US Politics/Biden Presidency (Trump-free zone)

[Hafnia]

Problem with trump is that hes proven that a right wing bigot can get elected.  There will be another in 4 years 

[Matt]

5 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I still can't believe Trump got so much of the vote.

I just hope he fucks off and doesn't try and linger around.

I hope for a winning lottery ticket, think I’ve got more chance too. 

[markjazzbassist]

Very happy just need to flip the senate

[Zoo 2.0]

Congratulations to the Americans !

[Romey 1878]

1 hour ago, Bailey said:

I still can't believe Trump got so much of the vote.

I just hope he fucks off and doesn't try and linger around.

He’s going to cause so much shit on his way out that America will still be dealing with it in 4 years time. 

[Haiku]

I'm glad Trump is out. Now I hope Biden will retire within a year and Kamala Harris will become the new president.

[Sibdane]

2 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

He’s going to cause so much shit on his way out that America will still be dealing with it in 4 years time. 

Probably. Trump may be out, but Trumpers and Trumpism are not. 

[dunlopp9987]

My god, the whiplash from 45 to 46 is real. I had forgotten how a President is supposed to sound.

Joe and Kamala said everything they should've said, but one thing that really stood out to me was Joe's specific shout-out to the black Americans who propelled him to the presidency. They brought him back from the brink in the primaries, and I think it was important that he specifically acknowledged the black electorate. 

January 20th cannot come soon enough.

[pete0]

https://skwawkbox.org/2020/11/08/video-biden-punctures-uk-centrist-bubble-in-4-words-by-appearing-to-reject-bbc-over-ireland/?fbclid=IwAR07UNJRTAEAY9LPBd4Jex60Hf5k5nLDpm10R4aHie6Ki0ghhhOYHo4kNKo

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/biden-ally-lashes-out-at-shapeshifting-creep-johnsons-racist-comments/08/11/

Doesn't look Biden likes the UK much. Hopefully he doesn't try and pilfer the NHS. 

[MikeO]

17 minutes ago, pete0 said:

Doesn't look Biden likes the UK much. Hopefully he doesn't try and pilfer the NHS. 

Sounds to me like he's fine with the UK, just doesn't like Johnson.

[pete0]

15 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Sounds to me like he's fine with the UK, just doesn't like Johnson.

Unfortunately they're much the same thing at the moment. Hopefully with Biden being a spanner in the far right movement helps us get rid of Johnson that bit sooner.

[Palfy]

35 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Sounds to me like he's fine with the UK, just doesn't like Johnson.

I understand how that feels.

[Matt]

 

[holystove]

 

I used to like Jon Voight.  What is happening to these people...

So far, one case of voter fraud in Pennsylvania, ..by a Trump voter.  https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5f91e43ec5b61c185f4848de/amp?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly90LmNvLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABcWcuMrOkJnxfdnX72me7EVdCvaWG7yJSOTVdfybH_zETSuZKW6B0b4hi2gSToTWExm0AdSJ5gBaeFTzq2bvsCAOCxOk9UOrIHGpRdDMcp25XT_LaVVhljPdHxLPDT2AoD5BO2NsNK8LdtBYj_8GBISO4bEOtnMyx4YjnEpDjNn

 

[markjazzbassist]

15 minutes ago, holystove said:

 

I used to like Jon Voight.  What is happening to these people...

So far, one case of voter fraud in Pennsylvania, ..by a Trump voter.  https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5f91e43ec5b61c185f4848de/amp?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly90LmNvLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABcWcuMrOkJnxfdnX72me7EVdCvaWG7yJSOTVdfybH_zETSuZKW6B0b4hi2gSToTWExm0AdSJ5gBaeFTzq2bvsCAOCxOk9UOrIHGpRdDMcp25XT_LaVVhljPdHxLPDT2AoD5BO2NsNK8LdtBYj_8GBISO4bEOtnMyx4YjnEpDjNn

 

they have figured out that their base is very naive and gullible.  so they constantly stoke the fires on conspiracy theories and straight up lies.  also they are sore losers, instead of conceding and moving on, they are dragging their feet hoping for some miracle that won't come.  

 

Biden's win was huge, the metaphorical deck is always stacked against the new candidate when running against an incumbent.  Most get a second term regardless of how bad they are doing (see George W Bush).

[Palfy]

1 hour ago, markjazzbassist said:

they have figured out that their base is very naive and gullible.  so they constantly stoke the fires on conspiracy theories and straight up lies.  also they are sore losers, instead of conceding and moving on, they are dragging their feet hoping for some miracle that won't come.  

 

Biden's win was huge, the metaphorical deck is always stacked against the new candidate when running against an incumbent.  Most get a second term regardless of how bad they are doing (see George W Bush).

I didn't think Biden's win was huge or anything was stacked against him, I would have found it more of shock if he hadn't won, surely Americans wouldn't make the same mistake again and vote in the arsehole that is Trump.

[markjazzbassist]

2 hours ago, Palfy said:

I didn't think Biden's win was huge or anything was stacked against him, I would have found it more of shock if he hadn't won, surely Americans wouldn't make the same mistake again and vote in the arsehole that is Trump.

you don't understand our system then, the popular winner doesn't win it.  it's the electoral college which gives rural middle america states more power than they should have.  trump won the major of the states.

[Palfy]

2 hours ago, markjazzbassist said:

you don't understand our system then, the popular winner doesn't win it.  it's the electoral college which gives rural middle america states more power than they should have.  trump won the major of the states.

I do understand your system, my point being if Trump would have won again then I would be saying I don't understand Americans, what sort of country would have the mind set to re-elect a prick like him, that's why I don't think it was huge, for me it had to be a forgone conclusion that Biden would win, otherwise my faith in humanity and people rising from the shocking depths of despair he led you into would have been dashed, and if Trump would have won I would have been saying ”you know what you're a fucked up country get on with it ” so no not a surprise for me at all that Biden won the people come out in there record numbers to get rid of him, that tells me all about Americans that I need to know and my faith in you as a people to do the right thing has been upheld, so not huge for me just back to normality.

[Cornish Steve]

https://www.facebook.com/warren.bell.714/videos/10155512531395870

 

[Matt]

4 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

https://www.facebook.com/warren.bell.714/videos/10155512531395870

 

It never gets old  

[Cornish Steve]

You laugh because otherwise you cry.

 

[Matt]

Brutal  

[MikeO]

Google loser.com

[Elston Gunnn]

Various parts of the world are experiencing an “era of madness.”  Such periods of collective insanity occur periodically, most often limited in scope and locale.  “We the people” have to own the mis- and disinformation we consume.

Willful ignorance is dangerously stupid.

Among the things I admired about conservatism was its attempt to balance a liberal emphasis on rights with a reminder about responsibility. But Trumpism is not conservative. Indeed, Trumpism has adopted the very worst form of late-20th century liberalism’s emphasis on rights talk, radical individualism. “I’m an American. Nobody can tell me what to do. Take your mask and shove it.” Trumpism’s radically individualistic, reactionary populism — a popular movement to return to a mythical past — is not faithful to conservatism, which is why those who have remained actual conservatives founded the Lincoln Project and similar groups. Trump’s enablers in Congress, virtually every single member of the House and the vast majority in the Senate, have been irresponsible repeatedly over the past four years. They have defaulted as leaders, becoming cowed followers of the increasingly radicalized, increasingly irrational Trump Party voting bases.  

So, the people. We have begun to see reports that a shockingly high % of Americans — Trump supporters, non-voters, and plenty of Dems, too — report that they pay little or no attention to politics and political issues. They are ignorant of even the broad outlines of policy issues that affect their lives. They are otherwise occupied, busy with life, working multiple jobs, committed to their church, raising children, helping neighbors, and ... watching sports.

The upshot, though, is policy/issue ignorance, deep ignorance, much of it willful, the product of choices made or choices avoided. If one makes a choice to believe the MSM is “all lies,” while Fox, OAN, Newsmax, and Q have discovered the hidden truth, one has willfully chosen to make oneself ignorant. But what you don’t know about crucial issues can harm you, even kill you. The line between ignorance and stupidity wears so thin as to become meaningless. A line is crossed, has been crossed, from unconcern to danger.

That danger is not limited to those who practice willful ignorance. For their surrender to ignorance/stupidity also immediately endangers those who are informed, have some elementary understanding of issues, still believe in democracy and science. The somewhat informed are held hostage to the uninformed; the pandemic’s waves of death are Exhibit A.

 

 

[holystove]

2 hours ago, Elston Gunnn said:

Various parts of the world are experiencing an “era of madness.”  Such periods of collective insanity occur periodically, most often limited in scope and locale.  “We the people” have to own the mis- and disinformation we consume.

Willful ignorance is dangerously stupid.

..

The upshot, though, is policy/issue ignorance, deep ignorance, much of it willful, the product of choices made or choices avoided. [...] But what you don’t know about crucial issues can harm you, even kill you. The line between ignorance and stupidity wears so thin as to become meaningless. A line is crossed, has been crossed, from unconcern to danger.

That danger is not limited to those who practice willful ignorance. For their surrender to ignorance/stupidity also immediately endangers those who are informed, have some elementary understanding of issues, still believe in democracy and science. The somewhat informed are held hostage to the uninformed.

 

Very good post.  I edited it to take out the parts that specifically refer to the USA.  If you read it now, it could be about pretty much every country in Europe too.  The US is definitely not alone in this.

Few countries, however, have had the misfortune of having the uninformed contrarian view get to a majority.  Thank God the US, for one, took a little step back to sanity with the election of Biden.  

[Sibdane]

1 hour ago, holystove said:

Very good post.  I edited it to take out the parts that specifically refer to the USA.  If you read it now, it could be about pretty much every country in Europe too.  The US is definitely not alone in this.

Few countries, however, have had the misfortune of having the uninformed contrarian view get to a majority.  Thank God the US, for one, took a little step back to sanity with the election of Biden.  

We hope so. Things have been crazy with how Trump is refusing to concede though. I'm curious to see what happens closer to inauguration day. Trump doesn't look like he's giving up, and his cult fanbase is right behind him. 

[Elston Gunnn]

42 minutes ago, holystove said:

The US is definitely not alone in this.

Few countries, however, have had the misfortune of having the uninformed contrarian view get to a majority.

My concern is that a large minority holds hostage the larger majority.  And it continues to this very moment.  Those who refuse to wear masks and who continue to gather mask-less indoors are holding sensible people hostage.  The uninformed, stubbornly refusing to behave with basic common sense, increasingly appear determined to remain uninformed obstructionists.  Their willful ignorance, become dangerous stupidity, continues to kill us.

Among our most fundamental problems in this emerging “era of madness” is the unintended consequences of our Electoral College system.  Clinton received about 3 million more votes than Trump in 2016, but Trump won a solid victory in the Electoral College.

Truth is, our Founding Fathers really did not “believe in” democracy.  They were American elitists, advocates of “virtuous republicanism” rather than what they understood as democratic “mobocracy.”

They had to pretend to trust “the people,” but they wrote into the Constitution several mechanisms by which to “filter” popular judgment.  Among those filters was the Electoral College, originally intended to allow “wiser men” to serve as Electors in each state, which wise Electors would select the President.

The Founders didn’t count on the development of political parties, and in fact opposed parties as selfish “factions” that would cause havoc.  But parties did almost immediately develop and over time gradually organized our politics at all levels.  That, along with the fact that both the U.S. Senate and the Electoral College have a built-in bias toward less-populated states, has resulted in the ongoing possibility of “minority government.”

That’s where we are now.  The Electoral College-enabled minority President has proved, repeatedly, in literally dozens of ways, a World Historical Mistake.  There’s every reason to think a minority of American voters, advantaged by our outmoded Electoral College, would have doubled down on this World Historical Mistake, had his total incompetence in the face of a World Historical Pandemic not brought him down.

Biden’s Electoral College victory exactly matches Trump’s in 2016 — 306-232.  But because Biden more than doubled Clinton's popular vote advantage over Trump, this time the popular vote was more accurately reflected in the Electoral College.  Biden’s narrow popular-vote wins in several battleground states did the trick, just as Trump’s even narrower 2016 wins in three key states made him President.

Biden’s task is overwhelming, because the defeated-but-tens-of-millions-strong minority retains significant destructive power.  That destructiveness will be on full, ugly display during the 2 special election campaigns in Georgia, the results of which will determine who controls the U.S. Senate for Biden’s first two years..

[Sibdane]

5 minutes ago, Elston Gunnn said:

Biden’s task is overwhelming, because the defeated-but-tens-of-millions-strong minority retains significant destructive power.  That destructiveness will be on full, ugly display during the 2 special election campaigns in Georgia, the results of which will determine who controls the U.S. Senate for Biden’s first two years..

This is my major concern. The opposing sides will not support one or the other as president now regardless of good intentions or bad, and I feel it will be this way for a long time to come. 

[Elston Gunnn]

28 minutes ago, Sibdane said:

This is my major concern. The opposing sides will not support one or the other as president now regardless of good intentions or bad, and I feel it will be this way for a long time to come. 

I suppose it’s admitting a bias to say that right now I have no good intentions toward that (large?) portion of Trumpists whom you accurately characterized in an earlier post as a “cult fanbase.”  And on the other hand, it’s surely accurate to say that Biden has almost literally no cult fanbase.

One party is exhausted but now hopeful.  The other has many cultists among its numbers.

[Cornish Steve]

They found some missing votes here in Georgia: Nothing intentional - oversights that an audit is meant to find - and we're expecting certified results shortly with the same outcome: a Biden win.