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

    From BTR1701@3:633/10 to All on Sat May 23 20:53:03 2026
    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.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From BTR1701@3:633/10 to All on Sat May 23 20:53:14 2026
    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.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 24 03:50:12 2026
    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.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From BTR1701@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 24 20:35:51 2026
    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?"



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From shawn@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 24 16:40:37 2026
    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.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 24 20:56:56 2026
    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.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From BTR1701@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 24 21:03:58 2026
    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...



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From BTR1701@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 24 21:06:12 2026
    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.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 24 21:40:44 2026
    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.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 24 21:48:13 2026
    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.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From The Horny Goat@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 31 10:57:11 2026
    On Sun, 24 May 2026 03:50:12 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
    <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

    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.

    That's interesting since in France they have a similar system BUT if
    the top candidate gets an absolute majority there's no top-two runoff.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From The Horny Goat@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 31 11:01:39 2026
    On Sun, 24 May 2026 20:56:56 -0000 (UTC), "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)?

    In Canada it's the reverse - there a box on the Income Tax form asking
    for permission to give your personal information to Elections Canada
    (which maintains the federal voters list - some provinces have opted
    into this, some not)

    You'd be AMAZED at the crap I went through with the electoral officers
    at the first election after my wife's death 4 years ago to verify that
    she had indeed been removed from the voters' list. (I strongly did not
    want to risk anybody fraudulently voting in her name)

    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.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From BTR1701@3:633/10 to All on Sun May 31 23:39:36 2026
    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:

    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.

    Maybe you don't 'memba this, but I do. Dogs are voting in California, but
    don't worry Gavin Newsom assures us that illegal aliens aren't!

    https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1964106387522539602

    The Orange County District Attorney's office has charged a Costa Mesa woman with illegally registering her dog to vote in California and casting mail-in ballots in her dog's name. The dog's vote was successfully counted in the 2021 recall of Governor Newsom, but was rejected in the 2022 primary. The woman posted photos of her dog, which has since passed away, on social media with an "I voted" sticker.

    Per OC DA office:

    "Proof of residence or identification is not required for citizens to register to vote in California elections nor is it required to cast a ballot in state elections. However, proof of residence and registration is required for first-time voters to vote in a federal election. As a result, the 2022 primary ballot cast in Maya Jean's name (the dog) was challenged and rejected."

    One must now wonder - how many animals will be successfully voting in California's elections this fall?

    What made this whole thing even more ridiculous is that when the Orange County Board of Supervisors asked the registrar to send them information on the dog's voter registration, he refused, citing privacy laws.

    For a dog!

    For a dead dog!

    Does every animal have privacy rights under California law or is this just limited to civic-minded canines?



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Adam H. Kerman@3:633/10 to All on Mon Jun 1 01:35:09 2026
    BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

    Maybe you don't 'memba this, but I do. Dogs are voting in California, but >don't worry Gavin Newsom assures us that illegal aliens aren't!

    https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1964106387522539602

    The Orange County District Attorney's office has charged a Costa Mesa woman >with illegally registering her dog to vote in California and casting mail-in >ballots in her dog's name. The dog's vote was successfully counted in the 2021 >recall of Governor Newsom, but was rejected in the 2022 primary. The woman >posted photos of her dog, which has since passed away, on social media with an >"I voted" sticker.

    Per OC DA office:

    "Proof of residence or identification is not required for citizens to register >to vote in California elections nor is it required to cast a ballot in state >elections. However, proof of residence and registration is required for >first-time voters to vote in a federal election. As a result, the 2022 primary >ballot cast in Maya Jean's name (the dog) was challenged and rejected."

    I think there are other illegalities. Can't register someone else, Too
    young. Cannot vote the ballot of another.

    Sounds like California never adopted Motor Voter. Thinking about it, I
    don't recall if I showed proof of identity or residence when I first
    registered to vote, prior to Motor Voter. Now, when I was a registrar, I typically went to people's homes and knew where they lived.

    One must now wonder - how many animals will be successfully voting in >California's elections this fall?

    What made this whole thing even more ridiculous is that when the Orange County >Board of Supervisors asked the registrar to send them information on the dog's >voter registration, he refused, citing privacy laws.

    For a dog!

    For a dead dog!

    Does every animal have privacy rights under California law or is this just >limited to civic-minded canines?

    Hahahahahahahahaha

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.15
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)