149,000 Georgia Voters Challenged

[fastupslowdown]

As I've been told, after Gore's loss, the Democrats started working on flipping Florida, and the intransigence of the Cubans and the spillover of their views into the non-Cuban Hispanic (sorry beeatnik) communities in Florida was seen as creating too much volatility (for Democrats) in a state that was too important electorally. The normalization effort was designed to split off the hardcore Cubans who came over in the 1950's from the post-Mariel Boatlift Cubans. The latter still had close living relatives in Cuba, and they wanted to send money home without limits, to be able to call their families directly on the phone, and if possible visit Cuba without risk of arrest by Cuban authorities. Obama raised the transfer limits, began working on visitation rights, and private cellphones (with Florida SIM cards!) became available in Cuba. And in 2012 it worked. When Trump ran against Clinton, he promised to undo all Obama's normalization efforts which solidified the support of the older Cubans and added the support of the increasing number of Venezuelans (and others.) So the Democrats started working on how to win without wasting time & money campaigning in Florida by winning elsewhere.

What I do know is that Democratic outreach to the Latino and Hispanic communities across the United States has been piss poor. I guess this would be the responsibility of Jamie Harrison? I don't see an effective communications strategy and with regards to Florida many come from countries where socialism is a four letter word(and its not just Cuba but countries like Venezuela). There are ways to support health insurance and other worthwhile initiatives and not come off as socialist. Considering the number of Hispanic Americans will continue to grow each year the Democrats put his problem off they're digging a deeper hole. -Mike G

[j44ke]

What I do know is that Democratic outreach to the Latino and Hispanic communities across the United States has been piss poor. I guess this would be the responsibility of Jamie Harrison? I don't see an effective communications strategy and with regards to Florida many come from countries where socialism is a four letter word(and its not just Cuba but countries like Venezuela). There are ways to support health insurance and other worthwhile initiatives and not come off as socialist. Considering the number of Hispanic Americans will continue to grow each year the Democrats put his problem off they're digging a deeper hole. -Mike G

All true. The vision-thing seems not so great right now with the Democrats. Just the concept that the Democrats need to appeal to Hispanics, rather than Hispanics being Democrats and Democrats being Hispanics is worrisome.

[fastupslowdown]

All true. The vision-thing seems not so great right now with the Democrats. Just the concept that the Democrats need to appeal to Hispanics, rather than Hispanics being Democrats and Democrats being Hispanics is worrisome.

My sense is Hispanics and Black Americans have always competed for starring roles in the Democratic party and Black Americans seem to have won out. This is just my opinion but Hispanic Americans are often more conservative and religious and don't like socialism. I say this with a grain of salt as you really can't paint this community with one brush but its these elements that drive newer generations toward the GOP. For example, being religious means more of them are not supportive of abortion. Also with each succeeding generation many see themselves more as American and less as Latino. I also see some general trends that impact other groups being drivers as well, such as with increased education comes greater percentages identifying as Democrat.

[beeatnik]

The Latinx vote is not monolithic. And yet it is depending on state or region. A 2nd generation (parents being the immigrant or 1st generation) working class Chicano in CA is more likely to blindly vote Democratic regardless of in-state geography (norcal, central, socal), while a 2nd generation Chicano's vote in TX is more mutable based on occupation and location (Houston/Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, small border town).

But what does it mean to be Latinx in America? It means generally being Mexican-descended (75-80%), of low SES but not structurally limited from gaining social mobility. In my daughter's class, she is the only Latinx with 2 Latino parents; she's the only Latinx who wouldn't be able to easily pass for white. None of my cousins in Utah and Northern Nevada are college graduates but they're all homeowners who live in majority white middle class communities.

[j44ke]

My sense is Hispanics and Black Americans have always competed for starring roles in the Democratic party and Black Americans seem to have won out. This is just my opinion but Hispanic Americans are often more conservative and religious and don't like socialism. I say this with a grain of salt as you really can't paint this community with one brush but its these elements that drive newer generations toward the GOP. For example, being religious means more of them are not supportive of abortion. Also with each succeeding generation many see themselves more as American and less as Latino. I also see some general trends that impact other groups being drivers as well, such as with increased education comes greater percentages identifying as Democrat.

I think it is kind of the other way around. I think Democrats have taken African American support for granted, and African Americans have done a lot of the heavy lifting at the grassroots level with very little to show for it in return. Hispanics are on one hand ethnic-light when they present as agreeably handsome and attractively tan versions of white people (he's so well spoken etc.) but when they demand their due from party leadership, like Ocasio-Cortez has from Pelosi, they rapidly become a problem. And Democrats keep immigration policy at the end of a very long pole. They talk a lot about reform and promise to work on things, but in the end, neither Biden nor Obama have truly distinguished themselves on immigration (exception maybe being the Dreamer act which keeps getting tied up in court,) shying away from controversy by hiding behind the requirement to enforce existing law. Why? Because middle class white swing voters in key electoral states pole against Hispanic immigration reform (i.e. they may be for immigration reform, but not Hispanic immigration reform.) So instead of competing and one or the other winning, it is more like who is getting screwed the least.

[fastupslowdown]

I think it is kind of the other way around. I think Democrats have taken African American support for granted, and African Americans have done a lot of the heavy lifting at the grassroots level with very little to show for it in return. Hispanics are on one hand ethnic-light when they present as agreeably handsome and attractively tan versions of white people (he's so well spoken etc.) but when they demand their due from party leadership, like Ocasio-Cortez has from Pelosi, they rapidly become a problem. And Democrats keep immigration policy at the end of a very long pole. They talk a lot about reform and promise to work on things, but in the end, neither Biden nor Obama have truly distinguished themselves on immigration (exception maybe being the Dreamer act which keeps getting tied up in court,) shying away from controversy by hiding behind the requirement to enforce existing law. Why? Because middle class white swing voters in key electoral states pole against Hispanic immigration reform (i.e. they may be for immigration reform, but not Hispanic immigration reform.) So instead of competing and one or the other winning, it is more like who is getting screwed the least.

I can't recall the last time Democrats held the majorities necessary to change immigration. That said, while I'm not for open borders I do think there was a deal to be had during the beginning of Trump's Presidency, border wall in exchange for citizenship for Dreamers. Not sure if this would make everyone happy, but compromises rarely do

[j44ke]

I can't recall the last time Democrats held the majorities necessary to change immigration. That said, while I'm not for open borders I do think there was a deal to be had during the beginning of Trump's Presidency, border wall in exchange for citizenship for Dreamers. Not sure if this would make everyone happy, but compromises rarely do

That border wall was a criminal enterprise. I doubt anyone will go to jail for it, but it stunk to high heaven.

[fastupslowdown]

That border wall was a criminal enterprise. I doubt anyone will go to jail for it, but it stunk to high heaven.

Steve Bannon certainly proved your point

[beeatnik]

I can't recall the last time Democrats held the majorities necessary to change immigration. That said, while I'm not for open borders I do think there was a deal to be had during the beginning of Trump's Presidency, border wall in exchange for citizenship for Dreamers. Not sure if this would make everyone happy, but compromises rarely do

It would not make Mexican-Americans and Chicanos outside of Texas happy. But it's really an optics issue. I'm not sure if I'd prefer Republicans or Democrats realizing this. If you want to consume meaningless rhetoric on the issue, listen to guys like Padilla or Becerra.

[rwsaunders]

I can’t make this up. Local state rep (western PA) elected posthumously, resulting in an upcoming special election. Gotta hand it to the Dem marketing rep making the most of the situation.

[fastupslowdown]

I can’t make this up. Local state rep (western PA) elected posthumously, resulting in an upcoming special election. Gotta hand it to the Dem marketing rep making the most of the situation.

weekend at bernies comes to mind -Mike G

[rwsaunders]

Spotted this lovely home today displaying his/her feelings...about an hour North of Pittsburgh near the Ohio border. Oh the hate.

[beeatnik]

^That's a strange lot. My sister just put an offer on a multi-unit property next to a gas station. Little known fact in CA, gas stations must provide free air and water and yet most of us spend years dropping quarters into the machines. Finally, these days my preferred tire pressure for my Outback is 34psi

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Los-Angele...5/home/7073797

[darkmother]

Pretty sure that 2nd story trump banner is a stressed member supporting the sagging roof.

[72gmc]

The word “back” is doing a lot of work on that banner, and not explaining itself nearly as well as it should.

I hope I never have to use a Visa card for gas station air.

[ides1056]

Spotted this lovely home today displaying his/her feelings...about an hour North of Pittsburgh near the Ohio border. Oh the hate.

or the love, depending

[fellowpicker]

Guy better be careful or he’ll end up like CornPop.