2020 Presidential Election part 2

[Garrison]

Big news... and entirely expected .

If Trump wins this election, it'll be through misinformation, conspiracy theories, voter surpression, and sabotage of the postal service. And lawsuits.

I was so optimistic at around this time last year. Now I'm just depressed and very, very worried.

I think because of the high turnout people are assuming that means voter suppression and manipulation haven't been attempted and might actually have worked.

The only good news is that the high turnout might have countered them to a degree and I suspect partisanship and the power of incumbency were bigger factors.

 

[Galaxie]

How does the forum feel about MI? It looks like 92%-96% counted with Biden in the lead.

 

[Bubba]

First, no, he said that about all immigrants from "Mexico", which is why he rushed to lock down immigration from both there and everywhere south of there (he apparently has little to no understanding of Central and South America).

You dont think that POTUS was maybe just a little concerned about the American lefty activists educating illegals on how to become democrat voters had something to do with it.?


The activists were operating in Mexican border towns, and in certain US states. Talk about a power grab.

It was about this election.

 

[StillSleepy]

Don't look at me, I had to flash my driver's license to vote.

 

[The Atheist]

When someone puzzles how America became so divided, a simple answer is "Divide and conquer is the oldest strategy"

I think it's even simpler than that. The divide has always existed, but without the common enemy of USSR, the two sides have turned against each other.

I'm confused. So you do have to show some kind of ID when you show up to vote?

Don't you find it amazing that something so simple can be made so complicated?

Americans are a different species to the rest of us.

 

[Elagabalus]

Remember, if Trump loses and has to leave office, he will a. be broke after a short time, and b. face lawsuits and criminal charges.

Even if he survives that, his mind might be so addled in four years that he'll be unable to even think of running for office.

I know this looks really, really dark. I'm deeply worried myself. To be honest, I'm a mess. But it's not over 'till it's over. America is not yet lost.

I doubt that he will run again. In his mind, he's been rejected and his fragile ego won't let him dwell on past "hurtful" experiences.

That isn't to say that he won't say "I don't know, maybe, I'll run again" when he's doing guest spots on Tucker Carlson's show. But his heart won't be in it.

 

[Bob001]

I'm confused. So you do have to show some kind of ID when you show up to vote? If so, I don't see the problem either. Just show them your driver's license or your credit card or something.

If anyone could literally just walk in, look at the list of names, point at some random name and go, "oh yeah, Lucas Smith, that's me" without proving in any way that they really were that person, then I agree that would be weird, but surely that can't be the case?

No, that's not the way it works. Some states have imposed ID requirements that limit acceptable IDs. Not everybody has a driver's license, particularly older people. Credit cards aren't IDs. In Texas you can use a concealed carry permit, but not a college ID. And you don't walk up and pick out a name on a llist; you give your name and officials look it up.

Again, there is zero evidence that people are pretending to be other people to vote.

 

[Emily's Cat]

This is going to be a rough couple of days.

 

[Matthew Best]

I'm confused. So you do have to show some kind of ID when you show up to vote? If so, I don't see the problem either. Just show them your driver's license or your credit card or something.

If anyone could literally just walk in, look at the list of names, point at some random name and go, "oh yeah, Lucas Smith, that's me" without proving in any way that they really were that person, then I agree that would be weird, but surely that can't be the case?

I don't know about America, but in the UK you just turn up and say who you are and that's it. You don't get to look at a list of names and pick one, that would be silly. You say your name, then the election worker looks at their list of names to see if you're on it, (and if you are down at the address you've also provided) and if you are they give you a ballot.

 

[Aridas]

Sir this is a Wendys.

While that guy rants misguided nonsense, mind if I order a Pretzel Bacon Pub Chicken sandwich, just the sandwich, and a cup of water?

I watched the news conference with the governor and Secretary of State of Pennsylvania, and I just found it inspirational. The governor's message was simple. This is about democracy, and we are going to count the votes. That's how we do things.

Awesome. Some Americans don't get that. All they care about is that their guy wins, but they're wrong. What matters is that every vote gets counted as accurately as humanly possible, and whoever gets the votes, gets put into office.

The guy sitting in the Oval Office doesn't get that, which is a pity, but he won't be able to do anything to stop the process. Assuming it goes the way it looks like it's going, he'll be out.

FFIW, I've seen a number of Republicans in charge of election stuff express similar over the years, as well... which is the way things should be, quite frankly.

When someone puzzles how America became so divided, a simple answer is "Divide and conquer is the oldest strategy"

A fair point. Of particular note, though, that strategy is one that's been used far, far more by the American right-wing and libertarian rich (or their precursors), either way, for pretty much the entire history of the US.

Its the media that led you astray. They no longer practice journalism. They are political activists.

It is easy to see in times like this, just as it was in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020

You're describing right-wing media in a nutshell. MSM does have biases as well, but political leanings there tend to be much more a side effect of the actual biases, rather than the biases themselves.

Absolutely.

Have you met humans before?

90% (and I'm being generous) are worthless pieces of crap.

That says a fair bit about the people that you associate with, by the look of it.

 

[JoeMorgue]

Wisconsin reports that it is waiting on the last ~600 votes to be counted. Biden is currently leading (very slightly) there.

But again the news has been frustratingly inconsistent and unclear when talking about "remaining ballots" if they are talking in person election day, early, mail in what combination.

 

[Bubba]

This is truly horrific.
There aren't enough antacids on the planet to quell my stomach.

I viscerally hate Trump, and find the majority of his cult to be repugnant beyond words.

Will take a long time to regain any kind of peace of mind if this continues to the conclusion that it seems it is going to.

a) Hating = self destruction


b) Antacids wont help much. I recommend a strict regime of anti *activist media* therapies.



My diagnosis is that you sure suffering with Media Driven Trump Derangement Syndrome, along with half the populace.

Its all abut this election cycle....

Its the media

 

[Aridas]

I don't know about America, but in the UK you just turn up and say who you are and that's it. You don't get to look at a list of names and pick one, that would be silly. You say your name, then the election worker looks at their list of names to see if you're on it, (and if you are down at the address you've also provided) and if you are they give you a ballot.

Where I'm at - first time you vote at a particular place - appropriate ID, plus what you said, plus a signature that you voted. After that, the ID is not required.

 

[Distracted1]

it does, since it implies that people think they have to hide their vote for maximum impact.
In a working Democracy that would not be the case.

Secret ballot is a cornerstone of a fair election.

 

[Elagabalus]

How does the forum feel about MI? It looks like 92%-96% counted with Biden in the lead.

Confident!!

 

[Bubba]

Is it the death of the notion that a higher turnout favours Democrats?

Were you led to believe otherwise? If so, by whom?

 

[Galaxie]

Wisconsin reports that it is waiting on the last ~600 votes to be counted. Biden is currently leading (very slightly) there.

But again the news has been frustratingly inconsistent and unclear when talking about "remaining ballots" if they are talking in person election day, early, mail in what combination.

At last update, Biden was up ~20000 in WI

 

[JoeMorgue]

Looks like goddamn Susan Collins will get to be "so very, very concerned" about things she openly help happen for another four years.

For some reason that bugs me more than Mitch McConnell get re-elected.

I wonder if really was her voting against Barrett that did it?

 

[Aridas]

Looks like goddamn Susan Collins will get to be "so very, very concerned" about things she openly help happen for another four years.

For some reason that bugs me more than Mitch McConnell get re-elected.

I wonder if really was her voting against Barrett that did it?

Only there when it doesn't matter.

 

[Meadmaker]

Yup. Over the last few years the party of "Constitutional originalism" (GOP) has managed to hijack the "checks and balances" framework set up in the Constitution to make something of it that it was never originally meant to be. Several GOP senators specifically used that terminology- "checks and balances"- to frame their obstructionism based on party as justified by a Constitution that has no provision, never even mentions, political parties as any part of the mechanics of government. The rise of political parties was probably inevitable; but I seriously doubt that a framework that was set up only to keep one branch of a functioning government from intruding in the province of another was really meant to justify one party completely blocking another's use of a branch they'd won control of, resulting in government not functioning at all.

George Washington warned about the spirit of party that looked like it was rising as he left office.

But, we managed to get through the next 230 years with only one civil war, so we survived it, and we survive it still.

And while "checks and balances" wasn't meant to be tied to parties, it very much was meant to be. It's exactly the same terminology that was used in my Civics class, and it's the bedrock of our constitutional system of separation of powers, going back to John Locke, Montesquieu, the Federalist Papers. It's all in there.