Who are you Putting your Election Efforts Behind?

[kidsmoke]

This set of midterms matters like few others, and I'm trying to apply my scant funds where they will matter. I just donated a small amount to Val Demings because Marco Rubio is a little useless dweeb who needs to be gone.

Who are you supporting? It's hard to know who to fund right now. I know it's the same for us all. Confusing as hell. I hope we have a reassuring November 8th (although I don't think we'll know results fully before about November 14th...)

Anyway, I'm just curious to know where VC members are throwing their weight. 

[chuckrh]

It really hurt me but I voted for Patty Murray in WA. She's been in the senate 30 years & is just a classic career politician & an argument for term limits. That being said, her opponent Tiffany Smiley is an absolute nightmare. Think maybe a slightly toned down Marjorie Taylor Greene. It was a choice of lesser evil. Smiley actually trots out here blind veteran husband in ads for cheap pops. & surprisingly, Smiley is closing the gap in polls. Ugh!

[Doug C]

This is off topic, put I’ve never understood the term “career politician” or the need for term limits. In a democratic system, if you want to run again and your constituents elect you, that’s democracy in action. Should money be taken out of elections, as our democratic peers have done, making it easier for challengers and harder for incumbents?, no question. As long as an elected official votes the way I want them to, supports the causes I do and is capable of doing the job, I don’t give a damn how long they stay in office. I personally would not want to keep working any job into my 70s and beyond, but that’s me. 
 

As for Patty Murray, she still does the business for the agenda I support. I don’t see a problem with her. Would I rather have a younger, like-minded senator? Maybe, but not necessarily. Also, Tiffany Smiley is running as an average Washington mom, an outsider, just like Patty Murray did 30 years ago. I’d bet my entire wealth that if she is elected (a frightening proposition) she would happily run again and again. 
 

As for the topic, my efforts are behind any Democrat. I’m not a member of any political party, but in our current system, no other party I can support has a realistic opportunity to rule. It’s even more critical because the Republican Party, not all Republicans, is a party of nutters.

[chuckrh]

1 hour ago, Doug C said:

This is off topic, put I’ve never understood the term “career politician” or the need for term limits. In a democratic system, if you want to run again and your constituents elect you, that’s democracy in action. Should money be taken out of elections, as our democratic peers have done, making it easier for challengers and harder for incumbents?, no question. As long as an elected official votes the way I want them to, supports the causes I do and is capable of doing the job, I don’t give a damn how long they stay in office. I personally would not want to keep working any job into my 70s and beyond, but that’s me. 
 

As for Patty Murray, she still does the business for the agenda I support. I don’t see a problem with her. Would I rather have a younger, like-minded senator? Maybe, but not necessarily. Also, Tiffany Smiley is running as an average Washington mom, an outsider, just like Patty Murray did 30 years ago. I’d bet my entire wealth that if she is elected (a frightening proposition) she would happily run again and again. 
 

As for the topic, my efforts are behind any Democrat. I’m not a member of any political party, but in our current system, no other party I can support has a realistic opportunity to rule. It’s even more critical because the Republican Party, not all Republicans, is a party of nutters.

Patty Murray is pretty much phony. Anytime she's been asked a question about issues she does a pee pee dance & talks around the question without giving an answer. Did you know that Murray is the single biggest receipient from either party of largess from big pharma? Look it up. By definition that is counter to the good of her constituents. The problem with career politicians is they become addicted to the power, not to mention money from the public sugar tit & special interests. Rather than actually work for the constituents most of their time is spent ensuring they remain in power. Just my opinion but I think we would be better off with fresh ideas & energy every 12 years (less for house of representatives). I like to say I'm liberal but with common sense which is sorely missing on that side of the aisle much of the time. At least with Cantwell in Washington state it's not about the money as she was wealthy before she ran. 30 years + in office is too long. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I won't get into Smiley except to say she's a nightmare.

[Doug C]

Chuck, your point is well taken. If I came off as confrontational, I apologize. That was not my intent. I agree that Patty Murray is very invested in re-election, but I also believe that she does care about her constituents and promoting liberal values. Would I rather have a less, as you put it, entrenched senior senator? Yes. My point is that in our system, certainly for national and state-wide elections, you only get 2 actual choices. Any candidate that is not a Republican or a Democrat has no chance of victory. Therefore, unless they are a proven criminal, mentally unstable, etc., I am always voting for the Democrat. No lesser of two evils feeling or “nose holding” has ever occurred. Which of the two candidates that have a chance of winning best represents my values? It’s always the Democrat. It’s as simple as that. I’d rather have a parliamentary system with a short election period, only public money used for campaigning and ranked choice voting, but I live in the USA. 

[chuckrh]

51 minutes ago, Doug C said:

Chuck, your point is well taken. If I came off as confrontational, I apologize. That was not my intent. I agree that Patty Murray is very invested in re-election, but I also believe that she does care about her constituents and promoting liberal values. Would I rather have a less, as you put it, entrenched senior senator? Yes. My point is that in our system, certainly for national and state-wide elections, you only get 2 actual choices. Any candidate that is not a Republican or a Democrat has no chance of victory. Therefore, unless they are a proven criminal, mentally unstable, etc., I am always voting for the Democrat. No lesser of two evils feeling or “nose holding” has ever occurred. Which of the two candidates that have a chance of winning best represents my values? It’s always the Democrat. It’s as simple as that. I’d rather have a parliamentary system with a short election period, only public money used for campaigning and ranked choice voting, but I live in the USA. 

I wasn't trying to be confrontational either. The big pharma thing affects me personally in a huge way. I'm going broke with the current system. Chemo & other exotic drugs. I did vote for another Democrat in the primary but no name recognition value. There is 1 Republican ( not a trumpanzee) I'd vote for in a heartbeat: Mark Cuban. I've actually met him & he's trying to do something positive in the country. I don't think he'll ever run though as he'd be trapped. Question: I've lived in Washington almost all of my 61 years. Where the hell is Manchester?!?! 

[Doug C]

 Manchester is an unincorporated community in Kitsap County. My mailing address is Port Orchard. From the spectacular Port of Manchester  you can see Seattle, and when it’s clear, Mt. Rainier. Close to the Bremerton ferry and Southworth ferry, so Seattle is easy. If you’re ever in the area, look me up. I’ll buy you a beer at the Manchester Pub.

[kidsmoke]

I have yet to make it to Washington state, but someday I'll look you both up and you can buy me a beer too. 

[chuckrh]

8 hours ago, Doug C said:

 Manchester is an unincorporated community in Kitsap County. My mailing address is Port Orchard. From the spectacular Port of Manchester  you can see Seattle, and when it’s clear, Mt. Rainier. Close to the Bremerton ferry and Southworth ferry, so Seattle is easy. If you’re ever in the area, look me up. I’ll buy you a beer at the Manchester Pub.

I've been thinking about moving over to that side of the sound, maybe Poulsbo zone. I can't do it right now as it's really looking like I've got some major surgery coming by the end of the year or early next year. I live a few blocks from the Fauntleroy ferry dock in West Seattle. I've probably driven through Manchester a few times. Seattle is just becoming too expensive & of course the traffic is horrendous. The middle class is getting priced out. Having the West Seattle bridge back has made my life a little easier. When it was out it took me 1.5 hours to get to Pill Hill more than once. Ugly! I'm not getting out much right now but if I can get something like right we should hook up sometime.

[Doug C]

6 hours ago, chuckrh said:

I've been thinking about moving over to that side of the sound, maybe Poulsbo zone. I can't do it right now as it's really looking like I've got some major surgery coming by the end of the year or early next year. I live a few blocks from the Fauntleroy ferry dock in West Seattle. I've probably driven through Manchester a few times. Seattle is just becoming too expensive & of course the traffic is horrendous. The middle class is getting priced out. Having the West Seattle bridge back has made my life a little easier. When it was out it took me 1.5 hours to get to Pill Hill more than once. Ugly! I'm not getting out much right now but if I can get something like right we should hook up sometime.

I sent you a PM. I don’t want to take up this popular thread with a personal conversation.