What is happening to America today?

[AlNg]

Under Biden, there will be no restraint and we’ll be right back fighting all those foreign wars all over again as happened under Obama.

These American foreign wars don’t make too much sense to me. In some ways they are counterproductive.

 

[AlNg]

The idea of defunding the police is not to eliminate them, but to spend more money on social services, programs, intervention efforts, etc from the police budgets.

I thought that there was a movement to abolish the armed police?

Abolish the Police?

The latest call to action from some criminal-justice activists: “Abolish the police.” From the streets of Chicago to the city council of Seattle, and in the pages of academic journals ranging from the Cardozo Law Review to the Harvard Law Review and of mainstream publications from the Boston...

www.city-journal.org

How will the police be abolished? A Marxist perspective

The Party for Socialism and Liberation stands for the overthrow, dismantling and complete replacement of the core institutions of the capitalist state, which are the “special bodies of armed men,” namely the police, prisons, military and courts. #policebrutality #practice #thestate

www.liberationnews.org

And the California Faculty Association, the union representing professors at California State universities, has demanded “free tuition for all Black, Native, and Indigenous students” and “CFA demands that the CSU divest from its relations with police institutions throughout
the state, defund campus policing, remove armed police from our campuses…”

https://mk0edsource0y23p672y.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CFA-ARSJ-Demands-in-Wake-of-Anti-Black-Racism-Violence-and-Murder-FINAL.pdf

I don’t know if they are speaking for all California State professors who belong to the CFA union, or if they are a small group within the CFA.

 

[Peeps]

I’m sorry, what? The state went 56-39 for Clinton in 2016. He didn’t even get 40% of the votes in Illinois.

Yes, because the hugest percentage of Illinoisians live in or near Chicago. There are a few exceptions–college towns, one of the river counties, etc.

Here’s the map: Illinois Election Results 2016: President Live Map by County, Real-Time Voting Updates - POLITICO

If you look county by county, you will see that most counties (including mine way at the top of Illinois) voted for TRUMP. Sadly, many of of these counties are farms, small towns, small cities (like mine), etc.

It will probably go even worse for Pres. Trump this election, as Illinois has continued to lose people (our city lost a thousand people during the four months of the COVID-19 crisis–people moving out because they lost their jobs due to the draconian isolation measures. Currently there is a yard sign campaign to oust our current governor, but it won’t make a difference–Chicago will vote him in.

It’s frustrating for us. We do a lot of day trips around the state to shop at vintage stores (my husband collects typewriters), and we talk to the people in the small towns and cities, and they are solidly behind Pres. Trump. But in Illinois, it doesn’t matter–our state will be blue on election night mainly because of Chicago.

All of this is assuming that the candidates will continue on the course they are currently on, and that there are no “shocking stories” or “revelations” about either candidate. This kind of thing has happened before–a candidate everyone thought was a shoe-in was knocked out of the running by an event, a badly-worded phrase, an illness, etc. The candidates’ enemies are all out on the trail, searching for anything they can find that will assure that the candidate will be forced to withdraw from the race.

 

[PaulinVA]

All of this is assuming that the candidates will continue on the course they are currently on, and that there are no “shocking stories” or “revelations” about either candidate.

Both of the Presidential candidates are in their seventies and have been investigated ad naseum.

I think in a normal election cycle what you said is true. In this cycle, Joe Biden could slur some words, say something a little crazy, and it still wouldn’t hurt his chances with the anti-Trump crowd. Trump could continue rambling in the Rose Garden for an hour, unable to actually form a complete sentence, and his supporters would still vote for him.

But, thanks for the Illinois explanation. I think it’s probably true for a lot of the country. I was going to say that your situation is an argument for abolishment of the Electoral College, but I fear that the larger cities will always have enough clout to sway elections, with the Electoral College or direct election.

 

[F_Marturana]

I’m sure though that not everyone in a large city votes for Democratic candidate while everyone in suburban and rural votes for the Republican ones.

With the electoral college system the votes of conservatives in cities like New York and Chicago don’t count.

My US rep in suburbia has consistently won his seat at about 80 to 90 % of the vote. Last election he still won but it slipped down to just about 60% of the vote. He’s a good family man, comes out for all the openings of little league season etc. What caused him to drop was his association with Trump.

Only about 30% of the country is a Republican. Slightly more is a Democrat.

The rest are independent. You can’t be polarizing to the extent the current president is and expect to pull over a majority of independents.

Remember Hillary used the word “basket of deplorables”. He’s called never Trumpers scum of the earth, and low lives. I’m a former never trumper Republican and a current never trumper independent. I’m not a low life. I’m not scum of the earth.

I thought and think Mitt Romney was a good example of a good Republican. Why aren’t there more of him?

 

[PaulinVA]

My US rep in suburbia has consistently won his seat at about 80 to 90 % of the vote. Last election he still won but it slipped down to just about 60% of the vote. He’s a good family man, comes out for all the openings of little league season etc. What caused him to drop was his association with Trump.

I’m a former Republican now independent in a DC suburb with a Democratic Congressman. I don’t like him because he told a few lies/misled people when he was a local politician. But, the district is firmly left until the next redistricting. Whatever.

Only about 30% of the country is a Republican. Slightly more is a Democrat.

The rest are independent. You can’t be polarizing to the extent the current president is and expect to pull over a majority of independents.

And this is the crux of this upcoming election. Which way will the 40% of the electorate that are Independents break, and will they go to the polls at all.

I thought and think Mitt Romney was a good example of a good Republican. Why aren’t there more of him?

Because they are institutionalists. They support the party no matter how crazy it gets. The party gives them committee assignments, campaign help, etc.

 

[PaulinVA]

Mitt Romney is a neocon sleazebag.

Or, alternatively, the only Republican with the integrity to look at the evidence and correctly vote to convict during impeachment.

 

[Zzyzx_Road]

Or, alternatively, the only Republican with the integrity to look at the evidence and correctly vote to convict during impeachment.

What evidence? The entire process was flawed and extremely political from the beginning.

But I’m glad Romney showed his true neocon colors.

 

[Annie]

But I agree with you and think that the election should be done by popular vote as too many people live in states where their vote doesn’t matter.

If there were no electoral college, the vote would be decided by 11 cities.

The problem in Illinois is that there is no electoral college, so the way Chicago goes is the way the state goes.

The electoral map of Illinois is almost completely red, but on the electoral map of the US by state, Illinois is completely blue.

This is because within the states, the vote is popular. Whoever gets the most votes takes the state.

 

[Zzyzx_Road]

If there were no electoral college, the vote would be decided by 11 cities.

This is the problem the Founding Fathers wrestled with and it’s instructive to read about their debates over this. The small states did not want to be rendered into irrelevance by the big populous states. So the framers of the Constitution did a number of things to provide for the small states. Most of which are now anathema to popular vote proponents. Because those small states contain “deplorables” who must be deplatformed, whatever the cost.

So those who want to do away with the Electoral College are essentially advocating for those 11 cities to run the entire country. If you want to see how that works in practice, have a look at Illinois. Popular vote proponents haven’t been able to give us assurances that this will go any better than Illinois. Because for them that is not what this is about.

 

[PaulinVA]

The electoral map of Illinois is almost completely red, but on the electoral map of the US by state, Illinois is completely blue.

This map shows counties, not people.

If there were no electoral college, the vote would be decided by 11 cities.

You mean the people in 11 cities would be able to elect a president? Hmm. Are you saying that the needs of the cities are different that the needs of the rural areas, and if the cities vote as a block they will always win? Or, are you saying that the cities are largely Democratic, and the Electoral College is the only way the Republicans can elect a President?

One could make a snarky comment about the general appeal of Republicans candidates, but I won’t.

 

[Annie]

Are you saying that the needs of the cities are different that the needs of the rural areas, and if the cities vote as a block they will always win?

Exactly.

9 10

 

[Annie]

One could make a snarky comment about the general appeal of Republicans candidates, but I won’t.

TBH, I vote R and I sometimes feel the same way.

 

[PaulinVA]

Exactly.

I’m sure that’s true anymore, that the rural areas have enough population, even with the electoral college - This is from the Pew Research Center in 2018.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

TBH, I vote R and I sometimes feel the same way.

One could also say the same for the Democrats, frankly. I’m an independent and I say a pox on both their houses.

 

[Peeps]

I think we are moving towards a situation where Republican-leaning Americans and Democratic-leaning Americans will split and form two countries.

I actually wish this would happen. I just hope we Republicans end up with states like Iowa, Montana, Wyoming, etc.

I’m not saying we won’t visit between countries. I would love to spend more time out East in some of the New England states, where our country first started. The history (and scenery) is wonderful.

But I would really love to live somewhere where abortion is illegal, religion is encouraged, the races live together without being suspicious of each other, guns are used for recreation, crime is punished, and everyone is expected to work for a living unless they are too old, too young, or too ill.

I’m honestly afraid of what the Democrats keep pushing in their political appeals. Abortion on demand at all stages of pregnancy, and paid for by taxpayers? Trillions of dollars spend on fighting “climate change”? Open borders and a “Come on in!” policy? Re-distributing funds for police? Huge welfare programs? etc.

Chicago and other cities run by Democrats are a mess. I think that the Democratic policies are too heavy-handed, take too much of the money that I work so hard to earn, and don’t accomplish anything but making people more dependent on government and less able to accomplish anything.

It would be wonderful to have a sweet, gentlemanly (or lady-like), highly-intelligent, well-spoken President with a stellar moral reputation, a lovely family with no whisper of scandal for hundreds of years back, the ability to get along with absolutely everyone and bring about peace and love throughout the U.S. and the entire world.

But those kinds of people generally don’t get involved with politics, and when they do, they are chewed up alive (e.g., Pres. Carter).

 

[Jeanne_S]

I hear you, I’ve been a resident of Colorado ,specifically the Denver metro area for close to 50 years. This state is a mere showow of what it was then. Such a beautiful state but it’s so left now I fear we aren’t far behind becoming another California.

 

[Pattylt]

I hear you, I’ve been a resident of Colorado ,specifically the Denver metro area for close to 50 years. This state is a mere showow of what it was then. Such a beautiful state but it’s so left now I fear we aren’t far behind becoming another California.

I’ve lived in northern Colorado for almost 30 years now and it seems Colorado is like @Peeps Illinois. Denver is the only large city and votes go the way Denver goes. Northern Colorado is pretty solid republican. I’m actually not sure how Colorado Springs winds up? They still don’t have enough population to overcome Denver.

I should note though…I’m happy with it as I’m a Democrat…not 100% as I will vote cross party for a better candidate but I also think Denver is much better managed than Chicago!

I have no answer for rural voters. They have always been small in number compared to cities. The trick seems to be getting representatives that also listen and act on rural concerns. Republicans can be just as guilty of ignoring rural voters as Democrats can.

 

[Peeps]

Would you be moving out of Illinois because the odds of that ended up Republican are pretty low?

We’ve talked about it. At this time, we will not because my husband’s elderly, infirm parents rely on us for many little things, and because we love them and want to be close to them. Also, my brother is my only living relative that I am close to, and I enjoy getting together with him–we share experiences and memories that even my husband (of 41 years) doesn’t have with me!

Also, I happen to LOVE Northern Illinois–the climate is moderate (although it can go bad, but usually doesn’t last long), the topography is comfortable (no mountains, no beaches, gently rolling landscape) and the soil is some of the most fertile in the world. I like the history of Illinois, and I like our rivers, and even though I would never want to live in Chicago, I like being able to go there (when we aren’t in a pandemic!) occsionally. I like being in the middle (kind of ) of the U.S.A. I especially love our huge fields of corn and soybeans–I think it’s fun to drive through endless flatlands of cornfields. I do miss the large herds of cattle (many Illinois farmers, including my brother, have given up dairy farming because it doesn’t pay enough for all the work involved), but many farmers raise beef cattle, and also swine and sheep, and occasionally horses-the Hispanic farmers often raise the most beautiful horses!

So I hate to be driven out of my state by the negative politics. However, my brother took an interesting path–he moved just over the state line into Wisconsin, and we have thought about that, except that we own a lot in a lake-community (it’s only worth twelve hundred dollars, so don’t anyone get the idea that we are loaded!). This allows him to be close geographically to his farm and other properties in Illinois, but not be effected by some of our weirder laws. Of course, he is still stuck paying huge property taxes on his properties–we have to fund the state worker pensions in full, as they are not required to chip anything in thanks to the amendment added to our State Constitution back in the 1970s.

So…sorry for the musings–no, we probably won’t move out of the Prairie State. Like other Illinoisians, we want to stick it out and hope/pray/work for better times.

 

[PaulinVA]

I’ve lived on the east coast my whole life. I’ve lived outside Washington DC for over 30 years.

Totally different experience than some of you. I live in an area where I have access to four regional shopping malls within about 20 minutes, any store one could imagine, plentiful jobs, lots of different people. People from all over the world. The school system has students that speak over 180 languages at home.

It’s also beautiful here. The trees and rolling hills make for a very pretty backdrop. There’s just way too many people.

The politics are interesting. My county has turned blue, although the rest of the state is red. A little over 60% of the adults have 4-year college degrees.

I really enjoy talking to people from other parts of the country, because sometimes I think I live in a little bubble that doesn’t really apply to most people.

 

[Sarcelle]

If I could live anywhere if money wasn’t a concern, I’d choose the West coast or Hawaii.

I want to move close to family.