RIP RIP RBG

[Renzatic]

However, if the result is close, - a narrow Democrat victory could lead to a nightmare scenario, especially if Mr Trump challenges the legitimacy or validity of some votes...

Most political victories in this day and age are narrow, so I'm expecting we'll come within spitting distance of the worst case scenario here.

All gloves are off, all pretenses dropped, and the Republicans are showing themselves to be engaged in a naked power grab with no regards to precedence or jurisprudence. Thing are almost guaranteed to get uglier from this point on.

 

[lizkat]

If 1), the Dems win, (the presidency, that is, and taking the Senate - while a considerable challenge - would be very nice, too), and 2), the margin of victory leaves little, or no room, for doubt, about the result, then, while Mr Trump will throw tantrums, and become increasingly unhinged, it will be difficult for other organs of the state to support him should he wish to behave in an illegal and undemocratic manner, and decline to leave office on the appointed date.

However, if the result is close, - a narrow Democrat victory could lead to a nightmare scenario, especially if Mr Trump challenges the legitimacy or validity of some votes, and his efforts at voter suppression are somewhat (rather than extravagantly) successful, or, worse, if there is a striking divergence (yet again) between the popular vote and the results returned by the electoral college, then, I fear an autumn of unrest, as Mr Trump seeks to retain office and power, and a serious test of whether the institutions (and constitution) of the country are sufficiently sturdy and robust to withstand this.

Well said. I too don't think Trump will have a chance in hell of "refusing to leave" after the election of Biden if the electoral college margin is substantial. The Rs at the top are sycophants and Barr is a disgrace but the machinery of federal government still knows how transitions work.

It's if the election outcome(s) end up in court over any number of possible real or trumped-up reasons that there could be hell to pay while cases are deliberated or after some rulings, appeals and possible high court involvement ensue.

That's why I hope that Biden will come in with double digit margins in both popular and electoral college votes. The problem is that the passing of Justice Ginsburg just now has created an opportunity for "both sides" to try to juice up their voter turnout, and both sides will have expected that their respective efforts will have done just that, and so heighten their suspicion of an outcome that disappoints.

Fact: Turkey is not a member of the EU, never was, and - at this stage - is very unlikely, surpassingly unlikely, to be considered as a candidate for opening accession talks.

Yeah I think the confusion is that accession negotiations were actually opened on about half the necessary points, although none or maybe a couple were completed.... and meanwhile they'd signed up for assorted other Eurocentric organizations... and so far Erdogan has not formally said "fuhgeddaboudit" even though it's pretty clear he's fine sitting internationally where his country sits geographically, i.e. in the middle of everything and nowhere at the same time.

 

[Renzatic]

Seems a few of our retired military generals are a bit concerned about our current goings on.

The question is, what will our current military leadership do?

 

[lizkat]

Seems a few of our retired military generals are a bit concerned about our current goings on.

The question is, what will our current military leadership do?

Probably convince a bunch of military families to break with tradition and vote blue. They have a lot of fricken good reasons to do so in 2020 if they think about it.

 

[Eric]

Seems a few of our retired military generals are a bit concerned about our current goings on.

The question is, what will our current military leadership do?

Could be they'll have to choose between a mob of angry citizens and a president who considers them losers and suckers.

 

[Renzatic]

Probably convince a bunch of military families to break with tradition and vote blue. They have a lot of fricken good reasons to do so in 2020 if they think about it.

Trump is polling dismally low among those in active service, which is rather astounding, given how the military skews conservative, and loves a Republican president by default. That a full half of the military actively loathes him, and 15% are neutral, should be the clearest sign for the Republicans about the hill they're attempting to die on here.

The only silver lining they have in this regard is that Trump is still polling slightly higher than Obama did among the military, but still...

 

[Renzatic]

Could be they'll have to choose between a mob of angry citizens and a president who considers them losers and suckers.

Fortunately for them, Trump has plenty of willing paramilitary forces to call upon to put the boots upon our necks in their stead.

 

[Alli]

I had a very large drink and then cried myself to sleep last night. I know that Justice Ginsberg would have retired, had Trump not been in office. She was strong in the most biblical and fundamental sense.

I am afraid of what this country will be like between now and January.

 

[jonblatho]

I do feel bad for her passing, I really do, but I'd be lying if "FUCK" wasn't the first thought that came to mind.

Rest assured, I said it early, often, extremely loudly, and repeatedly, in my car, alone, after receiving the word from a friend.

He said “Well, fuck 2020 with a rusty fire iron,” and I’m not sure how I immediately knew it was RBG, but I knew. The news notification came about 30 seconds later.

I partially lost my voice. And while no one here knows me in real life, it’s just not in my nature to even raise my voice, let alone scream. I screamed.

 

[Thomas Veil]

I'm still so pissed off at Moscow Mitch almost a day later that I'm going to send a contribution to Amy McGrath. Doesn't matter that she's not from my state. Fuck McConnell! I want him out. He needs to be sent to the political Phantom Zone.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I'm still so pissed off at Moscow Mitch almost a day later that I'm going to send a contribution to Amy McGrath. Doesn't matter that she's not from my state. Fuck McConnell! I want him out. He needs to be sent to the political Phantom Zone.

Now, that sounds like a sensible course of action.

Well done.

 

[jonblatho]

I'm still so pissed off at Moscow Mitch almost a day later that I'm going to send a contribution to Amy McGrath. Doesn't matter that she's not from my state. Fuck McConnell! I want him out. He needs to be sent to the political Phantom Zone.

Send it to candidates who might actually win, which doesn’t include McGrath, who has tons of cash and is still trailing, by a lot.

This ActBlue fund goes to multiple, far better races that could use the cash and get meaningful results: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/getmitch

Also, ActBlue has raised over $65M since last night, quickly coming up on $70M. Remarkable.

 

[Mark]

@lizkat:
...Turkey...

totally agree.

it was a brilliant and progressive stance for the EU to take steps to put forth a path for turkey to join the EU.

but turkey under erdogan has moved so far towards a direction opposite of a secular modern turkish tradition, that i hope the EU is rethinking the milestones that turkey would need to hit before being admitted.
i do feel sorry for millions of turkish people and businessmen who have invested their lives and families in broadening contacts with western europe if turkey's path to the EU becomes totally blocked.

rather than the path to being admitted to the EU, the major decision point looming is if turkey can remain a member of NATO.
a NATO without a like-minded partner is a weak and potentially dangerous alliance.

turkey's stance against the indomitable kurds matches trump's abandoning the kurds.
but trump's stance is not america's stance on the kurds. ( i think this is only because being pro-Kurd is seen as being anti-Iran by pompeo et alia.)
the number 1 issue for turkey, even more than the EU, is a potential Greater Kurdistan.
and the EU will never let turkey into the EU with continued human rights abuses against the kurds.

 

[Mark]

I'm still so pissed off at Moscow Mitch almost a day later that I'm going to send a contribution to Amy McGrath. Doesn't matter that she's not from my state. Fuck McConnell! I want him out. He needs to be sent to the political Phantom Zone.

thank you for that.
your donation is competing against russian investment money into mcconnellstan.

in blood red kentucky, McConnell's lead has been shrinking over the past 6 months, but it is still very much of a slog to defeat him.

 

[lizkat]

Trump is polling dismally low among those in active service, which is rather astounding, given how the military skews conservative, and loves a Republican president by default. That a full half of the military actively loathes him, and 15% are neutral, should be the clearest sign for the Republicans about the hill they're attempting to die on here.

The only silver lining they have in this regard is that Trump is still polling slightly higher than Obama did among the military, but still...

Yeah you know he steps on his own chances with them the way he talks, and doesn't seem to realize it. Like saying "we're out of Syria" and then tacking on the dismal "... but we're keeping the oil". Like a Gold Star mom really wants to know that the veterans who came home in a box were there to, uh,,, keep oil safe for democracy (or Putin, or Khomenei). Maybe she knows that already. Surely it's presidential not to rub it in, but see Trump has not even the class of a commodities trader at work in the pits.

One thing that didn't go over big was Trump shuffling Pentagon money around to get what he wanted to build more wall, when some of what he did was put 127 approved, finally funded projects for military housing improvement and school upgrades etc back in the box. They didn't get deferred, they got put back to square one: want something? relaunch the paperwork.

 

[SuperMatt]

Trump is polling dismally low among those in active service, which is rather astounding, given how the military skews conservative, and loves a Republican president by default. That a full half of the military actively loathes him, and 15% are neutral, should be the clearest sign for the Republicans about the hill they're attempting to die on here.

The only silver lining they have in this regard is that Trump is still polling slightly higher than Obama did among the military, but still...

The military has focused on education for soldiers, and the more educated soldiers are more likely to vote against Republicans. This can be seen if they break votes down by rank: officers need a college education and they are substantially anti-Trump.

 

[Thomas Veil]

I mentioned this back in post #34 but didn't know the original source. lizkat had it in another thread. Definitely worth repeating. (Thank you, @lizkat.)

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1306959260035686400/
​

 

[Eric]

The scene at the U.S. Supreme Court tonight at RBG’s vigil.

 

[JayMysteri0]

A reminder
https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1307506339883757568/
https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1307506341968318464/

I have ALWAYS said there's a reason Susan Collins looks like the 'Lucy Van Pelt' of congress. People need to stop falling for her shit.

In an interview with CBS' Norah O'Donnell, Collins said "I believe that the President has learned from this case" and that Trump "will be much more cautious in the future."

- CNN

 

[Thomas Veil]

Yes, she's always pulling away the football from us, just like she did during the Kavanaugh hearings. But it's quotes like this...

In an interview with CBS' Norah O'Donnell, Collins said "I believe that the President has learned from this case" and that Trump "will be much more cautious in the future."

...that make me think it's not so much because she's corrupt or misleading people, but more because she's a dithering idiot.