2020 Presidential Election

[Cin]

Interesting POV

Freedom Rider: How Trump Can Steal the 2020 Election
Margaret Kimberley, BAR senior columnist 05 Aug 2020

The election was stolen from Clinton four years ago and the even weaker 2020 candidate can expect the same fate.

“No one in the media or the Democratic Party gives a basic civics lesson or talks about how elections are really stolen.”

Republicans win the presidency when they steal votes. Democrats need a huge turnout to undo the impact of so-called “spoiled ballots,” electronic vote machine theft and the removal of Democratic voters, i.e. Black people, from the rolls. These methods will of course be used in November and ought to be the basis for concerns regarding any electoral malfeasance.

It is important to remember the real electoral threats when Donald Trump decides to have fun with America’s collective reptile brain. When he tweeted that he might postpone the election, people who should have known better immediately began responding with anger and fear. The corporate media, who love the president because he is always good copy, failed to inform the public about American law and how presidential elections are regulated.

Simply put, election day can’t be changed absent congressional action. Nor can a president stay in office if he loses. If Trump loses he will no longer be president on January 20, 2021. While the Trumpian desire to mess with our heads continues, no one in the media or the Democratic Party gives a basic civics lesson or talks about how elections are really stolen. Once again Trump is used as the perfect foil, a poster child for vote blue no matter who. His every nonsensical remark is a substitute for policy change that would motivate the high voter turn-out that democrats need.

“Trump is used as the perfect foil, a poster child for vote blue no matter who.”

This year presents a new opportunity for wrong doing. Many states are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with increased availability of voting by mail instead of at polling places. That process solves one problem but creates many new ones. In New York City mailed ballots are still being counted six weeks after a primary. Not only was there a deluge of 400,000 ballots but rules about whether postmarks were or were not needed led to disqualified votes and court challenges. Voting by mail presents the prospect of a delayed count and a possibility that the outcome may not be known until long after Election Day.

Meanwhile Republicans in states like Wisconsin are still working to remove 120,000 people from the rolls. Wisconsin is among those states that were supposed to be safe for Hillary Clinton but voter identification laws and restrictions on college student voting took thousands of votes away from her. During primaries in 2000 long lines resulted when people who requested mail-in ballots didn’t receive them. They didn’t receive them because they had been purged from the rolls. They may have been given provisional ballots but those are nearly always thrown out and are worthless. But none of these tried and true methods are discussed by the corporate media which prefers to give credence to Trump’s rants.

They don’t give attention to the possibility of Trump doing something that would be extraordinary but quite legal. He can contest the election and the electoral college results and demand a vote in the House of Representatives as the 12th amendment to the Constitution allows. Despite a Democratic majority, more state delegations are under Republican control and would give Trump the victory.

“Provisional ballots but those are nearly always thrown out and are worthless.”

Polls showing a Biden win must be ignored. The same pollsters said Hillary Clinton would prevail in 2016 but she isn’t the one in the White House. The election was stolen from her and the even weaker 2020 candidate can expect the same fate.

But Republican treachery is not solely at fault. Despite having the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections stolen from them, the Democrats won’t point out the obvious. They cynically go along because their corruption steals votes from progressives. Bernie Sanders lost 500,000 votes in the 2020 California primary through a complicated system meant to keep challengers at bay. Election integrity would put the power of the Democratic Party establishment at risk. It would also force them to stand up as a real political party and not a happy member of the duopoly who masquerade as an opposition.

Trump can steal the election but not in the ways we have been told. Election theft is an American tradition. Denying that it exists is also a tradition and 2020 may look like 2016.

https://www.blackagendareport.com/fr...-2020-election

[BullDog]

The idea that Biden is a weaker candidate than Clinton is absurd. A lot of that is thanks to good old sexism, but Biden is polling much better than Clinton ever did at her peak.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features...n-at-her-peak/

Also, states like Texas and Georgia were never in play for Clinton.

Also, Biden is taking votes away white working class, suburban, and older voters from Trump - largely due to his horrible handling of COVID-19, but again what makes Biden a strong candidate is because he does appeal to voters who might peel away from Trump. The idea that Biden is a weak candidate is so completely absurd. It makes me laugh and very angry at the same time.

Trump will indeed try to cheat in every way possible and we do need to take it very, very seriously. But we need to back that up with action not just doom and gloom. It is up to us to fight against it in every way possible to take our country back.

Like Katchen, I play to vote early. In the past, I have voted in person on the day of the election or voted by mail when I lived in Oregon. When I mailed in my ballot I often did it at the last minute. There is no way I would do that this year, even though I live in a state where there won't be any hijinks. Our early voting starts on October 6 and I will be mailing in my ballot as soon as possible after that to make sure it is there well ahead of time. Or I might drop it off in town if we have somewhere to do it - I need to check on that.

Things you can do:

- Support Biden and all our Democrats on the ballot - now until election day. Bashing is NOT HELPFUL. We don't need a repeat of 2016.

- Check to make sure you are registered - even if you think you are. Encourage others to do the same.

- Vote as early as possible - by mail or in person. Encourage others to do the same. Help people understand the process, give rides to the polls, etc.

- If there is a way to check your ballot after you have voted - do so. A friend of mine had his rejected in Washington state in the primaries due to a signature issue. He was able to check the status of his ballot online and when he discovered there was an issue he was able to get it straightened out.

- There is a good chance we won't know the outcome on election night. Don't panic. A lot of Democrat votes will end up being counted later. That happened in the blue wave of 2018. People need to be educated on this.

We can overcome!

[Kätzchen]

Thanks for your post Bulldog, and Cin too!

It has been less than 4 weeks and already, T---P's puppet at USPS has ousted every person with tenure and seniority so that they can upend USPS as a vital way for American's to cast their vote.

It is definitely a serious situation. An " All Hands On Deck" rally cry.
<<<<<~~ x5 alarm fire call for help.

I also read today that Biden's VP pick will be between two candidares. Rice or Harris.

Harris for the win, Rice to serve in Biden's cabinet?

It is such a cliff-hanger.

Also, i wonder if Stacy Abrams will possibly use her voting organization to help provide safe ways for voter's votes to be delivered, if possible?

So little time, with big BIG problems brewing every second of the day that ticks by.

[dark_crystal]

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

Thanks for your post Bulldog, and Cin too!

It has been less than 4 weeks and already, T---P's puppet at USPS has ousted every person with tenure and seniority so that they can upend USPS as a vital way for American's to cast their vote.

It is definitely a serious situation. An " All Hands On Deck" rally cry.
<<<<<~~ x5 alarm fire call for help.

I also read today that Biden's VP pick will be between two candidares. Rice or Harris.

Harris for the win, Rice to serve in Biden's cabinet?

It is such a cliff-hanger.

Also, i wonder if Stacy Abrams will possibly use her voting organization to help provide safe ways for voter's votes to be delivered, if possible?

So little time, with big BIG problems brewing every second of the day that ticks by.

FOX News has already cranked the Benghazi siren back up, Rice is not a good choice. It needs to be Harris!

[Kätzchen]

I dont watch Fox news at all.

But as long as its a freaking GIANT BLUE WAVE that runs that horrible person and his cronies out of town, this is what matters most to me.

[BullDog]

Joe Biden has announced his VP choice. It is Kamala Harris.

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1293280411150217219

My two picks were Susan Rice and Kamala Harris. There is less controversy surrounding Harris (although the Benghazi crap is ridiculous it is there) and she is an excellent pick. I'm happy and excited for the virtual convention next week!

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by BullDog

Joe Biden has announced his VP choice. It is Kamala Harris.

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1293280411150217219

My two picks were Susan Rice and Kamala Harris. There is less controversy surrounding Harris (although the Benghazi crap is ridiculous it is there) and she is an excellent pick. I'm happy and excited for the virtual convention next week!

Hey, that is good news! Bulldog? I know you are busy these days, but if possible, would you post a few highlights from the virtual DNC Convention? For those of us like me whp might not get to hear it or see it? Please, and thank you.

I am excited too. Hoorah for team Biden & Harris.

[Cin]

Originally Posted by BullDog

The idea that Biden is a weak candidate is so completely absurd. It makes me laugh and very angry at the same time.

That's just the person who wrote the article's opinion. Everybody has one. I would go with laughing if I were you. Very angry is just a waste of energy. Someone's opinion doesn't make it a reality. Nor will someone's opinion decide the election.

I did find some interesting thoughts in the article. The thing about Trump contesting the election and electoral college results and demanding a vote in the House as the 12th amendment allows is one. Supposedly more state delegations are under Republican control despite a democratic majority in the House.

This might be the most important election in my lifetime. As was stated in the article "Democrats need a huge turnout to undo the impact of so-called “spoiled ballots,” electronic vote machine theft and the removal of Democratic voters, i.e. Black people, from the rolls." It is imperative that people vote anyway they can.

[BullDog]

Originally Posted by Cin

This might be the most important election in my lifetime.

Yes, exactly that's why I tried to compile a list of things people can do. And there are others.

I have plenty of energy and I am DONE with the bashing of our Democratic Presidential nominee. Done. Done. Done.