American Politics Thread

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Biden has been ahead in Michigan and Wisconsin for some time now. Really hope he can pull this off. He was ahead 34K last I saw. I still wanna know wtf is going on in Nevada. Mail in ballots will likely help Biden, but still, that one is too close for comfort.

 

[wanderist]

So apparently Florida shouldn't have been given to Trump quite so easily. Just read that apparently 27% of main-in ballots in South Florida may not have been received from the USPS.

If this is true, I'm not hopeful that anything will be done about that at this point, and not sure it would have changed the result, but...yikes. I think I read somewhere else that it might be a problem in Georgia too.

 

[CynthiaLover]

I've done a quick calculation regarding the current electoral votes and what's up for grabs and it turns out Biden may only need the three states he's currently leading in to win the White House. If he wins just Wisconsin, Nevada, and Michigan he'll have exactly 270 electoral votes, which is exactly what he needs to win. Now, granted, I do know and agree that winning more than just those three states would be much more necessary to keep Trump from getting anywhere near victory, but if he just wins those three states, which he's already in the lead in, then that'll be exactly enough to win the election. So, that does inspire hope, as if he keeps his grip on those three states he'll have exactly the amount of electoral votes needed to win. While, again, winning the other toss-up states would be excellent, as the fewer chances Trump has the better, at least having Wisconsin, Nevada, and Michigan would still be enough to win. Let's hope for the best, as Biden's victory could be just inches away right now.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Forgive the double post but I just learned of something that Trump is trying to pull. Thanks to my email provider (it's where I get most of my news from, as I'm not much of a TV watcher anymore) I learned that, in yet another attempt to cheat his way to victory, Trump is demanding that Wisconsin do a recount of the votes. This is because Biden pretty much has the cheese capital of the country in the palm of his hand, so, naturally, Trump doesn't like that. Yet another typical maneuver from our "fearless leader" in hopes of weaseling his way out of defeat. As I said in my above post, if Biden just keeps a grip on Wisconsin, Nevada, and Michigan he'll have the exact 270 electoral votes needed to win. Trump (or at least his election team) may have figured that out and are attempting to strongarm at least one of those states out of Biden's grip. Typical of the orange oompa loompa and his goon squad. Just wanted to mention this, as it's yet another underhanded move by our "noble" President.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Wisconsin has been officially called for Joe Biden! That leaves him with only 22 electoral votes, which is in reach with victories in Michigan and Nevada. Still worried about Arizona though. He's had a decent lead and it was called for him, but apparently its not all the votes in 3 Republican leaning counties and 2 major Democrat leaning counties. Georgia apparently had 200K to count still and Biden is only down by 70K.

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

I feel that Trump is upset because he will lose a DEMOCRATIC election. He wants to stop the counting of votes (and use the Supreme Court to do it), but its not as simple as he (Trump) thinks. This is not the first US election to NOT be decided on the night (in fact, the 2016 elections wasn't decided on the night but took several days), and I feel all votes should be counted. Sure not all votes would arrive on time, and I am not across how voting works in the United States, but all votes should be recognised. What Trump is doing is actually disenfranchise voters, despite saying to the contrary. Trump is sulking because he knows he will lose a democratic vote.

While I want to remain optimistic, the fact that he's threatening to go to the conservative-packed Supreme Court to pull all stops has me very worried. Granted, the same Supreme Court hadn't sided with him before on some issues. But it's all the same nerve wracking.

This is what I've been trying to say when I warned that the constitution is not equipped to deal with an immature president who refuses to concede defeat, especially when said president has the blind support of millions. It was written in mind that all future presidents would be decent, humble people and that is no longer the case here. In fact we might never again get another Republican running-for-office who is anything short of decent, because American politics (though world politics can easily be argued here) have become so extremely divided.

I really don't like living in this era.

If he does this then there will undoubtedly be a whole bunch of countries that refuse to recognise his apparent victory, putting the US in the same politically inenviable position as Venezuela and Belarus. Even Donald Trump wouldn't be that foolish... right?

Yes he would be that foolish. The guy literally admires dictators and is hellbent on keeping onto his presidency at all costs. I would be more surprised if he didn't.

 

[wanderist]

Are we still optimistic about Pennsylvania? It's at 84% reporting for me now and Trump still has a decent lead so I don't see how unless there really is a LOT of democratic votes coming. Yet people still seemed optimistic about it not that long ago.

Just still really stressed, like something could still go wrong and give Trump the win. I don't think I'll be able to relax until at the least sure that Biden has the electoral votes.

 

[Ryoma Maser]

Regardless if Trump wins Pennsylvania, if Biden wins every other state still counting ballots right now other than PA, he will win.

 

[Gengarzilla]

Are we still optimistic about Pennsylvania? It's at 84% reporting for me now and Trump still has a decent lead so I don't see how unless there really is a LOT of democratic votes coming. Yet people still seemed optimistic about it not that long ago.

On that topic, the Trump campaign team are trying to halt vote-counting in Pennsylvania. The deputy campaign manager insists the Democrats seek to disenfranchise voters.

Holy crap, Trump's mind rot truly is contagious. That's what Trump himself is openly attempting to do with all these lawsuits and demands for recounts on blue states.

 

[Volphied]

I'm so glad I got off the internet immediately after the counting began. I absolutely knew that early votes would favor Trump, which would be bad for my health to watch. But now, much later, the red mirage is completely gone and Biden has a clear path to victory. Still, It's disappointing to see that the vote is so close after all that Trump wrecked and missmanaged. Personality cults are hell of a drug.

 

[CynthiaLover]

On that topic, the Trump campaign team are trying to halt vote-counting in Pennsylvania. The deputy campaign manager insists the Democrats seek to disenfranchise voters.

Holy crap, Trump's mind rot truly is contagious. That's what Trump himself is openly attempting to do with all these lawsuits and demands for recounts on blue states.

I was actually just coming on to post that, as I learned of it via my email provider a short time ago. I just didn't get to it fast enough as my dad dropped in for a quick visit so you beat me to the punch. But, either way, it once again shows just what a slimy, contemptible sewer rat Trump is. It's clear he's getting scared so he's trying to drop the axe on any stragglers in order to cheat his way to victory. He's basically a tyrant and a dictator, as he'll stop and nothing to get his way and stay in power. And the fact that Trump is like a plague that corrupts and contaminates everything he touches so that he'll have a bunch of brainless minions to carry out his orders and rig everything in his favor. The fact that he keeps lying his way through everything (and that people are actually lapping it up) makes it even worse.

I was actually reflecting a short time ago about how bad the Republican party has become, realizing that the last decent Republican that ran for president was the late Senator McCain. He may have not been very graceful in his bouts with Obama, but he was still a Republican worthy of respect and admiration. The fact that he was a war hero made him even more worthy of one's respect. Now... we've got scumbags like Trump. Old Abe is probably turning and screaming in his grave at just how far his noble party has fallen. There was a time you could look up to your politician, both Republican and Democrat... now you'd rather spit in their faces at their horrendous actions. Biden may be our last chance to avoid the country, and perhaps even the world, from completely collapsing on itself, and give us a chance to fix the damage Trump caused. We just need to hope that he'll claim Nevada and Michigan to score the needed electoral votes (and any other states for extra gravy) to finally end Trump's rampage for good.

 

[prog rocker]

So, my comparisons to Maduro and Ortega might actually be accurate?

 

[TeaWest]

Are we still optimistic about Pennsylvania? It's at 84% reporting for me now and Trump still has a decent lead so I don't see how unless there really is a LOT of democratic votes coming. Yet people still seemed optimistic about it not that long ago.

Just still really stressed, like something could still go wrong and give Trump the win. I don't think I'll be able to relax until at the least sure that Biden has the electoral votes.

Right now Biden is behind by about 350,000 votes in Pennsylvania. But there are still 1.2 million votes to be counted. And the county I'm looking at the most is Philadelphia which only has 67% reported and has Biden leading by a 4-1 ratio. I think that's where the majority of mail in ballots were cast. So I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility for Biden to come out on top, but as Cynthialover said, he may not even need to win Pennsylvania if he takes Michigan and holds Nevada.

I think it's more likely for Biden to take PA than Georgia or North Carolina at this point.

 

[Ryoma Maser]

It's now been confirmed on CNN that Biden has won Michigan putting him at 253 votes in the Electoral college, if he wins Nevada and Arizona he does not need Pennsylvania at all to beat Trump.

 

[TeaWest]

The AP has called Arizona for Biden as well but I don't think either state is really in the clear just yet.

EDIT: Looks like NBC also has called Michigan for Biden

 

[Esserise]

CW: Misery, doom and gloom

Biden's going to win, I'm pretty sure. But the Senate is slipping through our fingers, so we can say goodbye to any meaningful relief or reform legislation. The Republicans will be able to block it all, and in four years, they will blame Biden and the Democrats for "doing nothing" to help people. Meanwhile, the party will find some new fascist monster who can capitalize on the simmering anger of all the people that clearly still support Trump and his ideology. This will wash over the weakened enthusiasm for Biden, who even right now is only just managing to be neck-and-neck with the most useless, embarrassing, destructive manchild to ever occupy the Presidency.

If Biden wins, it's a symbolic victory at best. And I know it's foolish to pour all of one's hopes into electoral politics, but right now, I can't help it, I'm just so fucking disappointed.

I was actually reflecting a short time ago about how bad the Republican party has become, realizing that the last decent Republican that ran for president was the late Senator McCain. He may have not been very graceful in his bouts with Obama, but he was still a Republican worthy of respect and admiration. The fact that he was a war hero made him even more worthy of one's respect.

I don't respect him. He was an opportunistic, flip-flopping asshole with only a veneer of affability, who still supported policies designed fundamentally to hurt people. Being a "war hero" doesn't mean shit if you then turn on the people you were supposedly fighting for.

 

[TeaWest]

I imagine the senate will only be slightly favoring Republicans (like 49-51.) And even if that's the case, there's the 2022 midterms where Dems would have another opportunity to reclaim the senate.

 

[Ryoma Maser]

Last time I check NBC who's focusing on the Senate more compared to others said there was 46 Democrats elected and 48 Republicans, leads to down to the uncounted votes in the remaining States.

 

[swiftgallade46]

I think it’s too soon to tell for Pennsylvania. Trump is indeed leading, but there are millions of votes left to be counted most of them being mailed in. Statistics show that the majority of mail-in votes are in fact Democratic, which could easily put Biden ahead.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

I'm so anxious right now. We are so close to defeating Trump, and while we have options, I'm still just worried Arizona can shift back to Trump. If Biden can claim Arizona and Nevada, he wins the presidency.