Mega-Thread: 2020 United States General Election

[cubby]

I thought the entirety of his speech and the Q&A session today was very well done, and is a massive middle finger to anyone questioning his acuity.

That said, I did think him recommending QAnon supporters seek mental health support under Obamacare to be something that the GOP will surely pearl clutch about. Although, that doesn't take away from how equally true and hilarious the statement was. He did good.

I enjoyed that little quip as well - it seemed ad-libbed, or at least not scripted, hopefully giving us a taste of what we're going to see in the debates.

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Meh. Nobody should give a fuck what the GOP are going to pearl-clutch about because they do it at the drop of a hat when they think it will benefit them (and conveniently ignore when their own do the same thing that they're complaining about). Biden and the Dems aren't pandering to the GOP, because with very few exceptions (such as Mitt Romney) there's very few people still in the GOP worth even talking to. If anything they're trying to reach former GOP who have left the party to become Independents.

We can argue about whether or not they should be going after those or "Progressives", but I think we can all find a consensus in the fact that the current GOP are by and large a lost cause from here until the heat death of the universe.

Agreed - nobody in Trump's GOP is worth talking to right now.

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Biden and Trump agree on transition plan if Biden wins.

Don't get excited - it's federal law, one Trump and his insane cult base have chosen not to break.

[Edge-]

Biden and Trump agree on transition plan if Biden wins.

Don't get excited - it's federal law, one Trump and his insane cult base have chosen not to break.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden's transition team has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Trump administration to begin planning for a potential handover of power.

Reminder on how Trump feels about MoU's -

“I don’t like MOUs because they don’t mean anything. To me they don’t mean anything. I think you’re better off just going into a document. I was never ... a fan of an MOU,” Trump said from his perch behind his desk.

Lighthizer, who was sitting with other members of Trump’s negotiating team including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, economic adviser Larry Kudlow, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, explained that writing MOUs was a standard procedure in forming trade agreements.

“An MOU is a contract. It’s the way trade agreements are generally used ... A Memorandum of Understanding is a binding agreement between two people,” Lighthizer said. “It’s a legal term, it’s a contract,” he said.

Trump was not satisfied. “By the way, I disagree,” he countered, addressing reporters as well as the Chinese delegation that has been negotiating the MOUs with the U.S. team. “I think that a Memorandum of Understanding is not a contract to the extent that we want. ... We’re doing a Memorandum of Understanding that will be put into a final contract, I assume. But to me the final contract is really the thing, Bob, and I think you mean that too.”

[Benggaul]

Biden and Trump agree on transition plan if Biden wins.

Don't get excited - it's federal law, one Trump and his insane cult base have chosen not to break.

A quote I found wryly amusing:

In 2016, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump had offices and staffs in the same building preparing for a transition ahead of Election Day. Nearly all of Trump's plan was subsequently shelved after he won the White House.

[cubby]

Reminder on how Trump feels about MoU's -

No shock there - Trump and the law rarely get along. The important part is that he signed it, and now the transition teams are working on a transition plan, should it become necessary. Trump will probably forget it ever happened, if he knew about it in the first place.

[Edge-]

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile...r-prosecutors/

Attorney General William Barr overruled career lawyers in the Department of Justice (DOJ), setting a deadline for federal prosecutors to file an antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet—the parent company of Google—by the end of the month, The New York Times reported on Thursday.

According to the report, the team of attorneys who have been working on the case for more than a year strongly oppose the deadline as being too soon to bring a strong case against the tech giant. They worry that Barr is more concerned about filing the high-profile lawsuit before November’s presidential election than allowing the department to complete its investigation.

After officials from the DOJ told attorneys in the department’s Antitrust Division about the filing deadline, many pushed back, penning a memo that “ran hundreds of pages” arguing that the case needed more time. Several of the attorneys also reportedly left the case in protest, with others saying they would refuse to sign the complaint.

The deadline also worried some Antitrust Division attorneys who told the Times they thought Barr wanted to announce the case in advance of the presidential election so that the Trump administration could “take credit” for the action instead of risking it being brought by a possible Biden administration.

“When Mr. Barr imposed a deadline on the investigation, some lawyers feared that the move was in keeping with his willingness to override the recommendations of career lawyers in cases that are of keen interest to President [Donald] Trump, who has accused Google of bias against him,” the report stated. “The Google case could also give Mr. Trump and Mr. Barr an election-season achievement on an issue that both Democrats and Republicans see as a major problem: the influence of the biggest tech companies over consumers and the possibility that their business practices have stifled new competitors and hobbled legacy industries like telecom and media.”

This is a very real issue that needs to be addressed, but the current administration and AG are incapable of doing so effectively as they're using this issue as a political prop rather than a serious issue facing this country.

This is another in the long, long line of reasons why the current administration should not receive a second term. They're not serious in addressing the problems facing this nation, choosing to rush through them to achieve political goals rather than working to actually working on a way to address them in the longterm.

[cubby]

A quote I found wryly amusing:

I saw that, too. More evidence that Trump never thought he'd actually win, because even he can't imagine who would vote for him.

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https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile...r-prosecutors/



This is a very real issue that needs to be addressed, but the current administration and AG are incapable of doing so effectively as they're using this issue as a political prop rather than a serious issue facing this country.

This is another in the long, long line of reasons why the current administration should not receive a second term. They're not serious in addressing the problems facing this nation, choosing to rush through them to achieve political goals rather than working to actually working on a way to address them in the longterm.

And even worse, by filing early, they risk losing the case.

[Edge-]

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/di...ccain-a-loser/

Snopes debunking Trump's lie that he "never called McCain a loser". Because he most absolutely did. He even tweeted about it.

[Felya]

That said, I did think him recommending QAnon supporters seek mental health support under Obamacare to be something that the GOP will surely pearl clutch about. Although, that doesn't take away from how equally true and hilarious the statement was. He did good.

The thing is, calling half of Trump supporters deplorable is no longer an insult, it’s an obvious understatement. Unlike that part, there are so many factions within QAnon, that if you called most of them crazy... most of them would agree... assuming you are not talking about them.

[Edge-]

The thing is, calling half of Trump supporters deplorable is no longer an insult, it’s an obvious understatement. Unlike that part, there are so many factions within QAnon, that if you called most of them crazy... most of them would agree... assuming you are not talking about them.

My favorite is going down the rabbit hole on this. They all believe in the Q omni-conspiracy, but from there you have dozens, if not hundreds, of sub-divisions that believe in different conspiracies while rejecting others. They all think everyone else is crazy for not believing all their own conspiracy theories, but have found one omni-conspiracy that they all can share together. Jim Jeffries bit on this remains quite illuminating on the absolute madness that it is -



This video is 2 years old. Still waiting for him to come out as JFK Jr.

[silveth]

Pretty fair question.

I agree, do we also use the same thing for Biden? How many times does Biden have to say something racist before they right "he is a racist"?

I mean his own VP said he was racist and sexist.

Trump sprouts off at the mouth and sometimes says something stupid trying to make a point.
Biden sprouts off at the mouth and sometimes says something stupid trying to make a point.

Either both do it, or both are what their "something stupid" says they are? Which is it?

[Edge-]

I mean his own VP said he was racist and sexist.

https://www.factcheck.org/2020/08/ha...t-or-a-rapist/

No she didn't call him racist, and there are no reports I can find of her calling him a sexist either.

I agree, do we also use the same thing for Biden? How many times does Biden have to say something racist before they right "he is a racist"?

He's toed the line and faced vocal criticism for some of his comments, apologizing for them rather than doubling down on them or denying he said them as Trump has.

You're comparing apples and oranges. They're both fruits, but they're wildly different fruits.

[Thelxi]

I'm loving the aggression that is coming out of Biden lately. I'm of the opinion that the democrats should take off their gloves and get down in the dirt with Trump. No more trying to rise above it like Hilary did, just knock him out and kick him while he is down. If you look at the BLM/law and order drama and also the whole corona debacle you can see that Trump can actually lose at his own game. Dropping to his level to expose him for the loser he is is not a lost cause like many people used to think.

Biden's aggression is also a sign that the race itself is heating up. I don't know what October surprises trump has up his sleeve, other than the stupidly telegraphed DOJ/senate investigations for which we are all primed and ready, but I hope democrats have some bombs to drop this time as well.

And I'll also remind people that bar a landslide win for either, the election will be heavily contested. Both sides are preparing for a monumental legal war post-election. Neither side will concede to the other in case of a close election which all signs are pointing to. Brace yourself for Trumpism to hit a crescendo before dying out, or of course succeeding in executing democracy and shredding the constitution.

[jonnysensible]

My favorite is going down the rabbit hole on this. They all believe in the Q omni-conspiracy, but from there you have dozens, if not hundreds, of sub-divisions that believe in different conspiracies while rejecting others.
.

mole children is still my favourite one. saw a q thread debating if it was politically correct to call them mole children and they were trying to come up with other names.

its an arg gone rogue.

[Nurasu]

And I'll also remind people that bar a landslide win for either, the election will be heavily contested. Both sides are preparing for a monumental legal war post-election. Neither side will concede to the other in case of a close election which all signs are pointing to. Brace yourself for Trumpism to hit a crescendo before dying out, or of course succeeding in executing democracy and shredding the constitution.

Thankfully I don't think Biden is as gutless as Gore, who got bullied into giving up too soon. Imagine the world without the Iraq war... what should have been

[Edge-]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-ri...-to-dispute-it

Well that's awkward.

Fox countered the reports of Trump shitting on dead soldiers because The Atlantic used "anonymous sources". Bit of a problem, they used their own "anonymous sources" to dispute The Atlantic's story while criticizing them for using anonymous sources.

What's even more awkward, is that one of Fox's own reporters separately confirmed The Atlantic's story, and Trump's additional private attacks on McCain, with her own anonymous source.

[beanman12345]

Yeezy come, Yeezy go.

Kanye West loses case and is kicked off Virginia ballot

Unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but I couldn't resist the pun.

So looking at the EC map and Kanye. Of the 10 states he's qualified for(70 ec votes) the only real state he could potentially be a spoiler for is Minnesota, potentially. If we look at he 2016 EC map, if Biden wins Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, every other state stays the same, and Trump wins Minnesota, Trump wins the white house.

However, Kelly has a whopping 17 point lead on McSally in Arizona for the Senate seat. Biden might not be that much ahead of Trump as Kelly is in AZ, but still, I just can't see people voting Kelly and Trump on the same ballot. At least not statistically enough to make the difference. So I really am fairly confident that Arizona is going Blue for both, which means if Kanye spoils Minnesota and Arizona goes blue like I predict, Biden get's the White house. So yeah all of us predicting Kanye to be a non-factor in this race sure seem to be looking correct.

I know this has little to do with your post, just having some fun with the 270towin calculator.

[Edge-]

In addition to the Trump campaign regularly using music without getting approval from the owners to do so, leading to multiple calls for them to stop using the music and lawsuits from the music owners, the Trump campaign has more problems.

They stole footage from a French news outlet and used it in their latest ad, without approval and presenting it out of context - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...owner-may-sue/

“France 24 was deeply disturbed when it discovered the unauthorized use in a campaign clip of video images taken from a France 24 report shot during recent protests in Minneapolis,” Marie-Christine Saragosse, the CEO of France Médias Monde, the parent company of France 24, said in a statement sent to me.

“France 24 strongly objects to the unauthorized use of its video images for partisan purposes,” Saragosse continued. “France 24 requests that this footage be immediately removed from the campaign clip and is considering legal action should this request not be promptly met.”

...

“The channel is all the more outraged by the fact that these images were reedited and taken out of their context, thereby harming the journalistic integrity of France 24 reporters and the channel’s intellectual property,” Saragosse’s statement says. A Trump campaign spokesperson didn’t immediately provide a comment.

...

Meanwhile, the man in the ad is actually identified in the France 24 segment as Patrick Nailon. In it, Nailon was prominently featured wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt and said he had driven into Minneapolis to help with the cleanup.

By contrast, the ad used footage of him in a way that makes it borderline impossible to see his Black Lives Matter T-shirt logo.

Nailon, who was tracked down by a Democratic operative, told me he strongly objects to his inclusion in the ad and the black-and-white depiction it offered.

“I definitely feel used,” Nailon told me. “It’s disgusting that I’m a part of it. They even kept from showing my full T-shirt. It was devious.”

And one of the people featured in the ad is similarly none to pleased that their activity was grossly misrepresented and their intent hidden to serve Trump's dishonest partisan desires.

[postman1782]

I've not lived in America, but how true are both those fears? The reason I ask is because I've lived in two countries - India and the United Kingdom.

I went to a school setup by Scottish missionaries, so it was Christian. We said the Lord's prayer every morning. My family is Hindu.

My parents never gave a hoot whether we were schooled in Christian morals or not, because we were taught to accept ALL religions and ways of life.

My school celebrated all holidays. Christian. Hindu. Muslim. Parsi. Judaism isn't big in India, so the high days aren't public holidays unfortunately.

I've then lived in England for more or less the last 13 years. I work for a big multi-national. There's no religious affiliation, no one would ask for any.

My company celebrates all holidays. Christian. Jewish. Hindu. Muslim. Parsi. And we also celebrate non-religious special days.

No one has ever forced a way of life on me ever. But I would assume if you go to a Christian school, you ought to be prepared to be schooled with Christian values in mind. That said, the school should be open to celebrating all religions and be accepting of all ways of life. It isn't a God contest.

Also, aren't there schools that have no religious affiliation as such and are just...schools?

A similar issue is plaguing India unfortunately, to the point that it's not the country it was when I was born and raised there. I hope for better.

Pretty true considering Republicans are up in arms every year by Fox News' "War on Christmas" special reports about places like Walmart Greeters saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, even though a lot of religions have their holidays during that time. Or when Starbucks made plain red cups with no snowflakes or christmas trees on them like they had before.

And since we aren't a Christian country, as stated by our Founding Fathers, Christianity can't be used as the reason for some things like Creationism instead of Evolution and whatnot. Even though the ignorant parents want them to teach that. They also want them to teach abstinence instead of a full sex ed course, and the states that don't have that sex ed course, have the highest teen pregnancies.

[DingDongKing]

Pretty true considering Republicans are up in arms every year by Fox News' "War on Christmas" special reports about places like Walmart Greeters saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, even though a lot of religions have their holidays during that time. Or when Starbucks made plain red cups with no snowflakes or christmas trees on them like they had before.

And since we aren't a Christian country, as stated by our Founding Fathers, Christianity can't be used as the reason for some things like Creationism instead of Evolution and whatnot. Even though the ignorant parents want them to teach that. They also want them to teach abstinence instead of a full sex ed course, and the states that don't have that sex ed course, have the highest teen pregnancies.

That’s fucked up. Mind you, in the U.K. we just celebrate Christmas and whatever holidays come around it. There’s no real de-Christmas-ification of any sort. Though we also take Christmas way less seriously than America. It’s less ‘out there’.

[jonnysensible]

that dementia attack line is fucking dead as a doormat now