***** THE TEXAS TRIBUNE: Texas sees huge turnout on first day of early voting ... (newsread)
This posting will serve as Part 7 for the "America's Vote Boat" series of this journal/ blog. I open above with a news link from "The Texas Tribune" for fellow Texans. I went 1st day of early voting to vote yesterday, the lines were long, in fact, in my neighbourhood here in Northwest Dallas, I've never seen this long of a line, my wait time was maybe about 1.5 hours, so it wasn't too bad. I also brought a neighbour with me, when pulling into the parking lot, and she seen the line, she told me ... "Ohhh Tom, maybe we should come back another time ... " ... I just told her, this is as good as a time as any. They did ask to see my drivers license, and asked me if I was at the residence on my license, because for the last 25 or so years, my voter registration has my P.O. Box as my address, so that's understandable. I also had 3 people come to my home over the last 2 weeks, who already had my name, asking me if they can depend on me to vote for Democrats ... of course, I told them, from me and my familia and others I know. They even said they were giving rides to the polling places, or any assistance ... which was impressive to me. I also received at least a dozen or more calls at home from Dallas County Democrats over the last couple weeks, I assured them, we are voting Democrat. There has been a surge in registered voters as well too, Thanx to Texas Democrats ... because Texas had more Republican registered voters than Democrats, I read that registered voters in Texas is about 15.8 million, so this is also good to see our voting population increasing too, because many new voters are going Democrat in this state. Plus, with the far North Dallas suburban cities, which traditionally been Republican majority, many new millennial voters, and many folks that moved here from other places (many from the LA area, and New York in particular), have added to the increase in Democratic voters. I myself have at least got a couple dozen folks to vote in my community, even one that was a former Republican, and voted for Trump, he is now voting Democrat. Earlier today, I also got my neighbour Ed and his girlfriend to go down to vote, I encouraged registration earlier this year. Ed is 18 years old, both of their parents are from Mexico, and dont have the right to vote yet ... I told them, do it for your familia! I encouraged 3 step- grandsons to register, vote, the importance, etc. My point here, is the math, if 1000 people encourage their familia, neighbours and friends to register and vote, and if each of that 1000 successfully got 10 people to do so for example, that counts for 10,000 votes. I also been encouraging those folks to vote, that blow off midterms, and only vote on the Presidential elections, some don't realize the importance of the midterms. There are also a wave of new Justice Democrats, that are more progressive, running in these midterms to win a seat, that's a plus.
Another reason for this posting (of many reasons), is because I am more of a progressive type liberal on so many issues (not all issues), and I heard some fellow progressives hitting hard on progressive candidate Alex Cortez, because she was endorsing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and all Democrats across the board, Alex is a self- proclaimed democratic socialist, and Cuomo previously was not very supportive of her. If you're a progressive, understand, that Alex has to, we are in a bad situation currently in America, and our balls are to the wall. I am first in line as far as wanting even a third party to vote for, and believe we may see one within the next decade or two ... that is more of a peoples and workers party, the oligarchs have been pushing their luck, and a resistance will grow out of it ... in time. Right now, we have a Republican majority Congress, that are ramming through some radical proposals, that will have a negative impact on keeping any kind of democracy in this republic (America is BOTH a democracy and republic). The Democratic Party is the only strong resistance we have, and the power of our vote. You can deal with Democrats a little easier than with this new wave of Republicans we have now, and the Democrats because of their problems have been hurting to regain some trust, they are more likely to listen. Then we have this "walk away" movement today, which I understand progressives and independents and how they feel, as you can see throughout this journals politics ... I myself have wrote in this journal since the start in 08 how folks would and should "walk away", in time ... I feel the same way with many of those liberals who walked away. I ask them to PLEASE reconsider and give support to Democrats in this election ... because they are the only strong opposition we have that is large enough, to at least slow down this current administration. The point here is to be progressive, not regressive, eh? Neoliberal politics and economics are already here, and to stay for awhile, we must have something to at least challenge it on a large scale, democracy has been under attack since it took over everything, so it's a matter of restoring, building, and reconstructing democracy, rather than saving it. And the power of our vote, is actually stronger than just feeding money to try to compete with those who can outspend us 100 to 1, because they have took all our money. We are up against a force, that if we do not challenge this administration over the next 2 years, they are going to eradicate so many of our liberties, socially and financially, and incorporate a religious type of nationalism, that has nothing to do with democracy or our values of choice and freedom ... as well as a new gerrymandering plan they're working on.
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***** NY TIMES: Another Tax Cut? Trump and Republicans Offer a Midterm Pitch, If Not a Plan ... (newsread) *** funny, Mnuchin sayz that we have nothing to worry about these tax cuts adding to the debt. And the sales pitch/ bite reason he gives is, as long as "current economic growth is sustained", it will pay itself. That is so silly! ... "current economic growth being sustained indefinitely"? ... economics and markets history shows that no "current" economic growth remains sustainable, especially in todayz global market, if it was otherwise, we wouldnt have had to do the bailouts for these entities in the 08 recession ... nor would you see your 401(k) lose all your gains of the year overnight! I mean ... why don't you just sell us the Brooklyn Bridge, eh? And our current and past economic model, is a "bubble/ bust" type, and moreso with neoliberal economics. And all these tax breaks for the billionaires, millionaires, and highest earners are permanent, the average American loses them all in 2025 ... and gets hit with a slew of new taxes, having to pay back everything they got in the previous cuts, and more! This nonsensical talk too, as far as the economy just miraculously got great since Trump came in office is another smokescreen as well. The $1.5 trillion tax cuts he gave out of our tax revenues, which is far from being a "deficit hawk", of course, had to boost the markets some, but it drained the American people bad, not the swamp, and will most likely cost us more trillions down the road, because of it. The top wealth got ALL the benefits on this scam, while the working people, just got hit with inflation from healthcare to housing and everything in between, while wages are in decline. Economic recovery from a recession of that magnitude like 08, doesnt come overnight, or because of one person dictating. Much reason for the reasonable growth was gradual, and had to do with the 8 years recovery from the 08 Great Recession. All of which the Obama Administration had been left to repair and restructure, to fix all the economic damage done and recession of the Bush/ Cheney Administration, and the fact that interest rates remained low, and corporations were able to do a bunch of stock buy backs to overvalue their stocks, is what contributed to the economic growth ... so give credit to the Obama Administration, where it is due. But what Mnuchin is saying, as far as sustaining "current" economic growth levels is nonsense and downright silly ... which basically means, every downturn in the economy, we will have to bail out these losers, or give them billions more of our taxes in welfare, just to sustain.
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As the elections are in swing, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin is already working on another tax break, as you can see in the NY Times link above. These tax breaks, like this last plan, are not working for the majority, and taking into consideration the new neoliberal economics today on a global scale ... even top economists are skeptical. And we should have known they will keep adding more tax break giveawayz ... you give these parasites an inch, they will take a mile ... why wouldnt they?, it's their nature. These tax cuts are nothing but more "fake American bait", again, to tell Republican voters, they're designing this to give the poor working classes some more peanuts, before they go to the polls ... Congress isn't even in session, how in Hell will they do this next week?, as President Trump is telling his flock. When all of our taxes go to multinational billionaires, who is going to pay out of what to offset the costs? ... where is even incentives contractually, for these billion dollar entities to bring millions of jobs to America?, especially "good paying jobs", that they boast of. We are being hustled of the shirts right off our backs by this administration. Even their health care reform, was nothing but talk and more recent midterm lies from the President, he said the other day, that they are fighting to keep pre- existing conditions coverage, and Democrats support cutting them, it IS EXACTLY opposite of what the President is saying, it's Republicans pushing the pre- existing condition penalization ... they have done NOTHING to replace, fix, or improve any healthcare whatsoever. Unlike some liberals, I do NOT hate President Trump, or think that he is evil ... I understand him probably more than he understands himself. I do look at him as strongly unethical, but I understand what type of environment he came out of ... he comes from a fast cut throat environment, where people that are your friends, will crush you in a heartbeat, he makes some good points at times too. But he is not good for this country, or even the Republican Party, he belongs where he came from in the private sector, with his own ... since that's his game and crowd of association, he does not represent 95% of the American people. I have no reason to think that he is a racist either, but what he sayz, inspires and motivates those on the edge who kept their mouths shut and kept their hatred in the closet more or less, to turn their thoughts into rage. We are also going backwards on rights across the board, which alwayz trickles down ... today it's women and LGBT people, tomorrow it's all ... to privatizing all of our public highways and public services to "for profit" entities/ investors, and many of which are foreign investments, buying us all out. Get out and vote ....
Word Out ....
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***** PD/ RCJ: "AMERICA'S VOTE BOAT" ... PART'S 6 THRU 1
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY (my hand- selected music/ arts picks)
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
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It's interesting how differently things work in different states. I don't think oregon's voter turnout would be as high as it is if we had to wait in line for an hour and a half. You must have a lot of very motivated people in Texas.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it's been years and years since the last time anybody came to my door to support a political cause or candidate. I'm not sure if it's ever happened since I moved here. I think people in Oregon are a lot less likely to even answer the door if they're not expecting somebody. I get mountains of political leaflets in the mail, though.
Thanks for your efforts in talking to other citizens. If Beto makes it, you'll certainly have done your part.
as long as "current economic growth is sustained", it will pay itself
They've said that every time they pass a tax cut for the wealthy, and it's never once proven true. They always discover that the deficit has exploded and "we can no longer afford" something that benefits ordinary people. They're already threatening to cut Social Security and Medicare to pay for the last tax cut.
Infidel: Yes, as far as the difference between how states work out the voting ... this is something that I have covered in this journal, it is interesting, and odd, in my view. I'm for voting reform big time ... automatic registration, a set rules that is nationwide, and even having a voting day as well that is national (including the early voting). And a system as far as machines and vote count and collection, that has a nationwide set standard. This state to state stuff, if you noticed, is only state to state, on things that are guided and wanted by corporate political influences ... too much that I could get into here ... but you know the score.
ReplyDeleteMotivation to vote? probably many different motivations, looking at our interests. I can tell you that Texas is increasingly a diverse place, and a good place to live ... BUT, there are so many things that are not addressed, and just too much procrastination on much. People are wanting to be heard more, on their needs too ... voting is a great tool. The gerrymandering here is a growing problem too. And you had too many folks that didnt get involved in voting, for a variety of reasons. I'm happy to see so many more folks getting motivated to get involved.
I didnt mind the wait time too much. I told the lady I was with, that I'll drop her at the front of the place, and for her to get us a place in line ... I'll go find somewhere to park, since the parking was a mess ... and I'll run in after. My wife does the "mail in ballot" thing, so you can mail too. I just alwayz went in, in person. I got a shitload of political mail too, most I just trash, because I'm not a swing voter or anything, I usually know who I'm gonna vote for. I'm one who alwayz answers the door and phone, I'm sure some dont.
Yes, the "tax cuts" thing .. it's alwayz the same game on that. Bottom line, simple math tells you that when you give out so much money, it has to come from somewhere ... the spending in this country on billionaires is just ridiculous, and someone will have to pay for it. No one hardly talks about all the last administration done, and how much economic progress was made during Obama's years, which is sad ... because Democrats should bring that up in public. All we hear, is how Trump miraculously came in office, and all the sudden we went to money/ prosperity Heaven or whatever ... it's silly. Of course, also, when you give a trillion and a half bucks to a bunch of folks to buy back their own stocks and boost their CEO pay or whatever ... of course you will see some sudden rise in the "markets", and spending on stuff "they" want. The point is, under 8 years of Obama ... the economy made gradual improvements and grown substantially, ALL WITHOUT giving more tax breaks to those who already have more money than they know what to do with. Taxes ARE NOT evil ... here's the bottom line, as I tell folks locally. Where do you want to give your money? ... taxes for freewayz, our schools, community centers, infrastructure, etc (all of what WE OWN), or give it to a bunch of unconstitutional multinational investors, who will decide on what they will give back and at what price?
Thank You for your voice here ....