Trump

[Dhi]

Great news, Biden doesn't need to lift a finger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRYiPzDP94I

[Deamonbane]

I've been seeing this a lot lately: Celebrate today. You are right to do so. Tomorrow the fight begins anew. Most immediately, the runoff races in Georgia to take away the GOP's Senate majority.

As dangerous as Trump is, Mitch McConnell is just as dangerous and not likely to go away anytime soon. With that being said, how is the majority leader situation handled when there is an even split? Like, I know that the VP is there to break any ties in the Senate, but it seems like the Senate Majority Leader is responsible for introducing bills and nominees for various positions to be voted on. How does that work when there is no majority?

[Zelta Runa]

Has everyone heard about the press conference Trump’s team held in the parking lot of a landscaping company next to a dildo store?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB1BsVb12wY

[Deamonbane]

Has everyone heard about the press conference Trump’s team held in the parking lot of a landscaping company next to a dildo store?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB1BsVb12wY

I assumed that it was because Trump announced the venue before they'd actually secured it, and when the Four Seasons Hotel turned them down, there was a scramble to find anything in the state with the name to use to avoid there being any egg on the president's face over not being able to secure a venue.

Truth is stranger - and more hilarious - than fiction sometimes.

[Laughing Hyena]

To be honest. I was just thinking about that time where Stone Cold Steve Austin stunned Trump, actually...

Wasn’t a very good sell, though... for obvious reasons.

Your wish has been granted. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZBWk9ivHpo

[elone]

I've been seeing this a lot lately: Celebrate today. You are right to do so. Tomorrow the fight begins anew. Most immediately, the runoff races in Georgia to take away the GOP's Senate majority.

As dangerous as Trump is, Mitch McConnell is just as dangerous and not likely to go away anytime soon. With that being said, how is the majority leader situation handled when there is an even split? Like, I know that the VP is there to break any ties in the Senate, but it seems like the Senate Majority Leader is responsible for introducing bills and nominees for various positions to be voted on. How does that work when there is no majority?

I am pretty sure that Shumer would be the leader because that position comes with the White House as Harris is the tie breaking vote. However, on non voting issues, Shumer would have to work with McConnell to get some kind of agreement. Could be interesting. Also, individual Senators would gain power because any one of them could leave the fold and change a vote from winner to loser.

Trumps latest tweet:

THE OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTING ROOMS. I WON THE ELECTION, GOT 71,000,000 LEGAL VOTES. BAD THINGS HAPPENED WHICH OUR OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE. NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WERE SENT TO PEOPLE WHO NEVER ASKED FOR THEM!

The man will not go away easily. Still lying about everything.

[Blank]

I've been seeing this a lot lately: Celebrate today. You are right to do so. Tomorrow the fight begins anew. Most immediately, the runoff races in Georgia to take away the GOP's Senate majority.

Awww that's the plot twist isn't it? The supreme court will give the Republicans the Senate majority again. I guess we'll have to see.

[Bibliophilia]

If Georgia goes to a runoff, that is big.  People are allowed to register up until December 7th and vote in the runoff race.  So, if anyone is in GA and can, mobilize those who didn't vote, or couldn't vote.  Make sure that Dems get what they need to claim those two seats!

[clonkertink]

I was initially sceptical that the dems could take both senate seats in a runoff, but now I’m not so sure.

With Trump out if the picture, a lot of his more fanatical base may not turn out. The again, a lot of the anti-Trump vote might not turn out.

I’m optimistic, though, that Stacy Abrams’ work will keep the momentum going. Fingers’ crossed!

[Dhi]

Tolkien wrote on hope as a form of magic capable of dispelling supernatural evil. As a concept it felt naive to me until today when I experienced it for myself.

Van Jones' reaction to the call expresses how a lot of us in America feel right now. In a sea of dispassionate, smiling news anchors pointing to buildings, this was what spoke to me. This is what I'll remember.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ScxGsB-ks

It's interesting to note that for the first time in a long time, this CNN video is not obliterated in downvotes and hateful comments. It's as though a concentrated campaign of misinformation and cyberwarfare has turned its gaze elsewhere.

[Ariel]

Thank you for sharing that video, Dhi.

[clonkertink]

Thanks Dhi! Seen a lot of articles referring to the Van Jones moment, but hadn’t found a video link. Been wanting to see it.

Also, because the Four Seasons Landscaping thing is the gift that keeps on giving:

The company’s Instagram bio describes the firm as a “woman-owned, minority business… that does great landscaping & perfect snow removal” and is “trying to make America green again!”

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/trump-campaign-appears-to-mistakenly-book-car-park-outside-landscaping-firm-four-seasons-for-press-conference

[WinterPoet]

Republicans seem to think the new Supreme Court justice, amy coney, is going to be their salvation along with the other 2 justices appointed under Trump. They're "counting' on her, apparently, which is just unethical and corrupt as hell to even say something like that in the first place, but pretty much all legal experts say that is very unlikely to happen.

Mind you, I definitely don't think Trump isn't above trying every shady bullshit trick he can think of, but the fact even Mitch seems overly silent on all of this aside from stating all ballots should be counted, should be a good indicator that they know that is a huge long shot and very unlikely.

Either way, I believe recounts or anything of that nature have to be completed by December 12th? I kept seeing that pop up a lot in regards to Gore v Bush and why that ultimately went the way it did, a lot of it had to do with December 12 deadlines and such things. A repeat of Gore v Bush in multiple states is what Trump is clearly going to want to happen at this point. But I mean, that seems impossible from the get go anyways - that election was so slim and narrow and could have gone either way. Biden so far has 290 votes. Is likely to end up with 300 and some or close to it, not unlike when Trump won in 2016.

I think people can breathe a huge sigh of relief, but there might be lingering doubt/worry until mid December. Overall, I don't think the US and much of the world will properly breathe easier until January, when Biden properly takes office, of course. But I am definitely enjoying watching Trump break down and throw his fits none the less, haha.

[CrownedSun]

Either way, I believe recounts or anything of that nature have to be completed by December 12th? I kept seeing that pop up a lot in regards to Gore v Bush and why that ultimately went the way it did, a lot of it had to do with December 12 deadlines and such things. A repeat of Gore v Bush in multiple states is what Trump is clearly going to want to happen at this point. But I mean, that seems impossible from the get go anyways - that election was so slim and narrow and could have gone either way. Biden so far has 290 votes. Is likely to end up with 300 and some or close to it, not unlike when Trump won in 2016.

It's worth nothing that Trump needs much much more than a repeat of Gore vs. Bush.

Even if the count had stopped several days ago, the only result would be, "Okay, Biden wins." In order to actually WIN at this point, basically, the Court wouldn't have to just stop recounts-- or mandate recounts,- but basically rule that the election results go back to right on election night and the votes of millions of people are disregarded and thrown out.

That... just won't happen.

If the Supreme Court was THAT stupid, and did that, it'd cause a civil war.

[Oniya]

Bush v. Gore hinged on under a thousand votes in one state.  With the lead in PA alone, a recount isn't going to shift things anywhere nearly enough.

[Callie Del Noire]

Yeah but the Cheeto in chief will pour gobs of cash at it anyway

[Beorning]

On another note, I just saw this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R8hPhDfv18

WTF...

[Hrairoo]

On another note, I just saw this:

[Video]

WTF...

That is an insane video.
My favorite is the guy in the background walking back & forth not paying any attention as if it's just a normal thing. "Oh yeah, Paula going bat-crazy? We call it Thursday."

[Lexandria]

I feel like she's trying to channel the feeling and energy of one of those tent revival events but doesn't really know how to accomplish that...

Twitter exploded about that a few days ago when the video first popped up.

[Haibane]

I was very moved by Biden's first major speech. He said everything he needed to say and said it in a way that completely demolished Trump's way of doing things but without ever mentioning him directly. His speech writer is a master of the art. Whether he can deliver or not, he certainly gives an impression of passion for healing and working forwards vs destruction and breaking apart. I felt something I haven't felt in the last four years coming out of a president's mouth - empathy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-54859636

[Haibane]

Also, because the Four Seasons Landscaping thing is the gift that keeps on giving:

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/trump-campaign-appears-to-mistakenly-book-car-park-outside-landscaping-firm-four-seasons-for-press-conference

Trump's term was a very sick and very unfunny joke almost all the way. It is only right and fitting that it ends on an extremely funny, even ludicrous joke as this. Goodbye #45.

[RedPhoenix]

I feel like she's trying to channel the feeling and energy of one of those tent revival events but doesn't really know how to accomplish that...

Twitter exploded about that a few days ago when the video first popped up.

My favorite is the squeaky hammer with Trump's head being batted down meme. :)

https://twitter.com/IllumiReptilien/status/1324407465329479680?s=20

[RedPhoenix]

Here's an illustration of why voter suppression is so crucial to the white supremacist power structure, and why the heroic efforts of Stacey Abrams and many other similar organizers are so important.



If you look at Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, I would very much expect a similar graph. Arizona only different because of greater percentage of Latinx/Native votes.

Would really have liked to see a Texas where their draconian voter suppression wasn't so enthusiastically supported by the establishment that we're all supposed to reach out to now lol, or one where the DNC had actually funded any of the many grassroots organizers in Texas that worked very hard to accomplish something similar but just didn't have the money to compete in the end.

The only politically unwise move here would be to go back to ignoring the voices of the demographic that made Biden president, he seemed to acknowledge this briefly in his speech, but we shall have to see if he really means it.

I just watched a very touching interview with a young woman who said that she kept hearing people on CNN talk about going back to normal, but she's never had a normal she wanted in her life and that resonated very much with me. I wish people who have known more comfortable lives would be more open to listening to this point of view. For many of us there is no good version of American to go back to, there is no America to make great again, there is no let's get back to normal. We love this country and want to make it great, but that happens only if we go forwards, not backwards, because we know what's in the rear view mirror and it isn't anything good.

He does have a transition team working very hard to get ready to hit the ground running in January, and there are a lot of very smart people involved with it. At this point all we can do is wait to see and hope he runs in the right direction, and not right into the arms of the people who have spent their whole careers suppressing, harassing, intimidating, and making life miserable for us.

[CrownedSun]

It's been obvious to me for a while that we need to do something major about some of these issues. The worst part is, like,-- so many republicans are like, "Psssh, if you get rid of the electoral college, you'd never have enough Republican elected ever again."

As if that's some kind of ironclad argument saying that you can't do that.

When, you know, nevermind..
1) No, you'd have to get rid of gerrymandering too, which I admittedly also want to do.
2) Even without gerrymandering, there'd still be republicans about in local government.

n', really,-- "We don't have enough widespread popular support to legitimately get elected into the position of power that we feel we deserve," is not the slam dunk argument that they seem to think it is. We live in a Democracy. If you can't compete for votes, then, you shouldn't be able to get elected. That's just the way democracy is supposed to work.

[Beguile's Mistress]

If the Republicans did a decent job for this country neither Clinton nor Biden would have won the popular vote.

There have been five United States presidential elections in which the successful presidential candidate did not receive a plurality of the popular vote, including the 1824 election, which was the first U.S. presidential election where the popular vote was recorded.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_in_which_the_winner_lost_the_popular_vote

Note:  I don't usually default to Wikipedia since it isn't scientific.