Three of my signs, seen from the east…
That was the only part of the song I could work into what I wanted to say. So here I go working it in…
My answer to the question is both “yes” and “no.” “No” in the sense that I’ve found yard signs a bit puzzling in this election year.
First, in my relatively moderate Republican neighborhood, there were more signs for Biden than Trump in 2020. I wrote some about that at the time, I think. I was under no delusions that Joe would win my precinct, but it seemed obvious that people who wanted him were prouder of it, more willing to share it with the world.
This time, I know of only three Harris/Walz signs (including my own) in the subdivision. Not that I’ve driven every street in search of them, but that’s the total on the streets I frequent. And I had to go looking for the third one, after hearing about it. Meanwhile, although there is no great number of Trump signs, it’s more than three, and more than what I saw in 2020.
And here’s the weirdest bit — they’re not in the same yards. There are no signs at all in two yards I remember as the most enthusiastic for the Donald. (One had signs for several GOP candidates, including the only one in the whole subdivision supporting Nikki Setzler’s Republican opponent, and the other had two Trump signs, and kept them out well after the election was over.)
I don’t know what’s going on on the MAGA side. I understand the lack of Harris signs, because it reflects a lack of enthusiasm that I share, as you know. But hey, my man Joe dropped out and dubbed her as his successor, and that’s good enough for me — and of course, Trump must be stopped, and she’s the only person in the world in a position to stop him now. I hesitated about the sign, though, because there’s a difference between voting for somebody and going that extra step to put out a sign. But in this situation, we have to pull out all the stops.
Anyway, have you noticed these patterns where you live? Maybe so, maybe not. Maybe my neighborhood is more sensible of shifting winds that are not felt in more committed ones-and-zeroes areas. As I said, this is a Republican precinct, but it went for Nikki Haley in the precinct. You don’t see people wearing MAGA hats when you go for a walk here.
Another reason I say “no” is that people don’t always see what you mean when they look at your signs. I told you I’m confused by the yards that had Trump signs four years ago, and have nothing today, as well as the ones that never had signs before, and are now all in on MAGA. Meanwhile, I know my own get misread. Remember I mentioned in my last post the pleasant talks I’ve had recently with a Republican neighbor? In the latest such interaction, I said something like “You’ll notice I’ve started putting signs out,” and he said, “Oh, I know, I can always tell a Democrat.”
I answered politely that no you can’t — not if you think I’m one… and explained further. Of course, part of this confusion is because I only had two of my signs out, and they did not include either the one for Micah Caskey, or for that matter the Harris/Walz sign.
And now, about the “yes” side of my answer to The Five-Man Electrical Band…
I think yard signs are important for a number of reasons, including (but not limited to):
- Everything I said in 2018 when I said “I refuse to be an ‘idiot.’ I’m joining the ranks of the involved.” I was very serious about that. I had just put out the first two yard signs of my life, and six weeks later, I was communications director for James’ and Mandy’s campaign.
- In this time in which people have retreated into their own safe spaces, only associating with people who agree with them, I think we have an obligation as citizens to stand up and say what we think, and be willing and even eager to discuss our positions. We desperately need such discussions now. And I’ve been having them — not just with the Republican neighbor across the street, but with a couple of candidates who have come by, with folks I meet out walking, and with the man who mows our yard. Worthwhile discussions that have led to good things thus far.
- I think signs do communicate worthwhile things to passersby, although of course the ways they do so are complicated — way more complex than most people fully realize. Generally speaking, I know that I get impressions of how things are going from the signs I see, taken in aggregate. And often those impressions affect my own thoughts and decisions about candidates (and no, I’m not speaking of the silly “bandwagon effect” — or at least, not exactly.) It’s more like, well, the reason that Harris/Walz sign is in my yard. Normally, she would fit into the category of people I would vote for and definitely want to win, but I’m not quite enthusiastic enough for a sign. But I put this one out because at that point I had only seen one other sign for Kamala in our neighborhood, and I believe wavering people need to see more support for her around them. Just as one example of what I mean.
Anyway, that’s enough philosophizing. As for my signs this year, I have five:
- Russell Ott — I’ve got two for him — one at each end of my sign display — and he’s probably the candidate about whom I’m most excited. Nikki Setzler has long been one of my favorite people in the state Senate, and I’ve been proud to have him as my senator. But I’ve told you that before. By the way, the second sign for him is one of five he gave me the other day, and I’ve already got the other four distributed. Maybe I need some more.
- Mary Burkett — This is my favorite candidate for Lexington Two school board. And not just because we’ve known the Burketts forever, and their elder son took one of my daughters to the prom many years ago, and joined our elder son in forming their first garage band in high school. I have more pertinent reasons to support her for school board. Mary cares as little about left and right and parties as I do. She just wants to get the job done. And the job, to her, is about effectively addressing the problem that 70 percent of kids in our district don’t perform at grade level. I’m certain about her, but still need to pick another board candidate to vote for.
- Harris/Walz — While I was still making like Hamlet over whether to get a sign in this all-important race, a kind neighbor who knew me dropped off three at the house, and we immediately put one to work, and shared the others. And boyohboyohboy, do I hope they win.
- Micah Caskey — That makes one Republican, two Democrats (well, three when you consider Walz being on the Harris sign) and an independent (Mary). There’s no point in you folks on the left trying to convince me how terrible it is to have a sign for this Republican, or any Republican in our post-2016 world. You may not understand my reasons, but I do. And I only reached this decision (after things Micah’s done lately to tick me off), after talking with him, with his Democratic opponent, and for that matter, with three other present and former Democratic legislators who know Micah and understand the ins and outs, and all told me I was making the right call. And while I had been torn, I feel good about it.
Well, that’s enough. I’m on to other things…
It’s a bit more tricky to get all five of our signs in one picture, since we live on a corner, and I make use of both streets. Click to blow it up and see them better.
Related Posts
I was an independent. But Trump turned be into a straight-party Democrat, which means that I can’t vote for Lexington County offices. At the county level, I don’t think there any MAGA Trumpers; but there are at state and above. County offices are elected in the primary. April to mid-May 2021, I was hospitalized at Lexington Medical. For the morning cognitive test, I would add either, “Biden is still president.”, or “Trump is no longer president.”
Trump has done irreparable damage to what used to be a peaceful transfer of power. Sen. Tom Cotton (T-AR) went on a rant about the superceding federal indictment against Trump, this close to the election, for attempting to overturn the election and inciting the January 6, insurrection.
MAGA: Make America Golf Again.
I didn’t think that I was the only one to coin “Trumper Tantrums”; I had to inclose it in quotes to find other usage.
I found this title on Amazon, “Trumper Tantrum – A Journal of Tweets, Rants and Tantrums”
I won’t vote but…
I did do my best to look up the lack of options for my area though- ballot was very short.
6 of the 8 races on the ballot had no opposition- all Republicans.
1 of the 8 races had token opposition- a Republican candidate incumbent- and a Democrat that has not campaigned at all and from what I could tell, looks like she very likely supports her Republican opponent.
and 1 race that is designed by the Republican General Assembly to elect a Republican in what was a Democrat leaning district. They did that by redrawing the lines so that it now has small parts of 4 counties to help out the Republican candidate. The GOP candidate involved has a history of anger issues. But it won’t matter.
Then there is the presidential race which of course it not a race in South Carolina.
It’s interesting to hear ignorant people blame Democrats in South Carolina for all the problems coming from Columbia when Democrats have zero power in state government- none.
Right now, there are no political signs, or flags, in the immediate vicinity (exurban/rural), not even at homes that sported Trump 2020 flags. I attribute this to weariness and a lack of newness about the race. Trump’s candidacy was something entirely new to a lot of people in 2016, that shiny new thing that attracts lots of attention. Accordingly, there were plenty of folks who wanted to show their support in the form of yard signs and flags. That kind of excitement has faded and with it the eagerness to openly demonstrate support. Which doesn’t mean the support has faded. But it may have changed character somewhat, as shown by a banner hung on the front of a house a little further away from here, which reads “Trump or Death.”
“There’s no point in you folks on the left trying to convince me how terrible it is to have a sign for this Republican, or any Republican in our post-2016 world. You may not understand my reasons, but I do. And I only reached this decision (after things Micah’s done lately to tick me off), after talking with him, with his Democratic opponent, and for that matter, with three other present and former Democratic legislators who know Micah and understand the ins and outs, and all told me I was making the right call. And while I had been torn, I feel good about it.
Micah Caskey
I thought you told me you talked to Caskey about his effort to sink and not support James Smith and he really didn’t have a reason. (we know the reason- 100% pure nasty politcs- typical good ole boy politics)
I could never support Micah Caskey under any circumstances and be able to continue to look myself in the mirror and my family in the face.
Of course, some folks you talked to did the usual political spin as they are also neck keep in the political gamesmanship- and will defend it. That’s the way it works. Everyone always has a reason.
Micah is one of the problem politicians we have in South Carolina: playing games like opposing James Smith for pure political reasons. Micah isn’t as extreme as the nutty freedom caucus, but Micah is no better.
My firm opinion is Micah Caskey is 100% the kind of man that stabs you in the back with one hand while patting you on the shoulder with the other.
Some of us know that and some, like you, walk away with a knife in your back telling everyone else that it really doesn’t hurt that much after all.
It doesn’t matter whether or not Caskey is a died-in-the-wool Trump fan. By normalizing the fringe, he is playing by the same political playbook, which in a more fundamental sense puts him in the same category as Trump. And those who vote for political figures like him are encouraging this process of radicalization.
Well, I don’t think I’d call it “normalizing the fringe” when we’re talking about a Republican officeholder who constantly calls out that same fringe on Twitter, to his risk and detriment. But he feels it has to be done.
There are two things I would like y’all to consider, and I will say no more about it. I know y’all will dismiss the first one completely — experience has taught me that — but maybe you’ll consider the second for a moment.
FIRST: Y’all ought to trust me on this. You won’t but you should. I know Micah way better than any of y’all who are indignant do. And the Democrats I’ve spoken to who agree I’m making the right decision know him far better as well — probably way better than I do, since they’ve spent so much time working in the Statehouse with him.
SECOND: The logical thing for me to do as a journalist, of course, is to help y’all know him better so you might agree with me. But there’s the rub that so clearly illustrates how poisonous and perverted our party politics have become, thanks to things such as gerrymandering. Every word I write that makes you critics like him better sets him up to be defeated in the very next GOP primary, by someone like that woman who came within a hairsbreadth of doing so two years ago. And I want people like him, not people like her, representing me.
That’s all. Y’all just think what you want to think. I know how I’m going to vote…
He’s opposed to legal marijuana in even the most restrictive form. Hope he loses.. but he won’t. I’m sure you could name several things he has done to improve the state and his local community, right?
I’ll be glad to go back and forth with you on it, if you’re sincerely interested. Of course, it doesn’t much matter whether you’re for him or not, since you don’t live in the district. Or do you? With our crazy gerrymandering, who knows…
While some candidates/serving representatives have both feet firmly planted in the fringe and others, like Caskey, may have just one foot in the fringe, the difference is a matter of degree, not fundamental divergence. He clearly has a record of fringe-friendliness in multiple policy areas (which I’ve provided specific examples of over time). And whether one wants to go all the way all at once or incrementally, the direction remains the same.
There’s something missing from what you say — a statement of the realistic alternative. That’s the crux of the argument…
Simple.
He should change direction.
I can’t fall back on “knowing Micah.” I think it’s a sorry excuse.
I don’t know him.
I judge someone on their actions.
Every politician has people that justify their crappy actions by saying “I know him/her and he/she is a good person.” Trump has a boatload of folks that claim the same thing.
Obviously, I’m not explaining it well, if you can imagine I mean something like that…
I went up to Brevard, NC this weekend to inject some money into the local economy following the hurricane.. plenty of downed trees but also plenty of signs that things are getting back to normal. Left a couple hundred dollars in revenue in a toy store, brewery, and outdoor store.
As for signs, in the loop we did from Greenville to Brevard, the Trump signs outnumbered Harris signs 10:1.
It’s over unless the “late count mail in ballots” skew outside credible statistical results.
I was in Cashiers and on up to Cullowhee on Saturday.
My wife commented that she saw more Harris signs than anywhere we’ve been in South Carolina. I intentionally ignore political signs- when I see the outline of one, I purposefully don’t look. It’s a developed habit of mine. I actually asked her to please stop mentioning the signs- any signs and she was ok to stop.
of course, those are mountain towns, and the education level is probably a bit higher there with the residents often being from somewhere else originally.
I think posting a Trump sign for some people is like “a must” thing in some of these rural areas. I told my wife I was a bit shocked anyone had enough guts to post a Harris sign in some parts of rural Western North Carolina. Seems like they’d be inviting a lot of anger and ridicule.
FYI, there was someone named Harris who was running for school board in the Brevard area.. there were many more of those signs than Harris/Walz
I did my duty and voted today in Richland County.
President: Libertarian — I would never vote for Trump or Harris.. One is a born liar and the other had to develop that expertise. Neither one could get an SAT score today that would get them into Midlands Tech. After the way Harris is running her campaign in these last weeks, I am more sure that Trump will win. Pulling out all the dirty tricks and lies, completely bombing her townhall to the point that CNN commentators said she was just spewing “word salads” (their words). The Trump = Hitler attempt is so weak and desperate.
For Congress, voted against Joe Wilson for at least the 10th time. He may actually be less bright than Harris or Trump. All he does is wave his hands and vote for wars. Plus he had a stroke recently and yet still has to get back into office. It’s not supposed to be a job for life, Joe.. .
The rest of the ballot was mostly unopposed Democrats in Richland County. Having lived here for 30+ years, I’ve seen how poorly that has gone: schools are much worse (not an opinion, check the state report cards), roads are clogged due to uncontrolled growth over two decades with no planning… For school board, I picked 3 non-incumbents including one woman who asked for my vote outside the polling place. We’d do better with three people off the street.
Voting for the SC constitution amendment to restrict voting to citizens (why should this even be required?) but there’s no sense in providing any loopholes for non-citizens to vote.
My primary reason for voting was to vote No on the two questions related to extending the penny road tax for another 25 years. We’ve all seen how this has gone since it’s inception. Millions misused, projects late and over budget. They asked for $1 billion last time and that was supposed to be collected until 2034. Well, they’ll already collect the $1B by 2026 and will have spent it all but have pushed many of the original projects out into their next money grab. This time they want 4.5 billion more and PROMISE to do better. Meanwhile 8 miles of Hardscrabble Road have been torn up for YEARS and they aren’t close to done. I went to the Penny Tax forum two weeks ago and asked how we could prevent such a debacle again and the only answer I got was for the Richland County councilwomen to blame SC DOT. They said “Well, we only do projects of 1-2 miles so we gave the money and responsibility to SC DOT for the 8 miles” Zero accountability. Based on the feedback I see on the Neighbors app that covers NE Columbia, if this tax passes it will be a complete shock. Every response to a post from Richland County about the tax is met with a chorus of no’s in the comments and not a single supporter.
Harris has run a pretty awful campaign. No doubt about it.
and you are 100% correct in the way she answers questions. I will never understand why someone that is paid to give her advice would not tell her to just give a short, straight answer.
Take a stand, and spit it out. Practice it with the advisors. Heck, practice it with her husband. I’ve seen interns with 2 months experience that can provide a brief answer in a more polished manner.
The main problem she has is- she isn’t known for being “pro” anything. She is just anti-trump (which is great with me) but that’s about it.
I saw a commercial this evening about people with disabilities. it was a wonderful commercial.
I was thinking how much better Harris would be in this campaign if she had come out, strongly, and advocated for people with disabilities. There are numerous issues impacting such people including veterans, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I don’t want her to fake it- or use anyone. That’s not my point.
It could have just as easily been the issue of affordable child-care or some other issue that matters.
However, it would be refreshing to see a real issue discussed and talked about in a positive way.
She simply doesn’t have that going for her. She’s just not a very good politician.
I think she’s a good person.