The endless prognostications about what recent polling tells us are useless. For at least three weeks now this race has come down to how perhaps 65,000 people in a very few battleground states vote. The rest of the polling doesn’t tell us a single thing. If you live in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, etc. then your vote matters. But if you live in Ohio, New York or California, I hate to tell you but your vote is literally meaningless since all of those states have outcomes that are preordained.
But, I suppose all the endless ruminations on Substack and elsewhere make people feel like they have some meaning in their lives. They would frankly be far better off going to the gym and working up a sweat.
Thanks for reading and for the comment. Yes, it is really interesting that this comes down to a few states. It ended up being more than 65k votes in PA.
I did run a 10 mile race on Sunday, mostly to take a break from the internet.
Swing state or not swing state, voters need to talk to neighbors and understand the divides. Also, the down ballot races in all states are important, those are the pipeline of candidates to the higher offices.
Thanks for reading and for researching the parade. I was wondering why more had not been posted. I will dig into this a bit more. Are you in Western PA?
Nope…a few hours upstate NY…but a few years ago I studied at and taught at a college in the Lehigh Valley…and became a little obsessed with this weirdest of states
I do think there is power in campaigning around reproductive choice restrictions, but I was making the point that because it had not been banned in PA, I didn't think it would move the needle as much as it did in Iowa.
Also, as someone who often puts on YouTube in the background, the ads around choice just felt tone death. The choice issue is tricky to run ads on.
I moved away years ago, but I am glad to hear Ritter's Diner still exists. Doesn't look like it's changed one iota since I've been there, either. Nice.
I have a friend canvassing in Philly. What she texted me is very similar to what you described.
TJ Watt for Secretary of Defense.
The endless prognostications about what recent polling tells us are useless. For at least three weeks now this race has come down to how perhaps 65,000 people in a very few battleground states vote. The rest of the polling doesn’t tell us a single thing. If you live in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, etc. then your vote matters. But if you live in Ohio, New York or California, I hate to tell you but your vote is literally meaningless since all of those states have outcomes that are preordained.
But, I suppose all the endless ruminations on Substack and elsewhere make people feel like they have some meaning in their lives. They would frankly be far better off going to the gym and working up a sweat.
Thanks for reading and for the comment. Yes, it is really interesting that this comes down to a few states. It ended up being more than 65k votes in PA.
I did run a 10 mile race on Sunday, mostly to take a break from the internet.
Swing state or not swing state, voters need to talk to neighbors and understand the divides. Also, the down ballot races in all states are important, those are the pipeline of candidates to the higher offices.
Couldn’t agree more.
Now I am bummed :(
Thank you for reading. I wrote this to try to connect the dots and help others see what they might not be seeing/hearing.
my take on the parade
https://peterrichmond.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/151084773?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fhome%3Futm_source%3Dmenu
Thanks for reading and for researching the parade. I was wondering why more had not been posted. I will dig into this a bit more. Are you in Western PA?
Nope…a few hours upstate NY…but a few years ago I studied at and taught at a college in the Lehigh Valley…and became a little obsessed with this weirdest of states
I wonder if you’re underestimating the power of reproductive choice restrictions as an incentive to turnout, regardless of PA’s relative “safety”?
I do think there is power in campaigning around reproductive choice restrictions, but I was making the point that because it had not been banned in PA, I didn't think it would move the needle as much as it did in Iowa.
Also, as someone who often puts on YouTube in the background, the ads around choice just felt tone death. The choice issue is tricky to run ads on.
I second this. Republicans have been talking about a national ban since Roe was overturned. I think this issue resonates and motivates everywhere.
I moved away years ago, but I am glad to hear Ritter's Diner still exists. Doesn't look like it's changed one iota since I've been there, either. Nice.
I've not been to Ritters in a bit. But it is still there and I think still looks the same.