IlliniHQ 2
General Category => The Deuce => Topic started by: Custard on October 30, 2020, 02:43:34 PM
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I predict sheer insanity.
This primer is great!
https://politics.theonion.com/the-onions-state-by-state-election-guide-1845511152
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I predict sheer insanity.
This primer is great!
https://politics.theonion.com/the-onions-state-by-state-election-guide-1845511152
Biden's gonna romp, but there are so many votes this year that a lot of states are going to have delayed reporting. So Pennsylvania will be like 55-43 Biden with 70% reporting , the sort of thing where it's statistically impossible for Trump to overcome. Same will be true in FLA, NC, Iowa, Arizona, WI, MI. But because "all the vote isn't in" Trump will alternate between claiming the late vote will break for him and that the election is a sham and won't concede.
His supporters will get their panties in a wad, but mostly just go bitch on the internet. If they go protest somewhere, nobody will even bother to counter protest because they're done.
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That seems like both the left's best case scenario and what is most likely to happen given the polls and early voting totals (higher turnout being awful for Trump and deflating his position in the polls).
Texas may actually flip if enough non-likely voters show up, and they have already surpassed the 2016 totals in Austin, Houston, and the Valley. Not a highly likely scenario, but if Texas goes blue he'll be toast on election night and you'll see the remaining Trumpists exodus and act like they were never die hard supporters while Trump starts loading the plane for the Seychelles.
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Nah. The extradition treaty has been in force since 1935, and there's no chance he could get his hands on $10M cash.
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The next week may last 6 weeks.
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We're unfortunately used to these kind of weeks. I'm thinking we'll know by Wednesday this week.
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Florida and North Carolina will announce results on Tuesday night.
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Nah. The extradition treaty has been in force since 1935, and there's no chance he could get his hands on $10M cash.
Aren't there still rando islands that don't extradite?
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It would be awesome if he went to Moscow.
It would be awesomer if Putin kicked him out.
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Who do you guys like more Russia or China?
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For food or women?
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Who do you guys like more Russia or China?
lol.
China's not a threat, man.
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I think we all expect post-election court battles in several states. Pennsylvania being the most likely place, plus 2-3 more states.
Trump will continue to hold rallies next week.
I think Trump will hold Texas, Ohio and Georgia. Biden will win Arizona and a squeaker in Florida.
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Trump will continue to hold rallies next week.
I can't help myself: That would be AWESOME.
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I think Trump will hold Texas, Ohio and Georgia.
If the votes are counted, Biden will win Georgia. I would put money on Texas, too.
Sherrod Brown says Biden will win Ohio, and Sherrod Brown knows a thing or three about winning Ohio.
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I predict sheer insanity.
Haven't we already had that for a while in politics?
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I predict the world will keep spinning regardless of the copious amounts of salt being deposited
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Amish mobilization in Lancaster Pa.
(https://i.ibb.co/27b3Zn0/IMG-0898.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HDJThFL)
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Draft dodgers, all of em
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I thought the Amish were an earnest people. What could they possibly see in Don The Con?
I suppose we'd need to see the broadsheets they've been reading. Or perhaps Rupert Murdoch owns their Town Crier.
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Amish mobilization in Lancaster Pa.
(https://i.ibb.co/27b3Zn0/IMG-0898.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HDJThFL)
Looks like ballot harvesting to me.
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Whoever shopped this went a step too far with the “No More Bullshit” Trump flag.
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Biden won't do it, but he should declare victory the second the polls close on the west coast.
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Biden won't do it, but he should declare victory the second the polls close on the west coast.
Why wait that long?
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Why wait that long?
So people on the west coast actually go and vote for him instead of staying home.
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Sure looking like Trump.is going to pull this out as, yet again, Dems cater to those who don't vote consistently instead of those who do.
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Sure looking like Trump.is going to pull this out as, yet again, Dems cater to those who don't vote consistently instead of those who do.
Or, maybe not.
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Of course, Biden should have given a speech along the lines of what Trump gave last night, accusing Trump.of trying to steal the election, but he is not that smart.
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Or, maybe not.
Winning AZ and NE-2 was a big deal for Biden. Gives him an additional pathway to 270 if he can hold all of the states Hillary won four years ago.
Lots of votes still to be counted in PA and MI. Let’s see how the process plays out.
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We already know the winner of this election: Putin.
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You guys enjoying your old people porn or what?
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You guys enjoying your old people porn or what?
I'd like to see that chick in FL who beat Donna Shalala in a porn, I tell you that. That would give me an election erection!
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I would not have guessed, based on headshots, that she'll turn 60 next year.
Would that put her in a mom role, or a cougar role?
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Biden's gonna romp, but there are so many votes this year that a lot of states are going to have delayed reporting. So Pennsylvania will be like 55-43 Biden with 70% reporting , the sort of thing where it's statistically impossible for Trump to overcome. Same will be true in FLA, NC, Iowa, Arizona, WI, MI. But because "all the vote isn't in" Trump will alternate between claiming the late vote will break for him and that the election is a sham and won't concede.
His supporters will get their panties in a wad, but mostly just go bitch on the internet. If they go protest somewhere, nobody will even bother to counter protest because they're done.
Once again, you are completely wrong..as usual. People dont like stupid leftist ideas. GOP won big last night, regardless of what happens between Biden and Trump.
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Once again, you are completely wrong..as usual. People dont like stupid leftist ideas. GOP won big last night, regardless of what happens between Biden and Trump.
Yeah, maybe the smoke from the fires got to Murph when he typed that post.
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I guess we thought the Lincoln Project and RVAT were more representative of the GOP electorate.
But of course, all those cats have college degrees.
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I guess we thought the Lincoln Project and RVAT were more representative of the GOP electorate.
But of course, all those cats have college degrees.
How did San Fran Nan not see that the Cubans weren't on board with progressive policies supported by The Squad?
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Long overdue, but ain't going to happen:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/524503-centrist-democrats-talk-leadership-changes-after-negative-election-results
“It’s time for Democrats to elevate a new generation of leadership in both the House and the Senate,” the lawmaker said. “Americans are clearly afraid of ‘socialism,’ want safe streets and neighborhoods and to vote for people who they believe will help put more money in their pockets. While Democratic policies can adequately address those issues, our messaging mechanism clearly cannot.”
*One thing missing from this is limiting illegal immigration in order to cause a reduction in the low-skilled labor market so as to drive real growth in wages from the bottom up.
Check that. Also missing is we are not going to take your legally purchased guns away and we are going to prosecute looters.
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Long overdue, but ain't going to happen:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/524503-centrist-democrats-talk-leadership-changes-after-negative-election-results
“It’s time for Democrats to elevate a new generation of leadership in both the House and the Senate,” the lawmaker said. “Americans are clearly afraid of ‘socialism,’ want safe streets and neighborhoods and to vote for people who they believe will help put more money in their pockets. While Democratic policies can adequately address those issues, our messaging mechanism clearly cannot.”
*One thing missing from this is limiting illegal immigration in order to cause a reduction in the low-skilled labor market so as to drive real growth in wages from the bottom up.
Check that. Also missing is we are not going to take your legally purchased guns away and we are going to prosecute looters.
I'd vote for that
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How did San Fran Nan not see that the Cubans weren't on board with progressive policies supported by The Squad?
She no speekah Spanish.
I wrote a Letter to the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle begging her to stand aside for a less polarizing Speaker.
That was in November of 2006.
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She no speekah Spanish.
I wrote a Letter to the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle begging her to stand aside for a less polarizing Speaker.
That was in November of 2006.
I too miss classic liberalism
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She no speekah Spanish.
I wrote a Letter to the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle begging her to stand aside for a less polarizing Speaker.
That was in November of 2006.
Can you publish the letter here?
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Hmm. I wonder how I sent it. Did I have Gmail in 2006?
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Murph musta been holed up in his Tahoe breathing wild fire fumes or something. Florida is Trump country !!!
Looks like the crooked Dems managed to stall long enough to find enough mail in votes in the old cold rust belt cities they have destroyed.
Every two years all the libtards tell us how the GOP is dead and will never recover from the Democrat rout that’s about to happen...
Chitwood is right. I’m ok with Sleepy Joe and Kamala Toe bumbling along in the public eye as long as we have the senate and the SCOTUS. How long til Kamala becomes Commander in Chief?
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Gosh. Scrolling through 14 years of (mostly spam) emails containing the word "Pelosi" went faster than I thought.
me
To
letters@sfchronicle.com
Oct 8, 2006 at 10:13 PM
Nancy Pelosi can give her party a boost by declaring that she will not seek the Speakership.
Now may be the best time for the Democrats to persuade all voters, in all districts, in all states to vote for their candidates. But people in my neck of the woods, the "heartland" would be a lot more excited to vote for a party not led by one of the old school -- one of the members of the House that has been entrenched inside the beltway since the last time a ruling party got tossed out.
We've seen Ms. Pelosi on the Sunday chat shows too many times.
It's not that Ms. Pelosi strikes the average voter as being too far left -- which I gather she does. But more importantly, she comes off as a party shill. She seems more interested in promoting the party than promoting equitable concepts of governance.
Put more damningly, she is Tom DeLay in different clothes.
Right now there's a real chance to stop the madness in Washington. Ms. Pelosi can advance the greater cause by ceasing her personal quest for power.
Rob McColley
Urbana, Illinois
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Once again, you are completely wrong..as usual. People dont like stupid leftist ideas. GOP won big last night, regardless of what happens between Biden and Trump.
We found a clip of you
https://twitter.com/randyjcruz/status/1324103902556528646
Senators Hickenlooper and Kelly (Mark, not Loeffler) say hi
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Long overdue, but ain't going to happen:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/524503-centrist-democrats-talk-leadership-changes-after-negative-election-results
“It’s time for Democrats to elevate a new generation of leadership in both the House and the Senate,” the lawmaker said. “Americans are clearly afraid of ‘socialism,’ want safe streets and neighborhoods and to vote for people who they believe will help put more money in their pockets. While Democratic policies can adequately address those issues, our messaging mechanism clearly cannot.”
*One thing missing from this is limiting illegal immigration in order to cause a reduction in the low-skilled labor market so as to drive real growth in wages from the bottom up.
Check that. Also missing is we are not going to take your legally purchased guns away and we are going to prosecute looters.
Indeed. This is why the Blue Dogs that won 2 years ago are romping, and AOC and Omar lost.
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Gosh. Scrolling through 14 years of (mostly spam) emails containing the word "Pelosi" went faster than I thought.
me
To
letters@sfchronicle.com
Oct 8, 2006 at 10:13 PM
Nancy Pelosi can give her party a boost by declaring that she will not seek the Speakership.
Now may be the best time for the Democrats to persuade all voters, in all districts, in all states to vote for their candidates. But people in my neck of the woods, the "heartland" would be a lot more excited to vote for a party not led by one of the old school -- one of the members of the House that has been entrenched inside the beltway since the last time a ruling party got tossed out.
We've seen Ms. Pelosi on the Sunday chat shows too many times.
It's not that Ms. Pelosi strikes the average voter as being too far left -- which I gather she does. But more importantly, she comes off as a party shill. She seems more interested in promoting the party than promoting equitable concepts of governance.
Put more damningly, she is Tom DeLay in different clothes.
Right now there's a real chance to stop the madness in Washington. Ms. Pelosi can advance the greater cause by ceasing her personal quest for power.
Rob McColley
Urbana, Illinois
Nice...and accurate! Anything specifically posseses you to write this? Was it published?
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Indeed. This is why the Blue Dogs that won 2 years ago are romping, and AOC and Omar lost.
They are romping in part because of where they are. In case you have not noticed, yesterday was another indication that The Squad is not liked by bascially the rest of the country outside of, what, maybe 5-7 urban areas? If your goal is to basically squeak out electoral college victories, while losing House and Senate (and ergo the courts) seats and state legislatures (and district making), congrats, you are doing a bang up job.
I certainly was not getting texts asking to save Lauren Underwood's house seat. I was getting texts about donating money to take a Red House seat in California, beat Graham, and to vote for Pritzker's stupid tax amendment. Basically, the standard Dem dumbfuckery.
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Nice...and accurate! Anything specifically posseses you to write this? Was it published?
Probably just a few beers. I don't think they ran it.
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We found a clip of you
https://twitter.com/randyjcruz/status/1324103902556528646
Senators Hickenlooper and Kelly (Mark, not Loeffler) say hi
That guy had a bet with his buddies
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and to vote for Pritzker's stupid tax amendment. Basically, the standard Dem dumbfuckery.
I really don't get this one at all. All the arguments against it are back-asswards. "It will allow them to raise the taxes anytime they want!"
They can already do that, they just have to raise it on lower income people at the same rate as higher income people.
Frankly, you could pass this, and if you got some weirdo GOP legislature in place, you could set the top bracket to zero.
Do you consider the Federal income tax having tax brackets to be dumbfuckery?
There is this argument that companies would leave the state if this passed - but this is a personal income tax based legislation, not a corporate one. Well, the rich job creators would leave the state! We have a progressive income tax in the US as a whole, yet we also have the half the billionaires of the world. Because the US is a good place to make money and a good place to live. That's true of Illinois as well, no matter how much ILLove talks up Reno, it's a gritty cowtown with a big homeless problem and a bigger drug problem, with no Pro sports teams, mediocre dining and entertainment, and a very limited job base. And it's probably in the top 25% of interesting places to live nationwide - there's great outdoor recreation, the casinos do bring in some dining/entertainment outsized for the size of the town. Chicago is in the top 1%
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Wolfpack shade ...
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I really don't get this one at all. All the arguments against it are back-asswards. "It will allow them to raise the taxes anytime they want!"
They can already do that, they just have to raise it on lower income people at the same rate as higher income people.
It depends on what you mean by “can.” They “can” in the sense that they have the power to do it, but I’m not sure they can raise taxes as high as they would like and continue to hold on to that power.
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It depends on what you mean by “can.” They “can” in the sense that they have the power to do it, but I’m not sure they can raise taxes as high as they would like and continue to hold on to that power.
For starters.
My personal objections to this were a) there was zero property tax relief proposed as part of this. Basically if you live in a high tax suburb that equates paying teachers exorbitant salaries (the average teacher makes 6 figures based on the "report card" that just came out) to now only teach half time remotely (instead of 8 classes oer day it is now 4), you are getting double fucked by this and b) the fucking Democrats did not say one god damned word about reinstating the SALT deduction. So, why would any sane person in Cook County who has a remotely decent job in a decent neighborhood (who are now getting even more fucked on property taxes under Kagi) vote for this?
If you told me that property taxes were going to be zapped because of this, fine. I'm all in. But most of us knew better.
Illinois would be a better place if Madigan, Don Harmon, and Pritzker all choked on each other's vomit.
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For starters.
My personal objections to this were a) there was zero property tax relief proposed as part of this. Basically if you live in a high tax suburb that equates paying teachers exorbitant salaries (the average teacher makes 6 figures based on the "report card" that just came out) to now only teach half time remotely (instead of 8 classes oer day it is now 4), you are getting double fucked by this and b) the fucking Democrats did not say one god damned word about reinstating the SALT deduction. So, why would any sane person in Cook County who has a remotely decent job in a decent neighborhood (who are now getting even more fucked on property taxes under Kagi) vote for this?
If you told me that property taxes were going to be zapped because of this, fine. I'm all in. But most of us knew better.
Illinois would be a better place if Madigan, Don Harmon, and Pritzker all choked on each other's vomit.
If you think remote teaching is easier for teachers than in person, you might think Donald Trump is the least racist President ever
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If you think remote teaching is easier for teachers than in person, you might think Donald Trump is the least racist President ever
Yet CPS ihigh schools are doing remote learning and having EACH class EACH day. The bigotry of low expectations is strong with you. They had last spring and all fucking summer to get ready for this. It sucks and is robbing kids, especially those that are not high achievers and those who are low income without the necessary tech. But you are fine with it because the teachers union is happy their members are getting paid to do half the work.
No wonder the Dems basically got their asses kicked on Tuesday.
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Illinois would be a better place if Madigan, Don Harmon, and Pritzker all choked on each other's vomit.
(https://i.ibb.co/PGhTxX2/6-B78-D625-4-B4-C-4-C41-A118-5159-B9393-FD6.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
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I really don't get this one at all. All the arguments against it are back-asswards. "It will allow them to raise the taxes anytime they want!"
They can already do that, they just have to raise it on lower income people at the same rate as higher income people.
Frankly, you could pass this, and if you got some weirdo GOP legislature in place, you could set the top bracket to zero.
Do you consider the Federal income tax having tax brackets to be dumbfuckery?
There is this argument that companies would leave the state if this passed - but this is a personal income tax based legislation, not a corporate one. Well, the rich job creators would leave the state! We have a progressive income tax in the US as a whole, yet we also have the half the billionaires of the world. Because the US is a good place to make money and a good place to live. That's true of Illinois as well, no matter how much ILLove talks up Reno, it's a gritty cowtown with a big homeless problem and a bigger drug problem, with no Pro sports teams, mediocre dining and entertainment, and a very limited job base. And it's probably in the top 25% of interesting places to live nationwide - there's great outdoor recreation, the casinos do bring in some dining/entertainment outsized for the size of the town. Chicago is in the top 1%
how about everyone pays their share and feels the pain so they can maybe you know - hold the crony dipshit politicians accountable for their reckless spending habits?
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Yet CPS ihigh schools are doing remote learning and having EACH class EACH day. The bigotry of low expectations is strong with you. They had last spring and all fucking summer to get ready for this. It sucks and is robbing kids, especially those that are not high achievers and those who are low income without the necessary tech. But you are fine with it because the teachers union is happy their members are getting paid to do half the work.
No wonder the Dems basically got their asses kicked on Tuesday.
Do you have kids? Are you being exposed to this?
The teachers I see are having to do 1-1 zoom sessions with kids and parents over and over, trying to figure out the algorithm for each kid to get them to make progress. In a room, the teachers have a fairly compact task. On Zoom, they are dealing with asking a kid who is looking directly at the camera a question, and that kid not answering because the kid has fired up Minecraft or is doing Google Hangouts. Homework slips, and they have to chase down kids to find out why. They have to deal with stressed out parents screaming at them or begging them to help them figure out how to crack the problem.
Eventually these kids will take MAP tests and when the scores suck, the teachers are going to have to defend how poorly things went in a pandemic.
Now imagine you are a special needs teacher.
I do not envy those teachers one bit. Their jobs are substantially harder now.
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how about everyone pays their share and feels the pain so they can maybe you know - hold the crony dipshit politicians accountable for their reckless spending habits?
That's what a progressive tax system does.
People who make more money benefit more from taxes. Jeff Bezos has 171 Billion dollars because we have paid taxes to build roads, airports, and subsidize the USPS. Including building roads specifically to his distribution centers so they can handle the volume of freight. We benefit by being able to order random crap and have it come to our door, he's benefitted 171 billion. Wanna trade?
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While I think the Fair Tax proposal was a good approach for dealing with Illinois's budgetary problems, I can understand why it failed.
Poor messaging on the part of Pritzker and lack of support from many Democratic leaders, including Lightfoot. Maybe the actual rates should have been included in the amendment. Another problem is that a large chunk of the revenue would have to be applied to the pension shortfall, not property tax relief. That’s the big elephant in the room that many people don’t understand or want to address. It was caused by decades of bi-partisan, bogus-balanced budgets that failed to contribute the required amounts to the pension systems each year.
And then there’s the “trust issue.” “Because Madigan….” (boy do I wish that old fart would retire); recent doubling of the gas tax and other fee increases; blank check concerns; and a general disconnect that people have with state government. As one pundit put it, “many people think of the state as a separate, alien entity from themselves. As if state debt isn’t their debt as well. Or that state “spending” isn’t related to their families.”
Well, the voters have spoken. Perhaps Pritzker should have followed Jerry Brown’s “scorched-earth” model in CA by making deep cuts in government first. Start closing prisons, IDOT facilities, SOS offices and community colleges. Less funding for hospitals, local governments, workforce training, wastewater treatment upgrades, mental health programs, public safety equipment and higher education too. Do we need EIU, Chicago State and WIU? Do we need two state fairs?
Looks like it’s time to put an “austerity budget” on the table for the legislators, citizens and interest groups to review and decide how best to move forward. Some legislators and groups have said we can cut our way out of the mess, but they never provide the specifics. Don’t give me that 10%, 15% or more “across the board” cuts dodge. Which programs, services, grants, facilities and equipment should be cut and by how much?
Let’s see what the details looks like and have an honest discussion. Until people take the time to see real numbers and what taxes pay for (discretionary, non-discretionary spending, etc.), I don’t think there will be meaningful progress in dealing with the state budget crisis.
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Do you have kids? Are you being exposed to this?
The teachers I see are having to do 1-1 zoom sessions with kids and parents over and over, trying to figure out the algorithm for each kid to get them to make progress. In a room, the teachers have a fairly compact task. On Zoom, they are dealing with asking a kid who is looking directly at the camera a question, and that kid not answering because the kid has fired up Minecraft or is doing Google Hangouts. Homework slips, and they have to chase down kids to find out why. They have to deal with stressed out parents screaming at them or begging them to help them figure out how to crack the problem.
Eventually these kids will take MAP tests and when the scores suck, the teachers are going to have to defend how poorly things went in a pandemic.
Now imagine you are a special needs teacher.
I do not envy those teachers one bit. Their jobs are substantially harder now.
I am.dealing with this right now. It is nowhere close to what you describe, but my kid is in HS. My kid even says it sucks.
I also know parents who have special need kids and it is a complete disaster.
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While I think the Fair Tax proposal was a good approach for dealing with Illinois's budgetary problems, I can understand why it failed.
Poor messaging on the part of Pritzker and lack of support from many Democratic leaders, including Lightfoot. Maybe the actual rates should have been included in the amendment. Another problem is that a large chunk of the revenue would have to be applied to the pension shortfall, not property tax relief. That’s the big elephant in the room that many people don’t understand or want to address. It was caused by decades of bi-partisan, bogus-balanced budgets that failed to contribute the required amounts to the pension systems each year.
And then there’s the “trust issue.” “Because Madigan….” (boy do I wish that old fart would retire); recent doubling of the gas tax and other fee increases; blank check concerns; and a general disconnect that people have with state government. As one pundit put it, “many people think of the state as a separate, alien entity from themselves. As if state debt isn’t their debt as well. Or that state “spending” isn’t related to their families.”
Well, the voters have spoken. Perhaps Pritzker should have followed Jerry Brown’s “scorched-earth” model in CA by making deep cuts in government first. Start closing prisons, IDOT facilities, SOS offices and community colleges. Less funding for hospitals, local governments, workforce training, wastewater treatment upgrades, mental health programs, public safety equipment and higher education too. Do we need EIU, Chicago State and WIU? Do we need two state fairs?
Looks like it’s time to put an “austerity budget” on the table for the legislators, citizens and interest groups to review and decide how best to move forward. Some legislators and groups have said we can cut our way out of the mess, but they never provide the specifics. Don’t give me that 10%, 15% or more “across the board” cuts dodge. Which programs, services, grants, facilities and equipment should be cut and by how much?
Let’s see what the details looks like and have an honest discussion. Until people take the time to see real numbers and what taxes pay for (discretionary, non-discretionary spending, etc.), I don’t think there will be meaningful progress in dealing with the state budget crisis.
How about a state pension tax amendment and reform? And my wife works at a state college. That one Republican fuck in the pro tax ad is getting a huge pension for working one year in state government.
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I am.dealing with this right now. It is nowhere close to what you describe, but my kid is in HS. My kid even says it sucks.
I also know parents who have special need kids and it is a complete disaster.
High schoolers have fairly well developed executive functioning skills. You know it sucks because he tells you it sucks. I know it sucks because it's all encompassing for me. I can't just hand him a computer and say "see you at lunch"
2nd Graders doing zoom school is equivalent to an autistic/downs child in High School. They just don't have the skills to do it self contained. The threads on my kid's school's parent's email list are pretty much 75% how to block X/Y/Z from the computers, how to set up a VNC to watch the screens, which new game/etc... we need to block, how to set YouTube filters (the kids are told to use YouTube to research subjects at which point they decide to research ROBLOX strategies or watch movie clips).
While trying to sort that out is a parent's responsibility, the final upshot is that the work productivity for kids in a class is extremely variable, and hard to monitor. So it's very difficult to lesson plan. I get a message asking if my kid needs extra support because he's behind on his homework, and I'm confused because we did it together. But because he didn't click the "turn in button", the teacher has no idea.
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While I think the Fair Tax proposal was a good approach for dealing with Illinois's budgetary problems, I can understand why it failed.
Poor messaging on the part of Pritzker and lack of support from many Democratic leaders, including Lightfoot. Maybe the actual rates should have been included in the amendment. Another problem is that a large chunk of the revenue would have to be applied to the pension shortfall, not property tax relief. That’s the big elephant in the room that many people don’t understand or want to address. It was caused by decades of bi-partisan, bogus-balanced budgets that failed to contribute the required amounts to the pension systems each year.
And then there’s the “trust issue.” “Because Madigan….” (boy do I wish that old fart would retire); recent doubling of the gas tax and other fee increases; blank check concerns; and a general disconnect that people have with state government. As one pundit put it, “many people think of the state as a separate, alien entity from themselves. As if state debt isn’t their debt as well. Or that state “spending” isn’t related to their families.”
Well, the voters have spoken. Perhaps Pritzker should have followed Jerry Brown’s “scorched-earth” model in CA by making deep cuts in government first. Start closing prisons, IDOT facilities, SOS offices and community colleges. Less funding for hospitals, local governments, workforce training, wastewater treatment upgrades, mental health programs, public safety equipment and higher education too. Do we need EIU, Chicago State and WIU? Do we need two state fairs?
Looks like it’s time to put an “austerity budget” on the table for the legislators, citizens and interest groups to review and decide how best to move forward. Some legislators and groups have said we can cut our way out of the mess, but they never provide the specifics. Don’t give me that 10%, 15% or more “across the board” cuts dodge. Which programs, services, grants, facilities and equipment should be cut and by how much?
Let’s see what the details looks like and have an honest discussion. Until people take the time to see real numbers and what taxes pay for (discretionary, non-discretionary spending, etc.), I don’t think there will be meaningful progress in dealing with the state budget crisis.
Durbin throws Madigan under the bus and Pritzker hits the gas.
https://news.wttw.com/2020/11/04/we-paid-heavy-price-durbin-madigan-s-leadership-presidency-and-senate
Illinois really is a tricky beast and when you have a polarizing character like Madigan it makes it really hard. You have this huge population center in Chicago that rightfully dominates the overall picture, but state government is sort of abstract to them because the Capital is basically on another planet. Downstate is an agricultural behemoth - so even despite the lower populations it's still a serious economic player. It makes for some very serious demographic splits - like you've left one Nation and gone to another. I never feel that way moving around California - there is very big geographic and even slight cultural diversity - but even though LA feels like another planet, and San Diego burritos have god damn french fries in them, it's another planet with your own kin. Maybe it's because the Giants and Dodgers play 12 times a year, and because people move back and forth between areas.
But despite those challenges in Illinois, the two regions have a symbiosis that keeps Illinois from becoming Ohio. Chicago is a true hub unlike Cleveland/Cincy/Columbus/Indy and isn't a trainwreck like Detroit. It provides an economic engine that creates more opportunity than Iowa.
I totally agree they should revamp the Universities. Feels to me that a second true public flagship is needed, and re-org the rest. It's getting harder to get into UIUC as the demand has increased but you can only expand the school so much.
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How about a state pension tax amendment and reform? And my wife works at a state college. That one Republican fuck in the pro tax ad is getting a huge pension for working one year in state government.
we can start by cutting FURG's ridiculous pension!
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we can start by cutting FURG's ridiculous pension!
Exactly.
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Yep.
Social Security was intended to keep people secure. And judging from the SS payments I've seen, that's what they do.
Pensions shouldn't be like winning the lottery. They should keep people fed, with a roof over their heads. It's insane that SURS pays six figures annually to individuals who don't work.
My dad is making a shit ton of money from y'all's taxes, and it's all going to end abortion and elect Republicans.
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How about a state pension tax amendment and reform? And my wife works at a state college. That one Republican fuck in the pro tax ad is getting a huge pension for working one year in state government.
A pension amendment? To do what? I suppose you could try to change Big Jim Thompson’s compounded COLA gift. But that won’t solve the underfunded pension liability that’s grown over the last decade or so.
And I don’t think Illinoisans will vote for a constitutional amendment that significantly reduces pension benefits for existing State retirees. The workers paid all their costs into the system. The State chose other priorities than the pension payment. You and I both voted for these idiots. We’re all part of the problem.
Interestingly the pension debt was getting paid down while Quinn was governor; when the income tax was increased to 5%. But that tax hike had a sunset provision and Rauner called for it to expire at the beginning of his term. The legislature obliged.
As to “reform.” In the last 10 years, the General Assembly has passed two laws that reduced pension benefits. The State now has a three-tiered pension system for workers, with newer hires (2011> and 2017>) having a lower benefits package.
As to the Republican “fuck” who got a last-minute pension bump for working in State government. Why should state workers get penalized for that? The legislature has been whittling away at those perks. For the 95% of state pensioners, the pensions are modest and reasonable (annual average of $28,600 for SS members and $37,198 for non-SS members. Source: AARP). Ask your legislator to introduce a bill that imposes an income tax on six-figure pensions for those fucks who gamed the State system.
Bottom line: both cuts and revenue will be needed to solve the State’s budget problem. Maybe there’s a “grand bargain” out there that will require everyone to take a haircut, including state workers, service industries, large corporations, retirees and Ken Griffin.
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Amending the pension thing would pass easily but for it never seeing a ballot.
The Fair Tax issue was terribly marketed and poorly explained. They should've put a minimum income in the amendment itself.
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Gosh. Scrolling through 14 years of (mostly spam) emails containing the word "Pelosi" went faster than I thought.
me
To
letters@sfchronicle.com
Oct 8, 2006 at 10:13 PM
Nancy Pelosi can give her party a boost by declaring that she will not seek the Speakership.
Now may be the best time for the Democrats to persuade all voters, in all districts, in all states to vote for their candidates. But people in my neck of the woods, the "heartland" would be a lot more excited to vote for a party not led by one of the old school -- one of the members of the House that has been entrenched inside the beltway since the last time a ruling party got tossed out.
We've seen Ms. Pelosi on the Sunday chat shows too many times.
It's not that Ms. Pelosi strikes the average voter as being too far left -- which I gather she does. But more importantly, she comes off as a party shill. She seems more interested in promoting the party than promoting equitable concepts of governance.
Put more damningly, she is Tom DeLay in different clothes.
Right now there's a real chance to stop the madness in Washington. Ms. Pelosi can advance the greater cause by ceasing her personal quest for power.
Rob McColley
Urbana, Illinois
2 years pre-Obama and this is still true.
There's talk of a revolt against Pelosi in favor of Jeffries or someone else. Would be welcome, along with dumping Perez.
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https://www.theonion.com/democratic-strategists-hold-screening-of-three-amigos-1845584362
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https://www.theonion.com/democratic-strategists-hold-screening-of-three-amigos-1845584362
Nailed It! :)
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dumping Perez.
I'd be interested to see the outcome of an election featuring a slate of Bernie- esque ideologues. Who knows, maybe the socialists are right.
Personally, I strongly favor the Spanbergers and Slotkins. I'm grateful to Perez for running them.
Rick Wilson said Any McGrath and MJ Hagar would have done better if they were men, and called on the Dems to recruit conservative white men with military backgrounds if they want to win Red State elections.
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gee who didn't totally see this shit show coming... lol
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Latinos are a diverse electorate.
One thing I found noteworthy was how the Trump campaign gained ground with Latino voters in Texas and Florida. Door-knocking, face-to-face contact and small group meetings. Not so much social media stuff. Trump's field staff deserve kudos, not just for the message, but who to target and the method of outreach.
Now if Biden holds on to Arizona, he will have some Latinos to thank. His campaign tied into the grassroots social justice groups that had been fighting for years against former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the state’s “show me your papers” immigration law.
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Latinos are a diverse electorate.
One thing I found noteworthy was how the Trump campaign gained ground with Latino voters in Texas and Florida. Door-knocking, face-to-face contact and small group meetings. Not so much social media stuff. Trump's field staff deserve kudos, not just for the message, but who to target and the method of outreach.
Now if Biden holds on to Arizona, he will have some Latinos to thank. His campaign tied into the grassroots social justice groups that had been fighting for years against former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the state’s “show me your papers” immigration law.
Trump and his people deserve a ton of credit. The Dems got their people out in ridiculous numbers, which many people thought would lead to a blowout (ignoring that, as things stand, it will likely 'look like' a relative blowout when all is said and done).. but Trump and the GOP got their people out in ridiculous numbers too.
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gee who didn't totally see this shit show coming... lol
Yeah it’s pretty much exactly what I expected. I really wish Trump would just surprise everyone and STFU and go peacefully.
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Yeah it’s pretty much exactly what I expected. I really wish Trump would just surprise everyone and STFU and go peacefully.
You lost me at "Trump" and "STFU", something he has repeatedly demonstrated over the years he's not capable of doing.
But wish away, lol.
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Yeah it’s pretty much exactly what I expected. I really wish Trump would just surprise everyone and STFU and go peacefully.
Well you can wish in one hand, and crap in the other...
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Yeah it’s pretty much exactly what I expected. I really wish Trump would just surprise everyone and STFU and go peacefully.
Yeah he should just accept the alleged rampant voter fraud and go away quietly.
lol, that'll happen, ever!
This shit is going to drag on probably until January
I wish honesty was a core tenet of our society these days, sadly it appears that lying about everything gets you the most attention instead
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I'd be interested to see the outcome of an election featuring a slate of Bernie- esque ideologues. Who knows, maybe the socialists are right.
Personally, I strongly favor the Spanbergers and Slotkins. I'm grateful to Perez for running them.
Rick Wilson said Any McGrath and MJ Hagar would have done better if they were men, and called on the Dems to recruit conservative white men with military backgrounds if they want to win Red State elections.
See: Cal Cunningham and Jaime Harrison
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Neither is a democratic socialist.
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Yeah he should just accept the alleged rampant voter fraud and go away quietly.
lol, that'll happen, ever!
I can't tell if your being sarcastic or not. And I don't think you are entitled to the benefit of the doubt. Even Brett Bier on Fox News thought these claims were BS tonight.
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He's not entitled to any benefits.
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Yeah he should just accept the alleged rampant voter fraud and go away quietly.
lol, that'll happen, ever!
This shit is going to drag on probably until January
I wish honesty was a core tenet of our society these days, sadly it appears that lying about everything gets you the most attention instead
Which alleged voter fraud specifically?
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Thank Christ it's over.
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The Jordan Klepper Talks to Incel Trump Fans videos should be able to ferret out an answer.
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Thank Christ it's over.
+1
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It’s not over because two networks project him the winner. Trump is going to tie this up by whatever means possible for as long as he can. I hope the courts throw out the ridiculous lawsuits. Even the Trump fans I know aren’t buying the widespread voter fraud story.
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Thank Christ it's over.
This
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Glad that little sideshow is over with. Now we can focus on the really important election news. Voters in four states approved ballot measures legalizing recreational weed.
And Nevada voters added a provision to the state constitution setting targets for power companies to generate or procure energy from renewable resources like solar and geothermal. Good first step for tackling climate change.
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It’s not over because two networks project him the winner. Trump is going to tie this up by whatever means possible for as long as he can. I hope the courts throw out the ridiculous lawsuits. Even the Trump fans I know aren’t buying the widespread voter fraud story.
The Courts are chuckling the lawsuits almost as soon as they're getting filed and the Republicans aren't even sending in their good lawyers. This turkey's cooked.
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the Republicans aren't even sending in their good lawyers
As you know, the good lawyers require payment.
But wouldn't it be great if ActRed diverted all its cash from the GA-sp and into the Trump Election Defense Fund?
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You'd think even the bad lawyers need payment, but I think Rudy just wants the attention.
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Bye Bye, Donny
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I would think good lawyers require credible evidence.
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I would think good lawyers require credible evidence.
No. Not necessarily.
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I would think good lawyers require credible evidence.
(https://i.ibb.co/g3m9sBQ/2-EC8-BB7-E-3-FCD-49-F2-9345-724082754-ED0.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Czm8xT4)
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Glad that little sideshow is over with. Now we can focus on the really important election news. Voters in four states approved ballot measures legalizing recreational weed.
And Nevada voters added a provision to the state constitution setting targets for power companies to generate or procure energy from renewable resources like solar and geothermal. Good first step for tackling climate change.
That and constitutional gay marriage allowance. See nevada ain't that fucked up
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0rmqKsKHoQ
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No. Not necessarily.
I doubt courts will have much patience with "I had a big a lead until counted mail in ballots from heavily Democrat urban areas."
The reverse was true in Ohio and North Carolina.
From what I heard Trump is cutting into Biden's AZ lead via ballots that were dropped off at the last minute. That's not suspicious?
Trump supporters claim there will be ballot audits in PA, Wisconsin, Michigan etc. How would they audit a ballot that has already been counted?
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I don’t have time to giggle it but I imagine it would be some kind of a holistic process that looks at the procedures and safeguards and such versus an actual recount
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State legislatures set election law, not State election commissioners. If ballots are invalid due to state law, they could be voided in an audit.
Wisconsin .....
https://newstalk1130.iheart.com/alternate/amp/2020-11-07-wisconsin-clerks-may-have-unlawfully-altered-thousands-of-absentee-ballots/?__twitter_impression=true
Instead, multiple sources tell "The Dan O'Donnell Show," municipal clerks and vote counters across the state simply filled out witness signatures themselves. Acting on false and unlawful advice from the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), these clerks may have inadvertently invalidated thousands of absentee votes.
"The statute is very, very clear," said retired Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who worked as a poll watcher in Milwaukee on Election Day. "If an absentee ballot does not have a witness address on it, it's not valid. That ballot is not valid."
The WEC sent uniform instructions to voters with their mail-in ballots that informed them that "your witness must sign and provide their full address (street number, street name, city) in the Certification of Witness section" and warned that "if any of the required information above is missing, your ballot will not be counted."
However, on October 19th, the WEC sent instructions to clerks that they can simply fill in the witness address themselves so that the ballot would not be invalidated.
"Please note that the clerk should attempt to resolve any missing witness address information prior to Election Day if possible, and this can be done through reliable information (personal knowledge, voter registration information, through a phone call with the voter or witness)," WEC wrote. "The witness does not need to appear to add a missing address."
Pa.....
SCOTUS directed segregation of ballots received and/or counted between close of voting on Tues and sometime on Fri. SCOTUS assumed this would happen. It looks as tho Pa can not verify that it did.
Does this imply that some individuals didn't think the SCOTUS opinion applied to them ?
(https://i.ibb.co/t3Xvhfb/Screenshot-20201108-161936.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SJrMxTK)
(https://i.ibb.co/kMnYMWk/Screenshot-20201108-162125.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vD52DKg)
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O'Donnell Missing the Point in Fraud Claim
https://rightwisconsin.com/2020/11/08/odonnell-missing-the-point-in-fraud-claim
Pa. attorney general says there’s no need for additional intervention by Supreme Court with mail ballots
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/penn-supreme-alito-mail-ballots/2020/11/07/c3f8676c-20fd-11eb-b532-05c751cd5dc2_story.html
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State legislatures set election law, not State election commissioners. If ballots are invalid due to state law, they could be voided in an audit.
Wisconsin .....
https://newstalk1130.iheart.com/alternate/amp/2020-11-07-wisconsin-clerks-may-have-unlawfully-altered-thousands-of-absentee-ballots/?__twitter_impression=true
Instead, multiple sources tell "The Dan O'Donnell Show," municipal clerks and vote counters across the state simply filled out witness signatures themselves. Acting on false and unlawful advice from the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), these clerks may have inadvertently invalidated thousands of absentee votes.
"The statute is very, very clear," said retired Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who worked as a poll watcher in Milwaukee on Election Day. "If an absentee ballot does not have a witness address on it, it's not valid. That ballot is not valid."
The WEC sent uniform instructions to voters with their mail-in ballots that informed them that "your witness must sign and provide their full address (street number, street name, city) in the Certification of Witness section" and warned that "if any of the required information above is missing, your ballot will not be counted."
However, on October 19th, the WEC sent instructions to clerks that they can simply fill in the witness address themselves so that the ballot would not be invalidated.
"Please note that the clerk should attempt to resolve any missing witness address information prior to Election Day if possible, and this can be done through reliable information (personal knowledge, voter registration information, through a phone call with the voter or witness)," WEC wrote. "The witness does not need to appear to add a missing address."
Pa.....
SCOTUS directed segregation of ballots received and/or counted between close of voting on Tues and sometime on Fri. SCOTUS assumed this would happen. It looks as tho Pa can not verify that it did.
Does this imply that some individuals didn't think the SCOTUS opinion applied to them ?
In other words, Trump supporters have nothing.
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I don’t have time to giggle it but I imagine it would be some kind of a holistic process that looks at the procedures and safeguards and such versus an actual recount
What would be the remedy? I suppose a state legislature could commit political suicide by voting to select unelected electors? Would SCOTUS dare declare a state election invalid without much stronger evidence than the loser whining we are hearing so far?
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In the Wisco example, it appears that Maistelman agrees with the election commission position rather than the legislature.
The election commission also may have enabled up to 200,000 to avoid id laws.
The courts can decide.
In the Pa example and the AG.
This guy thinks the courts need not get involved ? lol.
From before the election.
(https://i.ibb.co/yd3XrC0/Screenshot-20201108-212335.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wBvRfqy)
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In other words, Trump supporters have nothing.
You mean the campaign has nothing ?
How's that ?
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In the Wisco example, it appears that Maistelman agrees with the election commission position rather than the legislature.
The election commission also may have enabled up to 200,000 to avoid id laws.
The courts can decide.
In the Pa example and the AG.
This guy thinks the courts need not get involved ? lol.
From before the election.
(https://i.ibb.co/yd3XrC0/Screenshot-20201108-212335.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wBvRfqy)
What, exactly, are the courts deciding? If the State of Wisconsin says a ballot is valid and the state waived any issue with the ID law, who even has standing to challenge that? And why would it matter? No one is damaged by people exercising the right to vote. And it's all likely moot anyway.
If the court has the power to second-guess the executive branch and invalidate ballots, it has the power to fashion far simpler and more equitable remedies that don't needlessly threaten Constitutional interests on multiple fronts.
There's just nothing here and you're being grifted.
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Mn is brighter than the worst MAGAt, and possibly the average MAGAt. But he's still a MAGAt.
If Mn provided a rational reason for his Trumpian advocacy (e.g. I'm a small business owner. My net income would go down $17k) there'd be a reason for you to debate him.
As of now, there's no reason to debate him.
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From the Wisconsin Elections Commission home page
(https://i.ibb.co/mczM8JX/Screenshot-20201109-065514.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1m2w6Zd)
(https://i.ibb.co/84F291W/Screenshot-20201109-062948.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CsxvQRk)
(https://i.ibb.co/RYKjTDJ/Screenshot-20201109-063034.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ydC4FQx)
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What, exactly, are the courts deciding? If the State of Wisconsin says a ballot is valid and the state waived any issue with the ID law, who even has standing to challenge that? And why would it matter? No one is damaged by people exercising the right to vote. And it's all likely moot anyway.
If the court has the power to second-guess the executive branch and invalidate ballots, it has the power to fashion far simpler and more equitable remedies that don't needlessly threaten Constitutional interests on multiple fronts.
There's just nothing here and you're being grifted.
This could be but I think we're being trolled. No solutions just gasoline.
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Why does Mn want another 4 years of golf and watching cable TV?
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Personally, I'm glad Mn consumes the right-wing media for all the conspiracy and other half-baked theories so I don't have to.
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Personally, I'm glad Mn consumes the right-wing media for all the conspiracy and other half-baked theories so I don't have to.
Just trying to help out.
How does it go ?
Oh, yeah.
"Democracy dies in darkness"
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PA and AZ and possibly WI will flip to Trump and he’ll keep GA NC and go on to a well deserved second term. Many liberal tears will fall.
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I think OANN should run with that version of events.
Couldn't we just pretend that Trump is still president while the Biden administration gets to work? Wouldn't that satisfy his True Believers?
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As you know, the good lawyers require payment.
But wouldn't it be great if ActRed diverted all its cash from the GA-sp and into the Trump Election Defense Fund?
Loeffler already said she kicked in a million to Trump's legal maneuverings. What does this actually mean, however? Does Trump keep the money? Does his campaign then kick a million back to Loeffler's campaign?
That election is going to be very interesting. Do the MAGAts turn out without Trump on the ballot, they didn't 2 years ago.
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You mean the campaign has nothing ?
How's that ?
Wisconsin law allows for "curing" ballots.
The late ballots in PA were already segregated.
Also, contesting ballots after they have been counted is moot. There is no legal way to determine who loses votes.
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There has yet to be an official call made regarding the presidency by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees federal property, and certifies the winner.
Monday after the second Wednesday in December of presidential election years is set (3 U.S.C. §7) as the date on which the electors meet and vote. In 2020, the meeting is on December 14
While I don't think Trump will win all his lawsuits, I think its kind of irresponsible for the media to say that this is over already. Al Gore was the media's president for 35 days back in 2000, remember that?
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While I don't think Trump will win all his lawsuits, I think its kind of irresponsible for the media to say that this is over already. Al Gore was the media's president for 35 days back in 2000, remember that?
No.
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PA and AZ and possibly WI will flip to Trump and he’ll keep GA NC and go on to a well deserved second term. Many liberal tears will fall.
In the running for the Inaugural Official HQ2 JudgeJudy Delusional Post of the Year Award.
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Just trying to help out.
How does it go ?
Oh, yeah.
"Democracy dies in darkness"
I laughed. +1 owed!
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On the plus side for Trump, he'll be able to rightfully claim that his inagural was bigger and better
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The media called it for Gore based on exit polls. They called that back, and called it for Bush. Then it became too close to call.
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537 votes is different from 10,646 votes.
It's hard enough to find 538 dimpled chads.
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But then the hanging chads got the dimpled chads pregnant.
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With the 2000 election in mind, I have been also been wondering what new election jargon will become seared into our collective memory during this fiasco.
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If I followed correctly, Trump's campaign is raising equal protection issues in PA. Apparently, the law allows curing of mail-in ballots. If signatures or secrecy envelopes were missing, election workers contacted the voter to 'cure' the mistake. However, some workers in some Republican precincts were unaware this was allowed, and treated them as spoiled ballots. The Trump team claims this violates the equal protection clause.
I see a few major holes in this this argument. First, curing ballots is legal in PA. Guidance was sent out to all the precincts. There was no fraud.
Next, the 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law, not equality of outcomes. Clerical errors do not amount to loss of equal protection under the law.
Finally, election laws already vary widely from state to state. For example, some states require voter ID. Some do not.
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With the 2000 election in mind, I have been also been wondering what new election jargon will become seared into our collective memory during this fiasco.
Cured ballots.
Ballot harvesting.
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If he doesn’t end up winning this one he’ll win in 2024.
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If he doesn’t end up winning this one he’ll win in 2024.
Are you not familiar with DJT's forthcoming criminal prosecutions?
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Are you not familiar with DJT's forthcoming criminal prosecutions?
for what?
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https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/politics/donald-trump-lawsuits/index.html
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for what?
You are really vying for the HQ2 JudgeJudy award too. We may have to put a cap on your nominations.
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https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/politics/donald-trump-lawsuits/index.html
Does not even include the obstruction of justice actions mentioned in the Mueller Report.
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Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and the Handmaid will join forces with Alito and Clarence to revoke the unfair election, overturn Obamacare, and appoint President Trump to a second term. Dear Leader will then unveil his much awaited free market alternative to the ACA.
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Does not even include the obstruction of justice actions mentioned in the Mueller Report.
uh huh, I'm sure all of these will totally have anything come from them... lol
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uh huh, I'm sure all of these will totally have anything come from them... lol
You are probably right given the Dems are a bunch of pansies and Trump will pardon himself on the way out the door.
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You are probably right given the Dems are a bunch of pansies and Trump will pardon himself on the way out the door.
we swear this list of things will surely get Drumph this time!
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uh huh, I'm sure all of these will totally have anything come from them... lol
You can rely on the bank/insurance fraud prosecutions going forward.
These are state charges. Unless Andrew Cuomo decides to join Team Trump, no pardons are available. It's happening.
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Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and the Handmaid will join forces with Alito and Clarence to revoke the unfair election, overturn Obamacare, and appoint President Trump to a second term. Dear Leader will then unveil his much awaited free market alternative to the ACA.
The ACA was actually Newt's brainchild.
-
https://theconversation.com/conservatives-backed-the-ideas-behind-obamacare-so-how-did-they-come-to-hate-it-149698
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The ACA was actually Newt's brainchild.
It's always been a "market-driven" concept. Corporate friendly, profit oriented.
Which is, of course, a terrible idea. It encourages the elimination of the riskiest members (the people who need it most) and adds the enormous cost of actuaries and accountants.
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You can rely on the bank/insurance fraud prosecutions going forward.
These are state charges. Unless Andrew Cuomo decides to join Team Trump, no pardons are available. It's happening.
Keep dreaming!
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The ACA was actually Newt's brainchild.
Actually, some guy named Butler that worked for the Heritage Foundation. Romney Care is said to be a version. Mandates, tax credit financing, tax penalties for noncompliance. The original Heritage plan had some major differences. It dealt with pre-existing conditions with high risk pools. I am pretty sure it also got rid of the existing incentives for employer sponsored insurance. It included medicaid expansion, but as a replacement for traditional medicaid. I don't know that Newt ever signed on. I think Orrin Hatch did.
-
https://www.heritage.org/social-security/report/assuring-affordable-health-care-all-americans
https://www.heritage.org/testimony/laying-the-groundwork-universal-health-care-coverage
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2013/nov/15/ellen-qualls/aca-gop-health-care-plan-1993/
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It's always been a "market-driven" concept. Corporate friendly, profit oriented.
Which is, of course, a terrible idea. It encourages the elimination of the riskiest members (the people who need it most) and adds the enormous cost of actuaries and accountants.
Didn't you know that a system which uses private insurance companies and private doctors is inherently socialist?
-
Keep dreaming!
.
I watched both Hannity and Tucker last night (on an illegitimate stream, if course) and I understand why people in the Fox bubble don't know about day-to-day governance.
They both focused solely on Evil Democrats, whether it was stealing elections or merchandise (during riots).
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https://theconversation.com/conservatives-backed-the-ideas-behind-obamacare-so-how-did-they-come-to-hate-it-149698
Interesting. I don't recall Gingrich ever supporting the Heritage Plan or versions.
-
.
They both focused solely on Evil Democrats, whether it was stealing elections or merchandise (during riots).
Are those not issues we should be concerned about?
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The GOP should be absolutely thrilled about the looting. It won them an election.
Of course, many of them also voted against the incumbent president, because he's an incompetent grifter who doesn't read his PDBs and spent his presidency golfing, watching TV and Tweeting.
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Are those not issues we should be concerned about?
Those are the ONLY issues to be concerned about.
-
.
I watched both Hannity and Tucker last night (on an illegitimate stream, if course) and I understand why people in the Fox bubble don't know about day-to-day governance.
They both focused solely on Evil Democrats, whether it was stealing elections or merchandise (during riots).
Trump voters are flocking to a TV channel that claims Biden is not president-elect
“President Trump's fans who don't think Fox News is right-wing enough have another option on cable and satellite: Newsmax TV.”
“And something dramatic has happened in the past week: A big audience has sought out Newsmax TV for the first time.”
“On Newsmax, voter fraud innuendo is everywhere. Conspiracy theory chatter is constant. And perhaps most importantly, Joe Biden is not the president-elect. The channel is tapping into a real vein of rage on the right. And Trump is encouraging it by retweeting Twitter users who are trashing Fox and promoting Newsmax.”
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/12/media/fox-news-newsmax-reliable-sources/index.html
Welcome, Fox, to the consequences of pandering to the lowest of the low. Eventually someone significantly worse will come along.
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Somebody forgot to send the national unity promo to CNN.
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Trump Campaign Officials Started Pressuring Georgia’s Secretary of State Long Before the Election
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-campaign-officials-started-pressuring-georgias-secretary-of-state-long-before-the-election
Good to see Raffensperger is committed to running the secretary of state office with integrity and consistency. He appears to have a great deal of testicular strength when it comes to dealing with the Trump racketeer approach to governance.
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Trump Campaign Officials Started Pressuring Georgia’s Secretary of State Long Before the Election
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-campaign-officials-started-pressuring-georgias-secretary-of-state-long-before-the-election
Good to see Raffensperger is committed to running the secretary of state office with integrity and consistency. He appears to have a great deal of testicular strength when it comes to dealing with the Trump racketeer approach to governance.
The best play for 2nd tier flunkies not completely stained by the current top of the GOP is to sternly scold the top for their blatant abuses, so they can become 1st tier flunkies in the "new GOP"
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https://www.theonion.com/biden-insists-lack-of-cooperation-from-trump-administra-1845701220
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I have been trying to decipher Trump and Giuliani's end game. Keep in mind that half of Republicans think Trump was the victim of massive voter fraud, and more than 1/4 think he should fight to the end. Republican leaders with something to lose still fear him.
Trump team's convoluted, disjointed legal arguments appear to be rooted in Bush v. Gore. The SCOTUS majority ruled that a lack of standard method for dimpled chads violated the equal protection clause. The decision apparently included this sentence: “Our consideration is limited to the present circumstances, for the problem of equal protection in election processes generally presents many complexities.”
In other words, they did not want it cited as a precedent, but I gather that is not stopping Giuliani et al. They are evidently arguing that a lack of standard application of rules concerning ballot curing violates the equal protection clause. As a remedy, they wanted the court to nullify the entire vote in PA.
A Republican federal judge dismissed the case. Trump plans to appeal. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has tried other tactics, like trying to block certification of the vote in other states, such as Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin. The idea is to drop Biden below the 270 threshold. Some say that would push the vote to the House; with each state getting one vote. Trump wins. Others say the threshold is lowered and Biden still wins.
Another approach is to try to get Republican state legislatures to override the popular vote in their states, and appoint Trump electors instead. My understanding is this is supposedly based on a "plenary power of the legislature" interpretation expressed by Chief Justice Rehnquist's concurring opinion, which was joined by Justices Scalia and Thomas.
Some ardent Trumpists believe the 3 Trump appointees will join Alito and Thomas in throwing out fraudulent elections and allowing state legislatures to appoint Trump electors. While extremely unlikely, that is at least remotely possible and would create a nightmarish scenario.
It's also possible that Trump's absurd behavior finally exposes him for what he is; part oaf, part third world dictator, and he fades into obscurity. Well, there are the criminal cases in NY, so maybe at best he becomes am annoying side show?
Most likely, Trump sets himself as de facto leader of the Republican Party, a sort of True President in exile, and does everything he can to undermine the Biden Admin -- with a 2024 run in mind. That is the most logical end game.
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Interesting thoughts. I quit paying attention some time ago, but I can’t shake the nightmarish feeling.
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I'll be disappointed if we don't get to see the Kraken.
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Well, I guess more than 2 weeks have passed. Should there be a new, what now? thread? There are a still few things to watch:
Trump: He is still babbling incoherently about and pouting about fraud. All they really have is affidavits from poll watchers who observed the process of ballot counting and misinterpreted what they saw. Also, complaints about special covid-19 rules.
Trump's lawyers: They appear to have given up on the fraud angle, and are challenging procedural shite instead. They are claiming the procedures for mail-in ballots were so fucked up that either all mail-in ballots should be discarded or else the entire election in certain states with Republican legislatures should be voided. They may or may not have raised a valid equal protection issue. This dog is still not hunting due to a legal concept called laches. That means they waited too fucking long. The time to challenge the procedure of an election is before the election is held; not after it's over and you do not like the outcome.
Pro-Trump Third Party legal action.
The Qanon nut job Sidney is still pushing a Dominion voting machine conspiracy. Ironically, Dominion bought out Diebold.
Others brought more valid claims. In Pennsylvania, some Republicans sued because the mail-in voting law violates the state's constitution. They are may well be right. They should have sued soon after the law was enacted, not after 2 elections had been held. The case has been dismissed -- that laches thing.
Some conservative group is suing in Michigan, claiming the SoS exceeded her authority in various ways to make it easier to vote by mail. Again, even if the suit has merits, it is likely too late.
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Just a reminder
https://youtu.be/KVJI3HHsWyg
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He said a bad word.
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I have been trying to decipher Trump and Giuliani's end game. Keep in mind that half of Republicans think Trump was the victim of massive voter fraud, and more than 1/4 think he should fight to the end. Republican leaders with something to lose still fear him.
Trump team's convoluted, disjointed legal arguments appear to be rooted in Bush v. Gore. The SCOTUS majority ruled that a lack of standard method for dimpled chads violated the equal protection clause. The decision apparently included this sentence: “Our consideration is limited to the present circumstances, for the problem of equal protection in election processes generally presents many complexities.”
In other words, they did not want it cited as a precedent, but I gather that is not stopping Giuliani et al. They are evidently arguing that a lack of standard application of rules concerning ballot curing violates the equal protection clause. As a remedy, they wanted the court to nullify the entire vote in PA.
A Republican federal judge dismissed the case. Trump plans to appeal. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has tried other tactics, like trying to block certification of the vote in other states, such as Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin. The idea is to drop Biden below the 270 threshold. Some say that would push the vote to the House; with each state getting one vote. Trump wins. Others say the threshold is lowered and Biden still wins.
Another approach is to try to get Republican state legislatures to override the popular vote in their states, and appoint Trump electors instead. My understanding is this is supposedly based on a "plenary power of the legislature" interpretation expressed by Chief Justice Rehnquist's concurring opinion, which was joined by Justices Scalia and Thomas.
Some ardent Trumpists believe the 3 Trump appointees will join Alito and Thomas in throwing out fraudulent elections and allowing state legislatures to appoint Trump electors. While extremely unlikely, that is at least remotely possible and would create a nightmarish scenario.
It's also possible that Trump's absurd behavior finally exposes him for what he is; part oaf, part third world dictator, and he fades into obscurity. Well, there are the criminal cases in NY, so maybe at best he becomes am annoying side show?
Most likely, Trump sets himself as de facto leader of the Republican Party, a sort of True President in exile, and does everything he can to undermine the Biden Admin -- with a 2024 run in mind. That is the most logical end game.
Trump doesn’t have a coherent endgame, because he has no idea what he’s doing.
I think what we really should be concerned with is the endgame of the people who are supporting/enabling him. I think their endgame has nothing to do with this election, it’s the long game. They want to cast as much doubt and uncertainty on mail in voting as they can. Their nightmare scenario is that this mail in voting goes smoothly (which it did), and people ask, “Why don’t we do this all the time? This is much easier!” Southern conservatives have spent 150 years making it as hard as possible for Blacks to vote, and mail in voting effectively destroys that. They want to make sure it never happens again.
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The Democrat party will be a smoking crater when everything comes to light on this stolen election.
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As long as we get to see the Kraken.
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Hi Plaza. Still.driving for Uber, you little whiny assed pedo loser?
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As long as we get to see the Kraken.
you got a krak in your ass!
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It helps with the overall function.
If you don't have one ... well, that would make a certain amount of sense.
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As long as we get to see the Kraken.
Me too. Im also still waiting to see evidence that Trump colluded with Russia...been waiting 4 years for some of that shit.
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Me too. Im also still waiting to see evidence that Trump colluded with Russia...been waiting 4 years for some of that shit.
January 20th he can be indicted...unless he pardons himself, even though he allegedly.did nothing wrong.
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Fess up.
Who's taken up sewing ?
The New York Times
@nytimes
· Dec 12
An increasing number of men are taking up sewing, not only to break traditional gender stereotypes but also advocate for body acceptance, racial justice and more sustainable lifestyles.
https://nyti.ms/3m6pBoV
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You will never see evidence of so-called "collusion," simply because there is no statute prohibiting that. There are campaign finance laws about coordination.
One thing we do know is the Russians really did try to influence the 2016 election to help Trump. Among other things, they hacked the DNC and leaked info to Wikileaks. They tried to blame it on a leak.
Did the Trump campaign literally coordinate with the Russians, or just stay out of the way?
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People have a way of seeing what they want to see.
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You will never see evidence of so-called "collusion," simply because there is no statute prohibiting that. There are campaign finance laws about coordination.
One thing we do know is the Russians really did try to influence the 2016 election to help Trump. Among other things, they hacked the DNC and leaked info to Wikileaks. They tried to blame it on a leak.
Did the Trump campaign literally coordinate with the Russians, or just stay out of the way?
JFC, we already have forgotten about the Trump Campaign meeting with the Soviets in Trump Tower?
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JFC, we already have forgotten about the Trump Campaign meeting with the Soviets in Trump Tower?
I *should* care about this, but my take is that in any sane reality, the efforts of the Russians would be meaningless - but somehow we have this large percentage of the population that has a bizarro cult worship of this extraordinarily mediocre person. How could it be possible that 70 million people would be persuaded by any argument? It beggars all belief, which is why we cling to guns, racism, abortion as the only plausible explanation for this disconnect.
So I just can't even get that freaked out by the Russia stuff because we have so many idiots we probably got the Government we deserve.
Also - "the Soviets"?
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We dont know about Crowdstrike because they told the FBI to go pound sand when the FBI asked for the servers.
From Sept 2017 testimony from the Crowdstrike CEO.
During the interview made public Thursday, Shawn Henry explained that CrowdStrike found some evidence that information was taken from DNC servers, but it was not conclusive.
Responding to a question from Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), he said, “There is evidence of exfiltration, not conclusive, but indicators of exfiltration off the DNC.”
Henry said that based on the evidence his firm reviewed, they believe “70 gigabytes of data” were exfiltrated from the DNC’s network. However, when asked by Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) whether he could “unequivocally say it was or not was exfiltrated out of the DNC, from what you know of?”
Henry responded, “I can’t say based on that,” according to the 80-page transcript.
The closed-door interview is one of 57 that the committee conducted during its two-year Russia investigation.
There is widespread agreement in the intelligence community that Russia hacked the DNC servers, but questions have long persisted because FBI investigators did not seize the DNC servers and relied instead on CrowdStrike's analysis of what occurred during the hacking.
We do not know Russia favored Trump. We do know Russia interfered in the 2016 election with social media campaigns and there appears to be no evidence that votes were changed due to Russian interference. Durham may address it, but a Senate Intel staffer allegedly responsible for leaking the Carter Page FISA warrant was not a good start for RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA favoring Trump.
But recently released FBI memos show that Samochornov, a translator trusted by the State Department and other federal agencies, provided agents far more information than was quoted by Mueller, nearly all of it exculpatory to the president’s campaign and his eldest son.
Samochornov was one of the few eyewitnesses to the meeting: He was hired by Veselnitskya to act as a translator on her law work and attended the Tower confab as such. His account to the FBI undercut the false collusion narrative.
“Samochornov could not speak about other occasions, but said there was no discussion about the 2016 United States presidential election or collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign at the meeting,” the FBI reported.
“There was no smoking gun, according to Samochornov. There was not a discussion about dirt on Hillary Clinton. Samochornov did not think Hillary Clinton was mentioned by name at the meeting," the FBI report added. "Samochornov had not heard Veselnitskya say anything about having ‘dirt’ on Hillary Clinton. Veselnitskya did not offer any materials during the meeting and no papers were exchanged.”
One of these years, we may have answers as to what happened.
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denial
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How do you prove coordination, unless they admit it?
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How do you prove coordination, unless they admit it?
I just don't care. Either they fooled our dumbass populace, or our dumbass populace fooled themselves - does not change the fact we have a dumbass populace.
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I *should* care about this, but my take is that in any sane reality, the efforts of the Russians would be meaningless - but somehow we have this large percentage of the population that has a bizarro cult worship of this extraordinarily mediocre person. How could it be possible that 70 million people would be persuaded by any argument? It beggars all belief, which is why we cling to guns, racism, abortion as the only plausible explanation for this disconnect.
So I just can't even get that freaked out by the Russia stuff because we have so many idiots we probably got the Government we deserve.
Also - "the Soviets"?
Yes, Putin is a fucking Soviet. You apparently have not been paying attention, or, like most progressives, selfishly don't give a rat's ass that "others" (aside from terrorists and Palesinians) are unable to enjoy the same freedoms we do.
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How do you prove coordination, unless they admit it?
Well, for starters, after 1/20/21 they will be able to question Trump directly, and, unless he pleads the Fifth, he will actually have to answer questions on his own instead of having his lawyers write them down for him.
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We do not know Russia favored Trump.
Bullshit. The BILATERAL US Senate report found otherwise.
Mn, back on Putin's Troll Farm payroll!
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I just don't care. Either they fooled our dumbass populace, or our dumbass populace fooled themselves - does not change the fact we have a dumbass populace.
Example of why Dems lose elections.
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Example of why Dems lose elections.
Because we have a dumbass populace.
My Aunt, in the span of five minutes told me that the Chinese invented COVID, and that Exelon is closing Dresden Nuclear because of wind and solar (it's because of natural gas being so cheap from fracking). I pointed her to an article quoting the CEO of Exelon saying that they can't compete with the low cost of electricity from nat gas, and she said that the CEO is lying.
There is no way around pure stupidity. Reference - ILLove97
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Because we have a dumbass populace.
My Aunt, in the span of five minutes told me that the Chinese invented COVID, and that Exelon is closing Dresden Nuclear because of wind and solar (it's because of natural gas being so cheap from fracking). I pointed her to an article quoting the CEO of Exelon saying that they can't compete with the low cost of electricity from nat gas, and she said that the CEO is lying.
There is no way around pure stupidity. Reference - ILLove97
While I enjoyed the citation to ILLove, today I read a piece by Matt Yglesias (sp- Google it yourself Big10Man), about the blowback he got for going onto Joe Rogan's podcast. His point was that "shunning" or cancel culture, whatever you want to call it, does not help convince people their attitudes, etc. are wrong and, in essence, staying in your cocoon is not a good way to win elections.
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I thought the Amish were an earnest people. What could they possibly see in Don The Con?
I suppose we'd need to see the broadsheets they've been reading. Or perhaps Rupert Murdoch owns their Town Crier.
He said nice things about the Bible, and even held one up once.
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Putin is a good guy. He told me he was, and I believe him.
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While I enjoyed the citation to ILLove, today I read a piece by Matt Yglesias (sp- Google it yourself Big10Man), about the blowback he got for going onto Joe Rogan's podcast. His point was that "shunning" or cancel culture, whatever you want to call it, does not help convince people their attitudes, etc. are wrong and, in essence, staying in your cocoon is not a good way to win elections.
My theory is that it just doesn't matter, frankly. Steve Schmidt had a good piece on Amanpour the other day, where he basically said their goal at the Lincoln project was to use their methods, which were pretty damn harsh, to peel off the four percent of Trump supporting Republicans that they needed to win the election. He wasn't trying to convince anyone else in the other 96% of the Republican Party because it's just not possible.
There are still deep double digits of Trump voters who "still think he can pull this off!" If they haven't been able to put two and two together to understand that the Presidential election is *over* - they aren't going to understand nuances of policy no matter how nicely you frame it.
And despite Schmidt's efforts, even if he peeled off 4% of Republican voters, that didn't matter. Biden won because Democratic turnout was more massive than the massive Trump turnout. He constantly references Georgia and there's a pretty good argument to be made that if you took the Republicans who voted for Biden out of the equation, Trump wins. But Biden still wins without that.
Trump, FOX, Newsmax, and OAN have permanently scrambled too many brains. They just need to be outnumbered as best they can be, now, and really work on the youth to not fall into the trap while awaiting the passing of the scrambled.
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You're right. We should just give up explaining positions and trying to use reasoning.
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You're right. We should just give up explaining positions and trying to use reasoning.
More so - if you have X amount of time and money, you get a much higher ROI for winning elections by driving up registration and turnout amongst people are are not crazy but also didn't vote.
That's what Abrams did and it worked. The people who tried to run to the middle and court Republicans, lost
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I think you nailed it. Lincoln Project was able to poach a few to vote against Trump but it seems they all split their tickets. That's what has Trump so riled up about Georgia. He doesn't want the senators to have outscored him.
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More so - if you have X amount of time and money, you get a much higher ROI for winning elections by driving up registration and turnout amongst people are are not crazy but also didn't vote.
That's what Abrams did and it worked. The people who tried to run to the middle and court Republicans, lost
Worked really well with the state elections, the House, and the Senate. Yes, it is a brilliant strategy to count on turnout to win a presidential election but basically fuck up everything else.
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I think you nailed it. Lincoln Project was able to poach a few to vote against Trump but it seems they all split their tickets. That's what has Trump so riled up about Georgia. He doesn't want the senators to have outscored him.
I guess their meager ROI was worth it for a few votes.
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It is as if some people have never heard of the Electoral College....
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Worked really well with the state elections, the House, and the Senate. Yes, it is a brilliant strategy to count on turnout to win a presidential election but basically fuck up everything else.
That was the focus in Georgia, a state that hasn't seen a Democrat win a statewide race since Clinton, and even that was due to Perot.
Biden won the state and has two razor thin runoffs.
Other states where they tried to change minds instead of adding voters, they didn't do nearly as well.
And in the end - Pelosi is still speaker, and the Democrats flipped Colorado and Arizona, probably for good. They lost Doug Jones? Whatever. No matter what happens in Georgia, the Democrats will take the Senate in 2022. Open seats in NC/PA plus Ron Johnson are all Republican defends, Loeffler would have to run again if she wins, and no Democratic seat is up in any Trump state.
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They lost Doug Jones
I'd like to encourage any & all further Alabamian secession attempts.
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BTW, is it still legal to produce a TV commercial featuring same-race couples?
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If they are same sex.
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Plenty of estrogen to go around here, I see. Who is the most alpha of the betas here?
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Plenty of estrogen to go around here, I see. Who is the most alpha of the betas here?
Sorry, not sorry for liking woman who aren't jailbait.
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BTW, is it still legal to produce a TV commercial featuring same-race couples?
I wondered the same thing. Think I saw a couple gay folk too.
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Plenty of estrogen to go around here, I see. Who is the most alpha of the betas here?
I would pin & mount you like a butterfly.
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I would pin & mount you like a butterfly.
You know he would secretly enjoy that....{insert obligatory "Not that there is anything wrong with that" here}
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the Democrats will take the Senate in 2022
Maybe Custard can pin this or Rob could add it to his screen shot portfolio.....
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Pat Toomey, Richard Burr & Ron Johnson all replaced by Dems?
Who'll run against Ivanka after she successfully primaries Little Marco Rubio?
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BTW, is it still legal to produce a TV commercial featuring same-race couples?
An astute observation
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Democrats will take the Senate in 2022.
(https://i.ibb.co/Pm0M2ny/17-EBCFDE-2-ABA-4-FB7-A75-F-C1-B99-D25-AD5-B.webp) (https://imgbb.com/)
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Pat Toomey, Richard Burr & Ron Johnson all replaced by Dems?
Who'll run against Ivanka after she successfully primaries Little Marco Rubio?
That would be Epic, and super disruptive. Rubio would really regret not joining the Lincoln Project wing at that point.