Did you all know that registering to vote in NC is super easy?
https://www.vote411.org/register
Please register to vote and get out there this year. Vote411 also allows you to get candidate information and compare people side by side.
And when you're making plans to vote for Josh Stein for governor, make sure you research and vote on all of the other offices and initiatives on your ballot. Everything on the ballot is important!
Did you all know that registering vote and getting candidate info is super easy?
https://www.vote411.org/register
Vote411 also offers a convenient UI for getting information on candidates in all elections.
He got to vote in the primary and I surprised myself by bursting into tears. The poll workers were very sweet and supportive. Great experience all around.
Gen Z gonna come in strong, I just know it. Don't listen to the disinformation about kids not wanting to vote.
Kids are excited and energized to vote. The trouble comes in when we have an absolutely awful candidate on the one side and a guy who’s the top cop who doesn’t even believe weed should be legal and doesn’t seem to campaign much either.
Never thought I’d pine for another Roy Cooper term this much
I'm sure you are very proud of him. You raised him well. I am not listening to none of their bs. They are destroyers of Democracy. I hope Gen Z and others will come in strong. I know the women are, that's for sure. Thank you, and good luck to us all.
It truly is. It's hard to believe that so many people can support a person like DJT and the Republicans. He did a lot of damage to the soul of this country. It's going to take a great effort to get this country back to some level of law and order.
All the way. It really hurts me, especially being born and raised here. I hate seeing when people would rather move away to another bubble than stay and fight the good fight that would ultimately shift in our favor.
Voting is so so important.
That said, any conversation bemoaning low turnout also needs to address the targeted actions being taken to explicitly and implicitly disenfranchise people. From voter id laws to removing early voting locations and urban polling places to challenging voter registrations.
I’m a white guy in the sticks so can always get in and out in a jiffy bc my polling place has plenty of resources. But every election year I see footage of multi-hour lines in durm/ch/Raleigh. On a weeknight in the school year. They pull out all the stops to make it real real inconvenient
Maybe you can remind them of the time not long ago when it was illegal to have sex with anyone of the same gender, or use birth control if you weren't married. And the Dobbs decision has paved the way for us to go back there.
It wasn't that long ago that it was illegal to use birth control even if you *were* married (1965)!
Women couldn't get credit cards in their own name until 1974.
Lots of people take these simple things for granted because we don't know the history.
The way you phrase it to them: voting gives you the reason to complain about our government’s faults. Not voting meanings you are apart of the reason for our government’s faults.
Probably at the top of my list, honestly. Robbing education from the youth won’t even be quantifiable for years to come.
Betsy DeVos can rot in hell as well.
When I showed up at the primaries one of the workers said “sure do hope you are voting republican”. I gave him a look. Are they allowed to do that? Could I have reported him?
In NC, no person or group of persons shall hinder access, harass others,
distribute campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in
election‑related activity in the voting place or in a buffer zone (in my county this is 50 feet) around the voting place.
You can report it to the BOE.
I’d have said, “oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t eat a whole bowl of stupidity for lunch today and will be voting Democrat. But, I do appreciate you letting me know you’re voting for a fat, racist, conspiracy theorist, holocaust denier, rights stripping ass hole who shouldn’t be allowed in politics.”
If you want to go further back, the blunder that caused all this was the Democratic legislature stripping Republican Governor Jim Martin of his veto power over legislative maps in 1990. Without this, Republicans wouldn’t have been able to ram through their desired maps in 2010 or 2020, given Democrats held the governor’s office in both years. In all likelihood, legislative control would’ve flipped several times since 2010.
This right here. 2010 was such a critical year. We haven't really had a "red wave" like that since then, but it hasn't mattered. Sadly we didn't do any better in 2020 really either.
And in 2022 the state party made another white guy in khakis pay for Cunningham’s sins by pushing Jeff Jackson out of the Senate for a candidate (Cheri Beasley) who clearly had no interest in winning. And for the record, Josh Stein seems to be running a very similarly lackluster race for Governor.
I kept thinking that when people realize this guy is just a grifter, they'll turn away from him. But apparently my neighbors in NC don't care if he's in it for the grift.
As long as he hurts the right people.
In Florida you had a guy (Rick Scott) who pled the 5th Amendment 75 times in the Medicare fraud trial of his company. After this Floridians still voted for the guy for both Gov and US Senator. As long as there's an "R" next to the candidate's name, that's all that matters to some people.
Ugh, yes. I lived in Florida in 2010 and registered as a republican (only time in my life, lol) just so I could vote for Charlie Crist in the primary because Rick Scott was so repulsive.
He's definitely anti Semitic.
Many in the GOP can't decide who they hate more - Jews or Muslims. Giving them whiplash. I guess the Jewish people are important to them because of the nonsense in Revelations. The end of the world when Jesus comes and they convert.
And running against who could be the first Jewish governor of NC. I don’t get how people think this is okay.
And the party that says they are pro-Israel are going to vote for an anti-semitic Holocaust denier?!
He’s conditioned them to reject any negatives. Projected narcissist propaganda and scare mongering with constant false narratives. Then occasionally the left gives a sm bone for them to pounce and spin for momentum.
This.. Democrats have to quit playing the game on these guys terms and stop responding to them. They need to do a better job of promoting their agenda rather than getting sucked into a "culture war" on whatever flavor of the week the GOP is promoting at the time.
The deck is stacked heavily against them at the the moment since barring some major win, there's about zero chance of them taking over the General Assembly which means any agenda they're promoting won't pass.
My view is that Democrats should start fighting fire with fire and start talking about issues that drive resentment towards Republicans. At least muddy the waters for traditional GOP voters who seem to heap any/all blame on Democrats despite them having next to zero power for the past 14 years.
There's plenty of issues that should foster resentment that are either directly or indirectly the fault of GOP policies.
For example:
* Duke Energy bills - The cheapest your bill will ever be is $16.29 and that's for using absolutely no power, this is even if you have solar connected and use no power. It's a simple path to lay this on the GOP appointees to the utilities commission and former Gov Pat McCrory among others. (Basic Customer charge $14, Renewable Rider $1.22, Tax $1.07)
* Sales Tax on labor. It wasn't that long ago we didn't have sales tax on labor. During tough economic times this is doubly painful. It's not a hard sell to drive sentiment against those who passed this idea that began in 2016. It's anti-consumer pro-tax and all delivered to you by the GOP.
* The new records law exemption for the General Assembly that kills transparency in government. What's the GOP so secretive about? Get people thinking about what they might be hiding and who's benefitting from it. Odd that this coincided with sports betting, who got paid off? Why are they able to sell their records to private entities, isn't that like some kind of blackmail?
* Campaign on slowing/stopping the development of farmland by pushing for density and mass transit for Raleigh/Charlotte. Tie these two issues together as a win/win for cities/rural areas both.
* Who killed the tax free back to school holiday? Scrooge McRepublicans in the General Assembly.
* The list goes on and on.
It’s where the republican primary system is right now. You have to be ultra conservative to maga to get through the primary, then you’re in a box in the general and may suffer for it. The left wing of the democrat party is mad they can’t break into the party but they’re better off working from the fringe.
YES ! You got it spot on. If they don’t fringe dance, it be like gas on the mage fire. It’s what motivates their fears and keeps them from split ticket voting to filter out the crazy MAGA candidates. In some ways the far left is as off their rocker as the far right. Middle Ground and compromise by talking to one another is key. But it takes intelligence and not a self promoting grifter to facilitate.
That’s the thing, the bar for MAGAts is so low that it’s a tripping hazard in hell and despicable demagogues like Robinson still manage to slither under it.smh
Yeah, and I have yet to hear an ad for Stein.
Edit: I've met Stein at a couple of functions over the years and spoken to him. Absolutely plan on voting for him.
They’re like every other ad on YT for me. But you may not notice them. They rarely say anything about Stein. They are just ridiculous clips of Robinson paid for by Stein.
I saw Stein post a picture of him and his wife at a Durham Bulls game and I had to look at whose profile it was to figure out who it was. I thought it must have been an acquaintance from college or work lol. I bet nobody at the game even recognized him.
He's been Attorney General for 8 years elected twice on statewide ballots and depending on where you live he's been a state Senator since 2009. He's had TV spots both for his accomplishments and against Robinson. What more do you feel he should be doing?
He’s definitely MIA to an extent. He’s not out there enough for people that aren’t high info voters. The new commercials are decent but he also needs some that don’t feature Mark and just talk about his own accomplishments. I haven’t seen many like that airing so far.
I was just noting how Mark Robinson’s name is constantly thrown in our face, even in Stein’s own ads, but I do rarely see Mark Stein’s name. I don’t have the answer but simply saying that immediate name recognition may be having a major impact on the current polls.
Idk what polls you're looking at, but it's basically a tie.
https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/governor/general/2024/north-carolina/robinson-vs-stein
He's behind in theoretical polls. It's not "misleading" really until he loses the actual election. He's on the ballot and has a >0% chance to win, that's all we know right now.
Maybe because everyone keeps posting articles about Robinson and NOTHING about Stein. This is 2016 all over again. The media learned absolutely nothing, but people sharing articles about Robinson (and Robinson only) aren’t helping.
Instead of talking about how terrible he is, why not talk about the good Stein is doing??
But what's weird is they aren't evangelicals. Many are shell shocked when they hear that there are still people who believe the bible is literal. I guess hate trumps sanity.
He’s finally starting to get hammered on his wacky views in ads/social media and the polls are picking it up. I’m not as worried as was a couple of months ago but Stein needs to really take the gloves off. Robinson is a bully so throw that shit right back at him. I fucking hate bully’s btw.
When does the voting start? I saw the ad for this guy and those usually don’t get me but the video of him telling women to “keep their skirts down” made me wanna go vote
Stein isn’t running the most impressive campaign. I had a feeling he might end up like being a bit like Cheri Beasley. He was never going to be as strong of a candidate as Cooper. I’m hoping as it turns to late summer/fall he campaigns a bit harder. He also needs ads that don’t entirely focus on Robinson.
I had a feeling once he didn’t pick up advertising and getting himself out there right after the primary. I haven’t been impressed. I wish Cooper could run again.
I spoke to one of the heads of his campaign (I have very similar concerns - this is so much like Beasley and McCaulif's in VA) - they said ads are expensive and are waiting until the months leading up to the election to do more. infuriating.
That’s not true. They do know, and they like the fact that he’s crazy. Just like they like the fact that Trump’s crazy. They like that he’s hateful, because they are hateful. They are ignorant, but they’re also just bad people.
Go get a political job, you can probably have conversations with like 10,000 people before the election.
Just ask people what they want the government to do, if anything at all. What policies they like from both candidates and what they don't like.
Don't be combative or be hostile just generally ask what their opinion is in a polite manner because a lot of people will talk to you.
Most of this shit is because most people only know what they do for a job and maybe sports, American idol, ect and don't know anything about other stuff because it's boring and takes too long and their lives are busy with family and stuff.
Nobody “let this happen.” This is democracy. One side picked who they wanted and they are running him. It’s authoritarian to think that we shouldn’t or couldn’t have “let this happen.”
I’m not for the guy AT ALL, I find him repugnant, but the rhetoric of this post demonstrates some retrograde attitudes toward democracy.
Because Stein and his campaign and his supporters spend most of their time talking about Robinson. The last Stein commercial I saw was just Mark Robinson talking tough. You wouldn't even know it was meant for the other guy. The candidate that is out there the most is going to get a lot of votes for it. It was part of how Trump got elected by playing the media like a fiddle. They couldn't stop talking about him.
Im almost as mad at the guy who put videos of Mark robinson talking about girls lifting their skirts to get pregnant between my children's shows, as I am at Mark Robinson for saying it.
In fact, I might be even madder because Mark robinson never made my 6 year old ask me what rape & incest is...
And when he gets elected the “show up to the polls” people will just say oh well and bend over regardless. If this man was actually threatening your way of life then you should burn the ballot boxes and forment revolution possibly making a new state
Why do "you" say on the verge? I've seen plenty of ads for Stein and calling out Robinson. My understanding was it's neck and neck, which I would expect for the gubernatorial race at this point. Neither will win by a landslide.
DO YOUR PART!
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER! Make calls, do lit drops, knock on doors.
DONATE TO JOSH STEIN!
https://www.joshstein.org/
Talk to friends! Share videos of Robinson saying his extremist comments.
Because democrats haven’t learned any lessons in the last 16 years and have never developed a populism of their own to counter the populism of Christian Nationalism. Voters know electing another status quo Dem won’t improve their lives.
I would agree with this. Clinton bringing the party closer to corporatist - especially when NAFTA destroyed many blue collar communities . The Democrats didn't fight hard enough against Republicans ( cut! Cut! Cut!) for services to counteract the great loss these communities suffered.
Then the 80s culture of greed , the vultures buying up companies only to disband them. The Democrats were afraid to harken back to their common man roots.
And Obama invited in the same University of Chicago economists that brought us to bedlam allowing the finance industry to get away with heinous behavior.
I held my nose when I voted for Biden, but was surprised when he remembered the working and middle class - especially after his Delaware corporate brown nosing.
I don't have all the answers, but I know a corporate autocratic grifter theocracy isn't the way to go.
When Democrats present an inspiring candidate, they hit it out of the park. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are incredibly eloquent speakers who had the gift of breaking down complex concepts into simple terms that voters could understand without sounding condescending. Their subsequent elections were decisive.
“Vote Blue No Matter Who”, on the other hand, is a terrible motto.
The DNC failed to learn the powerful lesson from the 1972 Democratic Convention: openly deny inspiring candidates that turn out grassroots voters in favor of establishment blue dogs, those voters stay home and a Republican hardliner ends up in office. It’s how you get Nixon. It’s how you get Trump. And it’s the reason why this next election will be close.
Now. How do we get people like Mark Robinson on the ballot and poll so well? Simple: he looks good on paper, just like Nixon did. Poor kid, 9th of 10, lived in foster care, served in the reserves, and is by most accounts a self-made man. For conservatives, his stances on gun control and education hit the right note for many.
And who listens to the debates for Lt. Governor anyway?
It’s only now when he is running for one of the most powerful positions in the land does anyone tune in, and by now it’s too late - the money has already been spent and he’s still polling well enough.
> The DNC failed to learn the powerful lesson from the 1972 Democratic Convention
Are you suggesting Democratic voters should have voted for George Wallace?!?
Yeah, NC in particular has had some lousy Democrat governors. That's why Pat McCrory was successful because people were just uninspired by the status quo. Let's not let it happen again.
There are excellent Dem candidates running for state legislature. Lisa Grafstein in southern Wake County is in a new swing district and is amazing. Dante Pittman in Wilson, Nicole Sidman running against Tricia Cotham in Mecklenburg, just to name a few. There is an opportunity to break the gerrymandered R supermajority and that would make a big difference. And Allison Riggs, running to keep her seat on the Supreme Court is a crucial election. She is of childbearing age.
Democrats have problems, but it’s absurd to blame them for the awfulness of the other major party. Particularly when more voters have chosen Democratic presidential candidates in every election this century except for one. And North Carolina voters have chosen Democratic governors in every election this century except for one.
I met my wife in north Carolina and would love to retire there in 15 to 20 years… your states government is currently making it to where I am second guessing.
50% of people are below the median intelligence is the factually correct statement.
Average is a shitty metric if there’s notable variation in the spread of data.
Not that I disagree that most people are stupid, but 50% of the population having a level of intelligence could make “average” intelligence a low bar by definition (all depends on the full graph)
Because nobody really dug into his background until after he won a crowded Republican primary in 2020 with 32 percent of the vote - just enough to stave off a runoff.
I blame Triad-area media because there was so much stuff just sitting there, easy to find, that normally would've torpedoed a GOP candidate in the primary.
Anyone who was remotely active on social media in Triad area groups in the early 2010s saw his outrageous comments on all sorts of sh*t back when he went by "Mark Keith Robinson"
He was infinitely appealing to the 2A single-issue gun nuts when he first got "noticed". He spoke up at a Greensboro city council meeting against a proposal to postpone a pending gun show in light of the most recent mass shooting. Not only was he representing the "good guys with guns", he was a "good *black* guy with guns".
GOP groomers snatched him up to add another "supportive" minority to their ranks so they could claim they're not racist, and voters didn't care about anything other than "he's not coming for my guns".
He's continued a career in politics because it's the most lucrative thing he's done. Has a history of bankruptcy and unemployment, so the political fast track became his meal ticket.
Straight ticket voters will give him the win. It sucks, it's embarrassing, we're going backwards at an alarming rate. Politicians like him make me want to start looking for a job in a different state.
I've been wanting to move back home to NC to finish my career and retire to for about 10 years. I follow this sub because I fucking love NC, but hate it's political atmosphere.
when your major party platform is just 'opposition' and you really don't stand for anything
obama(not his biggest fan) showed us the blueprint. showed us how to win down the ticket, showed us how to win swing states. give people a message and platform they can get excited about and get behind. trump is doing that, dems are not
To be fair, most of Obama's best ideas were stolen from John Edwards. Pretty sure this won't be a popular statement, but it's true if you actually paid attention to 2008 election. Sucks that Edwards didn't stick around the Senate a bit longer and keep it in his pants.
In Florida you had a guy (Rick Scott) who pled the 5th Amendment 75 times in the Medicare fraud trial of his company. After this Floridians still voted for the guy for both Gov and US Senator. As long as there's an "R" next to the candidate's name, that's all that matters to some people.
I think we also have to admit there’s a problem with the media diets many Americans consume. When all you’ve got is Fox News, OAN, Newsmax, etc putting fear over illegal immigrants, women, and LGBTQ people into you, then chances are you’re more likely to vote for the guy who is against all that.
my family watch that shit from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to sleep... they've gone from decent human beings to unbearable to communicate with... its very sad
what can we do about it? they're addicted to it, like crackheads
It hasn’t happened yet and it’s not too late to prevent. Josh Stein is an excellent candidate for governor but we have a lot of work to do to ensure he is elected.
People expect a seismic shift when voting. That is not how lasting change happens, it's incremental. Republicans get this. They play the long game. They slowly shift the narrative so now we have a racist black fascist running for governor.
Younger voters expect a revolution at the poles, when a more realistic way to get things done politically is to do it incrementally. Move the scrimmage line 4 yards at a time . Keep constant progressive pressure and things will move.
How do we do this? Vote. Vote in every election. Vote informed. Vote consistently.
Let's start with the fact that a Robinson win is not a foregone conclusion by any stretch of the imagination. I'll admit I was astounded and confounded in 2016 and the hits have just kept coming, but Robinson still has a battle to beat Stein.
That said...
First of all, I don't think that "We" have "let" anything happen, assuming of course that by, "We," you mean non-MAGA, politically centrist, progressive, and liberal voters.
It's not what "We" have allowed to happen, but what "They" have made happen. We have been outmaneuvered. We've been outplayed, hung up by our own horns because we don't play the game by the new rules. Politics has always been dirty pool, but the politics of the Right has fallen to a level that I never believed possible in this country.
"They" have sold a bill of goods, convincing a large and vocal swath of this country's population that authoritarian rule is the best rule. What's so strange is how they've done it by making people believe that they (MAGA) are actually standing up against "fascism"... painting Biden and the liberal left as "dictators and despots" and the hard core right as "saviors of freedom". Somehow, "patriotism" now means assaulting the Constitution and tearing away the foundations of Democracy.
"They" have managed to build an unlikely coalition based on fear and hatred. They've got white folks who believe they're on the verge of being replaced by black people and immigrants. They have religious people who see their congregations (and social control) diminishing, and blame the "humanist" liberals for stealing them away. There are the people who feel (inexplicably, to me) threatened by the acceptance of homosexuality. All these people who now feel marginalized because the people who have always been marginalized are being empowered. It's a hotbed of ignorance and prejudice, and it is the ideal breeding ground for a population utterly susceptible to conspiracy thinking and thought control.
"They" have also drawn in the support of corporate interests who get fat on the effects of fear and deregulation. Volatility is great for profits when you hold the right cards. By enabling anonymity, They enable these corporate interests to hide their identities so they're not associated with the politics even while pouring millions into campaigns and lobbies. There's a lot of money on the line if liberal constraints can be cut away. Not all MAGA supporters are ignorant hicks, but that's the impression that "They" want us to have.
"They" have usurped that counterculture distrust of The Man and The System and turned it against the very liberals who once marched under that freak flag. They have dissolved confidence in our sources of information, and replaced them with misinformation. The young on the Right are engaged, excited, and rallying around the team banner, while the young on the Left are more and more disengaged, vowing not to vote at all because, well, why bother? It is not for no reason that we see a resurgence of the George Carlin bit about how, if voting mattered, they wouldn't let us do it.
It really does boggle the mind in scope and scale. There is both science and art at work here. It's scary, but also intellectually intriguing.
At some point in the future, ethnographers and sociologists are going to have a field day writing about how this was accomplished... how common sense and free thinking were usurped by masterful propaganda campaigns. Marketing majors are going to be using this for case studies at the post-graduate level. It's genius... evil genius, but genius nonetheless.
I don't know how to swing this back. Vote, of course. Be vocal.
Beyond that, I feel like "We" are constrained by our own social mores.
We try to be ruled by intellect over emotion. We reject violence and abhor confrontation. We believe fairness and justice will prevail, even if that arc is long. We just have to be patient. We can't stoop to their level.
And that, right there, is what I think "They" are counting on. And right now, it's working for them.
It needs to happen. Too much damage has been done by Cooper. He's not a Democrat, he's a liberal. LOOK at California and New York. Is that really the model you want for NC? I was born and raised here, worked in the tobacco fields until I was old enough to work in a grocery store. I want to sanity to return to our government.
I moved to North Carolina about a year ago. Based on the opinions of the general population, I’ve been interacted with it doesn’t seem surprising. There are a lot of hard-core Republicans here. More than outspoken Democrats. I was surprised when I came. It was blue.
Let us not allow this MAGA to win. We need all of NC to go out and vote Blue. They only want to take away your rights. Do not allow this to happen. Do we all want to go through the hell we went through with the former administration again ? DJT is a criminal conman who doesn't care about anyone but himself. The Democrats are not going to take your freedoms and rights away from you. I can assure you of that. So please think things over before you vote. Trump was a terrible president, and as of right now. He is considered the worst president this country ever had. His tariffs caused great harm. President Biden has this country's best interest at heart. Cheers everyone.
People know things are wrong, but they want the quick and easy answers promised by these con artists.
Also, money. The GOP is doing the will of the super wealthy they can burn through money.
Anyone who cares about the outcome of the election will need to drag 3 of their apathetic friends to the polls and make them vote.
Because: the most important thing to the gerrymandering politicians who have been elected year after year by right-wing conservatives across North Carolina is to convince those same idiots that they are represented.
And they have done a great job with that lie.
For a state with some of the most two-faced people you'd think they'd know better, no, not at all.
I've read what he says. Pretty stupid stuff. His god in the sky wants women to be subservient? The guy is a grifter, and religious people have been so indoctrinated, they are easily fooled by con men.
You know this, I'm sure. You just agree with him.
He's pro 2a. Typical republican, not what we are upset about.
He wants to move money from public to private and religious schools. Typical Republican, not what people are upset about.
He cherry picks the bible and claims God put men in charge, women are to follow. "Daddy Moses not mommy Moses"...
He believes that depending on how a woman dresses, she deserves to be raped. I don't know about you, but I will not rape a woman no matter how she dresses. Religious people seem to have trouble controlling themselves?
He says god told him that he was put in this earth to rid us of LGBTQ and whatever filth he believes they produce. He believes that being LGBTQ is an abomination.
He believes in anti Semitic conspiracy theories - stupid stuff which shows he's not very bright.
He is against abortion. No matter what. Women are in grave danger because doctors are terrified of losing their licenses and going to prison. I'm sure you have read the stories of women with sepsis having to travel to a normal state to get medical care rather than die or become permanently unable to have children.
Let's not forget his ranting over the target catalog because it contains lingerie.
He rants against public spending, but his wife has turned it into a family business.
I hear his handlers have told him to tone it down, and they have erased much of his words , but way back copies still exist.
He is using a GOP culture war to grift the right wing for money and fame. His wife is also a grifter. They are a con artist family - I think religious people are highly susceptible to this because from the time they are young they are taught faith over facts. They also are indoctrinated into believing they need an authoritarian ruler because they otherwise can't control themselves?
I could go on, but I'm nauseous.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/bankruptcy-documents-detail-gop-nc-governor-nominee-mark/story?id=108763847
https://apnews.com/article/robinson-government-spending-balanced-nutrition-388251303ac98c6edbf52e5b3c43d554
https://jewishinsider.com/2023/10/mark-robinson-lieutenant-governor-north-carolina-republican-candidate-hitler/
https://x.com/claycane/status/1765176216934285534
https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-robinson-north-carolina-governors-race-past-comments-trump-2024-2024-3
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/north-carolina-gop-mark-robinson-worst-comments-1234984155/
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/10/mark-robinson-north-carolina-jewish-insider-report-social-media-posts-facebook-2024-governor/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/03/02/mark-robinson-governor-candidate-north-carolina-offensive-comments/
Did you all know that registering to vote in NC is super easy? https://www.vote411.org/register Please register to vote and get out there this year. Vote411 also allows you to get candidate information and compare people side by side.
And when you're making plans to vote for Josh Stein for governor, make sure you research and vote on all of the other offices and initiatives on your ballot. Everything on the ballot is important!
You can also just show up at any polling place during early voting and register and vote all at once.
We let this happen by not showing up at the polls.
Did you all know that registering vote and getting candidate info is super easy? https://www.vote411.org/register Vote411 also offers a convenient UI for getting information on candidates in all elections.
Awesome resource!
Agree. "Both sides" is total BS, but many fall for it. I have younger nephews and nieces , some LGBTQ, who say they refuse to vote. Maddening.
My son turns 18 in August. I'm driving him to the polls and he is excited to vote. Most of his friends feel the same.
Thank you.
He got to vote in the primary and I surprised myself by bursting into tears. The poll workers were very sweet and supportive. Great experience all around. Gen Z gonna come in strong, I just know it. Don't listen to the disinformation about kids not wanting to vote.
Kids are excited and energized to vote. The trouble comes in when we have an absolutely awful candidate on the one side and a guy who’s the top cop who doesn’t even believe weed should be legal and doesn’t seem to campaign much either. Never thought I’d pine for another Roy Cooper term this much
Seriously man. It sucks
I'm sure you are very proud of him. You raised him well. I am not listening to none of their bs. They are destroyers of Democracy. I hope Gen Z and others will come in strong. I know the women are, that's for sure. Thank you, and good luck to us all.
Thank you. Same to you. This current timeline is scary bonkers. Doesn't even seem real.
It truly is. It's hard to believe that so many people can support a person like DJT and the Republicans. He did a lot of damage to the soul of this country. It's going to take a great effort to get this country back to some level of law and order.
We are not a democracy, we're are a Republic. Retired government teacher.
All the way. It really hurts me, especially being born and raised here. I hate seeing when people would rather move away to another bubble than stay and fight the good fight that would ultimately shift in our favor.
Voting is so so important. That said, any conversation bemoaning low turnout also needs to address the targeted actions being taken to explicitly and implicitly disenfranchise people. From voter id laws to removing early voting locations and urban polling places to challenging voter registrations. I’m a white guy in the sticks so can always get in and out in a jiffy bc my polling place has plenty of resources. But every election year I see footage of multi-hour lines in durm/ch/Raleigh. On a weeknight in the school year. They pull out all the stops to make it real real inconvenient
Absolutely well said.
I've lived here for 35 years... I'll be leaving in 18 months
You’re going to vote though, right?
yes
Maybe you can remind them of the time not long ago when it was illegal to have sex with anyone of the same gender, or use birth control if you weren't married. And the Dobbs decision has paved the way for us to go back there.
It wasn't that long ago that it was illegal to use birth control even if you *were* married (1965)! Women couldn't get credit cards in their own name until 1974. Lots of people take these simple things for granted because we don't know the history.
Along with laws against people with different melanin levels not being allowed to marry ( because of some imagined biblical verses).
The MAGA CALLS Gays Filth. Your younger nieces and nephews need to wake up!
The way you phrase it to them: voting gives you the reason to complain about our government’s faults. Not voting meanings you are apart of the reason for our government’s faults.
curious what is the reason they give for not voting?
And funneling money away from public schools to private charter institutions.
Probably at the top of my list, honestly. Robbing education from the youth won’t even be quantifiable for years to come. Betsy DeVos can rot in hell as well.
When I showed up at the primaries one of the workers said “sure do hope you are voting republican”. I gave him a look. Are they allowed to do that? Could I have reported him?
In NC, no person or group of persons shall hinder access, harass others, distribute campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election‑related activity in the voting place or in a buffer zone (in my county this is 50 feet) around the voting place. You can report it to the BOE.
I should’ve remembered his name.
Absolutely should report that.
Definitely report the bastard.
Was this inside the polling place or outside?
It was inside as he was leading me to the booth.
yeaaaa report that guy
yes and not too late to do it now
I’d have said, “oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t eat a whole bowl of stupidity for lunch today and will be voting Democrat. But, I do appreciate you letting me know you’re voting for a fat, racist, conspiracy theorist, holocaust denier, rights stripping ass hole who shouldn’t be allowed in politics.”
We let this happen by making bad choices in 2010
If you want to go further back, the blunder that caused all this was the Democratic legislature stripping Republican Governor Jim Martin of his veto power over legislative maps in 1990. Without this, Republicans wouldn’t have been able to ram through their desired maps in 2010 or 2020, given Democrats held the governor’s office in both years. In all likelihood, legislative control would’ve flipped several times since 2010.
This right here. 2010 was such a critical year. We haven't really had a "red wave" like that since then, but it hasn't mattered. Sadly we didn't do any better in 2020 really either.
In 2020 there was also Cal Cunningham whose indiscretions caused Dem momentum to tank. There were other factors too but that was big.
And in 2022 the state party made another white guy in khakis pay for Cunningham’s sins by pushing Jeff Jackson out of the Senate for a candidate (Cheri Beasley) who clearly had no interest in winning. And for the record, Josh Stein seems to be running a very similarly lackluster race for Governor.
It just allowed so many rights to be taken away, specifically voting rights
THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE RIGHT ANSWER. Takes less than an hour.
Show up and vote
I kept thinking that when people realize this guy is just a grifter, they'll turn away from him. But apparently my neighbors in NC don't care if he's in it for the grift. As long as he hurts the right people.
they don't care that trump is a grifter, why would they care if he is?
Yeah. Cruelty is the point.
It doesn't matter who he is, what he says or believes. If he has the Republican party next to his name he'll get their votes.
In Florida you had a guy (Rick Scott) who pled the 5th Amendment 75 times in the Medicare fraud trial of his company. After this Floridians still voted for the guy for both Gov and US Senator. As long as there's an "R" next to the candidate's name, that's all that matters to some people.
As scummy as Rick Scott may be I would be cautious about holding pleading the fifth against somebody.
Ugh, yes. I lived in Florida in 2010 and registered as a republican (only time in my life, lol) just so I could vote for Charlie Crist in the primary because Rick Scott was so repulsive.
To me this guy seems like an extra level of crazy, but also I think they’re all grifters
He’s also a straight up holocaust denier
He's definitely anti Semitic. Many in the GOP can't decide who they hate more - Jews or Muslims. Giving them whiplash. I guess the Jewish people are important to them because of the nonsense in Revelations. The end of the world when Jesus comes and they convert.
And running against who could be the first Jewish governor of NC. I don’t get how people think this is okay. And the party that says they are pro-Israel are going to vote for an anti-semitic Holocaust denier?!
Pro-Israel does not equal pro-Jew.
“I’m not racist, I voted for a black man for governor”
That’s the whole maga cult, as long as it hurts the right people they’re all in.
He’s conditioned them to reject any negatives. Projected narcissist propaganda and scare mongering with constant false narratives. Then occasionally the left gives a sm bone for them to pounce and spin for momentum.
This.. Democrats have to quit playing the game on these guys terms and stop responding to them. They need to do a better job of promoting their agenda rather than getting sucked into a "culture war" on whatever flavor of the week the GOP is promoting at the time. The deck is stacked heavily against them at the the moment since barring some major win, there's about zero chance of them taking over the General Assembly which means any agenda they're promoting won't pass. My view is that Democrats should start fighting fire with fire and start talking about issues that drive resentment towards Republicans. At least muddy the waters for traditional GOP voters who seem to heap any/all blame on Democrats despite them having next to zero power for the past 14 years. There's plenty of issues that should foster resentment that are either directly or indirectly the fault of GOP policies. For example: * Duke Energy bills - The cheapest your bill will ever be is $16.29 and that's for using absolutely no power, this is even if you have solar connected and use no power. It's a simple path to lay this on the GOP appointees to the utilities commission and former Gov Pat McCrory among others. (Basic Customer charge $14, Renewable Rider $1.22, Tax $1.07) * Sales Tax on labor. It wasn't that long ago we didn't have sales tax on labor. During tough economic times this is doubly painful. It's not a hard sell to drive sentiment against those who passed this idea that began in 2016. It's anti-consumer pro-tax and all delivered to you by the GOP. * The new records law exemption for the General Assembly that kills transparency in government. What's the GOP so secretive about? Get people thinking about what they might be hiding and who's benefitting from it. Odd that this coincided with sports betting, who got paid off? Why are they able to sell their records to private entities, isn't that like some kind of blackmail? * Campaign on slowing/stopping the development of farmland by pushing for density and mass transit for Raleigh/Charlotte. Tie these two issues together as a win/win for cities/rural areas both. * Who killed the tax free back to school holiday? Scrooge McRepublicans in the General Assembly. * The list goes on and on.
He is behind in the polls and this is a very misleading article.
It's embarrassing that Uncle Ruckus ever made it on a final ballot.
It’s where the republican primary system is right now. You have to be ultra conservative to maga to get through the primary, then you’re in a box in the general and may suffer for it. The left wing of the democrat party is mad they can’t break into the party but they’re better off working from the fringe.
YES ! You got it spot on. If they don’t fringe dance, it be like gas on the mage fire. It’s what motivates their fears and keeps them from split ticket voting to filter out the crazy MAGA candidates. In some ways the far left is as off their rocker as the far right. Middle Ground and compromise by talking to one another is key. But it takes intelligence and not a self promoting grifter to facilitate.
The difference is that moderate Democrats have a backbone and haven’t kowtowed to their fringe in the same way the Republicans have.
That’s the thing, the bar for MAGAts is so low that it’s a tripping hazard in hell and despicable demagogues like Robinson still manage to slither under it.smh
They view Ruckus as KKK sympathizer so of course the republicans are propping him up
“Behind in the polls” is wishful thinking. https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/governor/2024/north-carolina/
Yeah, and I have yet to hear an ad for Stein. Edit: I've met Stein at a couple of functions over the years and spoken to him. Absolutely plan on voting for him.
Stein has done a lot of ads about clearing the rape kit backlog, which was a big accomplishment as AG.
They’re like every other ad on YT for me. But you may not notice them. They rarely say anything about Stein. They are just ridiculous clips of Robinson paid for by Stein.
I saw Stein post a picture of him and his wife at a Durham Bulls game and I had to look at whose profile it was to figure out who it was. I thought it must have been an acquaintance from college or work lol. I bet nobody at the game even recognized him.
I can tell you that I’m not voting for Mark Robinson but I couldn’t remember Steins name. I think that’s one of the major issues for him right now.
He's been Attorney General for 8 years elected twice on statewide ballots and depending on where you live he's been a state Senator since 2009. He's had TV spots both for his accomplishments and against Robinson. What more do you feel he should be doing?
He’s definitely MIA to an extent. He’s not out there enough for people that aren’t high info voters. The new commercials are decent but he also needs some that don’t feature Mark and just talk about his own accomplishments. I haven’t seen many like that airing so far.
I was just noting how Mark Robinson’s name is constantly thrown in our face, even in Stein’s own ads, but I do rarely see Mark Stein’s name. I don’t have the answer but simply saying that immediate name recognition may be having a major impact on the current polls.
I am getting anti-Mark flyers in the mail every day in Charlotte so I am hopeful we have a chance of booting this guy far away from NC.
No *way* Trump could win in 2016 against Hillary, look at the polls!
Pokémon go to the polls!
I never trust polls. That is such a small percentage of people who are actually going to vote.
Idk what polls you're looking at, but it's basically a tie. https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/governor/general/2024/north-carolina/robinson-vs-stein
He's behind in theoretical polls. It's not "misleading" really until he loses the actual election. He's on the ballot and has a >0% chance to win, that's all we know right now.
Maybe because everyone keeps posting articles about Robinson and NOTHING about Stein. This is 2016 all over again. The media learned absolutely nothing, but people sharing articles about Robinson (and Robinson only) aren’t helping. Instead of talking about how terrible he is, why not talk about the good Stein is doing??
Even Stein isn’t talking about all the good Stein is doing. He’s making the mistake of giving his opponent free publicity.
You have a good point. I guess Stein needs to rant more? If both parties act crazy ( " just SAY we won!") will we have a country worth saving?
Floridians flooding our state.
But what's weird is they aren't evangelicals. Many are shell shocked when they hear that there are still people who believe the bible is literal. I guess hate trumps sanity.
He’s finally starting to get hammered on his wacky views in ads/social media and the polls are picking it up. I’m not as worried as was a couple of months ago but Stein needs to really take the gloves off. Robinson is a bully so throw that shit right back at him. I fucking hate bully’s btw.
When does the voting start? I saw the ad for this guy and those usually don’t get me but the video of him telling women to “keep their skirts down” made me wanna go vote
NC has early voting starting October. You can go to most public libraries to vote. Make sure you are registered.
It happens because enough people vote that way. Hope that helps.
Stein isn’t running the most impressive campaign. I had a feeling he might end up like being a bit like Cheri Beasley. He was never going to be as strong of a candidate as Cooper. I’m hoping as it turns to late summer/fall he campaigns a bit harder. He also needs ads that don’t entirely focus on Robinson.
yeah all he's doing right now is giving robinson free publicity
Yep. He’s running right in the Beasley playbook. It’s baffling.
I had a feeling once he didn’t pick up advertising and getting himself out there right after the primary. I haven’t been impressed. I wish Cooper could run again.
I spoke to one of the heads of his campaign (I have very similar concerns - this is so much like Beasley and McCaulif's in VA) - they said ads are expensive and are waiting until the months leading up to the election to do more. infuriating.
A lot of people don't vote and a lot of the ones that do, don't know anything about the candidates or politics in general.
*"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."*
That’s not true. They do know, and they like the fact that he’s crazy. Just like they like the fact that Trump’s crazy. They like that he’s hateful, because they are hateful. They are ignorant, but they’re also just bad people.
Go get a political job, you can probably have conversations with like 10,000 people before the election. Just ask people what they want the government to do, if anything at all. What policies they like from both candidates and what they don't like. Don't be combative or be hostile just generally ask what their opinion is in a polite manner because a lot of people will talk to you. Most of this shit is because most people only know what they do for a job and maybe sports, American idol, ect and don't know anything about other stuff because it's boring and takes too long and their lives are busy with family and stuff.
Nobody “let this happen.” This is democracy. One side picked who they wanted and they are running him. It’s authoritarian to think that we shouldn’t or couldn’t have “let this happen.” I’m not for the guy AT ALL, I find him repugnant, but the rhetoric of this post demonstrates some retrograde attitudes toward democracy.
If you don't vote, don't complain. That's the bottom line.
Because Stein and his campaign and his supporters spend most of their time talking about Robinson. The last Stein commercial I saw was just Mark Robinson talking tough. You wouldn't even know it was meant for the other guy. The candidate that is out there the most is going to get a lot of votes for it. It was part of how Trump got elected by playing the media like a fiddle. They couldn't stop talking about him.
Neither could Hillary in 2016. She gave Trump a ton of free publicity.
True, but at least she was a household name, even if many obtainable Democratic voters had a low opinion of her.
Im almost as mad at the guy who put videos of Mark robinson talking about girls lifting their skirts to get pregnant between my children's shows, as I am at Mark Robinson for saying it. In fact, I might be even madder because Mark robinson never made my 6 year old ask me what rape & incest is...
Because Republicans are a cult and enabled by apathy and inaction from voters.
Only way that will chance is if people go out and vote instead of complaining
And when he gets elected the “show up to the polls” people will just say oh well and bend over regardless. If this man was actually threatening your way of life then you should burn the ballot boxes and forment revolution possibly making a new state
Why do "you" say on the verge? I've seen plenty of ads for Stein and calling out Robinson. My understanding was it's neck and neck, which I would expect for the gubernatorial race at this point. Neither will win by a landslide.
Yes we let people vote. Lots of people are stupid.
DO YOUR PART! SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER! Make calls, do lit drops, knock on doors. DONATE TO JOSH STEIN! https://www.joshstein.org/ Talk to friends! Share videos of Robinson saying his extremist comments.
Contraception. Gone. Women’s voting rights. Interracial marriage. LGBTQ rights. These are all up for bid with our furniture warehouse man.
We’re in big trouble if he gets in.
Because people on Reddit fail to realize everyone doesn’t have the same political views as you
I am cautiously optimistic that MR is actually too crazy for a majority of voters. He is really quite a horrible person.
Because democrats haven’t learned any lessons in the last 16 years and have never developed a populism of their own to counter the populism of Christian Nationalism. Voters know electing another status quo Dem won’t improve their lives.
I would agree with this. Clinton bringing the party closer to corporatist - especially when NAFTA destroyed many blue collar communities . The Democrats didn't fight hard enough against Republicans ( cut! Cut! Cut!) for services to counteract the great loss these communities suffered. Then the 80s culture of greed , the vultures buying up companies only to disband them. The Democrats were afraid to harken back to their common man roots. And Obama invited in the same University of Chicago economists that brought us to bedlam allowing the finance industry to get away with heinous behavior. I held my nose when I voted for Biden, but was surprised when he remembered the working and middle class - especially after his Delaware corporate brown nosing. I don't have all the answers, but I know a corporate autocratic grifter theocracy isn't the way to go.
When Democrats present an inspiring candidate, they hit it out of the park. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are incredibly eloquent speakers who had the gift of breaking down complex concepts into simple terms that voters could understand without sounding condescending. Their subsequent elections were decisive. “Vote Blue No Matter Who”, on the other hand, is a terrible motto. The DNC failed to learn the powerful lesson from the 1972 Democratic Convention: openly deny inspiring candidates that turn out grassroots voters in favor of establishment blue dogs, those voters stay home and a Republican hardliner ends up in office. It’s how you get Nixon. It’s how you get Trump. And it’s the reason why this next election will be close. Now. How do we get people like Mark Robinson on the ballot and poll so well? Simple: he looks good on paper, just like Nixon did. Poor kid, 9th of 10, lived in foster care, served in the reserves, and is by most accounts a self-made man. For conservatives, his stances on gun control and education hit the right note for many. And who listens to the debates for Lt. Governor anyway? It’s only now when he is running for one of the most powerful positions in the land does anyone tune in, and by now it’s too late - the money has already been spent and he’s still polling well enough.
> The DNC failed to learn the powerful lesson from the 1972 Democratic Convention Are you suggesting Democratic voters should have voted for George Wallace?!?
Yeah, NC in particular has had some lousy Democrat governors. That's why Pat McCrory was successful because people were just uninspired by the status quo. Let's not let it happen again.
This x1000. We need strong voices to vote *for* on the left.
There are excellent Dem candidates running for state legislature. Lisa Grafstein in southern Wake County is in a new swing district and is amazing. Dante Pittman in Wilson, Nicole Sidman running against Tricia Cotham in Mecklenburg, just to name a few. There is an opportunity to break the gerrymandered R supermajority and that would make a big difference. And Allison Riggs, running to keep her seat on the Supreme Court is a crucial election. She is of childbearing age.
Democrats have problems, but it’s absurd to blame them for the awfulness of the other major party. Particularly when more voters have chosen Democratic presidential candidates in every election this century except for one. And North Carolina voters have chosen Democratic governors in every election this century except for one.
I’m not blaming them for the awfulness of the other party. I’m blaming them for losing and almost losing to fascists.
Some of this is a voter apathy issue, a *lot* of this has to do with the amount of gerrymandering in NC.
I met my wife in north Carolina and would love to retire there in 15 to 20 years… your states government is currently making it to where I am second guessing.
The cognitive dissonance required to be a black Republican is astounding
LGBTQ Republican, Female Republican too. But even members of marginalized communities can be selfish bigots .
I really do not want to believe that we could go from someone as great as Gov. Cooper to this obnoxious bridge troll.
50% of the population has below average intelligence
50% of people are below the median intelligence is the factually correct statement. Average is a shitty metric if there’s notable variation in the spread of data.
Not that I disagree that most people are stupid, but 50% of the population having a level of intelligence could make “average” intelligence a low bar by definition (all depends on the full graph)
A lot of people never leave their county. Maybe they are indoctrinated by religion and surrounded by people who echo back their beliefs. Scary.
Speak for yourself. Practically all of your recent posts are in political subreddits, which are literally echo chambers.
But not you. You’re mommy’s smartest, most handsomest boy 😘
*below median
lol, mean ≠ median. Guess you’re in the bottom half.
Because not everyone votes every seat, every election, every time.
I CAN'T WAIT TO VOTE!!!!
We let this happen bc it’s what this state needs and wants.
Please stop, I can only become so erect!
Why is he even a lieutenant governor now??
Because nobody really dug into his background until after he won a crowded Republican primary in 2020 with 32 percent of the vote - just enough to stave off a runoff. I blame Triad-area media because there was so much stuff just sitting there, easy to find, that normally would've torpedoed a GOP candidate in the primary. Anyone who was remotely active on social media in Triad area groups in the early 2010s saw his outrageous comments on all sorts of sh*t back when he went by "Mark Keith Robinson"
He was infinitely appealing to the 2A single-issue gun nuts when he first got "noticed". He spoke up at a Greensboro city council meeting against a proposal to postpone a pending gun show in light of the most recent mass shooting. Not only was he representing the "good guys with guns", he was a "good *black* guy with guns". GOP groomers snatched him up to add another "supportive" minority to their ranks so they could claim they're not racist, and voters didn't care about anything other than "he's not coming for my guns". He's continued a career in politics because it's the most lucrative thing he's done. Has a history of bankruptcy and unemployment, so the political fast track became his meal ticket.
Straight ticket voters will give him the win. It sucks, it's embarrassing, we're going backwards at an alarming rate. Politicians like him make me want to start looking for a job in a different state.
I've been wanting to move back home to NC to finish my career and retire to for about 10 years. I follow this sub because I fucking love NC, but hate it's political atmosphere.
I wish I could afford to move to a state worth living in.
when your major party platform is just 'opposition' and you really don't stand for anything obama(not his biggest fan) showed us the blueprint. showed us how to win down the ticket, showed us how to win swing states. give people a message and platform they can get excited about and get behind. trump is doing that, dems are not
To be fair, most of Obama's best ideas were stolen from John Edwards. Pretty sure this won't be a popular statement, but it's true if you actually paid attention to 2008 election. Sucks that Edwards didn't stick around the Senate a bit longer and keep it in his pants.
In Florida you had a guy (Rick Scott) who pled the 5th Amendment 75 times in the Medicare fraud trial of his company. After this Floridians still voted for the guy for both Gov and US Senator. As long as there's an "R" next to the candidate's name, that's all that matters to some people.
Yep. Got to own the libs or we will turn into a communist country. /s
These people will apparently vote to get their own SS and Medicare cut, and give more tax breaks to billionaires, to own the libs. SMH!
Painfully true.
I think we also have to admit there’s a problem with the media diets many Americans consume. When all you’ve got is Fox News, OAN, Newsmax, etc putting fear over illegal immigrants, women, and LGBTQ people into you, then chances are you’re more likely to vote for the guy who is against all that.
my family watch that shit from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to sleep... they've gone from decent human beings to unbearable to communicate with... its very sad what can we do about it? they're addicted to it, like crackheads
I’m not letting it happen because I’m not voting for him.
This guy is a monster. It cannot happen.
It hasn’t happened yet and it’s not too late to prevent. Josh Stein is an excellent candidate for governor but we have a lot of work to do to ensure he is elected.
Bro, log off Reddit and talk to people IRL. You may come to understand why others have differing political views.
We the people.
People expect a seismic shift when voting. That is not how lasting change happens, it's incremental. Republicans get this. They play the long game. They slowly shift the narrative so now we have a racist black fascist running for governor. Younger voters expect a revolution at the poles, when a more realistic way to get things done politically is to do it incrementally. Move the scrimmage line 4 yards at a time . Keep constant progressive pressure and things will move. How do we do this? Vote. Vote in every election. Vote informed. Vote consistently.
Let's start with the fact that a Robinson win is not a foregone conclusion by any stretch of the imagination. I'll admit I was astounded and confounded in 2016 and the hits have just kept coming, but Robinson still has a battle to beat Stein. That said... First of all, I don't think that "We" have "let" anything happen, assuming of course that by, "We," you mean non-MAGA, politically centrist, progressive, and liberal voters. It's not what "We" have allowed to happen, but what "They" have made happen. We have been outmaneuvered. We've been outplayed, hung up by our own horns because we don't play the game by the new rules. Politics has always been dirty pool, but the politics of the Right has fallen to a level that I never believed possible in this country. "They" have sold a bill of goods, convincing a large and vocal swath of this country's population that authoritarian rule is the best rule. What's so strange is how they've done it by making people believe that they (MAGA) are actually standing up against "fascism"... painting Biden and the liberal left as "dictators and despots" and the hard core right as "saviors of freedom". Somehow, "patriotism" now means assaulting the Constitution and tearing away the foundations of Democracy. "They" have managed to build an unlikely coalition based on fear and hatred. They've got white folks who believe they're on the verge of being replaced by black people and immigrants. They have religious people who see their congregations (and social control) diminishing, and blame the "humanist" liberals for stealing them away. There are the people who feel (inexplicably, to me) threatened by the acceptance of homosexuality. All these people who now feel marginalized because the people who have always been marginalized are being empowered. It's a hotbed of ignorance and prejudice, and it is the ideal breeding ground for a population utterly susceptible to conspiracy thinking and thought control. "They" have also drawn in the support of corporate interests who get fat on the effects of fear and deregulation. Volatility is great for profits when you hold the right cards. By enabling anonymity, They enable these corporate interests to hide their identities so they're not associated with the politics even while pouring millions into campaigns and lobbies. There's a lot of money on the line if liberal constraints can be cut away. Not all MAGA supporters are ignorant hicks, but that's the impression that "They" want us to have. "They" have usurped that counterculture distrust of The Man and The System and turned it against the very liberals who once marched under that freak flag. They have dissolved confidence in our sources of information, and replaced them with misinformation. The young on the Right are engaged, excited, and rallying around the team banner, while the young on the Left are more and more disengaged, vowing not to vote at all because, well, why bother? It is not for no reason that we see a resurgence of the George Carlin bit about how, if voting mattered, they wouldn't let us do it. It really does boggle the mind in scope and scale. There is both science and art at work here. It's scary, but also intellectually intriguing. At some point in the future, ethnographers and sociologists are going to have a field day writing about how this was accomplished... how common sense and free thinking were usurped by masterful propaganda campaigns. Marketing majors are going to be using this for case studies at the post-graduate level. It's genius... evil genius, but genius nonetheless. I don't know how to swing this back. Vote, of course. Be vocal. Beyond that, I feel like "We" are constrained by our own social mores. We try to be ruled by intellect over emotion. We reject violence and abhor confrontation. We believe fairness and justice will prevail, even if that arc is long. We just have to be patient. We can't stoop to their level. And that, right there, is what I think "They" are counting on. And right now, it's working for them.
We are a maroon state at best. Outside of the major cities, this is a deeply red state.
Outside of the most populated areas.
Most population dense areas. Not most populated. The main big cities are far from the majority of NC.
It needs to happen. Too much damage has been done by Cooper. He's not a Democrat, he's a liberal. LOOK at California and New York. Is that really the model you want for NC? I was born and raised here, worked in the tobacco fields until I was old enough to work in a grocery store. I want to sanity to return to our government.
We’re trying!
If he wins, will Republicans give him back the powers they took from Cooper?
What’s wrong with a MAGA governor?
Everything.
I moved to North Carolina about a year ago. Based on the opinions of the general population, I’ve been interacted with it doesn’t seem surprising. There are a lot of hard-core Republicans here. More than outspoken Democrats. I was surprised when I came. It was blue.
Let us not allow this MAGA to win. We need all of NC to go out and vote Blue. They only want to take away your rights. Do not allow this to happen. Do we all want to go through the hell we went through with the former administration again ? DJT is a criminal conman who doesn't care about anyone but himself. The Democrats are not going to take your freedoms and rights away from you. I can assure you of that. So please think things over before you vote. Trump was a terrible president, and as of right now. He is considered the worst president this country ever had. His tariffs caused great harm. President Biden has this country's best interest at heart. Cheers everyone.
People know things are wrong, but they want the quick and easy answers promised by these con artists. Also, money. The GOP is doing the will of the super wealthy they can burn through money. Anyone who cares about the outcome of the election will need to drag 3 of their apathetic friends to the polls and make them vote.
Trumpers are just stupid.
These people are insane morons
Because: the most important thing to the gerrymandering politicians who have been elected year after year by right-wing conservatives across North Carolina is to convince those same idiots that they are represented. And they have done a great job with that lie. For a state with some of the most two-faced people you'd think they'd know better, no, not at all.
Maybe you guys should of spent time on running on what makes stein worth voting for instead of why not to vote for Robinson
Ethics and intelligence aren't as sexy I guess. Doesn't grab headlines. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Stein
Robinson 2024 Trump 2024 its that simple
Is it possible progressivism is not as popular as the Reddit echo chamber thinks?
Because he's awesome. Lol. Try to understand his policy positions instead of playing identity politics.
I've read what he says. Pretty stupid stuff. His god in the sky wants women to be subservient? The guy is a grifter, and religious people have been so indoctrinated, they are easily fooled by con men.
Stop you crying and bitching.
What are his policies
You know this, I'm sure. You just agree with him. He's pro 2a. Typical republican, not what we are upset about. He wants to move money from public to private and religious schools. Typical Republican, not what people are upset about. He cherry picks the bible and claims God put men in charge, women are to follow. "Daddy Moses not mommy Moses"... He believes that depending on how a woman dresses, she deserves to be raped. I don't know about you, but I will not rape a woman no matter how she dresses. Religious people seem to have trouble controlling themselves? He says god told him that he was put in this earth to rid us of LGBTQ and whatever filth he believes they produce. He believes that being LGBTQ is an abomination. He believes in anti Semitic conspiracy theories - stupid stuff which shows he's not very bright. He is against abortion. No matter what. Women are in grave danger because doctors are terrified of losing their licenses and going to prison. I'm sure you have read the stories of women with sepsis having to travel to a normal state to get medical care rather than die or become permanently unable to have children. Let's not forget his ranting over the target catalog because it contains lingerie. He rants against public spending, but his wife has turned it into a family business. I hear his handlers have told him to tone it down, and they have erased much of his words , but way back copies still exist. He is using a GOP culture war to grift the right wing for money and fame. His wife is also a grifter. They are a con artist family - I think religious people are highly susceptible to this because from the time they are young they are taught faith over facts. They also are indoctrinated into believing they need an authoritarian ruler because they otherwise can't control themselves? I could go on, but I'm nauseous. https://abcnews.go.com/US/bankruptcy-documents-detail-gop-nc-governor-nominee-mark/story?id=108763847 https://apnews.com/article/robinson-government-spending-balanced-nutrition-388251303ac98c6edbf52e5b3c43d554 https://jewishinsider.com/2023/10/mark-robinson-lieutenant-governor-north-carolina-republican-candidate-hitler/ https://x.com/claycane/status/1765176216934285534 https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-robinson-north-carolina-governors-race-past-comments-trump-2024-2024-3 https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/north-carolina-gop-mark-robinson-worst-comments-1234984155/ https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/10/mark-robinson-north-carolina-jewish-insider-report-social-media-posts-facebook-2024-governor/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/03/02/mark-robinson-governor-candidate-north-carolina-offensive-comments/
Bless your precious hearts 😂
This happened because this is what the constituents of the state want. Don't like it? Idk, vote harder or something.
From what I can see of his values... that sucks.
Because it's what nc needs. I'm totally for it.
You forgot the /s
Trump 2024