FWIS3

So who here is bracing themselves for another four years of Trump?

I am cautiously optimistic.

Yeah, I'm bracing. Shitty time to return to the USA, even if Cambridge, MA isn't exactly the worst place to hang out in this regard.

I do get annoyed though when I hear people already prepare with "the Democrats don't have anyone, they're gonna lose!!!1!" Like, most people don't sit around watching campaign speeches at this stage unless you literally live in Iowa and New Hampshire and that candidate is at your local diner. An election even when you hit the general election is so long I think it's still too soon to say much of anything. Especially if something big happens in the next year like the economy no longer growing or (God forbid) a terrorist attack, or who knows what else.

Speaking of New Hampshire though, I guess I'm going to start paying attention sooner than I would otherwise because plan right now is to move to New Hampshire in June for three months, and because we want to buy a car I will be getting a New Hampshire driver's license, at which point I can of course register to vote there. Even moving to Massachusetts in the fall, you get a grace period of a few months for federal elections when you move to re-register, so before my vote never counts again in Massachusetts I guess I'll be voting in the New Hampshire 2020 primary. Think I'll try to catch some candidates as they swing through on campaigns if any get close.

I'm not one to say the Democrats don't have anyone good. In fact, there is a surplus of candidates. Also, remember the last three Democratic presidents were all relatively unknown nationally a few years before they won the White House (Obama, Clinton, Carter).

That said, the GOP dirty tricks to take away voting rights has not slowed. I'm not hopeful.

what worries me is not only that but if he wins by electoral college vs. popular. That would be even uglier

Loresinger wrote:what worries me is not only that but if he wins by electoral college vs. popular. That would be even uglier

You mean like in 2016?

Definitely bracing. Have been bracing more or less since 2015, TBH, and feeling exhausted.

@geonuc, that granted, I'm never one to underestimate the Dems' ability to shoot themselves in the foot. Or to win, and then sit on their asses about crucial things because their corporate backers would prefer thousands of deaths to a drop in profit margins. Optimism is hard right now.

@Rommie, at least MA is moving a bit leftward if my perceptions are correct. But filter bubbles make that hard to evaluate sometimes.

Latest prediction is that there may be up to 20 Democratic candidates vying for the nomination. Apparently, they think that because it worked so well for the Republicans in 2016 they need to give it a shot.

SciFiFisher wrote:Latest prediction is that there may be up to 20 Democratic candidates vying for the nomination. Apparently, they think that because it worked so well for the Republicans in 2016 they need to give it a shot.

And we can only hope it's as vulgar, insulting, and ridiculous as the '16 GOP primary...

There's a difference though. They're starting a year earlier. And I think that was quite deliberate.

Thumper wrote:

SciFiFisher wrote:Latest prediction is that there may be up to 20 Democratic candidates vying for the nomination. Apparently, they think that because it worked so well for the Republicans in 2016 they need to give it a shot.

And we can only hope it's as vulgar, insulting, and ridiculous as the '16 GOP primary...

I am waiting for the momma jokes to start.