voting – The R.oB. Opinion

Pragmatism

AL governor shows us what happens when the pragmatic politics shoe is on the other foot.

In the presidential election of 2016, I was harangued and admonished for balking at voting for Hillary Clinton because she was disingenuous about combatting police brutality. Having a son in a country where police are excused from shooting black children made that issue a singular one for me. Folks couldn’t really argue against that so I as told to subordinate that for pragmatic gain. Clinton would ensure a liberal SCOTUS and that would have far reaching effects on police brutality among other issues. Well, Governor Ivey has taught us that sword cuts both ways…

“I will cast my ballot on December the 12,” [Alabama governor] Ivey told reporters. “And I do believe that the nominee of the party is the one I will vote for.”

She attributed her decision to a desire to preserve the advantage Republicans hold over Democrats in the Senate, which has enabled them to advance key judicial nominations and other elements of the GOP agenda.

Alabama’s GOP governor says she plans to vote for Roy Moore – The Washington Post

Every Issue Isn’t A Voting Issue For Everyone

Every Issue Isn’t A Voting Issue For Everyone:

“And the last thing that needs to be said is black voters are generally good at naming their interests. The party that embraces white populism–whatever party it may be at the time–has generally not been judged to be in the corner. I see no reason why this will be different.”

(Via Ta-Nehisi Coates :: The Atlantic.)

Nor do I.

Does Franken Solve the Filibuster Problem? | The American Prospect

Does Franken Solve the Filibuster Problem? | The American Prospect:

“For Democrats, the 60 votes will be a curse as often as it is a blessing. While it gives them enormous flexibility to move important legislation, it also turns every Democratic senator into a kingmaker or a deal-breaker, and that is a recipe for chaos.”

(Via The American Prospect.)

We already see that now. The pork is just bluer this time around.

No Longer a Pep Talk

I voted yesterday morning and had an emotional moment. I took my son into the booth and saw Barack’s name with “President” underneath it. Everything else blurred out and all I could see was his name. I pressed the button and lit it up. I realized I was about to live history. I looked at my son and thought, “My son could do this.” I pressed the “VOTE” button, left the booth, and my eyes welled up.
Yes We Can. This is why America is the greatest country in the world.

Bush’s Fuzzy Math on Kerry Votes

Only Bush could make a man’s voting record that is consistent with his stated philosophy seem like the opposite. Kerry wants to increases that taxes on the most powerful, me and those who are richer, to support some semblance of social justice. As a progressive, i.e. just left of center, I’m down with that.
FactCheck.org Bush Still Fudging the Numbers on Kerry’s Tax Votes