A drive through town again shows no red signs at all. Even the signs for Trump have given up on the red and look similar to Harris’ blue. A few Rs have blue with a small band of red across the bottom. Green (for other than for green party), however, seems to be a growing trend. There was a time when it was pretty much the standard for forest preserve commissioner, but nobody else. There are several candidates now showing green. In addition to most candidates going to blue, there are almost none with any party affiliation displayed. The easiest way to tell party affiliation is to see if they are near a blue Harris sign or a blue Trump sign.
American colour scheme sometimes confuses me, because it’s the exact opposite of what we have in Canada. Left=red, right=blue.
1 Like
Canadian spelling confuses me.
1 Like
“American” not including Canadian confuses me. 
3 Likes
As Puerto Rico is part of the U.S.A., are Puerto Ricans “Americans?”
I got an application in the mail from the Iowa Republican party. Before that, I had a robo call from Grassley giving me a heads up to watch my mail.
The letter had my name but not my wife’s. I’m a registered R, she isn’t. (have to declare a party to attend caucuses)
So in Iowa, the Republicans are ignoring Trump’s complaints about absentee voting.
When I’m writing, I use “US” when it’s convenient, rather than American.
1 Like
depends on context, sometimes I use “WE”
Red is the universal colour for left wingers but USA is exceptional.
1 Like
It started in 2000…
…and, indeed, before that it was usually the other way…
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-republicans-were-blue-and-democrats-were-red-104176297/
I have “complained” to my London-based boss that Office’s autocorrect on my British virtual machine puts me in mortal danger from the ghost of Noah Webster who surely haunts his old home, in my neighborhood.
(One of these days, I’ll be annoyed to go look up the language settings to fix that little problem.)
1 Like
It still sometimes throws me when I hear about another state not having no-excuse absentee. Making it no-excuse was new in my state due to COVID, but I can’t imagine going back.
This is a second attempt to make the change.
In a prior attempt, pre-pandemic, “going to the polls on election day” was deemed to be a critical element of the New England political process, so the referendum failed by a moderate margin.
Then we had the pandemic, and a bunch of people (mostly D’s or D-leaning) realized that absentee voting is convenient and non-scary.
We also just got early voting as of last year. I have no idea whether that will impact this year’s referendum results.
The referendum failing wouldn’t be the end of the world, as long as the “sickness” criterion continues its pandemic-era interpretation of “can’t go to the assigned polling station because of other peoples’ germs”, which becomes de facto no-excuse absentee.
1 Like
Yes, since 1899 via the Jones-Shafroth Act.
I actually knew that since years ago one of my Puerto Rican students tell me about a classmate who said something to the effect that Puerto Ricans and Mexicans were basically the same thing. 
(The short answer I gave, citing this law, is that Puerto Ricans are American, and Mexicans are Mexican.)
1 Like
That’s the de jure answer. However, the existence of a discrete Puerto Rican culture would suggest that the answer really depends on what you mean by “American”. They’re American citizens, but if one has a narrow (probably bigoted) view of what constitutes being “American” culturally…
1 Like
I really like the early voting option. I try to do that every election.
2 Likes
Puerto Rico
You lovely island
Island of tropical breezes
Always the pineapples growing
Always the coffee blossoms blowing
And the money owing
And the baby’s crying
And the people trying
I like the island Manhattan (I know you do)
Smoke on your pipe and put that in!
I like to be in America
Okay, buy me in America
Everything free in America
For a small fee in America
Buying on credit is so nice
One look at us and they charge twice
I have my own washing machine
What do you have don’t you keep clean?
Skyscrapers bloom in America
Cadillacs zoom in America
Industry boom in America
12 in a room in America
Lots of new housing with more space
(Lots of doors slamming in our face)
I’ll get a terrace apartment
Better you get rid of your accent
Life can be bright in America
If you can fight in America
Life is all right in America
If you’re all white in America
America
La, la, la, la, la, la, America
America
Here you are free and you have pride
Long as you stay on your own side
Free to do anything you choose
Free to wait tables and shine shoes
Everywhere grime in America
Organized crime in America
Terrible time in America
You forget I’m in America
I think I’ll go back to San Juan
I know a boat you can get on (bye, bye!)
Everyone there will give big cheer! (Hey)
Everyone there will have moved here
Aw, aw, aw!
Aw, aw, aw!
Aw, aw, aw!
Hey (hey)
Hey (hey)
Hey
Hi
Hey, ha
Hey!
1 Like
Don’t make me break out into song.
GD Ninja!!!
1 Like
What’s her hourly rate? (Maybe it’s “buy” in the Rule 34 version.)
1 Like