Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
November 09, 2022

Midterms Roundup

The midterm election did not come with the red wave some had expected. The reasons for that are manifold.

That the Trump brand has lost some of its shine is one. Trump has always been bad at picking people. In the case of this election he supported some particular bad candidates. They obviously did not perform as he had hoped for.

Biden is not liked much. But he is - in general - also not disliked much. He has managed to bribe the voters first through the large spending programs he had moved through Congress and then through the huge releases from the strategic petroleum reserve. The prices fell at the pump and that typically counts for a lot.

Abortion seems to have played a role and Democrats said they would do something about that. But the Supreme Court judgment pushed the issue back to the states. I doubt that the Democrats will do anything about that. They have no incentive and no means to change that ruling.

So the Democrats may keep the Senate though barely. The Republicans will likely take the House but also with only a thin majority. That means that U.S. policies, internally but especially on foreign issues, will not change one bit.

As the saying goes: 'If elections would change anything they would not be allowed.'

Posted by b on November 9, 2022 at 15:31 UTC | Permalink

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A very convinient pattern (convenient for the establishment, that is) can be observed lately:
On the one side, you have an extremeist, far-right candidate, far to the right that most people would tolerate.
On the other side, you have the usual establishment neoliberal, imperialist candidate, who looks "moderate" in comparison.
Although many people are now so desparate or disgust that would support the former, many other (also desparate or disgust) would choose (holding their nose) the latter - and many, many more will abstain. How convinient (for the rulers) is this outcome!

Posted by: Δημήτρης Α | Nov 9 2022 15:41 utc | 1

Biden not disliked much.

This is where we get the news.

Posted by: Norwegian | Nov 9 2022 15:43 utc | 2

When the choices are "yes, please" and "yes, thank you", it's hard to feel anything about the results

Posted by: leaf | Nov 9 2022 15:48 utc | 3

the 2 party system is for the birds, especially when they are a 1 party system when it comes to foreign policy objectives.. that is the part where the rest of the world has little say on this monster on the world stage, except to watch the shitshow continue... until it doesn't...

Posted by: james | Nov 9 2022 15:49 utc | 4

U.S. elections are a smoke screen. It is not that difficult to actually count actual ballots. Just ask the Russians in Donbass. They managed it under bombardment in an active war zone. It can be done. The only logical conclusion is that the U.S. fucks theirs up on purpose and lies about the whole affair.
Please, let's be honest, if the nation that landed the first man on the moon wanted to, it could count little pieces of paper honestly and accurately.

Posted by: Josh | Nov 9 2022 15:50 utc | 5

We don't have choices that are really worth a damn. Furthermore they're all binary and the world isn't. To make matters worse, everybody's thinking in ideological terms which is as worthless as tits on a boar hog. Ideology won't solve most problems by itself.

Posted by: Jeff Harrison | Nov 9 2022 15:56 utc | 6

The biggest thing to keep in mind in the US is that anyone elected is elected by a small minority of the population. With the majority of voters NOT voting, even a win of 60% (of one of the wings on the bird of prey) is usually by 40-45% of the actual people who can vote. So a 'winner' is put in office by barely 25% of the masses they will ignore and swindle.

Posted by: hedlykarok | Nov 9 2022 15:58 utc | 7

Now that the election is over...

Posted by: Josh | Nov 9 2022 16:21 utc | 8

Nobody seems to realize what really happened with the anticipated Red Wave. Biden simply bribed a huge percentage of the likely voters by the Student Relief promises. According to widely posted figures, 26 million Americans (out of 150 million total registered voters) have already applied for the $10 - $20-thousand loan forgiveness. It is most likely that the promise of such monies bribed sufficient numbers to vote democratic and sway the election. Otherwise, it would be impossible to justify the results, given all the economic damage, inflation, Biden's war... etc.

Posted by: Alan | Nov 9 2022 16:34 utc | 9

I'm amazed no-one's mentioned the likelihood of outright cheating in swing states. The US deep state definitely prefers the Democrats over the Republicans, and has decades of practice overthrowing/subverting elections all over the world.

It astounds me how many people think it's "inconceivable!" that they're not putting their thumb on the scales in the US elections; after all, they do everywhere else.

Posted by: Observer | Nov 9 2022 16:47 utc | 10

'If elections would change anything they would not be allowed.'

Knowing this greatly simplifies voting in the US! Ignore all Federal offices--Gilens and Page, among others, proved your vote is meaningless. State offices depend very much what state you live in. Very crooked states, like Louisiana, probably not worth the bother; those with cleaner operations, it can make a difference. Usually, positions out of the limelight are the most important. For example, here in Washington State, the commissioner of public lands has huge influence on land use, agriculture, and forest policy. The person holding the office now is doing an excellent job, in my opinion. But it's not an office that gets much publicity, despite its great influence.

Local/city elections can matter. Tukwila, a little ubranity just south of Seattle by the airport, just passed a generous minimum wage measure by only ~1500 votes. So in that case, your vote can mean a lot.

Like Chris Hedges says, you can't vote against Haliburton or JPMorgan. So don't bother. Look for the little local races that actually affect you, and you can influence. Leave most of your ballot blank.

Posted by: D | Nov 9 2022 16:54 utc | 11

when does the lead up to the next election in the usa happen? these stupid usa elections are like a tidal wave destroying everything other bit of news in their wake... i am so tired of usa elections, i had to permanently turn off the tv and msm! not listening to these shills, lol..

Posted by: james | Nov 9 2022 17:04 utc | 12

You are a long way from here.
11pm last night MSM in California, of all places, stated that 35 house seats had flipped red. Today, they are all tight races or reversed. Even Orange Hat, Gonzalo, has a different take with "They did it again".

In Cali, probably the bluest state in the nation, gave Biden an 8% approval rating prior to this miscarriage of democKracy.

https://youtu.be/Xo2idRoPeyM

Posted by: Jimmy Flies By | Nov 9 2022 17:04 utc | 13

Out of control inflation alone should have produced a red wave. Throw in crime, economy, illegal immigration, woke, CRT and disaster aft disaster for 2 straight years and it should have been a red tsunami. Not to mention latest polls mention 75% of the population believes the country is moving in the wrong direction. Yet people still vote Dem in massive numbers???? Voting no longer matters but who counts the votes. A state by state, city by city accounting of the election would reveal massive corruption without a doubt. The radical left will cheat, steal and kill without hesitation to maintain power. Until elections are cleaned up, democracy is now officially dead in the US.

Posted by: Kilo Tango | Nov 9 2022 17:08 utc | 14

worthless as tits on a boar hog. Ideology won't solve most problems by itself.

Posted by: Jeff Harrison

We probably knew each other in another time, in this life. The expression puts you in my neck of the woods. I agree 100%.

Posted by: Jimmy Flies By | Nov 9 2022 17:13 utc | 15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo2idRoPeyM

If the elections are fraudulently manipulated then all the analysis is only good for one thing: the shredder.

IMO, the 'US' is a post-constitutional Republic In Name Only and has been for some time though it became crystal clear after the 2020 election. Those who are able to see this clearly; those who are unwilling or unable keep denying it - sincerely of course.

And that is most of the country. Even many who feel strongly that the vote results are jiggered keep believing that if they just push hard enough they will finally prevail and 'restore the Republic.' If they throw enough votes into the mix then the cheaters will be overwhelmed, their fingers will freeze on their laptops connected to Chinese and German servers, and the spreadsheet calculations won't go through in a matter of seconds flipping things 5% this way and 4% that way as has been demonstrated can be done for decades now.

If the country wanted to have fair elections they would have them. They don't. It isn't a real country any more.

The only viable way forward for US citizens is to disband the Union, go back to sovereign independent States (like Putin is suggesting without saying) and start over. Trying to fix what is irreparably broken is a waste of effort and serves only to feed an addiction to 'hopium.' Time to wake up and stop doing the same thing every two years expecting a different result.

Again, it's an interesting check. Can you accept that the results are fraudulent or not? If not, then maybe you can also consider your opinions about other things, like covid, like democracy, like Russia, like China. How much are our opinions formed from received perspective, imagined and actual peer pressure and so forth?

These are very strange times. But I guess that's what it's always like when living in a Pathocracy. It's like an entire nation, a civilization even, becomes a sort of open lunatic asylum with both staff and patients equally insane.

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 9 2022 17:13 utc | 16

Observer @ 10 has it right. Crookedest election yet.

I have no brief for Republicans. Did have some slight hope that a red wave would slow down some of the goofiest excesses of recent years. But woke was happy and healthy under Trump. Ability to shape events is not in the hands of retail politicians.

It will pass. In some localities where the electoral shenanigans were blatant and large there will be a lawsuit or two. They will fail. Only cranks, weirdos, barflies ever doubt the validity of US elections. Even those directly in line of fire will before long begin to justify the firing squad.

Posted by: oldhippie | Nov 9 2022 17:18 utc | 17

In the olden days, they began fairy tales with, "Once upon a time..."
They now begin them with, "Once I'm elected..."
The stickers they give you that say you voted here in USA are lame, too.
I want a purple thumb!

Posted by: lex talionis | Nov 9 2022 17:26 utc | 18

Usually the comments here outshine other sites like a supernova....
hence my sadness in reading several that buy into 'the count is rigged' tripe and some even think there's a shred of difference between the 2 wings (except minor social freedoms).
Perhaps the proles know that a 'red wave' would keep the money flowing to the usual suspects (wall st, pharma, oil, MIC, etc) but destroy what's left of the Constitution for them.

Posted by: hedlykarok | Nov 9 2022 17:29 utc | 19

@ Scorpion | Nov 9 2022 17:13 utc | 16

These are very strange times. But I guess that's what it's always like when living in a Pathocracy. It's like an entire nation, a civilization even, becomes a sort of open lunatic asylum with both staff and patients equally insane.

Ah, another fellow devotee of the wise feline of Cheshire: . . . we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.

Posted by: majoab | Nov 9 2022 17:34 utc | 20

The only winner was Big Money—merchants of Death, Banksters, Big Energy, Big Ag, Big Pharma, Big Tech, and assorted, sordid billionaires. The only choice was between two unlikeable stooges.

Now the media will distract us with 2024. The Democratic stable is basically empty (the senescent, corrupt octogenarians made sure no one threatened their malfeasance.)

I hear Boris Johnson and Liz Truss are looking for jobs. Maybe Democrats can find a way around the Constitution and stand them…if they’re not too young!

Posted by: JohnH | Nov 9 2022 17:40 utc | 21

@14 - there would be a red wave if Rs didn't go full nazi and declared women meatbags with no rights. Excellent way to make 50% of the population (plus men sympathizing with their plight) think ten times before they vote for you. And what crime wave and illegal immigration? Both are total non-issues outside of far right echo chambers. Crime is dropping each year and immigration is next to nothing compared with other countries. Also, if you think Ds are "radical left" you're utterly insane, there is literally nothing left about them besides a few token platitudes. Sanders is moderate left and he might be on whole other planet compared to Ds...

Posted by: Mr V | Nov 9 2022 17:44 utc | 22

@21 - you know what is funny? Johnson and Truss are far right in the EU, yet would fit right in with Ds. Hopefully this example will give a clue some posters how ""left"" Ds are - spoiler alert, they are to the right of religious conservatives (like all christian democratic parties) from sane countries...

Posted by: Mr V | Nov 9 2022 17:49 utc | 23

Josh5: "...if the nation that landed the first man on the moon wanted to, it could count little pieces of paper honestly and accurately."

Mm-hmm. But there's still actually a lot of doubt about whether that landing actually happened, despite all the propaganda that it did. And that's just possibly why the US can't do a proper vote count, either: corruption and wholesale deceit being a dyed-in-the-wool way of national life.

Once Zone B of the world has established its thorough independence from the Anglozionist empire, it will be interesting if the Russian or Chinese space programmes send a low-orbit robot to the Moon, to gather a comprehensive photo-shoot of the whole of the Sea of Tranquility.

It will be really fascinating to see whether there really is US space junk actually down there: flag, Moon-buggy, lander body, boot-prints, and everything; or - surprise, surprise: nothing to see at all.

Moscow and Beijing get steadily closer to the point where such a revelation becomes not just politically possible, but realpolitikally advantageous.

I'm agnostic about it; it may have happened; but once you listen seriously to the serious sceptics, you realise just how many solid questions surround the whole story. What's not in doubt, though, is that the whole body politic of the United States of America is rotten-riddled with corruption; going back to well before the time of the - alleged - landings. So - they could have been a desperate hoax, to cover up the fact that the US couldn't do it.

Posted by: Rhisiart Gwilym | Nov 9 2022 17:52 utc | 24

ha, ha,

Biden has not launched any large spending programs, except the war in Ukraine.

It doesn't do you credit to post such nonsense.

Posted by: Jay | Nov 9 2022 17:53 utc | 25

Posted by: hedlykarok | Nov 9 2022 17:29 utc | 19

So it's your opinion that most States have opaque voting procedures which cannot be audited (because corporate privacy) and therefore are easy to game but they are never gamed?

If they had clear, foolproof election procedures, which is easy to set up , I would agree with you. Since - deliberately - they don't, your argument just comes off as smug and without any persuasive power.

Why people would trust that which is clearly designed to enable Deceit and expect it not to be used deceitfully is beyond me. A form of denial, symptom of mass mental illness. Ergo not a Democracy - that ship has sailed - but a Pathocracy.

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 9 2022 18:08 utc | 26

Politics in the West is all about keeping the curtain of deceit in front of the God Of Mammon cult. Having a process that feigns democracy but instead fosters religious fervor around extremist value issues keeps and an encouraging MSM keeps that curtain solid. The same is happening to one degree or another in all the "Western" nations under Hand, The Invisible.

That said, a civilization war is underway with China/Russia axis on one side and the God of Mammon cult and minions on the other.

Is Hand, The Invisible going to remain private or be replaced by sovereign government financial utilities and inter-government agreements for management?...stay tuned

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 9 2022 18:14 utc | 27

I agree with Gonzalo the election was stolen again.

The Student Loan bribes, the drawdown in the strategic petroleum reserve; the phony infrastructure bills; may have been enough by themselves, but I have no doubt that when machines count, votes don't.

I'm glad I didn't waste my time yesterday.

Posted by: Fiji Refugee | Nov 9 2022 18:24 utc | 28

'If elections would change anything they would not be allowed.' social democrat and until then Reichtags-deputy , doctor Rosa Luxemburg.
This is a quote most commonly attributed to the German-Jewish-Polish Commie Rosa Luxeemburg, who got murdered by Post WW1 Freikorps after WW1 in the viscinitea of Berlin.
She spokethus of the elections in the German Empire and its successor the Weimar Republic. Had she considered the state of "democracy" and #elections" in the United States north of the Rio Grande del Norte, then her words would have been even harder!

Posted by: Tollef Ås/秋涛乐/טלפ וש | Nov 9 2022 18:30 utc | 29

Scorpion @ 26

It is not even States. US elections are county by county. It is 3100 different and differing elections that all happen on the same day. Even Jimmy Carter said the only reason this archaic system continues is it enables corruption. 6200 county party chairmen love this system. Party machinery to coddle and cosset those chairmen is an important part of the game..

It looks like there is a strong possibility the Rethugs will not even pick up the six seats needed to have a majority in the House.
Strains credulity. Nancy keeps the gavel. These people have no imagination. The only way they know to keep the show going is more of the same.

Posted by: oldhippie | Nov 9 2022 18:33 utc | 30

I get most of my opinions on US elections from John & Chas at abc.net.au/planetamerica because they use fewer words than verbose Amerikkkan commentators. Anyhow, they made a persuasive case, drawing on data from multiple US polls, that Biden focused too much on abortion instead of inflation.

A week before the election US polls of the most important SINGLE issue to voters returned the following percentages...

Inflation.......41%
Crime...........23%
Abortion........15%
Climate Change..14%
Guns............8%

However, a lot more females than expected turned up to vote, increasing the importance of abortion and reducing the importance of inflation.
So Biden's 'mistaken' nagging paid off.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Nov 9 2022 18:34 utc | 31

Dems could just pass a fed law authorizing abortion any time they’re in majority in congress and have the pres, as they did the past 2 years. Truth is they don’t want to because it’s their best funding ploy… ‘give us money so we can fight for u’. They’re doing even better now with supremes changing their minds. But reps are finding it’s bad for them… the dog that caught the car…

Posted by: John k | Nov 9 2022 18:42 utc | 32

there's no evidence than any priest waving his filthy hands over bread gives that bread extra special superpowers which you MUST have or be damned, but people kill each over beliefs that a 5 year old would rightly reject. (because a 5 year old knows everyone needs bread. it takes a great deal of "education" for kids to believe the priestly bullshit. lots of trauma-based conditioning helps.)

voting is the same in the US. it doesn't mean shit but there's a ton of fun invested in the production. and if you don't swallow, you are damned. and if you don't perform the liturgy per somebody or other's arbitrary rules (like where you stamp the date on the envelope), you might get shot. such is the power of the most underestimated feature about humans: our boundless capacity for self-delusion. hey, i wouldn't be genuflecting in this ritual if it weren't important, would I? nah, i'm too smart. like all the other sheep who vote w/their bleats.

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Nov 9 2022 18:46 utc | 33

But why would anyone think that a Republican victory would lead to a change in US foreign policy overall anyway. It might lead to more pressure from a few Republicans in Congress, maybe some noise about negotiations and overseeing weapons shipments-but it won't lead to any real challenge to the military industrial complex. For all his anti-establishment rhetoric, Trump was as committed to maintaining US hegemony as any other previous President. He was just more erratic.

Posted by: Chip Poirot | Nov 9 2022 18:46 utc | 34

the electoral process promotes democracy in the same way the judicial system promotes justice.

that is, not at all. but there sure is a big show going on across the land. lots of lawyers and cops and prison guards getting paid. nice "temples of justice" rubber stamping the police state, everywhere.

there could be no trial if someone wasn't guilty, right? we wouldn't be arguing about "threats to democracy" if voting was meaningless, would we?

would we?

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Nov 9 2022 19:10 utc | 35

@D, #11:

'If elections would change anything they would not be allowed.'

You nailed it!

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 9 2022 19:12 utc | 36

Posted by: oldhippie | Nov 9 2022 18:33 utc | 30

But doesn't each county have to follow the same universally applied rules from the State Legislature (which vary from State to State)?

In any case, clearly it's designed to be gamed. It's obvious. And the fact that the American people lack the will and/or ability to change it says all you need to know about the country. Lots of fantastic people as with every population of course - in spades - but a basket case of a polity.

This is not news, of course, but it has been becoming increasingly obvious as the current Republic enters its flame-out phase, inevitable as soon as the Federal Reserve credit cartel was established. It would be nice if the therefore also inevitable reset would be an opportunity to start over and do a better job this time but most likely the klepto-oligarchy running things now will determine the new rules and playing field which won't be in the best interest of the citizenry or the civilization.

Scott Adams said a few years back that we are on the cusp of a new Golden Age. It's certainly quite possible. But it's also possible that America is going to be 'dying in darkness' for quite some time given how helpless the population seems to be.
That said, as far as I can tell from afar, a huge amount of energy and determination went into this election on the part of the MAGA wing which is the majority by far of the R Party voting population (though not the grandees of course) but they got almost nothing for it. And now they are about to regroup, mobilize, and do the same thing all over again in 2024?

Of course, it remains to be seen what transpires. There might be a substantive drop in enthusiasm after this; especially if enough people start to think that they can never win with a populist agenda because the Big Guys won't let them.

Some scuttlebutt is that deSantis is The Man who CAN get elected. But of course that's because he is not a revolutionary and without one then the Empire continues and bla bla bla with it. Or Trump is a phony and his role is to keep people believing they live in a representative republic which prevents them from doing the obvious: breaking the Union down, aka walking away, but in a thorough, correct, substantive constitutional fashion.

That's why I've felt for a long time, but especially since 2020, that multiple State secession is the only viable way forward to get to an honest, well-motivated society.

Oh well. I've never been a huge fan of the States despite family connections etc. but I am very sad to see it self-destructing this way, decade after decade. It seems like such a waste of human life, that peoples' lives could be so much more productive, creative, fruitional. But the sad truth is that the current culture is far more lowbrow than highbrow. The progressive narrative - each generation is better than the one before - partly based in Darwinian materialist fallacies is a lie, perhaps the Biggest Lie of all....

What if this realm we live in is one of Devolution not Evolution?

Anyway...

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 9 2022 19:13 utc | 37

The only way they know to keep the show going is more of the same.

Posted by: oldhippie | Nov 9 2022 18:33 utc | 30

I've been saying to friends for years that it was always corrupt of course but at least 'they' put on a good show. Now they can't even do that - which is unforgivable in my book and probably, come to think of it, why I just couldn't bring myself to retire there even though it was an obvious first choice. (Had been living in Canada but was forced by health to seek warmer climes.)

After JFK though, too much blood on the walls and you see it in the art which became dark, moody, neurotic, tense, crass, dirty-minded. No more musicals, no more Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. It's been all downhill ever since...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl3mRjydcPw
Tom Lehrer Bright College days, from which my favorite razor blade line:

Soon we'll be out
amidst the cold world's strife
soon we'll be sliding down
the razor blade of life!

But as we go
our sordid separate ways
We shall ne'er forget thee
Thou golden colleges days

Hearts full of youth!
Hearts full of truth!
Six parts gin and one part vermouth!

Great stuff. But also dark...

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 9 2022 19:24 utc | 38

people fight over voting, like they fight over the NFL and their gender/bathroom issues and how manly they are compared to disabled children and seniors, because the fight over food and sleep has already been lost. what else is there to do but brag about how many times you get punched and then get back up, like all-American hero, Rocky Balboa?

Greg Abbott comes into manly Christian He-mens homes and probes their wives' vaginas because of what? because of how tough American men are? oh, the word pussy comes to mind, for sure. as in feral pussy cats. "the peasants are revolting." they certainly are. it's fun to listen to serfs brag. tough noises come out of their vehicles all the time.

cut your gas prices in half! share a car! nah. crazy talk.

btw, in "Star Trek: Star Trek the JJ Abrams bigger faster dumber Reboot" movie, teenage Kirk's car still uses MPH on the speedometer, when he's hotdoggin' it, b/c, you know, cliffhanger.

if you think Americans can ever learn how to count, you have the miracle of faith. maybe if you just keep pulling that electoral lever, something different will happen...this time...

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Nov 9 2022 19:33 utc | 39

voting in the US.

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Nov 9 2022 19:39 utc | 40

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 9 2022 18:08 utc | 26

In most places, machines tabulate the paper ballots, which are still there so can be hand-counted later. The machines are made by corporations which don't care which wing gets the win. As far as democracy?
I will let Chris Hedges' column intro on Consortium News yesterday answer that:

The bipartisan project of dismantling U.S. democracy, which took place over the last few decades on behalf of corporations and the rich, has left only the outward shell of democracy.

The courts, legislative bodies, the executive branch and the media, including public broadcasting, are captive to corporate power. There is no institution left that can be considered authentically democratic. The corporate coup d’état is over. They won. Americans lost.

Posted by: hedlykarok | Nov 9 2022 19:44 utc | 41

rjb1.5 | Nov 9 2022 19:33 utc | 39

"people fight over voting, like they fight over the NFL and their gender/bathroom issues...

Greg Abbott comes into manly Christian He-mens homes and probes their wives' vaginas because of what?"

So you don't want the Greg Abbotts in people's bedrooms but thuggish males who are mentally ill and/or con-artists, whose rhetoric is consistently misogynistic, invading women's restrooms after fraudulently claiming "I'm a woman", is trivia. Not to mention the troons invading the schools to groom children for the pedo-rings.

I do agree we'll never get rid of the pedo-rings, their sympathizers and propagandists, or their recruitment movement, through voting.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Nov 9 2022 19:58 utc | 42

hedlykarok | Nov 9 2022 19:44 utc | 41

"The machines are made by corporations which don't care which wing gets the win."

The owner of Dominion is a partisan Democrat that has made large donations to the party.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Nov 9 2022 20:00 utc | 43

The simplest explanation, carefully omitted by the OP, is that the right-wing policies promoted by the OP and the commentariat, simply are not very popular. Lower taxes on the rich, the only domestic policy Trump successfully perpetrated, has not made anybody's lives better, aside from the rich, who are the minority. And the same goes for the Republican Party in general, all across the country. The Republicans are not the friends of the people, so the people are not particularly friendly to the Republicans. Fortunately for the Republicans, the system is rigged to favor the money, which means, to favor the Republicans. The mad dog cultural reactionary program of cruelty to children and religious bigotry and compulsory jingo propaganda and contempt for humanity in general, just isn't very popular either, even if neurotics like to rave in the comments. The ability of a hysterical minority to make a racket isn't the same thing as actually being the majority.[The OP refers specifically to abortion, but that's merely the most topical issue of many culture war issue.] Thus in spite of the universal attacks by the media on Biden---who remember isn't even on the ballot!---just didn't have the traction the deluded investors in "news"/advertising hoped.

The notion that a government helping the mass of the population, even with bandaids a la Biden, should be mislabeled as bribery, is despicable. A government that does *not* help the mass of the people deserves to fall. The Republicans are the party of the rich. The fact that the local rich can play the big fish in the little pond in rural and (some) suburban districts and dominate the local elections by crooked politics doesn't make the Republicans the party of the people: It just makes them the bosses, the Ins.

As for the common feeling in the comments that the elections was stolen, that's the same contemptible lie Trumpers told about 2020. The people who count the ballots may cheat...but the Republicans counted more than their share of ballots. If anybody's cheating, it's the Republicans. The notion that some demonic "Deep State" is somehow counting the ballots in Republican states is either stupid, or crazy, or a straight-up lie. The notion that the problem is the filthy people does match up with the OP's belief that government should only serve the masters (aka "owners") is of a piece with that. But really isn't it just time to admit this kind really just wants a dictatorship to kill, kill, kill the vile rabble?

Posted by: steven t johnson | Nov 9 2022 20:21 utc | 44

Bernard,
Your quote at the end implies this was another rigged election. I think that’s correct. A Gallup poll showed 81% dissatisfied with direction of the nation. How do you end up with a file for the opposition party? Reports of cheating are numerous and growing.
The War Party Uniparty in Washington DC & Wall Street wouldn’t allow a red wave of MAGA anti-war Republican candidates to take power.
That should be obvious.
Why would you trust the system in first part of your piece today and give the obvious distrust quote at the end?

Posted by: PJB | Nov 9 2022 20:24 utc | 45

FIZZLE not ‘file’

Posted by: PJB | Nov 9 2022 20:25 utc | 46

Probably just me, but I'm just sick of constantly hearing that we are about to win, about to see change, about to make a difference. Russia is losing even though we've been told it's inevitable they re going to win, COVID criminals are about to be brought to justice, RussiaGate FBI criminals will be dealt with by Durham, Trump is going to build the wall, destroy the Deep State, Hillary is going to jail, yadda yadda yadda. I'm sick of it. We are on the wrong side of the story and we are losing and have been losing since the late 90s. I just don't care anymore.

Posted by: John Q. Publicke | Nov 9 2022 20:40 utc | 47

Now that the mid-term elections are over, watch for gas prices to skyrocket. ... This will work in Russia's favor as the West implodes itself.

Posted by: Mummer | Nov 9 2022 20:48 utc | 48

As for the common feeling in the comments that the elections was stolen, that's the same contemptible lie Trumpers told about 2020.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Nov 9 2022 20:21 utc | 44

It might be wrong, but your calling it a contemptible lie is a contemptible remark. Moreover you know it. So your intentions are not honorable.

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 9 2022 20:52 utc | 49

meet the new boss, same as the old boss

at least maybe we'll get some fresh ads on youtube........

Posted by: right2remainviolent | Nov 9 2022 20:59 utc | 50

Hedlykarok #41

"Chris Hedges... They won. Americans lost."

John Q Publicke #47

"I just don't care anymore."

Don't sell yourself cheaply.

Posted by: Cyclops | Nov 9 2022 21:02 utc | 51

Posted by b at 15:31 UTC | Comments (51)
"As the saying goes: 'If elections would change anything they would not be allowed.'"

That must be the European version. The proper version is, "If voting could change the system, it would be illegal." Same concept, but a bit harder expressed.

I continue to believe there was no election fraud in 2020, despite what Gonzalo, Robert Barnes, and others continue to say, and I doubt there was much fraud in this one. It's simply, as someone said, a "confused and listless population." They don't know who to vote for or why to vote except random undefined emotions and click-bait phrases about "immigration", "abortion", "taxes", and other concepts they have no deep knowledge about.

In a word, morons.

Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Nov 9 2022 21:13 utc | 52

Believing that there is any relationship between the voting booth lever and the tallied result, especially in big blue cities, is literally insanity.
I don't buy the analysis in this post, though I rely on this site for Russia and SMO news.

The idea that the power-that-is would not coopt "voting systems" as soon as possible, throughout history, anywhere and everywhere that voting is done, is insane.

In the case of the USA, many statisticians have shown that what has been happening for the past few election cycles is just not possible. This is massive electoral fraud/theft.

Funny how neither side, R or L, believes the results are legit any longer when their side loses, but believe it's legit when they win.

The fact is, the fix has been in for decades. All computers are trivially hackablable, especially by the Deep State.
And simple ballot box stuffing has been going on since the 19th century.

In Minnesota, the Democratic governor received a giant 1 million vote square wave block out of nowhere. Simply not possible.

Voting is not a sinful act - you are consenting to and supporting the system, even though you know, in your heart, that the elections are rigged.

Posted by: Todd | Nov 9 2022 21:29 utc | 53

This is all very conventional analysis, but the results make no sense. No way Kari Lake loses an honest election and Arizona suddenly blue? I don't think so.

It's fraud and this time you'll get to see proof right alongside the fraud in 2020.

Posted by: TempoNick | Nov 9 2022 21:33 utc | 54

Conservative intransigence and obstruction, fueled by free enterprise ideology, racial resentment, and castration anxiety, is going to cost the US dearly in the long-term. We are still in the midst of a pandemic - any response to it at all is now ruled out. Conservatives will waste time in Congress trying to find a new way to prosecute Joe Biden's son, a husk of a man who holds no public office and has power over no one.

I expect at least one government shutdown as a result of opposition conservatives making a big deal out of the federal budget deficit. Maybe Ukraine will stop getting subsidized (but perhaps at the cost of the US stepping up its role in repressing the left-wing in Latin America - this would please the gusanos who help the GOP carry Florida). We can probably kiss federal cannabis legalization goodbye. A lot of words will be wasted in the House dealing with conservatives who want to make being transgender a crime.

But all in all, not as bad as I expected. In the local elections, which I was more interested in, every candidate I voted for lost, and big time. My congressman ran unopposed, which is sad, because he's a religious nutjob. My senator was resoundingly re-elected, which, ditto. The candidates I voted for for city council and mayor were defeated. But what can you do? People get the governments they deserve, and many Americans deserve what they want especially if they won't want it when they get it.

Posted by: fnord | Nov 9 2022 21:34 utc | 55

My takeaways for the night: de Santis and Trump vied for leadership in the GOP. Trump lost - big time. It will be hard to take him seriously as either a presidential candidate in 2024 or a kingmaker. He absolutely stinks at picking candidates - I mean come on, beating a drooling idiot like Fetterman shouldn't be so complicated. De Santis, by comparison, had a great night.
I wondered what differences there were between early voting and those who voted in person in the last couple of days.
I didn't feel surprised by any of it - I never thought the election would matter much.

Posted by: ian | Nov 9 2022 21:35 utc | 56

'Trump has always been bad at picking people.'

his cabinet was awful. Having Bolton as an advisor who nuked his chances of diplomacy with Kim Jon UN. It show show awful US democracy really is, when only rotten people get elected of chosen

Posted by: brian | Nov 9 2022 21:35 utc | 57

Various comments

Sure, if the Republicans had anything good to offer it would be a completely different ballgame. Only thing they had of any slight interest this time was they were not Democrats.

Posted by: oldhippie | Nov 9 2022 21:45 utc | 58

IMO, proof of fraud is most clearly evident in Arizona where the attractive, forceful, and articulate Kari Lake was defeated by the acting Secretary of State (presiding over her own election, lol!) who during the campaign refused to even debate Kari Lake, presumably because she would have been destroyed by the MAGA candidate.

What are the primary reasons for Kari Lake's defeat?

1) she was firmly associated with DJT and DJT had to be humiliated to erode his media image and to declare MAGA over as a Republucan phenomenon, and clearing the way for the much more palatable, Zionist-cuck DeSantis

2) Arizona will presumably be a very important state in the 2024 set-up, so we can not have an acting MAGA-friendly Governor at the helm during the event

3) it is absolutely essential that we not encourage the declaring of the border situation as a national emergency and correctly utilize the national guard to go after the coyotes and drug runners that are bringing in destabilzing drugs

...

Arizona is largely conservative and old. A beautiful, articulate, and forceful conservative woman like Kari Lake should not have lost to a technocrat-dem who refused to debate Lake. Older voters prefer the old campaign ways of media adds and debates. In these forms of campaigning, Lake destroyed her competitor.

From the look of it right now, Arizona, other than the brain-damaged Fetterman winning in PA, is the most clear example that the deep state is firmly in control.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Nov 9 2022 21:48 utc | 59

I agree with Gonzalo, ie. considering public sentiment before this "selection" the results we have seen can not possibly be honest.

I'm not rooting for a side here. I had no hopes of a Republican win changing anything significant. It does mean that a Republican win will not be permitted though because our "owners" do not want that. It also means that they have learned to commit their fraud more subtlely in the last two years and they will have many less citizens calling them out for it.

It is also obvious by looking at what happened to Libertarians, Greens, The Tea Party, Occupy Wall St, etc. that no (new) party that opposes the owners will be allowed to exist without an attitude adjustment.

So nonviolent change is not possible. I remember what Kennedy said about that.

Posted by: Snowleopard | Nov 9 2022 21:51 utc | 60

Trump once again helped the Republicans snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Hardly surprising for a former New York Democrat. You would think the R's would know the story of the Trojan horse.

As some pundits have pointed out today, DeSantis is now the national leader of Republican Party.

Posted by: Opport Knocks | Nov 9 2022 21:53 utc | 61

Posted by: lex talionis | Nov 9 2022 17:26 utc | 18:

I want a purple thumb!

You are saying you still want to vote. By casting a vote, you assume you know the candidate or the cause you have casted the vote for.

That has been the underlying cause of the class of crooked politician and "screw you" laws that exist today, not just in Amerikka but in all so-called democracies.

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 9 2022 21:53 utc | 62

there probably hasn't been a "fair" election since computers hav been introduced. Also since what was it the 2000 election when the corporate media spent a lot of time demonizing/denigrating exit polling which was accurate to within 2 to 3% hav we had a "fair" election. I believe both events where coincident if i remember correctly. Also read about the study done by princeton in 2013 or 3014 which proved the U.S. is an oligarchy not a democracy. less than 1% of the time do we the people get what we want! my numbers may b off. Also see the article how the U.S. dictatorship works. https://strategic-culture.org/news/2017/12/03/how-us-dictatorship-works/ and here there probably hasn't been a "fair" election since computers hav been introduced. Also since what was it the 2000 election when the corporate media spent a lot of time demonizing/denigrating exit polling which was accurate to within 2 to 3% hav we had a "fair" election. I believe both events where coincident if i remember correctly. Also read about the study done by princeton in 2013 or 3014 which proved the U.S. is an oligarchy not a democracy. less than 1% of the time do we the people get what we want! my numbers may b off. Also see the article how the U.S. dictatorship works. https://strategic-culture.org/news/2017/12/03/how-us-dictatorship-works/ and here https://olduvai.ca/?p=28528#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20only%20scientific%20analysis%20of%20the,interests%20and%20needs%20of%20the%20public%20%28everyone%20else%29. forget all the bs about voter suppression, double voting etc etc etc . its all a smoke screen for people who haven't figured out we hav been a fascist fuedalistic system for a while and with the great reset underway the ball is really rolling now!

Posted by: billy | Nov 9 2022 21:54 utc | 63

Fortifying elections has consequences. Anyone who actually believes the Democrats won fair-and-square last night in races where they were lagging behind in polls needs to make sure their head isn't lodged deep up their ass.

Posted by: Monos | Nov 9 2022 21:55 utc | 64

@ 58 oldhippie

This is worthless comment from you who are otherwise intelligent and worth-reading.

Republicans had oodles of momentum and every reason to win...whether due to inflation, gas costs, floundering economy, public-opinion on Ukraine eroding, Fetterman being a brain-damaged ogre, Lake being a beautiful, articulate conservative woman...

This election was always about destroying the MAGA movement whether by hook or crook.

To me, it looks like crook all the way.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Nov 9 2022 21:55 utc | 65

My father was a lifelong Republican until he died. He votes Democrat now.

Posted by: TEP | Nov 9 2022 22:02 utc | 66

Nah, it's still just all about voter fraud. Anti-establishment Populism trounced the Uniparty in every so-called "battleground" state lacking coordinated voter fraud. Ohio and Florida (both fraud free) shined bright for "MAGA Republicans." And the MAGA states all went even MAGA-er. True, a few Blue states also went bluer, for who knows what reasons...probably fraud, too, but no one bothers to investigate a commie shithole for being even shittier. Anyway, the punditry's evaluation of the "Red Wave" was all focused on races in Top Tier Fraud states, i.e., Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia. Georgia may have the most ironic fraud operation in the nation (being run directly by the closeted gay lovers, Brian Kemp Brad Raffensperger), so it's understandable that it reveals itself so clumsily. As such, I'm certain Hershel Walker will lose in a few days by just a handful of mysteriously discovered mail-in ballots that will put Warnock at exactly 50.0000001% of the total. Ah, but we still have to wait on the long, slow vote-churning operations to finish up in Fraudville Arizona, and Cheaterton Nevada. Arizona was CRAZY in 2020. Thousands of mail-in votes from fake addresses and/or fake people--just one of many insanely shameless cheats that, in a nation not governed by Fabian thralls, would have resulted quickly in hefty prison sentences. To be fair, Arizona's asshatted Uniparty token government at least put on a nice don-n-pony investigation in 2021. And maybe just going through the motions actually disrupted some of it this year. We will find out--in a month or so, ha! But I'm not expecting MAGA to have a good result there either. The most surprising election to me, though, is Alaska. It switched this year to the ranked-choice voting scam--so we won't know, statutorily can't know, the winners until some time in December, I think.

Posted by: Tom SteChatte | Nov 9 2022 22:06 utc | 67

Nemesis Calling @ 65

My comment was Republicans as usual had nothing much to offer. You say that is a worthless remark.

Then you say they had momentum - true - and give a list of reasons why they should have won. Each one of those reasons is a description of a fairly dismal status quo. Yes, the status quo is a great big loser and that should have been enough to create the usual midterms reversal. Or more. The very small change in seats is not even as good as average.

When you get to listing Republican positives it is that Kari Lake is a good looking woman. Can't argue. Then back to negatives. Yes, Fetterman should be put out to pasture.

I've no idea what Republicans stand for or represent any longer other than they are not Democrats. From my point of view the two parties are Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Give Republican power they are going to do something dumb and pass out government money to a very slightly different list than the Dems use.

They still should have won this time and I think they did. I think they won big. Just saw they did very well on Long Island, a pure blue area. Maybe someone made a mistake and actually counted votes.

I am just dumbfounded that anyone reads me. Thank you for doing so. This is barroom chatter. I miss real barrooms. My old watering holes are all become bland and dull. Or closed.

Posted by: oldhippie | Nov 9 2022 22:17 utc | 68

I was hired as a temp to work elections for over a month (7 days a week, often OT). Everything we did was on webcam. In fact after a few days in we discovered all our idle chitchat was being heard by anyone in the world who was bored enough to log in and watch. The election is a heavily intensive manpower event - a good reason to have ranked choice and save taxpayer money (re: Georgia). I mainly had the job where we determined voter intent when the machine kicked ballots out. 80% of it was obvious. 10% filled out by total morons. Another 10% we threw out cause there wasn’t unanimous agreement on intent (does an X instead of oval mean they want that vote or they don’t? - again poorly filled out). We didn’t touch ballots dropped off at voting places day of because they need to be checked to make sure voter didn’t vote twice - and that can’t be done until the polls close. Then there is also an audit of a small percentage of votes that occurs to ensure totals match the machines - four people count each ballot by hand and have to match in the end. There are a zillion ways to game the system but trying to do it by flipping machines or changing ballots is the least efficient or easiest way to do it.

Posted by: Gail Storm | Nov 9 2022 22:48 utc | 69

@68 oldhippie

Please keep contributing.

Part of the joy of being a barfly is to see such a wide berth of voices, old and younger, far away and more local, relate their commentary.

I like the inclusion of your personal anecdotes...it is clear you have weathered life and kept some sanity. Like I said, usually your posts are invaluable.

Conservative repubs do what they can to stop the statist from centralizing life in America...iow, nuke the mechanism within America itself of its checks and balances. To me, that is what MAGA represents. That and standing in opposition to the uniparty.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Nov 9 2022 23:04 utc | 70

oldhippie-- When I give myself only a short time to spend at this bar I read b's post, then search to see if you and three others have commented. (fwiw, the others are gottleib, Gruff, and Norwegian). But usually I read (most) all comments posted before 6pm mountain time. Yeah, I'm the quiet guy with the eye patch

Posted by: G-Man Joy | Nov 9 2022 23:53 utc | 71

I believe that Desantis bested Trump last night as others have commented.

Posted by: morongobill | Nov 9 2022 23:56 utc | 72

The 2014 US midterms had the lowest voter turnout since 1942, the first year of America's active participation in WW2. Two years later, in the matchup between Clinton and Trump, there were a reported 200+ million registered voters for that urgent 'fight for democracy, fight against fascism' presidential election. How many registered US voters abstained in 2016? How many French citizens abstained during the last two presidential elections for Macron, eh?

How many registered US voters abstained in yesterday's election, I am curious to see those numbers.

Posted by: majoab | Nov 10 2022 0:13 utc | 73

Anyone saying "Biden" bribed voters with student loan forgiveness is out to lunch. The loan forgiveness was paltry, and as more time has passed, even that has been whittled down with typical Dem means testing BS. This was a longtime progressive policy goal, and Biden's crew cynically put it into action just a few months before the election. ON the other hand, Biden's drawing down of the US oil reserves in order to lower prices at the pump might have made a difference--another cynical ploy, a very Republican playbook kind of thing to do. The Roe v. Wade mess helped get out the Dem vote, and the Republicans ran terrible candidates... and some here in the US believe establishment Republicans actually tanked this election, in order to purge their party of Trump and get back to their normal routines. McConnell, by this way of thinking, prefers losing midterms to Trump 2024.

Posted by: Boscho | Nov 10 2022 0:17 utc | 74

Flying Dutchman | Nov 9 2022 19:58 utc | 42
except one thing is real and one is a fairy tale. nobody is dying over this fake bullshit you straight shooting gender warriors finger your guns over.

Gail Storm | Nov 9 2022 22:48 utc | 69
the only thing that matters is what people have the free time to do. free time = not worrying about money, food, parole violations, etc. everything about the modern economy is a gigantic exercise in wasting people's time, since machines can already do almost all the hard work for us. and it is no challenge to a machine to count a ballot. there's no reason everyone can't vote from home, by phone, internet, whatever, if we want. fearmongering about the vote count makes voting seem important.

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Nov 10 2022 0:28 utc | 75

If democrats keep the house and senate, enemies of America can pop the champagne. In two years, they drove the country further down with inflation, other economic problems and the colossal FUBAR in terms of international relations.

Two more years of this, the country will be far worse shape and 6 more years of this, there may not BE an America in 2028.

Not saying republicans are any better. They only delay the inevitable.

Posted by: FieryButMostPeaceful | Nov 10 2022 0:34 utc | 76

rjb1.5 | November 10, 2022 at 00:28
the problem with voting is not how the votes are counted but how the candidates' names get on the ballot in the first place.

$$$$$$$$.

elections are big business, like every other "happening" in the US. lots of money thrown around, lots of prestige and access to power at play.

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Nov 10 2022 0:35 utc | 77

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/11/odd-election-map-new-york-appears-show-exact-vote-counts-red-counties/

ha ha ha!

But of course, there never any 'evidence' of any shenanigans, no, no, no....

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 10 2022 2:02 utc | 78

Doesn't matter as to why, the US just endorsed a dementia patient as their ongoing President, the American people have also endorsed deviant transgenderism, suicidal green policies and more weapons and money to Ukraine and thus to extend that war and the dying it entails as long as possible.

The American people are no innocent party, they wholeheartedly endorse neoliberalism and neocons as their ruling class. The same can be said of the EU.

Posted by: Organic | Nov 10 2022 2:29 utc | 79

Really don't think it will matter this point on which party wins any election. Both Parties coverup the Epstein/Maxwell child sex Blackmailing Intelligence Operations with multiple murders, both Parties are responsible for the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill Gain-of-function Coronavirus Pandemic, both Parties were responsible for fraudulent Presidential Election that put Biden in Office, and both Parties are responsible for the massive censoring of Freedom of Speech, and both Parties are supportive of Nazism in Ukraine.

Posted by: DonaldRayW | Nov 10 2022 2:39 utc | 80

God punished the Hebrews -His Chosen People - by forcing three generations of them to die out , wandering in the Wilderness of Zin with Moses. The point being, the USA will collectively be punished when the time comes as well. Let no American or European say , I did not know, I didn’t vote for it , I was too weak. Too bad, you collectively worshipped the Golden Calf of Neoliberalism, Wokeness ,USA,USA Hegemonism! God doesn’t care , and nor should Russia or any sincere ,intelligent scholar of Natoist /Neocon shenanigans in The Ukraine , the rest of the world or on Wall St.

Read and weep but don’t come crying to me . No ,I am not overly - religious or a Doomsayer expecting Jesus to come back tomorrow. I just chose a Biblical motif to illustrate my point that the USA and its satraps will reap what they have sown.

Posted by: Brother Ma | Nov 10 2022 2:41 utc | 81

The biggest problem with voting in the US is that people still do it. One would be better off trying his luck in a three card monte scam. Participating in a fraud 'legitimizes" it.

Posted by: catbonez | Nov 10 2022 3:08 utc | 82

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Nov 9 2022 20:00 utc | 43

Voting machines? I presumed he meant voting machines used in elections outside of the USA. That seems to be plausible to me ;+as other nations have much more handcounting and simpler more transparent voting laws,regulations etc.

Posted by: Brother Ma | Nov 10 2022 3:29 utc | 83

TEP #66

"My father was a lifelong Republican until he died. He votes Democrat now."

:))

I needed a laugh and I had not heard that quip before. Thank you.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Nov 10 2022 3:39 utc | 84

Lots of misguided cope in here.

They didn't rig the election. They don't need to. The intense concentration of print, broadcast, and social media ownership in this country establishes a nearly impermeable bubble. This has been laid out in excruciating detail for decades in books like Parenti's "Inventing Reality" and Herman/Chomsky's "Manufacturing Consent."

It is not "cheating" for Biden to "buy votes" by depleting the strategic oil reserves or pinky-promising a one time cancellation of a paltry amount of student loan debt. It is extremely cynical, but The Republicans do this for their constituents every single time they get into office by cutting taxes and skyrocketing the deficit. In theory, these pieces of shit are supposed to work for us. Give me some free shit. Give me a foot massage. Do one god damn thing that improves my life. Under no circumstances should we buy into this bootstraps mentality horseshit the ruling class feeds us. The anti-politics of not only expecting the government to do nothing for us, but going to bat and advocating that it does nothing.

Inflation and economic hardship pose a major threat to any incumbent political party, but there are several problems with the assumption that Republicans therefore should sweep into power as a result. First of all The Republicans aren't exactly mega-mind economic geniuses themselves. Their approach to the economy is to discipline labor as harshly as possible and slash public budgets while enriching well connected businesses through graft. In other words, it is simply a dumber, more cruel implementation of the Democrats economic policies. Second, it is not like Biden came into power on January 20, 2021, unplugged the Republican economy, and plugged in the Democrat economy. The economic landscape we find ourselves in today is the product of decades and decades of choices made by both parties - the majority of them with bipartisan support. Privatization, cutting wellfare, military keynesianism, financialization, globalization.

People understand the economy is, as they put it in The Wolf of Wallstreet, a fugazi. It's all fake. Arbitrage on speculation on vibes propped up by unanimous ideological faith in free market capitalism across every flavor of the mainstream media. It is starting to fall apart, and people are rightfully losing faith, but the Democrats and Republicans are partners in crime pulling short term gimmicks to kick the can just a couple years farther down the road, stripping the copper wire out of the walls while making sure the blame lands on someone else. They don't give a shit as long as they're making money. We've gone back and forth between these grifters enough times to know that the Republicans haven't suddenly unlocked the secret to making the economy work more gooder.

This country is circling the drain, and there is nothing the ruling class can do to stop it while preserving the status quo. Instead, they will proceed with militarizing the police and bloating the military to ensure that when they go down, they take the rest of us out with them. Because they are all unhinged psychopaths.

Posted by: Porkroll | Nov 10 2022 3:49 utc | 85

@66 and 84 - I've already used it. And I credited TEP and MoA!
Thanks for the laugh.

Posted by: lex talionis | Nov 10 2022 4:03 utc | 86

rjb1.5 | Nov 10 2022 0:28 utc | 75

"nobody is dying over this fake bullshit you straight shooting gender warriors finger your guns over."

The level of acute mental illness and suicide among the gender-mutilated has so skyrocketed that even the British NHS felt compelled to issue a new guidance recommending a default against rushing into mutilation procedures where it comes to what are very likely just confused adolescents latching onto a fad.

These of course actually are the targeted prey of the troon-groomer invasion of the schools, a deliberate systematic government-run campaign of child molestation and mutilation.

Those deaths and cripplings are on the hands, not just of the Mengeles who perform the chemical and physical mutilations and the politicians, bureaucrats and media propagandists who enable it and cheer it on, but the perverted fellow-travelers like you.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Nov 10 2022 6:15 utc | 87

Brother Ma | Nov 10 2022 3:29 utc | 83

"Voting machines? I presumed he meant voting machines used in elections outside of the USA."

That comment and this thread are about an election which just took place in the US.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Nov 10 2022 6:16 utc | 88

NemesisCalling @59 says:

"Arizona is largely conservative and old. A beautiful, articulate, and forceful conservative woman like Kari Lake should not have lost to a technocrat-dem who refused to debate Lake. Older voters prefer the old campaign ways of media adds and debates. In these forms of campaigning, Lake destroyed her competitor.

From the look of it right now, Arizona, other than the brain-damaged Fetterman winning in PA, is the most clear example that the deep state is firmly in control."

Spot on.

Those who still think there is no rigging of the elections have to explain anomalies like these.

Gallup poll found 81% felt nation going in wrong direction - where is the landslide for the GOP that would occur in such a situation?

In Arizona 20% of the machines didn't work properly - plenty of scope to manipulate a close loss for Kari Lake who was poised to romp in. Nonetheless the people coming to vote in person might still get her across the line: https://www.foxnews.com/media/kari-lake-slams-chaotic-arizona-election-tabulation-closes-gap-hobbs

Posted by: PJB | Nov 10 2022 7:17 utc | 89

Wow Kari Lake lost?? I had seen a headline yesterday that she won. that is suspicious.

Posted by: pretzelattack | Nov 10 2022 7:25 utc | 90

I think Kari Lake is hoping for late votes to get her across the line. But she should've easily won a free and fair election. 20% of the machines in Maricopa County were on the blink.

This looks like obvious election rigging - please come up with hypotheses to explain what this guy finds (it's just a 2 minute video of scrolling over the counties voting tallies in New York State):

https://www.bitchute.com/video/loQNGfUFvJ4H/

Posted by: PJB | Nov 10 2022 7:51 utc | 91

No Trump endorsement NO VOTE. I had zero reason to vote this time.
F Mitch and Lynda Graham's GOP. Let the train crash!

Posted by: nightdipper | Nov 10 2022 8:14 utc | 92

There's definitely rigging in Arizona and Pennsylvania, probably in Georgia, NY, NJ, Michigan, Nevada and elsewhere.

And yet it's no surprise that after 2020's grand theft, where the Republicans did nothing but whine, file impotent lawsuits and whine some more, that now having had TWO YEARS to prepare for the inevitable reprise, they still evidently have no plan whatsoever for how to respond to the cheating except more whining.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Nov 10 2022 8:28 utc | 93

This election was always about destroying the MAGA movement whether by hook or crook.

To me, it looks like crook all the way.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Nov 9 2022 21:55 utc | 65

Many say there's not a dime's worth of difference between the two Uniparties. Fair point. But didn't first the Tea Party and now MAGA represent an attempt to circumvent the Uniparty stranglehold? I am talking of the aspirations of the people not their erstwhile leaders like Trump et alia.

It seems to me that a sizeable majority of the people want an end to Empire/Corporatism corruption 'Wall Street' and a return to Main Street bedrock faith, family, country type approach free from all these manufactured gender bending neomarxist guilt-tripping perversion-worshipping extremes. They want their country back.

Yes, perhaps they wave the flag overmuch and, like me, don't know where the Urals are on the map, but their designs seem mainstream, centrist and genuine, not really 'right wing' at all.

So that means that there is an attempted realignment between we the people - or most of them - viz the twin Uniparty.

Ever since Trump decided to run from within one branch of the Uniparty have assumed that, wittingly or not, he is yet more controlled opposition, maybe a Mason earning his 33rd degree or whatever, certainly thick as thieves with the hard core Zionists his daughter married and converted into. At the same time he has been called 'the working man's billionaire.' All his children know all the construction trades. In his hotels he sometimes does shifts as janitor, waiter, busboy etc. He clearly values work and working people which is perhaps why he is so hated and feared by the rentier class and loved by the Deplorables. That much isn't phony.

More importantly, the mainstream, centrist aspirations of the people and candidates like Lake strike me as the real deal. Maybe I'm deluded yet again, quite possibly; but if not then the way the mainstream ordinary Americans trying to take their country back from the clutches of Wall Street and return power to the people on Main Street are being treated is a cynical, heartless, gut-wrenching travesty.

Well they do say politics is a dirty business...

That's why I think Secession is the only viable way forward for We The People (even though at heart I'm an old school high culture, class system monarchist type who thinks democracy for the masses is a recipe for kleptocracy every time).

Sorry to say but throughout the West it looks like the democratic experiment is done. And what is coming next is probably much worse.

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 10 2022 10:48 utc | 94

My father was a lifelong Republican until he died. He votes Democrat now

Well, apparently it's no longer about how many votes are cast, but about how many ballots are collected.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/11/09/big-picture-2020-midterm-elections-highlights-distinct-difference-between-ballots-and-votes/

Posted by: john | Nov 10 2022 12:23 utc | 95

Interesting times.

Being part of a generation of 750 million plus earth-bound citizens worldwide. Who actually watched the first Apollo lunar moonwalk? Including the astronauts' conversations. Relayed by the main orbital module. Like it was yesterday.

I find the merchants of doubt who sell the fiction it was faked. Are clearly suffering from a very severe mental health issue. They should seek urgent medical treatment and be locked up in a white padded cell. To prevent self-harm. End of story.

Now it is also well documented NASA showed two sets of high-resolution photos in 2011. With detailed explanations that even a ten-year-old grade schooler can comprehend. The short answer is without one shred of doubt. Man did land on the Moon. Cease and desist peddling your fact-free lies. End of story.

Posted by: Bad Deal Motors On | Nov 10 2022 12:57 utc | 96

Flying Dutchman | Nov 10 2022 6:15 utc | 87

Any particular reason you're giving routine male infant circumcision a clean bill of health? It's a much, much bigger problem than your personal ability to exude genre-correct moralistic treacle (ie. your childish little feefees) and not be punched for forcing your beliefs (ie. cognitive errors) onto others.

Posted by: sippy the shot glass | Nov 10 2022 13:17 utc | 97

Bad Deal Motors @96

"Being part of a generation of 750 million plus earth-bound citizens worldwide. Who actually watched the first Apollo lunar moonwalk? Including the astronauts' conversations. Relayed by the main orbital module. Like it was yesterday."

The whole point that the Moon "Deniers" are making is that the footage could easily be faked.

Whether you could get enough astronauts and NASA technicians to go along with the lie - and keep thier mouths shut for decades - is another matter.

... plus there is - supposedly - a mirror left on the surface that space agencies can bounce lasers off to calculate the moon's distance. I haven't done it (or know anyone who has) so I can't attest to this myself.

Some of the moon "deniers" claim that the rockets sent unmanned missions to the moon, and one of these left a mirror.

The point is - your "proof" that you saw it actually hapen in real time is no proof at all.

My biggest reason for believing it actually happened is that China and the Soviet Union - avowed enemies/rivals of the USA - would have cried foul when they failed to detect the Apollo rockets leave the atmosphere and head for the moon.

Mind you - some people argue that these international rivalries are mere shams to keep the sheep corralled while their betters collude to bring about an NWO.

Socrates' "the only thing I know is that I know nothing" is looking better by the day, particularly with Evil Putin apparently running his war to lose.

What better way to slaughter millions of slavic nationalists and break the nationalistic spirit of both countries?

Posted by: Observer | Nov 10 2022 16:20 utc | 98

Moon: part of the confusion for sure is that Spiro T Agnew had Kubrick make a whole load of high quality shots in a studio, ostensibly in case the mission was a bust but they wanted to pretend it was successful so as not to lose face internationally, but especially viz the Russians with whom they were in a space race - the reason for the project in the first place.

Strange little factoid I read years ago: Playtex got the contract to make the space suits. Decades later they had problems on the space station because they couldn't make space suits that withstand radiation in outer space properly. Yet decades earlier a ladies undergarment manufacturer had no problem.

Strange factoid 2: the little craft that landed on the moon (seemingly made of tin cans, aluminum foil and duct tape with an onboard computer with less than 100th the power of a cell phone) had very little carrying capacity. Supposedly they had just enough fuel to blast out of the moon's atmosphere and then earth's gravity would pull them the rest of the way. But the problem is that earth's gravity doesn't pull harder than the moon's until about a third of the way back and there was no way no how enough gas to keep firing for that many hours after lifting off the moon. Without some sort of continual propulsion whilst the moon's gravitational field was still stronger than earth's, the capsule would have fallen back towards the moon.

Maybe both the above niggles are wrong but I wonder if anyone here knows the answer.

I've always figured that if it was faked that was a heckuva psyop and the astronauts not breaking silence for the rest of their lives... quite a feat. Of course all you have to do is persuade them that if they blab all their children and grandchildren will die painful deaths, but that's only in the movies, right?

But the underlying point does remain: we think we 'know' that it happened but in fact we don't. Becoming aware of this is valuable since it's true for so many things in life which we take at face value without realizing it.

Like electoral integrity!
Like that we live in functioning democracies!
Like that modern medicine is more or less infallible!
Like the PCR tests gave accurate results and counting a pandemic by new cases made any sense at all!
And so on...

Posted by: Scorpion | Nov 10 2022 16:36 utc | 99

Scorpion | Nov 10 2022 16:36 utc | 99

Maybe both the above niggles are wrong but I wonder if anyone here knows the answer

No answers, but Dmitri Orlov delved into the probabilities.

What is certainly true, though, is that the list of really big lies has grown exponentially since those heady days of yore.

Posted by: john | Nov 10 2022 17:53 utc | 100

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