Can you manage for the next 6 posts without screwing up the quote tags?:banana::banana:Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
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Can you manage for the next 6 posts without screwing up the quote tags?:banana::banana:Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
It's a reasonable question. Evidently he has good periods and bad periods. He can probably handle the normal business of government, but what if there's an unexpected crisis when he's having a bad period? What if he has to make a critical phone call to Putin or Xi Jinping and he loses his train of thought, as occurred in the debate?Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
I guess letting him serve out his term was the price of getting him to withdraw his candidacy, but it has disadvantages. If he resigned, KH would have the chance to show she can do the job. It would also avoid her having to spend the next 3 1/2 months defending his ability to do the job. He'll still be in the public eye, and there's obviously a risk of more senior moments.
Apologies- I am away from home and not using a computer hence my own lack of competence.Quote:
Originally Posted by rodinuk
It could also show that she can't do the job.Quote:
Originally Posted by filghy2
Still stuck at the anger stage?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fitzcarraldo
Why do you try to make everything personal? My comment was true.Quote:
Originally Posted by filghy2
Also, Biden didn't step aside because he thinks he can no longer handle the job. He stepped aside because he was forced to, which is obvious to everyone.
So was mine. Everything you've written on this topic has been either denial that Biden's decline is a problem or anger that other people were raising concerns about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fitzcarraldo
It was also an odd comment given that Biden has endorsed her for the job and you had no problem previously with her being next in line.
Bullshit. I expressed my opinions on Biden. You make bitchy remarks about me, not the topic.Quote:
Originally Posted by filghy2
If Biden resigns before the end of his term, Harris can't devote her full time to campaigning (and she doesn't officially have the nomination yet). It would be foolish for him to put her in that position now, and whatever she did as president would give the Republicans more ammo against her.
Just to spice things up in this historic (IMHO) election...
Black Lives Matter IS NOTon board with Kamala Harris:
https://blacklivesmatter.com/black-l...ratic-nominee/
Quote:
Now, Democratic Party elites and billionaire donors are attempting to manipulate Black voters by anointing Kamala Harris and an unknown vice president as the new Democratic ticket without a primary vote by the public.
Curiously, you never thought this was a problem for Biden, even though he has to be in bed by 8pm.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fitzcarraldo
Good to know you are definitely not angry.
So who is the BLM candidate?Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFanti
I doubt this will hurt her chances when the other side is trying to paint her as too left-wing. Weren't you the guy previously telling us that BLM didn't represent what black people think?Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFanti
The statement is actually objecting to the process rather than her being the nominee, though there would be no point in a virtual primary unless there is another candidate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
The analysis in this blog post shows the problem with your logic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
https://substack.com/home/post/p-146877086
"So far, support for Trump in 2024 is nearly identical to what it was at this time four years ago. The big change is how much less support Biden had this month than he did in July 2020 – nearly 10 points less. We see that difference reflected in the purple lines, which show the doubling of the number of “neither Biden nor Trump” voters who tell pollsters they are either undecided or would choose a third-party candidate. In other words, Trump has not grown his support, but Biden had lost much of his."
Attachment 1461347
The problem lies with the disclaimer made at the start of the article proving the rest is merely speculation.Quote:
Originally Posted by filghy2
What is fact is the existing record of Trump election officials already refusing to certify local elections, suggesting the worst is yet to come, though I don’t believe they have actually changed the vote, but the possibility of the Supreme Court ruling in Trump’s favour cannot be dismissed, even if Harris is a clear winner, as the issue is not what votes that count, but who counts the votes, as Stalin said. It makes for chilling reading because it is not speculation.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/swing-stat...150000944.html
Attachment 1461456Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
filghy i'll look more into it. i have to see what that number of undecideds or third party candidate will be in the swing states. Trump support has unfortunately been very sticky and very resistant to large losses of support. There is also some time to see how much more popular than Joe Biden Kamala might be.
disclaimer: i didn't read the blog post but i accept the premise that Trump might win without gaining support. But still a lot in play.
some of these state polls when biden was still running are grisly looking. 5-10 percent deficits in states that he won in 2020. so there isn't a lot of updated data but I assume Kamala has some ground to make up.
Nate Silver has just published his first take since Biden dropped out (although most of it only for subscribers). It's early days, but it looks like Kamala Harris has closed the gap in the national vote and in some of the battleground states, though there is still some ground to make up to win the Electoral College.Quote:
Originally Posted by broncofan
https://www.natesilver.net/p/nate-si...on-polls-model
Have you nothing to say about the Trump election officials who are only interested in winning, and will use every tactic they can not to certify an election if they lose it, and it doesn’t matter by how many votes? And nothing to say about a Supreme Court that will almost certainly back Trump if the decision ends up with them? Yes, at the moment the figures are not good for Harris, but again, is Trump growing his voter base?Quote:
Originally Posted by filghy2
Months to go yet, and now there is even speculation Trump might drop Vance.
Not sure if it is wise for Harris to trade insults with Trump. I would prefer her to ignore the ‘crappy’ rhetoric of a bitter, violent man, and focus on the positives and the future- a positive view of the US over the next 10 years, with rights and responsibility at the core, the sort of things Trump cannot deal with because he is only interested in revenge for attacks on him in the past, stealing as much money from the taxpayer as he can, and giving policy decisions to Christian Nationalists.
Completely agree with your post.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
Not sure if any comment is needed. The man is an embarrassment to everyone. Next to him, Kamala Harris looks and sounds like divine intervention.
Trump Campaign Attempts Damage Control Over Fiasco At Black Journalists' Conference (yahoo.com)
Completely agree Donald Trump sure an embarrassment to everyone. And also agree that Vice President Kamala Harris does looks and sounds like divine intervention.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
Has Trump peaked? It looks like the momentum is with Harris, notably among women. Maybe turnout will be a strong factor, not to mention Trump zealots in States where they can delay or try to change the vote. And so far the Harris campaign has not screwed p.
Interesting...
John King breaks down how the race has changed since Biden’s exit (yahoo.com)
How to steal an election from the people who vote, courtesy of Stalin ('Its not the votes that count, but who counts the votes'), and Donald J Trump, aided by Cleta Mitchell, another lawyer from nowhere who was recruited by the White House and who, in that illegal phone call to Georgia showed she was ignorant of election law in that State, but has since, one assumes, educated herself.
Interesting, but chilling too
‘A different level than 2020’: Trump’s plan to steal election is taking shape | US elections 2024 | The Guardian
Not a fan of either party. But I'd vote for the worst possible outcome. And that means: Kamala Harris. To me it's easy. Take 5 minutes and vote against -- against!!! -- the worst possible outcome. And, again, to me that means a Harris presidency.Quote:
Originally Posted by KnightHawk 2.0
From a left perspective one votes against the worst possible outcome and then gets on w/ real politics. Which is activism, organizing, educating... to bring about a better world.
As I previously pointed out: Not a fan of either party. But I'd vote against Trump to elect Kamala Harris. Plus it'd be a big step forward: finally a female president...
The Cult of Kamala - The American Conservative
Oh, I made a mistake in my previous post - ha ha! I wrote: "But I'd vote for the worst possible outcome. And that means: Kamala Harris." What I meant was I'd vote AGAINST the worst possible outcome. That means: K. Harris.
Harris all the way the week she was nominated I made a $500 donation
Is Trump making a big mistake by using AI, be it Harris or Taylor Swift? I don't know much about Swift but I looked up her legal options and they are fairly clear, as her image was used without her consent. Or would she have a bigger impact by appearing on stage in Chicago to endorse Harris? But I believe she is doing concerts in London. The link is below. As for Harris being a Communist, well that just means that making stupidity normal remains Trump's only mode of campaigning. Do people actually believe this sort of thing?
"According to Jessica Silbey, a professor at Boston University School of Law and an expert in intellectual property and constitutional law, Trump’s fake endorsement post likely violates Swift’s right of publicity — the legal power to control how your name, image and likeness are used by others.
“Everyone enjoys a right of publicity,” says Silbey, who has written extensively about the internet. “This kind of use — being made to say and seen as believing things you don’t — is at the core of the right.”".
Can Taylor Swift Sue Donald Trump Over AI-Generated False Endorsement? (billboard.com)
"The recently convicted felon told supporters at his campaign event that in bigger cities, "almost all run by Democrats," Americans can't even "walk across the street to get a loaf of bread. You get shot. You get mugged. You get raped. You get whatever it may be.""
Trump bails on interview when challenged on Michigan 'crime wave' stats: local newspaper (msn.com)
Weird, eh? As for the facts, which state is the most dangerous to live in? From Forbes:
- Property crimes have increased in recent years, while the rate of violent crimes has decreased.
- While murders surged during COVID-19, there was a 6.1% year-over-year decline in murders and non-negligent manslaughter in 2022.
- More than 75% of murders in 2020 were committed with a firearm
- New Mexico, the most dangerous state, has more than six times the rate of violent crime per 1,000 people than New Hampshire, the least dangerous state.
- Southern states account for two of the five most dangerous U.S. states.
- States in New England account for four of the five safest U.S. states."
- States With The Worst Crime Rates – Forbes Advisor
Money, money money. The staggering sums being raised for both the Harris and Trump campaigns begs the question: where does it come from, where does it go?
I have no idea how transparent the Harris campaign is, but with Trump the only connection to transparency is the letter 'T'.
Trump is a master at moving money around, but surely the law must at some point intervene? How about now? For example -
"While campaigns have wide discretion in deciding how to spend their funds, the Federal Election Campaign Act (“FECA”) and Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) regulations do place certain restrictions on the use of campaign funds. In general, campaign funds may be used only for campaign-related expenses, and campaign funds may not be used for the personal use of a candidate or federal officeholder."
Permissible Use of Campaign Funds | Steptoe
Now read on, about 'Red Curve Solutions' and much else
"Following his 2020 election loss, Trump received more than $250 million in donations from supporters to fuel an “election defense fund.” He divided that money between two campaign entities: his 2020 presidential campaign committee, which he subsequently converted into a freestanding PAC called Make America Great Again (MAGA) PAC, and a second entity called Save America PAC, which is a so-called “leadership PAC” (a type of PAC that a federal candidate can establish for the ostensible purpose of supporting other candidates).Beginning in early 2021, Trump began spending funds from these two PACs on his myriad legal proceedings — including personal matters."
Trump’s Use of Campaign Funds to Pay Legal Bills | Brennan Center for Justice
Somebody call the cops!
Trump’s businesses are raking in millions of dollars from Republican political campaigns – including his own | CNN Politics
Trump’s Committees Appear to be Concealing Legal Expense Payments | Campaign Legal Center
The FEC in America is toothless, they can’t do anything to discipline law breakers (Federal Election Commission). Running for office is a great racket, you can take in virtually unlimited sums of cash, and there is a lot of leeway for how it’s spent (for example, paying yourself and friends large salaries, food and travel costs, reimbursing yourself high rental fees for office space, etc).
Stalin, again: 'It's not the votes that count, but who counts the votes'...
"A Christian political operative has teamed up with charismatic preachers to enroll election skeptics as poll workers across the country, using a Donald Trump-aligned swing state tour to enlist support in the effort.Joshua Standifer, who leads the group called Lion of Judah, describes the effort as a “Trojan horse” strategy to get Christians in “key positions of influence in government like Election Workers”, which will help them identify alleged voter fraud and serve as “the first step on the path to victory this Fall”, according to his website.
...“Just imagine: it’s election night. Chaos is happening. The polls are closing – they go and volunteers are getting kicked out,” said Standifer. “But what if we had Christians across America, in swing states like Wisconsin, that were actually the ones counting the votes?”". (My emphasis in bold).
Christian group recruits ‘Trojan horse’ election skeptics as US poll workers | US elections 2024 | The Guardian
This right here! :iagree:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
How to steal an election using the law, or an interpretation of the law. And if you break it, or bend it, dare someone to do something about it.
Texas' Right-Wing Leaders Are Going To ‘Scary’ Lengths To Intimidate Political Rivals (yahoo.com)
That is some scary ass shit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros
Ahead of tonight's 'debate' or rather, Q&A with two candidates for President- I expect some or all of these issues to be raised with the candidates.
Will Sharks and Hannibal Lecter be mentioned? Here are some guides-
Donald Trump and Sharks: An Annotated Timeline – Southern Fried Science
Trump's Hannibal Lecter Love Affair: A Complete Timeline (rollingstone.com)
Kamala Harris will no doubt refer to her career as a Prosecutor in California, as discussed here-
Kamala Harris’ Record on Criminal Justice: What to Know | The Marshall Project
Why Harris is talking about her history as a prosecutor : NPR
What 9 cases from Kamala Harris’ past say about her record as a California prosecutor | LAist
Inflation -the record is here
Annual inflation rate U.S. 2023 | Statista
Current US Inflation Rates: 2000-2024 (usinflationcalculator.com)
Economic Growth 1961-2023
GDP growth (annual %) - United States | Data (worldbank.org)
Abortion
Majority in U.S. Disapprove of Supreme Court Abortion Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade | Pew Research Center
interesting article here-
Pregnancy Is Riskier Than Abortion | OpenMind Magazine
Immigration, legal and illegal
Key findings about U.S. immigrants | Pew Research Center
Map the Impact of Immigration: U.S. Economic Data & Numbers [MAP] - New American Economy (americanimmigrationcouncil.org)
(above link is interactive, State by State)
PolitiFact | Trump’s ridiculous claim that “millions” of immigrants came illegally from jails, mental facilities
Afghanistan
The 'Doha Accord' of February 2020, signed by President Trump and the Taliban (but not the Afghan Govt)
"The agreement stipulated fighting restrictions for both the US and the Taliban, and provided for the withdrawal of all NATO forces from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban's counter-terrorism commitments. The US agreed to an initial reduction of its force level from 13,000 to 8,600 within 135 days (i.e. by July 2020), followed by a full withdrawal within 14 months (i.e. by 1 May 2021) if the Taliban kept its commitments. The United States also committed to closing five military bases within 135 days, and expressed its intent to end economic sanctions on the Taliban by August 27, 2020. The agreement was welcomed by Pakistan, China, Russia and India,[4][7][8] and unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council.[9]".
United States–Taliban deal - Wikipedia
A few takeaways
-Policy - yes neither candidate was strong on policy detail, but too much detail and the point is lost as the mind wanders: in this kind of debate, with time restrictions, policy needs to be an effective soundbite, and Harris won because she was able to distil some of her policies re housing, small business start-up options in a clear way, where all Trump could off was some vague platitude about doing even better than last time.
-I linked issues above, and needless to say Trump talked verifiable rubbish about the rate of inflation and immigration.
- Harris does have the problem that the Democrats have been in the White House since 2021, and there are questions about why they have not done the things Harris says she wants to do, it is a weakness I think, but I don't know the Trump campaign will take control of this in further debates.
- But surely Americans by now are tired of hearing whining on and on about the 2020 election when contrary to what he claimed, neither he nor his supporters in three years have offered a shred of evidence to prove he won it.
-Trump was asked to sum up his campaign and offered nothing, choosing to attack Harris, big fail.
Score: Harris 1, Trump 0
Last thought:
America, keep your dogs safe, your cats closer. You never know what your neighbour wants for lunch...
Not raised
-Education
Not debated properly
-Gun control
Policies Harris could have introduced
-a National ban on child marriage (she could also have asked Trump when he first informed law enforcement that Jeffrey Epstein was having sex with underage girls)
-guarantees of internet freedom, given that Project 2025 wants all pornography banned
No serious discussion of the relationship between the Federal Govt and the States, after all, if policies are going to be 'returned' to the States what is the point of an executive, rather than just a ceremonial Presidency, or Congress? And if policy, for example, on Abortion, is 'returned' to the State, how, if at all, can the Federal Govt get it back?