Democrats Trying to Convince Democrats to Vote Democrat

 

There have been peaceful protests violent riots every single night in Portland now for nearly three months straight. There appear to be many different groups involved, with many different messages, from “Black Lives Matter” to “Antifa” to people carrying signs with the Soviet hammer and sickle. But there is one thing all the rioters have in common. They all hate Donald Trump. All the riots have signs saying things like “Dump Trump” and other more explicit words saying the same thing. The rioters are urging people to vote against Trump in the next election. Remember, these riots are in Portland, Oregon.

In 2016, Donald Trump won 17% of the vote in Portland. Who are these people trying to convince? There hasn’t been an out-of-the-closet Republican sighted in the wild in Portland since the Reagan administration. And such exotic fauna will most certainly be scarce in Portland in today’s hostile environment. So the Portland riots are essentially Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat, while they destroy one another’s property. I don’t get it.

Looking at the adjacent electoral map from 2016 (broken down by county), it would appear that the rioters who’ve been hitting the streets for the past few months all over the country have been rioting in the wrong places. If their goal is to convince people not to vote for Donald Trump, perhaps they should go riot in places where people actually might vote for him to begin with.

There are problems with that strategy, of course. First of all, no cosmopolitan urban sophisticate has any interest in traveling to, say, Cactus, Texas. Crummy coffee shops and no microbreweries. Plus, provincial locales such as those tend to be infested with people who have no interest whatsoever what color someone is, or how many genders are listed on Tinder this week. But there’s another potential problem as well.

If someone threatens your home in St. Louis and you defend yourself by brandishing a gun, the local government (to whom you pay your taxes) will confiscate your guns, and accuse you of everything from white privilege to hate crimes to assault. You will need tens of thousands of dollars to provide for your legal defense and will be fortunate to avoid prison.

In Texas, this is likely to go differently. Actually, in most places in the United States, this is likely to go differently. Those provincial rubes may not know how to order proper Thai cuisine, but they do know how to protect themselves. And they see no reason, ethical or legal, not to do so. In St. Louis, you can march up someone’s driveway, threaten to kill the people living there, and take everything they own. The law will protect you. You can threaten to kill someone without really risking anything yourself.

Try that in Cactus.

It’s even worse than usual right now. After watching the news for the past few months, those people in Cactus (and everywhere else) know about the rioters. And they’ll be waiting for them.

People all over America have had plenty of time to think about how they will respond to this when it comes to them. And I suspect that most of them have made up their minds by now. I suspect this because every website I looked at is sold out of ammo. Every caliber. All of it. People understand what they’re up against. They won’t be surprised. They’ll be waiting.

Democrat activists have been looting and rioting in Portland every night for nearly three months. In Cactus, it won’t take that long.

I really don’t care what happens in Portland. I should. But I don’t. I suspect that many of those in Cactus would take a similar view. If Portland Democrats really want to destroy their own city, well, ok.

But it seems so pointless. Just Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat. Like screaming at the sky.

It may be pointless, and the rioters may be wasting their time and energy, but to me, this is sort of ok. Firstly, because I don’t care about Portland as much as I should. But secondly, and much more importantly, because at least the rioters are safe in Portland and other Democrat cities. They can destroy as much as they want with no real consequences, as long as they stay in Democrat-controlled cities.

But if the rioters decide to expand their operation and go where the Republican voters actually live, this could get very nasty, very quickly. And that would be tragic. Absolutely tragic. Let’s pray the rioters stay in Portland and various other Democrat cities. We should pray for this, for the safety of the rioters.

I’m not concerned about the safety of the citizens of Cactus.

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  1. DonG (skeptic) Coolidge
    DonG (skeptic)
    @DonG

    The riots impinge on the rights of some citizens in Portland.  I say shame on the majority for tolerating the deprivation of rights of a minority.  In theory, that is what they are against, yet, it is the outcome in Leftist Portland.

    As for Cactus, TX you might find that being Cactus-adjacent is dangerous for violent rioters. 

    • #1
  2. Buckpasser Member
    Buckpasser
    @Buckpasser

    Mr. Watt has some suburban type rioting…….oops peaceful protest in another post.

    • #2
  3. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    • #3
  4. Mark Camp Member
    Mark Camp
    @MarkCamp

    DonG (skeptic) (View Comment):

    The riots impinge on the rights of some citizens in Portland. I say shame on the majority for tolerating the deprivation of rights of a minority. In theory, that is what they are against, yet, it is the outcome in Leftist Portland.

    I hit the Like on the Post, but with a reservation about minority rights in Democrat-held cities. You expressed it well. Thanks.

    • #4
  5. Doug Kimball Thatcher
    Doug Kimball
    @DougKimball

    The problem with stupid people is their assumption that they are smarter than everyone else.

    Most adults do not reward childish tantrums, but some, those who are insecure, weak and easily manipulated, often make this mistake.  We know the result: more tantrums.  These so called protests are nothing more than adult tantrums, albiet more violent.  And the reason they are conducted in Democrat controlled cities?  Because those pounding the ground know that they will find so called government leaders who are insecure, weak and easily manipulated, thus the tantrums will be rewarded.

    The people in Cactus won’t abide childish tantrums.  A good smack in the behind will usually result in peace.  In the worst cases, a few smacks.  Now adult tantrums that threaten person and property are another thing altogether.  That will require a firmer response.

    These Antifa/BLM mobs are not nearly as brazen when faced with someone with a strong hand and firm resolve.

    So for all the noise and commotion, these yahoos are really just fouling their own nest.  Typical leftists.  They stir up a fuss in their own enclaves and assume everyone sees it and will march to the poles.

    And most of these BLM and Antifa people were a part of Bernie’s Army.  They probably won’t vote and most likely never have

    • #5
  6. namlliT noD Member
    namlliT noD
    @DonTillman

    Dr. Bastiat: But it seems so pointless. Just Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat. Like screaming at the sky.

    I believe that the intent was to have massive rioting “under Trump’s watch”, in order to reflect negatively on the president right before the election.  And that it had been planned earlier, nationwide, which is easy enough to do these days.  And synchronized with all the riots going off simultaneously to magnify the effect, and to create the illusion that the entire nation is angry as hell.  And they were just waiting for an appropriate trigger event.  

    This is consistent with the mayors allowing the riots, and ordering their police departments to stand down and not arrest anybody.  They’re in on it.

    Sure, the cities will be left badly damaged, but they can blame that on Trump.  And incoming president Kamala Harris will fund the rebuilding, and the political insiders can skim off a significant percentage of that, maybe half.

    Of course A., it might not work, and B., it might not be competently managed.

    • #6
  7. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    namlliT noD (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat: But it seems so pointless. Just Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat. Like screaming at the sky.

    I believe that the intent was to have massive rioting “under Trump’s watch”, in order to reflect negatively on the president right before the election. And that it had been planned earlier, nationwide, which is easy enough to do these days. And synchronized with all the riots going off simultaneously to magnify the effect, and to create the illusion that the entire nation is angry as hell. And they were just waiting for an appropriate trigger event.

    This is consistent with the mayors allowing the riots, and ordering their police departments to stand down and not arrest anybody. They’re in on it.

    Sure, the cities will be left badly damaged, but they can blame that on Trump. And incoming president Kamala Harris will fund the rebuilding, and the political insiders can skim off a significant percentage of that, maybe half.

    Of course A., it might not work, and B., it might not be competently managed.

    You just described third world politics.  

    • #7
  8. JoelB Member
    JoelB
    @JoelB

    The target voter is the undecided mushy middle. We can hope that the conspirators have overplayed their hand.

    • #8
  9. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    I’m picking up what you’re laying down.

    My only quibble is that in every lefty city and every Cactus town, there is a mix of people, each with the rights to life, liberty etc.  So lawlessness in either place strips these people of their rights.  I thought that’s why we had laws, and why we enforce them.

    I join you, and probably shoot right past you, in my satisfaction at letting these spoiled children reap the bitter harvest of their puerile tantrums.  But I pause when I think of the innocent citizens in the area who have the misfortune of just trying to get to work, just trying to pursue their constitutionally-protected American dreams.

    That’s probably why in my dream, I would like to see everyone who picked up a stone or a spray can arrested, and then sentenced to a year of graffitti removal and window replacement. After that if they have some grievance to air, we can do it in a civilized manner.

    • #9
  10. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    “So the Portland riots are essentially Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat, while they destroy one another’s property. I don’t get it.”

    The Portland Riots are Commies and Anarchists trying to create chaos, so that unaffiliated voters across the land will blame The Donald for our lack of civil stability.  This has been in the planning for a long time, of that you can be certain; the perfect storm of a bad novel flu season and a semi-retarded black man dying of an overdose has given the riots license to explode. 

    A little more policing would be welcomed.  Meantime, our fellow citizens suffer.

    • #10
  11. Arthur Beare Member
    Arthur Beare
    @ArthurBeare

    Actually, I am quite surprised that  after three months of this nonsense none of the “protesters” have been shot. 

    I’m sure we would have heard about it, even though you don’t hear much about injuries to the police.

    • #11
  12. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    Dr. Bastiat: But if the rioters decide to expand their operation and go where the Republican voters actually live…

    Dear Santa,

    I know I said Belgian Malinois for Christmas this year.  But please, please, pllleeeaaasse, encourage the rioters to come on down.  I don’t even need extra supplies or anything; I’m topped off.

    • #12
  13. namlliT noD Member
    namlliT noD
    @DonTillman

    The solution to the violence, rioting, and destruction is crazy simple: arrest and prosecute the rioters.  

    The mayors and councils of these cities have made the decision not to do that and instead support the riots.

    Fascinating, eh?   You could chalk it up to the effects of single party rule.  If your party can’t lose an election, there’s less incentive to do right by your city. 

    But what we’re seeing is extreme.  I mean really, really extreme.  Hard to comprehend extreme.

    Since the riots are, according to this plan, helping to elect the Democrat presidential candidate, then perhaps the Democrat party organization is supporting the mayors of these cities.  Ie., paying off the mayors to let their cities burn.  I dunno, that’s the best I can come up with.

     

    • #13
  14. Paul Stinchfield Member
    Paul Stinchfield
    @PaulStinchfield

    Arthur Beare (View Comment):

    Actually, I am quite surprised that after three months of this nonsense none of the “protesters” have been shot.

    I’m sure we would have heard about it, even though you don’t hear much about injuries to the police.

    One did: He pointed a rifle at someone in a car blocked by other thugs (pointing firearms at peaceful people is now a leftist recreational activity) and the driver, who was armed, then drew his pistol and shot the fool.

    • #14
  15. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    It’s clear – many Democrat voters don’t want their stuff destroyed.  They don’t want their homes and businesses burned, they don’t want their guns taken away, and they don’t want their children brainwashed with LGBT garbage (not respecting people who are different, but suggesting the LGBT lifestyle is cool and they should try it).

    And many Democrat voters don’t want their faith not only trashed, but forbidden to practice – pandemic or no pandemic.  I hope this aspect of Democrat policy drives them out of the party altogether, and for good . . .

    • #15
  16. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Dr. Bastiat: So the Portland riots are essentially Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat, while they destroy one another’s property. I don’t get it.

    Humans are terrible creatures and they are also very religious. When you combine the the two. You get people with agree about most things fighting each other in order to be purer than thou. It’s about the purity. It’s not about creating an effective though imperfect coalition. 

    It’s a good thing that never happens on the right… 

    • #16
  17. Gazpacho Grande' Coolidge
    Gazpacho Grande'
    @ChrisCampion

    Yeah, the best that can be hoped for by the politicians that tacitly support this crap is that some of it splashes on Trump, but in most of those cities where riots were not effectively (or even lamely) policed (not due to the cops, due to the politicians), they’re already voting one way.

    The best is to get some of the squishes in the middle (I’d tag Rob Long here but that seems….cruel) to land in the Biden camp, so they won’t feel like they voted for someone they disdain.  Which is completely understandable, however nauseating.

    The worst part is the fact that the citizens, all of them, suffer due to politicians.  All the citizens suffer.  Whether they know it or acknowledge it, those politicians are responsible for the chaos.  Other cities clamped down hard and the protests/riots ended.  It’s the same historically; smack down hard out of the gate and everyone gets the message, and goes home.

    Instead, we’ve encouraged what amounts to a mob.  Also historically, this has never really ended well.

    • #17
  18. J. D. Fitzpatrick Member
    J. D. Fitzpatrick
    @JDFitzpatrick

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    If there was ever a litmus test for modern American politics, this is it. 

    • #18
  19. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    As I see it, the people of Portland voted for this, and will continue to vote for this. For decades, Democrats have mismanaged cities and yet, and yet, the people who live there keep voting for them. 

    • #19
  20. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    The IRS should audit BLM, a private LLC, a for profit corporation

     

     

    • #20
  21. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    I worry that BLM and antifa will go to rural areas on Election Day.

    We need to be prepared, i.e. militias

     

    • #21
  22. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    DonG (skeptic) (View Comment):

    The riots impinge on the rights of some citizens in Portland. I say shame on the majority for tolerating the deprivation of rights of a minority. In theory, that is what they are against, yet, it is the outcome in Leftist Portland.

    I hit the Like on the Post, but with a reservation about minority rights in Democrat-held cities. You expressed it well. Thanks.

    not everyone in Portland voted for the lunatic mayor

    small business owners in Portland and everywhere do not support rioting/looting 

    The mayor of Portland has now told antifa/BLM to stand down… because it will help Trump (his words)

     

    • #22
  23. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    Doug Kimball (View Comment):

    The problem with stupid people is their assumption that they are smarter than everyone else.

    Most adults do not reward childish tantrums, but some, those who are insecure, weak and easily manipulated, often make this mistake. We know the result: more tantrums. These so called protests are nothing more than adult tantrums, albiet more violent. And the reason they are conducted in Democrat controlled cities? Because those pounding the ground know that they will find so called government leaders who are insecure, weak and easily manipulated, thus the tantrums will be rewarded.

    The people in Cactus won’t abide childish tantrums. A good smack in the behind will usually result in peace. In the worst cases, a few smacks. Now adult tantrums that threaten person and property are another thing altogether. That will require a firmer response.

    These Antifa/BLM mobs are not nearly as brazen when faced with someone with a strong hand and firm resolve.

    So for all the noise and commotion, these yahoos are really just fouling their own nest. Typical leftists. They stir up a fuss in their own enclaves and assume everyone sees it and will march to the poles.

    And most of these BLM and Antifa people were a part of Bernie’s Army. They probably won’t vote and most likely never have

    One problem today is that children pretending to be adults are presidents of elite universities

     

    • #23
  24. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    namlliT noD (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat: But it seems so pointless. Just Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat. Like screaming at the sky.

    I believe that the intent was to have massive rioting “under Trump’s watch”, in order to reflect negatively on the president right before the election. And that it had been planned earlier, nationwide, which is easy enough to do these days. And synchronized with all the riots going off simultaneously to magnify the effect, and to create the illusion that the entire nation is angry as hell. And they were just waiting for an appropriate trigger event.

    This is consistent with the mayors allowing the riots, and ordering their police departments to stand down and not arrest anybody. They’re in on it.

    Sure, the cities will be left badly damaged, but they can blame that on Trump. And incoming president Kamala Harris will fund the rebuilding, and the political insiders can skim off a significant percentage of that, maybe half.

    Of course A., it might not work, and B., it might not be competently managed.

    and C, it could totally backfire.  Flyover country isn’t as dumb as Democrats think

     

    • #24
  25. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    namlliT noD (View Comment):

    Dr. Bastiat: But it seems so pointless. Just Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat. Like screaming at the sky.

    I believe that the intent was to have massive rioting “under Trump’s watch”, in order to reflect negatively on the president right before the election. And that it had been planned earlier, nationwide, which is easy enough to do these days. And synchronized with all the riots going off simultaneously to magnify the effect, and to create the illusion that the entire nation is angry as hell. And they were just waiting for an appropriate trigger event.

    This is consistent with the mayors allowing the riots, and ordering their police departments to stand down and not arrest anybody. They’re in on it.

    Sure, the cities will be left badly damaged, but they can blame that on Trump. And incoming president Kamala Harris will fund the rebuilding, and the political insiders can skim off a significant percentage of that, maybe half.

    Of course A., it might not work, and B., it might not be competently managed.

    You just described third world politics.

    The Democrats are a third world political party: their voters are filthy rich or on food stamps

     

    • #25
  26. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    I’m picking up what you’re laying down.

    My only quibble is that in every lefty city and every Cactus town, there is a mix of people, each with the rights to life, liberty etc. So lawlessness in either place strips these people of their rights. I thought that’s why we had laws, and why we enforce them.

    I join you, and probably shoot right past you, in my satisfaction at letting these spoiled children reap the bitter harvest of their puerile tantrums. But I pause when I think of the innocent citizens in the area who have the misfortune of just trying to get to work, just trying to pursue their constitutionally-protected American dreams.

    That’s probably why in my dream, I would like to see everyone who picked up a stone or a spray can arrested, and then sentenced to a year of graffitti removal and window replacement. After that if they have some grievance to air, we can do it in a civilized manner.

    I vehemently agree!

     

    • #26
  27. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    “So the Portland riots are essentially Democrats trying to convince Democrats to vote Democrat, while they destroy one another’s property. I don’t get it.”

    The Portland Riots are Commies and Anarchists trying to create chaos, so that unaffiliated voters across the land will blame The Donald for our lack of civil stability. This has been in the planning for a long time, of that you can be certain; the perfect storm of a bad novel flu season and a semi-retarded black man dying of an overdose has given the riots license to explode.

    A little more policing would be welcomed. Meantime, our fellow citizens suffer.

    I think Trump will order the National Guard to quell the riots in Portland and elsewhere if this nonsense continues.  This will be the October surprise?

     

    • #27
  28. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    Arthur Beare (View Comment):

    Actually, I am quite surprised that after three months of this nonsense none of the “protesters” have been shot.

    I’m sure we would have heard about it, even though you don’t hear much about injuries to the police.

    YES, we have been too lenient.  We are coddling rioters

    There were riots in Portland before George Floyd.  

    Chaos has been the norm in Portland for over 360 days

     

    • #28
  29. MISTER BITCOIN Inactive
    MISTER BITCOIN
    @MISTERBITCOIN

    namlliT noD (View Comment):

    The solution to the violence, rioting, and destruction is crazy simple: arrest and prosecute the rioters.

    The mayors and councils of these cities have made the decision not to do that and instead support the riots.

    Fascinating, eh? You could chalk it up to the effects of single party rule. If your party can’t lose an election, there’s less incentive to do right by your city.

    But what we’re seeing is extreme. I mean really, really extreme. Hard to comprehend extreme.

    Since the riots are, according to this plan, helping to elect the Democrat presidential candidate, then perhaps the Democrat party organization is supporting the mayors of these cities. Ie., paying off the mayors to let their cities burn. I dunno, that’s the best I can come up with.

     

    these rioters do not deserve due process

     

    • #29
  30. ChefSly - Super Kit Inactive
    ChefSly - Super Kit
    @MrAmy

    MISTER BITCOIN (View Comment):

    these rioters do not deserve due process

     

    Maybe. They should get it anyway.

    • #30
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