BS: 2020 national election, USA - BIDEN wins Nov 7

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Sep 20 - 09:45 PM

"The killed, injured and captured members of the armed services are all losers and suckers."

Let each republican leader explain that Trump quote.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Sep 20 - 08:57 PM

That last post I made was open to misunderstanding. The actual running daily death rate from Covid 19 in the UK is now down to 13 - which scaled up to the size of the USA would be equivalent to about 75 a day, somewhat lower than the actual figure of 1000 or so.

What I meant was, the total number of dead from Covid in the UK so far, where our 41,527 works out to more than the USA total to date if you adjust it for your population.

Of course the figure that is really significant here is the excess deaths, to allow for stuff like people dying from other things because they couldn't get help they needed, because of the Covid crisis. That's a good bit higher for both the UK and the USA.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Sep 20 - 06:20 AM

Shhh...Trump has stumbled and fallen and went to Walter Reed. Since then he has tweeted that he has not had a stroke. Nope no stroke here and protests too much that he has not had a mini stroke. His family history is sad for his father and his brothers regarding cause of death (Alzhiemers, Alcoholism and A stroke) but his mom lived to 93. Donald is probably just top heavy and as a result wobbly.

Biden's mom is alive and over 100 last I heard.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: keberoxu
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 06:13 PM

I live in Massachusetts,
where the state primary is this very day.
There will be drama.
A Kennedy scion running against
Senator Ed Markey,
whose background is that he was a US Representative for a long time.
Darned if I know who will defeat whom.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 02:43 PM

A Facebook investigation shows that Russian controled sites are targeting Americans to go to fake left wing websites. I do not facebook so I don't know what they say.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 01:31 PM

In some ways. We've got the NHS, which is big thing. But the death rate from Covid 19 relative to population is actually still a bit ahead of that in the USA, though it won't be long before you are way ahead at the rate you are going.

And Boris Johnson isn't quire as outright evil as Donald Trump, but he's still a lazy and incompetent clown.

But at least nobody sees not wearing a mask as a political statement or a patriotic gesture. It may have helped that Boris Johnson, after boasting about shaking the hands of everyone when he visited at hospital, came down with Covid and very nearly died. It's a great pity that the same didn't happen to Trump.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 06:51 AM

Yes the UK has much to cheer about

in comparison

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 06:46 AM

To cheer us up a little maybe, here's this elegant lyric from Australia
Which has a rather similar chorus

And here is another version of the same ditty.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 06:39 AM

Rather than civil war, it looks more lie state provocation towards a race war - as if the white supremacists are going beyond reversing what Obama achieved back to trying to rkeverse the social progression since the civil rights unrest. Trouble is it seems to be spreading over here. All it takes is insidious rhetoric by governments - eg May's 'Hostile Environment' to stir up race hate.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 06:02 AM

The western and mid western right wing militias are now in competition with each other. Some ride in pick up truck beds shooting mace and paintball guns into demonstrators. Some show up with live ammo. They are defending themselves and Trump, their excuser and chief.
Escalation will culminate in intensifying a fear of going to the polls.
They are correct in assuming they have most police on their side.
The use of the term civil war is discouraged and it is said that we are a country at war with itself. More blood will be shed as the election draws closer and Trump throws more troops into Portland and Chicago. It won't be as bad as you think but it could make Trump President for four more years as more nazi like folk heros are created and memorialized while ignoring the dead mad crazy democrats and blacks. At least stratigists like Steve Miller, McConnel, Bannon and Trump hope so.

Yesterday I watched from my parked car as a policeman in a cruiser detained an apparant vagrant and homeless black man and called for back up of two more police vehicles. There was no search or abuse but there was the appearance and fear by the police. Even a firetruck showed up but soon left the scene. It feels like things are on a hair trigger. Perhaps you didn't know the police can now call paramedics to administer 500 mg of Ketamine to suspects. It will be fatal to small people but only render larger people unconscious.
Things are moving just slow enough that Americans are getting used to it. It remains that Trump is the only one calling balls and strikes be it about violence or the pandemic.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 Sep 20 - 01:40 AM

Thanks Kevin. I was attracted to folk music back in the Protest days, and I reckon that’s as good a Protest Song as any I’ve heard.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 09:59 PM

And thank you for that link, Backwoodsman. Very concise, eloquent and timely. And a real Mindworm!

Here's another link, with the words, which might be handy. All together then...

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 06:57 PM

That caravan of pro-Trump paramilitaries driiving in to Portland looked like a terrifying development, with so many parallels from other times and places. The TV pictures looked for all the world like the kind of thing we've seen in the early stages of Civil Wars.

What do we call them? Trumpshirts maybe?

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 05:14 PM

By satire I meant a rolling 'My voting buddy' combo chair kitchen bathroom designed to last hours in a slow pandemic voting line.
It comes up your armpits and has a HEPA filter air supply and mask.
It comes in red blue or purple.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 01:21 PM

Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric have the right idea.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 11:02 AM

Trump doesn't care how anything he does looks, he just does what he thinks can mess up the opposition and get him another four years in office. At first it seemed like he was surprised at being elected and didn't want to stay, odds were he would resign in the early days. But once he got the hang of shoveling cash directly into his enterprise and doing things that make certain people praise him, he ignores the rest of it.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 10:44 AM

Not sure if that would make Trump look very good in the eyes of the world media if he refused to condemn such an action is his favour, especially if this happens in pro-Democrat voting neighbourhoods in states that narrowly voted for Trump. Hard to see how he could spin that in his favour.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 09:46 AM

Mwah!

Meanwhile I am actually starting to worry about armed white supremacist Americans and this November.

But my anxiety remains in check.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 08:06 AM


In UK, anyone is allowed to vote who is in the queue for the polling station, as long as they join the queue before the polls close. In theory, if a very large number of voters turned up in the last few minutes, the voting could go on late into the night, and having been counting agent (scrutinising the count on behalf of the political [party I belong to) it is tiring and painful on the feet for the four-five hours it normally takes without having a couple hour extra added waiting for the late boxes to arrive.

With regards to your advice regarding queuing for hours, would an empty bottle be advised - sorry about lowering the tone of the conversation!!!

Look forward to hearing you again tonight. You are a superb story teller.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 07:10 AM

Trump rationalizes that Congress can not be trusted because they leak and use video of the harrassed members of his administration by Democrats questioning his loyalists face to face.
He will still provide tweets or post it notes to Congress.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 20 - 11:28 PM

"The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has informed us that it will no longer provide briefings to Members of Congress, including the House and Senate Intelligence committees, on foreign efforts to interfere in our upcoming election. This is a shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility to keep the Congress currently informed, and a betrayal of the public’s right to know how foreign powers are trying to subvert our democracy. This intelligence belongs to the American people, not the agencies which are its custodian. And the American people have both the right and the need to know that another nation, Russia, is trying to help decide who their president should be."

Politicus USA (if you look at the bottom of the firewall popup there is a small line that says "continue w/o supporting this time" to click on and expose the article.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Aug 20 - 09:15 PM

What I meant was that with enough local polling stations and enough voting booths in them there needn't be long lines, even with a high vote and long voting slips. The only reason for long lines is not enough polling stations and voting booth. It only makes sense if you're trying to reduce the number voting.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 29 Aug 20 - 10:21 AM

The number of *potential* voters doesn't change, but *actual* voting declines with long lines. For starters, polls close at a certain time, not when everyone in line has voted.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Aug 20 - 08:53 PM

Are there a lot fewer polling stations in the States than there are here in England? Where I live we had a turnout of 64% last time, and no queuing at all so far as I could see. I know you have a much more complicated set of votes than we ever do, but that would just need a few more voting booths than the two we've got in our local school. The number of potential voters doesn't increase even if it takes longer for each one to vote.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Aug 20 - 03:05 PM

Mine wasn't satire. I am reading those recommendations. I just added the advice about peeing.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 27 Aug 20 - 05:10 AM

There is room for satire regarding election suppression tactics and long lines but be prepared to be attacked for it.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: robomatic
Date: 26 Aug 20 - 11:20 PM

Mrrzy: Take no chances. Stay hydrated and bring a "stadium pal"!

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Aug 20 - 05:09 PM

Advice includes bring a chair, a picnic, comfy shoes. Anticipate loooong lines, in other words. They say bring water too but then you'll have to pee...

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Aug 20 - 09:32 AM

It's a special case this year, which requires and justifies postal votes - but generally I don't like the idea much. Going along to stick your vote in a box in a polling station set up in a school or a pub seems a pleasant ritual.. (As for voting machines...)

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 26 Aug 20 - 05:49 AM

Adding a stamp to your postage paid ballot will force USPS to handle it as first class mail instead of bulk.   Pass the word.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 03:35 PM

End the scourge - end the purge.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 11:14 AM

My dad made that required reading in my teens.
In a sense I failed to keep the scourge in the woodwork.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 10:03 AM

I am currently reading the 1936 Sinclair Lewis novel It Can't Happen Here and the parallels are astonishing.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 06:37 AM

I was really surprised that the GOP convention officialy announced there will be NO party platform anymore and to only follow the leader Donald Trump who is the 'bodyguard' of western civilization.
With a bodyguard like Trump, avoid all ramps.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Aug 20 - 08:33 AM

Ok, 25!

Days till we can vote early and in person in Virginia.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: keberoxu
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 06:24 PM

The context for the "big sister" assertion, in the previous post,
is supplied by this feature article from
Reuters in Washington, D. C.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 02:16 PM

The more he shows himself the better. I know there is a hard core of people who actually adore him, but a large part of the minority of Americans who voted him in were surely holding their noses while voting for him for other reasons. There's only so long you can hold your nose.

One thing that makes me gasp is how such an extremely unpleasant man can dare to talk about anyone as being nasty. Surely being nasty is his "Unique Selling Proposition"?

Interesting to have confirmation now from his own big sister that he really is even nastier than he parades himself in public as being.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 09:48 AM

Coming up this week: four evenings of GOP party bile and Trump vitriol, and while it is typical that a candidate mostly stays out of view until the last night (with small visits only), expect Trump to grab the mic every night. He can't help himself.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Aug 20 - 09:52 AM

The Neo white power nationalist Republi CON party will be adding Q-Anon to their ranks in Congess.
Q Anon isn't boring but they have crazy beliefs.
Their catch phrase is 'where one goes we all go'. ??
Perhaps they need a national anthem; I have a humble submission...

Well, I saw the thing comin' out of the sky
It had the one long horn, one big eye
I commenced to shakin' and I said "ooh-eee"
It looks like a purple people eater to me
It was a one-eyed, pedophile, flyin' purple people eater
(One-eyed, pedophile, flyin' purple people eater)
A one-eyed, pedophile, flyin' purple people eater
Sure looks strange to me
Well it came down to earth and it lit in a tree
I said please Purple People Eater, don't eat me
I heard him say in a voice so strong
"I wouldn't eat you 'cause you're Q anon"
It was a one-eyed, pedophile, flyin' purple people eater
One-eyed, pedophile flyin' purple people eater
One-eyed, pedophile, flyin' purple people eater
Sure looks strange to me
I said Mr. Purple People Eater, what's your line?
He said "eatin' purple people and it sure is fine
But that's not the reason that I came to land
I want to rule the world and eat all the kids"
Well bless my soul, pedophile, flyin' purple people eater
Pigeon-toed, pedophile, flyin' purple people eater
(We wear short shorts) democratic people eater
What a sight to see
And then it swung from the tree and it lit on the ground
And it started to eat, really eatin' fetus'
It was a crazy cannibal eatin' beast
(Sing a boop-boop, a-boopa lopa lum bam boom)
Well, bless my soul, pedophile flyin' purple people eater
Pigeon-toed, pedophile, flyin' purple people eater
"I like short shorts!" democratic people eater
What a sight to see
Well, he went on his way, and then what do ya know?
I saw him last night on a TV show
He was eatin babies, and was raping some kids
Playin' politics like Hillary Clinton
"Q Anon!"


it sounds like q-Anon is actually against abortion, Catholics, Jews, Islam, democrats, history, other races, trust in government and knowledge, however they have wackos who take it all litterally.
It sounds like a new internet flavor of the KKK.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Aug 20 - 01:21 PM

It is still scary.

79.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Aug 20 - 11:58 AM

Everyone trying to be all cuddly and consensual gets a bit boring after a while.

But the Michelle and Barack Obama both did a remarkably good job. The trouble is, by contrast, it made most of the others look pretty routine.

The most effective bits I saw were the occasion snatches of Trump, which should be enough to motivate a landslide for Biden. Unfortunately, incredible though it seems, there are millions of Americans whose stomachs do not appear to turn over at the very thought of the man.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Aug 20 - 12:14 AM

Three nights and they've put it over the top each time. I'm curious who the host will be tomorrow - my money is on someone like Henry Louis Gates or S. Epatha Merkerson.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Aug 20 - 11:21 AM

The New York Times printed a feature article
connecting the now-defeated Joe Arpaio with
incumbent Donald Trump.

How Joe Arpaio's Fate in Arizona could be a Window into Trump's


As to Arizona, and the Maricopa County sheriff:
it ain't over yet.
That was the Republican primary contest this month (August),
and Arpaio was defeated by Jerry Sheridan, Arpaio's former deputy,
who becomes the Republican candidate in November.
Sheridan will face
incumbent Sheriff Penzone, the Democrat,
who defeated Arpaio four years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 16 Aug 20 - 09:44 PM

I don't fucking believe it. Grr.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Aug 20 - 08:08 PM

It's possible for Amazon Prime members to subscribe to the Washington Post for $4 a month after a six month free trial. It's worth it in this political era.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Aug 20 - 10:05 AM

Larry Elliot on today's Guardian website. Yanks, take nothing for granted. You could easily be in for four more years.

...the polls have started to tighten a bit and are likely to close still further over the coming weeks, because Trump has three things going for him.

The first is that the number of new Covid-19 cases appears to have peaked, with definite signs of progress in some of the bigger states such as Florida, Texas and California. What happens to the virus over the coming months will have a material impact on the state of the economy.

The second – somewhat ironically – is that activity in China has bounced back more rapidly than expected, and this is keeping global stock markets buoyant. Here, Trump is getting the best of both worlds: he piggybacks on Chinese growth while at the same time getting tough with Beijing over trade and human rights – something that plays well with voters.

Finally, he has the benefit of being the incumbent, which allows him to pull off stunts like the signing of executive orders to provide fresh support to the unemployed. Under the separation of powers, Congress holds the purse strings in the US so Trump’s initiative is unlikely to amount to much, but that’s not the point. This is all about who gets blamed for the impasse between Republicans and Democrats over the next phase of stimulus.

To win, Trump needs nothing to go wrong and everything to go right in the coming months: no surges in Covid-19, no setbacks to the economy, no share price crashes on Wall Street. It is a tall order but Biden should take nothing for granted.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Aug 20 - 04:46 PM

If this article on postal problems is behind a paywall lemme know, I'll post the article.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Aug 20 - 03:42 PM

Scary scenarios here.

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Aug 20 - 01:58 PM

In Virginia you can vote early, as of 45 days before the election.

Is it 45 days yet?

Subject: RE: BS: 2020 national election, USA
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Aug 20 - 12:29 PM

"[Donald] Trump, like [Joe] Arpaio,
is never going to go away."

The Guardian on 'Sheriff' Joe Arpaio, Donald Trump, and the Arizona state primary election