2020 Presidential Election

[Segnosaur]

Because the Constitution was written more than 200 years ago, and it's not easy to change. It made sense at the time.

But it's true, elections are conducted entirely by states, and administered by cities/local authorities.

And as Bob noted, technically, you don't even elect a President with your vote. You elect a slate of electors, who almost always vote for the candidate they are pledged to

Well, of course I know all that. But ... why is it STILL so?

Any constitutional change (such as eliminating the electoral college and using the popular vote) requires:
- 2/3rds majority in both the house and senate
- Ratification by 3/4ths of the state

Decades ago, it may have been possible to get congress on side, but with the extreme polarization that the U.S. currently has, I doubt very much whether the republicans would be in favor of adopting a popular vote system (since they sometimes win only because of the electoral college).

And it would probably be very difficult to get some of the smaller states on board, because they would lose political influence.

Now, there is an attempt to get around that via the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (Wikipedia). This would leave the college of electors in place, but direct them to vote for whomever wins the national popular vote (rather than whomever wins the state vote), assuming they can get enough states to agree to it. No constitutional change is required.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

If I don’t sound like a typical Washington politician, it’s because I’m NOT a politician. If I don’t always play by the rules of the Washington Establishment, it’s because I was elected to fight for YOU, harder than anyone ever has before! http://Vote.DonaldJTrump.com

For half a century, Joe Biden has been outsourcing your jobs, opening your borders, and sacrificing American blood and treasure in endless foreign wars. Joe Biden is a corrupt politician—If Biden Wins, China Wins. When We Win, Florida Wins—and America Wins!

This election is a choice between the AMERICAN DREAM and a SOCIALIST NIGHTMARE. Our opponents want to turn America into Communist Cuba or Socialist Venezuela. As long as I am President, America will NEVER be a socialist Country!

Your VOTE on Tuesday, November 3rd is going to SAVE OUR COUNTRY. We are going to defeat the Marxists, Socialists, Rioters, Flag-Burners, and Left-wing Extremists! Get out and VOTE! #MAGA

I was thrilled to be back in my home state of FLORIDA! 5 days from now, we are going to win FLORIDA, and we are going to WIN 4 more years in the White House. Get out and VOTE! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!

 

[Gulliver Foyle]

The Trump Campaign has financial issues and so now, it appears, does the Wisconsin GOP:



https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ele...9acc6d45324002c52d818e&pinned_post_type=share



I really hope that the perpetrators are brought to justice - this is no way to try to affect a democratic process.

I also hope that the GOP get their money back, and learn from the experience.

What odds this was an inside job?

Hadn't read this before, but in a lengthy article last year about Rupert Murdoch, the NYT said that Murdoch almost endorsed Hillary Clinton, but she wouldn't meet with him.


If anybody still doubts her basic competence as a politician, this sounds like the smoking gun.

Actually that's one area where she showed her political competency. You don't want to go within a country mile (about six miles Imperial) of the Dirty Digger if you want your political integrity left intact.

That's what it looks like to me. I guess I am not wise in the ways of electronic invoicing, but I don't see how an invoice gets "altered". I would think an electronic invoice is basically an email or a link to a web page. You go to that web page, enter your account, and that takes you to a link where you agree to pay something, and a money transfer takes place.

Maybe it's different with business to business transactions, but it seems like they would have to hack the other guy's web site in order to deflect payment the way it is alleged.

Unless, the other way it could go, is that someone is generating fake invoices and sending them to the Wisconsin GOP, and some moronic staffer is blindly hitting "pay". The "someone" could be someone from outside, or someone on the inside intercepting a real invoice, and then generating a fake replacement invoice that deflects the money to an offshore account.
But.....2.3 million dollars worth of that sort of fraud?

I guess more details will come out, but I'll bet when it's all over someone on the inside is going to be implicated. Pure speculation, but that's just what it seems to me.

If it's an outside job this is about the only way that can happen.

 

[Andy_Ross]

MELANIA: "My husband is most caring person to everyone."

minutes later . . .

DONALD: "Find out if they’re friend or foe. If they’re foe, let's take care of those sonsofbitches.”

 

[Bob001]

What odds this was an inside job?
.....

A more detailed report here.

Hitt said the hackers manipulated invoices from four vendors who were being paid for direct mail for Trump's reelection efforts as well as for pro-Trump material such as hats to be handed out to supporters. Invoices and other documents were altered so when the party paid them, the money went to the hackers instead of the vendors, Hitt said.

https://www.usnews.com/news/politic...epublican-party-says-hackers-stole-23-million

It sounds like that wouldn't be easy to do. I note that the only source about the theft is the chairman, not law enforcement.

 

[Gulliver Foyle]

Why don't they elect the president directly?

Hans

Oligarchical republic. It's about the only way the founding fathers could see to mirror the system in Rome whereby the richest voted first, and therefore voted in time for their ballots to be counted, and also they could spend the whole day at work too.

 

[The Atheist]

Well, of course I know all that. But ... why is it STILL so?

Hans

Because the Constitution is sacred and can't be changed.

Except for when it gets changed...

Plus, America has the unfortunate situation of having 44% of the population who are so stupid or selfish they still think Trump is a good president.

 

[Gulliver Foyle]

Oh one question, how's Trump's "I f***ing hate you guys. Vote for me, I wanna feel loved!" tour doing for him today?

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Trump [the people who ghost write for Dunce] Tweets

If I don’t sound like a typical Washington politician, it’s because I’m NOT a politician. If I don’t always play by the rules of the Washington Establishment, it’s because I was elected to fight for YOU, harder than anyone ever has before! http://Vote.DonaldJTrump.com

For half a century, Joe Biden has been outsourcing your jobs, opening your borders, and sacrificing American blood and treasure in endless foreign wars. Joe Biden is a corrupt politician—If Biden Wins, China Wins. When We Win, Florida Wins—and America Wins!

This election is a choice between the AMERICAN DREAM and a SOCIALIST NIGHTMARE. Our opponents want to turn America into Communist Cuba or Socialist Venezuela. As long as I am President, America will NEVER be a socialist Country!

Your VOTE on Tuesday, November 3rd is going to SAVE OUR COUNTRY. We are going to defeat the Marxists, Socialists, Rioters, Flag-Burners, and Left-wing Extremists! Get out and VOTE! #MAGA

I was thrilled to be back in my home state of FLORIDA! 5 days from now, we are going to win FLORIDA, and we are going to WIN 4 more years in the White House. Get out and VOTE! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!

ftfy

 

[Andy_Ross]

Pool report: Several attendees were helped out during Trump's remarks by medical personnel because of the heat. Water from a hose or hydrant shot up to cool off attendees.
Trump saw and said: "Are they friend or foe? ... If they're foe, let's take care of those sonofabitches."

 

[Firestone]

Freezing, having a heat stroke, catching a deadly virus ... to own the libs.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

Well, of course I know all that. But ... why is it STILL so?

Hans

If you do podcasts, The Daily podcast had a recent episode titled “A Peciliar Way to Pick a President”.

Explains a lot.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Nigel Farage tweets

@Nigel_Farage
Mainstream media and their friends in Silicon Valley have covered up and actively suppressed the Hunter Biden corruption story in order to stop Donald Trump winning the election.

Biden press conference just ended. No questions from the press allowed. He is now on the back foot on corruption allegations.

Will mainstream media now cover this story?
Quote Tweet

James Rosen
@JamesRosenTV
EXCLUSIVE: A @TheJusticeDept official confirms that in 2019, the @FBI opened up a criminal investigation into "Hunter Biden and his associates," focused on allegations of money-laundering, and that it remains open and active today. More very soon on your @WeAreSinclair stations.

 

[MinnesotaBrant]

Haha, I got my first text message with a link to video campaign ad this season.. It was an stealth ad (didn't say who they were for or identify it as a campaign ad in the text.) for the the Republican Jason Lewis blaming Senator Tina Smith for the not standing up to China for the corona virus. I have donated probably around 50 bucks to Tina so I hope she wins. I voted for her because she is a democrat who is a big gun sense candidate. I have heard from coworkers that their text messages are full of campaign ads. Funny that my first one would be from a Republican. Also funny is that the woman on the video was a Hispanic; Not that that makes any difference. I have probably given like 300 bucks to various democratic candidates and the only targeted ads I get are on Facebook. Really that's the way I like it. Looks like it came from Valor America. I did used to listen to Jason Lewis on the radio back in the early 90's and he was listenable to me back then. I used to get survey's from KSTP radio every year about my likes. Since the 90's though I have been unable to listen to any of them. I don't know if was me that changed or them. Maybe both of use did.

 

[Andy_Ross]

8th Circuit Court of Appeals rules in Minnesota's absentee ballot deadline case that absentee ballots must be in by 8pm on Election Day.
"There is no pandemic exception to the Constitution."
Court holds out possibility of counting later and says late ballots set aside.
The case was a 2-1 decision, with Judge Kelly arguing that plaintiffs failed to show they were entitled to relief.

 

[MinnesotaBrant]

Early voting in Minnesota started a long time ago and Minnesota doesn't require a witness to sign the absentee ballot. If people are mail in their ballots now they probably wouldn't count anyway because mail delivery is slow right now. Think I got something in the mail encouraging me to take it to a ballot drop off.

This is what Valor America doing. Sending out feelers to see what works so they can put it in campaign ads. Here is their blurb.

OUR METHOD
We combine randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) and machine learning algorithms to identify winning messages and persuadable voters. Only an RCT can tell you what works and what doesn’t. Then we head into the field with ads online, in the mail, or the air to make sure those voters move the way we want them to.

I watched the video like 3 times so probably they are going to send it to Facebook now.

Text is

Hey there, I'm Grace. There is so much going on right now, and this video really made me think. She made a lot of interesting points. Let me know what you think of it. Just reply stop to opt out.

Video is of a Hispanic woman sitting at her computer talking to her webcam in middle class house.

Should I say, Jason Lewis seems like a moderate candidate or, Tina Smith seems like a moderate candidate? Or just ignore it as wait for the results? I suppose I could just send Tina another 10 bucks! Sent Tina 10 bucks, Thanks Valor America for making me go back and look at the Minnesota Senate race again.

 

[SezMe]

.....

But the Trump fans will definitely start being fed a "stolen election" narrative if things turn out this way.

"Start"? Trump for weeks (months?) has been saying he will lose only if the election is rigged. He's primed the pump...and don't forget that he invented that phrase.

 

[SezMe]

Trump Tweets

Thank you to Dave Rubin, author of “Don’t Burn This Book”, just announced on
@foxandfriends that he is voting for your favorite President, me. “I think Donald Trump has done a lot of good. When I see an American flag, I see Trump support.”

Mr. Magoo.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Well, court ruled MN ballots must be received by Election Day, not postmarked. Klobuchar was just on CNN telling people to either go to a drop box or vote in person.

 

[SezMe]

The Trump Campaign has financial issues and so now, it appears, does the Wisconsin GOP:

I really hope that the perpetrators are brought to justice - this is no way to try to affect a democratic process.

I also hope that the GOP get their money back, and learn from the experience.

I'm more inclined to think that they badly mishandled their money and this hacker story is a cover.