The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    acanuck's picture

    Recounts aren't the answer. Focus, people!

    By acanuck on Tue, 11/29/2016 - 1:54am |

    Dejected and desperate Democrats are grasping at hope that recounts in three (relatively) close states could reverse Trump's win and make Hillary Clinton president. They've tossed $6 million-plus into third-party candidate Jill Stein's recount campaign. Delusional. Meanwhile, they are ignoring the reality that Republicans have (so far) won only 51 of the 100 Senate seats. Louisiana will hold a runoff vote in less than two weeks.

    Take that seat, and chances of blocking the worst parts of the Trump agenda would double. Is the Democratic party throwing all its remaining resources behind its candidate? No, it's licking its wounds and wallowing in self-pity. Here's the Washington Post: "Louisiana's low-profile Senate runoff, in which Democrat-turned-Republican John Kennedy is heavily favored, takes place on Dec. 10. Foster Campbell, the populist Democrat who made the runoff, has raised just $1,461,752 — or less than half as much as the recount campaign raised in a day." Campbell may be a "blue dog," but right now he's the Democrats' last man standing:


    https://newrepublic.com/article/139000/last-democrat-left-fighting

    Comments

    On the bright side, the recount is making the donald more unhinged than ever.  If he strokes out before the 20th, there is no Constitutional remedy for the situation.  Don't worry, I'm not counting on that. But Pence is not the VP as yet. 

    That said, I sent Campbell some money but my heart wasn't in it.  I don't think progressives have much of a chance there due to ignorance and suppression.

    Interesting, isn't it, that even MSNBC is giving blowback to Stein for doing what is her right, and for which she has been supported with contributions.  Hugh Hewitt commented sadly on MSNBC today that the money could have been better spent on charities such as the Salvation Army. Barf!  What a dick!

    the fact that republicans are losing there shit over this is quite enough for me.  I read that there were more votes than voters in at least 3 precincts in Wisconsin, so what's all the noise about "no evidence of fraud". Maybe not, but there is plenty of evidence of Russian and FBI intentionally interfering with the election on trumps behalf.  The recount will not show any of this, but at least we are not playing dead. 


    by CVille Dem on Tue, 11/29/2016 - 12:15pm

    If I recall correctly, 3 Wisconsin counties had more votes counted than people voted. With all his concern over rigged voting, and Bernie's too I'd think Trump would be tickled orange to show just how bad Corrupt Hillary and her vote stealers were, especially stealing millions of his popular vote. Where's his enthusiasm gone? Must be getting old, losing his stamina. Hope the White Housr has an official fluffer.


    by PeraclesPlease on Tue, 11/29/2016 - 12:40pm

    Hey Acunuck... I Hope this continues...

    NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

    November 29, 2016 at 6:44 PM

    Democrat Foster Campbell raises $2.5M as Louisiana Senate runoff looms

    Democrat Foster Campbell's Louisiana Senate campaign raked in more than $2.5 million in contributions in the weeks surrounding the Nov. 8 election, according to his latest filing with the Federal Election Commission.

    Between Oct. 20 and Nov. 20, he raised $2,490,939 from individuals and another $29,600 from political action committees, according to the report his campaign released Tuesday (Nov. 29).

    Most of the individual donations poured in after Election Day, when Republican Donald Trump won the White House and the GOP held onto control of Congress.

    --snip--

    Campbell spokeswoman Mary-Patricia Wray said most of his contributions came from more than 50,000 donors who gave less than $100, but that couldn't be corroborated in his 1,264-page report. Federal campaign finance law doesn't require campaigns to identify individuals who donate $200 or less. Nevertheless, Campbell did list individuals who donated $100.  

    A cursory review of the report indicated that most of the listed contributions came from out-of-state donors, but it wasn't possible to determine how many Louisiana voters gave in smaller increments.

    Campbell's campaign attracted has national attention in the fallout from Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

    Campbell had more than $1.4 million left on Nov. 20, after spending about $1.4 million around the election -- including $150,000 to pay off part of his loan to his own campaign. Wray said he has continued to raise money with early voting underway and the election just 11 days away.

    ~OGD~


    by oldenGoldenDecoy on Wed, 11/30/2016 - 2:40am

    BMaz from EmptyWheel has some sad thoughts on why the Stein appeal might be counterproductive - mostly because the recount will use the same method as before, rather than a comprehensive in-depth audit needed to check both this year's results and the process in general, and will then let Trump say "see, I told you there were no errors" rather than a review that might find errors.

    Next time ahead-of-time appraisal's needed, but will this actually happen, or like most things security-related, we never seem to have time & budget for a comprehensive sane approach?


    by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 11/30/2016 - 8:16am

    Here's a rather comprehensive overview of what the recounts (if they actually get off the ground) can and cannot do: http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/38553-the-no-bs-inside-guide-to-the-p... .


    by acanuck on Wed, 11/30/2016 - 5:28pm

    Nate Silver backs the "audit".


    by PeraclesPlease on Thu, 12/01/2016 - 5:55am

    I totally agree with Silver; audits are a worthwhile way to dispel the notion (on either side) that the election was rigged. My point was that Democrats shouldn't be pinning any hope on them reversing the presidential result. The Louisiana Senate race may also look like a lost cause, but there is a full week of campaigning left. The latest poll has the Republican comfortably ahead (by 14 points) but it was a phone survey of just 500 people, so the margin of error is very high. Given the stakes, I think it's unconscionable for the Democratic party to be tossing in the towel already. A majority in the state may have voted for Trump, but they also elected a Democrat as governor.


    by acanuck on Sat, 12/03/2016 - 2:19pm

    I don't think democrats are placing much hope in a recount. According to Jill Stein she raised 7 million from 150,000 individual donors. That's not very many people. As far as the number of people willing to support this recount with an actual donation the vast majority of democrats aren't involved.


    by ocean-kat on Sat, 12/03/2016 - 2:37pm

    Here's another post reiterating the points I did: party leaders at the national level seem shocked into catatonic inaction. Even if a win seems unlikely, show you believe enough to lead the fight! http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/3/1606855/-WTF-Is-Our-Party-Igno...


    by acanuck on Mon, 12/05/2016 - 7:33pm