How can we protect our upcoming elections

[mahina]

Last edited Thu Mar 31, 2022, 12:44 PM - Edit history (1)

From Russia?

The upcoming elections are obviously a key vulnerability in the current context with Russia. It’s incredibly cheap and was very effective.

I acknowledge the serious threats from all of the other facets involved- voter suppression bills that make us wonder how they can stand themselves. Still, this election is vital to and Russians already have shown us to tragic ends how they work.

Thanks.

[ck4829]

1. And protect it from voter suppression as well

[mahina]

2. I think that's a separate issue, obviously very important,

And it’s going be a years long projectifwe are fortunate

But waiting for the shoe to drop from Russia all this time I woke up with the awareness for checking our elections from Putin is very very important right now and I don’t know how to help. Or what’s being done.

I don’t expect to be informed anyone doing the work but I just hope somebody is doing it and I hope they are good.

[AZProgressive]

22. I'm more worried about the local voter suppression

I use mail in ballot in Arizona and there have been so many changes I’m unsure on how I’ll be able to vote in the next election.

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. Our greatest vulnerability is not from Russia, it's from within

Hundreds of anti-voting rights laws passed and a good portion of the voting population who lack critical thinking skills and will believe anything they read on social media that fits their confirmation bias.

[Demsrule86]

7. Why not use social media to our advantage...it is not going away.

[Fiendish Thingy]

8. You mean claim the GOP eats babies? Not sure that's good branding for Dems. Nt

[Demsrule86]

19. How about going after them for their attacks on women...we can use social media to get our

stuff out and fight back...we don't have the media. What else is there? We need to learn to use it and use it well in order to fight back.

[mahina]

10. I'm aware of and support Mark Elias's work

I support him but he needs a lot more support

I am positive that a lot of the division in our society now is pumped into us by Russia to divide and conquer.

The most specific example was when Hillary Clinton was really demonized in that message and those Memes were spread by Russia targeting Bernie Sanders campaigners. (He and Elizabeth Warren were my preferred candidates before the primary and I supported and helped the Clinton campaign after the primary. I saw memes on social media of real local friends that I thought were very dark which I would never share, that journalists later exposed to have come from Russia.

[lagomorph777]

14. Agreed. Putin's not able to be as hands-on with his trolls as in 2016.

He's gotten himself in a bit of a pickle.

Meanwhile, his lackeys here have taken a lot more initiative against the country.

[Bettie]

4. How can we protect it from Republican legislatures

that have laws now indicating they can just ignore the votes and decide the outcomes by fiat.

[Demsrule86]

6. I do not believe they will do that actually. And just throwing up your hands and giving up is not an

option.

[mahina]

12. I agree that giving up is not an option but

You do recall that a bunch of the voter suppression bills literally codify the path for the state legislature to override the popular vote?

Disgusting, unthinkable, but it has passed has some republican states & signed into law by their governors.

Anybody remember which ones, because I don’t recall?

[Demsrule86]

15. sure but only one has made it into law and I doubt seriously, it will stand up to court scrutiny.

Also, this would end democracy in any state they tried it in and would doubtless cause a huge problem with the citizens. Vote Early and in person if possible, vote in person on election day if that is your only choice...in blue states, it really doesn't matter but in states where they disallow voting by mail or registration for trumped-up reasons (signature ETC) vote in person. If you can 'cure' a ballot as in Georgia then do so... fight back until we can change the laws. But don't give up and I would appreciate it if folks would basically tell voters...' we are doomed because of suppression' to knock it off...not helpful. I see the generic ballots and with hard work, and by sticking together, I believe we can hold the House and Senate ...maybe even increase our numbers a bit.

[mahina]

16. I agree!

I keep thinking how in the world do the Republicans even have a prayer with everything that they’ve done and Trump and their war against women’s health forcing us to carry pregnancy term in these red states whether we want to or not.

I totally agree with you that the doomsters are unhelpful or maybe they’re not trying to help in the first place. Onward!

[Demsrule86]

17. Totally agree with you...the Repulicans are debating whether they should kill women for having

an abortion in the legislature of Texas....unfuckingbelievable.

[Demsrule86]

5. In person voting and a huge turnout...big elections are hard to steal...also GOTV everyone needs

to get involved...and no more we are doomed posts around here. Let's work hard to elect more Democrats. Also, fund our candidates as best you can.

[Celerity]

9. get the whip hand somehow over Manchin and Sinema for starters, and pass the damn voter bills

Also, the main enemy is internal, Russia just uses pre-existing schisms and social pathologies for reflexive control and nonlinear warfare.

[Demsrule86]

18. There is no way to do that. We don't have leverage...so I suggest you consider what we can do

to help with the coming elections.

[Celerity]

20. Start with Biden doing work around EO's, even if some are struck down it shows intent

We are doing poorly with the younger cohorts (44yo and unders, especially 30yo and unders). I have documented this more than a few times, and have basically stopped do so due to the hostility I get in return from some. It has definitely had a chilling effect on me.

By 2024 just Millennials and Gen Z will equal the actual votes (not just potential voters) of Boomers and up.

Toss in Xennials (born 1977 to 1980) and we will exceed them in terms of actual votes cast.

2022 is even more of challenge to get the younger cohorts to turn out, and I do not see a whole lot setting us up for a bigger than expected turnout with with them.

Hopefully the Jan 6 hearings do a bit to help, but the feedback I am getting (and have been for some time) points to that alone not being being enough.

I know this board is much older in profile, and far more hardcore 'damn right I am going to always vote', but in the real world, it is not like that, not with the younger cohorts (especially the non political junkie ones, who make up the majority), no matter how much people try and deny it.

More than a few here are dismissive (some even hostile) in regards to some of the younger voters larger issues, and there is nothing I can do about that, other than try and bring these things to people's attention.

[Demsrule86]

21. I don't see EO's surviving court challenges...the only way out of this is to elect more Democrats.

And we don't have the numbers which is why some in Congress set out a list of EO's they want...it is the wrong approach.

[mopinko]

11. we need to learn to make truth sandwiches.

that's the advice- state the truth, expose the lie, re-state the truth.
what we should be adding is- why are they telling this lie? what does it say about how they see you, voter? they think you're stupid, a bigot, and will swallow f'ing anything.

[lagomorph777]

13. I think SineManchin have already stolen our chance to have free and fair elections.

DOJ is pretty much sleeping.

SCROTUS is activist anti-voter.

I think we're pretty well fucked now.