of how all of these things work and no understanding of how interdependent all of the political things are. The urge to use the dark side (the tools that the warped supreme court has provided) is strong, and they bring about rapid results, but at the loss of our souls and driving us all headlong into the darkness. The desire for the tools to be used for good will never clear away the taint of using them. The democrats have been trying to get us back to rule of law and have so far been eschewing the tools of darkness.

"‘And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!’ She lifted up her hand and from the ring that she wore there issued a great light that illumined her alone and left all else dark. She stood before Frodo seeming now tall beyond measurement, and beautiful beyond enduring, terrible and worshipful. Then she let her hand fall, and the light faded, and suddenly she laughed again, and lo! she was shrunken: a slender elf-woman, clad in simple white, whose gentle voice was soft and sad. ‘I pass the test,’ she said. ‘I will diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel.’"

The republicans have forged the rings and put them on the hands of many. So far Biden has managed to avoid putting on The One Ring, and Harris will do so after him. Because they know the taint that will come with that absolute power and they are fighting against it.

But, just like Frodo, they have some shadow in them as well. You can't help but gain some shadow in you when you fight against such a dark enemy.

Harris choosing Tim Walz as her running mate sets a dangerous precedent that Democrats might do cool shit that voters love

[flowersfortheriot]

People are saying that the Dems haven't learned anything in their choice for Harris for 2028 but they absolutely have. They have learned that they can get away with anything, including Biden's latest anti-trans legislation. That they can re-run a candidate covered in children's blood. And that the American people are too passive and self-centered to give a fuck about genocide and will support the DNC down to the last child in Gaza. They have learned there is no murderous low to which they can stoop that will deflect the American people from cheering them on and guilting others into supporting them.

[socaprince]

SOCA THERAPY - DECEMBER 8, 2024

Soca Therapy Playlist

Sunday December 8th 2024

Making You Wine from 6-9pm on Flow 98.7fm Toronto

Mas Go Play (Dr. Jay Plate) - Erphaan Alves

Blaze Fire (Radio Edit) - Preedy

Too Own Way - Voice

Liming - KI & The Band

Bacchanal Time - Lyrikal

Throwback - Ding Dong x System32

Higher - Voice

Down In De Jouvert - Trinidad Killa

Dutty Meh Finger - Farmer Nappy

Hush And Bend - Lyrikal

Tired Tell Dem - Bunji Garlin

Bartender - Nadia Batson

No Regrets - Skinny Fabulous

Chocolate - Olatunji

Somebody - Azaryah

Bumpa - Machel Montano

Welcome To Soca - Kerwin Du Bois

D Soca Band - GBM Nutron

Whole Day - Machel Montano

Choose One - Farmer Nappy

Fete - Raymond Ramnarine

Retro - Voice

Saddle - Anika Berry

Dotish - Lyrikal

Bet Meh - Machel Montano

Raise Up The Vibe - Adam O x Choppi 

TOP 7 COUNTDOWN - Powered By The Soca Source

Top Songs By Nadia Batson streamed on Spotify (as of November 14th 2024)

7. Market - Nadia Batson

6. Magic - Nadia Batson x Sekon Sta

5. Sugar Daddy - Nadia Batson

4. NOW - Nadia Batson x Destra Garcia

3. FATTT - Nadia Batson

2. Catching Feelings - Nadia Batson

1. So Long - Nadia Batson

Coffee - Nadia Batson

Own It - Imani Ray

Is Mas - Patrice Roberts

In A Mess - Problem Child

Feting Family - Shal Marshall

Last Dollar - GBM Nutron x Adam O

Forward - DJ Private Ryan x Terri Lyons

You Owe Me - Kerwin Du Bois

Ah Love It Here - Ricardo Drue

Niceness - Kenny Montana

Nat U (Quest Edit) - Claudette Peters

Doh Rough It Up - Imani Ray x Anika Berry 

A Blessing (Hello) - Terra D Governor 

Bad Mind People - Problem Child 

Wake Up - Wadicks 

Soca Santa - Machel Montano

Mamacita - Sharlene Boodram

We Paranging - Shurwayne Winchester x Baron

Parang Soca - Revelation x Crazy

PAN MOMENTS

Swing Engine - Chord Masters

TANTY TUNE

(1981) Irie Tempo - Lord Laro

Titanic - Hey Choppi

Ou Ou Love - Miguel Maestre

Artform (Radio Edit) - Coutain x Dwala

The Greatest Bend Over - Yung Bredda

No Sweetness - Kes

The Truth - Machel Montano

Good Spirits - Full Blown

Start The Party - Erphaan Alves

Carnival Is Woman - Th3rd x 

Someone Else (Radio Edit) - Litleboy x Quan x Trilla G

Her Mudda - Machel Montano x Pumpa

Fitness - Trinidad Killa x Jadel

Rum Bus - Konshens

Hardest Jam - Lyrikal

Party Time - Skinny Fabulous

Wave It - Machel Montano

Yes I Do - Iwer George

Behaviour Nothing - Shal Marshall 

Like Never Before - Problem Child

Carry It - Bunji Garlin

You Alone - Imani Ray x Preedy 

NORTHERN PRESCRIPTION

Sweet Sweet Carnival - Reddy x Mattaz

Cocoa Tea - Kes

Follow Dr. Jay @socaprince​ and @socatherapy

“Like” Dr. Jay on http://facebook.com/DrJayOnline

[bllsbailey]

The Honeymoon Is Over: New Harvard/Harris Poll and DNC Leaks May Sink Kamala Harris' Ship

Well, that didn't last long. The coronation of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat nominee for president was supposed to sweep her on a wave of support into the Democrat National Convention. The donors and the voters were meant to see her as the inevitable candidate and the only one worthy of the nomination.

Womp Womp.

As my colleague Bonchie and our sister site Hot Air reported, Harris may appear as though she is gaining traction, but when you dig deeper, Harris is still losing the race to former President and Republican nominee for president Donald Trump. Despite the media gaslighting and the campaign's push, Harris is neither inevitable nor unbeatable.

Say, whose honeymoon is this, anyway? Supposedly, Kamala Harris has "totally upended" the race with The Anointment and the media's rush to proclaim the advent of "Kamalot." Also, Donald Trump only has a ceiling in the mid-40s and can't possibly win an outright popular-vote majority, especially with such a Historic Candidate™ as an opponent. Or so analysts thought. According to a new Harvard-Harris CAPS poll, Donald Trump leads Kamala Harris 52/48 with leaners, and 48/45 without. Harris has improved Joe Biden's numbers on the latter, but not the former.

But here's the worse news for the Harris campaign. Independents and undecided voters are breaking in the direction of Donald Trump, not toward Kamala Harris.

Even the unsure voters are breaking toward Trump, at least somewhat. The more worrisome data for Democrats are in the charts below, however. Trump holds Republicans to the ticket better than Harris holds her own party in both formulations. In fact, her 87% without leaners should be a red flag for the DNC, suggesting strongly that the party is not as sold on The Anointing as the media claims, even with the full-court press on Kamalot!  Take a look at the indie numbers, too. Trump leads by six points without leaners -- and six points with leaners. One has to wonder whether the sample tilts a bit toward the Dems based on those results plus the party loyalty numbers above. If so, Trump's still scoring an outright majority over Harris, who's attractiveness as a candidate is at its zenith before she's forced to open her mouth about policy.

And we all know what happens when she opens her mouth. But the Harris campaign continues pumping out the propaganda, particularly from the newly-minted "Harris Wins" X account.

"Plummeting?" That's an interesting perspective. And the hyperbole about the Trump campaign in panic and looking to replace JD Vance is purely fake news. They WISH he would replace JD Vance, as he is doing exactly what he was chosen to do: drive the Left crazy and cause the Republican establishment to scratch their heads. Another sign that the Kamala Harris bloom is not only off the rose, but wilting on the ground, is the fact that the short list of Harris' VP picks has gotten shorter because at least two of the chosen ones have indicated they do not want the job.

Two lawmakers seen as strong contenders in the race to become Kamala Harris’s running mate have announced that they are not in the running. On Monday, Michigan’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer, and the North Carolina governor, Roy Cooper, both said that while they support the vice-president, they will be staying in their posts in their respective states. “This just wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national ticket,” Cooper said in a statement posted to Twitter/X on Monday. “As I’ve said from the beginning, she has an outstanding list of people from which to choose, and we’ll all work to make sure she wins.” In an interview with CBS, Whitmer said that she has not been vetted by Harris’s office and expects Harris to announce her pick within the week, which would confirm the Democratic ticket at least two weeks before the Democratic national convention begins on 19 August in Chicago. “I have communicated with everyone, including the people of Michigan, that I’m going to stay as governor until the end of my term at the end of 2026,” Whitmer said.

As my colleague Ward Clark reported, Harris will announce her VP in two weeks and is scheduled to do a tour of battleground states with said pick. Those still open to self-immolation: PA Gov. Josh Shapiro, MN Gov. Tim Walz, KY Gov. Andy Beshear, and AZ Sen. Mark Kelly. While these are white men slated to give the "Black" woman gravitas (there's a a ton of tropes here that would take too long to get into!), none of these politicians excite anyone but the wine-sipping "White Women for Kamala" and the testosterone-deficient "Dudes for Kamala Harris." Maybe the VP will give her a boost, and maybe not. But if the top of the ticket hasn't greatly moved the needle, a No. 2 may initially raise some excitement, but will ultimately flame out just as quickly as this coronation.

READ MOREIt's On: Harris and Her Unnamed VP Pick Planning Tour of Battleground States

In another sign that the Harris campaign may be in trouble, O'Keefe Media Group (OMG) just dropped an interview with a Democrat National Committee manager who basically said that Harris has "no accomplishments to speak of," and that they lie to the donors in order to extract the money they need.

This is my shocked face. The World War II military expression comes to mind: "Loose lips, sink ships." Consider this OMG expose one of the many leaks that will contribute to the sinking of the Good Ship Kamala. 

WATCH:

“I don’t think Kamala Harris would win this year,” reveals Joyce DeCerce (@JoyceDecerce) (he/him), Compliance Manager for the Democratic National Committee (@DNC) and Kamala Harris' (@KamalaHarris) Campaign.  DeCerce adds, “She doesn’t have any accomplishments to speak of,” suggesting that Harris’s lack of popularity stems from her underachievement while in office.  Regarding Harris’s approval amongst voters, the DNC Compliance manager states, “She's weirdly unpopular."  DeCerce describes his role within the DNC as “an accounting function,” explaining, “It’s kind of like where accounting and legal meet.”  DeCerce admits that the DNC’s engagement with donors is little more than a façade. He explains, “You just put on a performance for them, a little show, right?” implying that the DNC merely tells donors what they want to hear in order to receive donations. He further claims that the DNC’s approach is to fuel donors’ fantasies with empty promises, emphasizing, “They want their fantasy to be, you know, fed.”  When @OKeefeMedia reached out to Kristin Hetherington, the CFO of the DNC, for comment, she hung up the phone in frustration after questioned if the DNC tells donors "what they want to hear," and if they play to donor's "fantasies."  The undercover journalist who recorded Joyce DeCerce received a threatening postcard at her house featuring racial undertones in an apparent attempt to intimidate her and prevent this story from being aired. 

[cksmart-world]

SMART BOMB

The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

By Christopher Smart

July 16, 2024

“GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE”

Hey Wilson, how many times have you heard Republicans say,“Guns don't kill people, people kill people.” Way too many. We heard it after Sandy Hook; we heard it after the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas; we heard it after Uvalde, Texas – the list of mass shootings in this country goes on and on and on. There may be limits on the First Amendment but with the Second Amendment, not so much. We have some 400 million firearms in the United States – more than one for every man, woman and child. This is a violent country with well over 40,000 gun-related deaths per year – an average of 120 per day. The United States imported or manufactured 2.8 million AR-15 assault-style rifles in 2020 alone. It is by far the biggest selling firearm and was designed for one purpose – to kill people. Not surprisingly Donald Trump was shot by an assault rifle purchased legally. Since 2016, Trump more than any other major political figure, has contributed to a rising trend in violent rhetoric. Now, however, Republicans are blaming Democrats for the attempted assassination, as though Dems had called for the violent insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. No one knows why 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks wanted to kill Trump but one thing is for sure – he wanted to do it with a gun. Call it freedom.

DEMONIC PORTAL OPENS OVER WHITE HOUSE

“Satan get thee behind me.” That's just one of the phrases heard echoing around Milwaukee's Republican National Convention where Democrats aren't political opponents but enemies to be smitten down like Kraken. Christian Nationalism has swarmed over the GOP confab, preaching that America's godliness is under siege and Christian soldiers must rise up to take it back. It's a fun-loving bunch who can throw down with the best. A “demonic portal” has opened above the Biden White House, said Donald Trump's fixer Roger Stone in The Washington Post. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn, called former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a demon, the Post reported. As many MAGA acolytes know after watching a viral Trump video, God sent him to Earth to save it. They have, along with the former president, himself, compared Trump's trials and tribulations to the plight of Jesus of Nazareth. Proof positive: God saved Trump from an assassination attempt last weekend. Earlier, Trump declared election day, Nov. 5, as “Christian Visibility Day.” But it's not love the Trump faithful came to Milwaukee to spread but a call to arms. Matthew 10:34-36: “I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Oh yeah, and God bless America.

HEY GOV. COX, GO AHEAD, EAT YOUR DAMN CAKE

OK, we know politicians can talk out of both sides their mouths, but this takes the cake: (WARNING – possible neck injuries due to whiplash.) At the National Governors Association’s meeting last week Gov. Spencer Cox said he would not vote for Donald Trump but hopes he wins. Eat your cake and have it, too? Incredible. Yep, he's the same Gov. Cox who urged us to be kind to transsexuals and then signed legislation to keep them from public restrooms. What is wrong with our politics? Here's a clue: The Utah Supreme Court just ruled the state legislature can not mess with citizen initiatives – in this case, one that would create an independent commission to draw voting districts. The initiative passed after Utahns – particularly Salt Lake County residents – grew sick and tired of Republican gerrymandering that sliced up the county like rhubarb pie. True to form lawmakers twisted the public's petition into the same old pretzel. Voters sued. And guess who submitted an amicus brief on behalf of the legislature – Spencer “Disagree Better” Cox. Surprise! The court's unanimous ruling was met with sour grapes from GOP leaders. House Speaker Mike Schultz and Senate President Stuart Adams issued a joint statement, saying in part, “Boohoo. Who's democracy is this, anyway. Boohoo, boohoo.”

Post script – Well that's gunna do it for another historic week here at Smart Bomb where our staff keeps track of political rhetoric so you don't have to. Utah Sen. Mike Lee: “We need government control, not gun control. Otherwise, tribalism advances at the national level.” WTF. Former White House attorney Ty Cobb: “[I] think it was always Judge Aileen Cannon's objective, frankly, to prevent this (Trump's classified documents case) from going to trial.” House Speaker Mike Johnson: “When the message goes out constantly that the election of Donald Trump would be a threat to democracy, that the republic would end, I mean it, it heats up the environment.” Ohio Sen J.D.Vance (just selected as Trump's running mate): “I’m truly skeptical that Mike Pence’s life was ever in danger (on Jan. 6). I think politics and politics people like to really exaggerate things from time to time.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC): “Corruption, without consequence, infects all it touches. And that is why Congress has a constitutional and moral obligation to hold these (Supreme Court) justices accountable...” she said introducing a pair of resolutions calling for the impeachment and removal of Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

Hells bells Wilson, it's kinda like we've collided with a parallel universe where everything is crazy or maybe someone put LSD in the water supply. You know, they are selling all kinds of new bottled water said to be magic. Who knows. What we do know is that you and the band have something apropos for this moment in history. So, hit it, Wilson:

One pill makes you larger And one pill makes you small And the ones that mother gives you Don't do anything at all Go ask Alice When she's ten feet tall And if you go chasing rabbits And you know you're going to fall Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar Has given you the call Call Alice When she was just small When the men on the chessboard Get up and tell you where to go And you've just had some kind of mushroom And your mind is moving low Go ask Alice I think she'll know When logic and proportion Have fallen sloppy dead And the White Knight is talking backwards And the Red Queen's off with her head Remember what the dormouse said Feed your head Feed your head

(White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane)

[chubbycaucasianchristiancloseted]

Big Libs in bed with big oil GASP!

Big Libs in bed with big oil GASP! It’s a good thing they solved the climate issue in Dubi or this might look SUPER hypocritical. The author suggests these families got intertwined prior to their “peaks of wealth and power”, they bonded over “old bones”, Science and wine AND the Getty’s only had a few billion at the time.

This is a very recent article did anyone else hear this on main stream media? It’s fascinating how privileged all of these Dems are.

Direct Quotes:

The Gettys, too, are on that list. Founded by oil baron J. Paul Getty who moved under the radar until his "outing" as the richest American by Fortune magazine in 1957, the subsequent four generations of his family have been in the spotlight navigating fields from environmentalism to fashion to business, music, digital archives, arts, LGBTQ rights and politics. With five wives, the patriarch of the dynasty, J. Paul Getty, fathered four sons who lived to adulthood, and the family tree has flowered to some 19 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

In the wake of the sale of the company in 1985 to Texaco for $10.1 billion—at that time the biggest corporate acquisition in history—$3 billion was partitioned into four separate trusts. Currently, the family's combined net worth could be in the neighborhood of $20 billion, which will finally be divided among all the heirs upon the death of J. Paul Getty's last living son—Gordon, currently 88.

As the family has navigated personal and professional successes and failures, it has also become inextricably enmeshed into the California political fabric, with longtime close family friendships developing between the Gettys and current Governor Gavin Newsom, Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, as well as their families. William A. Newsom II, Gavin's grandfather, was a surrogate father to Getty sons John Paul Jr. and Gordon. William "Bill" Newsom III, Gavin's father, was even the bearer of the ransom money when John Paul III was kidnapped. Newsoms, Harrises, Pelosis and Gettys are godparents to one another's children and make appearances at important family events.

Left to their own devices, Paul Jr. and Gordon spent a good deal of time at the nearby home of their St. Ignatius prep school classmate, William "Bill" Newsom III, and his five siblings. This lively Irish-Catholic household was presided over by William A. Newsom II, a real estate developer and campaign manager for Edmund G. Brown, governor of California from 1959 to 1967 (whose son Jerry subsequently reclaimed the office in 1974 for the first of his four terms).

Their great affection for him endured. When Paul Jr. died at his mansion in England in 2003, a framed photograph of Newsom II was near his bed. This intimate family friendship between the Gettys and the Newsoms spanned generations, including Gordon's four sons—Peter, Andrew, John and Billy—and Bill's son— Gavin, California's 40th governor.

Since moving with her husband to the Pelosis' hometown of San Francisco in 1969, Baltimore-born Nancy had her hands full taking care of their four children; their fifth child was born in 1970. Though she'd grown up in a political household, the idea of herself taking office was still nearly two decades off.

As they grew up, Billy Getty and Gavin developed an appreciation of good wine from their fathers, both passionate oenophiles and best friends. In the years after these families met and became intertwined, as they rose to the peaks of wealth and power, there have been inevitable accusations of cronyism. But they bonded over old bones. They were all fascinated by the science—

At Billy's 1999 wedding to Vanessa Jarman, held on a ranch in Napa Valley, Judge Newsom officiated, and Gavin served as best man. Among the 165 guests was a new assistant district attorney in town, a 34-year-old up-and-comer named Kamala Harris, Vanessa's new friend. Two years later, Harris threw the shower before the birth of the couple's first son. When their daughter was born, Kamala was asked to be the godmother.

Over the years, Newsom political opponents have tried to weaponize his connections to the Gettys, portraying him as a child of privilege.

In the election cycle of 2020, some airtime was devoted to pondering Kimberly Guilfoyle's path from Gavin to fiancé Donald Trump Jr. "Life's interesting," Newsom said

Amid the pandemic, the Gettys were shaken by back-to-back tragedies. Ann, the matriarch, died of a heart attack, and son John, 52, was found dead in a San Antonio hotel room. According to the medical examiner's report, he died of "cardiomyopathy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], complicated by fentanyl toxicity."

[enheduana-inanna]

I'm old enough to remember Obama's first campaign really clearly. "Will (moderate shitbag) dems actually vote for a black candidate" was a MUCH more culturally relevant question then than it is now. Do people remember that Trump's entry into politics was the bullshit racist tea party/birth certificate movement? He has the won't vote for a black person vote locked down already, just like he did the last 2 elections. The sort of working class racist dem voter that people worried about with Obama have either gone full support for Trump already OR been driven to be anyone but Trump by the rest of his nonsense.

Harris is also going to have a much easier time with the black vote than Clinton. The number of black voters from across the socioeconomic spectrum who voted for 3rd parties or didn't vote because they hated Clinton based on her husband's (objectively awful) policies and behaviors as governor was higher than a lot of white liberals wanted to acknowledge going into 2016.

So so many conversations I had with actual human beings were dismissed by coworkers as wrong/unrealistic based on the podcasts (run exclusively by white men who probably didn't regularly interact with black folk) who told my coworkers Clinton had the black vote. And since those coworkers didn't know any black people well enough to talk to them about politics, they took that vote for granted. This wasn't the i/p debate where neither side will help and most voters dont actually care, this was "she basically owned slaves while living in the Governor's mansion, and helped push a devastation "tough on crime" bill while first lady."

Harris will get so many of those votes, and should get a lot of people that were too stupid to agree to vote for Biden. The entire process and approach has been a shitshow, but there's definitely hope.

I got political whiplash on Threads. First, everyone was screaming, “All is lost!” I came back an hour later, and everyone was screaming, “We Ride at Dawn!”

The right-wingers are in panic mode. Steven Miller was practically screaming on Feckless news. 🤣

I mean. The right-wingers' entire mentality, the fuel for the January 6 attempted coup, the recent SCOTUS President God-King Immunity ruling, and all the rest, is premised on the simple fact that the president is indeed, Almighty God King who serves for life and will never, ever willingly give up his power. So that's how I can guarantee that the GOP, because they are short-sighted fascist morons, did not plan for this. Their entire strategy was built around attacking Biden, because they hate him. Like, really hate him. He defeated Trump the first time and there was still a good chance that he could do it again. Trump got impeached the first time for trying to extort Zelenskyy for dirt on Biden, because he didn't want to face him. That's why they went after Hunter on largely bogus charges, tossed around the idea of impeaching Biden, actually (uselessly) impeached Mayorkas, etc.

And yet, because Biden (even if he was forced to do it) decided to step away and voluntarily give up his presidential power instead of wrecking American democracy to hold onto it, that has broken their little shriveled fascist brains. They literally can't comprehend it, and I can guarantee they're now shit scared about having to face Kamala, a brown woman, who is the epitome of everything their tiny evil brains hate. As noted by those bangin' fundraising numbers, there is also a lot of excitement around her. And suddenly, after MONTHS of "this election is a referendum on which old and mentally declining man you hate more," that has been removed as a factor. (Watch the media suddenly forget all about age and/or mental competency as a factor now that Biden is out. Does it apply to Trump, you ask? CRICKETS.)

Kamala is going to mop the f'n floor with Trump at the next presidential debate, and I guarantee that the GOP knows that too. Because yes, if Biden had another bad debate, or if he has a bad case of COVID that might end up giving him long-covid symptoms or keeping him off the trail for days or weeks, that would have been very, very hard to recover from. Now the GOP is the one stuck with an old, mentally baffled, virulently hated presidential candidate and the most pro-Russia, anti-woman, demonstrable-sellout whitebread VP pick imaginable, that they had to choose because Trump nearly got the last one killed and he wasn't interested in the job again, for some weird reason. And as we have pointed out before, this is the last-chance saloon for Trump in any number of ways, and he has been demonstrably overconfident the last few weeks as the media was consumed with discussion of Biden's stumbles rather than Trump's manifold unfitness, treason, felonies, and all the rest.

I don't agree with Biden on everything he has ever done in his long career in public service, but I will say that I don't think he would have actually done this if he wasn't eventually convinced, for whatever reason that might be, that it was the right decision. And my one big fear about him stepping down was that the party would instantly fracture, people would start flogging unrealistic Magical White Boy replacements, and otherwise insist on an "open mini-primary!" or some other fucking bullshit. Now, there are still a few idiots trying that, but by and large, the Democratic power apparatus has instantly thrown its weight behind Kamala. That doesn't excuse them for the weeks of wibbling Anonymous Sources self-sabotage beforehand, and I still vote that we destroy the billionaires at our next opportunity, but if we can stick with that and keep up those mongo fundraising numbers, we might indeed actually have a better chance than before, and that was what this was all about.

As I noted yesterday, Black women have been disproportionately influential in taking Trump down (think Leticia James, Fani Willis, etc) and there is undoubtedly a huge, HUGE amount of poetic justice if Kamala can be the one to stick the knife in his greasy orange gut once and for all. I can likewise guarantee the GOP is well aware of that, and the fact that while they can yell even louder and trot out the same old racist, sexist, misogynist fearmongering dirtbag attacks they used on HRC, that is a strategy with demonstrably diminishing returns (it sure as hell isn't going to help them win any more female or suburban or black voters or anyone else we always hear about how they're Making Inroads with). And we're not going to talk about how it's Obvious that America would never elect a black female president. Obama won two terms. Even with all that weight of frothing misogyny and DECADES of Republican smear machines, HRC won the popular vote and was ratfucked out of the Electoral College by the slimmest of margins, after a massive interference campaign by the Russians. It is fucking possible, we are going to do it, and the Republicans are so, SO FUCKING SCARED of having to live in an America run by a brown woman, that can only be for the good.

Kamala Harris 2024. Let's go.

[worldofwardcraft]

Culture wars can be costly.

March 2, 2023

Many companies nowadays operate under the guidelines of something called ESG. This is a way of conducting business that takes into account environmental, social and governance factors alongside the financial ones in the decision-making process. Investment firms committed to ESG include BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, DWS Group, Parnassus Investments and others. While such corporate giants as Microsoft, Exxon Mobil, Mattel, PepsiCo and Accenture also integrate ESG into their business practices.

Committing to ESG means opposing fossil fuels, voter suppression and the criminalizing of reproductive rights. No wonder Republicans hate ESG. They're wildly in favor of all that stuff. For them, ESG falls into the category of "woke" (which is basically anything they don't like). Several governors and attorneys general in the more backward, MAGA-crazed red states have already taken steps to stamp out what they imagine is the dire threat of ESG.

For example, Texas in 2021 became the first state to pass actual legislation barring local authorities from doing business with banks that have adopted ESG policies. Not to be outdone, Florida's wannabe fuehrer Ron DeSantis has called ESG a leftist, "elite-driven" scheme. And last August, he pushed to ban the state pension funds from screening for environmental, social and governance risks. Whereupon the Florida State Board of Administration, which oversees funds totaling $240.1 billion, including $189.7 billion in the state's retirement system, passed a resolution against ESG considerations in its investment decisions.

Even GOPers in Congress are joining this fight against sustainable investing. This week, Senate Republicans — with the aid of two moderate Dems — voted to end a Biden administration rule allowing retirement plans to weigh ESG factors in their investment decisions. The president will no doubt veto this performative bill.

Meanwhile, Texas and Florida are now spending significantly more to finance their debt than, say, California even though they have better credit ratings. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, AAA-rated Texas must pay $1.9 million more than AA-rated California on every $1 billion of bonds sold. And AAA-rated Florida must pony up $4.3 million more.

One study found that Texas's anti-ESG legislation could set taxpayers back between $303 million and $532 million in added costs on municipal bonds. Moreover, it found that should those policies remain in place, taxpayers could be on the hook for an extra $445 million per year in interest payments.

The right-wing culture war on supposed "woke capitalism" is poisoning the market for government bonds in a bunch of other red states, too, including Iowa, Wyoming and North Dakota. Forcing their unfortunate residents to foot the bill.

[mariacallous]

Of the Senate seats up in 2024, I think the following (all things being equal) I would be confident about staying Dem (Angus King in Maine and Bernie in Vermont are both up for re-election, but they both caucus with the Dems and fairly comfortably won last time and I don't expect any changes there, but I won't list them below)

California Connecticut Delaware Hawaii Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota New Jersey New Mexico New York Rhode Island Virginia Washington

The following I think are likely to stay Dem but it would probably be a bit of a fight:

Michigan Nevada (Jacky Rosen got 50.4% last time, and assuming she can do what CCM did this time plus a presidential election turnout...) Pennsylvania Wisconsin

(These are all based on the current incumbents, btw.)

Races which would probably be a real fight:

Arizona (Sinema only barely got 50% last time) Montana (Tester only got 50.1% last time, but he's a really good candidate for that seat, he oversaw the DSCC this election, and he would benefit from a presidential election turnout, plus in 2018 his GOP opponent got under 47% of the vote, with a Libertarian taking like 3%) Ohio (Brown had a decent majority but Ohio's gotten redder but also with Ryan's close race against Vance and the groundwork there...) West Virginia (Manchin got 49.57% to the Republican's 46.26%, with a Libertarian getting over 4%, so assuming he runs again and assuming he might benefit from being a moderate Dem bucking the party every so often and bringing money to WV and assuming a presidential election year turnout and and and)

Who the fuck knows what'll happen with these races:

Florida - Rick Scott only got 50.1% last time, but Florida has decisively shifted redder since 2018 and a lot of work would need to be done in organizing and campaigning plus a good candidate would need to chosen by the Dems.

Indiana: Mike Braun is retiring to run for Governor of Indiana, and last time he was elected with 50.7% of the vote (the Dem incumbent got just under 45% of the vote, and the Libertarian got almost 4.5% of the vote) so depending on who runs there it could potentially be competitive? Likely not though.

Missouri: Josh Hawley got 51% of the vote to Dem incumbent Claire McCaskill's 45.6%, but he's not especially popular and there might be potential to get it back, especially with a presidential election turnout.

Texas: Ted Cruz just barely beat Beto 50.9% to 48.3% and he's unpopular with a lot of people and Beto and other organizers in Texas have been working to make changes, so with Ted Cruz as an incumbent, the groundwork that's been laid, and a presidential election turnout?

Races staying Republican:

All the rest? lol

Mississippi Nebraska (both seats would technically be up, but Deb Fischer got 57% last time and Ben Sasse won pretty solidly too). North Dakota (Cramer beat Heitkamp 55% to 44%, roughly, and having lived and worked in North Dakota, it's pretty solidly red there, like one-party rule red) Tennessee (sadly I don't think Marsha Blackburn is going anywhere unless she runs for President) Utah Wyoming

[freetheshit-outofyou]

I live in Nevada. I am the 5th of 7 generations born here. We are governed by people from just about every place but Nevada. Between the Assembly and the Senate; 24 legislators were born in Nevada, 21 in California, 33 from places other than CA. Those places are New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., India, Vietnam, Saudi Aribia, Brazil, and Mexico. Most of them grew up, went to school and lived some place else before coming to Nevada to get into government. MANY of them tried and failed to get in government in California first, and Nevada (CA-lite) was their fall back. I'm not saying that folks not born in Nevada can't care for the state. I'm also not saying that people born here can't shit on it too, they do. Take Harry Reid for example, he was born here and just loved butt fucking the state with his D.C. liberal bullshit. He got very rich, as did his family, doing it. I'm just saying the closer your are to CA the more likely CA liberals are going to come in and fist your state into being a CA clone. Democrats have a super majority in the State Houses, The Governor is a Republican (Just slightly), but still better than last term when Dems controlled everything, office of governor, the offices of attorney general, secretary of state, and both chambers of the state legislature. They passed all kinds of California'ish laws. Most of those laws were aimed at Ural areas of Nevada where these Dems have never been.