2020 Presidential Election

[Mumbles]

And speaking of voting restrictions:

It's the only sensible conclusion the judge could come to. But, as you say, an overtly very conservative SC could rule otherwise in the future. Thank goodness not in time for this election.

Here's where Texas is as of now:

Federally, a panel of entirely Dolt 45 judges have upheld Abbott's restrictions, however a state-level judge has tossed it out - and this ruling has been appealed.

Meaning? I have no idea. Counties sound like they're still keeping all but one drop-off location closed for the moment.

Folks might wonder why I'm eager to see voting extended to as many people of age as possible. I consider it a damn right, but that's only a part of it.

The other is that it's perfectly clear to me that the GOP has gone entirely off the rails post Brown v. Board (no, it was not Roe v Wade), and is currently more interested in recreating a (straight) white male aristocracy than in much of anything else - with protestant conservatism as a useful aside. The sooner they get to crushing defeat after crushing defeat, the sooner they can get over that crap and join, more or less, the rest of the developed world. An *actual* conservative wing would be somewhat useful, as opposed to the violent reactionary party we have now.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Saw this pop up on Twitter:

"NEW: A Cleveland company that agreed to print absentee ballots for dozens of counties in OH and PA is 10 days late in getting them to voters.

The company's owners are Trump supporters and flew a Trump flag at their HQ."

https://twitter.com/reidepstein/status/1317159055144685569


I wonder how much of this quiet, chipping away at the voting infrastructure goes unnoticed?

Here's the full story that links to. NYT: In Ohio, a Printing Company Is Overwhelmed and Mail Ballots Are Delayed

 

[Meadmaker]

I will add one more thing. For long time I was opposed to mandatory voting, since I thought it is pointless. If someone doesn't care or does not want to vote, then forcing them to throw out ballot without vote, invalid vote or just random X somewhere will do no good.

But then, not that long ago, I realized that I was mistaken. It is not goal of mandatory voting to force people uninterested in voting to vote. With mandatory vote voting suppression is pretty much impossible. This is why there are democracies with mandatory voting.

I hadn't thought of that. Good point.

 

[Meadmaker]

I would love nothing more than to see voting being something that's taught as a concept in high school, complete with your first act of voting being part of your curriculum.

Wait. It isn't?

Obviously, the "first act of voting" isn't, but the voting thing was drilled into our heads over and over again, from grade school through high school. Only a few people could actually vote, especially in the fall general elections, but I would say that the concept of democracy and the obligation to vote were things that were front and center of our Civics curriculum. Surely that hasn't changed, has it?


(We called it "Civics" class in Illinois. Other places called it "Government" class.)

 

[Meadmaker]

I think there may be a few problems with that idea:

First of all, you would need poll workers to staff the polling places (as well whatever other relevant equipment is used in that state), and its not always easy to find those.

Secondly, in some more densely populated cities, it is possible that a school that the student attends is in a different district than the student lives in.

One aspect of the "voter education" process was that in our town, the polling places were always in schools. Part of that was that it was just a convenient government-owned building, but everyone understood that one of the reasons it was done that way was so the students would see adults voting.

 

[xjx388]

And speaking of voting restrictions:



Here's where Texas is as of now:

Federally, a panel of entirely Dolt 45 judges have upheld Abbott's restrictions, however a state-level judge has tossed it out - and this ruling has been appealed.

Meaning? I have no idea. Counties sound like they're still keeping all but one drop-off location closed for the moment.

Folks might wonder why I'm eager to see voting extended to as many people of age as possible. I consider it a damn right, but that's only a part of it.

The other is that it's perfectly clear to me that the GOP has gone entirely off the rails post Brown v. Board (no, it was not Roe v Wade), and is currently more interested in recreating a (straight) white male aristocracy than in much of anything else - with protestant conservatism as a useful aside. The sooner they get to crushing defeat after crushing defeat, the sooner they can get over that crap and join, more or less, the rest of the developed world. An *actual* conservative wing would be somewhat useful, as opposed to the violent reactionary party we have now.

In my part of Texas, that isn't stopping anyone from early voting. I plan on going soon but the lines are crazy right now. This is record early voting turn out. It seems to me that The People (at least in South Texas) are determined to make their votes count this year. I think that bodes well for Biden, given that South Texas is a Democrat stronghold. I also think there is a big push to vote because the Trump supporters here have been very vocal and visible with huge "Trump Trains" every Saturday. They've been blasting social media. I'm hoping the strategy backfires and they've motivated normally complacent eligible voters to go out in droves.

 

[acbytesla]

Voting is a privilege that we are born with and that you have to earn, you horrible poor person.

Huh? Thalk about being mutually exclusive. Was that deliberate?

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Retweeted

Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022)
@TeamTrump
President @realDonaldTrump: Early voting in #Florida starts on MONDAY, and we are going to have a Red Wave!

 

[angrysoba]

I think there may be a few problems with that idea:

First of all, you would need poll workers to staff the polling places (as well whatever other relevant equipment is used in that state), and its not always easy to find those.

Secondly, in some more densely populated cities, it is possible that a school that the student attends is in a different district than the student lives in.

Easy fixes:

a) High school teachers can double as poll workers on Election Day.

b) each student will get the ballot they need and deposit it in the correct box.

It actually sounds like a great idea. I hear that civics is a subject in American schools. What better way to teach it than to participate in practice? Every student would get to vote either in a presidential or mid-term election.

 

[dudalb]

One of my main concerns is what Putin has up his sleeve. I just don't beleive Vlad the Impaler is going to let his stooge in the White House go down without trying something.

 

[dudalb]

Easy fixes:

a) High school teachers can double as poll workers on Election Day.

b) each student will get the ballot they need and deposit it in the correct box.

It actually sounds like a great idea. I hear that civics is a subject in American schools. What better way to teach it than to participate in practice? Every student would get to vote either in a presidential or mid-term election.

I diagree. I question if 16 years old are mature enough to be intelligent voters. At times I think lowering the age to 18 was a mistake for the same reason.

 

[Andy_Ross]

There are always plenty of volunteers to operate polling stations in the UK and we have a lot of them, one for around every 1000 voters.

 

[angrysoba]

One of my main concerns is what Putin has up his sleeve. I just don't beleive Vlad the Impaler is going to let his stooge in the White House go down without trying something.

He’ll probably do (or be doing) what he usually does - flooding Facebook and Twitter with bots and dark ads, paying some You Tube influencers, etc....

 

[Safe-Keeper]

One of my main concerns is what Putin has up his sleeve. I just don't beleive Vlad the Impaler is going to let his stooge in the White House go down without trying something.

With any luck, he'll decide Trump has outlived his usefulness and leave him to his fate.

 

[angrysoba]

I diagree. I question if 16 years old are mature enough to be intelligent voters. At times I think lowering the age to 18 was a mistake for the same reason.

They can’t be worse than your average Fox News-viewing Trump voter (average age 68 or something). Besides, we are talking about this is the context of making voting mandatory. Why not use school for.... *gasp* educating 16-year olds about the importance of voting?

 

[MarkCorrigan]

I diagree. I question if 16 years old are mature enough to be intelligent voters. At times I think lowering the age to 18 was a mistake for the same reason.

They opened up voting in the Scottish referendum to 16 year olds and it worked well.

 

[Ryan O'Dine]

Just a note, tomorrow is the last day for participating in the non-partisan Vote Forward's get out the vote letter writing campaign. You can write as few as 5 letters, it's super easy and there's evidence it actually works...

Vote Forward

 

[Stacyhs]

Trump Tweets

Polls numbers are looking very strong. Big crowds, great enthusiasm. Massive RED WAVE coming!!!

And I'm THE KING OF THE WORLD!

 

[Stacyhs]

At this point I'll note two things:

First, I seem to recall quite a few people pondering on the end result of rendering people entirely unable to change their situation via nonviolence.

Second, and on a related note, the US does not have universal sufferage, even among adults. We...should change this, particularly for ex-felons, for all elections. THis doesn't include the very young, but I'm not horrified by the idea of lowering the voting age to, say, 16. Frankly, I'm unconvinced that people at that age could do a worse job than, say, older people who reflexively voted for Dolt 45 or Moscow Mitch.

Having taught 16 year olds.... I AM horrified.

 

[SezMe]

Trump Retweeted

Kealoha
@kealoha20
True Goodness,Righteousness,Selflessness,Love of Country n her People SHINES Forth from Our President n Blesses The World.Our Hearts are uplifted in a Joyful Smile when we see him,hear him or think of Our President Gods Courageous Warrior n a example to all

The Ukrainian who wrote that must have gotten a pay raise based on a condition that she up her game at least one level.