US election 2020 thread

[littlebabyjesus]

They’ve got no chance of winning the runoff without Trump diehards turning out in big numbers for them. They need to feed his base, and that’s what they’ll do.

That at least makes sense. But pitting your two candidates against the Republican Secretary of State doesn't seem a very clever way to do it. If Georgia elections were Dem-run, it would be different. But the same people who voted the Republican senators in also voted for Brad Raffensperger. They really want to turn this into a popularity contest between those two? All it takes is alienating a small but significant part of the Republican base in Georgia to let a united Democrat side in.

Anyhow, crack on! We'll see if they're right. Seems a stupid strategy to me, if strategy it is. I doubt it's as well thought-through as all that.

 

[two sheds]

Although most Republicans now apparently believe the election was stolen from them.

 

[Benjamin F]

Although most Republicans now apparently believe the election was stolen from them.

To be fair most, I wouldn't be surprised to find that a majority of Democrats thought that the election was stolen from them in 2000 and 2016. Dems just not so willing to bear arms and threaten full scale civil war. Such complaints, and unwillingness to grant legitimacy to opponents, now seems a part of the increasingly failing US representative system. It is a shame (and somewhat terrifying) that the movements this crisis of legitimacy is creating are heading in a reactionary and authoritarian direction rather than developing egalitarian, emancipatory institutions.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Although most Republicans now apparently believe the election was stolen from them.

In terms of the Georgia run off, the Dems don't need a majority of Republicans to be alienated, though, just enough.

 

[Pickman's model]

I'm not ignoring, what happened in Iraq impacted on China's foreign policy

you seemed to be locating the united states at the centre of moves to another general war

what china is doing in eg the south china sea, what they're doing to the bramahputra river and of course what they're doing along other sections of the china / india border - i don't think that can all be laid at washington's door or even from the effects of the iraq debacle. the close relationship between russia and china? well, that may in part stem from iraq

 

[ignatious]

Anyhow, crack on! We'll see if they're right. Seems a stupid strategy to me, if strategy it is. I doubt it's as well thought-through as all that.

It’s not thought out in the sense that it’s a strategy that they’d choose if they were starting from scratch, but given the cards they’ve been dealt it’s an easy decision to make: can they energise more Trumpists or can they energise more old-school GOPers? It’s a no brainier I’d have thought.

They’re going to alienate people on either side, of course, but whilst the Trumpers are still emotionally invested the numbers look possible.

 

[gosub]

you seemed to be locating the united states at the centre of moves to another general war

No, more damned by their position, throw their weight around and people die, don't throw their weight around and others fill the vacuum

 

[teqniq]

Very long read (haven't read all of it). Goes in-depth as to why the election system in the US is massively skewed in favour of the Republicans:

Can America’s broken politics be fixed? The answer is no

Saturday November 7, 2020. 11:26 AM Eastern Standard Time. The moment history was made; the moment Donald Trump’s wretched, monstrous…

shaunjlawson.medium.com

 

[Raheem]

In terms of the Georgia run off, the Dems don't need a majority of Republicans to be alienated, though, just enough.

There's a more practical thing, though. The Republican senate candidates want a change of policy away from encouraging absentee ballots, which they see as their main threat, under the pretext that there's a risk of fraud. So they are applying pressure.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It’s not thought out in the sense that it’s a strategy that they’d choose if they were starting from scratch, but given the cards they’ve been dealt it’s an easy decision to make: can they energise more Trumpists or can they energise more old-school GOPers? It’s a no brainier I’d have thought.

They’re going to alienate people on either side, of course, but whilst the Trumpers are still emotionally invested the numbers look possible.

It seems panicked to me. I know the 'normal rules' have ceased to apply, but Raffensperger looks determined to dig in and to fight for his own reputation here. And why wouldn't he be? He was in charge of running the election and he will be personally damaged if the result is overturned. I'm sure it won't be overturned, and when it isn't, Raffensperger's stock goes up and the stock of the senators who defamed him goes down. That's not too clever.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

There's a more practical thing, though. The Republican senate candidates want a change of policy away from encouraging absentee ballots, which they see as their main threat, under the pretext that there's a risk of fraud. So they are applying pressure.

And the Georgia count is going to come under intense scrutiny. If it passes that scrutiny (and without evidence to the contrary, those senators ought to assume that it will), they're in trouble. It's surely a massive punt.

 

[JTG]

Very long read (haven't read all of it). Goes in-depth as to why the election system in the US is massively skewed in favour of the Republicans:

Can America’s broken politics be fixed? The answer is no

Saturday November 7, 2020. 11:26 AM Eastern Standard Time. The moment history was made; the moment Donald Trump’s wretched, monstrous…

shaunjlawson.medium.com

Oh god, I have him muted on twitter for a reason. Tedious windbag

 

[ignatious]

Raffensperger's stock goes up and the stock of the senators who defamed him goes down. That's not too clever.

Raffensperger will disappear for a while during the campaign and the gruesome twosome will carry on as they see fit. GOP: masters of expediency.

 

[ska invita]

Oh god, I have him muted on twitter for a reason. Tedious windbag

I can imagine why, the bits that are his voice in that are democrat-apologistic and patronising- but do you disagree with the data/argument presented? I found it convincing

 

[JTG]

I can imagine why, the bits that are his voice in that are apologistic and patronising- but do you disagree with the data/argument presented? I found it convincing

I don't care either way, he's very boring and disingenuous to boot. I'm not devoting any of my time to reading what he has to say about anything.
Cheers

 

[brogdale]

In terms of the Georgia run off, the Dems don't need a majority of Republicans to be alienated, though, just enough.

Just needs a small sub-set of the Trumper diehards to translate their disappointment/anger/alienation into a position not too far removed from the Brexity stuff you sometimes used to hear..if we don't leave what's the point in voting ever again?

 

[editor]

 

[belboid]

While we're talking Georgia, Stacey Abrams is tweeting Buffy opinions and I am totally here for it

AOC be damned, I know who I want for the next president.

 

[Flavour]

I for one am quite bored of this snobby disdain for the crematorium and the sex toy shop, like, what's the fucking problem? I don't think that should be the reason people laugh at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping debacle. I think it's crass.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I for one am quite bored of this snobby disdain for the crematorium and the sex toy shop, like, what's the fucking problem? I don't think that should be the reason people laugh at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping debacle. I think it's crass.

Ach, the symbolism, the scale of the fuck up. Fuck it, I'm laughing at them for that and the sex shop is a big part of that. It's not just a sex toy shop. It has booths. It's seedy as fuck.

The owner of the sex shop certainly thought it was funny.

What are the odds, you know? Donald Trump starts out playing around with Stormy Daniels, and next thing you know, one of his final hurrahs is going to be down the street from an adult bookstore that’s been there for 40 years. You can’t write this stuff. Basically, I was pretty much in awe of the funniness of the whole situation.

 

[Wilf]

Very long read (haven't read all of it). Goes in-depth as to why the election system in the US is massively skewed in favour of the Republicans:

Can America’s broken politics be fixed? The answer is no

Saturday November 7, 2020. 11:26 AM Eastern Standard Time. The moment history was made; the moment Donald Trump’s wretched, monstrous…

shaunjlawson.medium.com

Ta, though I haven't read it yet. I was going to say now would be a good time for the Dems to push back on the bigger picture of the electoral system and voter suppression. At the moment, Biden at least is doing calm and stately, above the fray and the general response to trump's hatstandery seems to be 'there's no evidence'. They clearly just want it all to be over and trump gone, which might be the best strategy, I don't know. There's certainly space for some kind of liberal line such as 'every American has the right to register and the right to vote'.

 

[frogwoman]

Maybe because he thought he was booking a posh hotel?

 

[bimble]

This sounds nuts, but is vouched for by lots of people who seem to know what they are talking about: Johnson's graphic design people made a congratulations on your reelection message for trump, then hastily edited it before posting, leavig traces of the old message underneath. They didn't even bother making two congratulations messages ready, just in case.

EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson's Message to Biden Shows Remnants of Congratulations for Trump's Re-election

Boris Johnson's message to Biden and Harris on their supposed election win shows remants of congratulations to President Trump, National File can reveal.

nationalfile.com

 

[Kaka Tim]

I for one am quite bored of this snobby disdain for the crematorium and the sex toy shop, like, what's the fucking problem? I don't think that should be the reason people laugh at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping debacle. I think it's crass.

you are right. there is nothing funny whatsoever about the legal team for the president of the united states accidently booking a press conference in the car park of a small landscaping company next to a sex shop in the middle of a low rent retail park. Its not at all like the thick of it played for real, has zero comedic value and certainly not just about the most hilarious political story of the decade.

 

[frogwoman]

The landscaping company thought it was funny, they're even selling merchandise now. I don't think anyone is laughing at them here.

 

[mauvais]

This sounds nuts, but is vouched for by lots of people who seem to know what they are talking about: Johnson's graphic design people made a congratulations on your reelection message for trump, then hastily edited it before posting, leavig traces of the old message underneath. They didn't even bother making two congratulations messages ready, just in case.

EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson's Message to Biden Shows Remnants of Congratulations for Trump's Re-election

Boris Johnson's message to Biden and Harris on their supposed election win shows remants of congratulations to President Trump, National File can reveal.

nationalfile.com

It is true. It has to be deliberate, it doesn't make any sense as 'remnants'.

 

[bimble]

It is true. It has to be deliberate, it doesn't make any sense as 'remnants'.

You’ve checked it yourself and can see it?

 

[Dogsauce]

I for one am quite bored of this snobby disdain for the crematorium and the sex toy shop, like, what's the fucking problem? I don't think that should be the reason people laugh at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping debacle. I think it's crass.

It’s the perfect comedown for a guy who launched his presidential ambitions coming down a gold escalator with all the pomposity that represents. And fuck it, it’s funny as fuck that someone obviously cocked up and they ran with it, we can only imagine in our heads the various heated conversations going on behind the scenes, the panic and finger-pointing.

 

[mauvais]

You’ve checked it yourself and can see it?

Yeah.

Maybe someone had a 'notes' layer with alternate text to bring in, and failed to fully hide it - made it 1% visible instead of fully gone.

 

[Dogsauce]

Anyway, the democrats should be making hay with this, the republicans are trying to silence the voices of their voters that loudly and clearly said they’d had enough of Trump. ‘We spoke, you tried to shut us out’. They‘ve always tried to keep non-whites away from the polls in states like this, a long history of it, and there should be a very resolute fight back targeted at the senate run-offs.