WTAF? Texas election results delayed in advance?

New Texas election process has Democrats expecting a delay in Super Tuesday delegate totals

Democratic leaders say the Texas secretary of state's office told them that a full accounting of how many delegates each presidential contender wins won't be available on election night. But the secretary of state's office says it does plan to have the results tabulated.

As their counterparts in Iowa reel from a disastrously slow election returns process, Texas Democrats raised the prospect Wednesday that a change in the way Texas reports election results could delay the final tally of delegates won by presidential hopefuls in the upcoming March 3 primary past election night.

Officials with the Texas Democratic Party said the Texas secretary of state’s office recently told them that it will not be able to provide on election night the numbers needed to allocate a majority of the 228 delegates up for grabs in the state on Super Tuesday. In a Jan. 23 meeting, the Democrats said, top state election officials cited limitations to their revamped reporting system, which is used to compile returns from the state's 254 counties.

"They basically said that's not built out yet," said Glen Maxey, the special projects director for the Texas Democratic Party who attended the meeting with state officials.

Late Wednesday, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office, which initially had not responded to The Texas Tribune's questions about the issue, contested that characterization, saying that "any allegations that delegate allocations will not be reported on election night are categorically false."

Im sorry, but on top of the Iowa results fiasco how can we believe that this isn't just more shenanigans?

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Raggedy Ann's picture

the demise of the democratic party. They are imploding right before our eyes. They cannot allow Bernie to win. They are going to many lengths to stop him.

HELLO! Are we going to allow this to proceed without challenge?

Ideas?

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22 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

@Raggedy Ann politics in America, or the legitimacy of government in this country ends. Past a point, the whole thing collapses and all authority evaporates.

There are problems we're going to have to solve bigger than DNC gaming of nominations if this country is going to survive.

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Alligator Ed's picture

@leveymg of due process AND believability. Is there anybody on this board who thinks the Dem Party can be salvaged as currently constituted--which means the entire rotten structure? Some might keep the name but the substance is steadily changing.

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11 users have voted.
k9disc's picture

Like an Article V strategy to rewrite the Constitution for their corporate donors.

Looks increasingly like I’m, shockingly, going to be proven right on that idea. Holy shit!

Nancy the Ripper may have sent a symbolic message at the SoTU. And what self respecting Democrat would disagree with that... because Drumpf.
@Raggedy Ann

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6 users have voted.

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

Alphalop's picture

@k9disc

I hate to expose my ignorance but I am not entirely certain what you mean by that?

Would you mind filling me in when you have a moment?

Thanks!

A

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

Raggedy Ann's picture

@k9disc
I'm not sure what you are referencing. Enlighten me.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Alphalop's picture

@k9disc

Admit it, there is no Article V and you are making it up to troll us aren't ya? Wink Blum 3

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

travelerxxx's picture

@Alphalop

Admit it, there is no Article V and you are making it up to troll us aren't ya?

I hate to speak for k9disc, but since he's a little tardy at answering, I'll throw a few things out there. Simplistic, but here it is:

There most certainly IS an Article V. He is referring to Article V of the Constitution, which details how said Constitution may be altered. Of the methods given, we are familiar with the amendment process. One method never attempted is a Convention of States. Consider that a Convention of States is more or less a free-for-all. No one knows what could happen. In fact, the entire Constitution could be torn up and a new one placed into operation.

I'm sure you noticed my italics in that last sentence, right? I suspect that's where k9disc is heading. Only a guess, though. Our dear k9disc will have to show up and confirm or deny.

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k9disc's picture

Sorry about being late... on the road. Going to be doing a couple of college halftime show up in the NE...

Back when the Democrats were running against their base in 2012 or 2014, I was trying to figure out what the hell the Democrats were doing. It may have been 2010, even (I'm kind of old now and years fly by)...

Calling an Article V Convention to rewrite the Constitution can be done with 66% of the State houses approving it. The Republicans had 30 a while back, IIRC, and only needed 3 more to call the Convention. There used to be a guy on dKos who used to advocate for it, quite seriosuly, and I can't recall his name, although I remember it being hispanic or Central American. He was calling for it from the Democratic Party end back in 07-08, IIRC...

Well when the Democrats went full blown Washington Generals, rescuing the Republicans and attacking the left half of the party, it hit me: maybe they WANT to lose. So the Article V strategy I'm talking about is losing enough state houses to enable the corporate center to coalesce against the Crazy Teabaggers and the naive Left and call a Convention to alter the Constitution to the benefit of the corporate donors.

It started out somewhat tongue in cheek, but the Democrats kept losing election after election, running further and further to the Right and hardening in the corporate center. The idea reared it's head several times over the years, and here we are in the middle of our pre-apocalypse Drumpfian future.

I would not be at all surprised to hear it floated and talked about in the near future. And it really could work. I mean, the Resistance™ are all in on unConstitutional solutions to the Drumpfian Knot, and Bernie Sanders wields the Sword of Democrates threatening to slay the Drumpf, cleave the Iron Triangle, and carve the gravy train out of politics. That is 3 strikes against the corporate sponsors.

What sane Democrat wouldn't want to change the Constitution to dump Drumpf? What woke SJW would not want to eliminate 1st Amendment rights to protect the meek from hate speech? I mean, SCOTUS is gone for a generation. The Electoral College empowers the rural rubes and is the system that gave us Drumpf. There is no hope on Climate, and that is an existential threat and will kill us all. This shit is dangerous!

How many Republicans would roll the dice betting they could get something better for their sponsors by beating a bunch of SJWs and Socialist fucksticks? What corporate sponsors wouldn't want to bankroll a future of legislated profits and Freedom of Property?

I'm thinking this could be possible, and it's looking more and more probable every election cycle. Perhaps it is time. I mean, what if Drumpf wins again. What's more important saving humanity or protecting some outdated piece of paper?
@travelerxxx

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2 users have voted.

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

travelerxxx's picture

@k9disc

As I read your post, point by point, I kept thinking, "Nah. No way." Yet, there are the facts laid out for my eyes. Could it be that the whole charade – the Washington Generals shtick – is indeed more than a passel of imbeciles fumbling around in the dark ... that it is really intelligent design?

I've actually considered this myself, but then thought, "Nah. No way." Yet, there it is. One step after the other. Always heading in the same direction.

What sane Democrat wouldn't want to change the Constitution to dump Drumpf?

TDS requires extreme measures. So extreme that you run the Shampeachment show in front of the entire world. No problem with the thought of circumventing the Electoral College; hell, just stand up in the Senate and say so. And they did.

What woke SJW would not want to eliminate 1st Amendment rights to protect the meek from hate speech?

That one appears a slam dunk. Practically the entire Democratic Party is clamoring for wall-to-wall censorship on any thought that runs counter to their fevered Russia!!! madness, or considers that the absence of war is just and honorable ... not to mention sane. "No! Can't have that! Get them off the web! Silence them! Cancel them!"

How many Republicans would roll the dice betting they could get something better for their sponsors by beating a bunch of SJWs and Socialist fucksticks?

At this point, I would surmise that they are feeling rather empowered ... at the least. After Iowa, the Republicans likely think the Democrats are incapable of even draining a bathtub.

What corporate sponsors wouldn't want to bankroll a future of legislated profits and Freedom of Property?

Any who wouldn't are probably long dead. Money is king, nothing else matters. Not country, not family, not the future. None of it matters to them; only wealth and more of it. Whatever it takes to get it is moral.

A Convention of the States is just too tempting. In their eyes, they really can have it all. Every last bit. It's beyond the light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel stage; they're close enough that they can hear the music now. Some of us can hear it, too. I might be wrong, but it sounds like Wagner to me.

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snoopydawg's picture

@k9disc

Well when the Democrats went full blown Washington Generals, rescuing the Republicans and attacking the left half of the party, it hit me: maybe they WANT to lose. So the Article V strategy I'm talking about is losing enough state houses to enable the corporate center to coalesce against the Crazy Teabaggers and the naive Left and call a Convention to alter the Constitution to the benefit of the corporate donors.

After dems lost close to 1,000 seats across the country people were talking how there would be a constitutional convention and the Rs would rewrite it. And things would go from bad to much worse. The thing was after the Bush admin Obama said that the GOP would take decades to recover and yet he let them out of the ditch within 2 years. Great job Obama.

Practically the entire Democratic Party is clamoring for wall-to-wall censorship on any thought that runs counter to their fevered Russia!!! madness,

Yep. Our great stalwarts the dems are just fine if censorship hits the country. And with the help from the Atlantic Council FB, Google and Twitler are doing just that. Fun times folks.
Romney is in Utah answering for his vote

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Pricknick's picture

needs to stop expecting immediate results.
I'm all for slowing the shit show down. That's why I haven't lost my mind over Iowa.
"Everybody wants everything now" is no way to live.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

snoopydawg's picture

@Pricknick

vote tallies have been done for like ever isn't indicative of anything.

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Raggedy Ann's picture

@snoopydawg
there's probably nothing nefarious behind that decision. I'm sure of it.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Pricknick's picture

@snoopydawg
without going to the web to find out, how have vote tallies been done everywhere?
Neither you, or anybody else can with total accuracy.
But the rush to count only enables those who want results, not accuracy.
We need to go back to paper ballots counted manually.
That takes time and we all have a little bit of that to spare.
But I'm sure many are happy with: "I want what I want and I want it now".

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

snoopydawg's picture

@Pricknick

this year? Can you honestly say that this primary is being run fairly?

As for people losing their minds over Iowa don't you think that after what happened last time we have a right to question what's happening? Have you made this comment in any other essay here the last few days or did you just decide to make one now in mine? I'm seeing a pattern.

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Pricknick's picture

@snoopydawg

I'm seeing a pattern.

I'm a russian troll.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

edg's picture

@Pricknick

If you take the "P" from Pricknick, remove the "r", add "ut", keep the "i", drop the "ck", keep the "n", and drop the final "ick", it's quite obvious your screen name is an anagram for Putin!!! We're on to you!!!

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k9disc's picture

To a few thousand cooperatively?

Paper ballots can be counted by cooperating competitors in rapid fashion. The idea that we need more than a few hours to count to 50,000 on a precinct by precinct basis is absurd.

@Pricknick

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9 users have voted.

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

edg's picture

@k9disc

Wasn't that abolished when New Math was introduced in schools?

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dystopian's picture

@Pricknick Immediate gratification is the American Way, it shows American Exceptionalism. It is amazing how they are... I agree P.

"Everybody wants everything now" is no way to live.
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3 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian AE or immediate gratification, but of long-established norms of vote counting and reporting, and therefore expectations, being substantially disrupted. People are right to be skeptical, and even suspicious, of a process where zero vote totals are reported in the first 24 hrs of voting, especially in an election where a mere 170k voters caucused. And especially where a vote tabulation company has political ties to one of the candidates.

It would be dangerously naive not to raise questions. In a democracy, adhering to established norms in voting and counting and reporting is essential. Our democratic system depends on stability in the election process. Anything falling substantially short of regular processes calls into question the integrity of the process, making it look like an election being run by a corrupt party machine or third-world dictatorship busy cooking the vote totals.

There is much in the way the IDP ran this caucus to suggest the election should be nullified for incompetence and possible bias and corruption. Doubtful the DNC will take this step, but it would be the right thing to do. The other right thing to do is to eliminate the caucus system. The DNC will find no better excuse than this IA caucus disaster.

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Alphalop's picture

@wokkamile

making it look like an election being run by a corrupt party machine or third-world dictatorship busy cooking the vote totals.

What do you mean by "Look Like"?

If you drop those two words it makes it a lot more accurate. Smile

Thoughts? Biggrin lol!

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

edg's picture

@dystopian

In the immortal words of Freddie Mercury and Queen: "I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now!!!"

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Alphalop's picture

@edg

If he was channeling Veruka Salt in that song or not. Smile

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

edg's picture

@Alphalop

Brian May wrote it based on what his girlfriend at the time (later 2nd wife) Anita Dobson often said: "I want it all and I want it now". I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn she got it from Veruca, as Anita was a child actress whose career started around the time Charlie & the Chocolate Factory was released.

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@Pricknick To start with, people who were observing the causues claimed tallies were not correct. Second no reason to omit from any early tally some of the larger towns and cities. Release them all at one time was the better option. The longer the delay, the more time to game the system. Basically at this point, the Iowa dems are not such revealing the results as hiding them.

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Alphalop's picture

@Pricknick

And a return to paper ballots with receipts, hand counted in public at each precinct with representatives from all concerned parties observing and the voter can give a receipt to the representative of the party they voted for.

Sure it may make the General and Primary elections take a week or more but who the hell cares about speed over accuracy when dealing with something so important to the very fabric of our nation.

I am surprised the Media isn't banging the drums for this, it would allow them to keep eyeballs glued to their screens for that much longer.

A

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

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Raggedy Ann's picture

@entrepreneur
You are ON tonight!

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Bollox Ref's picture

Counting to 100 quickly is hard for both Iowans and Texans.

Is this contagious?

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15 users have voted.

Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

Pricknick's picture

@Bollox Ref
for those in a hurry.
MSM demands expediency.

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4 users have voted.

Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

travelerxxx's picture

This story is from the Texas Tribune. Late Wednesday, this was added to the Tribune story (my bold):

Late Wednesday, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office, which initially had not responded to The Texas Tribune's questions about the issue, contested that characterization, saying that "any allegations that delegate allocations will not be reported on election night are categorically false."

Here's the headline:
New Texas election process has Democrats expecting a delay in Super Tuesday delegate totals
Right under the headline, this:
Democratic leaders say the Texas secretary of state's office told them that a full accounting of how many delegates each presidential contender wins won't be available on election night. But the secretary of state's office says it does plan to have the results tabulated.

The Texas Sec. of State, Ruth Hughs, is a Republican.

The possibility of a delay (or not) in the reporting of Texas primary voting results is due to a new system in use. If the Democratic results are delayed, the Republican tallies will be delayed also. I promise you, the Texas Republicans will not put up with anything like went on in Iowa. Not a happening thing.

If there's a delay in reporting tallies in Texas, it won't be the fault of the Texas Sec. of State's office.

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Pricknick's picture

@travelerxxx
Pretty please with sugar.
I'm all in on slowing final results down.
Accountability is always more important than expediency.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

snoopydawg's picture

@Pricknick

I posted the link above.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Pricknick's picture

@snoopydawg

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

edg's picture

@travelerxxx

"any allegations that delegate allocations will not be reported on election night are categorically false"

Nothing about accuracy in that statement. Texas SoS will report whatever delegate allocations the Democratic party gives them. Cheating won't happen at the state level, it'll be done down at the party level.

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travelerxxx's picture

@edg

You are quite correct. Garbage in, garbage out. The Texas Sec. of State retains her paycheck.

However, I don't think you'll read about any Democratic Party shenanigans – local or otherwise – in the Texas Tribune. Much more likely to catch it here on C99. The Texas Tribune is pretty much ate up with ID politics and TDS. I read them every day, but only to keep a pulse on mainstream TX Democrats .... if indeed they have a pulse. Well, wait, that's not quite fair. They do a pretty good job of keeping me informed regarding the various religious nutcases attempting to subvert our government and also religious subversions of the public education system.

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snoopydawg's picture

As these scandalous revelations continue to emerge I don’t see anyone online expressing surprise that the Democratic establishment is once again stacking the deck against Sanders, but I do see some people expressing surprise that they are being so brazen about it. Which is perfectly understandable; if this party wants to screw over progressive voters, you’d expect that they’d at least try to hide it a little bit so they don’t alienate their progressive base before November.
The flaw in this expectation is its premise that Democratic Party elites care if their party wins in November. They do not.

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travelerxxx's picture

@snoopydawg

My gawd, she just keeps hitting it outta the park! Myth of Incompetence indeed!

I keep seeing the word “incompetence” thrown around. “Gosh these Democratic Party leaders are so incompetent!”, they say. “How can anyone be so bad at their job?”

Well, they are not bad at their job. They are very, very good at their job. It’s just that their job isn’t what most people assume it is.

Their job is not to win elections and garner public support, their job is to ensure the perpetuation of the status quo which rewards them so handsomely for their malignant behavior. Toward this end they are not incompetent at all. They know exactly what they’re doing, and they’re doing it well.

They are extremely competent. Depraved, certainly. Sociopathic, possibly. But not incompetent.

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snoopydawg's picture

@travelerxxx

It's hard to do the right thing when your money depends on it.

Or something like that? This is why Neera Neera is freaking out on Twitter. She knows that if Bernie gets elected she is out of a job. Well her current one where she gets to be in control. I'm sure lots of people will just boogie over to some new think tank. Or lobbying job. People like her will always land on their feet if they get rid of their integrity.

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travelerxxx's picture

@snoopydawg

People like her will always land on their feet if they get rid of their integrity.

Well, Caity did mention "Sociopathic." That explains it best for me.

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13 users have voted.
Dawn's Meta's picture

@snoopydawg @snoopydawg Edit: Uh, Upton Sinclair....

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5 users have voted.

A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.

Consider helping by donating using the button in the upper left hand corner. Thank you.

OzoneTom's picture

@Dawn's Meta @Dawn's Meta
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

Sinclair's recounting of his 1934 gubernatorial campaign in CA, which he nearly won.

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Centaurea's picture

@snoopydawg

is also freaking out on Twitter because she's a narcissistic personality-disordered Mean Girl.

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"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

snoopydawg's picture

@Centaurea

She keeps asking for unity and for Bernie's supporters to behave and play nice and then in the next breath she finding things and making digs at them. Mean girl brat she is. Good point.

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Alphalop's picture

@Centaurea

And it sounds like people I wouldn't want to follow.

But now I do, lol!

A

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

edg's picture

@snoopydawg

You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else. Winston Churchill

Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. Mark Twain

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Alphalop's picture

@snoopydawg

Or maybe it was Mark Twain, I love them both for their amazing quotes so I sometimes confuse the two.

Paraphrasing here because I am too lazy to search for it but it's something to the effect of, "No man is more blind than one who's very livelihood relies upon him not seeing."

It may not be exact but I think thats close to the idea.

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4 users have voted.

"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

Alphalop's picture

@Alphalop

of the quote across. Biggrin

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3 users have voted.

"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

Alphalop's picture

@snoopydawg

I've been saying since at least 2015 that the Corporate Wing of the DNC would rather lose elections then control of the party.

Plus, Fighting against the big bad orange man is great for fundraising from the rubes.

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3 users have voted.

"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

By election day, the process should be flawless.

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9 users have voted.
edg's picture

@MrWebster

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Alphalop's picture

Could the DNC possibly give any more ammo to the RW?

They are feeding into the narrative of, "The Democrats want to run the country and they cannot even run a simple election?" and doing ZIP to dispel it.

I am so glad I #DemExited. I don't have to feel guilty for defending their incompetence.

Now I can just feel pity and a slight bemusement. (It would be outright hilarity if the situation wasn't so important.)

A

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5 users have voted.

"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

@Alphalop with its small number of delegates will soon be a tiny object in the rear view mirror as NH then NV and SC vote, then SupTues, assuming no more major party screwups. Iowa might then just come to be considered a one-off, too many locals having eaten too many corn dogs, probably supplied by the Bootajudge campaign.

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