Re: US Election
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2020 2:53 pm
Tantrum, I predict.
Tantrum, I predict.
To be fair, America is a cause of many of the hardships facing people around the world*. As far as that goes it doesn't really matter who is president, except in unusual cases (e.g. the Bush jr. administration was exceptionally destructive, in a variety of ways). Trump is unusual in the sense that he's like the portrait of Dorian Grey for the US.sTeamTraen wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 1:36 pm As a citizen of the world, with no real interest in US domestic affairs, I would settle for Trump being gone and the institutions that make America work as a major world power getting back to normal, notable the DoJ and FBI. Getting rid of Trump means, first and foremost, getting rid of executive interference. If Trump goes to jail, it will be because Federal and State prosecutors establish a case against him. Many are surely itching to start doing so; Biden won't be issuing overt or clandestine orders about this, or naming his Attorney-General based on a commitment from the latter to Get Trump.
Obviously, as a person who believes in humanity, I would also like to see the Democrats control all of Congress and pass all kinds of progressive legislation. But in a sense, I want that just as much for the people of Brazil or Russia or Saudi Arabia, and I don't spend much time thinking about their internal politics. It seems inconsistent, at least, to worry about certain regressive aspects of American society while not saying much about the far bigger problems affecting far larger numbers of people around the world whose regimes are actively evil and corrupt.
Put another way, if Trump had died of COVID and the race had been between Biden and Pence, I would be very much hoping that Biden would win. But I wouldn't have been losing too much sleep about him not winning. Pence's attitude to politics is wrong in a normal way of being wrong, whereas Trump is wrong at a completely different level, and he surrounds himself with other of that ilk, like Giuliani, Bannon, and Miller.
Woodchopper wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:07 pm About 61 000 votes left to count in Georgia, Biden is about 19 000 behind.
It needs a split of 2:1 (40,000 for Biden to 21,000 for Trump). Let's hope they split the 9:1 way that from Pennsylvania that EPD cited from PA.lpm wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:21 pm There will be more than that emerging from the woodwork, but that's enough for Biden to get ahead according to people who look at the detail by county.
I think you've forgotten North Carolina there, which is probably in Trump's column.sTeamTraen wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:35 pmWoodchopper wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:07 pm About 61 000 votes left to count in Georgia, Biden is about 19 000 behind.It needs a split of 2:1 (40,000 for Biden to 21,000 for Trump). Let's hope they split the 9:1 way that from Pennsylvania that EPD cited from PA.lpm wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:21 pm There will be more than that emerging from the woodwork, but that's enough for Biden to get ahead according to people who look at the detail by county.
If Biden wins NV/AZ/GA/PA and Trump only gets Alaska, that would be 321:217. Surely that has to be game over? Trump will squeal for ever, but only the people who are prepared to go down with him would stick around then, shirley?
True, but then most of us are also to some extent complicit in that. Mrs sTeamTraen and I own a car, we eat meat, we own smartphones that use rare elements of unknown provenance, we buy products without checking if the palm oil they contain is ethically sourced. We probably consume the planet's resources more slowly than the average American, but not an order of magnitude more slowly. So in that sense America is the prime mover and leading exponent of the hardships facing people, not many of us are in a position to critique them.secret squirrel wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:31 pm To be fair, America is a cause of many of the hardships facing people around the world*. As far as that goes it doesn't really matter who is president, except in unusual cases (e.g. the Bush jr. administration was exceptionally destructive, in a variety of ways).
Yes it's true the rest of the West is complicit. As for America being historically 'on our side', you should take into account that for parts of the 20th century, American war plans involved massive nuclear strikes against the USSR and China that would have dealt devastating collateral damage to nearby countries such as Germany and Finland, and they seriously thought about making a pre-emptive strike. It's always been America first. We are expendable.sTeamTraen wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:46 pmTrue, but then most of us are also to some extent complicit in that. Mrs sTeamTraen and I own a car, we eat meat, we own smartphones that use rare elements of unknown provenance, we buy products without checking if the palm oil they contain is ethically sourced. We probably consume the planet's resources more slowly than the average American, but not an order of magnitude more slowly. So in that sense America is the prime mover and leading exponent of the hardships facing people, not many of us are in a position to critique them.secret squirrel wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:31 pm To be fair, America is a cause of many of the hardships facing people around the world*. As far as that goes it doesn't really matter who is president, except in unusual cases (e.g. the Bush jr. administration was exceptionally destructive, in a variety of ways).
Perhaps it's a generational thing, but I grew up understanding that while the US is sometimes a bit paranoid, when push comes to shove for the Western world, America would be there as part of the solution, not part of the problem. Biden won't be sending Christmas cards to Farage or Duterte, for example, and I suspect that neither would GW Bush (as an absolute minimum, there would have been people in his administration advising against it, without fear of being fired).
Small point, but I cited the beeb, and was referring to Pennsylvania rather than the Press Association. Happy to clarify though.sTeamTraen wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:35 pm Let's hope they split the 9:1 way that from Pennsylvania that EPD cited from PA.
Well, he'll probably have to cut down on randomly shooting people on 5th Ave.El Pollo Diablo wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:19 pm What's the chance of Trump being arrested once he's not president any more?
Martin Y wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:28 pmWell, he'll probably have to cut down on randomly shooting people on 5th Ave.El Pollo Diablo wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:19 pm What's the chance of Trump being arrested once he's not president any more?
You did indeed. I was in a hurry and only saw a box with not "Beeb said", missing the handwritten label above it. Apologies.El Pollo Diablo wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:18 pmSmall point, but I cited the beeb, and was referring to Pennsylvania rather than the Press Association. Happy to clarify though.sTeamTraen wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:35 pm Let's hope they split the 9:1 way that from Pennsylvania that EPD cited from PA.
As an an aside, if you ever have a spare few minutes compare the different battle plans the US, UK and Canada drew up in case of a US-Canada war during the Interwar years.
Flipping Georgia could have a huge psychological impact to the post-election narrative. I wonder whether Stacey Abrams might have a role in the new administration. There was a piece somewhere (538 site?) the other day saying how crucial she is to the Dems taking Georgia seriously as a prospect.
I think there’s a few AG’s wanting a little chat about non-President related things even if he negotiated a pardon for all the sh.t he did as President.El Pollo Diablo wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:19 pm What's the chance of Trump being arrested once he's not president any more?