I was talking to someone the other day about our current state of affairs. We were specifically speaking about the internet and social media. He was surprised that I would support the banning of some content on social media platforms. He felt that was an infringement on free speech. It is a question for all free societies. I think part of the answer lies in the line between my freedom and yours. Yes, we have the right to speak out minds. But what happens when that speech endangers others?
Any number of fringe groups have existed for years in our country. When I say “fringe” I mean groups who espouse beliefs that most people would find extreme or out of the mainstream of thought. With good reason. But in the age of the internet and social media these groups have found a forum to reach millions of people who would normally not even be aware of their existence. It is something that has exacerbated our divisions and encouraged violence in our cities.
You saw it with QAnon, which led to a man bringing a weapon to a pizza restaurant in the belief that a pedophile ring was operated out of it's basement. A ring run by Hillary Clinton no less. Most people would understand how ridiculous this idea was, but not this man. He believed it and he endangered all of the innocent people within that establishment when he fired his gun. Do I believe that “Q” and those who follow his/her “bread crumbs” have the right to spout nonsense that endangers others? No, I do not. Words can be just as powerful as a gun. Because they can move people to action. We who live in a free society also have a responsibility to respect the rights of others, to take care to act within the laws of our country.
Which brings me to Boogaloo Bois. “Boogaloo” is the term these people use for civil war. They are a loose group of people who seem to have an ax to grind with any form of government. They seem to have played a role in the unrest that arose in Minneapolis after the George Floyd killing by Minneapolis police and the attempted kidnapping of the Governor of Michigan.
They also have shown they have no problem working with a terrorist organization, Hamas. So do I think letting people like that have a forum to spread their hate, lies and violence is responsible free speech? No, not so much.
Last but not least there is also the question of who these people really are. There are those who would be quite happy to sow discord in our country in order to gain an advantage over us.
302 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 302 of 302Lee C.,
Huh? Never? I said I listened to forty minutes of Trump speak. It was only to be able to talk a little bit to you and Lynnette.
I don't care if Biden wins or Trump wins. It makes NO difference in my life.
I do sometimes post comments here that are fashioned to get a Sheriff Lee C. response from you. Just my sense of humor.
I'm not sure how much you are aware that you're an unusually isolated and monomaniacal person. You're the kind of guy who probably checks under his bed before going to sleep each night to see if there's a right-winger hiding there.
Your lack of humor is also concerning. I've tried for over to decade to get a chuckle out of you, but without success.
I can see why Biden is your ideal of a political animal.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"I said I listened to forty minutes of Trump speak."
You don't seem to understand the difference between a press conference and a "speech". You don't seem to understand the difference between one of Trump's "stream of consciousness" Traveling Trump Show riffs and a "speech".
It is not comforting to be badgered, as here, by someone who so loudly and proudly and energetically announces that they don't know what the hell they're talking about. And then to contemplate Biden's position that he's gonna try to reconcile with the clown cabal you're representing here. Not comforting.
That's what I said; that's what I meant.
Lee C.,
I represent no group, except exiled Americans.
That's your main problem, Lee. You can't see people as individuals. If you suspect someone, you just label them as a "right-winger" or a "Trumpkin" or something like that. It creates a black-and-white, Manichean world in your head. You can't see that liberal and conservative tendencies reside in all of us -- even you.
I guess you really believe that if all right-wingers were simply eliminated, the world would be a wonderful place. But do you see your error? Inside each of us there's both a Commie protester and a Trumpkin. Each come out in different contexts. So exterminating right-wingers won't solve the problem.
Lee, I badger you because I know you need help. I do what I can.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
And so you remain clueless…. Oh well….
Lee C.,
Hey, by the way, who do you represent? I mean, besides Taxidermists of America.
Are you a card-carrying Democrat?
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee C.,
How are your balls? Growing? Shrinking?
Listen,I understand you refuse to take a personal stand on any issue. You feel that this way you'll always be safe. But no risk, no balls.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
I'm not gay ("not that there's anything wrong with that"), and I don't much like you (never much did). It's often an effort just to remain passingly polite to you, certainly I would never consider anything more intimate, even if I were gay. So, you can just quit pondering on the state of my balls. It ain't never gonna do ya no good.
Lee C.,
Hey, hey, hey. A SeinLanguage reference. Nice. Humor from Lee? Yep, I believe so.
Um, the balls in question here are, of course, metaphorical.
Jeez, hold it. Maybe you're Trans and the absence of balls is NOT metaphorical. Boy, now I'm confused.
Not liking each other is perfectly okay. We're both big boys now. Or, at least, I am. Maybe you now use the pronoun they to refer to yourself (or yourselves).
Yes, yes, I know. How's my memory, right?
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
I watched about twenty minutes of Trump at a rally. I thought he was very funny in an aggressive, riffing manner that is very American (to my ear, anyway).
Sad, very sad. I don't think I care to be compared to Trump at a rally, or giving a speech either.
Sometimes we do actually want some kind of detailed plan on how to deal with important issues rather than "humor". It would also be nice to have someone who does know how to lead at times of crisis in a way that would resonate with the majority rather than a minority.
Jeffrey,
I know you have an off beat sense of humor, so how did you like the Randy Rainbow link I posted a while back on how to pick a candidate?
I think he is hilarious. Yes, he too finds Biden a little boring, but I think after 4 years of Trump we would welcome boring.
Biden's popular vote margin now exceeds 4 million votes.
Lynnette,
Oh boy, we have different tastes in humor. That Randy Rainbow is godawful. Sorry. The humor I like rides a much finer edge. This guy is just doing a gayed-up version of Orange Man Bad.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lynnette and Lee C.,
Are you guys old enough to remember the 2000 Gore and Bush election? I had afternoon classes the next day, so I decided to stay up that Tuesday night to watch the returns come in. I thought I'd get to bed around one o'clock or so.But it turned into a bizarre night.
I think around one or two o'clock, the election was called for Gore, so he phoned Bush and conceded. But then the counting in Florida really tightened and around four o'clock in the morning Gore called Bush back and retracted his concession.
So at around five o'clock in the morning, I was watching as the TV announcers finally had to say that they had no idea who actually won the election.
Even though I don't really follow politics, I did check in over the next month as the legal wrangling went on, with Ted Olsen and David Boies giving oral arguments live on TV. And the Florida Secretary of State, Katherine Harris, became an instant celebrity.
Oh, and of course the "hanging chad." Do you guys remember that?
So this election, from my perspective, is not that unusual.
Again, I don't care who wins. Biden? Fine. Trump? Yeah, okay. I just like the conflict.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
And if you recall from 2000, there were recounts. I'm pretty sure there will recounts ordered this time, too. So don't expect to have a definitive answer for a few weeks to a month.
Lee's going to be mad busy trying to figure out all the details of the recounting procedures. Rage on, Lee, rage on.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"Even though I don't really follow politics…"
And yet you have complete command, at your fingertips, of the current dedicated Trumpkin talking points in all their most glorious and paranoid details.
♫♪I say now, 'Whoodooo!'…♫♪
♫♪Who do ya think you're foolin'?♫♪
Lee C.,
What talking points? I haven't listened to anything Trump has said. I'm just using the logic from Gore v. Bush back in 2000.
I'm NOT a Trump supporter. I'm living in CHINA, Lee, and I in general I never think about politics during my daily life here. I've been living outside the US for EIGHT YEARS, in South Korea (twice), Argentina, Thailand, Vietnam, Hungary, and here in China (twice). If you think I really care about Trump, you're nuts.
I do like to watch how you and Lynnette feed each other's hyper-emotional derangement. It's entertaining to me (again, just my sense of humor). I'm pretty sure it's the same for Marcus.
I know you want to put everyone into two baskets, Trumpkin or non-Trumpkin, but life is much more complicated than that.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
CBSNews is now reporting that Biden has taken the lead in Georgia.
We need a second state for backup. Something to make it harder for the Supreme Trumpkins to pull another "Bush v Gore". (Which, perhaps not so coincidentally, has come seemingly unbidden to Jeffrey's mind all of a sudden.)
We have a group of armed Trump supporters surrounding the counting center in Phoenix, Arizona, moving up close against the new fence (new from yesterday; fence wasn't there yesterday).
The CBS reporter says they claim to have come "merely to defend the Second Amendment".
Why they'd choose the site where the votes are being counted to "defend the Second Amendment" and push up close to the fence defending the vote counters has not been explained to my satisfaction--the claim of coincidence doesn't seem to cut it.
This guy is just doing a gayed-up version of Orange Man Bad.
Yup. Hilarious.
Amazing to watch a sitting US President do his best to undermine the democratic process, which is what we watched tonight as Donald Trump spoke.
Sad that so many Americans can't see what is at stake in this election.
Orange Man Bad. Yes, very, very bad. And I would throw in all of the sycophants, like Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz, who are slavishly following his lead.
We have a group of armed Trump supporters surrounding the counting center in Phoenix, Arizona, moving up close against the new fence (new from yesterday; fence wasn't there yesterday).
Weird choice of counting center to hover over. Arizona is the state where the final votes are likely to help Trump. Don't know why they would want to try to intimidate those counters.
CBSNews is now reporting that Biden has taken the lead in Georgia.
CNN hasn't done so.
"CNN hasn't done so."
It appears to have been a typo on the news feed I was watching. Next time it came around they'd fixed it to Biden within 1,800 votes in Georgia, but still on the low side of that count, not the high side.
I thought about coming back here and correcting my error, but I noticed that it had driven Jeffrey off to do whatever it is a Trumpkin does when confronted by such bad omens, and I was sorta glad to not have him badgering and bullshitting, so I didn't bother with it. (Besides, it'll be true by morning.)
"Don't know why they would want to try to intimidate those
counters."
Sorta like the drunk who was looking for his lost keys under the streetlight 'cause that's where the light was better.
They had armed crazies in Arizona willing to do the deed, so that's where they deployed them.
Post Script: NYT says that, as of now, Trump has moved back up a little bit in Georgia--to a lead by 1,805 total votes. (I don't expect that'll hold 'til sunup though.)
Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania:
We need three out of the four. 270 electoral votes ain't enough. There's still the possibility of what they call "faithless electors", somebody who'd throw a vote to Trump and give Trump the 270th electoral vote. (Anybody really think the newly reformed Supreme Trumpkins would fail to go along with that wholeheartedly?) We need three out of the four.
And then there's the possibility that a Republican dominated state legislature would simply ignore state law to the contrary (on a claim that they agree with Trump that the election was "stolen" from him) and name a pro-Trump set of electors to vote Trump into his second term in spite of the popular vote in that state. (Anybody really think the newly formed Supreme Trumpkin majority on the Court would fail to go along with that wholeheartedly?). The state legislators would have to think twice about that if they had to have another state legislature go along with them to make it work. We need three out of the four.
And then there's the mail-in ballots that the Supreme Trumpkins just might decide to throw out because they arrived after Tuesday (invalidating state laws which allow for that so long as they were postmarked by Tuesday). Anybody really think the newly formed 6-3 Trumpkin majority would hesitate to do that?
We need three out of the four. 270 electoral votes ain't enough.
Lee C.,
I thought Arizona was already settled for Biden. What happened?
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Legal scholar John Yoo:
As I write this, Trump and Biden are within a single point of each other in the popular vote in Pennsylvania. The candidate winning the state’s 20 electoral votes remains undetermined.
The mail-in ballots received between Tuesday and Friday this week in Pennsylvania and accepted under the order of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court could decide the winner of the presidential race in that state, even if the winner prevails by a very small number of popular votes. This is not unprecedented. In 2000, George W. Bush won Florida, the state’s electoral votes and the presidency by about 500 votes.
It is at this point that Trump has a strong case pending in the U.S. Supreme Court. His campaign and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania can challenge the vote in the state on the grounds that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court unconstitutionally interfered with the state legislature’s sole authority over the time, place, and manner of federal elections and over the selection of presidential electors.
If the U.S. Constitution directly grants those powers to the legislature of Pennsylvania, state courts have no authority to alter state election law for federal office, including the presidency. As a result, the U.S. Supreme Court could strike down the extension of the Pennsylvania deadline to accept ballots until Friday and order the state to reject any ballots that arrived after Election Day on Tuesday.
This is not some constitutional flight of fancy. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has already made clear his view that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has violated the U.S. Constitution by allowing mail-in ballots to be accepted until Friday.
Okay, now it's getting interesting. I told you guys that litigation is coming, just like in Gore v. Bush back in 2000. Recounts and court rulings, most likely. It could take a month or so to claim a winner.
As I said, I'm fine with either Biden or Trump. What I like are the arguments and posturing on BOTH sides.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee Cl,
And yes, John Yoo's view supports your idea of what the "Supreme Trumpkins" might do.
If you find anything else on that angle, drop a link for me.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
John Yoo is very much a liar as well as a "legal scholar", and is not to be trusted.
"In 2000, George W. Bush won Florida, the state’s electoral
votes and the presidency by about 500 votes."
In point of fact, George W. Bush won Florida 5-4. The vote count was never finished. The Supreme Court (by a vote of 5-4) ordered the counting stopped and awarded the state's electors to Dubya.
Lee C.,
Did you vote for Gore or Bush? I voted for Gore.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
You seem to be not surprised to discover that Yoo was lying when he wrote that which you quoted.
I am not surprised either.
I think you knew that was disinformation when you quoted it.
And, again, I repeat, as here again shown, you do seem to "have complete command, at your fingertips, of the current dedicated Trumpkin talking points in all their most glorious and paranoid details."
Lee C.,
Well, as i predicted, a recount has been announced for Georgia.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
A recount cannot be "announced" until after the original count is completed and certified. That hasn't happened yet in Georgia.
(Gawd only knows what Trumpkin friendly internet sources he's plugged into this morning. ↑↑)
The Guardian.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
A quick google turns up no articles with today's date by John Yoo in The Guardian. (Nor any references to Yoo's writings quoted in someone else's article.) I suspect you just made that up about The Guardian here on the spot.
No, idiot. The announcement of the recount in Georgia. I read that in the Guardian.
I only read the left-leaning, crunchy socialist papers like the Guardian.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
By the way, you shouldn't use Google for searches. You need to switch to DuckDuckGo like me if you have any concern for your privacy (which I think you do).
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee C.,
Georgia on The Guardian's Mind.
Stop reading all those other trashy sources.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"I only read the left-leaning, crunchy socialist papers
like the Guardian."
Yeah, well, you probably don't, and, in fact, you probably ought not.
If you had actually read The Guardian article (as opposed to reading the squib), you'd have realized that no such recount has been announced, although The Guardian doesn't seem to be up to speed on American election procedures and mischaracterized what the Georgia official did say.
(And then, of course, there's still your instant access to that John Yoo misinformation for us to remember.)
(The Georgia official quoted was merely predicting a recount, not announcing nor confirming one.)
Lee C.,
Do you think there will be a recount?
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Might not be a recount. Trump may not ask for one if it looks like Biden's win in the other three states on my list will hold (on account of it being an exercise in futility if Biden's got the other three states bagged).
Trump may actually call for street violence instead. Certainly he's been stoking those guys up these last couple of days.
Lee C.,
And what happened in Arizona?
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Arizona's still counting; Biden's still ahead.
I think street violence would be great. Let's mix in some of those peaceful protesters, too. Could be fun.
Screw the peaceful transfer of power. Who wants that? Maximum Aggro is much better, like Alex and His Crew in Clockwork.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"I think street violence would be great."
I don't fear it as much as you might hope. I think they'll get put down in short order. Doesn't make me a fan of the idea, but I don't fear Trump's battalions of aged angry white guys in their Trumped up golf carts.
And that's enough for just now.
Ciao for now Jeffrey.
Lee C.,
All right. Past midnight here. I'll check in tomorrow.
Trump will probably triumph in some bizarre, unpredictable fashion -- a very Trumpkin FTW (For The Win).
Later.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee:
” I don't fear it as much as you might hope. I think they'll get put down in short order. Doesn't make me a fan of the idea, but I don't fear Trump's battalions of aged angry white guys in their Trumped up golf carts.”
And there’s nothing to fear either. Except for individuals unlucky enough to get caught between leftist extremists and militia nut jobs. But on a society level there’s nothing to fear.
For one I don’t really see Trump “giving the marching order” outright. That said he could well be using rethoric that some of em interpret as a marching order. Well, they are too few and too disorganized and with too many varying standpoints and ideologies to do much harm. The more dangerous ones are likely closely watched and/or infiltrated by the Feds already anyway. They could be dealt with swiftly by police or government forces.
That whole “stand down, stand by” remark by Trump was for the Proud Boys for gawds sake. They are not even a militia, not even armed afaik, it’s more of a men’s club. Started by Gavin McInnes of Vice fame. Hardly a revolutionary force.
And those Boogaloo jokers don’t even seem to have a coherent ideology apart from a shared affinity for AR15s. Hardly a threat.
Looks like we're over the hump. We're gonna get four out of the four. This will discourage shenanigans. It very well may even discourage John Yoo approved shenanigans by the Supreme Trumpkins.
I am much relieved. (Of course, the media watchdogs have their mathematical "standards" to which they will adhere, but, looks like it's all over but the cryin'. And I s'pect there'll be some Trumpian Orange Man cryin' goin' on for a few days. And then he'll start to sulk and plot.)
Word is that Trump has "vowed" to never concede the White House to Biden. He believes he can create enough smoke and dust to convince his dedicated Trumpkins that there's got to be a fire in there somewhere, and thus discredit the U.S. government after he is obliged to remove himself to Mar-a-Lago. (He's fighting to discredit the federal government, not expecting to win.)
The national Republican Party is working to drum up a minimum of $60 million to fund Trump's attacks on the incoming administration's legitimacy.
And Biden thinks he's gonna reconcile with these people.
Gotta wonder how long it'll take to disabuse him of that notion. It took Obama six years to get it through his head that he was dealing with an internal enemy, and he still only barely accepted it. Biden's been throught that; he should know already, but he seems to just not want to believe the evidence on this subject. (At least, not yet; we can still hope it doesn't take him too long to wake up to the fact that this is a sustained anti-American movement.)
Lee C.,
We're gonna get four out of the four.
Who is this "we" that you keep mentioning?
Do you really believe that?
I've never agreed with this simplistic "us vs. them" perspective.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"Who is this "we" that you keep mentioning?"
Those of us who still believe in democracy and adhere to the American Constitution (and actually know what it says, which is not what Rupert Murdoch finds is the profitable interpretation to push), that's the "we".
"I've never agreed with this simplistic 'us vs. them'
perspective."
Doesn't matter what you believe (nor what beliefs you hold that you'll nevertheless deny in public for the sake of a more convenient deceit).
Mitch McConnell believes in it. So does Lindsey Graham; so do most of the nationally successful Republican politicians.
And Biden better get it through his head that they're playing for keeps. This is forever so far as they're concerned. No holds barred.
(Oh, and just for the record, just so you'll know what's happenin' when it's happenin'… Don't expect me to indulge you much further. Trump's done now. And you're just not that interesting.)
Lee C.,
Don't expect me to indulge you much further.
Indulge me?! Who the fuck are YOU, Lee?
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
How's your memory Jeffrey?
Lee C.,
Your Democratic vs. Republican view of American life is very, very impoverished. American life is much wider, deeper, and diverse than your view of it.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
I call them "Trumpkins" because it's not a "Democratic vs. Republican" divide.
And you are way behind the curve.
It occurs to me that this may illustrate Jeffrey's dilemma. We could have Jeffrey explain to us why the Republican Party was unable to adopt, or even to entertain discussions on a "party platform" during this year's national convention. With no platform, what does the Republican Party actually stand for Jeffrey? What is their Party position on anything matter other than the adoration of Trump?
Floor's yours Jeffrey; give it a shot.
(I think we can reasonably expect Jeffrey to adopt the Petes' delight in finding typos and editing mistakes when he needs something to buck himself up. Would not be unreasonable to expect it anyway. So I'll fix this one.)
"What is their Party position on any significant issue other than
the adoration of Trump?
"Floor's yours Jeffrey; give it a shot."
Lee C.,
Hold it. Are you a Democrat like Lynnette or a disgruntled Republican?
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
How's your memory Jeffrey? Gettin' any better with the repetition?
Lee C.,
I guess that's why you're so crazed about Trump. He highjacked your Republican Party and rode it to victory in 2016.
Makes sense.
That would explain why you never have the guts -- or balls, if you prefer -- to mention your voting record.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
(I think we can reasonably assume that Jeffrey isn't gonna use the free shot I gave him. ↑↑ Looks like he's gonna try to just power past that subject entirely.)
Well, then…
Ciao for now.
(Or, to put it more specifically…)
Ciao for now, Jeffrey. You are dismissed.
Lee C.,
By the way, real men don't obsess about hand sanitizer and face shields. Jeezus, Lee. That's a very bad look for a guy. I wouldn't have pegged you as a limp-wristed, hypochondriac Democrat. You may have been born in a shack, but you've turned into shivering mouse. At night, before sleep, you check under your bed for Covid and right-wingers. Too funny.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
An issue I've had my eye on, waiting for the answer to appear somewhere…. Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar has been segregating those Pennsylvania ballots which came in after 8:00 pm (local time) November 3rd (although postmarked by November 3rd), in case the Supreme Trumpkins decide they want to strike those votes. She said today there there weren't enough of them to do Trump any good. Politico
So, John Yoo can fantasize all he wants, and Jeffrey and the Trumpkins along with him. Won't make no difference.
I still think Trump will pull out a victory. But if he doesn't, the inauguration should be funny.
Inaugural Official: Repeat after me. I
Biden: I
Joseph Robinette Biden
Joseph Robinette Stalin.
*glances at Jill Biden* Biden, not Stalin.
Who said Stalin?
You did. Your family name is Biden.
For godsakes, I know my own name. Biden.
Do.
Do what?
Do solemnly swear.
C'mon man, I don't swear. I'm a Catholic from SCRANTON. *looks out at audience* Hello, Scranton!
*
Oh yeah, this is going to be fun.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Maybe Biden will use a teleprompter at the inauguration.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"Maybe Biden will use a teleprompter at the inauguration."
He might; Trump did.
Lee,
You do know that I didn't vote for Trump, right?
Kind of strange that I'm categorized as a "Trumpkin" now even though I didn't vote for Trump.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"Kind of strange that I'm categorized as a "Trumpkin" now…"
By whom? Or, are you here to volunteer yourself for inclusion?
Lee,
So, John Yoo can fantasize all he wants, and Jeffrey and the Trumpkins along with him.
Some ambiguity there.
But what exactly do you mean by "Trumpkin"? Is this some kind of idiosyncratic delusional category of your own or what? Please elucidate.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"Please elucidate."
No.
I wonder what happened to Lynnette.
Why isn't she celebrating?
She's been blogging about Orange Man Bad for FOUR YEARS. You'd think she'd be happy now. Very weird.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee,
Um, okay. You use a term you yourself have created and you refuse to define it?
Then you're living in Your Own Private Oklahoma.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
There is one difference between Obama and Biden that may come into play as to whether or not Mitch McConnell will work with him or not.
Lynnette,
I'm sorry. I couldn't wait any longer. I want to start the celebration NOW!
Biden in the Seventh House.
Long live Mystical Revelation!
Orange Man Bad is Dead!
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
I will wait until the race is called before I do any celebrating, Jeffrey.
Biden is right, all votes need to be heard.
Lynnette,
Okay. But this could take a few weeks to a month.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
You guys only trust certified left-wing publications, right?
The Guardian in Arizona.
I'm here to serve.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Hm. Link failure. Lemme try again.
The Guardian in Arizona.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Okay, I looked at a transcript of Biden's last TV address, where he says:
And what’s becoming clear each hour is that a record number of Americans of all races, faiths religions chose change over more of the same. They’ve given us a mandate for action on COVID, the economy, climate change, systemic racism.
This is utter bullshit. Mandate? He hasn't even won. Trump could still win. But okay, let's say Biden does win. If so, it'll be by a razor-thin margin. Mandate?! Dumbass.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
I recall Dubya and Trump both claimed a "mandate" after losing the popular vote. But, "the Republicans do it" is, of course, hardly a sufficient excuse. If we wanted our politicians to sink to the level of Republicans we'd have voted for Republicans to start with.
But, Biden is winning the real vote by in excess of 4 million votes (currently, that's "and counting").
That reminds me… It has occurred to me that we could, maybe, get lucky and somehow get Trump to concentrate his remaining energies and remaining days as President on trying to cook up those imaginary "illegal" votes he keeps talkin' 'bout. (Might keep him out of more serious mischief maybe.)
Lee,
I agree. All of them say they have a mandate even if they have a pixel more than the opponent.
Remember, my view is that politicians and journalists dwell in the same circle of Dante's Inferno. And it ain't an upper level.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee,
But I should add that I see absolutely no difference between Democrats and Republicans as groups. Both are trying to accrue as much political power and control as they can.
As with people I meet every day, I judge individuals. There are a handful of competent politicians, I assume, on both sides.
The idea that Democrats as a group are Good and Republicans as a group are Evil is just more of your Manichean mindset. It's a distortion of reality, a comic-book rendering of what's happening around you.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee,
You're blubbering. It's unseemly.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee,
Why did you delete your comment and then repost it? That effed up the sequence of comments. Now my reply to you comes before your comment.
Okay, let me repeat.
You're blubbering, Lee. It's unseemly.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"…just more of your Manichean mindset."
Your fantasy that you know what is my mindset is just that ― it is your fantasy. I am neither responsible for it nor responsible for disabusing you of it. I don't give a damn about your inability to grasp the reality outside of your own presets.
Don't expect me to necessarily ever bother to address your innate, and likely impenetrable, dumbassery on this subject ever again. I'm perfectly happy to leave you wallowing in it.
By the way, I think Biden was just announced as president. I think it will probably hold.
So President-Elect #NotTrump for now.
I'm fine with that. .
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
In 2012 Barack Obama beat Mitt Romeny by 4,982,291 votes and nobody thought it was a particularly close election. Biden is currently beating Trump by 4,151,381 (numbers from the NYT) and the spread is widening as the vote count proceeds. That's not particularly close. (The difference is in the slow counting, which is a result of changes in social circumstances in the United States, i.e. the pandemic.)
This has not exactly been a squeaker of an election--the nervousness of gun-shy Democrats notwithstanding.
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