Very strange day at work

[Kilgore]

Last edited Thu Sep 22, 2016, 03:47 PM - Edit history (1)

Today was a rare full day in our offices and had the opportunity to have lunch with two coworkers who I consider friends. We have been working for the same company for 15 years, our kids attended the same schools, and played on the same sports teams. One is a Phd chemist the other has a masters in metallurgy. Before today, I could honestly say, i had no clue of their politics. The topic just never came up. Beer tasting, yes, bbq, yes, kayaking, yes, kids, yes, politics, no.

So on our table was a copy of the Oregonian news paper with an headline about Trump. One coworker commented about how strange the election was this cycle. The banter ended with the reveal that neither could vote for Hillary. I was shocked having pegged them as probable Hillary voters up to this point. I had to ask the obvious, "so who?"

The answer......."The only one who is not an effing baffoon or an effing liar.......Gary Johnson"

Lunch wrapped up quickly since we were all due at a training class, but I spent the rest of the day thinking WTF, I had no idea.

[a kennedy]

1. REALLY??? Gary Johnson?

Is there ANY way you can talk them out of that vote??? *keeping fingers crossed*

[viguy2016]

19. As an former officer in a "Liberal" entertainment craft Union

I was shocked by the number of people who will vote for Johnson.

[Hortensis]

21. My husband used to work at the Jet Propulsion Lab

in Pasadena, and we knew a bunch of people who worked there. Strings of degrees in math, science and engineering were definitely no guarantee of even slightly informed or even halfway intelligent views on issues outside one's field. Some had always had strong intellectual curiosity and broad ranges of interests, and experiences, and were wonderful to talk with, but quite often it was very much the contrary.

[BootinUp]

2. I think its possible they wouldn't say what they really think. Just a theory. nt

[enough]

3. Interesting story. What state are you in? (nt)

[Kilgore]

8. Washington

[athena]

4. They probably don't vote at all.

The type of person you're referring to likes to act like they're superior to the rest of us humanfolk by being "independent". I wouldn't worry about them. GOTV is all about making sure Democrats vote. Too many Democrats work several jobs and don't realize how important their vote is, and GOTV is all about getting them out to vote. You can't waste your time worrying about people who think they're "above" politics.

(By the way, I'm not referring to people who have Ph.D.s and masters degrees. I'm referring to people who have Ph.D.s and masters degrees and think they're superior to the rest of humanity.)

[rurallib]

5. Johnson not a liar? Maybe, but he doesn't tell the whole truth

like ending Social Security, school funding or basically any government programs. He simply doesn't say anything about such things.

Rolling Stone did a good synopsis about a month ago:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/why-you-shouldnt-vote-for-libertarian-nominee-gary-johnson-w435712

So ask them what they want to give up? Can they pay to send their kids to school? Do they want Mom and Dad to live with them? And the TPP, Gary loves it!

[SharonClark]

6. Learned early in my career not to talk politics at work

But what I overhear just lowers my expectations of my co-workers.

[Red Mountain]

7. If you REALLY want to know........

https://enr.ncsbe.gov/voter_search_public/

In NC we have this. You can learn a lot if not actual votes for candidates.

Gotta warn you, it can disappoint you in people.

Maybe you have something similar in your state?

[Maru Kitteh]

10. Or perhaps the OPPOSITE. holy EFFFFF. I just looked at my zipcode on opensecrets.org

In DEEP RED Montana, and the ONLY people giving $$ are giving to Hillary and Dem campaigns.

MY HEART SOARS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bettyellen]

15. Wow that's interesting!

[Maru Kitteh]

17. Right? I double-triple checked to make sure I wasn't filtering results somehow.

Nope.

I was more than a little shocked.

Bodes well for our chances, local to national.

[phallon]

9. Hillary is not a liar nor a saint

I haven't seen this level of self-righteousness since 2000.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. Obvious is obvious

I wonder how November 6, 2012 felt. I mean, you joined right before then, right?



Musta stung.

[oasis]

12. At least they won't vote for Trump.

[SaschaHM]

13. I'm sort of sick of this "liar" mess....

It is sexist or atleast partially driven by sexism. If people held male politicians to the same standard of truthfulness that they hold Hillary Clinton to, our political system would collapse because nobody would get a damn vote.

[uponit7771]

22. There's no "if"... tRump can say the most racist shit on the planet and the M$M will go to emails as

... if that issue indicates anything outside of her tripping over her own feet sometimes. .... like everyone else.

[radius777]

14. Hipster identity politics

Alot of these people who voted for Obama but won't vote for Hillary (even though she is ideologically similar, will advance similar policies) are wrapped up in hipster identity. It was 'cool' to vote for Obama, then Ron Paul, then Sanders, then Stein, now maybe Johnson, etc.

IOW, it has little to do with platform/ideology, but with hipster identity and politics as a 'social accessory' to impress their friends.

Hillary, who is a moderate policy wonk (like Al Gore in 2000, or Kerry in 2004) doesn't help fulfill this identity/social requirement that they have, and this (along with sexism) is at the heart of their resentment towards her.

[susanna]

16. A 'hipster' from a former era has some insight about hipster identity politics...

It's worth a read. Or two.

http://www.vox.com/2016/9/21/12987108/sanders-clinton-nixon-humphrey

[eppur_se_muova]

18. "neither could not vote for Hillary" ?? I don't think "not" belongs there. nt

[Kilgore]

20. Fixed

Obviously did not follow the no wine while posting rule.