“So far, West’s ticket has secured ballot access in Alaska, Oregon, South Carolina and Utah. With those states alone, it’s unclear whether he could have a significant impact as a political spoiler.“
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Funny, I’d say it’s about as clear as a snowball’s chance in hell. 
However, I’m not in the drama-driven speculative media business, nor am I impressed by anyone who associates with broadcasters like 
Tavis Smiley. I still remember how West and Smiley broadcast their disapproval of President Obama together, but I doubt they’ll be gaining more fans for their act this time around. The stakes are too high.
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Something about this article about the Lehigh Valley nagged at me. There’s a lot of references to 2020, but very little mention of 2022, and I couldn’t find it by searching the text. So, I reviewed the published election results from that year to see how the GOP fared. Here’s what I found in the three counties mentioned:
Lehigh County - US Senate race Dem 54%, GOP 43%; Governor Dem 59%, GOP 39%; in state-level races that were contested Democrats won 2 out of 3 Senate seats and 3 out of 4 Assembly seats
Northampton County - US Senate race Dem 51%, GOP 46%; Governor Dem 56%, GOP 42%; 7th Congressional Dem 51%, GOP 49%; in state-level races that were contested Democrats won 1 out of 2 Senate seats and 1 out of 3 Assembly seats
Bucks County - US Senate race Dem 52%, GOP 45% Governor Dem 59%, GOP 39%, 1st Congressional Dem 45%, GOP 55%, in state-level races that were contested Democrats won 1 out of 3 Senate seats and 4 out of 9 Assembly seats (3 of the races Dems lost were close enough to be contested)
Now I’m a lot more hopeful about the outcome for 2024, especially given how the GOP is taking positions against what the voters want on key issues (according to polls).
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Three words: Civil. Asset. Forfeiture.
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Because it’s not already illegal.
He was at Mar Lago.
Speaker Johnson announces plan to introduce legislation requiring all people to prove they’re an American citizen when registering to vote
I wonder how Marge is going to take it when she finds out Johnson is moving in on her man.
Let’s find out…
I support President Trump and am working as hard as possible to help him win in November and winning a Republican House and Senate majority.
But I do not support Speaker Johnson.
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“Why don’t the soft-on-crime Democrats ever seem interested in passing new legislation to make breaking the law illegal, huh? While we’re at it, let’s ratify an Amendment stating that the Constitution is Constitutional!”
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Miami Cubans, not withstanding? from what i can tell listening to Spanish language radio is that they support tRump, wholeheartedly. the noon hour program, Noticias: Aqui y Ahora is so toxic, i have to switch it off. i’d rather hear Terri Gross interview a cat psychic on Fresh Air.
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Cubans are definitely not the prominent ethnic group here. It’s been mostly people from Puerto Rico for ages - though that’s diversifying to include more Central American peoples lately. That’s the route my grandfather on that side took - Arecibo to NYC.
Edit
Craft projecting that right now! Though I’m swapping out the license plate for vintage post cards I just ordered on eBay.
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I have to wonder if the tRumpification of Univision is playing a role there (outside of the Miami Cubans, who will be ultraMAGAt until it’s not an option.) Given the rabid anti-Hispanic rhetoric spewed nonstop from the right, I am baffled by the polling, but I am also convinced that the polls are totally and irredeemably borked, so there is that.
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Evangelical Churches here in Northern VA have huge Latino membership. Most think of Spanish descended peoples as being Catholic, but that has been changing.
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That majority are still Catholic, though…
Yes, the evangelical movement has made inroads, but not that much. In fact, it looks like the larger share (like much of the rest of the country) has gone to religiously unaffiliated.
The pure numbers of evangelicals seems almost always overstated to me, just in general. They are often given the central place in speaking for American Christianity, especially white evangelicals, while never really being a majority of American Christians. I kind of think we need to stop giving them so much focus, and get a much more complex understanding of American Christianity in general.
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I’m afraid it is, and part of the larger problem with the press both-siderism or news reports being manipulated by far-right supporters. The concerns raised (but never really addressed) by international groups concerned about radio and social media have gotten worse. The number of non-English speaking people who are forced to get their news from a single source has grown since 2016. The forces of misinformation and fascism dominate on the radio and badly-monitored social media channels where consumers have no choice if they want content in their own language.
This is the other part of the press problem. The owners are pushing beliefs over objective facts to sway the public. The increasing prominence of opinion pieces and editorials framed as news is one example. The bias in the amount of coverage they give based on the subject is another*. Anything that challenges the narrative or outcome they want is omitted. This is why so many election articles are presenting predictions as foregone conclusions, based on weak data.
*In a world where the media makes sure TFG dominates headline news, they still complain that they don’t have enough pro-45 staff members to give their outlets much-needed “access” to Dear Leader’s inner circle/plans or a place on his approved state media list. They figure they’re gonna need that last bit to stay in business after doing everything they possibly can to help him win. 
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from the article:
■■■■■ and his allies have argued he can win greater Black support due to his messages on the economy and immigration.
the economic implosion on his watch was even worse than shrub’s. i will never understand how people think those are good things. 
She received immediate interest in appearing alongside him from around a dozen students.
on the bright side, they didn’t even hit “there’s dozens of us” status
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