Today I voted
 

How bout you?


Go Blue!

This afternoon, taking off from work an hour early, getting home and walking to my polling station a few blocks away from the apartment.

Proud to live in a blue state (though we have a red governator)

Get out there and vote everyone!

Go Big Red!


I love many people on the left- but I have no love for the politics.

Got to represent ;)

I found my absentee ballot yesterday. I'm going to vote in the comfort of my own home (after getting tanked up on coffee) then dropping it off at the polling place.

What color is Libertarian? I voted for a couple of them, a Green Party member, a Republican - and I just couldn't resist voting for Jerry Brown, wish he was running for Governor, instead, I wrote in Mary Carey.

I'm so glad my vote counts too

As much as I'd like to see the Dems take control, I honestly don't think they will. I think the media is hyping it too much. I think they may win a couple of seats but that's about it.

I am hoping man on dog Santorum gets replaced. I hope I hope.

No voting for me today. I missed the absentee ballot deadline for Massachusetts, but my vote is wasted in blue Boston anyway.

Everyone else should vote today, though. Except the Canadians of course...
:)

Now I think I'm going to distract myself and not watch any TV until the results are in... Off to the movies...

I've noticed that you Cali's have not made mention of the Governator this election. Are we happy? Are we sad? what's the deal?

Eh, Angelides is not the most exciting candidate on the planet. But he'll likely win simply because of Arnold's general ineptitude.

Happy? no. But, he's fairly moderate and hasn't really hit any of my personal hot buttons to cause me to hate him. Angeledes is sort of a non-entity.

Fuschia? Muddy brown?
:D

Taste the Rainbow!

The Dems picked a candidate who bears a stunning resemblance to a flaccid penis -- 'cept the penis has more personality. In other words, Arnold ran unopposed.

Sadly, no voting for me. I was all set for my grand entrance into politics, educated myself on the issues, and registered to vote. Then I found out that I had missed the registration deadline by several weeks. So, there's always next year I guess. I hope the pigs get their bigger pens and they don't decide to randomly award a million dollars to someone who votes in both elections. When do we find out the results?

Umm, isn't Angelides way behind in the polls? I think this race is a given for the governator.

Not thrilled with the governator personally, but I guess he is better than the alternative...not that the dem's bothered to provide us with one. I think A'nold did his most good in his first two weeks in office undoing some of Davis' evil. After that he should have probably turned it over to an actual professional.


Oh, and I hate living in a blue state, but I do love the weather, well not today. Not that I like Republicans anymore, but I am more of the smaller government is gooder government persuasion. I like low taxes - support the elimination or at least flattening of the income tax. I don't believe government should be involved in marriage - gay, straight, or otherwise. I don't believe that cops and local government should be allowed to benefit directly from the revenue they generate. I don't believe in public help programs, welfare, etc. I am a strong supporter of self-reliance, independance, personal freedoms, and personal responsibilities. It's not the government or societies fault if you can't seem to balance a budget, manage your personal finances, or buy a condom. It's not my job to support your 8 babies just because I was responsible enough not to have them. I support a women's and everyone's right to choose. I support stem cell research and anything else that moves mankind forward. I do not believe in allowing religion to shape our laws in any matter or form. It's something you do on the side (you know, like molesting boys, or knitting) and has no place in modern goverment.

So while my opinions definitely fall on both sides of the fence (for arguments sake, we'll assume there are only two sides) but my basic principles that form my thinking seem to clash with the traditional values of the democratic party.

That said, with liberal republicans, right-wing religious conservatives, conservatives democrats etc..etc...I'm not sure that traditional party values mean a whole lot anymore. Mushpot indeed. (and no...there is no such thing as a fukin mushpot)

I think by the time I get off work and to my polling place I might be the last one to vote today!

I was one of only about six people at my polling place today, at eleven this morning. I presume the turnout will increase after work hours. Anyway, I have my dorky little I VOTED sticker adorning my shirt as I type. It's already peeling and falling off though.

I think the way to get more people to vote is not the dorky I Voted sticker, but a coupon for a free latte at Starbucks.

Voted a few weeks ago with my trusty absentee ballot (commute's too long to vote in person). As of this morning, Angelides was 16 points behind the governator, and the scuttlebut(t?) was that it'd take a miracle to oust Ahnold. I voted Democrat (held nose) and Green.

As usual, I'll be voting across the board. I think everyone sucks, and this election is proving to be more disappointing than most for Californians. The exciting part about election day is that I will get to see commercial-commercials... and no more YES on NO on Mudslinging commercials.

WOOO!

This is what I'm looking forward to as well. And all the recordings will stop calling my house.

I voted for Spoiled Yappy Dog.

:D

Is he? I lost track with all the hateful noise going on in the Attorney General race.

I'm all voted.

I'm pretty sure. All I really know is that some fat dude lost weight, so now im supposed to vote for him?

Oddest. Political ad. Ever.

Dude, that was for Subway. Did you vote for a turkey sandwich with 6 grams of fat?

I voted all over my breakfast this morning, but I also voted in the election via absentee ballot.

I think I'm gonna watch "Network" when I get home from work.

http://www.knx1070.com/pages/121288....ntentId=236607

Here's a page which should list how things are going, once the counting starts!

I've been a good citizen and did my national duty of voting!

Go Big Red! Oh wait the World Series is over???? That's ok, once you go red, you.....oh never mind.

I voted.

I voted at about 10:30 this morning and there was a line to vote.

Finally- so did I.

Took over 2 hours between finding a polling place with a resonable line and then getting through said line- but the deed is done.....woot woo!

I voted a couple of weeks ago. Oregon is an all mail in ballot state:)

I had such a pleasant experience voting this morning, that I went back later and voted again. Viva Jerry Brown!

I am disappointed that I did not a get a cookie and a cup of juice. Aren't they supposed to give you a cookie and a cup of juice after voting? What happened? Why no cookie and cup of juice?

No, Tref- that's a different type of bloodletting. At least they're pretty up front about what they want from you, though.

Matthew and I just got done voting. Pretty painless, only took about 1/2 hour.

Bill and I are going to vote after I get home. (I'm leaving work early.)

I voted last week- our whole county switched to mail-in ballot this year.

I voted before work, at 7:15 ish this morning. I was out by 7:30. I would've been out sooner, but the little tables you have to use are wobbly and that makes it difficult to fill in bubbles appropriately.

The local news here predicted low voter turnout today based on the fact that it was supposed to rain (it's pouring now). They even showed numbers that seemed to "prove" that rain influenced voter turnout. What they apparently forgot to look at was that the higher numbers were for presidential election years, and the lower ones were for midterm election years.

What's this about driving around to find a better polling place? Aren't you assinged one to go to?

Nope- there was a huge list in our county and you can go to any of them. I drove by two and the lines came out the building and snaked around- found one that was on the list but less obvious- still in line for an hour.

been absentee for...wow....a decade now.
the only way to fly. voted what seems eons ago....sad thing is, it makes the political ads 10x more annoying

We voted. Yay! We always wait until the last minute, even though we have absentee ballots.

I'm stopping by on my way home. I like to take the kid along so she gets in the grove of voting.

I dropped off my absentee ballot at the polling place afer voting while drinking coffee and eating granola. Breakfast compelled me to vote for Jerry Brown.

Next election, back to absentee. There is nothing better than voting in your jammies!

But, I dood it, I voted. Lines were not too bad and I like my new polling place much better than the rat trap apartment building across the way, that was always scary!

:D I used to enjoy my old polling place (fire station): wotta view!!!

My polling place is in a church rec hall. That means I went to church this morning.

Democrat Deval Patrick wins the Gov race in Massachusetts. This is huge. Awesome.
:) :) :)

Very cool, love fire stations and the guys that man them too. ;)

They've called the Conn. Senate race to Leiberman. Interesting how that transpired.

When do we find out what propositions passed?

I'm refraining from getting too excited about anything because I don't want to jinx anything.


:D

From FauxNews:

Sheldon Whitehouse (D) Defeats Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R)

GodDAMN I love this place. People who are posting about the election results and not pop culture marital reports.

By the way, I voted. Early. And often.

Oooh Lieberman. That's interesting. One of the few democrats (well ex now I guess) that I like. Interesting....

I have voted. And my kid has voted twice, once with me and once with her Dad.

Lieberman? The wolf in sheep's clothing? Mr. I support the war, I pee my pants every time I see Emperor George? That Lieberman?

Whew! My Maryland the blue stayed true. Word out to all my homies! :snap:

We get to keep Trent Lott.

CONSPIRACY!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I've not seen any results yet.

I voted early this morning. I love my polling place. It's about 300 yards from my front door, and voting took me all of 90 seconds.

Go Dems!

His concession speech was very moving. He said he was looking forward to being a better husband to his dog.

I'm soooo sorry, Scrooge. You deserve better.:(


Hasn't the South suffered enough?!

:rolleyes:

I dun voted!!! Gooollyyy!

Really? So far it is less than a 2k vote margin with only 31% in.

Don't count your blue footed boobies just yet.

For me, and apparently for a lot of citizens, this election was all about George Bush, his policies, and ending his control of the Government. From that point of view, Lieberman is a republican. I don't want to put words in your mouth so I won't speculate too much about why you would support him unless you are a hard core RED. But I am curious, are you pro-war? or is it just not a linchpin issue for you?

Looks like a dead heat to me-still more to come.

^^ it would be really nice if you would start posting links with your posts. Obviously if you have the quote you have the link. It would take about 5 more seconds to insert the link and save [a little] headache from asking you for your source.

and....upside down that goes. It's still coming in.

I hate these early calls- it can flip back easily.

^^ links?

Based on where the votes that are in have come from, I have to go with the experts. This race is a done deal.

However I will certainly be happy to wait until the morning to put on my blue top hat and dance my happy jig out of respect for Mr. Steele (who in the '08 race stands a very good chance of getting my vote if he's running for anything).

Orange County Live Results

Just in case anyone is a results junkie around here!

I posted a link a page or so back for KNX radio which has the local LA/ California results!!

NBC projects Dems take the House .

Keep the box your blue hat comes in-just in case.

NBC is calling Sen. Cantwell the winner in my state- whoohoo!

WOOHOO! More huffy puffy entertainment. Sometimes you just need a little idioicy to make you smile.

Now MSNBC is predicting a Dem governor for Colorado.

From Fox News (source used to prevent liberal bias claims)

Dems take house

wha?

You mean we did not have one already?

Sorry- Owens was a RINO. That R after his name was meaningless.

Status Quo maintained so far in CO-only one tight race left out here.

Uhm, forgot you lived there- it wasn't a dig, just an update. Like several posts prior.

The Allen (Macaca) vs. Webb race is really close.

I never thought reading FauxNews would make me so happy. (sniff!)

I did not think it was a dig- just giving you the perspective of someone who lives out here.

Owens was and is a big let down for me- but really things are the same as they ever were. We had Lamm, then Webb (Gov's I remember anyway- before that I have no idea)....I thought Owens would be different, I was wrong...now we have Ritter. More power to him.

I'm really ok with tonight- not happy- but ok. I hope for good things- I want to believe good things, even about Dems. We'll see how the next two years shape up....

I am most interested in who emerges for the Presidential race- a race with no incumbent. I think it is going to be fascinating.

Ok-personally had more then enough of tonight and elections....been up since 5am, so I am going to bed.

Toodles!

Waited in line for about 45 minutes to vote this evening. Actually voted after the polls were closed.

You can start dancing there, Moon!

Maryland results .

Yes, that is a nail biter. Results still to come from Newport News area, Richmond and upstate from what I heard last.

Watch for McCaskill in MO. Only 65% of the vote reported, but most of the remainder expected to vote D.

52% of my fellow Lakewood residents apparently have voted to ban safe and sane fireworks because some mouthbreathing idiot blew his house up with illegal fireworks. Thanks for ruining my 4th of July, a**wipes!

Now it's swung the other way! 54% opposing the ban, with 14% of the vote in! <happy dance!>

Some stuff as of now!

Gov
Phil Angelides Democrat 533,569 33.0%
Arnold Schwarzenegger Republican 1,018,307 62.9%

Lieutenant Governor - 3,544 of 25,090 Precincts Reporting
John Garamendi Democrat 835,385 43.0%
Tom McClintock Republican 1,017,960 52.4%

Secretary of State - 1,866 of 25,090 Precincts Reporting
Debra Bowen Democrat 607,323 43.3%
Bruce McPherson Republican 714,405 51.0%

Controller - 2,197 of 25,090 Precincts Reporting
John Chiang Democrat 673,255 45.4%
Tony Strickland Republican 693,206 46.7%

Attorney General - 2,1254 of 25,090 Precincts Reporting
Jerry Brown Democrat 800,829 51.5%
Chuck Poochigian Republican 682,316 43.8%

Insurance Commissioner - 2,717 of 25,090 Precincts Reporting*
Cruz M. Bustamante Democrat 535,966 33.4%
Steve Poizner Republican 904,854 56.4%

Proposition 1A Transportation Funding Protection. Legislative Constitutional Amendment
4,375 of 25,090 Precincts Reporting
Yes 1,540,975 79.5%
No 399,315 20.5%

Proposition 1B Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006
4,375 of 25,090 Precincts Reporting
Yes 1,151,752 59.4%
No 787,557 40.6%

Go L.A.! From Ch. 5's site:
Nice to see a rise in turn-out in a mid-termer! :)

CNN projects Democrat Nick Lampson will win Texas 22nd -- the seat once held by Republican Tom DeLay.

Love the sources WB!

Wow, it's looking like the senate is a possibility. I wasn't expecting that at all.

Well, I try to be responsible when reporting my updates.

Allright, who snorted?

(Correction- It copied something from earlier tonight, even though I copied directly from MSNBC a minute ago....)
MSNBC is reporting that the Dems won the Senate seat in Missouri.

(I was supposed to be going to bed, but I can't until I know what the Senate results are).

Testing:
Democrat McCaskill claims victory over Sen. Talent in Missouri


There, now it worked. Weirdness. Maybe I should go to bed.

And to think... Back in September I was basically told I was living in a dream world for thinking that there would be a major swing.

The scoreboards at CNN and Faux have the Dems taking the last two Senate seats, in Virginia and Montana. Nothing official yet, but crap! What a great election night!

I was the first one to vote at my polling place yesterday. It took them a few minutes to get all the machinery up & running but it went smoothly.

When someone commented on my dedication on getting there early and waiting (a habit picked up by years of Disneylanding), I just said that I HAD to be there. I'm the only Democrat in my town! I am deep behind the Orange Curtain in the land of the Sheeple.

Election night is over. Now comes the new day.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright.
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light.
And, somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout,

but there is no joy in my house --
the republicans have struck out.

Yes. That is not the response you might expect from me based on some of my recent posts. Yes. I fervently wanted the Dems to win and for the most part they did. No. I'm not the least bit happy about it.

It looks like I have won what I wanted from this election, the Democrats control at least one house and it makes me sick.

The Democrats are already talking about all their great plans for the country: Health care, minimum wage, whatever. Don't they get it? Sure they are "in control" but they won't be able to pass squat. The Republicans will see to that and the Dems don't have anything near veto busting numbers. What we have here is two years of gridlock and that's what I was voting for. It's the worst option I have ever faced as a voter but a vote to essentially shut down the government until at least '08 was the only viable option I could see.

Sure it's possible the Republicans and Democrats will take this vote as a mandate for change and learn to work together to pass legislation that makes sense but who are we kidding? Sure the two parties will talk about olive branches but you know what will happen. Gridlock. Which will spill over to the '08 election. The Republicans will say "Look the democrats have been in control for two years and done squat." while the Democrats will say "Look the republicans got us into this mess....".

Hopefully at least one '08 preidential candidate with real leadership skills will rise out of this muck. I don't know if he/she is red or blue but I know we need a real leader for a change.

Good insight-even if I disagree with a couple points.

I suspect the next 2 years is going to a a waste of time.

Hey, I'll take a government that can't pass a good bill over a government that can pass a bad bill any day.

Damn, I hope that this count was accurate.

Also: the 1A-E passed; hurrah for taking steps to improve our sad infrastructure.

..and when nothing changes?


I wonder.

Yes, bring on the gridlock. Please stop the Congress from doing ANYTHING; it will be a most welcome change.



As of this early a.m., Montana and Virginia are still too close to officially call for the hotly contested Senate seats ... but with 99% of the precinct results in, the Dems are leading by razor-thin margins in both races .... upon which hang the balance of power in Congress.

What are you saying?

What I hope is that someday we will be led by people who actually care about the citizens of this country and not their own interests and pocketbooks. But I will settle right now for gridlock for this administration.

I was inspired by Harold Ford's concession speech last night. He ran a great race, and in an unusually positive way. Boy, I hope those Tennesseans who voted against him listened hard. I think the man has a great political future. (I don't agree with his stance on gay marriage, btw, but I do really agree with a lot of other things.)

I urge you to listen to what he has to say: check it out here. He quotes the Bible-- but just about the best passage I think you could quote in reference to the election process.

It seems that Arizona voters and I were at odds on the issues. They voted in some idiotic measures against immigrants that will do nothing for the actual improvement of our society or help the immigration problem, and voted english as the official language, limiting the amount of translating the courts will do. But, the pigs did get their bigger cages, they rejected the gay marriage ban (this one was a tight margin), and no million dollar prize for a random voter.

Can't win em all, I guess, but I am happy about those three issues.

As in the past, I'm wondering why the counting is so slow at this point. Even though the numbers are close in Virginia and Montana, shouldn't the numbers be in by now? Why is there a delay? I'm curious. If this were a movie, I picture lawyers surrounding a table making bids for who actually wins. :D

Mostly it's absentee ballots.

So, the other states are doing this as well but their ballots won't affect the predicted result? I think I get it.

I so happy that we now have a 2 year time out and everyone in charge can stop and think about the distruction that has been done to this country. Maybe in 08 something good will come. In the mean time we can hold fast for another 2 years.

Remember - United We Stand. Divided We Fall

My praise for Arizonians for not jumping on the gaybashing bandwagon. Three states did pass gay marriage bans. Bah. I'm still ready to suceed from the Union at the drop of a revolutionary declaration.


On the immigration front ... well, that's probably the one area of action we can expect from our new Congress/Administration combo. The President's position on immigration has always been closer to the Democrats'. Maybe there will be some positive action on that single issue.


As for investigations and the like - - I hope they don't run rampant, but some oversight - including investigations of past misdeeds - is in order. Since the Administration has already declared it will resist all subpoenas and cooperation, I think hearings and investigations will do little but shed some light on a corrupt and imperialist presidency. But that's all I would expect of them anyway, so I hope they have at it.

Hurrah indeed, I just hope it's effective. I'm generally suspcious of bond projects. The funding rarely comes through and costs a bundle in the long run.

Compare to Measure M in OC which is funded by a 1/2 cent gas tax. Guaranteed income, paid for directly by the people who will benefit (i.e., drivers), and it's done wonders. Sure, it's meant a few years of frustration due to a lot of construction, but it's construction that's been badly needed and, more importantly, actually got done.

And it's just been renewed.

Yup. It's only the close races that it matters. If a candidate is leading by 30,000 votes and there are only 8,000 votes left to count, it's a guarantee. If a candidate is leading by 10,000 votes and there are 11,000 left to count, it's a statistical liklihood. If a candidate is leading by 5,000 votes and there are 10,000 left to count...too close to call.

I think 1B also passed which, if I'm not mistaken, is the one that requires all the money previously stolen, er, borrowed from the previously passed transportation taxes has to be paid back before any more can be borrowed, and future borrowing must be done on emergency basis only, with payback within 3 years before more borrowing can be done under any circumstances.

It's a decent start toward reigning in the problem. But yeah, fits and starts, mistakes and corrections, over-reaching in all areas. Lawmaking is messy. Bleh.

I'm so sorry Big Tobacco and Big Oil won on their tax issues. People are sheep.

Most southern states have laws permitting the retroactive intimidation of black voters. They go to your house after election day with a torch and a noose and ask if you still would have voted if they had done this the day before. If you say no, your vote is stricken.

Great speech. Bizarre introduction from his old white campaign guy: "Someone who truly deserves to be called Mr. Ford." As opposed to what? "Harold, boy?" The south is a strange place.

Pelosi is speaking live now and seems to be on a loop. She keeps saying "partisan way" over and over. I like her mostly, but sometimes she bugs.

Hmm. And to think I was chastized for previously making the outlandish and unfounded comment that most on this board leaned to the left.

Yes. Quite absurd.

:)

What I am saying is that I don't think you are going to get the big changes you think, or hope will happen.

They are not going to be able to do simply yank out of Iraq- in fact, they don't want to.
They are not going to open up by starting impeachments- though if they are that foolish- more power to them.

You are also hopelessly naive if you think Dems are not beholden to special interests. In fact- that is so naive and blind as to be laughable. Of course they are- as much as the GOP.

What is also sad is that for alot of you it seems to have less to do with supposedly turning the country around than it does with putting a wall in front of Bush and the GOP- it's hardly altruistic.

I just suspect this may not turn out to be all that different-

Actually, I think we've got people all over the place on this board. Of course, Dems are not really "left" to me.

The reason I am leaning towards the left is because the right got too big for its britches with inflated self importance, and pushed me out of the middle ground.

I could not have said it better myself. in (what amounts to) a two-party system, I dont think its ever a good idea to give either total control.

Actually, if I remember correctly, you were chastized for doing so while sounding like a smarmy jerk.

The wall that I want around this government hardly has anything to do with altrusim or lack thereof. They have made so many bad choices that I would rather none be allowed to be made at all. And, DAMN STRAIGHT I want to turn the country around. I don't believe it's possible with this president-- I have no faith in him or respect for him-- so all I can hope for is to curb him until we can vote someone else in.

I never said I thought we were going to pull out of Iraq, nor did I say I wanted it. I have only ever said that I wanted us to never have gone into Iraq. Because we are there we have no choice but to try to clean up the puss that came out when we squeezed it.

And, yes. Politicians are always beholden to special interests. It's just that the Democrats' special interests are far more special to me. Yes, I'm being snarky and not entirely serious there, but I have my doubts that the blue politicians are as tied into the oil market as the red ones.

And, PS. Big changes? Don't be so pessimistic. We've seen big changes happen before. We sure got big changes when this administration entered the white house. Huge budget surplus turns into horrific budget deficit and unprovoked offensive attack on another country. As clearly this demonstrates, big changes can always happen, and perhaps in the aftermath of the 08 election, big changes could happen again.

You remember incorrectly. I certainly wasn't a smarmy jerk..and certainly didn't attempt to insult anyone like you just did. So, I would say the jerk would be you good sir.

I was chastized for making the absurd assumption that most on this board lean left, which I thought to be pretty obvious. Ah insulted for pointing out the obvious...lovely.

I neither said you were smarmy, nor a jerk. I said you sounded like it when you made your observation.

ETA: ah yes, now I remember...that was the "I know you're going to discount my post because you're all a bunch of hippies" post... [yes I'm paraphrasing]

Perhaps he doesn’t like the smell of our patchouli… ;)

The "hippies" dismissal comment never really makes sense to me, since very few of us are actually old enough to be actual hippies. Nor, do I suspect, that NM actually knows much about hippies.

Actually, in the actual post he didn't say hippies (surprising, I know! :p )

One thing about this campaign was when Jerry Brown was saying his opponent was too extreme.

Governor Moonbeam accusing his opponent of being too extreme?!? Gotta laugh.

Can someone take the time to look up NM's referenced post and resulting responses? Normally, I would myself, but I shouldn't even
be posting at this time.

Against my better judgement...

http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/...ead.php?t=4100

It starts at post #100, and the ensuing discussion about the "liberally-biased message board" bit is peppered thereafter. And, just as I remembered, it was more about how it was said than what was said.

Here Kevy:

http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/...?t=4100&page=2


Read for yourself, then read this thread as well as all the other political threads. You be the judge. :)

I'm not sure how anyone could read this thread, filled with comments like "Emporer George" and feel that there is a pretty even mix of opinions and leanings, but I'd be happy to listen if you feel otherwise.

I did a quick "classifying" of the people who posted on that particular thread and, by my "judgement" the conservatives beat the liberals by one.

So, NM's post (in part) was

While it may be interpreted as a little snarky (but not much IMO), I think he is right, er, correct: the majority of the active posters on the LoT are liberally biased. Off the top of my head, I can only think of four active posters who are more conservatively biased. And I agree that most anything that leans towards the right (politically) is generally attacked.

I disagree, but I don't know how to argue this without naming names, so I won't.

Of course, your version of a liberal may be different than my version of a liberal.

Like I said, I never disagreed with that claim, just the dimssive nature of that little preamble. I also said, 3 times, that I wasn't all that upset about it and that my initial response, intended to be light hearted, came off too harshly. So I can't believe I'm rehashing this again.

But I point you to this post

Here is who posted in that thread by post count:

scaeagles 50
Motorboat Cruiser 26
Nephythys 17
BarTopDancer 17
Gemini Cricket 14
NirvanaMan 14
Not Afraid 14
SacTown Chronic 10
Ghoulish Delight 10
innerSpaceman 9
€uroMeinke 8
Prudence 7
Alex Stroup 7
tracilicious 6
Tramspotter 5
katiesue 5
MickeyLumbo 3
Stan4dSteph 3
mousepod 3
JWBear 3
SzczerbiakManiac 2
lashbear 2
Sub la Goon 2
Andrew 2
wendybeth 2
Mousey Girl 2
CoasterMatt 1
Babette 1
Morrigoon 1
blueerica 1
Eliza Hodgkins 1812 1

Out of the 247 posts in that thread, I count approximately 81 posts by people whom I consider conservative. Our classifications may vary (I really didn't examine those with only one or two posts), but like I said in a previous post, I only know of four regular posters (myself included) who are of a more conservative slant. I will not name others - that is not my business.

Oh just admit it: you are an extremist bleeding heart liberal :p

And yes: I am just joking!!!

Gee perhaps we should setup a poll so we can all vote on those names as either "conservative" or "enemy combatant" It might be the only way to settle this...

For those who have over 3 posts, I would say there are 9 liberals and 11 conservatives. (I'm not counting frequency, just participation.) I count the more libratarian leaning and conservative and the wafflers as liberal.

That is probably very true.

Reminds me of an old George Carlin bit. I'm paraphrasing, but it was essentially:

Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot and anybody driving faster than you is an a**hole?

Maybe anybody to the left of me is a liberal, regardless of my or their actual stance. While I hold many conservative viewpoints, I also fiercly defend many liberal positions as well (abortion, gay marriage, etc.)

Whereas by my interpretations, I only see three that I consider cons. But then, I don't pay too much attention to the political threads these days and definitely don't keep score.

Gee left out again...

We should all make a little santorum in celebration of his defeat. :evil:

Yes, dear, but you didn't post on that thread. (They're not talking about this one.)

Damn. Waisted self pitty. Oh well.....

Umm, I got news for you babe. :)

I mean you can try to redefine it if you like of course, but the generally accepted ideas are that Democrats are considered to be left while republicans are considered to be right.

If you want to try to reverse the two, it would be quite a battle...but one worth watching!

Really, really good try, though. I nearly fell for it, mainly because I was too lazy to check.

I wasn't suggesting reversing the two, however, I will say that, in the whole scheme of things, the Dems are not terribly left. They are more left than the Republicans, but that isn't really saying much.

"Smarmy" GD's word for NM is my new favorite word... for today.
:D

Ah I see what you are saying. You are not referring to Democrats in general, but rather specific Democrats.

Well I think neither party is doing a good job of representing their traditional values. Bush is a terrible republican...Clinton wasn't much of a Democrat. Many of the Democrats that just won were more centrists.

Maybe its time for the two party system to finally fail! Viva la revoltio! Third parties...pounce!

Agreed. Third, Fourth, or even a "Cafeteria-style" party affiliation would work better than the current system. But, then, how would people effectivly - even if wrongly - pigeonhole others?

Ah yes, I did notice that. A subtle distinction indeed. A fine political technique when you really want to insult someone, but want a way to deny it so as not to seem that you are the type to result to personal insults in the first place. :)

And citing a distorted version of something that happened months ago, hoping no one would be able to recall the reality is a fine technique for setting oneself up as an innocent vitim of some non-existent persecution.

If you're referring to me, I still fail to see how you could possibly read through this entire thread, in ernest, and not see a pattern of political persuasions. I mean...you really really have to be looking the other way to not see it.

Hmmmm. I have over 7000 posts here and you have under 300. I wonder who has a better overall understanding of the leanings of this board.

Actually, I posted the link to the article myself (as did you I later realized). I think its all there in black and white and clearly stand by my original assertion. Of course your distorting of my actual words didn't help, but you did correct that after you likely realized someone would search for the original thread and post it.

I still fail to see what of my comments, however distorted the manner in which they were interpreted, necessitated name calling in what would have been a civilized debate.

I plan to be just as hard on the Democrats as I am with the Republicans. My fury is color blind.
;)

Often, when you are too close to something, you can't see that which is obvious. Can you honestly read this thread, and think that the views are basically evenly balanced?

First off, I immediately said I was paraphrasing, never claimed it was a direct quote. Secondly, you claimed you were "chastized" for saying the board leaned left when, in fact, you were "chastized" (if you can call responding to dry humor with dry humor "chastizing") for starting out a post with a dismissive statement. In that whole thread, I never once disagreed with the statement that this board leans liberal. I disagreed with the presumption that becuase we lean liberal we can't have a civilized debate.

As before, I don't really care, but I didn't feel like letting your revisionist history version of what happened sit out there without speaking up. And yes, how you said it sounded smarmy and jerky. I know you're not a jerk, so I ain't calling you one. But just because someone'e my friend doesn't mean I won't point out when they say something rude.

More often, when you don't have full information, you can't make a valid observation. I find the political leaning of this board to be all over the spectrum. But, I have realized that most of the people here are not easily lumped into two broad and limiting categories.

First off, of course you can. That is the entire basis of the science of statistical analysis. Yes, yes, I know lies, damn lies etc..etc...
If you can't make observations without 100% information then you are not very observant.

To refute that from a different angle, the entire context of what we are currently discussing is this thread. I have read the entire thread, so therefore I have full information regarding this thread. I therefore once again ask, can you read this thread, and think the views are balanced? That's really all I was ever saying. After reading this thread it felt like I just watched an episode of the Daily Show. Clearly, there are more on one side than the other in this thread. It made me laugh so I posted my comment. That's all. Glad it lit a fire under all y'all, for whatever reason that may have been.

You don't have to categorize if you don't want to, but it's already been done throught the cheers for Blue and down with Red...whaetver that mean.

Actually… from the creation of the party until the 1930’s, the Republican Party was the progressive – liberal – party. The Democrats were the conservatives.

Ok, I can't do much more of this as email, phone calls, meetings and the like are piling up. I don't know how all of you with 7,000 some-odd posts do it, but I bow before you. Your comment was that I was presenting revisionist history and something about setting myself up as some innocent victom of something blah blah.... I don't think anyone actually believes that that is what I was trying to do. Hell I don't think you actually believe that either. I was simply making an observation and a joke. Apologies again for always trying to bring a little light-heartedness to life on this board.

In terms of what I was chastized for earlier, while YOU specifically were admonishing me for some sort of perceived smarminess (I don't believe that is actually the correct use of that word, but I do agree with GC that it is a pretty awesome word for the day) which wasn't actually present, others were debating the idea that this board in any way leans left. And THAT was the basis of my comment in this thread.

Going back to the topic a few months back, it was that which surprised the hell out of me as I assumed that to be a given. When you read the political threads it is quite clear that there is more weight on one side than the other (I didn't start the whole Blue Red stuff, so don't blame me for breaking it down to a two party issue). Conservative comments seem to be attacked quite quickly while comments regarding the current presidential administration as evil or imperialistic aren't given a second thought. It's not rocket science.

Are people more complex than Red or Blue? Uhh, yeah, I think that was the point I was trying to make in my long post earlier in the thread that I'm sure interested no one. :) I am obviously conservative, but not a bush supporter nor a republican anymore. But just because I don't support him, doesn't mean that I think he is the antichrist.

In other words, I agree with KevyBaby's earlier comments.

Quite true. Touche. :)

However, I was speaking in more modern terms. No need to bring the Whiggs into this. ;)

I agree that most of the people who post here have what is known as liberal views on issues of great public importance.

Good.

And Bush is not the antichrist. He's not nearly attractive enough.

In my perception, we have a LOT more Libertarians and Republican party stalwarts on this board than full-blown Democrats. However, I see that there are a LOT of people all over the place that agree on one thing - there needs to be some major changes, that the current "system" is way to limiting and there is way too much influence from places that should't be influencing government decisions.

Only one person has said "go blue" or "we stayed blue."

Only a some of our conservative board regulars have been online today-- but I have to agree with you that I see a slant toward liberal thinking of all kinds here at LoT. Still, nobody criticized you for saying so, they criticized your implication that liberals cannot hold a civil debate. For values of [they=Greg] and [criticize=point out].

The problem I see with assuming that the majority on the board are liberal is that the assumption is based primarily on dislike of the current administration and its policies. such as the decision to go into Iraq. If you consider someone a liberal because they are anti-war or anti Bush alone, I feel you are missing the bigger picture which is that the majority of people have been against this administration for a long time and they ain't all liberal.

My dad is as conservative as they get, and yet, if he were to sign up here and post his views on Bush and Iraq, he would be labeled a liberal, even though I don't believe he has ever voted for a democrat in his entire life. He probably won't in the future either.

So, when I look at the list that was posted, I certainly don't see all but 3 or 4 people as liberals. I see three or four vocal conservatives, and a hell of a lot of people that are probably spread all over the remainder of the political spectrum.

Oh... and what LSPoorEeyoric said. :)

I agree. I get labeled as a liberal a lot because I don't support the war, Bush, or the rubber stamp Republican Congress.

What's really funny is that my De-troit midwest friends think I'M a liberal!

If I had more time (and didn't feel like crap - damn cold), I would provide links that show that this board has a majority of liberal leanings to it. Note that this is not saying that the majority of the people on this board are liberal, just that the board has a liberal leaning. Not a hardline extremist liberal viewpoint (though occassionally, we do see that), just a liberal leaning.

Even I, as someone who feels that I am more conservative than liberal, believe in many liberal issues, so therefore, I contribute to the liberal leaning of the board. But with the majority of the debates that ensue on this board, I believe that the majority of viewpoints are argued from more of a liberal slant than a conservative one.

You're a hippie actually :D

Yes, but they also think having their bare ass in another man's face isn't gay.

I think I'm a closet conservative and NM's a closet hippie.
:D

You must spread some Mojo around before giving it to Ghoulish Delight again.

Lol!

That's cause you're a Libertarian. I don't know if you're registered that way, but from what I've read, you fit the bill to a tee.

It's all about expectations/perceptions. E.g., if you go see a C movie but were expecting an A, you'll be let down. If you see the same film but were expecting an F, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Yeah, this much is true. Teabagging...also apparently totally not gay.

However actual people that are gay? Yeah they are awful, disgusting and evil. It is a strange dichotemy.

There's buzz that the GOP and the White House are trying to convince Allen to concede... So sayeth the blogosphere...

MSNBC projects Dem Senate win

:cool:

CNN is saying the same on CNN.com.

49 Democrats
49 Republicans
2 Independents

Yay

Both Indies have said they would caucus* with the Dems, which puts the Senate in Dem control.


*Sounds kind of dirty,eh?;)

The country has spoken. So happy to see that so many eyes were opened to what has really been going on.

My civil liberities feel a bit safer today too.

Well, absent the histrionics and regurgitated upset, I enjoyed catching up on this discussion of our personal politics, we Swankers who are political, and how they may be more nuanced and more personal and far more complicated than we tend to assume on a daily basis around here.

I think many of us may have, in fact, lumped all the liberal-leaning members together, and all the conservative posters together too often, because the issues have tended to polarize us with such certainty on both sides.


I have to agree that the LoT leans liberal, and in far more than just politics, if you consider it purely by numbers. But, when we communicate via internet threads of discussion, is it simply the number of posts, or perhaps rather the passions with which views are expressed that make this board lean this way or that?

If a hypothetical conservative member, lets call him "SCAsparrow, has 58 posts in a political thread, and there are 42 other posts by 6 liberal members in that thread, is that a lefty thread or not? What if another conservative poster, we'll call her "Crephyula," has 12 posts in some thread, and they are the most passionately expressed posts amoung 60 others, much more liberal and much more dull. What is the poliltical ph-balance then?


I don't think it's simply a numbers game of us vs. them, even though too many threads come down to it. I prefer to concentrate on the details of the different viewpoints we might be able to illuminate for each other, even on the topics we agree about.

The election's over, and I'm happy ... but don't feel like gloating. I know we're not going to solve any of the world's issues here on the board, so I hope in future we can do more illumination of our various personal politics and persuasions ... and less fighting about the issues as if we were the ones charged with solutions.





.

Well said.

You don't get it, do you? If everyone did what I said and took my suggestions, the world would have no problems.:)

Exactly, which is why I wasn't reacting to the claim that we are liberal-leaning (I am one of those who doesn't consider being called "liberal" an epithet), but rather the implication, joking as it may have been, that as a board we respond to anything non-liberal with "furious anger". In fact, I dare anyone to find a board that comes close to the amount of calm, rational discussion of opposing viewpoints as we have here.

I wonder what Bush and Pelosi are having for lunch?
To be a fly on the wall at that meeting...
:)

I didn't catch who said it, but someone suggested that Bush probably ordered himself a plate of crow.

lol! :D

Now that the elections are over, I wonder if the gas prices will go back up?

And Pelosi ordered a thick slice of Texas bull. Well done.

There ya go-

Probably

As do mine.

But I can also feel the impending decrease in my paycheck from all the new taxes we're gonna get.

It may suck, but someone's got to pay for that war we didn't want.

Yeah for all the social programs the liberals want, I can't imagin them costing anywhere near the price tag of our intervention in Iraq

This about sums up how I feel right now...

.