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US Politics: Ruthless ambition


Kalbear

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1 hour ago, DMC said:

It very well may still matter for Gorsuch, especially the Rehnquist precedent (remember he clerked for Kennedy, as did Kavanaugh).  He's decidedly not a Thomas or an Alito.  Roberts influence could possibly matter because if he votes against it that may well convince Gorsuch to as well.  

Gorsuch may, but like any good textualist his judicial philosophy is apt to randomly change if it suits his desires. He's not Alito, Thomas or Kavanaugh, but he's a pretty sad knight in shining armor if that's what you're hoping for.

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The point is EVEN Republicans are pushing back on this.  Obviously Dems are as well.  As for not giving a damn, um, right.  Cuz choosing not to care about what absurdly ludicrous thing Trump says about the election results is totally the same as not caring about the election or our democracy.

Some are, and by next week they'll pretend like it never even happened. The point is if these comments are largely met with a collective shrug now, it has a chance to further normalize what he's suggesting if he actually does it. 

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19 hours ago, S John said:

Has anyone watched the Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix? Nothing in there was super new to me, or I would wager any regulars of this thread, but it painted a pretty bleak picture with regard to social media and political polarization, not just here but everywhere. I think maybe it naturally gives a little more weight to social media’s role in this than maybe it strictly deserves as there are clearly other factors at play, but damn, it’s certainly a major part of the problem. 

I haven't seen it but will when life isn't interrupting. School holidays here now so i might get a chance to get the kids to watch it with me. I don't have any social media other than the obligatory linkedin i never check as it seems to just be sales and people looking for work.

I think the way many sites are run exacerbates the polarisation as so many are averse to anything not following whatever narrative they are pushing. Posts (even if factual) that don't display the political leaning or narrative they're looking for get deleted and threads can run off into some silly fan-fiction based in very few facts but more the fear or fantasy of the 20% of members who make 80% of the posts. All sites have sets of rules about insults and personal attacks etc. but they tend to be applied differently based on the political leanings of the alleged offender. Same with media, very little balance on any one site. Not only in the actual reporting and blurring of opinion and fact but also in what is chosen as ok to report. It all leads to polarisation and a lack of nuance. But at least they pass the political purity test and don't get caught allowing the oppositions talking points.

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16 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

He's not Alito, Thomas or Kavanaugh, but he's a pretty sad knight in shining armor if that's what you're hoping for.

I agree, I'm just saying I wouldn't put Gorsuch's chances at over, or even really near, 50%.  Especially in the particular context that piece was referring.  That's, like, a last resort if Trump gets his ass kicked.  If it's closer, the GOP would very likely be able to employ a more valid legal strategy/challenge.

19 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

The point is if these comments are largely met with a collective shrug now, it has a chance to further normalize what he's suggesting if he actually does it. 

And my point is there's a difference between the Dems, officeholders, pundits, etc. combating it and whether I should give a fuck discussing it on a message board.  I'd think that's pretty damn obvious.

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Trump's long-promised healthcare plan is here. And as expected, it is a useless stunt. The highlight is literally a piece of paper saying pre-existing conditions should be covered and a vow to veto legislation sent to his desk not covering it. Of course, it's already in the law, legislation is not coming to his desk this year, and it says nothing about the SC striking it down as state AGs are urging.

 

Trump's health care 'vision' punts on two major issues

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/24/politics/trump-health-care-pre-existing-conditions/index.html

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The President is also looking to shift attention away from criticism of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 200,000 Americans have died from the virus over the past six months.
The first executive order will state that it's US policy that people who suffer from pre-existing conditions will be protected, the President said. Any legislation Congress sends to his desk must include this provision, he said.
"We're putting it down in a stamp, because our opponents, the Democrats, like to constantly talk about it and yet pre-existing conditions are much safer with us than they are with them," Trump said. "And now we have it affirmed. This is affirmed, signed and done. So we can put that to rest."
The President and Republican lawmakers have repeatedly said they will safeguard these Americans, even as they try to tear down the Affordable Care Act that already protects them. In a call with reporters, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declined to specify how the administration would guarantee these protections if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark health reform law in a case it will consider this term.

 

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10 hours ago, DMC said:

It very well may still matter for Gorsuch, especially the Rehnquist precedent (remember he clerked for Kennedy, as did Kavanaugh).  He's decidedly not a Thomas or an Alito.  Roberts influence could possibly matter because if he votes against it that may well convince Gorsuch to as well.  

The point is EVEN Republicans are pushing back on this.  Obviously Dems are as well.  As for not giving a damn, um, right.  Cuz choosing not to care about what absurdly ludicrous thing Trump says about the election results is totally the same as not caring about the election or our democracy.

I saw a pretty well laid out argument that the main reason Trump is talking about this is because its one of the few areas he can appear "strong".  He can't talk poll numbers.  He can't talk the economy.  He can't talk much of anything.  Focus on how the Republicans will win even if they lose is a way to appear strong and stick it to the Dems (which as @DMC posted before, is actually a key priority for his base).  

Obviously this doesn't play well outside his base, but we've clearly seen Trump's focus is on his base.  

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Some really good state polls for Biden from Fox News (in particular, +10 in Nevada and +5 in Ohio) counterbalanced by a modest Emerson national poll where he is +3. Both state polls are interesting, maybe its more Biden has a Cuban American problem rather than a latino problem (although I'd suggest his lack on inroads in the Rio Grande imply some weakness/opportunity there too).

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10 minutes ago, IheartIheartTesla said:

Some really good state polls for Biden from Fox News (in particular, +10 in Nevada and +5 in Ohio) counterbalanced by a modest Emerson national poll where he is +3. Both state polls are interesting, maybe its more Biden has a Cuban American problem rather than a latino problem (although I'd suggest his lack on inroads in the Rio Grande imply some weakness/opportunity there too).

Clinton's campaign made a specific focus on Latino voters, and both Clintons were well known and well liked by the Latino community.  Some regression from that is to be expected for Biden. 

Biden seems to be polling well with college educated white voters everywhere (this matches the 2018 trend) and with noncollege white voters in the midwest.  However, his numbers with noncollege white voters in the south (FL, NC, GA) show little improvement over Clinton.  PA is a bit of mix.

If Biden showed the same improvement with noncollege white voters in FL+NC as he's showing in WI/MI/MN, this election would feel a lot less shaky.  But that isn't happening, which explains why Biden is doing just 2 points better than Clinton in the South, ~5 points better nationally (and in PA) and ~ 6-7 points better in the midwestern states.

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DOJ announcement on Pennsylvania ballot investigation baffles election experts
The White House teased the Justice Department press release, which concerned a handful of ballots in the state's Luzerne County.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/24/doj-announcement-on-pennsylvania-ballot-investigation-baffles-election-experts-421541

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Department of Justice, in which the department said it had begun an inquiry into a handful of military ballots in a northeastern Pennsylvania county. Most unusually, the release revealed that the voters had cast their ballots for President Donald Trump.

On Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced it had opened an inquiry into nine ballots that were found “discarded,” without elaborating on what exactly that meant. All nine ballots had been cast for Trump, the release said.


The Justice Department later issued an amended statement, saying that in fact seven had been cast for Trump and two had been resealed, meaning it could not be determined for whom the other ballots were cast. The press releases did not specify any particular crime or allege any wrongdoing, and said election officials were cooperating in learning what went wrong.


Election experts were bewildered at the few details included within the press releases and the unorthodox manner in which they were announced, and were troubled by the fact that the Justice Department said the ballots had been cast for the president.

 

 

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"One way, one way, one or another, one way, one way or another, we're gonna getcha, getcha, getcha" sing the killers on the Hill.

https://queenspost.com/flushing-based-food-pantry-loses-federal-funding-as-food-insecurity-rises-citywide?

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[....]Meng and Ocasio-Cortez are working to assist the food assistance organizations that are experiencing a sudden loss of funding. They are also in contact with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is responsible for administering the coronavirus food assistance grant program that La Jornada and other food pantries rely on.

“I am deeply concerned about impacts on their funding and we are looking into whether their contracts with vendors are ending, and whether they have been provided with information on how to renew them,” Meng said.

Ocasio-Cortez said she and Meng will do all they can to find a solution for La Jornada and others in the same situation, but added that the country should not be in situation that relies so heavily on non-profits to feed communities.

She said the House passed a bill that would help those hungry because of job loss and economic strain due to COVID-19, but the Republican-controlled Senate has refused to vote on the measures.

“The House has passed a bill that would provide financial and nutritional relief to those in our districts facing hunger and other economic challenges due to COVID-19,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “The Republican Senate’s refusal to allow a vote on these measures is appalling.”

Those in need of food assistance can call 311 and ask for “emergency food assistance” to get a list of food banks and resources.

Meng said she fought hard in Congress to ensure the grant program would support those facing food insecurity and be fully funded. The leaders have reached out to the USDA about the sudden withdrawal of funding.

“As the pandemic continues to force families to endure financial hardships, we must make sure that nobody goes hungry, and that all New Yorkers have access to food,” she said.[....]

 

 

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3 hours ago, Martell Spy said:

DOJ announcement on Pennsylvania ballot investigation baffles election experts
The White House teased the Justice Department press release, which concerned a handful of ballots in the state's Luzerne County.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/24/doj-announcement-on-pennsylvania-ballot-investigation-baffles-election-experts-421541

 

Shouldn't baffle anyone; the DoJ under Barr has become a fully weaponized political instrument. Anything and everything that might benefit Trump's re-election campaign is allowed and encouraged. And that includes political operative-style lying.

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CAN HE BE STOPPED?

Excellent Huffpost article that chronicles the decades of Trump cheating and points to the Fact that he is and will actively and absolutely resort to cheating on this election.

There can be No question that he will cheat. The monumental task will be how can the country protect itself from that activity and Will it be enough to stop the theft of this election right before our very eyes?

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5f6d0354c5b6e2c91263069f

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Its unclear to me what 65 million people will do when it comes out that the election has been stolen from them. At the same time, I'm not sure what 60 million people would do if they feel they won the election.

I'm guess mostly nothing, but if Biden is up by ~7 points come election day, I'll be ready to march to DC if he isnt granted the win. It would be quite something to have a million people descend on the White House and Capitol Hill (although not sure what response the police would choose).

Edit: A million isnt that much, maybe we need a lot more (the Million Man march didnt change much, as far as I recall)

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43 minutes ago, GrimTuesday said:

Holy shit Ron Paul just had what appears to be a stroke in the middle of a livestream.

News reports are calling it an apparent stroke.

 

22 minutes ago, DireWolfSpirit said:

Damn! For a bit I had thought it was the weasel son Rand!

Me too...

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7 minutes ago, Jace, Basilissa said:

Damn, I can't watch it. Oh well, if there's a recording I'll see it eventually. 

You would like a snuff film. Anyways, even though I didn't care for the movie, I will never be able to disassociate Paul from his "cameo" in Bruno.

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