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Matt Reed
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Robotmod

Joined: 16 April 2004
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 12:22am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Instead of having multiple threads about wins and losses or having the discussion get lost in the morass of Trump bullshit, this is the thread to post in regarding the election just four days away.  

Post your hopes, fears and dreams here as well as election night reaction.  I mean that.  Post it ONLY here!  Don't start a separate thread about the Florida gubernatorial race, for example, otherwise the entire board will be filled with individual discussions about a variety of different races.  Keep it localized instead of segmented.  This is the BYRNE Board, after all, not a general discussion board. 
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John Byrne
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Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 5:38am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

My greatest concern is that the Dems are just too sure of themselves, too certain that the House is going to “flip”. That kind of confidence could end up encouraging a lot of people NOT to vote, since they “don’t need to.”

Tuesday may not bring the good news we’re hoping for.

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Brennan Voboril
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 5:55am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Maybe not - we all remember the 2016 polls / forecasts.  The polling professionals, and media pundits, sure had egg on their faces.  I remember watching their faces as the results came in - not a pretty picture.  
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Steven Brake
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 6:01am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

Hello from across the Pond!

Out of curiosity, what might happen if Trump and the Republicans win? Would it serve as a massive body blow to the Democrats, leading to infighting that damages their prospects at the next U.S election? Or would it galvanize them into becoming more effective?

I appreciate that this is speculation upon speculation, so JB/Mods please feel free to delete this post if you think it's not going to lead to a useful discussion! But, otherwise, I'd be interested to read the thoughts of other posters.
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Brennan Voboril
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 6:56am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

Steven, in my view, Trump will win reelection in 2020 - no matter the midterm results.  I don't see the Democrats having any issues aside from attacking Trump, and blaming the Russians.  
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John Byrne
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 7:40am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

Trump’s reelection is a certainty. Then worry about 2024, when he might seek an excuse to “suspend” the elections.
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Eric Ladd
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 7:44am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

If the Republicans hold the House and Senate it will more likely be a massive body blow to democracy. This idiot President would treat it like a validation for everything since his election and would most likely look to push things even farther. I am certain you would see Mueller fired, the military used to prevent the "hostile democratic mob" from protesting and the Supreme Court would be put to the test to see if it could actually protect Rump and anyone associated with him. Essentially, the worst things we have seen with regard to human decency would slide still further toward this might makes right attitude that exists.
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Brennan Voboril
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 8:00am | IP Logged | 8 post reply

Eric I am not sure how it could be a body blow to democracy if the GOP holds the line during the midterms.  Wouldn't their holding the line be the will of the people via a democratic election?  Or do you see some kind of election interference happening?  

Edited by Brennan Voboril on 03 November 2018 at 8:00am
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Eric Sofer
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 9:05am | IP Logged | 9 post reply

Brennan, from another Eric's point of view, it feels and seems as if the Republicans are headed in a direction that is leading to a dictatorship - which leaves no room for democracy.

Further, it seems that too many people are perfectly happy to follow the "democratically elected leadership" and, following orders, putting on their shackles of enslavement, and building their own gallows. We have some stupid people, and at times it seems that they outnumber the rational people.

Many of the Republicans are trying to disenfranchise those who would vote against them, Trump, and their policies. It appears that what is happening right now duplicates some of the events in the 30s in Germany... a little freedom removed here, a few people repressed there, a group being identified for hate and oppression... and suddenly, the secret police are in force, the media are closely restricted, neighboring countries are "annexed", the voices of opposition are silenced... and the camps are opened again.

We Jews are committed to never forgetting, and doing our best to never let it happen again. It appears that too many events and policies are following a path walked once before... and THIS world war would be nuclear. If there were any survivors, they would be in a new Dark Ages.

Is this taking things to extremes? Maybe... but those extremes are what we fear. These midterm elections will indicate the direction that American voters want to go. There is supposed to be a system of checks and balances, of equal (and civil) input and discourse from all parties. If more Americans vote for Republican rule... then there may not be enough opposition left to save the country from a dictatorship.
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Eric Ladd
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 9:20am | IP Logged | 10 post reply

Mr. Sofer has my meaning. It is tough to consider US Politics as Democratic in anything other than process because of the policies, activities and results from the people in power. We can argue the semantics of calling the election democratic if the GOP holds the House and Senate, but my meaning is the party in power is behaving very much like a dictatorship half the time and if they retain power it might very well be all of the time.
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Brennan Voboril
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 10:55am | IP Logged | 11 post reply

I see what you are both saying but it is hard to see how the present situation compares to 1930s Nazi Germany.  However, I can see how we could stumble into a war with Russia but which party is at fault there?  To me, both of them are.  

I've not cared too much for any president since JFK, or the way the country has gone since then either - with a few exceptions for certain policies, like health care for all (but I would have preferred to see single-payer for all, like Sanders wants). 


Edited by Brennan Voboril on 03 November 2018 at 10:55am
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Leigh DJ Hunt
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Posted: 03 November 2018 at 11:43am | IP Logged | 12 post reply

I never heard the word gubernatorial before. Learn something every day.

I hope you guys are as wrong about Trump getting re-elected as you were about him getting elected in the first place!
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