American Politics Thread

[zoroarctic]

Joe Biden will be...

1. The oldest U.S. President ever elected.

2. The second Roman Catholic President ever elected.

3. The first President from the FIrst State.

I don't know how much of an "urbanoid" I am, either. Lol. I don't live in the countryside, but I do not live in a big city either, I live in a medium sized town on the outskirts of a bigger city. But here's the thing - that city is not liberal. Nowhere in my state is. Every single county voted for that deplorable man in both elections.

Oklahoma?

 

[RileyXY1]

Joe Biden will be...

1. The oldest U.S. President ever elected.

2. The second Roman Catholic President ever elected.

3. The first President from the FIrst State.


Oklahoma?

He is also the second Vice President to become President and not directly succeed the President he served under, after Richard Nixon. This election is also the very first time since Maine and Nebraska adopted the district method in which both states split their electoral votes. Joe Biden is also the first President since JFK to be elected President without winning Ohio, and possibly the first Democratic Presidential candidate since Bill Clinton to win the states of Georgia and Arizona. If Joe Biden gets Arizona and Georgia, the electoral vote margin would be 306-232, the same as in 2016 when Donald Trump won.

 

[Antiyonder]

Definitely going to make this my only post and to give some cents on the matter.

It was worse than him merely not knowing how to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump darn well knew what he was doing. He intentionally politicized the heck out of it and caused far more death and hurt than was necessary.

And the irony is that if he made the right decisions back when it was the coronavirus?

He could have very well secured a second term in that there would not only be less deaths (some of which were Pro-Trump), and while not everyone would follow suit, you have to imagine that some Anti-Trump folks would likely be impressed with his handling of it enough to reconsider their stance on him.

As opposed to what actually happened with some of his supporters deciding that his first term might have been a mistake.

 

[Aulos]

Oklahoma?

Yup. My family and I are looking for ways to move out of here. But sadly blue states are expensive.

 

[zoroarctic]

Yup. My family and I are looking for ways to move out of here. But sadly blue states are expensive.

Even New Mexico? If you’re up for playing the long game, there’s always Arizona or Texas.

 

[indigohex3]

Even though I am an Australian, I am so relieved that Biden won. But I am already worried about Biden as there is another case of coronavirus in the inner circle of the White House (White House chief of staff reportedly tests positive for coronavirus). Remember that Biden is 77 and I think is more prone to coronavirus than Trump (who I think is 74 and already had coronavirus), so I would be careful if I was Biden.

Back to a more relatable note, I will be following Biden and how he would deal with China and North Korea, which I felt was disastrous under Trump, especially China. North Korea has more weapons than it did when Obama was in the White House (and Trump called Kim Jong Un "Little Rocket Man" and threatened war) and relations between the two largest economies deteriorated under Trump that we could be entering a second Cold War (even though I was born during the first Cold War, I am too young to remember it as I was about 4 or 5 when it ended). It will be interesting to see what happens in the next four years.

 

[Volphied]

A lot of urbanoid youngsters voting for Biden have no ideia of how it is to run a business and pay taxes (My parents' experience). This is why I love to live in the countryside, I hate this urbanoid people.

Hey. I'd just want to thank you for confirming to me that it was always about viciously hating millions of Americans and a deep desire to hurt them that fueled people to vote Trump. "Urbanoid" is a completely new slur that I just learned from you. So far I only heard about "the Urbans", which was also used as a racist code-word for black people.

Also, I find it truly hilarious that you believe Trump, who bankrupted multiple casinos, knows how to run a business. He's the dumbest and most clueless person to ever be elected. His one-term in the White House proved to me that even I could run the US better.

Anyway, Biden has already announced what his first steps in office will be:


View: https://twitter.com/farhip/status/1325240362789707777

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

I'm glad Biden plans on doing stuff such as rejoining the Paris Accords, reinstating DACA, and repealing the Muslim ban, though I am hoping on top of all of that, he'll reverse Trump's ban on transgendered people serving in the military. That policy was nothing but pure discrimination.

 

[indigohex3]

I agree with the above poster. Donald Trump was scrapping the bottom of the barrel with his policies. No doubt a lot of people will be happy to see the back of Trump (except for...you know who). Let see what the next four years will bring. And interesting bit of trivia: if all of the living presidents survive to after 20 January 2021, then there will be six living Presidents: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden (a record set several times, most recently in the period between the inauguation of Donald Trump and the death of George H.W. Bush).

I just realised something: Donald Trump won't be allowed to attend Mr. Burns' birthday party as he is a one-termer (it was from an episode of The Simpsons called "Rosebud" when George H. W. Bush and Jimmy Carter were banned from Mr. Burn's birthday party as they were one-termers).

 

[Aulos]

Even New Mexico? If you’re up for playing the long game, there’s always Arizona or Texas.

Oh, I didn't know that New Mexico was cheap. Well, climate is also a super important factor for me. I must live somewhere with four seasons. I know that sounds petty up against making sure I'm somewhere that protects my rights, but the seasons really do impact me somewhere deep down and if we don't get a fall/winter, I get depressed. Like real depressed.

So, really, for me, these are the only states on the table:
New England/Northeast states
Washington/Oregon
Minnesota
Illinois
Colorado

None of these states are cheap.

The only thing that's coming to my mind right now is biting the bullet and thinking of Michigan, despite being a swing state. I hate, hate, hate the thought of going to a state that ever voted for Trump. I want to get away from that. But Michigan is cheap, has four seasons, and would have a better chance of protecting my rights when the Supreme Court takes it all away. Sadly, a "better chance" is still not good. Michigan is all over the board, really. =( The thing is just that it's better than where I live.

 

[prog rocker]

Anyway, Biden has already announced what his first steps in office will be:


View: https://twitter.com/farhip/status/1325240362789707777

This. This is perfect.

I'm glad Biden plans on doing stuff such as rejoining the Paris Accords, reinstating DACA, and repealing the Muslim ban, though I am hoping on top of all of that, he'll reverse Trump's ban on transgendered people serving in the military. That policy was nothing but pure discrimination.

Question: Why was this even a thing? As far as I know, that shouldn't affect anything, right? Bear in mind we don't have an army here, so I don't really know how things work.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Question: Why was this even a thing? As far as I know, that shouldn't affect anything, right? Bear in mind we don't have an army here, so I don't really know how things work.

I seriously doubt it does. I suspect it comes from an idea that the military should be some kind of bastion of small-c-conservative manliness. The Roman Republic had a similar kind of moral panic, if I remember my history correctly, over the idea that young Roman men were becoming effeminate.

 

[zoroarctic]

The only thing that's coming to my mind right now is biting the bullet and thinking of Michigan, despite being a swing state. I hate, hate, hate the thought of going to a state that ever voted for Trump. I want to get away from that. But Michigan is cheap, has four seasons, and would have a better chance of protecting my rights when the Supreme Court takes it all away. Sadly, a "better chance" is still not good. Michigan is all over the board, really. =( The thing is just that it's better than where I live.

You wouldn't consider VA or MD?
If you're cool with Michigan, I'd recommend Wisconsin as well.

 

[Esserise]

Question: Why was this even a thing? As far as I know, that shouldn't affect anything, right?

Because Trump and his bootlickers get off on anything that beats down on and restricts the rights of the minority demographics that they hate. A ban on trans people in the military accomplishes nothing practical or helpful; the sole purpose of the exercise is simply to flaunt the right's institutionally empowered ability to discriminate against vulnerable people.

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

Even though I am an Australian, I am so relieved that Biden won. But I am already worried about Biden as there is another case of coronavirus in the inner circle of the White House (White House chief of staff reportedly tests positive for coronavirus). Remember that Biden is 77 and I think is more prone to coronavirus than Trump (who I think is 74 and already had coronavirus), so I would be careful if I was Biden.

I'm also worried about him in that regard. But unless the coronavirus outbreak continues well into January, when Biden actually takes office and residency in the White House (unless he moves in there sooner? I'm not sure how that part works), then the outbreak there should be cleared by then.

And, to be frank, a president is guaranteed to get the best possible health care as part of their positional privilege. That's why Trump did so well when he caught it. Of course I'm fully aware of how severe and unpredictable the coronavirus can be. But I'm not feeling too worried about Biden right now. Plus you know, Biden actually does take steps to be careful.

 

[omahanime]

Joe Biden's Dog Major Makes History as the First Rescue Dog in the White House

Congrats, Major!

news.yahoo.com

 

[CynthiaLover]

Although it's obviously unintentional, Major is such a fitting name for a now presidential pooch. And it just warms my heart to know he's a rescue dog. My family's past dog (who, sadly, died this year) was a rescue dog, having been rescued from a hoarding situation, so I know how sweet they can be when they realize they're in a forever home. And considering Trump called having a pet in the White House "overrated" proves how soulless he is (plus, no self-respecting animal would probably like him anyway). Hopefully Major gets an honor guard when he enters the White House and will serve his country well. ^_^

 

[zoroarctic]

If you get it, you know.

 

[omahanime]

Trump will lose special Twitter protections in January

YESSSS

 

[Rainfall]

[many excerpt comments regarding Senate from recently in this thread; quote-compiled this a few days ago but didn't post]
__________

[circa Oct 30]
And if we can defeat Trump, I think there's no doubt we're going to have someone as equally terrible or worse, like Mike Pence running in 2024. So I hope Democrats don't ever lose their guard and prepare themselves for the next far-right radical candidate cause I'm not counting on seeing a more moderate Republican candidate like John Kasich or Mitt Romney in 2024. I'm expecting to see the worst of the worst, like Mike Pence. I do hope 2024 will see a younger, more charismatic, Obama-esque candidate if Biden doesn't seek reelection if he wins.

[circa Oct 30]
That's been a fear I've heard before and now have as well. Even if Biden-Harris wins the national election, will enough be done to address major issues? Will there be enough beyond two years of Congress to enact certain measures? There's always a chance that the work will be lukewarm, Congress remains gridlocked, and people remain upset, setting the stage for someone equally terrible or worse, as you said.

[circa Wed, Nov 04]
I had heard plenty about mirages and am still cautiously confident that Biden will win...

... but without also taking the Senate, which is becoming ever more difficult to pull off, that really doesn’t mean much in terms of being able to actually pass legislation. So yay, 4 more years of fucking nothing happening to address the multiple fronts of immediate existential crisis, because the Republicans just stonewall everything rather than govern. Which people like, apparently.

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.

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.

On a more...sad note, though, we are probably not flipping the Senate which really concerns me especially with SCOTUS being very conservative. At least they’ll be up for re-election again in 2 years, I guess.

The Senate can still be taken if Dems win the two runoff election in Georgia.

And even if PA, NC, and GA all flip to Biden after it's all said & done, it doesn't look like the Democrats are going to retake the Senate - maybe they'll get to 50-50 if they win both of the GA runoffs, but in that case, as one person put it "they'd basically be spending at least the next 2 years desperately hoping that Joe Mansion (?) votes with them".