Exactly. Like the sayings go, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day..." and "The enemy of my enemy is my friend..." What he did was laudable, but never forget, he has been instrumental in GOP voter suppression tactics in GA throughout Kemp's term. Just ask Stacey Abrams. In another 18 months GA will be holding its primaries for the '…
Exactly. Like the sayings go, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day..." and "The enemy of my enemy is my friend..." What he did was laudable, but never forget, he has been instrumental in GOP voter suppression tactics in GA throughout Kemp's term. Just ask Stacey Abrams. In another 18 months GA will be holding its primaries for the '22 election, which will more than likely pit Kemp against Abrams once again. And the Senate seat currently being contested by Warnock and Loeffler will be up for grabs in a proper election, with primaries and all. The thought of non-stop political ads on TV and everywhere AGAIN fills most Georgians with total dread, but it'll be interesting to see if there are any Republicans who want to go up against Kemp, and to see if Trump might have any effect on the '22 races. Again, Raffensperger was in the right here, but don't let that fool you. He's still a Georgia Republican.
I'd like everyone's opinion about the fact that Stacey Abrams sister, a judge, refused to allow Raffensperger to purge thousands of voters from the list just recently. I have read only one article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution complaining that she acted improperly, since she's Stacey's sister. I'm not questioning the propriety of her ruling, but wonder why the Republicans are not being more vocal. Thoughts? Is the 2022 election too close for Kemp's comfort, in view of the fact that he maintained his Secretary of State position while managing to keep Stacey from winning? and Stacey's apparent plan to run in '22?
Bruce, I'm with you about the nauseating political ads - especially the one where Perdue is commenting on a clip of AOC explaining that if the Democrats win the runoff they won't have to compromise. Perdue looks incredulous and says "no compromise? Is that what you want? They'll be in total control, take away your healthcare, spread their socialist agenda, pack the Supreme Court. . . ." I guess he isn't aware that the Republicans have had 10 years of total control, haven't compromised, tried to decimate the ACA, and have a conservative super majority in the Supreme Court that has precipitated talk by Democrats of enlarging it.
That Perdue ad is the one with the AOC clip that looks so obviously spliced to make her appear to say: "We win the elections in Georgia *splice* so we don't have to *splice* negotiate..." I would dearly love to know what she ACTUALLY said. Perdue's ads are especially odious. A writer friend of mine perfectly describes Perdue's manner of speaking as "oleaginous" (oily, smarmy, glib, etc.). I love it. Both Perdue and Loeffler's ads have been disproved and had tons of holes shot in them as to their truth/accuracy, but their campaigns and the PACs are still running them non-stop on our airwaves. Polls, which I now take with a grain of salt, show the Democrats up by around 7 percentage points in both races. That doesn't assure me, given the pollsters' dismal success rate in the general election. It remains to be seen how the 3,000,000+ voters who've already voted actually voted.
I genuinely believe ANYTHING can happen now, because no one can predict what exactly will happen now as a result of the past 48 hours. What will all this mean for Republicans in Georgia? It's a total crap-shoot. I'm expecting a nail-biter, and I expect whoever loses will contest the results. This is far from over.
I think 2022's races will be interesting to watch. Kemp and Abrams will be probably in for a rematch. However, depending on how Kemp comes through all this, there might be one or more Republicans who may take him on in the primary. Lurking over ALL this is Doug Collins. He is not going anywhere, and he is itching to get back into any form of power. A real over-ambitious, power-hungry SOB, in my opinion. Abrams only has here eyes on the governorship, as she has made very clear. She was close in 2018 and she might just get it if she gets everybody out to vote AND Republicans don't succeed in repressing too many votes. As I've said, Georgia may be the "canary in the coal mine" for Republicans as to what could happen nationally, and it has them deeply worried. As to Trump's effect? That remains to be seen. All I know is, I am TIRED of being at the epicentre of America's politics as we've been for the past couple of months!! Somebody else, PLEASE?!?
Bruce, I'm beyond fatigued! These ads can't bring votes from anyone other than their base. The Democrats' ads are much better, and often quite funny. No question that voter suppression will continue to be an issue, but Stacey Abrams is all over it. I got a call from a FairFight volunteer in California, following up on my response to a survey regarding my voting experience in this race. I had said that I was very pleased with every aspect of the experience, and that I'd been in line for about 45 minutes. The woman asked if I'd object to her contending that I had waited too long, but I was ambivalent. While Cobb County's decision to reduce the number of polling places was suspect, Gwinnett County, where I live, made all locations available. My point is that FairFight is doing everything possible to force the state to up their game. That is encouraging.
You're right, scary Doug Collins remains a threat to be dealt with, and I agree that he is lurking, waiting to seize any opportunity. It will continue to be challenging here, but is looking more hopeful than years ago, when someone at Costco commented on the Kerry sticker on my car, and we agreed that we were probably the only two Democrats in Gwinnett County.
"...we agreed that we were probably the only two Democrats in Gwinnett County." Not anymore!! Gwinnett is turning into a Democrat stronghold. I live in Hall, which continues to be virulently red. Democrats are scarce as hen's teeth up here. But, I saw a map somewhere (I think NYT) that showed the demographic shifts in the past 30 years or so. It was interesting to note how the counties surrounding the 5-county core of Atlanta had gradually shifted from red to blue. Places like Forsyth and Bartow had shifted dramatically. It wasn't so long ago ('80s) that Forsyth was pretty much all white (it, Habersham and White counties were very proudly ALL white for years when I was growing up) and they hosted KKK marches. Growing up I remember seeing in Cumming a large sign that said "N***er, don't let the sun set on YOU!" Yup, saw it with my own eyes. It has totally changed 180 degrees. As I said, I think the change that has gone on, and continues to go on, in GA (urban vs rural) may be a microcosm of what is happening in some places nationwide. I basically left the state in 1976 when I went to the Midwest to get my masters degree, then to San Francisco from '85-'88, then to Europe for 18 years. I came back to the state in 2004/05 and the changes were palpable.
I grew up in Cobb County in the 60s and 70s and had not realized how much it must have changed since I left for the West Coast in 1987. (I moved to Atlanta first, which was like a tiny oasis in a sea of Evangelical hatred of everything not straight and white.) So I was pleasantly surprised to see that it has gone blue.
And all of Forsyth County was still a Sundown Town when I left Georgia. Everyone knew it, but even as a very liberal white kid, I did not yet understand just how horrifying it was to the black folks I lived and worked with in Atlanta.
I get it a little better now. Forsyth County, Democratic? That would be welcome news.
Cobb has over 750,000 people in it now and Biden won fairly easily (by 14%). Forsyth has over 250,000 people in it now, and Trump still carried it by a 66% to 33% margin. But, not too long ago it would've been by much more. Hall has just over 200,000 in it and trump took it by a 71% to 28% margin. But, more than one-third of our population is Latinx and it is still difficult to get them to the polls. Democrats would do better here if the Latinx bloc could turn out in higher numbers. The blue color is slowly seeping out into Atlanta's outermost suburbs.
Bruce, I've lived in Metro Atlanta for over 50 years, so have seen vast changes - especially in the last 10 or so. Gwinnett has definitely changed drastically since we moved here over 40 years ago, and Cobb has been a huge surprise recently. My husband and I took a drive to the mountains a few months ago, and it was very jarring to see that just about every yard sported Trump signs, as well as local politicians, with pictures of automatic rifles below the names! However, when my sons were in high school in the 80's, I noticed a huge sign on vacant property across the street from the school, and it was a notice of a KKK rally to be held that weekend on the property! I was irate, and called the school to ask how they were handling this outrage, and they were "not aware" of it. I then called WSBTV and asked if they had heard about it, and they were not (I could tell they were shocked). It hit the 6:00 news that night, and the next morning it was announced that the sign had been taken down and the rally cancelled! Yes, times have changed, and the new Gwinnett Sheriff is Black, as is the head of the County Commission.
Try as it might to stop it, Hall County will change, following Forsyth and others nearby. However, what needs to be changed is the less overt bigotry. I think that it will change, as well, and probably because of the horrors that have been made public these last months. Let's hope so. At least the Biden administration is a start. The truth, however, is that racism isn't confined to the South. A drive from here to Boston demonstrated that Trump, and his bile, are beloved (by many) all the way up the East Coast. A childhood friend in suburban Boston is an unashamed Trumpie, and her racist views were enough for me to sever our life-long relationship. No liberalism there. If only there were a vaccine for that!
The differences between urban and rural mindsets here are absolutely striking. Get outside of the cities and it's another world. Pretty much ALL the cities in GA (Augusta, Athens, Columbus, Macon, and Savannah all went for Biden. Some of the rural counties in south and central GA that have very high Black populations also went for Biden. The Senate campaigns have been reflecting this too, as the Republicans almost dare not venture into Atlanta, concentrating out in "friendlier" parts of the state. Gwinnett is closing in on one million in population and I remember when we first moved here in 1957, going to my grandparents in Decatur and driving through Gwinnett county was like being in the outback. Times have certainly changed!
Exactly. Like the sayings go, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day..." and "The enemy of my enemy is my friend..." What he did was laudable, but never forget, he has been instrumental in GOP voter suppression tactics in GA throughout Kemp's term. Just ask Stacey Abrams. In another 18 months GA will be holding its primaries for the '22 election, which will more than likely pit Kemp against Abrams once again. And the Senate seat currently being contested by Warnock and Loeffler will be up for grabs in a proper election, with primaries and all. The thought of non-stop political ads on TV and everywhere AGAIN fills most Georgians with total dread, but it'll be interesting to see if there are any Republicans who want to go up against Kemp, and to see if Trump might have any effect on the '22 races. Again, Raffensperger was in the right here, but don't let that fool you. He's still a Georgia Republican.
I'd like everyone's opinion about the fact that Stacey Abrams sister, a judge, refused to allow Raffensperger to purge thousands of voters from the list just recently. I have read only one article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution complaining that she acted improperly, since she's Stacey's sister. I'm not questioning the propriety of her ruling, but wonder why the Republicans are not being more vocal. Thoughts? Is the 2022 election too close for Kemp's comfort, in view of the fact that he maintained his Secretary of State position while managing to keep Stacey from winning? and Stacey's apparent plan to run in '22?
Bruce, I'm with you about the nauseating political ads - especially the one where Perdue is commenting on a clip of AOC explaining that if the Democrats win the runoff they won't have to compromise. Perdue looks incredulous and says "no compromise? Is that what you want? They'll be in total control, take away your healthcare, spread their socialist agenda, pack the Supreme Court. . . ." I guess he isn't aware that the Republicans have had 10 years of total control, haven't compromised, tried to decimate the ACA, and have a conservative super majority in the Supreme Court that has precipitated talk by Democrats of enlarging it.
That Perdue ad is the one with the AOC clip that looks so obviously spliced to make her appear to say: "We win the elections in Georgia *splice* so we don't have to *splice* negotiate..." I would dearly love to know what she ACTUALLY said. Perdue's ads are especially odious. A writer friend of mine perfectly describes Perdue's manner of speaking as "oleaginous" (oily, smarmy, glib, etc.). I love it. Both Perdue and Loeffler's ads have been disproved and had tons of holes shot in them as to their truth/accuracy, but their campaigns and the PACs are still running them non-stop on our airwaves. Polls, which I now take with a grain of salt, show the Democrats up by around 7 percentage points in both races. That doesn't assure me, given the pollsters' dismal success rate in the general election. It remains to be seen how the 3,000,000+ voters who've already voted actually voted.
I genuinely believe ANYTHING can happen now, because no one can predict what exactly will happen now as a result of the past 48 hours. What will all this mean for Republicans in Georgia? It's a total crap-shoot. I'm expecting a nail-biter, and I expect whoever loses will contest the results. This is far from over.
I think 2022's races will be interesting to watch. Kemp and Abrams will be probably in for a rematch. However, depending on how Kemp comes through all this, there might be one or more Republicans who may take him on in the primary. Lurking over ALL this is Doug Collins. He is not going anywhere, and he is itching to get back into any form of power. A real over-ambitious, power-hungry SOB, in my opinion. Abrams only has here eyes on the governorship, as she has made very clear. She was close in 2018 and she might just get it if she gets everybody out to vote AND Republicans don't succeed in repressing too many votes. As I've said, Georgia may be the "canary in the coal mine" for Republicans as to what could happen nationally, and it has them deeply worried. As to Trump's effect? That remains to be seen. All I know is, I am TIRED of being at the epicentre of America's politics as we've been for the past couple of months!! Somebody else, PLEASE?!?
Bruce, I'm beyond fatigued! These ads can't bring votes from anyone other than their base. The Democrats' ads are much better, and often quite funny. No question that voter suppression will continue to be an issue, but Stacey Abrams is all over it. I got a call from a FairFight volunteer in California, following up on my response to a survey regarding my voting experience in this race. I had said that I was very pleased with every aspect of the experience, and that I'd been in line for about 45 minutes. The woman asked if I'd object to her contending that I had waited too long, but I was ambivalent. While Cobb County's decision to reduce the number of polling places was suspect, Gwinnett County, where I live, made all locations available. My point is that FairFight is doing everything possible to force the state to up their game. That is encouraging.
You're right, scary Doug Collins remains a threat to be dealt with, and I agree that he is lurking, waiting to seize any opportunity. It will continue to be challenging here, but is looking more hopeful than years ago, when someone at Costco commented on the Kerry sticker on my car, and we agreed that we were probably the only two Democrats in Gwinnett County.
"...we agreed that we were probably the only two Democrats in Gwinnett County." Not anymore!! Gwinnett is turning into a Democrat stronghold. I live in Hall, which continues to be virulently red. Democrats are scarce as hen's teeth up here. But, I saw a map somewhere (I think NYT) that showed the demographic shifts in the past 30 years or so. It was interesting to note how the counties surrounding the 5-county core of Atlanta had gradually shifted from red to blue. Places like Forsyth and Bartow had shifted dramatically. It wasn't so long ago ('80s) that Forsyth was pretty much all white (it, Habersham and White counties were very proudly ALL white for years when I was growing up) and they hosted KKK marches. Growing up I remember seeing in Cumming a large sign that said "N***er, don't let the sun set on YOU!" Yup, saw it with my own eyes. It has totally changed 180 degrees. As I said, I think the change that has gone on, and continues to go on, in GA (urban vs rural) may be a microcosm of what is happening in some places nationwide. I basically left the state in 1976 when I went to the Midwest to get my masters degree, then to San Francisco from '85-'88, then to Europe for 18 years. I came back to the state in 2004/05 and the changes were palpable.
I grew up in Cobb County in the 60s and 70s and had not realized how much it must have changed since I left for the West Coast in 1987. (I moved to Atlanta first, which was like a tiny oasis in a sea of Evangelical hatred of everything not straight and white.) So I was pleasantly surprised to see that it has gone blue.
And all of Forsyth County was still a Sundown Town when I left Georgia. Everyone knew it, but even as a very liberal white kid, I did not yet understand just how horrifying it was to the black folks I lived and worked with in Atlanta.
I get it a little better now. Forsyth County, Democratic? That would be welcome news.
Cobb has over 750,000 people in it now and Biden won fairly easily (by 14%). Forsyth has over 250,000 people in it now, and Trump still carried it by a 66% to 33% margin. But, not too long ago it would've been by much more. Hall has just over 200,000 in it and trump took it by a 71% to 28% margin. But, more than one-third of our population is Latinx and it is still difficult to get them to the polls. Democrats would do better here if the Latinx bloc could turn out in higher numbers. The blue color is slowly seeping out into Atlanta's outermost suburbs.
Bruce, I've lived in Metro Atlanta for over 50 years, so have seen vast changes - especially in the last 10 or so. Gwinnett has definitely changed drastically since we moved here over 40 years ago, and Cobb has been a huge surprise recently. My husband and I took a drive to the mountains a few months ago, and it was very jarring to see that just about every yard sported Trump signs, as well as local politicians, with pictures of automatic rifles below the names! However, when my sons were in high school in the 80's, I noticed a huge sign on vacant property across the street from the school, and it was a notice of a KKK rally to be held that weekend on the property! I was irate, and called the school to ask how they were handling this outrage, and they were "not aware" of it. I then called WSBTV and asked if they had heard about it, and they were not (I could tell they were shocked). It hit the 6:00 news that night, and the next morning it was announced that the sign had been taken down and the rally cancelled! Yes, times have changed, and the new Gwinnett Sheriff is Black, as is the head of the County Commission.
Try as it might to stop it, Hall County will change, following Forsyth and others nearby. However, what needs to be changed is the less overt bigotry. I think that it will change, as well, and probably because of the horrors that have been made public these last months. Let's hope so. At least the Biden administration is a start. The truth, however, is that racism isn't confined to the South. A drive from here to Boston demonstrated that Trump, and his bile, are beloved (by many) all the way up the East Coast. A childhood friend in suburban Boston is an unashamed Trumpie, and her racist views were enough for me to sever our life-long relationship. No liberalism there. If only there were a vaccine for that!
The differences between urban and rural mindsets here are absolutely striking. Get outside of the cities and it's another world. Pretty much ALL the cities in GA (Augusta, Athens, Columbus, Macon, and Savannah all went for Biden. Some of the rural counties in south and central GA that have very high Black populations also went for Biden. The Senate campaigns have been reflecting this too, as the Republicans almost dare not venture into Atlanta, concentrating out in "friendlier" parts of the state. Gwinnett is closing in on one million in population and I remember when we first moved here in 1957, going to my grandparents in Decatur and driving through Gwinnett county was like being in the outback. Times have certainly changed!
Oh, I should mention Cobb county as being a place of enormous change...20 years ago it was a solid GOP stronghold. No more!
Thanks for the levity in the first sentence. I needed that!