The Politics Thread

[Juliajms]

Speaking of Act Blue can anyone tell me which races are competitive, so I can make some small donations? We have to repudiate these nuts completely.

[Soapsuds]

If this is a soap opera @marceline then we need closing credits and music.

 

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[DRW50]

 

I've heard people mention Mike Espy in the Mississippi Senate race. I've also heard some talk about the Alaska Senate race but I can't say. 

 

State legislative races can sometimes be most important in the long run. For instance, here's one for Michigan. (not asking you to donate to them, just giving as a reference)

 

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bluewavemi2020

[Vee]

 

 

[Vee]

 

[marceline]

The dealbreaker with COVID relief is the liability shield. McConnell wants to protect corporations from lawsuits and Pelosi is not going to let that happen. I will be very shocked if there's any kind of a deal.

[DRW50]

McConnell played Trump on this issue, as another relief bill is something he likely never wanted to do. He goaded Trump into a big meltdown canning any relief, and now we are in "no takesies backsies" mode. He knows many are stupid enough to blame Biden for this if he is elected, and he knows he has enough money and vote rigging to have a good chance of keeping the Senate in GOP hands, especially with vulnerable senators like Thom Tillis now using the "we need to be a check on a Biden administration" card that  senators successfully used in 2016. The cruelest continue to skate and the rest of us will just continue to suffer. 

Edited October 9, 2020 by DRW50

[Juliajms]

Thank you Carl.

[janea4old]

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[wingwalker]

 

North Carolina and South Carolina Senate races are getting the most media attention. Iowa is starting to as well with the Democrat pulling ahead in the polling. 

 

Three others that are flying under the radar and the media are ignoring, but I would keep an eye on are Alaska, Montana, and Kansas senate races. They've all had a couple of polls come out in recent weeks after months of no polling. The Democrat (or independent in the case of the Alaska challenger) are all either polling ahead or slightly behind. I think there is a decent possibility that at least 1 surprises the media and goes Democrat. 

[JaneAusten]

I am just curious. How exactly does any of this help these senators. This isn't 2016 and we are in the midst of a pandemic and people are hurting. I mean I get why McConnell has been pushing it aside - GOP donors don't want it unless it has that liability clause. So I get why McConnell has been unwilling to bring anything up for a vote because he thinks the donations for vulnerable senate races will dry up but they are already in the red in terms of campaign funding and frankly I don't see at the end of the day how not voting on or passing a relief package helps any of them at the voting booth.

[DRW50]

 

McConnell does not want to pass anything with the help of Democrats as he would look weak and set a bad precedent for himself, and a majority of Republicans in the Senate are too hardline to pass more relief than the very slimmed-down, meaningless aid they passed not long ago. And, as you mention, the liability clause. The vulnerable senators are basically SOL, with McConnell just pushing the blame onto Pelosi (or Trump) and playing the "we need checks on a Biden White House" card to help him keep the Senate. Sadly, there's a very strong chance this could work.

[Vee]

Not very strong, since it's likely they'll lose the Senate. But McConnell is playing the long game, hoping to win the midterms.

 

Meanwhile:

 

 

 

[Khan]

 

Again:

 

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[Vee]