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2020 Election catchall.

As a sort of general principle, one can always turn to Shakespeare at times like this:

Alas, poor country, -
Almost afraid to know itself! It cannot
Be called our mother, but our grave: where nothing
But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile;
Where sighs and groans, and shrieks that rent the air,
Are made, not marked; where violent sorrow seems
A modern ecstasy; the dead man's knell
Is there scarce asked for who; and good men's lives
Expire before the flowers in their caps,
Dying or ere they sicken.

(Macbeth)
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I am sad to see Republicans still in charge in the Senate. That guarantees at least two more years of nothing good getting done.
 
JoeMorgue said:
- Florida's passed a 15 dollar an hour minimum wage, which is good.
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No, it isn't. Artificially inflating wages will simply price low skill workers out of the labor market.

But it will be a boost for companies that sell automation tools.
 
Ziggurat said:
No, it isn't. Artificially inflating wages will simply price low skill workers out of the labor market.
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Absolutely. Except for that literally never happening in any place that has raised the minimum wage and you being 100% completely wrong, there's nothing wrong with that sentence.
 
However it turns out, even in the unlikely event we flip the senate, I'll never understand how freakishly deplorable the people are in this **** hole country.

So many times during 16+ years on this forum, I've written: It's impossible to underestimate the US public. But part of me thinks I'm just being cynical. It doesn't make me feel any better knowing I was right, and that i can discard that lingering doubt.

Has it always been this bad? And now we see it due to social media? It was plenty bad. But I do think it got a whole lot worse the last 4 years.
 
JoeMorgue said:
Absolutely. Except for that literally never happening in any place that has raised the minimum wage and you being 100% completely wrong, there's nothing wrong with that sentence.
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You're confusing economics with facts.
 
varwoche said:
However it turns out, even in the unlikely event we flip the senate, I'll never understand how freakishly deplorable the people are in this **** hole country.

So many times during 16+ years on this forum, I've written: It's impossible to underestimate the US public. But part of me thinks I'm just being cynical. It doesn't make me feel any better knowing I was right, and that i can discard that lingering doubt.

Has it always been this bad? And now we see it due to social media? It was plenty bad. But I do think it got a whole lot worse the last 4 years.
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I think it's due to the desensitization, and sheer volume, bad form by the President. It happened so often that normal people hardly had time to absorb how bad it is before the next thing comes out. It emboldened creeps who might never have thought about doing those things before because now there was a tacit permission.
 
It's the "Well I can afford to be worse because at least I'm not as bad as that person." mentality.

I've long suspected that the appeal of "Slow down and look at the train wreck" shows like Hoarders and My 600 Pound Life and all that come from people who have lesser versions of the same (or thematically similar) problems and watch the show to specifically feel less guilty because "Well at least I'm not that bad."

That's what Trump has been to some members of the GOP. When you're watching My 600 Pound Life and you're only 300 pounds, it's easier for some people to enjoy that second slice of strawberry cheesecake.
 
alfaniner said:
I am sad to see Republicans still in charge in the Senate. That guarantees at least two more years of nothing good getting done.
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I hope Biden shows McConnell that he is powerless without an accomplice POTUS.

Biden can still fix the devastation Trump wrought and replace all the department employees and managers with competent persons.

And he can reverse all of Trump's damaging EOs plus write more. After all, it was the GOP that sanctioned all that POTUS power to act alone.

And Barr is out of there. That's an important replacement.
 
Ziggurat said:
No, it isn't. Artificially inflating wages will simply price low skill workers out of the labor market.

But it will be a boost for companies that sell automation tools.
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And in order to design and build that automation creates jobs. More money in people's pockets means more spending and a boost to the economy.

People lose jobs, but other jobs are created.
 
varwoche said:
However it turns out, even in the unlikely event we flip the senate, I'll never understand how freakishly deplorable the people are in this **** hole country.

So many times during 16+ years on this forum, I've written: It's impossible to underestimate the US public. But part of me thinks I'm just being cynical. It doesn't make me feel any better knowing I was right, and that i can discard that lingering doubt.

Has it always been this bad? And now we see it due to social media? It was plenty bad. But I do think it got a whole lot worse the last 4 years.
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It has gotten worse. Trump has given these people permission to act like *****.
 
It would be interesting to see some stats on the job types that make under $15/hr. I don't think you can automate away retail and service jobs so much. Manufacturers in my area start much higher than $15/hr and have been automating as much as possible for years.

In fact automation is probably the primary reason why manufacturing jobs are returning imo
 
Ziggurat said:
No, it isn't. Artificially inflating wages will simply price low skill workers out of the labor market.

But it will be a boost for companies that sell automation tools.
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that would only be true if wage is the primary cost for employers, not healthcare, social security etc.
The number of people being paid minimum wage is tiny compared to the total workforce - a raise to $15, overdue by more than a decade, will have no meaningful effect on the labor market, but a big impact for the individual workers.
 
Puerto Rico voters approve statehood referendum

A majority of voters in Puerto Rico approved a non-binding referendum that supports elevating the island territory to statehood status.

The referendum narrowly passed by a 52-48 margin.
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But of course it would take an act of congress to make PR a state. Also seems a bit too close to 50/50. Then again, that's the same margin that Brexit passed by.
 
It's not seeing too much airtime, but both Senate seats in Georgia are heading for a January run-off. I've seen some speculation that depending on whether or not trump bothers campaining in case of a loss could have an effect on that.

It's a bit unlikely but Democrats could potentially tie the Senate.
 
Unfortunately democratic turnout tends to fall in special elections. I wouldn't get my hopes up too much about winning any senate seats from Georgia.

I also noticed that there was a lot of ballot splitting in Maine. About 100,000 more voters voted for Biden than for Susan Collins' opponent, Sara Gideon.

In fact, Collins got more votes in Maine than Trump did, by about 40 K. If every Maine voter who voted for Biden had also voted for Gideon, she would have won easily.
 
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Puppycow said:
Unfortunately democratic turnout tends to fall in special elections. I wouldn't get my hopes up too much about winning any senate seats from Georgia.

I also noticed that there was a lot of ballot splitting in Maine. About 100,000 more voters voted for Biden than for Susan Collins' opponent.
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Usually yes... but think about if control of the Senate rests SOLELY in Georgia voter hands in January. I would think, and hope, that there's a record turnout. Just hope there isn't a snow flurry in Atlanta it being Georgia and all :rolleyes:
 
The Great Zaganza said:
that would only be true if wage is the primary cost for employers, not healthcare, social security etc.
The number of people being paid minimum wage is tiny compared to the total workforce - a raise to $15, overdue by more than a decade, will have no meaningful effect on the labor market, but a big impact for the individual workers.
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FICA adds 7.something percent. Healthcare for minimum wage workers :confused:
 
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