Break Glass - 2020 USA Elections

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  • Re Congress:

    Fortunately, Nancy Pelosi was re-elected as Speaker of the House yesterday. It was very close. But imagine the exponentially worse mess if someone else took over at this point. Yikes.
  • {Copying over my post from the Purg "Oops" thread.}

    Interestingl, VP-elect Kamala Harris can still participate. (The Hill, via MSN).
    California Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D), who Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) named as Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' replacement, is set to assume the seat after Harris resigns following the Jan. 20 inauguration.

    {snip}

    A Democratic victory in both seats would result in a 50-50 split in the chamber, with tie votes broken by Harris.
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
    Trumplestiltskin works quite well, doesn’t it? But my Hostly Hat says save it for Hell.

    Unfortunately, I don’t think Trump is going away.
  • Barnabas--

    Just for the record: *I* didn't call him that. You did. I just wondered if he would "do a Rumplestiltskin".
    :)
  • stetson wrote: »
    stetson wrote: »
    Wood wrote:

    We have also learned that the Globalists like George Soros & the Elitists like Bill Gates were involved. CIA too(no surprise- military industrial complex).

    Nice to see a Republican finally picking up the torch from Eisenhower. Sort of.

    I'm not one for hearing anti-semitic dog-whistles everywhere but could that "Globalists" be any more blatant?

    Within the context of "Soros", etc, yes.

    Thing is, though, since about the mid-90s, "globalization" has been a villain for the left as well, without most of the "anti-globalization" movement intending it as anti-semitic. So a lot of people who hear the term used by the MAGA crowd might not pick up on the innuendo.

    (Personally, I was never a huge fan of the left-wing anti-globalization movement, so if its terminology gets discredited by association with Trump and Brexit, that's pretty much okay by me. It's kinda their own fault, since the aims of the movement were always kinda nebulous, and hence an open-invitation to hijacking.)

    Could the term Globalist as used by Wood to describe George Soros also describe someone who wants the US to work within a framework of international alliances and institutions, such as the UN? Someone from the far right would allege that Americans who want to do this are traitors because they wish to place effective fetters on US sovereignty, and eventually bring about world Government. I am a globalist, in that sense, as are all American Presidents between FDR and Obama. Globalist in this sense is a synonym of internationalist, and the opposite of an isolationist. I find the re-emergence of isolationist thinking in the mainstream of US politics very disturbing.
    Crœsos wrote: »
    You can hear some of the audio HERE on youtube.

    For those with the stamina for such things (and a willingness to use one of your monthly Washington Post clicks) the whole conversation is available here. It's 1:02:40 long.
    Just jaw dropping. Surely now Pence and the other lunatics have to stop the nonsense, accept the result, and denounce Trump?

    I'd like to think so, but probably not. This reminds me of another recent article in the Washington Post recommending some measures to overhaul American democracy and increase public confidence in elections. While a lot of them are good ideas (especially eliminating the electoral college), the basic flaw is in the premise that Republicans are genuinely concerned about election security and ease of voting. They're not. They're upset that they lost and they're making a lot of bad faith arguments to justify throwing out an election and giving them a win they didn't earn. That's all there is to it. I don't know what the answer is to the Republicans' sociopathy, but electoral reforms aren't going to satisfy them. They just want to rule (not govern).

    I wonder whether the split in the GOP embodied by the Lincoln Project might spread further in their congressional ranks the harder Trump pushes for action on the record and in the Congress. Given the records of Senators Collins and Murkowski on previous moments of crisis during Trump's Presidency, this seems unlikely.

    And yet I hope.
  • Simon Toad--

    Yes, "globalist" can be used in the international sense you described. But when someone throws Jewish billionaire (?) George Soros into the mix, they're most likely referring negatively to his Jewishness.
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
    Sure, GK. I was simply intrigued by the resonance, not in any way getting at you. The mischievousness is all mine! Even Hosts get naughty sometimes ...
  • Fair enough. ;) The mention of the Hostly Hat... ;)

    FYI: years ago, early in my time on the Ship, when I was still trying to get a handle on how things worked, there was a Purg thread that was chugging along...until a Host broke the rules...and transferred the thread to Hell, due to their own fault.. I wasn't a happy camper. Was too scared of the board.
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
    Sorry for the reminder. I’ve put my mischievous hat back in the drawer.
  • Golden Key wrote: »
    Simon Toad--

    Yes, "globalist" can be used in the international sense you described. But when someone throws Jewish billionaire (?) George Soros into the mix, they're most likely referring negatively to his Jewishness.

    Plus almost all paranoid, anti-UN ranting ultimately blames a global Jewish conspiracy.
  • Barnabas62 wrote: »
    Apparently Raffensperger recorded the call, gave strict instructions that the recording would not be released unless Trump attacked him publicly. Which Trump did in a tweet.

    By any standards it is a remarkable conversation. But I think Croesos is probably right about the impact of its release. However, I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if some of the content is used in any debates in Congress later this week. By both Republicans and Democrats.

    And yes, I’m concerned now about the risks of violence on the streets.

    Donald Trump is not only stupid, he is evil and crazy ... BAD combo ...
  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host
    Barnabas62 wrote: »
    Trumplestiltskin works quite well, doesn’t it? But my Hostly Hat says save it for Hell.

    Unfortunately, I don’t think Trump is going away.

    Apohasis much @Barnabas62 ?
  • Golden Key wrote: »
    I periodically wonder if T is going to do a Rumplestiltskin*, stamping angrily in a circle, over and over, until he wears a hole in the ground, falls in, and is never seen again.*

    *Character in European fairy tale, by the same name.

    In some versions of the tale he rips himself in half.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Vis-a-vis DT's suggestion that votes be "found", one commentator said if this sort of evidence surfaced in, say, an African country, a US president would be calling for UN troops to be sent in.

    Another observation I've heard is that if this kind of call emerged in the context of a mayoral election, the mayor would almost certainly be going to jail. The call was at least as blatant as the one where former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich 40892-424 was trying to auction off Barack Obama's senate seat. Trump commuted Blagojevich 40892-424's sentence to time served last year because game recognizes game apparently.

    The interesting question is the one that no one seems to be willing to ask. Given the electoral math Trump would have to flip the electoral votes in at least three of the closely-decided states in order to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. What are the odds that Brad Raffensperger is the only state election official Trump made such a call to? Given that those odds are ~0% I'd also like to know why Raffensperger is the only official (so far) to come forward about this? Hopefully this is a question the House of Representatives will look into in the coming few months.
    Barnabas62 wrote: »
    Trumplestiltskin works quite well, doesn’t it? But my Hostly Hat says save it for Hell.

    Trumplethinskin?
  • BroJames wrote: »
    Barnabas62 wrote: »
    Trumplestiltskin works quite well, doesn’t it? But my Hostly Hat says save it for Hell.

    Unfortunately, I don’t think Trump is going away.

    Apohasis much @Barnabas62 ?

    Or apophasis, depending on your keyboard.
  • Question: T said he needed to find 11,780 votes--"one more" than he has. Anyone understand the "one more"? Haven't heard any explanation. Thx.

    BTW: I noticed that creative Interwebbers have already put a clip of T's comments to music in videos. Haven't watched any. Here's one. I don't know if it's possibly NSFW.

    "VIDEO: Trump Asks For 11,780 Votes, But It's To the Tune of RENT's 'Seasons of Love'" (Broadway World).
  • mousethief wrote: »
    Golden Key wrote: »
    I periodically wonder if T is going to do a Rumplestiltskin*, stamping angrily in a circle, over and over, until he wears a hole in the ground, falls in, and is never seen again.*

    *Character in European fairy tale, by the same name.

    In some versions of the tale he rips himself in half.

    Yikes.
  • Golden Key wrote: »
    Question: T said he needed to find 11,780 votes--"one more" than he has. Anyone understand the "one more"? Haven't heard any explanation. Thx.

    BTW: I noticed that creative Interwebbers have already put a clip of T's comments to music in videos. Haven't watched any. Here's one. I don't know if it's possibly NSFW.

    "VIDEO: Trump Asks For 11,780 Votes, But It's To the Tune of RENT's 'Seasons of Love'" (Broadway World).

    "One more than he [Biden] has" is I think what he means in his very confused head. That is, he wants to "win" the election by a single vote.
  • PendragonPendragon Shipmate
    He is so deluded that he thinks that someone who would baulk at finding 12,000 votes down the back of the sofa would be happy to magic up a majority of 1.
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
    Apophasis? Nice word. I promise not to be mischievous for a while.
  • mousethief wrote: »
    Golden Key wrote: »
    I periodically wonder if T is going to do a Rumplestiltskin*, stamping angrily in a circle, over and over, until he wears a hole in the ground, falls in, and is never seen again.*

    *Character in European fairy tale, by the same name.

    In some versions of the tale he rips himself in half.

    I feel much sorrier for Rumpelstiltskin than for Trump though. After all, he did save the heroine by spinning all that straw into gold, and what thanks does he get?
  • mousethief wrote: »
    Golden Key wrote: »
    I periodically wonder if T is going to do a Rumplestiltskin*, stamping angrily in a circle, over and over, until he wears a hole in the ground, falls in, and is never seen again.*

    *Character in European fairy tale, by the same name.

    In some versions of the tale he rips himself in half.

    I feel much sorrier for Rumpelstiltskin than for Trump though. After all, he did save the heroine by spinning all that straw into gold, and what thanks does he get?

    While I have no sympathy for Donald Trump, who is a dangerously stupid evil psychopath, I do feel sorry for him for what he misses by being inhuman ...

    Can you imagine going through life with zero capacity for empathy, for insight, for spiritual life and personal growth ... ???
  • Crœsos wrote: »
    The interesting question is the one that no one seems to be willing to ask. Given the electoral math Trump would have to flip the electoral votes in at least three of the closely-decided states in order to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. What are the odds that Brad Raffensperger is the only state election official Trump made such a call to?

    That is the question I raised on the Trump thread. It is, as you say, one that few commentators are asking at the moment. Which makes me wonder why they aren't asking it. Is it that they already know the answer?

  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Brad Raffensperger recorded the last call, but it turns out Trump had been calling him several times a day haranguing him. I understand this is why Brad had his personal lawyer as a witness.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Brad Raffensperger recorded the last call, but it turns out Trump had been calling him several times a day haranguing him. I understand this is why Brad had his personal lawyer as a witness.

    And in his Nuremberg-style rally tonight in Georgia The Leader was of course denouncing both the Governor and Secretary of State of Georgia for not meekly -- loyally -- complying ...
  • He's also awarding a Presidential Medal of Freedom (highest civilian US honor, IIRC) to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) for vociferously supporting him.
    :eyeroll:
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Brad Raffensperger recorded the last call, but it turns out Trump had been calling him several times a day haranguing him. I understand this is why Brad had his personal lawyer as a witness.

    That's what Trump did to McGahn, according to McGahn's evidence to the Mueller Inquiry.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Brad Raffensperger recorded the last call, but it turns out Trump had been calling him several times a day haranguing him. I understand this is why Brad had his personal lawyer as a witness.
    I have to wonder could one refuse to take a call from the President, or perhaps say, "Excuse me sir let me put you on hold I have a call on my other line."

  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    I have to wonder could one refuse to take a call from the President, or perhaps say, "Excuse me sir let me put you on hold I have a call on my other line."

    And while he was on hold he could listen to Send in the Clowns :naughty:
  • Marvin the MartianMarvin the Martian Admin Emeritus
    edited January 5
    Can you imagine going through life with zero capacity for empathy, for insight, for spiritual life and personal growth ... ???

    Being able to do what you want and not feel bad about it sounds pretty good to me. Empathy hurts, spiritual life stops you having fun and personal growth is for people who aren't already everything they want to be. The only problem is you also have to be rich enough to not need to rely on anyone else.
  • SojournerSojourner Shipmate
    No pockets in the shroud
  • Marvin the MartianMarvin the Martian Admin Emeritus
    I'll be dead by then, so who cares?
  • Can you imagine going through life with zero capacity for empathy, for insight, for spiritual life and personal growth ... ???

    Being able to do what you want and not feel bad about it sounds pretty good to me. Empathy hurts, spiritual life stops you having fun and personal growth is for people who aren't already everything they want to be. The only problem is you also have to be rich enough to not need to rely on anyone else.

    Yes, but the problem for the rich is that they do have to rely on other people: nannies, cleaners, valets, chauffeurs, etc. Often it is how they treat these people that gives the truest indication into their behaviour. In the case of Trump, I recall a law suit by a chauffeur over low pay or unpaid work.
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    edited January 5
    Can you imagine going through life with zero capacity for empathy, for insight, for spiritual life and personal growth ... ???

    Being able to do what you want and not feel bad about it sounds pretty good to me. Empathy hurts, spiritual life stops you having fun and personal growth is for people who aren't already everything they want to be. The only problem is you also have to be rich enough to not need to rely on anyone else.

    Empathy is good -

    Because loving and giving are a joy.

    Because the richer people become the more unsafe they feel.

    Because giving everyone a good standard of living - more equity - makes a healthier, happier and safer society.

    Because selfish people are the most miserable and most easily upset, they are easily hurt and they lack resilience. They soon lash out and hurt others.

    Because attitude is a choice, optimism is a choice, giving is a choice, respect is a choice - and whatever choice you make makes you.

    To be human is to choose wisely.

  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Brad Raffensperger recorded the last call, but it turns out Trump had been calling him several times a day haranguing him. I understand this is why Brad had his personal lawyer as a witness.
    I have to wonder could one refuse to take a call from the President, or perhaps say, "Excuse me sir let me put you on hold I have a call on my other line."

    Apparently the Governor of Arizona did exactly that while certifying that state's election results.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    @Boogie

    optimism is a choice

    Wish it were.
  • Marvin the MartianMarvin the Martian Admin Emeritus
    Yes, but the problem for the rich is that they do have to rely on other people: nannies, cleaners, valets, chauffeurs, etc.

    That's why you have to be rich, so that you can hire staff to do those things for you.
  • (As a tangent: if optimism Were a choice then shares in medication for anxiety and depression would plummet)
  • Ethne Alba wrote: »
    (As a tangent: if optimism Were a choice then shares in medication for anxiety and depression would plummet)

    It's an interesting tangent, and therapists would be out of business. However, it's quite complicated, as I think some people are attached to depression.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Golden Key wrote: »
    He's also awarding a Presidential Medal of Freedom (highest civilian US honor, IIRC) to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) for vociferously supporting him.
    :eyeroll:

    Not just vociferously supporting Trump, Nunes seems to have been feeding the Trump administration* inside information on the Russia investigation back when he was chair of the House Intelligence Committee. At least I never heard any other explanation for his midnight run that was both plausible and fit the known facts.

    There are really only two known facts about Nunes known to members of the public who don't live in his district and aren't obsessive Congress watchers:
    1. He was Trump's "inside man" on the House Intelligence Committee during the Russia investigation.
    2. His lawsuit against an internet cow.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Brad Raffensperger recorded the last call, but it turns out Trump had been calling him several times a day haranguing him. I understand this is why Brad had his personal lawyer as a witness.
    I have to wonder could one refuse to take a call from the President, or perhaps say, "Excuse me sir let me put you on hold I have a call on my other line."

    Apparently the Governor of Arizona did exactly that while certifying that state's election results.

    Yes! You beat me to posting that. That's probably the first good thing he's ever done as our Governor.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    As I understand it, the White House operator had been trying to reach the Georgia SoS for over 11 hours before Brad took the call. It seems the SoS had to take time to set up the trap as it were. (Rachel Maddow reported this last night),
  • Boogie wrote: »
    Can you imagine going through life with zero capacity for empathy, for insight, for spiritual life and personal growth ... ???

    Being able to do what you want and not feel bad about it sounds pretty good to me. Empathy hurts, spiritual life stops you having fun and personal growth is for people who aren't already everything they want to be. The only problem is you also have to be rich enough to not need to rely on anyone else.

    Empathy is good -

    Because loving and giving are a joy.

    Because the richer people become the more unsafe they feel.

    Because giving everyone a good standard of living - more equity - makes a healthier, happier and safer society.

    Because selfish people are the most miserable and most easily upset, they are easily hurt and they lack resilience. They soon lash out and hurt others.

    Because attitude is a choice, optimism is a choice, giving is a choice, respect is a choice - and whatever choice you make makes you.

    To be human is to choose wisely.

    Amen ...
  • Croesos--

    Well, no wonder T awarded Nunes: N is a micro version of T.

    Is there a term for someone who's obsessed with an imaginary cow?
  • Lamb ChoppedLamb Chopped Shipmate
    edited January 5
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Brad Raffensperger recorded the last call, but it turns out Trump had been calling him several times a day haranguing him. I understand this is why Brad had his personal lawyer as a witness.
    I have to wonder could one refuse to take a call from the President, or perhaps say, "Excuse me sir let me put you on hold I have a call on my other line."

    Apparently the Governor of Arizona did exactly that while certifying that state's election results.

    I understand that the first eighteen times he called Georgia, he got patched through to interns.

    One wonders just how many times that was an intentional thing.
  • DafydDafyd Shipmate
    I understand that the first eighteen times he called Georgia, he got patched through to interns.
    What had the interns done to deserve that?

  • HedgehogHedgehog Shipmate
    Golden Key wrote: »
    Is there a term for someone who's obsessed with an imaginary cow?
    A Nune-atic?

  • LOL. Or, seeing as how cows graze, "grazy-crazy"?
  • Dafyd wrote: »
    I understand that the first eighteen times he called Georgia, he got patched through to interns.
    What had the interns done to deserve that?

    I suspect the interns had a great time. "Hey, I got that crazy guy again, thinks he's the president."
  • Golden KeyGolden Key Shipmate
    edited January 5
    Admins and receptionists have been known to forward annoying callers to non-existent numbers, or ones that aren't currently in use. Generally, annoying salespeople, or known scammers.

    I supposed that could be done with T. (Though what repercussions might he cause?) I also suppose one might forward him to an outside number, and there are so many, many ...interesting... numbers that could be used. Preferably something that's initially automated, so no one has to deal with him directly.
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