• Newsom: Democracy is Only a Good Thing When Democrats Win

    From BTR1701@atropos@mac.com to rec.arts.tv on Sat May 23 20:53:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    California's primary system advances the top two vote-getters to the general election regardless of party. With a large number of Democrat candidates (around a dozen or more) potentially splitting the Democrat vote, and a just two prominent Republicans (Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco) polling strongly, there is concern (and panic) that Republicans could finish in the top two-- leaving no Democrat on the November ballot for governor.

    Newsom was asked about this during a recent press conference and he responded that there's an emergency "break the glass" contingency plan that involves the use of state agencies to prevent Democrats from being locked out of the race.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AAOdt2uRmmY

    Democrats originally supported this top-two primary system (passed in 2010) precisely to marginalize and shut out Republicans in this deep blue state. Now that they're the ones facing a shut out, suddenly democracy no longer matters and vague and shadowy state agencies will step in and remove the people from deciding things.

    It's okay to shut out Republicans from an election, but not Democrats. No, Democrats are special, you see, so there are special rules to protect them.


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BTR1701@atropos@mac.com to rec.arts.tv on Sat May 23 20:53:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    California's primary system advances the top two vote-getters to the general election regardless of party. With a large number of Democrat candidates (around a dozen or more) potentially splitting the Democrat vote, and a just two prominent Republicans (Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco) polling strongly, there is concern (and panic) that Republicans could finish in the top two-- leaving no Democrat on the November ballot for governor.

    Newsom was asked about this during a recent press conference and he responded that there's an emergency "break the glass" contingency plan that involves the use of state agencies to prevent Democrats from being locked out of the race.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AAOdt2uRmmY

    Democrats originally supported this top-two primary system (passed in 2010) precisely to marginalize and shut out Republicans in this deep blue state. Now that they're the ones facing a shut out, suddenly democracy no longer matters and vague and shadowy state agencies will step in and remove the people from deciding things.

    It's okay to shut out Republicans from an election, but not Democrats. No, Democrats are special, you see, so there are special rules to protect them.


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam H. Kerman@ahk@chinet.com to rec.arts.tv on Sun May 24 03:50:12 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    California's primary system advances the top two vote-getters to the general >election regardless of party. With a large number of Democrat candidates >(around a dozen or more) potentially splitting the Democrat vote, and a just >two prominent Republicans (Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco) polling strongly, >there is concern (and panic) that Republicans could finish in the top two-- >leaving no Democrat on the November ballot for governor.

    Newsom was asked about this during a recent press conference and he responded >that there's an emergency "break the glass" contingency plan that involves the >use of state agencies to prevent Democrats from being locked out of the race.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AAOdt2uRmmY

    Democrats originally supported this top-two primary system (passed in 2010) >precisely to marginalize and shut out Republicans in this deep blue state. Now >that they're the ones facing a shut out, suddenly democracy no longer matters >and vague and shadowy state agencies will step in and remove the people from >deciding things.

    It's okay to shut out Republicans from an election, but not Democrats. No, >Democrats are special, you see, so there are special rules to protect them.

    This isn't a primary; there is no primary at all. California hardly
    innovated it. Most southern states use it or something very similar.
    I've never had the impression that the motivation was to guarantee
    domination by a single party. If anything, it makes it possible to run
    as a third party candidate without the expense of a primary nearly no
    one will participate in.

    California should have gone all the way. Even if a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round -- I don't know if this ever
    happened -- there's still a top-two runoff in November.

    My objection is to the top-two runoff as that forces a phony majority.

    I blame primaries for nominating candidates who reject centrism, so both parties tend to nominate nutcases.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BTR1701@atropos@mac.com to rec.arts.tv on Sun May 24 20:35:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    On May 23, 2026 at 8:50:12 PM PDT, ""Adam H. Kerman"" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    California's primary system advances the top two vote-getters to the general >> election regardless of party. With a large number of Democrat candidates
    (around a dozen or more) potentially splitting the Democrat vote, and a just >> two prominent Republicans (Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco) polling strongly, >> there is concern (and panic) that Republicans could finish in the top two-- >> leaving no Democrat on the November ballot for governor.

    Newsom was asked about this during a recent press conference and he responded
    that there's an emergency "break the glass" contingency plan that involves >> the
    use of state agencies to prevent Democrats from being locked out of the race.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AAOdt2uRmmY

    Democrats originally supported this top-two primary system (passed in 2010) >> precisely to marginalize and shut out Republicans in this deep blue state. >> Now
    that they're the ones facing a shut out, suddenly democracy no longer matters
    and vague and shadowy state agencies will step in and remove the people from >> deciding things.

    It's okay to shut out Republicans from an election, but not Democrats. No, >> Democrats are special, you see, so there are special rules to protect them.

    This isn't a primary; there is no primary at all. California hardly
    innovated it. Most southern states use it or something very similar.
    I've never had the impression that the motivation was to guarantee
    domination by a single party. If anything, it makes it possible to run
    as a third party candidate without the expense of a primary nearly no
    one will participate in.

    California should have gone all the way. Even if a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round -- I don't know if this ever
    happened -- there's still a top-two runoff in November.

    My objection is to the top-two runoff as that forces a phony majority.

    I blame primaries for nominating candidates who reject centrism, so both parties tend to nominate nutcases.

    I've been seeing a *bunch* of tweets saying things like, "I'm gonna go to L.A. and vote for Pratt on Election Day. I mean, how will they know I don't live there? What are they gonna do? Ask me for my ID?"


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From shawn@nanoflower@notforg.m.a.i.l.com to rec.arts.tv on Sun May 24 16:40:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    On Sun, 24 May 2026 20:35:51 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
    wrote:

    On May 23, 2026 at 8:50:12 PM PDT, ""Adam H. Kerman"" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    California's primary system advances the top two vote-getters to the general
    election regardless of party. With a large number of Democrat candidates >>> (around a dozen or more) potentially splitting the Democrat vote, and a just
    two prominent Republicans (Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco) polling strongly, >>> there is concern (and panic) that Republicans could finish in the top two-- >>> leaving no Democrat on the November ballot for governor.

    Newsom was asked about this during a recent press conference and he responded
    that there's an emergency "break the glass" contingency plan that involves >>> the
    use of state agencies to prevent Democrats from being locked out of the race.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AAOdt2uRmmY

    Democrats originally supported this top-two primary system (passed in 2010) >>> precisely to marginalize and shut out Republicans in this deep blue state. >>> Now
    that they're the ones facing a shut out, suddenly democracy no longer matters
    and vague and shadowy state agencies will step in and remove the people from
    deciding things.

    It's okay to shut out Republicans from an election, but not Democrats. No, >>> Democrats are special, you see, so there are special rules to protect them. >>
    This isn't a primary; there is no primary at all. California hardly
    innovated it. Most southern states use it or something very similar.
    I've never had the impression that the motivation was to guarantee
    domination by a single party. If anything, it makes it possible to run
    as a third party candidate without the expense of a primary nearly no
    one will participate in.

    California should have gone all the way. Even if a candidate receives a
    majority of the vote in the first round -- I don't know if this ever
    happened -- there's still a top-two runoff in November.

    My objection is to the top-two runoff as that forces a phony majority.

    I blame primaries for nominating candidates who reject centrism, so both
    parties tend to nominate nutcases.

    I've been seeing a *bunch* of tweets saying things like, "I'm gonna go to L.A. >and vote for Pratt on Election Day. I mean, how will they know I don't live >there? What are they gonna do? Ask me for my ID?"


    And an equal number of tweets calling them idiots. Mostly for not
    realizing (or admitting) that they can't vote if not registered to
    vote.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam H. Kerman@ahk@chinet.com to rec.arts.tv on Sun May 24 20:56:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    I've been seeing a *bunch* of tweets saying things like, "I'm gonna go to L.A. >and vote for Pratt on Election Day. I mean, how will they know I don't live >there? What are they gonna do? Ask me for my ID?"

    Uh, ID isn't required to register to vote? Since when can someone vote
    without registering (except in North Dakota)?

    My state's voter registration requirements, including ID, implement
    federal Motor Voter law. Before Motor Voter, there was no application.
    With ID, one registered with a registrar. There was a three part state
    form, one part of which became the voter registration record used at the precinct. Since Motor Voter, there is an application and one isn't
    registered till a back-office procedure finds you on the combined
    driver's license/SSN database used in voter registration under federal
    law.

    Once again, not buying that this is a massive opportunity for fraud,
    unlike the mass distribution of unsolicited ballots by mail.

    But yes, every presidential year, I consider somehow moving to a swing
    state so my vote counts.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BTR1701@atropos@mac.com to rec.arts.tv on Sun May 24 21:03:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    On May 24, 2026 at 1:56:56 PM PDT, ""Adam H. Kerman"" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    I've been seeing a *bunch* of tweets saying things like, "I'm gonna go to
    L.A.
    and vote for Pratt on Election Day. I mean, how will they know I don't live >> there? What are they gonna do? Ask me for my ID?"

    Uh, ID isn't required to register to vote? Since when can someone vote without registering (except in North Dakota)?

    Well, to further streamline and facilitate the voter fraud, we have same-day registration here, so...


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BTR1701@atropos@mac.com to rec.arts.tv on Sun May 24 21:06:12 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    On May 24, 2026 at 1:40:37 PM PDT, "shawn" <nanoflower@notforg.m.a.i.l.com> wrote:

    On Sun, 24 May 2026 20:35:51 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
    wrote:

    On May 23, 2026 at 8:50:12 PM PDT, ""Adam H. Kerman"" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    California's primary system advances the top two vote-getters to the general
    election regardless of party. With a large number of Democrat candidates >>>> (around a dozen or more) potentially splitting the Democrat vote, and a just
    two prominent Republicans (Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco) polling strongly,
    there is concern (and panic) that Republicans could finish in the top two--
    leaving no Democrat on the November ballot for governor.

    Newsom was asked about this during a recent press conference and he
    responded
    that there's an emergency "break the glass" contingency plan that involves
    the
    use of state agencies to prevent Democrats from being locked out of the >>>> race.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AAOdt2uRmmY

    Democrats originally supported this top-two primary system (passed in 2010)
    precisely to marginalize and shut out Republicans in this deep blue state.
    Now
    that they're the ones facing a shut out, suddenly democracy no longer >>>> matters
    and vague and shadowy state agencies will step in and remove the people from
    deciding things.

    It's okay to shut out Republicans from an election, but not Democrats. No,
    Democrats are special, you see, so there are special rules to protect them.

    This isn't a primary; there is no primary at all. California hardly
    innovated it. Most southern states use it or something very similar.
    I've never had the impression that the motivation was to guarantee
    domination by a single party. If anything, it makes it possible to run
    as a third party candidate without the expense of a primary nearly no
    one will participate in.

    California should have gone all the way. Even if a candidate receives a >>> majority of the vote in the first round -- I don't know if this ever
    happened -- there's still a top-two runoff in November.

    My objection is to the top-two runoff as that forces a phony majority.

    I blame primaries for nominating candidates who reject centrism, so both >>> parties tend to nominate nutcases.

    I've been seeing a *bunch* of tweets saying things like, "I'm gonna go to
    L.A.
    and vote for Pratt on Election Day. I mean, how will they know I don't live >> there? What are they gonna do? Ask me for my ID?"

    And an equal number of tweets calling them idiots. Mostly for not
    realizing (or admitting) that they can't vote if not registered to
    vote.

    They don't understand the extent of the fix the Dems have engineered into the system. E.g., we also have same-day voter registration.


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam H. Kerman@ahk@chinet.com to rec.arts.tv on Sun May 24 21:40:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
    May 24, 2026 at 1:40:37 PM PDT, shawn <nanoflower@notforg.m.a.i.l.com> wrote: >>Sun, 24 May 2026 20:35:51 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    . . .

    I've been seeing a *bunch* of tweets saying things like, "I'm gonna
    go to L.A. and vote for Pratt on Election Day. I mean, how will they >>>know I don't live there? What are they gonna do? Ask me for my ID?"

    And an equal number of tweets calling them idiots. Mostly for not
    realizing (or admitting) that they can't vote if not registered to
    vote.

    They don't understand the extent of the fix the Dems have engineered into the >system. E.g., we also have same-day voter registration.

    My state allows registration at the polling site serving the residence with
    two forms of ID required under Motor Voter. If the person applying to vote cannot satisfy the ID requirement, he votes a provisional ballot which
    does not get cast. It's held till he provides proper ID. If he doesn't,
    the ballot does not get cast. This is all under federal law.

    You haven't convinced me this is real or a problem of any kind.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam H. Kerman@ahk@chinet.com to rec.arts.tv on Sun May 24 21:48:13 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
    On May 24, 2026 at 1:56:56 PM PDT, Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote: >>BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    I've been seeing a *bunch* of tweets saying things like, "I'm gonna
    go to L.A. and vote for Pratt on Election Day. I mean, how will they >>>know I don't live there? What are they gonna do? Ask me for my ID?"

    Uh, ID isn't required to register to vote? Since when can someone vote >>without registering (except in North Dakota)?

    Well, to further streamline and facilitate the voter fraud, we have same-day >registration here, so...

    You still haven't stated for a fact that California law fails to
    implement federal Motor Voter in state law.

    When I was an election judge, my county used Dominion terminals for the electronic poll book and voter registration. It makes a connection with
    the state database, combined of drivers' licenses and SSNs, required by
    Motor Voter. With the required two pieces of ID, the lookup is instant
    and the voter is identified.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2