Please don't split your vote

[John Smith]

I know Biden thinks he can work with Republicans.

A Republican majority remaining in charge of the senate will be an obstacle to anything Biden wants to do, not just a 'check'

Look at the bills he democratic majority in the House has passed that died when sent to the senate.

If you want bills that raise the minimum wage, protect your right to vote, protect your vote, get control of covid, provide help to victims of covid, etc..... you're going to NEED democrats having majorities in both chambers and in the White House.

[sonofswen]

I would sooner cleave my own head.

[Paul Pless]

I know Biden thinks he can work with Republicans.

biden's an idiot and the only reason i voted for him is because he is not trump

[Rich Jones]

I haven't voted for a Republican in 49 years and I'm not about to start now.

[BrianW]

I haven't voted for a Republican in 49 years and I'm not about to start now.

How's a lifetime of Democrat voting working for the country?

[BrianW]

biden's an idiot and the only reason i voted for him is because he is not trump

If I thought the DNC was actually running Biden to be the President for 4 years, instead of a short term placeholder, I'd vote for him too.

Don't vote for another senile white guy.

[Bob (oh, THAT Bob)]

I know Biden thinks he can work with Republicans.

So did Obama. And I can understand trying for several months. But after being torpedoed doing that, he should have wised up, quickly. Obama's biggest mistake.

[Tom Montgomery]

How's a lifetime of Democrat voting working for the country?

Pretty darn good when a Democrat is actually elected.

Thanks for asking.

In 2013, economists Alan Blinder and Mark Watson — no wild-eyed liberals, they — asked a very important question: Why has the U.S. economy performed better under Democratic than Republican presidents, “almost regardless of how one measures performance”?

Start with their “performed better” assertion: it’s uncontestable. While you can easily cherry-pick brief periods and economic measures that show superior economic performance under Republicans, over any lengthy comparison period (say, 25 years more), by pretty much any economic measure, Democrats have outperformed Republicans for a century. Even Tyler Cowen, director of the Koch-brothers-funded libertarian/conservative Mercatus Center, stipulates to that fact without demur.

Here’s just one bald picture of that relative performance, showing a very basic measure, GDP growth:



The difference is big. At those rates, over thirty years your $50,000 income compounds up to $105,000 under Republicans, $182,000 under Democrats — 73% higher. (And this is all before considering distribution — whether the growing prosperity is widely enjoyed, or narrowly concentrated.)

Hundreds of similar pictures are easily assembled — different time periods, different measures, aggregate and per-capita, inflation-adjusted or not — all telling the same general story. No amount of hand-waving, smoke-blowing, and definition-quibbling will alter that reality. (If you feel you must try to debunk Blinder, Watson, and Cowen: be aware that you almost certainly don’t have an original argument. Read the paper, and follow the footnotes. You’ll also find more here, here, here, here, here, and here.)

Read the rest here: https://evonomics.com/economists-agr...eight-reasons/

So how has a lifetime of voting for Republicans been working for your country?
.

[John Smith]

How's a lifetime of Democrat voting working for the country?

That seems a rather odd question. How's electing Republicans been working out? Was G.W. a prince? Is Trump?

Are the Republicans in congress a group with integrity, honesty, or defenders of our constitution?

[John Smith]

So did Obama. And I can understand trying for several months. But after being torpedoed doing that, he should have wised up, quickly. Obama's biggest mistake.

This is NOT a reason to not vote for Biden. It is a reason to NOT vote for GOP candidates down ballot.

[Tom Montgomery]

.
I do realize that the post above was a waste of my time given that it was an attempt to present facts & reality to a Republican who voted for Donald F. Trump in 2016.

[hightop]

I'll never vote for another Republican as long as I live, their support of Trump has revealed themselves for what they are.

[Gerarddm]

SEE MY SIGNATURE.

Vote accordingly. Your country and history will thank you.

[David W Pratt]

Vermont seems pretty well governed; we have a Republican for a Governor and large majorities on Democrats in both houses

[Norman Bernstein]

How's a lifetime of Democrat voting working for the country?

If you're referring to the economy, there's NO question: at least with regard to the stock market, Democrats have resulted in a VASTLY better return.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhar.../#257e913ccb44

• Personal disposable income has grown nearly 6 times more under Democratic presidents
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown 7 times more under Democratic presidents
• Corporate profits have grown over 16% more per year under Democratic presidents (they actually declined under Republicans by an average of 4.53%/year)
• Average annual compound return on the stock market has been 18 times greater under Democratic presidents (If you invested $100k for 40 years of Republican administrations you had $126k at the end, if you invested $100k for 40 years of Democrat administrations you had $3.9M at the end)
• Republican presidents added 2.5 times more to the national debt than Democratic presidents
• The two times the economy steered into the ditch (Great Depression and Great Recession) were during Republican, laissez faire administrations

From 1952 through June 2020, annualized real stock market returns under Democrats have been 10.6% compared with 4.8% for Republicans.

[Tom Lathrop]

biden's an idiot and the only reason i voted for him is because he is not trump

Reason enough to get that wanna be dictator out. But I wish you might explain why Biden is an idiot. As far as politicians go Biden is in the upper echelon of one to trust (but verify). We are in deep ****e hole and it will take many many shovels to dig us out. In addition to your vote, will you use your shovel and sweat to help the populace out? Or, do we look forward to a time of complaint.

Sorry, but your statement calls for it.

[sonofswen]

Hopefully a split in the Democratic party will not happen along the lines of Bernie supporters vs. H. Clinton. Biden does not have all the baggage of Clinton but I continue to see progressives holding back a bit on support for Biden. A recent article by the NYT pranced around and about that so called issue. Myself, I am coming from the point of view of "anyone with a brain" vs. T., well almost.

Still, some of the issues are among those Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris themselves disagreed on during the Democratic primary race, presenting a particularly thorny challenge for Ms. Harris as she tried to defend Mr. Biden on the debate stage against Republican attacks.
Complicating matters for Mr. Biden is the pressure he continues to face from the left, which views him as an imperfect steward for the party. In fact, Mr. Biden has been reluctant to support transformative policies favored by the left, like expanding the size of the Supreme Court or supporting the Green New Deal.

Mr. Sanders endorsed former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and called for his supporters to do the same, his announcement was met with healthy skepticism by some in his own base. Top surrogates like Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Pramila Jayapal of Washington said they would not immediately echo his actions. Leaders of progressive grass-roots groups signaled they wanted to see more policy concessions from Mr. Biden.
Some members of the Sanders campaign staff clarified that their former boss was speaking for himself.

[Tom Lathrop]

Republicans have made a deal with Faustus and now they must live with the result. I've voted for both and have followed their programs since Roosevelt tried to shovel us out of the great depression with variable results until the economy was salvaged by WW2. In spite of their prosperity claims, the data given by Tom Montgomery show a clear economic advantage for a democratic administration. There are some other data that show this to not be a direct result of democratic party policies but the numbers do not lie about the result.

People believing that republicans are better at managing the people's economy are drinking too much Koolaid. While trump's praises the stock market performance, he simply does not understand that the stock market is not the economy that shows how millions of people live with their shrinking value of a paycheck.

[WI-Tom]

Hopefully a split in the Democratic party will not happen along the lines of Bernie supporters vs. H. Clinton. Biden does not have all the baggage of Clinton but I continue to see progressives holding back a bit on support for Biden.

You have that backwards. Biden and the Democratic party are holding back--and more than a bit--on support for progressive voters (and, in fact, for virtually ALL Americans). Exhibit A: Biden's tax proposals, which don't even return corporate tax rates to pre-Trump levels, much less do anything to curb the exponentially increasing inequity in the division of wealth.

I'm still voting for Biden, no question--but not really. He doesn't represent me or my values. I'm really voting AGAINST Trump.

Tom

[Nicholas Carey]

I know Biden thinks he can work with Republicans.

I doubt very much that Biden believes he can work with the GOP. He watched Obama spend 8 years trying very hard to just that.

I doubt very much that Mr. Biden is under any misapprehensions whatsoever regarding the possibilities of compromise.

[sonofswen]

You have that backwards. Biden and the Democratic party are holding back--and more than a bit--on support for progressive voters (and, in fact, for virtually ALL Americans). Exhibit A: Biden's tax proposals, which don't even return corporate tax rates to pre-Trump levels, much less do anything to curb the exponentially increasing inequity in the division of wealth.

I'm still voting for Biden, no question--but not really. He doesn't represent me or my values. I'm really voting AGAINST Trump.

Tom

Yeah, that sounds right Tom. I totally agree....get the Crassturd out...

[John Smith]

Vermont seems pretty well governed; we have a Republican for a Governor and large majorities on Democrats in both houses

That appears to be the exception. Wisconsin, I believe, Republicans overroad governor's covid measures. In Pa. Republican legislature is fighting governor over drop boxes.

In DC, Republicans in the senate made it there policy to simply block anything Obama wanted to do. Biden was VP at the time.

Meanwhile, democrats in our congress support laws that make it easier to vote, that protect your vote, and protect your right to vote. They have passed legislation to raise minimum wage. They want to address gun violence. They've passed Covid relief.

Where's all this stuff died without debate?

[John Smith]

You have that backwards. Biden and the Democratic party are holding back--and more than a bit--on support for progressive voters (and, in fact, for virtually ALL Americans). Exhibit A: Biden's tax proposals, which don't even return corporate tax rates to pre-Trump levels, much less do anything to curb the exponentially increasing inequity in the division of wealth.

I'm still voting for Biden, no question--but not really. He doesn't represent me or my values. I'm really voting AGAINST Trump.

Tom

You all talk about this stuff as if Biden can do it without congress.

[John Smith]

I doubt very much that Biden believes he can work with the GOP. He watched Obama spend 8 years trying very hard to just that.

I doubt very much that Mr. Biden is under any misapprehensions whatsoever regarding the possibilities of compromise.

He talks as if he believes they'll cooperate, which scares me, as it gives cover to those who vote for him to also vote for them, and if they keep the senate majority, he'll get NOTHING done.

[WI-Tom]

You all talk about this stuff as if Biden can do it without congress.

In fact, Biden CAN--and HAS--presented his tax proposal without congress. You can't blame congress for HIS plan.

Tom

[Tom Lathrop]

He talks as if he believes they'll cooperate, which scares me, as it gives cover to those who vote for him to also vote for them, and if they keep the senate majority, he'll get NOTHING done.

Nothing is a sight better than the hidden stuff that republicans have been able to pass. The have systematically dismantled gobs of protections that democrats put in place over their objections. Republicans have fought every one of the programs that the rest of us enjoy today. How many of the trumpists really dislike clean air, water, drug protections, food inspections or higher mileage cars and a host of other. Can they really hate the "others" that bad?

[BrianW]

That seems a rather odd question. How's electing Republicans been working out? Was G.W. a prince? Is Trump?

Are the Republicans in congress a group with integrity, honesty, or defenders of our constitution?

So why vote for them? Vote for Jo Jo.

Vote for change.

[Garret]

That appears to be the exception. Wisconsin, I believe, Republicans overroad governor's covid measures. In Pa. Republican legislature is fighting governor over drop boxes.

In DC, Republicans in the senate made it there policy to simply block anything Obama wanted to do. Biden was VP at the time.

Meanwhile, democrats in our congress support laws that make it easier to vote, that protect your vote, and protect your right to vote. They have passed legislation to raise minimum wage. They want to address gun violence. They've passed Covid relief.

Where's all this stuff died without debate?

VT's Governor is an old school moderate Rep - as New England has produced for years & Mass. has a similar governor. Ours is anti-Trump & has listened to the experts on the plague- though I wish he weren't so cautious on renewable energy. However, we don't have the rabid Reps that Wisconsin & some other states have. Actually, there are few of the truly rabid Reps in New England.

[John Smith]

In fact, Biden CAN--and HAS--presented his tax proposal without congress. You can't blame congress for HIS plan.

Tom

Can he pass it without congress?

[WI-Tom]

Can he pass it without congress?

It doesn't matter. He isn't even TRYING to do anything worthwhile. He is a creature of the status quo, not willing to help anyone but the wealthy.

Tom

[Tom Montgomery]

So why vote for them? Vote for Jo Jo.

Vote for change.

You voted for change in 2016. How did that work out for the country?

[oznabrag]

How's a lifetime of Democrat voting working for the country?

A lot better than a lifetime of Republican sedition, that's for sure.

[Bob (oh, THAT Bob)]

This is NOT a reason to not vote for Biden. It is a reason to NOT vote for GOP candidates down ballot.

No arguments from me on that, I'm voting for Biden. I just hope he doesn't make the same mistakes as Obama. Don't get me wrong, I do NOT have a problem with the ACA or other stuff passed by Obama. His mistakes were a) trying to accommodate republicans, b) bunting on policy instead of swinging for the fences, c) having the same Goldman-Sachs trained economic advisors as the republicans, d) not prosecuting those who committed frauds that lead to the financial crisis of 2008.