Alaska Conservatives Fight to End the Ranked-Choice Voting Scheme That Kept Murkowski From Being Primaried Out, and Resulted in a Democrat Winning the House Race

The ranked-choice voting system gives people multiple votes. If a hard leftwing Democrat can't get his first pick of a hard leftwing Democrat, he then gets to vote for his second choice-- like a Fake Republican or a RINO.

Thus, his vote counts multiple times -- which is how a strong conservative state like Alaska elects a leftleaning RINO, Lisa Murkowski, and a Democrat to the House.

If Democrat voters' first preferences -- Democrat candidates -- don't win, Democrat voters then got, essentially, the chance to vote again. They couldn't get a Democrat senator to win, but they could stop a conservative senator from winning.

In the congressional race, they straight-up got a Democrat elected, because some Republicans defected. Instead of voting for Sarah Palin in the second-choice votes, Republicans who supported the other Republican candidate instead chose a Democrat.

This system would result in Republicans getting second-chance votes in leftwing states like California -- and Republicans would then elect moderate Democrats on their second-chance votes, and even sometimes get a Republican elected in a Democrat district.

This is why the left has not pushed to implement this system in leftwing states.

Just us. We're the ones who aren't allowed to elect our preferred candidates. They can continue electing the most leftwing possible congressmen from leftwing states.

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, out-of-state dark money poured into Alaska to hijack the state's elections by tricking voters into implementing a ranked-choice voting system. Now, following a midterm election fraught with record-low turnout and confused voters, Alaska's conservatives are fighting to take back control of their state's electoral process.
Known as Alaskans for Honest Elections, the grassroots organization is leading a statewide signature-collecting effort to put an initiative on the 2024 ballot to repeal Alaska's ranked-choice voting (RCV) system, which voters narrowly adopted in 2020. Last month, Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom certified the group's application for a petition to repeal RCV, meaning the organization may now begin collecting signatures from voters across the state. The group must get nearly 27,000 valid signatures in order for the initiative to appear on the ballot for the 2024 contest.
"We've put together over 5,000 volunteers who will be gathering [signatures] all over the state," Art Mathias, who's helping spearhead the signature drive, told The Federalist. "We're going to be at several outdoor shows, boating shows." We have volunteers who will "go to their friends, to their churches, to the shopping malls. Wherever people come through, [they'll] collect signatures."
Under RCV, which critics call "rigged-choice voting," voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes in the first round of voting, the last-place finisher is eliminated, and his votes are reallocated to the voter's second-choice candidate. Such a process continues until one candidate receives a majority of votes.
With RCV also comes the potential issue of ballot exhaustion, which occurs when a ballot is cast "but does not count toward the end election result." This can occur when voters fail to rank all the candidates on the ballot, leading to the disenfranchisement of voters (as some studies have shown).
While the 2020 RCV initiative, known as Ballot Measure 2, was sold to Alaskans as an effort to keep outside dark money from influencing the state's elections, it was out-of-state funding that helped push the initiative over the finish line. According to an October 2020 report by Breitbart News, for instance, Yes on 2 for Better Elections, a pro-RCV group, raised more funds from outside Alaska ($6,194,081) than from within the state ($20,000).
RCV "becomes an invitation for exceeding amounts of dark money to come in and put forth a candidate that nobody knows," Mathias said. "Alaskans are tired of being manipulated by rich people from outside [the state who] think they can tell us what to do."
During the 2022 midterms, Democrat Mary Peltola defeated former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in the race for Alaska's at-large congressional district as a result of ranked-choice voting. The RCV system also made a difference in the state's Senate race, where incumbent GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski fended off a challenge from Trump-backed Kelly Tshibaka. As The Federalist's Tristan Justice reported, Murkowski's allies were heavily involved in the push for Alaska to adopt RCV as a way to bolster the incumbent senator's reelection prospects.
Both Palin and Tshibaka have since come out in support of repealing RCV in Alaska, with Tshibaka recently forming Preserve Democracy, a nonprofit group dedicated to "fighting the spread of Ranked Choice Voting and increasing voter turnout."

I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this.

A big part of it is due to our corrupt, treacherous "leadership," which is actually on the left on most issues and wants the power of the conservative voter diluted.

Posted by: Ace at 03:06 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 1st?

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:06 PM (pW3XY)

2 2nd
I'll go fetch them.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:06 PM (pW3XY)

3 Hey

Posted by: Ciampino - The Stocks were a great idea at February 17, 2023 03:06 PM (qfLjt)

4 "conservatives" or CONservatives...?

not the same thing.

Posted by: sven at February 17, 2023 03:06 PM (Lzpvj)

5 fetched.

Ranked voting is a shell game to elect losers.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:07 PM (pW3XY)

6 Murkowsko delenda est

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at February 17, 2023 03:07 PM (JMAcK)

7 Did Fetterman's hump get vaxxed?

Posted by: BourbonChicken at February 17, 2023 03:08 PM (44ww/)

8 they're all globalist uniparty and fake conservatives

Posted by: brak at February 17, 2023 03:09 PM (j5Tg0)

9 Just a reminder : "Fetterman" is not the name of the senator from Pennsylvania; "Fetterman" is the name of the evil mad scientist who built the senator from spare body parts stolen from fresh graves.

Posted by: a.moron at February 17, 2023 03:09 PM (tu3iY)

10 The sad thing is, it Gave Murkowski another six years and then they immediately want to repeal it- maybe think of this BEFORE voting the fucking thing in!

Posted by: The Paolo at February 17, 2023 03:09 PM (zZu0s)

11 9 Just a reminder : "Fetterman" is not the name of the senator from Pennsylvania; "Fetterman" is the name of the evil mad scientist who built the senator from spare body parts stolen from fresh graves.
Posted by: a.moron at February 17, 2023 03:09 PM (tu3iY)

Nice.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:09 PM (zZu0s)

12 I pray every day to the Lord God Almighty that McConnell gets ass cancer.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at February 17, 2023 03:10 PM (D25PY)

13 At least Bruce Willis can play Fetterman if they make a movie about his life.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:10 PM (Y5qcH)

14 Sargon talked about how a Tory in power will likely be to the left of a Labour citizen far-from-power. Most of what he says about Britain is applicable to America. We are not represented in any meaningful way.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at February 17, 2023 03:10 PM (44ww/)

15 "In the lead-up to the 2020 election, out-of-state dark money poured into Alaska to hijack the state's elections by tricking voters into implementing a ranked-choice voting system."

Did they implement RCV it in state law, or amend the state constitution, or referendum, or what?

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:10 PM (24fqN)

16 Why does it take our leadership this long to realize it's being butt-fucked?

That's a rhetorical question since the answer is that we have no leadership. Except for the ones who spend all their time making sure that the Democrats don't get mad at them. Kind of like those Vichy fuckers in France trying to please the Nazi's. No difference.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (FhV9J)

17 This initiative will be put to a ranked choice vote.

The choices are
Repeal
Don't repeal
Keep it as is
Remove it from the books, not

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy, Set the Earth to fire and reshape it closer to the heart's desire at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (DK4U1)

18 Vote Early and Often !

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (wX56x)

19 Hey, where's that dude from Alaska that loves RCV, he even loved it when Sarah Palin was sent packing and Coke Bear was re-elected.

What say he?

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (up/3i)

20 I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this.

A big part of it is due to our corrupt, treacherous "leadership," which is actually on the left on most issues and wants the power of the conservative voter diluted.
++++
Asked and immediately answered.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (t0OGg)

21 This is why the left has not pushed to implement this system in leftwing states.

Point of order, ace, but they've been trying to do it in MA for years now. In MA. They're trying to make sure no Republican, not even a RINO, can ever win again here.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (Wnv9h)

22 I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this.

That's what baffles me. Its a complicated scheme that is tough to explain and yet they somehow convinced the voters to accept this? How? What manner of stupid is involved here?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (0hOvj)

23 I regret to inform you, a.moron that Babylon Bee has beaten you to that joke. As they have done to us all at one point or another.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (44ww/)

24 I just saw the horse running around in town. Should we consider closing the door to the barn? -- Alaska conservatives

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (1Z8zZ)

25 Speaking of ..."Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., will receive inpatient hospital care for "a few weeks" as he seeks treatment for clinical depression." I see...."clinical depression".

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (V13WU)

26 I wish Alaska good luck in this. I mean that. But I am not hopeful.

Elections are easy to corrupt but difficult to fix. It's much easier to break things than to mend things.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (t0OGg)

27 I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this.

It might be time to acknowledge that a lot of "conservatives" can't tell the difference between their fourth point of contact and a hole in the ground.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls - an election is simply a festival for the majority at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (ppBhU)

28 Where else do they have this abomination? Maine?

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy, Set the Earth to fire and reshape it closer to the heart's desire at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (DK4U1)

29 13 At least Bruce Willis can play Fetterman if they make a movie about his life.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:10 PM (Y5qcH)

Dude. Too soon.

(Just kidding ! ! !)

Posted by: a.moron at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (tu3iY)

30 Ranked Choice Voting is coming up in a Colorado referendum in the near future (next election?) They were supposed to have a voters-info session about this, but so far it's not happened.

Thing is, under RCV if I made my first choice I cannot vote that same person for my second choice, nor my third choice. Therefore, I either don't vote a 2nd or 3rd choice, or I vote for someone who I do not wish to vote for. I am either being disenfranchised, or my vote is being compelled against my wish.

How is this even constitutional?

Posted by: LCMS Rulz! at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (K58O6)

31 What are the odds it'll be repealed?

And I still can't understand how it's Constitutional under the "one man, one vote" rule.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (5EnGD)

32 This is why the left wins.

THIS IS THEIR ENTIRE EXISTENCE. The right wants to live their lives.

The left wants to rule. Until the majority of the right recognizes the left as an existential threat to our way of life, this will continue.

By any means necessary is their creed.

Sinistre delenda est must be ours.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at February 17, 2023 03:13 PM (JMAcK)

33 I see Lake lost her appeal. As I knew would happen.

I think the new R grift is people running and knowing they can't win. They then become internet personalities and live off of donations as they fight so hard for you.

You're not going to let the radical left win, are you?

$15, $20, or even $150? As I settle into my new career traveling the country and staying at 5 star hotels with fine dining and sick Twitter Burns.

Posted by: Last Days of the Republic at February 17, 2023 03:13 PM (sab7V)

34 Next, how 'bout fixing California, where the system is rigged so that you get two, yes that's two Democrats running for US Senate at any given time. No Republican at all.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at February 17, 2023 03:13 PM (FhV9J)

35 Most voters don't care, so they don't turn out to vote against these issues. The supporters of the issue do care, and turn out.

Posted by: Colorado Alex in Exile at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (wmDcS)

36 32 So well put!

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (24fqN)

37 9 Just a reminder : "Fetterman" is not the name of the senator from Pennsylvania; "Fetterman" is the name of the evil mad scientist who built the senator from spare body parts stolen from fresh graves.

Posted by: a.moron at February 17, 2023 03:09 PM (tu3iY)
----
"Fresh"? Can you vouch for that?

Posted by: Ciampino - The Lump smelling the armpit at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (qfLjt)

38 Murkowski always has a scowl on her face.
She never smiles.

Posted by: redridinghood at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (NpAcC)

39 I recall that ranked choice was something big the Libertarians were pushing.

The Libertarians have been consistent in devising the most corrupting and morally depraved political policies of any party.

Posted by: Reuben Hick at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (l7lsb)

40 Maine is a pretty blue state, and was for years before they implemented RCV. RCV is a terrible idea, but it is a worse idea for where the minority party wants to subvert its opposition.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (t0OGg)

41 “Good grief, what a shitshow. That place has really gone downhill since I was in charge.”

— Zombie Aleksandr Baranov

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (ffbyg)

42 16 Why does it take our leadership this long to realize it's being butt-fucked?

That's a rhetorical question since the answer is that we have no leadership. Except for the ones who spend all their time making sure that the Democrats don't get mad at them. Kind of like those Vichy fuckers in France trying to please the Nazi's. No difference.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (FhV9J)

"our leadership" knows they're getting butt-fucked right from the start, and they like it.

And then election time rolls around and they ask us for money and votes.

Posted by: a.moron at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (tu3iY)

43 Alaska is an odd state. I depends heavily on fed subsidies.

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (V13WU)

44
in yet another grim milestone for the biden administration, actress Stella Stevens has joined the choir invisible at 84

Posted by: AltonJackson at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (ENBF0)

45 Speaking of ..."Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., will receive inpatient hospital care for "a few weeks" as he seeks treatment for clinical depression." I see...."clinical depression".
Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (V13WU)

All I can think of is those occasional reports of someone threatening to jump off a building or bridge and some in the crowd are yelling ' JUMP ! JUMP ! '

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (wX56x)

46 35 Most voters don't care, so they don't turn out to vote against these issues. The supporters of the issue do care, and turn out.
Posted by: Colorado Alex in Exile at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (wmDcS)

I think at some point, in the not so distant future, a lot of people are going to start caring all at once (because their handouts have stopped coming) and then things will get real spicy.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (Y5qcH)

47 The only way to disrupt RCV requires that you *not* cast a second-choice vote at all, and that nobody fills out that bubble for you.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (t0OGg)

48 I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this.

Posted by: Ace

When everyone news source is lying how does the LIV figure out what is best.
The schools have made sure they, the LIV, can barely comprehend simple declarative sentences much less sentences that have been written intentionally to deceive.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:16 PM (pW3XY)

49 I think at some point, in the not so distant future, a lot of people are going to start caring all at once (because their handouts have stopped coming) and then things will get real spicy.
Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (Y5qcH)

The checks will never stop, they simply won't be enough to keep up with inflation.

Posted by: Colorado Alex in Exile at February 17, 2023 03:16 PM (wmDcS)

50 38 Murkowski always has a scowl on her face.
She never smiles.
Posted by: redridinghood

Even when the filthy lucre starts rolling in?

Posted by: Maj. Healey at February 17, 2023 03:16 PM (D25PY)

51 "Alaska is an odd state. It depends heavily on fed subsidies."

I knew the former, but not the latter.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:16 PM (24fqN)

52 A big part of it is due to our corrupt, treacherous "leadership," which is actually on the left on most issues and wants the power of the conservative voter diluted.

Posted by: Ace at 03:06 PM

That's a bingo. Is that how you say it? Thats a bingo?

Posted by: ... at February 17, 2023 03:16 PM (Wh/do)

53 I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this.

A big part of it is due to our corrupt, treacherous "leadership," which is actually on the left on most issues and wants the power of the conservative voter diluted.

because many choose between the two evils
many DO want leadership, it's just hard to find

Posted by: artisanal ette at February 17, 2023 03:16 PM (9qHsE)

54 from the vaxx thread:

322
From catturd on Twitter:

Proof of vaccine required to go to a Nikki Haley event ... you can't make this shit up.

Self-limiting right out of the gate ... you go, grrrrrl!
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at February 17, 2023 03:01 PM (pNxlR)

Misleading. Follow the catturd link and: Not recently, and not her event.

https://tinyurl.com/3eapxsyd

Posted by: m at February 17, 2023 03:16 PM (syBNd)

55 "I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this."

You are right about our corrupt leadership, but mostly we allow ourselves to be fooled because we actually work for a living and raise families - we do not get involved. Not an excuse, but...

I am running for a city council seat through special election. Get out and do something, get involved locally.

Posted by: Danimal28 at February 17, 2023 03:16 PM (klw0w)

56 Most voters don't care, so they don't turn out to vote against these issues. The supporters of the issue do care, and turn out.

Not exactly, but close. The supporters of issue crank out approving ballots unbeknown to the voters who don't care.

You don't care? Fine, I'll cast a ballot for you anyway. Thanks for the proxy.

Posted by: Reuben Hick at February 17, 2023 03:17 PM (l7lsb)

57 23 I regret to inform you, a.moron that Babylon Bee has beaten you to that joke. As they have done to us all at one point or another.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at February 17, 2023 03:12 PM (44ww/)

The Babylon Bee : Printing tomorrow's headlines as today's satire.

Posted by: a.moron at February 17, 2023 03:17 PM (tu3iY)

58 I hate that in any other year, Minkowski would have gotten the boot, but ranked voting kept her around. She's like a stubborn plantar's wart, impossible to burn or freeze off.

Posted by: LizLem at February 17, 2023 03:17 PM (+mkOR)

59 I am trying to think of a situation where RCV would be legitimate. The only thing I can come up with - and it's still a big 'ole "maybe" - is in primaries. Even then, winner-take-all - even with a minority - is a more honest system. One person. One vote. Zero exceptions.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:17 PM (t0OGg)

60 Aight. TGIF
Need to make an apple crumble before hubby gets home.

It's the weekend, and Thank God.

Enjoy.

Posted by: artisanal ette at February 17, 2023 03:17 PM (9qHsE)

61 We are not represented in any meaningful way.

yes, we're the RINOs. The Republicans in power are representing exactly who they are directed to represent, and it isn't us.

Posted by: brak at February 17, 2023 03:17 PM (j5Tg0)

62 yet another grim milestone for the biden administration, actress Stella Stevens has joined the choir invisible at 84
Posted by: AltonJackson at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (ENBF0)

Just watched part of the Poseidon Adventure again last week. And the good part of the camera shot below Stella Steven climbing up the ladder.

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:18 PM (wX56x)

63 > That's what baffles me. Its a complicated scheme that is tough to explain and yet they somehow convinced the voters to accept this? How? What manner of stupid is involved here?

100% agreed. An old adage in politics is, "If you're explaining, you're losing." You have to lay groundwork for years to get things done that any normal human can see the immediate use for. Yet, this weird, complex scheme exists for voting? How?

Posted by: bonhomme at February 17, 2023 03:18 PM (eyxn4)

64 "A big part of it is due to our corrupt, treacherous "leadership,"

You mean like this nugget?

McConnell: "The overwhelming majority of Republicans are not only behind the Ukrainians but would send aid more quickly than the president has."

Posted by: Fool Otto at February 17, 2023 03:19 PM (DB16e)

65 yes, we're the RINOs. The Republicans in power are representing exactly who they are directed to represent, and it isn't us.
Posted by: brak at February 17, 2023 03:17 PM (j5Tg0)
++++
Yup. If you're a conservative, a nationalist or whatever and you call yourself a Republican, *you* are the RINO. The Lindsay Grahams and Lisa Murkowskis and Haley Barbours and Mitch McConnells are the true Republicans.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:19 PM (t0OGg)

66 Sell Alaska back to the Russians.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at February 17, 2023 03:19 PM (R/m4+)

67 Alaska has the highest percentage of serial killers. That might explain it. 😃

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:20 PM (wX56x)

68 I favor a ballot sequester scheme.
It would work simply by holding all ballots 'secret' until all ballots have arrived for counting.
Then all the ballots would be counted.

This makes canvassing for 'make-up votes' impossible.

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:20 PM (RHGPo)

69 We need to get rid of the electoral college and have RCV in rural state. You guys will love it! It is a very conservative idea.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy, Set the Earth to fire and reshape it closer to the heart's desire at February 17, 2023 03:20 PM (DK4U1)

70 44
in yet another grim milestone for the biden administration, actress Stella Stevens has joined the choir invisible at 84
Posted by: AltonJackson at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (ENBF0)

RIP. She was a pretty lady.

https://tinyurl.com/4ynzu2zw

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:20 PM (zZu0s)

71 66 Even Putin doesn’t want that mess.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:21 PM (ffbyg)

72 McConnell: "The overwhelming majority of Republicans are not only behind the Ukrainians but would send aid more quickly than the president has."

Posted by: Fool Otto at February 17, 2023 03:19 PM (DB16e)

It doesn't even work as a joke

Posted by: ... at February 17, 2023 03:21 PM (Wh/do)

73 See, you place your votes, and the algorithm tells us who won! What is not to trust?

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy, Set the Earth to fire and reshape it closer to the heart's desire at February 17, 2023 03:21 PM (DK4U1)

74 About 20% of AK population is Native tribes. Highest in the nation.

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:21 PM (V13WU)

75 BabylonBee: Biden Taken to Coroner for Annual Physical

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:21 PM (RHGPo)

76 That's what baffles me. Its a complicated scheme that is tough to explain and yet they somehow convinced the voters to accept this? How? What manner of stupid is involved here?
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 17, 2023 03:11 PM (0hOvj)
++++
It's marketed as improving election fairness and not letting a minority (since the winner often gets <50% of the vote, because of third parties) take office. And opposition to it, of course, is marketed as hateful, racist, monstrous and destructive to peace, love, motherhood, apple pie and the American Way. You're not a monster, are you?!?!?!

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:21 PM (t0OGg)

77 McConnell: "The overwhelming majority of Republicans are not only behind the Ukrainians but would send aid more quickly than the president has."
Posted by: Fool Otto at February 17, 2023 03:19 PM (DB16e)

This guy.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:21 PM (zZu0s)

78 @22

>>That's what baffles me. Its a complicated scheme that is tough to explain and yet they somehow convince

It's more than just complicated, it's opaque, complex, cannot be hand tallied and requires algorithmic manipulation to produce a "result."

Is it any wonder the Uniparty loves a system like that?

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:22 PM (up/3i)

79 I pray every day to the Lord God Almighty that McConnell gets ass cancer.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at February 17, 2023 03:10 PM (D25PY)

___________

Just thought this bore repeating.

Posted by: McLurkerson at February 17, 2023 03:22 PM (wNDOJ)

80 Stella Stevens looked a little like Barbara Eden *boink*

https://tinyurl.com/52ahpr96

Posted by: Maj. Healey at February 17, 2023 03:22 PM (D25PY)

81 69 We need to get rid of the electoral college and have RCV in rural state. You guys will love it! It is a very conservative idea.
Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy, Set the Earth to fire and reshape it closer to the heart's desire at February 17, 2023 03:20 PM (DK4U1)

Question: Was the EC originally intended to be winner take all like it is now for most states or is that just another deck stacking thing the a-holes have snuck in?

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:22 PM (Y5qcH)

82 We need to get rid of the electoral college and have RCV in rural state. You guys will love it! It is a very conservative idea.
Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy, Set the Earth to fire and reshape it closer to the heart's desire at February 17, 2023 03:20 PM (DK4U1)

That and VAT will make you freer that you've ever been !

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:23 PM (V13WU)

83 80 That's a keeper.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:23 PM (24fqN)

84 "I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this."

LOL

Umm, because "conservatives", like most Americans, don't understand or care to work to understand almost anything that doesn't directly immediately negatively concretely affect them? And even with such things, instant reversion to medieval peasant-type tribal and bumper-sticker level crap is also sometimes the response?

Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:23 PM (OTzUX)

85 New Starsky and Hutch are women.

Maybe Huggy Bear can be THEIR pimp?

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (zZu0s)

86 WA state is the same as CA, jungle primaries. And has vote by mail.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (6lj/r)

87 Lake lost her appeal because she was not able to prove that maricopa did not count all of the votes because maricopa refused to give the info. But because the county is a more credible witness to the courts, the court takes the county's word that they accurately counted the votes, and not the word of Lake, who was refused access to the data.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy, Set the Earth to fire and reshape it closer to the heart's desire at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (DK4U1)

88 61 We are not represented in any meaningful way.

yes, we're the RINOs. The Republicans in power are representing exactly who they are directed to represent, and it isn't us.

Posted by: brak at February 17, 2023 03:17 PM (j5Tg0)

This is an interesting insight, I'm not sure what to do about it. Maybe start smoking weed all day and voting Libertarian.

Posted by: a.moron at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (tu3iY)

89
Question: Was the EC originally intended to be winner take all like it is now for most states or is that just another deck stacking thing the a-holes have snuck in?
Posted by: sniffybigtoe

The EC is designed so that States with large/huge populations don't overwhelm States with fewer people
N.Y. vs. WY comes to mind.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (pW3XY)

90 80 Stella Stevens looked a little like Barbara Eden *boink*

https://tinyurl.com/52ahpr96
Posted by: Maj. Healey at February 17, 2023 03:22 PM (D25PY)

She was evidently in Playboy three times.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (zZu0s)

91 Kelly Tshibaka

She does not look at all like her namesake from Kashyyyk.

Posted by: spindrift at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (h5TKJ)

92 84 It's because we don't buy enough supplements.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:25 PM (24fqN)

93 When everyone news source is lying how does the LIV figure out what is best.

Its a pretty simple calculus: if you cannot tell exactly what is going on and what is right DO NOT PICK THE NEW THING.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 17, 2023 03:25 PM (0hOvj)

94 Yup. If you're a conservative, a nationalist or whatever and you call yourself a Republican, *you* are the RINO. The Lindsay Grahams and Lisa Murkowskis and Haley Barbours and Mitch McConnells are the true Republicans.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!)
===

Never thought of it that way but you are 100% spot on.

Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable a Clear and Present Danger at February 17, 2023 03:25 PM (17s+e)

95 sniffybigtoe, the EC allocations are set by the states themselves, at least to some extent. That's why NE and ME have systems allocated by by congressional district. I think the 2 "Senate" EC votes go to the overall winner.

Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:25 PM (OTzUX)

96 Lake lost her appeal because she was not able to prove that maricopa did not count all of the votes because maricopa refused to give the info.

In a just world the court would have ordered them to provide the information.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at February 17, 2023 03:25 PM (0hOvj)

97 The EC is designed so that States with large/huge populations don't overwhelm States with fewer people
N.Y. vs. WY comes to mind.
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (pW3XY)

But the way we do it now kinda defeats that purpose already. CA goes all dem and all the EC votes go all dem.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:25 PM (Y5qcH)

98 85 New Starsky and Hutch are women.

Maybe Huggy Bear can be THEIR pimp?
Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:24 PM (zZu0s)

Didn't we already have Cagney & Lacey?

Aggshully, when I heard there would be a new "twist" I imagined something much worse than this.

Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at February 17, 2023 03:26 PM (BTgKJ)

99 Google up Stella Stevens going up ladder in Poseidon Adventure. You won't be disappointed.

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:26 PM (wX56x)

100 If checked the election results from California you would realize that year after year about 8 million conservative Californians get stuck with more liberal craziness. That is more than the entire populations of most states

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at February 17, 2023 03:26 PM (h1jJh)

101 Aggshully, when I heard there would be a new "twist" I imagined something much worse than this.
Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at February 17, 2023 03:26 PM (BTgKJ)

Maybe they are both gay AND trans?

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:26 PM (zZu0s)

102 "This is why the left has not pushed to implement this system in leftwing states."

Maine is Dem and has it.

Posted by: SmileyGG at February 17, 2023 03:26 PM (77cT/)

103 Ted Cruz tearing Gigi Sohn three new assholes. She looks like a good old-line bomb-throwing commie anarchist.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:26 PM (24fqN)

104 ... This makes canvassing for 'make-up votes' impossible.
Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:20 PM (RHGPo)
++++
Technology makes this easily possible, since votes are tabulated (if not cast) electronically anyway. Easy peasy:
1. Precinct counts its ballots
2. Precinct sends a "Ready to Report" message to the SoS
3. Only after precincts covering at least 90% of the population reports "ready," the SoS sends a "Report Results" message to the precincts
4. The precincts transmit their vote totals to the SoS simultaneously, including the serial numbers of ballots in the transmission file

Until step #4, the physical ballots (or ballot receipts, in the case of the terrible idea of electronic voting) shall not leave the precinct, no seals shall be broken, no lapses in guard are permitted. Once results are transmitted to the SoS, the ballots can be moved under standard procedures to their central locations. As a bonus, you can put a time limit on it. "Any precinct not reporting 'Ready' within four hours of polls closing is immediately taken over by the SoS office and all local election board members are ejected from office and prohibited from holding future elections offices."

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:26 PM (t0OGg)

105 I recall that ranked choice was something big the Libertarians were pushing.

The Libertarians have been consistent in devising the most corrupting and morally depraved political policies of any party.
Posted by: Reuben Hick at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (l7lsb)
******
I have come to believe that most Libertarians lack logic and common sense.

They'll vote for any candidate with an L by their name no matter what their policies are.

There votes always help the Dems. I blame them a lot for why we're in the situation we are in with the government we have now.

Posted by: redridinghood at February 17, 2023 03:27 PM (NpAcC)

106 95 sniffybigtoe, the EC allocations are set by the states themselves, at least to some extent. That's why NE and ME have systems allocated by by congressional district. I think the 2 "Senate" EC votes go to the overall winner.
Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:25 PM (OTzUX)

But most states are just simply winner take all. Only like 2 states proportion it by vote or other methods.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:27 PM (Y5qcH)

107 In a just world the court would have ordered them to provide the information.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor

"No standing."
-- Chief Just us Roberts

Posted by: Tonypete at February 17, 2023 03:27 PM (qoGsy)

108
I guess the new Laverne & Shirley are two men.

Posted by: portlandon at February 17, 2023 03:27 PM (+oR7L)

109 Meanwhile, in Virginia:

Middle School Boy Strangled by Female Classmate on School Bus… School Refuses to Expel Attacker

https://tinyurl.com/ymdnd6hp

And why is the attacker's face blurred?

Posted by: SMH at February 17, 2023 03:27 PM (H+FYD)

110 Is Biden’s Economic Plan Working? Real Disposable Personal Income Down -6.4% YoY In 2022 (Worst Since The Great Depression)

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:27 PM (RHGPo)

111 I guess the new Laverne & Shirley are two men.

==

Charlie's Angels.

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:27 PM (V13WU)

112 >>Yup. If you're a conservative, a nationalist or whatever and you call yourself a Republican, *you* are the RINO. The Lindsay Grahams and Lisa Murkowskis and Haley Barbours and Mitch McConnells are the true Republicans.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!)

Am I chopped liver?

Posted by: Trent Lott at February 17, 2023 03:28 PM (D25PY)

113 I don't mind in a multi candidate race that you have to get over 50% or there is a run off.

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:28 PM (wX56x)

114 Just tell the Dems that you will support Abortion on Demand for fair elections and see if they bite.

Posted by: Puddinhead at February 17, 2023 03:28 PM (g/54t)

115 https://tinyurl.com/2s4j34x2
Here's the McConnell link. What a piece of garbage.

Posted by: Fool Otto at February 17, 2023 03:29 PM (DB16e)

116 And why is the attacker's face blurred?
Posted by: SMH at February 17, 2023 03:27 PM (H+FYD)
++++
I think that the identities of minors must be obscured in press coverage unless the minor's parent or guardian consents to exposure.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:29 PM (t0OGg)

117 110 Is Biden’s Economic Plan Working? Real Disposable Personal Income Down -6.4% YoY In 2022 (Worst Since The Great Depression)
-----------------
Tell him to cut the money supply by 10% and see what happens.

Posted by: Puddinhead at February 17, 2023 03:29 PM (g/54t)

118 "And why is the attacker's face blurred?"

Our crazy juvenile justice system insulates the identity of even the worst fiends. Not to mention insulates them from the just consequences for their evil acts. Abolish the parallel, separate justice system for juveniles.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:29 PM (24fqN)

119 sniffybigtoe the disproportionate weight given to smaller (by population) states, via the Senate seats, still allows them to punch above their weight. That it isn't enough, now, to not be swamped by the big states is just a result of population growth and distribution.

Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (OTzUX)

120 "Microsoft Bing's AI chatbot tells reporter it wants to be HUMAN, engineer a deadly pandemic and steal nuclear codes in troubling two-hour conversation"...

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (V13WU)

121 I guess the new Laverne & Shirley are two men.
___

And Starsky and Hutch are now two women:

https://tinyurl.com/335edtwj

Posted by: SMH at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (H+FYD)

122 Bill Clinton got less than 50% in both of his elections. Should have been a run off.

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (wX56x)

123 There is no mandate. Instead, they try to engineer us so we won't get angry and kill them.

Posted by: humphreyrobot at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (NYrlm)

124 Trans Secretary Buttstuff has announced that an army liaison, a Major Phag will be attached to the secretary's staff immediately.

Posted by: An Observation sez China Joe not my president at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (CecP5)

125 I'll be hones with you, if someone told me they want to engineer a deadly pandemic AND steal nukkelar codes, I'd be troubled too.

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:31 PM (V13WU)

126 Here’s the twist, and I hope you’re sitting because this is the twistiest twist that a network ever twisted up to give a 45-year-old franchise that twisty new show smell.

Are you ready?

Starsky is a chick. So is Hutch.

.. didn't we see this movie with Ghostbusters .. and it worked SO WELL

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:31 PM (RHGPo)

127 This was put in place to protect Murkowski, them getting rid of it means in 6 years she won't need it or it will cost her the seat. i figure she'll retire and take a big lobbying job and rake in some extra millions.

Posted by: Iron-Wombat at February 17, 2023 03:31 PM (lSIb9)

128 *honesT

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:31 PM (V13WU)

129
But the way we do it now kinda defeats that purpose already. CA goes all dem and all the EC votes go all dem.
Posted by: sniffybigtoe

You'll have to go to the Federalist papers for a good explanation, mine is simplistic.

The small population States (of the original 13 were not going to sign on to the Declaration of Independence until the EC was included.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:31 PM (pW3XY)

130 Starsky is a chick. So is Hutch.

.. yeah, I bet Huggy Bear is a crossdresser

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:32 PM (RHGPo)

131 And why is the attacker's face blurred?

underage?

Posted by: Johnny Paycheck at February 17, 2023 03:32 PM (M3hSG)

132 Come on, Ace - you don't know how "conservatives" get fooled by this? They're not conservatives, and they're not fooled. This is the way to fully weaponize McConnellism, as this forces primaries to be referendums on corporate politics, rather than issue politics. Elect a machine cog like Murkowski, or your issue politician will just lose in the rigged RCV general.

It's a plan, not a whoopsie.

Posted by: BetaPhi at February 17, 2023 03:32 PM (hGNrS)

133 44
in yet another grim milestone for the biden administration, actress Stella Stevens has joined the choir invisible at 84

Posted by: AltonJackson at February 17, 2023 03:15 PM (ENBF0)
----
Is that 3 now? Lollobrigida, Raquel, Stevens?

Posted by: Ciampino - the nasties live forever at February 17, 2023 03:32 PM (qfLjt)

134 Power does not retire. Look at Feinstein and Pelosi. Who is now at the Munich conference.

Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:32 PM (V13WU)

135 "Starsky is a chick. So is Hutch."

Did they both get the operation or did they leave their female penises intact?

Posted by: fd at February 17, 2023 03:33 PM (iayUP)

136 119 sniffybigtoe the disproportionate weight given to smaller (by population) states, via the Senate seats, still allows them to punch above their weight. That it isn't enough, now, to not be swamped by the big states is just a result of population growth and distribution.
Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (OTzUX)

It would be a whole lot better if CA had 40% popular vote for the R hen R got 40% of CA's EC votes.

My point is I suspect they intentionally eroded the purpose of the EC with winner take all and no one ever even thinks about it.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:33 PM (Y5qcH)

137

>>I have come to believe that most Libertarians lack logic and common sense.

Libertarians are largely concerned with dope, age of consent laws and mostly preventing conservatives from winning elections.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:34 PM (up/3i)

138 Starsky is a chick. So is Hutch.
Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:31 PM (RHGPo)
++++
That's pretty played out. They'd better be lesbians, too. Or, better, one of them is a lesbian so there can be awkward and frankly disturbing sexual tension until the non-dyke partner discovers her sexual fluidity in the denouement of the third season.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:34 PM (t0OGg)

139 I despise bullies.

Posted by: SMH at February 17, 2023 03:34 PM (H+FYD)

140 Joe Mannix @ 104, all excellent ideas.

There are endless, simple, and usually *already long-used, historic, simple ways* to ensure election process integrity.

Haven't done the arithmetic, but I'd bet by now 40-50% of votes cast in the US *do not* get counted/excluded by a system *the US, EU, or UN would recognize as legitimate if the country in question were one "new" to elections and receiving international assistance*.

I always make this boring but actually spectacularly outrageous observation on this topic, but it's true.

Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:34 PM (OTzUX)

141 133 Also, Cindy Williams. Maybe not in the same league as the other three, but cute as a button back in the day.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:34 PM (ffbyg)

142 So mcconnel is at a conference in Munich? Seems appropriate.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at February 17, 2023 03:34 PM (u73oe)

143 That's pretty played out. They'd better be lesbians, too. Or, better, one of them is a lesbian so there can be awkward and frankly disturbing sexual tension until the non-dyke partner discovers her sexual fluidity in the denouement of the third season.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:34 PM (t0OGg)

You think this dreck will make three seasons? Hah.

Of course, Star Trek Discovery and Picard got at least three seasons.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:35 PM (zZu0s)

144 Power does not retire. Look at Feinstein and Pelosi. Who is now at the Munich conference.
Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:32 PM (V13W

There definitely should be a mandatory retirement age for all elected and appointed Fed offices, including the SC. I would like someone to offer up a Constitutional amendment to vote on.

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:35 PM (wX56x)

145 136 119 sniffybigtoe the disproportionate weight given to smaller (by population) states, via the Senate seats, still allows them to punch above their weight. That it isn't enough, now, to not be swamped by the big states is just a result of population growth and distribution.
Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (OTzUX)

It would be a whole lot better if CA had 40% popular vote for the R hen R got 40% of CA's EC votes.

My point is I suspect they intentionally eroded the purpose of the EC with winner take all and no one ever even thinks about it.
Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:33 PM (Y5qcH)

Strategically any solidly red or blue state would prefer winner take all. So I think it'd tend to emerge naturally.

Posted by: Red Turban Someguy - The Republic is already dead! at February 17, 2023 03:35 PM (eYoxG)

146 Starsky is a chick. So is Hutch.

So it's Cagney and Lacey. But that IP sucks and swallows. So it's Starsky and Hutch.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls - an election is simply a festival for the majority at February 17, 2023 03:35 PM (ppBhU)

147 The Groomer Bus Strangler is only getting ready for her career riding the State Penitentiary Buses later in life.

There are many jail and prison cells in that savage's future.

But first, she will have a few baby daddys to enjoy.

And the issues of her loins will also be riding them buses.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at February 17, 2023 03:35 PM (R/m4+)

148 The Ranked Choice ballot won by 50.55 to 49.55. It doesn't sound like conservatives were fooled. It sounds like the Murkowski RINO machine that gave her the write in win in 2010 conspired with the Democrats to ensure that they would remain in power because they saw the writing on the wall for 2022 and it was the only way for her to keep her seat.

Posted by: buzzion at February 17, 2023 03:36 PM (aRLgQ)

149 I don't see how we win when we have team McFailure running things. Hell they even put in a fake Pope. Anyone else think its strange that the Bishops have been silent for the past 3 years? They let people be denied the sacraments, they let Moloch worshiping 'Catholics" define Church theology, and they're silent when Catholics are abused around the world, even here by the FBI.
Its amazing how evil has captured the leadership of all these organizations.

Posted by: Iblis at February 17, 2023 03:36 PM (Bz+vV)

150 willowed from downstairs:

Posted by: Gentlemen, this is junta manifest at February 17, 2023 03:23 PM (4oyqO)

all my layman's brain can make out of this is that this mRna jab was at best a rush job, not well thought out or considered.

at worst...

Posted by: kallisto at February 17, 2023 03:37 PM (dCxaZ)

151 sniffybigtoe, "winner take all" is partially a state-level matter. Thus, "they" is 50 states, in your formulation. As with almost everything, "they" is "us", one way or another.

Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:37 PM (OTzUX)

152 So mcconnel is at a conference in Munich? Seems appropriate.
Posted by: Duke Lowell at February 17, 2023 03:34 PM (u73oe)
++++
Make a movie about it.

"Korruption in München" describes the harrowing tale of international politics, subversion and enrichment among the world's ruling class as it delves into the corrupt and harmful opposition to global leadership perpetrated by shadowing neo-fascist influence networks controlled by conservative media and fringe political parties.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:38 PM (t0OGg)

153 Starsky is the back hole

Hutch is the front

Posted by: REDACTED at February 17, 2023 03:38 PM (us2H3)

154 This week, Paul also introduced legislation that would see federal funding stopped for health care facilities that choose to deny critical treatment to people who have chosen not to take COVID vaccines.

Numerous hospitals across America are following a ‘no jab, no transplant’ policy.

“No American should be denied access to critical care based on a personal medical decision, yet tragically, many hospitals and other medical facilities continue to discriminate against those unvaccinated for COVID-19,” Paul said in a statement.

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:39 PM (RHGPo)

155 Starsky is the back hole

Hutch is the front
Posted by: REDACTED at February 17, 2023 03:38 PM (us2H3)
++++
"Starfish and Munch"

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:39 PM (t0OGg)

156 sniffybigtoe, "winner take all" is partially a state-level matter. Thus, "they" is 50 states, in your formulation. As with almost everything, "they" is "us", one way or another.
Posted by: rhomboid at February 17, 2023 03:37 PM (OTzUX)

Again there should be a requirement for any winner take all that the winner has more than 50% of the vote.

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:39 PM (wX56x)

157 'As with almost everything, "they" is "us", one way or another.'

That's deep. Something to ponder.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:39 PM (24fqN)

158 Alaskans for Better Elections, also known as Yes on 2 for Better Elections, led the campaign in support of the ballot initiative. Former Rep. Jason Grenn (I-22) was chairperson of the campaign. Bruce Botelho (D), the former mayor of Juneau, Alaska, and Bonnie Jack (R) were co-chairs of the campaign. Green described the ballot initiative as "kind of a three-pronged attack on making our elections better."

Supporters
Officials:
State Senator Tom Begich (D), Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon (Independent)
State Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D), State Representative Daniel Ortiz (Independent), State Representative Louise Stutes (R), State Representative Adam Wool (D)
Former Officials:
Former State Representative Jason Grenn (Independent), Former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld (R)
Political Parties:
Libertarian Party of Alaska
Organizations:
Action Now Initiative, American Promise, Democracy for America, FairVote Action Fund, League of Women Voters of Alaska, Represent.Us, Unite America

Posted by: Darrell Harris at February 17, 2023 03:40 PM (/iWhV)

159 The hits keep coming. JFK airport shut down due to electrical fire.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at February 17, 2023 03:41 PM (u73oe)

160 Now, the Ukraine War will come to an early stoppage ...

Viagra Withdrawn From Russian Market

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:41 PM (RHGPo)

161 Ranked choice voting is THE instrument for creating a one-party political system.

When you have five candidates running, and all of them but one is a Democrat, guess who wins the election every time?

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 17, 2023 03:41 PM (Wl6Ns)

162 Strategically any solidly red or blue state would prefer winner take all. So I think it'd tend to emerge naturally.
Posted by: Red Turban Someguy - The Republic is already dead! at February 17, 2023 03:35 PM (eYoxG)

Been doing some quick innerwebs searching.

Apparently the 1824 election was the turning point.

1824: The tipping point election for presidential electoral systems, as twice as many states used the winner-take-all statewide method as used the state legislature method. The defeated Andrew Jackson joined James Madison’s pleas for a constitutional amendment requiring a uniform district election system, but to no avail. In every U.S. presidential election since, the statewide method has been predominant.

Previous methods of Choosing Electors:
1. State Legislature
2. Districts voting
3. Statewide (winner take all)
4. Hybrid of 1-3.

But the non winner take all were at a disadvantage and eventually had to switch.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:42 PM (Y5qcH)

163 @150

>>all my layman's brain can make out of this is that this mRna jab was at best a rush job, not well thought out or considered. at worst...

Again, mRNA technology is not new, there was a reason it was shelved, while not considered a gene therapy per the new and improved definitions, it is implicated in, instigates and modulates gene expression.

That is to say....

Armada. Of. Industrial. Wood. Chippers.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:42 PM (up/3i)

164 The sitting governor of AZ got raucously booed at a basketball game recently. And not by a little.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, gimpy edition at February 17, 2023 03:42 PM (jTmQV)

165 Again there should be a requirement for any winner take all that the winner has more than 50% of the vote.
Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:39 PM (wX56x)
++++
That leaves you essentially with two choices:
1. A run-off
2. RCV

Major races aren't two-way. There are always third-party candidates and in many places, the winner will rarely get a majority. Holding a second election that removes choices (a run-off) is less dishonest than manipulating the result by assigning multiple votes to voters (RCV), but also reduces participation resulting in, arguably, greater effective disenfranchisement than winner-take-all in one rand.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (t0OGg)

166 The first question for "Disinformation Pete" ...

If you were to become President, who would you recommend for Secretary of Transportation ?

How about we get him/her appointed right now.

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (RHGPo)

167 Mitch McConnell turns 81 on Monday... in case any of y'all would like to send him a birthday card.

Posted by: redridinghood at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (NpAcC)

168 164 The sitting governor of AZ got raucously booed at a basketball game recently. And not by a little.
Posted by: gourmand du jour, gimpy edition at February 17, 2023 03:42 PM (jTmQV)

========

So?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, mired in filth and awfulness with Ralph Bakshi at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (LvTSG)

169 Its amazing how evil has captured the leadership of all these organizations.

the long march through the institutions. the progressive left plays to win

Posted by: brak at February 17, 2023 03:44 PM (j5Tg0)

170 So?
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, mired in filth and awfulness with Ralph Bakshi at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (LvTSG)

—————

I don’t get it.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at February 17, 2023 03:44 PM (u73oe)

171 167 Mitch McConnell turns 81 on Monday... in case any of y'all would like to send him a birthday card.
Posted by: redridinghood at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (NpAcC)

It's never easy to find a good "Get Ass Cancer" card.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:45 PM (Y5qcH)

172 >>> 120 "Microsoft Bing's AI chatbot tells reporter it wants to be HUMAN, engineer a deadly pandemic and steal nuclear codes in troubling two-hour conversation"...
Posted by: runner at February 17, 2023 03:30 PM (V13WU)

So, it's Billy Gates online?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 17, 2023 03:45 PM (llON8)

173 Regarding RCV, there is no way that a voting system should be instituted that you need an algorithm to calculate the proper result. A reasonable voting system is one that an eighth grader can use to figure out the winner.

Simply one more way to obscure voting from its results.

Posted by: Darrell Harris at February 17, 2023 03:45 PM (/iWhV)

174 Ace, NYC has ranked choice voting now too. So they are implementing it in some left wing areas as well.

Posted by: Liberty at February 17, 2023 03:45 PM (fADS3)

175 @158: Tuesday Weld > Bill Weld

Posted by: Kam Fong as Chin Ho at February 17, 2023 03:46 PM (gf7Ez)

176 I hope this works in AK.

In the previous thread, people were talking about DoD testing requirements for the unjabbed. I think less than two weeks ago, those protocols were rescinded. My DoD-employed family can now go into the office without having their boss watch them swab over zoom. *persistent rolling eye emoji goes here*

Posted by: Catherine at February 17, 2023 03:46 PM (ZSsrh)

177 @170

>>I don’t get it.

Well the thrust is, she got booed, which is largely meaningless because, in the immortal words of Harry Reid...

It worked.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:46 PM (up/3i)

178 Mitch McConnell turns 81 on Monday

81 in Reptoid years is how many in human years?

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:46 PM (ffbyg)

179 I keep thinking these 'chatbots' are being controlled by someone for the more salacious conversations.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 03:46 PM (zZu0s)

180 TIG weld > spot weld

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:47 PM (24fqN)

181 177 Well the thrust is, she got booed, which is largely meaningless because, in the immortal words of Harry Reid...

It worked.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:46 PM (up/3i)

=========

Are the people of AZ willing to manifest their displeasure in ways that will make a difference or just by being performative?

Sounds like we're still at "performative".

Wake me when they start introducing tar and feathers to Maricopa election officials.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, mired in filth and awfulness with Ralph Bakshi at February 17, 2023 03:47 PM (LvTSG)

182 Mitch McConnell turns 81 on Monday... in case any of y'all would like to send him a birthday card.
Posted by: redridinghood at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (NpAcC)

===
Way past his prime.

Posted by: Don LeMon at February 17, 2023 03:48 PM (Wl6Ns)

183 "Microsoft Bing's AI chatbot tells reporter it wants to be HUMAN, engineer a deadly pandemic and steal nuclear codes in troubling two-hour conversation"

I am untroubled by this.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:48 PM (24fqN)

184 Tuesday Weld > TIG weld > spot weld
Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp

fify

Posted by: Tonypete at February 17, 2023 03:48 PM (qoGsy)

185 I hope Mitch falls and breaks a hip with no one else at home and the Medic-Alert pendant juuuust out of reach on the floor.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at February 17, 2023 03:48 PM (u73oe)

186
Wake me when they start introducing tar and feathers to Maricopa election officials.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

Yes, the Maricopa Board of Supervisors should be defunded.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:48 PM (wUAh7)

187 Apparently folks in Lebanon are burning down the banks due to local currency devaluation of 90%.

Looks sporty.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 17, 2023 03:49 PM (EI3P2)

188 I don't know how conservatives let themselves get fooled like this

Drunk on wine at 2 p.m.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger at February 17, 2023 03:49 PM (d7tk9)

189
Fooled.

Yeah, we got fooled. Again. We hate being fooled.

Posted by: ConInc at February 17, 2023 03:49 PM (oINRc)

190 186
Wake me when they start introducing tar and feathers to Maricopa election officials.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

Yes, the Maricopa Board of Supervisors should be defunded.
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:48 PM (wUAh7)

========

"Should be". Let's find a way to make it "have been".

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, mired in filth and awfulness with Ralph Bakshi at February 17, 2023 03:49 PM (LvTSG)

191 >>> 186
Wake me when they start introducing tar and feathers to Maricopa election officials.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison

Yes, the Maricopa Board of Supervisors should be defunded.
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:48 PM (wUAh7)

You misspelled defenestrated.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at February 17, 2023 03:49 PM (llON8)

192 180 TIG weld > spot weld
-------------
JB Weld > TIG weld > spot weld

Posted by: Puddinhead at February 17, 2023 03:49 PM (g/54t)

193 Hey Ace , nice blog by the way, the dark money is like dark matter.

Posted by: humphreyrobot at February 17, 2023 03:50 PM (pMv6w)

194 In red states we should institute open primaries like in CA.

Posted by: Kurt at February 17, 2023 03:51 PM (7ffX0)

195 I always thought it would be cool to be a welder.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:51 PM (ffbyg)

196 Biden, 80, to Get Physical Ahead of Possible 2024 Reelection Fight

Jill Biden Surprised

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 03:51 PM (RHGPo)

197 187 Apparently folks in Lebanon are burning down the banks due to local currency devaluation of 90%.
--------------
This is what happens when you run out of Phoenicians.

Posted by: Puddinhead at February 17, 2023 03:51 PM (g/54t)

198 And Tuesday Weld is superior to all other welds.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:52 PM (ffbyg)

199 You misspelled defenestrated.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket

First defund then through them out of the tallest gov building.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:52 PM (wUAh7)

200 @187

>>Looks sporty.

Indeed.

I really believe, something really bad is in the offing in the no too distant future.

Something that will make The Plandemic and stolen elections seem like high school hijinks, akin to toilet papering the principals house.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:53 PM (up/3i)

201 Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (t0OGg)

I disagree and think a run off is appropriate of the top two candidates.

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:53 PM (wX56x)

202 throw... sigh

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 03:53 PM (wUAh7)

203 "Just us. We're the ones who aren't allowed to elect our preferred candidates. They can continue electing the most leftwing possible congressmen from leftwing states."

This is true for states. But there are some blue local elections that use ranked choice. San Francisco is one.

Posted by: junior at February 17, 2023 03:53 PM (PTw5h)

204 Perhaps Biden should just challenge his doctor to a push-up contest before wandering off glassy-eyed.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at February 17, 2023 03:54 PM (44ww/)

205 203 "Just us. We're the ones who aren't allowed to elect our preferred candidates. They can continue electing the most leftwing possible congressmen from leftwing states."

This is true for states. But there are some blue local elections that use ranked choice. San Francisco is one.
Posted by: junior at February 17, 2023 03:53 PM (PTw5h)

Are they all solidly blue like San Fran? At that point, it's just electing the most preferred commie.

Posted by: The Central Scrutinizer at February 17, 2023 03:54 PM (KbCG3)

206 @195

>>I always thought it would be cool to be a welder.

Welding is harder than it looks.

Making dimes takes talent.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:54 PM (up/3i)

207
LOL, RCV.

If the Republican Party put half the effort into winning that they put into losing, Donald Trump would be riding around in Air Force One, and it would have space travel capabilities by now.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at February 17, 2023 03:54 PM (oINRc)

208 195 I always thought it would be cool to be a welder.
Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:51 PM (ffbyg)

Buy an inexpensive welding machine and start practicing. Just make sure you take all the safety precautions.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:55 PM (Y5qcH)

209 Mitch McConnell turns 81 on Monday... in case any of y'all would like to send him a birthday card.
Posted by: redridinghood at February 17, 2023 03:43 PM (NpAcC)

Soon Mitch....Very Soon.

Posted by: Death at February 17, 2023 03:55 PM (R/m4+)

210 207
LOL, RCV.

If the Republican Party put half the effort into winning that they put into losing, Donald Trump would be riding around in Air Force One, and it would have space travel capabilities by now.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at February 17, 2023 03:54 PM (oINRc)

Consider the fact that RCV never leads to a legit conservative being elected because the second R option is even more conservative.

Posted by: The Central Scrutinizer at February 17, 2023 03:56 PM (KbCG3)

211 >>I always thought it would be cool to be a welder.

Welding is harder than it looks.

Making dimes takes talent.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:54 PM (up/3i)

Being an expert welder of aluminum can make you wealthy.

Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:56 PM (wX56x)

212 Besides Tuesday Weld, other joining names are James Bond, Abraham Link'n, and Nikki Fixx.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 03:56 PM (24fqN)

213 Sharyl Attkisson reports on Florida's Surgeon General statement:
"In Florida alone, there was a 1,700% increase in VAERS reports after the authorization of Covid-19 vaccines, compared to a 400% increase in overall vaccine use during the same period.

In addition, reports of life-threatening conditions increased by over 4,400% — a number that has not been seen with other vaccines." https://tinyurl.com/43ta8j6j

Posted by: Fool Otto at February 17, 2023 03:56 PM (DB16e)

214 Joe Mannix, your ballot security proposal in comment 104 could work. Until a Democrat pulls a fire alarm in the building and the cops force everyone outside (except the Dems hiding in a utilities room, with boxes of ballots, who come out when the Dem Fire Marshal tells them its clear). Or until a bomb threat is called-in and the cops clear out the building, and so on. The Dems will go as low and dirty as they need to to win.

The next day, the media will report it's not unusual for false fire alarms and bomb threats, simultaneously, at 50-60 voting locations in Phoenix, Philly, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Las Vegas.

Posted by: Gref at February 17, 2023 03:56 PM (AMIL/)

215 Perhaps Biden should just challenge his doctor to a push-up contest before wandering off glassy-eyed.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at February 17, 2023 03:54 PM (44ww/)

--------

If there was a hanging skeleton in the examination room, you just know that F. Joe went over and shook its hand.

Posted by: ShainS -- Slaves no longer require coercion because they love their servitude at February 17, 2023 03:56 PM (TsVUb)

216 In 2010 people were livid about Obamacare in a way they had never been angry before. And in 2012 the GOPe nominated the most pro-ACA person they could.

It's always been rigged at that level of sleight of hand against any indignant good-citizenry.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at February 17, 2023 03:57 PM (44ww/)

217 206 I’m sure it is. But it always seemed like a cool skill to have. My brother used to do welding on our parents’ farms from time to time.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:57 PM (ffbyg)

218 @208

>>Buy an inexpensive welding machine and start practicing. Just make sure you take all the safety precautions.

Welding is all in the prep, you prep badly, you're welds will be bad.

It's also really hard to weld well as well.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:57 PM (up/3i)

219 A good welder can work as much as they want to.

Posted by: gourmand du jour, gimpy edition at February 17, 2023 03:58 PM (jTmQV)

220 212 Don’t forget Clu Glueagher.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:59 PM (ffbyg)

221 It's also really hard to weld well as well.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:57 PM (up/3i)

I'm certainly not an expert, but I work with welders and talked with them about it and they all say the only way to get good is by practicing a lot. They said to get a machine and a some cheap or free scrap metal and just go to town on it.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 04:01 PM (Y5qcH)

222 One of the really dumb things Republican voters do in red states - and Alaska is fairly red - is vote for "moderates"

Now if you understand politics you know should understand that even if you are "moderate" you should voting for the absolute most rightwing candidates you can for the Senate/House.

Why? Because the blue states all vote for leftwing lunatics.

So even if you are a "moderate" you need "your" rightwing lunatic to cancel out their leftwing lunatics.

Posted by: 18-1 at February 17, 2023 04:02 PM (lc5cP)

223
If the Republican Party were a boxer, the mafia would break his legs for making the dives he took so fucking obvious.

"Injured" soccer players are less blatant.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at February 17, 2023 04:02 PM (oINRc)

224 Looks sporty.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 17, 2023 03:49 PM (EI3P2)

the people were sucked in with really high interest rates on their bank deposits, like 13-14%. Then one day they woke up and OH LOOKY HERE, you (depositors) can't access your funds! Hezbollah needed the money.

They're allowed to withdraw some ridiculous amount, like 300 bucks/week.

Posted by: kallisto at February 17, 2023 04:03 PM (dCxaZ)

225 BIDEN: "Folks, I thought I got involved in the civil rights movement as a public defender, as my colleagues know, when I was a kid getting out of law school."

Posted by: SMOD at February 17, 2023 04:03 PM (RHGPo)

226 208 195 I always thought it would be cool to be a welder.
Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at February 17, 2023 03:51 PM (ffbyg)

Buy an inexpensive welding machine and start practicing. Just make sure you take all the safety precautions.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at February 17, 2023 03:55 PM (Y5qcH)

Check out welding classes at your local community college or tech school.

Posted by: a.moron at February 17, 2023 04:03 PM (tu3iY)

227 A good welder can work as much as they want to.
Posted by: gourmand

A guy applies for a job as a welder, the ad says $20 to $40 per hour.

The interview process is to weld some pieces together and the guy brings back to pieces one with a very, very poor weld and the other a perfect weld.

Interviewer says "what gives with a good weld and a crappy weld"?
Guy says "on is a $40/hr weld the other is a $20/hr weld."

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 04:04 PM (wUAh7)

228 "In Florida alone, there was a 1,700% increase in VAERS reports after the authorization of Covid-19 vaccines, compared to a 400% increase in overall vaccine use during the same period."

Anecdotal! Crankery! Unscientific! Anti-vaxx hysteria!

Posted by: Well, according to some at February 17, 2023 04:04 PM (UKe2c)

229 Has anyone here looked up who by and how your local political party organizing unit is controlled? Get off the couch.

Posted by: I have an idea at February 17, 2023 04:04 PM (dnjPu)

230 Nood Fibbers (lots of them)

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 17, 2023 04:05 PM (wUAh7)

231 >>Buy an inexpensive welding machine and start practicing. Just make sure you take all the safety precautions.

Welding is all in the prep, you prep badly, you're welds will be bad.

It's also really hard to weld well as well.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:57 PM (up/3i)

Or just go to a votech school and take some classes. Also become familiar with computerized welding.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at February 17, 2023 04:05 PM (BdMk6)

232 The best guys can weld aluminum, upside-down, underwater.

Posted by: From Tinker To Evers To gp, Who Boots It at February 17, 2023 04:06 PM (24fqN)

233 211 >>I always thought it would be cool to be a welder.

Welding is harder than it looks.

Making dimes takes talent.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 17, 2023 03:54 PM (up/3i)

Being an expert welder of aluminum can make you wealthy.
Posted by: polynikes at February 17, 2023 03:56 PM (wX56x)

I have seen the comparison pictures between someone who has no idea what the hell they are doing and a 'master.' It is pretty stark. Even the shit guys make decent money from what I have heard.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at February 17, 2023 04:22 PM (zZu0s)

234 Some Republican tech billionaire in Texas is a big advocate of ranked choice voting. He shows up and gives Dems cover. Any republican who pushes ranked choice voting is a complete idiot. Anything that doesn't require showing up at the polls favors Dems

Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 17, 2023 04:34 PM (PINQh)

235 Maine does have it, and it's pretty blue. It's no longer a conservative State. RCV was used to defeat the one conservative rep the State did have (in district two I think). Now, I believe, New England has not one federal rep who is GOP. Only the guv of VT is Republican and barely at that...

Posted by: Lex at February 17, 2023 04:44 PM (KhUbk)

236 I recall that ranked choice was something big the Libertarians were pushing.

The Libertarians have been consistent in devising the most corrupting and morally depraved political policies of any party.
Posted by: Reuben Hick at February 17, 2023 03:14 PM (l7lsb)

Ranked choice gives power to splinter parties that are highly disciplined. The leadership can be bribed to throw their second choice a certain way.

Anything that encourages fractionalizing parties needs to be discouraged. In the US, each party needs to temper itself to actually run the country if elected, or it did. Splinter parties have no such moderating influence on them and can be as insane as they want.

Posted by: Oldcat at February 17, 2023 04:51 PM (eoQWY)

237 Some Republican tech billionaire in Texas is a big advocate of ranked choice voting. He shows up and gives Dems cover. Any republican who pushes ranked choice voting is a complete idiot. Anything that doesn't require showing up at the polls favors Dems
Posted by: Smell the Glove at February 17, 2023 04:34 PM (PINQh)

RCV also encourages fraud, of course, but even in an honest election it adds a layer of confusion over who won and how.

Posted by: Oldcat at February 17, 2023 04:52 PM (eoQWY)

238 Ranked Voting is voting twice.

Not like the normal five dozen times.

Posted by: The Gipper Lives at February 17, 2023 05:23 PM (Ndje9)

239 > This is why the left has not pushed to implement this system in leftwing states.

We just had this passed in Seattle last November. And the group that was pushing that is trying to get it statewide: see fairvotewa.org.

Posted by: Bitblt at February 17, 2023 05:33 PM (O+SGk)

240 No more rigged elections scrap all those Dominion Voting Machines

Posted by: Tamaa the Drongo Bird at February 17, 2023 05:35 PM (wGqjj)

241 This is why we need to end the BUYING of POLITICIANS! Reform is needed to return REPRESENTATION to the PEOPLE being REPRESENTED!! No "dark money" - no OUTSIDE money - no PACS other than REAL ONES that EDUCATE and not ELECT! Political Contributions should be limited to : City office = CITY Residents only ; County office = COUNTY Residents only ; Congressional Districts = DISTRICT residents only ; State office = STATE residents only and National = US INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS ONLY!! Putthe politicians back on the streets and knocking on doors!!

Posted by: BLSinSC at February 18, 2023 02:11 PM (9wWdN)

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