Yes, and I knocked on doors for Kamala in a swing state. I ended up voting Dem down the ballot. I was open to Republicans for local positions but even the moderate ones brought up nonsense about 'election integrity' which was a deal breaker for me.

@joshrmeyer: I don't mean to demean you. I apologize if you were offended by my message.

I do see you get a lot of information from Youtube which is a uniquely inaccurate source for a few reasons:

1. Anyone, whether they know how to respect journalistic norms or not, can upload content
2. Content creators are under no obligation to cite credible sourcing and often don't
3. Algorithms which determine what content you see prioritize content that drives engagement and doesn't care about quality or accuracy
4. Algorithms are are also believed by some to drive radicalization because tech companies know this leads to more engagement and revenue
5. Because of the above, content creators on any platform are much more likely to make sensational content like "Kamala was wearing an ear piece"

This doesn't mean CNN is great either but a higher level of discernment is required when watching YT.

Also, I don't know what moment in the debate you were referring to but sometimes people put their hands on their face or say they're on live TV when they're on live TV. Harris' campaign was pretty open about the fact that she spent a lot of time preparing. Her performance was not surprising.

You would be wise to take stock of where and how you are getting your information. Information literacy matters more than ever. Pundits and social media are not reliable sources of information. I know you said you aren't voting for Trump but that doesn't mean you aren't taking in right wing propaganda. Right wing authoritarians that think they can't win 50% of the vote know their next best option is to create false equivalence, cynicism and resignment. A plurality of Russians are completely checked out of politics because "aren't they all crooks?" And we see the results. Post-truth is pre-fascism.

I will be playing later today but the IGN and Gamespot reviews seem to confirm what I most feared: Starfield doesn't do space exploration well or rather it doesn't really do it at all. The promise of No Man's Sky but with the storytelling scope and combat gameplay of a AAA studio is what got me hyped. Turns out this gameworld feels a lot more like a disjointed set of cities than actual galaxy/set of star systems.

I actually view the density and impracticality of owing a car as positives. Americans seem to hate both of these things but I would point out that the alternative followed by most of the rest of the country (driving everywhere and living in single family homes) has a ton of downsides.

As mentioned, New York has a ton of culture, but it also has a ton of professional opportunity. There are multiple industries where being in New York is a huge advantage. Yes, this is still the case even in the age of working from home. I think this is indicative of the people there. Yes, they can be rude but there is also a lot of talent and intelligence there.

Agreed however, that the cost of living is out of control. NYC will always be more expensive than most of the county where there's simply less demand for goods and services, but the cost of housing is the fault of local government. There needs to be A LOT more housing supply.

Nonetheless, it's arguably the best American city. Dynamic and interesting, not to mention relatively safe (compared to American standards for cities). 9/10

@espoac: My understanding is that 538's forecast is the result of aggregating polls and then adjusting and weighting based on objective factors (GDP, unemployment etc.) and subjective inputs.

So maybe where they got it wrong in the Senate forecast was in the adjustment and weighting of the raw inputs coming from polls. Just my hypothesis though.

And it is suuuccchh a relief to see these election deniers lose.

I can't imagine a world where Trump loses the primary to DeSantis and then fully acquiesces. Would anyone at all be surprised if Trump mounted a run as an Independent and then spoiled the race for Republicans?

Not that I want to see Republicans do well at all in 2024 but were I a GOP voter I'd be hoping for two things: 1) that the Dems don't wise up and nominate someone younger and more dynamic than Biden and 2) that Trump is thoroughly rejected and cast aside well before the Republican primaries. If those two conditions are not met, I don't see a path to success for Republicans in 2024. I suspect a Trump-Biden rematch would play out much the same way it did the first time.

@girlusocrazy:

"But I don't know who knew exactly what to expect."

You raise a really interesting question because if I look at the polls (at least the few I am looking at), the Dems' strong showing really shouldn't be much of a surprise.

NYT Siena polls showed Fetterman winning 49-44 for instance at the end of October. Not exactly spot on, but a respectable margin of error for sure. I wonder if the misses of 2016 and to a lesser degree 2020, have taught us to distrust polls a little too much. It's not just laypeople either as 538's forecast model had Republicans winning control of the Senate.

@eoten: For the most part, we're talking about Latin America and maybe India here. Can you share an example of a leader from the modern American left pointing to one of these countries as a model for holistic economic or political development?

I find it a bit embarrassing for Republicans that this is what's now considered good politics. If this move doesn't lay bare that the GOP is the party of resentment, I am not sure what does. As a Chicagoan, I see this as a net benefit for the city. The evidence on immigration is crystal clear; immigrants support economic growth and contribute more in taxes than they take. So thanks Abbott for the enlarged tax base.

I only regret that immigrants in question had to be used as pawns as Abbott did nothing to coordinate their arrival with the city and their short term situation may indeed be difficult. Doesn't seem very Christian of him...