Primaries for six states; Michigan, Washington, Mississippi, Idaho, North Dakota, and Missouri are slated for today. The big question, in addition to the one of whether they will go for Joe or Bernie, is whether the corona virus will influence voting? That is, how many people will stay home out of a well-founded fear of being exposed to the virus?
Previously we saw some of the disadvantages of early voting by mail. But by now there are people wishing that they had chosen that option. Are we going to see a depressed (in both senses of the word) voter turnout?
My paternal grandmother liked to tell the story of how she had been sick, but she got out of bed to go and cast her vote for FDR. The lesson being that you cowboy up and do your civic duty. But now your conflicting civic duty is to prevent the spread of a dangerous disease.
The idea of online voting is fraught with potential for accusations of hacking and interference. But by November will it be a possible option due to public health concerns?
Certainly, polling places can and should take the same precautions that the rest of us are being urged to take everywhere: have Purell on hand; no bodily contact like shaking hands; wipe down booths, judges' tables, door knobs etc. (even the pens used to sign the roll books) after each use with sanitary wipes; etc. I'd be disappointed, but perhaps not surprised, if county clerks haven't sent out instructions, and perhaps even supplies, already.
ReplyDeleteWill it cause older voters to disproportionally stay home? Will this be to Bernie's advantage? Probably not enough to overcome the recent pile-on from the pro-oligarchy forces in the party and corporatist media. Hillary-with-a-male-member (ideology-wise) will probably be the standard bearer for the Democratic party.
ReplyDeleteThere are no known corona cases in Michigan as of last night.
ReplyDeleteAbsentee voting is something like 40 percent of all ballots. A lot of voters didn't bother to re-vote when everybody dropped out of the race after Super Tuesday, and a friend in Detroit said the clerk's office was confused about the procedure for spoiling ballots. So expect Bloomberg to make a good showing!
There won't be a crowd where I live, as there are about 10 Democrats in my town. I'm bringing my own pen. Sanitizer before I go in and when I come out.
With our governor and the incredible vice president standing guard, we in Florida fear nothing.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, it may be wiser to stay home tonight but we are going to the Emmet Cahill concert. It will be the third straight year he has stopped at our parish hall, backed up by a local choir he liked four years ago in another venue and his effervescent pianist. It will be crowded. Cahill generates terrific word of mouth. If I die after hearing his "Danny Boy," I'll die with a smile on my face.
Danny Boy. Here ya go. How far can you make it into this? Most people's ears bleed around the 30-second mark. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_mk3PkKGo7o
DeleteSpeaking of Florida voting:
Deletehttps://www.ncronline.org/news/people/who-holds-catholic-key-floridas-2020-election?clickSource=email
Who holds the Catholic key to Florida's 2020 election?
Puerto Rican Democrats and transplanted Republicans have power
Jean! He is Welsh!
DeleteWell, Tom, he is half English. His real last name is Woodward.
DeleteIf you want the more unctious Irish version of "Danny Boy," check out Bing Crosby or Daniel O'Donnell. Or here's Slim Whitman! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KL-B-qB_rY
I loathe and despise that song no matter who sings it. Except the Pogues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnfmagQoYrA
I'm counting on Tom Jones's version in keeping away the coronavirus.
DeleteA few years back some liturgical correctness clergy got their drawers on a knot over people having Danny Boy for a funeral song, because it wasn't religious enough. Of course someone just wrote some religious words to the song: O Loving God, and the problem is solved. Around here they don't sing Irish songs for funerals. Apparently you can't have a Polish funeral without Serdczna Matko. Then after the family and the casket has left the church sometimes they play a polka on an accordion. That's probably not liturically correct, either.
DeleteJust a few minutes ago, we all got an email from Emmet saying he woke up with a sore throat and it isn't getting better. So we are postponed. He said he was sorry. HE'S sorry? Now If I die I will have a frown on my face.
DeleteJean, He doesn't even do Danny Boy at every concert. And when he does "I Will Take You Home, Kathleen," he says it was written by and about a German immigrant. He does a lot of Broadway. Look, he was part of Celtic Thunder, which I successfully ignored. I was talked into attending the concert three years ago by one of the members of the chorus that works with him here. When I heard him I was blown away.
Tom Jones may be Welsh, but he can't keep away Covid-19. Trust me.
A welcher, eh? There ya go.
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