politics
- Iowa Caucus Megapost!
I'm putting this up early since it's likely I won't have time tomorrow.
Monday, 1/15, is the date of the Iowa Caucus, please direct all comments, links, and replies involving that here!
Edit - 5:36 PM Pacific, 7:36 PM Iowa time, 8:36 PM Eastern - MSNBC declares Trump the winner (shock!)
8:23 PM Pacific, 10:23 PM Iowa time, 11:23 PM Eastern. MSNBC declares Desantis #2, Haley #3.
90% reporting: Trump - 51% - 52,912 Desantis - 21.3% - 22,140 Haley - 19% - 19,762
Edit Next Up - 1/23 - New Hampshire Primary!
For those unaware, a caucus is totally unlike a primary.
In a primary election, you show up to a polling place, you cast your ballot for your chosen candidate, the ballots get counted, and whoever wins is whoever wins. On to the next state!
A caucus is far, far more chaotic.
https://apnews.com/article/how-iowa-caucus-works-2024-democrats-republicans-592ab40b9b9b948c0540f2cf132bab5c
"The Republican caucuses will convene statewide at 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. EST), and begin with the election of a caucus chair and secretary. Only registered Republicans may participate in the caucuses and only in their designated home precincts. However, Iowans may register or change their party affiliation on caucus day. Voters must turn 18 by the November general election in order to participate."
"There is no walking around the caucus room to form candidate preference groups. That voting method was a feature of Democratic caucuses from 1972 to 2020 but is no longer in use by either party in 2024."
"The binding presidential vote functions essentially like a party-run primary, only with very limited polling hours and no accommodation for absentee voting, except for a tiny handful of overseas and military voters. There are speeches on behalf of various candidates before the voting and a variety of party business after the vote. Individual caucus chairs are allowed to exercise some discretion in how to conduct the vote, but the voting is done by secret ballot and there is no set list of candidates. Voters must be given the option to vote for any candidate they choose. In the past, some caucus sites have pre-printed the names of major candidates and provided a write-in option, but typically, voters vote by writing the name of a candidate on a blank slip of paper."
The "limited polling hours" is key here, because if you decide to step out for a smoke, or to hit the bathroom, or grab a sandwich when the vote is called, you might not get counted at all.
In previous years this has led to accusations of under-counts, over-counts, and all other manner of shenanigans.
Here's the history of the past few Iowa Caucuses and how it related to the general election:
2016: Ted Cruz - 8 Delegates, 51,666 votes Donald Trump - 7 / 45,429 Marco Rubio - 7 / 43,228 Ben Carson - 3 / 17,394 Rand Paul - 1 / 8,481 Jeb Bush - 1 / 5,238 Carly Fiorina - 1 / 3,485 John Kasich - 1 / 3,474 Mike Huckabee - 1 / 3,345
2020: Donald Trump - 39 Delegates, 31,421 votes Bill Weld - 1 / 425
Sources: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Iowa_Republican_presidential_caucuses
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Iowa_Republican_presidential_caucuses
General Elections:
2016: Trump/Pence - 800,983 Clinton/Kaine - 653,669
2020: Trump/Pence - 897,672 Biden/Harris - 759,061
Sources: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_States_presidential_election_in_Iowa
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_States_presidential_election_in_Iowa
- MEGA THREAD - 2023 Ohio Special Election - Voters Reject Issue 1
Ohioans vote Tuesday on a measure that would make it harder to pass future changes to the state constitution. Ideastream's Karen Kasler explains the possible implications for abortion access in Ohio.
---
Sources:
NPR: A look ahead at the Ohio special election
Five Thirty Eight: Everything You Need To Know About The Ohio Ballot Measure That Could Block Abortion Rights
CNN: Ohio special election becomes proxy for abortion rights fight
PBS News Hour: Ohio voters to decide on constitutional change before determining abortion rights
The Guardian: Republicans pushed a special election in Ohio – what does it mean for abortion rights?
AP: Voters in Ohio reject GOP-backed proposal that would have made it tougher to protect abortion rights
NY Times: Ohio Voters Reject Constitutional Change Intended to Thwart Abortion Amendment
---
- As conservatives put religion in schools, Satanists want in, toowww.nbcnews.com As conservatives put religion in schools, Satanists want in, too
The Satanic Temple is known for trolling the religious right, but in its fight for religious pluralism, it's become a powerful foe.
- Louisiana becomes 1st state to require the Ten Commandments be posted in classroomswww.nola.com Louisiana becomes 1st state to require the Ten Commandments be posted in classrooms
Louisiana will become the first state to require that public universities and K-12 schools display the Ten Commandments in every classroom after the Senate voted overwhelmingly to push forward new
Do they want Baphomet in their schools? Because this is how you get Baphomet in your schools.
- Samuel Alito Didn’t Give a F--k Then and He Doesn’t Give a F--k Nowwww.vanityfair.com Samuel Alito Didn’t Give a F--k Then and He Doesn’t Give a F--k Now
He can’t even be bothered to disavow the meaning behind the upside-down flag that was flown on his lawn in support of Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
He can’t even be bothered to disavow the meaning behind the upside-down flag that was flown on his lawn in support of Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
As you’ve probably heard by now, for several days before Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021, an upside-down flag—which had become synonymous with election denialism and the “Stop the Steal” movement, and had been brandished by some of the people responsible for the Capitol attack earlier that month—flew outside the home of Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito.
Given the meaning behind the upside-down flag, this would have been a bold political statement for anyone to make. But Alito is not just anyone—he’s a member of the highest court in the country, where justices are supposed to do everything they can not to appear biased. And at the time the flag was flying, the Court was deciding if it should hear Donald Trump’s case trying to overturn the election (it didn’t, but not for Alito’s lack of trying.)
…
And as Alito has made clear, he doesn’t give a f--k.
“I had no involvement whatsoever in the flying of the flag,” Alito said in a statement to the Times. “It was briefly placed by Mrs. Alito in response to a neighbor’s use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs.”
- What American Fascism Would Look Likenewrepublic.com What American Fascism Would Look Like
It can happen here. And if it does, here is what might become of the country.
- Rudy Giuliani served with Arizona ‘fake electors’ indictment during 80th birthday bash in Palm Beachnypost.com Rudy Giuliani served with Arizona ‘fake electors’ indictment during 80th birthday bash in Palm Beach
Giuliani was the last of the 18 defendants in the case to be served, Arizona officials said.
- It Is Inexcusable How Judge Cannon Is Delaying the Trump Documents Casewww.nytimes.com Opinion | It Is Inexcusable How Judge Cannon Is Delaying the Trump Documents Case
She is utterly failing to keep the case moving along in a fair but timely manner.
- Arizona officials say they can’t find Rudy Giuliani to serve him with indictment noticewww.cnn.com Arizona officials say they can’t find Rudy Giuliani to serve him with indictment notice | CNN Politics
Arizona prosecutors have tried for weeks – and so far failed – to serve Rudy Giuliani with notice of his indictment related to an alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 election results in that state.
- Jesus is their savior, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, valuesapnews.com Jesus is their savior, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Trump infuses his campaign with Christian imagery, his support is strong among evangelicals and conservative Christians.
- Trump, Still Stuck in 2020, Recycles His Tired Drug Test Demandwww.thedailybeast.com Trump, Still Stuck in 2020, Recycles His Tired Drug Test Demand
“I just want to debate this guy, but you know, I’m going to demand a drug test, by the way. I am, I really am,” Trump told supporters.
Former President Donald Trump, who four years ago called on Joe Biden to take a drug test prior to the pair’s first debate that September, decided to make the same demand on Friday—one that Biden is sure to wave away once more.
At a campaign rally in Minnesota—where he said he would never return if he lost the state in 2020—the indicted former president recycled his old line of attack against the now-president in advance of the debate next month on CNN.
“I just want to debate this guy, but you know, I’m going to demand a drug test, by the way. I am, I really am,” Trump told supporters at the state GOP Reagan Dinner in St. Paul.
Trump then reiterated what has become a right-wing talking point on Fox News and other platforms regarding Biden’s State of the Union address, which seemed to quell criticisms of the president’s demeanor.
- House votes to require delivery of bombs to Israel in GOP-led rebuke of Biden policiesapnews.com House votes to require delivery of bombs to Israel in GOP-led rebuke of Biden policies
House Republicans are delivering a rebuke to President Joe Biden for putting a pause on a shipment of bombs to Israel that could be used in an assault on Rafah.
The House delivered a rebuke to President Joe Biden Thursday for pausing a shipment of bombs to Israel, passing legislation that seeks to force the weapons transfer as Republicans worked to highlight Democratic divisions over the Israel-Hamas war.
Seeking to discourage Israel from its offensive on the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah, the Biden administration this month put on hold a weapons shipment of 3,500 bombs — some as large as 2,000 pounds — that are capable of killing hundreds in populated areas. Republicans were outraged, accusing Biden of abandoning the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East.
Debate over the bill, rushed to the House floor by GOP leadership this week, showed Washington’s deeply fractured outlook on the Israel-Hamas war. The White House and Democratic leadership scrambled to rally support from a House caucus that ranges from moderates frustrated that the president would allow any daylight between the U.S. and Israel to progressives outraged that he is still sending any weapons at all.
- Lauren Boebert gushes over "pretty" Donald Trump: He's not sleeping, he's praying!www.lgbtqnation.com Lauren Boebert gushes over "pretty" Donald Trump: He's not sleeping, he's praying! - LGBTQ Nation
Trump can't seem to stay awake during his trial, but Boebert's not bothered because he looks so pretty when he sleeps.
- Far Right Billionaires Are Waging a War to Capture State Courtstruthout.org Far Right Billionaires Are Waging a War to Capture State Courts
Florida’s abortion ban is just one recent outcome of right-wing billionaires’ effort to capture state courts nationwide.
- Stop Arming Cartels Act makes it unlawful to make, sell, possess a rifle ‘capable of firing .50-caliber ammunition’www.wavy.com House Democrats propose ban on .50-caliber rifles
Two members of Congress from Texas and one from Florida have filed a bill they say will cut down on drug cartel violence by banning .50-caliber rifles in America.
- In a split vote, Morehouse College faculty vote to award Biden an honorary doctorate. The vote was 50-38, with roughly a dozen people abstaining.www.nbcnews.com In a split vote, Morehouse College faculty vote to award Biden an honorary doctorate
A procedural oversight turned the faculty vote into a way for staff to voice their opposition to Biden’s upcoming visit. The vote was 50-38, with roughly a dozen people abstaining.
- ‘We don’t have a democracy’: why some Oregonians want to join Idahowww.theguardian.com ‘We don’t have a democracy’: why some Oregonians want to join Idaho
Proponents of the Greater Idaho movement have argued Democrats in Portland don’t understand their way of life
- Greg Abbott declares open season on protesters in Texaswww.motherjones.com Greg Abbott declares open season on protesters in Texas
The pardon of Daniel Perry sends a chilling message.
- The Trump legal effect: MAGA means his attorneys get attorneyswww.salon.com The Trump legal effect: MAGA means his attorneys get attorneys
A short history of the long list of lawyers Donald Trump has left on the wrong side of the law
- Joe Biden is trying to Trump-proof his $1.6 trillion legacy. He’s got a long way to go before November.www.eenews.net Article 1 - Thank You Joe Biden is trying to Trump-proof his $1.6 trillion legacy. He’s got a long way to go before November.
CLIMATEWIRE | President Joe Biden is betting that $1.6 trillion in climate and infrastructure money can transform America, create green […]
- North Carolina's protest crackdown now includes a ban on N95swww.motherjones.com North Carolina's protest crackdown now includes a ban on N95s
For the immunocompromised, it conveniently doubles as a ban on grocery shopping.
- Marjorie Taylor Greene and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fight during House hearingwww.usatoday.com Marjorie Taylor Greene and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fight during House hearing
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., butted heads at a House Oversight Committee meeting Thursday night.
- Republicans want a database of pregnant people. In many ways, abortion surveillance is already herewww.salon.com Republicans want a database of pregnant people. In many ways, abortion surveillance is already here
From period tracking apps to social media companies sharing info with police, pregnancy data is no longer safe
- Conservative media personality appointed to seat on Georgia State Election Boardwww.wabe.org Conservative media personality appointed to seat on Georgia State Election Board - WABE
A media personality who co-founded a conservative political action committee has been appointed to a seat on the Georgia State Election Board, which is responsible for developing election rules, investigating […]
cross-posted from: https://yall.theatl.social/post/2679263
> Conservative media personality appointed to seat on Georgia State Election Board > > From WABE Politics News: > > A media personality who co-founded a conservative political action committee has been appointed to a seat on the Georgia State Election Board, which is responsible for developing election rules, investigating […]
- We’re in a pivotal moment in American history. We cannot retreat | Bernie Sanderswww.theguardian.com We’re in a pivotal moment in American history. We cannot retreat | Bernie Sanders
Clearly, our job is not just to re-elect Biden. It’s much more than that
- Unpacking the presidential money machines
“Trump’s complicated web of political committees spent roughly $217 million through March, with that spending split roughly equally between fundraising expenses, legal bills and actual campaigning.”
“But the same network of groups brought in a bit shy of $220 million in new contributions. Trump is hardly broke — he had $45 million in his campaign account at the end of March — but the high expense rate significantly limited his ability to build up cash.”
“Biden had nearly double the cash on hand of Trump in their respective campaign accounts. But the president’s advantage was actually even bigger: More money was still in the Biden pipeline through joint fundraising committees — groups that raise funds for multiple campaigns or committees — than in Trump’s.”
- GOP Farm Bill Decried as Pro-Corporate, Anti-Family 'Waste of Everyone's Time'www.commondreams.org GOP Farm Bill Decried as Pro-Corporate, Anti-Family 'Waste of Everyone's Time' | Common Dreams
The head of MomsRising said that "it would be mean-spirited and shameful for Congress to cut the SNAP benefits moms and families rely on; and it also would be damaging to our economy."
- Viral kids creator Ms. Rachel says she experienced bullying after fundraising for children in Gazawww.nbcnews.com Viral kids creator Ms. Rachel says she experienced bullying after fundraising for children in Gaza
The creator has been making Cameos, or paid personalized videos produced by influencers and celebrities, and donating the money to Save the Children’s emergency fund.
- Donald Trump is barely holding it together at trial — no wonder Republicans are afraid of a debatewww.salon.com Donald Trump is barely holding it together at trial — no wonder Republicans are afraid of a debate
Trump tantrumed and even quit a debate with Joe Biden in 2020, but now he's even more emotionally volatile
Trump tantrumed and even quit a debate with Joe Biden in 2020, but now he's even more emotionally volatile
Donald Trump has tried to taunt President Joe Biden by claiming he's ready for a presidential debate "anytime, anywhere." The gambit left him little choice but to immediately accept when the Biden campaign offered debate dates in June and September, and terms like not having an audience and allowing real journalists to moderate. But within mere hours it became clear that Trump and the rest of the GOP already regretted the decision.
Pretty quickly, Trump tried to change the terms of the debate, pretending that it will be held on Oct. 2 on Fox News. The Biden campaign swiftly rejected this lie, accusing Trump of "playing games," and pointing out that Trump frequently talks big but then ends up "pulling out at the last minute, or not showing up at all."
It's true, of course. Trump has a habit of promising that he'll do bold things and then backing out, whether it's his empty promises to testify at his various trials or his false claims he'll release policy proposals in a week or two. (It's been over a month of silence, for instance, since he promised he would release an abortion platform in "14 days.") In 2020, still burned by his terrible first debate with Biden, Trump refused to show up at the second and held an ego-flattering rally instead.
- 'On the prowl': Christian, Bridget Ziegler texts show couple's search for sexual partnerswww.heraldtribune.com 'On the prowl': Christian, Bridget Ziegler texts show couple's search for sexual partners
Sarasota Police memo details communication between Florida GOP power couple Bridget and Christian Ziegler as they searched for threesome partners.
Is Moms for Liberty still a thing?
- An Arizona Republican blocked a total abortion ban, betraying the GOP — and her judge husbandwww.advocate.com An Arizona Republican blocked a total abortion ban, betraying the GOP — and her judge husband
Shawnna Bolick’s vote was the deciding factor in overturning a total abortion ban from 1864 — a ban her husband, a state Supreme Court Justice, voted in favor of.
- Man convicted of attacking ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer sentenced to 30 yearsapnews.com Man convicted of attacking ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer sentenced to 30 years
The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
- Republicans Flock to Trump’s Trial, Risking Control of the House Floorwww.nytimes.com Republicans Flock to Trump’s Trial, Risking Control of the House Floor
On Thursday, an entourage of about 20 accompanied the former president to court. Among them were many lawmakers.
"The House was in session at the Capitol on Thursday, but thanks to the latest procession of Republicans reporting for duty in front of a Manhattan criminal courthouse to show support for former President Donald J. Trump at his trial, the party risked ceding its control of the floor,” the New York Times reports.
“Almost a dozen House Republicans showed up at the courthouse on Thursday…”
“Republicans control the House by such a slim margin, 217-213, that just two defections can sink legislation if all members are present and voting — and just a few absences can erase their majority altogether. The show of support for Mr. Trump from such a large group of members meant that for much of Thursday, the G.O.P. may have handed the floor over to Democrats, leaving themselves exposed on the House floor.”
- The incomprehensible, unattainable scale of Trump’s deportation plan | The former president has said he will send nearly 5 percent of U.S. residents out of the country if he is reelected.wapo.st Analysis | The incomprehensible, unattainable scale of Trump’s deportation plan
The former president has said he will send nearly 5 percent of U.S. residents out of the country if he’s reelected.
- Trump's testing out a new campaign strategy: horror politicswww.salon.com Trump's new campaign strategy: horror
Trump is walking a tight line between using fear to mobilize MAGA and scaring them out of voting
- South Dakota Abortion Measure Qualifies for Ballot Despite Anti-Abortion Activists’ Bananas Effortswww.jezebel.com South Dakota Abortion Measure Qualifies for Ballot Despite Anti-Abortion Activists' Bananas Efforts
Since 2007, Jezebel has been the Internet's most treasured source for everything celebrities, sex, and politics...with teeth.