US election thread?

[doulos]

It really is amazing to me that both sides can be so sure of the outcome.

[Wonko]

The confidence from the Trump base is palpable in defiance of all evidence to the contrary. Pretty much on brand.

Even though Biden is up massively in almost every poll I am still nervous. Even a 10% chance is still a plausible chance.

We will just have to wait and see who the majority of American's (or at least the electoral college) prefer.

Let's just try to be good to each other either way folks.

[2014olympicgold]

LeBron helps pay off millions of fines to allow Florida felons to vote. It was around $27mill in court fines. This is just court fines, and legal fees and nothing else that blocked these people from voting. Just money.

It was fronted by businessman Michael Bloomberg with the help of LeBron and other celebrities. Big swing state too.

Just to let people know, in 2018 Florida made it now legal for felons to vote who have completed all terms of the sentence. But the Republican Gov made "all terms of the sentence" include legal financial obligations including fines, fees and restitution. So these 13,000 people who can now vote were only not eligible to vote because of legal fees that were unpaid. Likely ones who couldn't afford it and not just not paying. This is a big assumption on my part tho.

LeBron contributed $100,000, which would allow 50ppl to vote (roughly $2,000 in fees per person).

[2014olympicgold]

6 states have already surpassed their 2016 voting numbers.

[Axeman33]

The amount of voters this election is staggering. That tells me that there's either a huge amount of people who want to get rid of Trump, or a huge amount of people who want him to stay. Either way, I dont expect we'll know for sure for a few days at best.

[doulos]

Well, have fun folks. I am officially signing off from the internet (other than for work) until right before bed. Then log on and see where things sit.

[The Comish]

A civil war in the United States would be utter nonsense. It would pit family member against family member and there would be no discernible dividing line. Remember there are 5 million republicans in California. There is no way to section off the US or divide it into democrats and republicans. The idea is absurd.

There will be unrest. There will be riots and looting and mass "protests", but no civil war. This President has made it a mission to polarize both sides to the extreme since he came into office. He has been sounding his dog whistle relentlessly and using division and hate to shore up his base. If you don't like the protests and the riots and the looting don't forget that he is the one who exacerbated this situation. This is the America Trump has made. The fanatics on both sides of the partisan divide have grown as vocal and strong as they have because of Trump, not in spite of him. This hate and animosity and 'otherness' is what his base thrives on. Trump appeals to emotions not facts or common sense.

These emotions will be out in full force over the coming days and weeks, especially if Trump loses the election.

So by all means, prepare for ugliness. Avoid large centers. Keep your head down. Wait this shit out. No sense getting caught in the crossfire.

Let's hope for a large margin of victory so that there will be no honest grounds for dispute.

Let's hope we get through this mess quickly.

I agree with most of what you are saying, but will add that while Trump is absolutely polarizing and a very poor representative of how a President should act, the Democrats and media have done nothing but foment and encourage polarization between Americans.

In the 2016 elections, Clinton won the popular vote (by just under 3M votes), there were still nearly 63 million Americans who voted for Trump, likely hoping for a different type of President (and boy, were they right, just not in the way most wanted!). The Democrats, media and those who hate Trump have done everything in their power to vilify Trump supporters, calling them (not just the President) all sorts of unfounded names (racist, Nazi, etc), trying to cancel them and their businesses and even physically attacking them and their property if they have the audacity to support a sitting President. People are rightfully angry when they are attacked for wearing a red hat or waving an American flag.

I am hoping for a landslide one way or the other, so that this doesn't end up in the courts and as you say Wonko, we get through this mess quickly!

[Auston'sWilly]

Let's go underdogs!!!



Picks.JPG

[lucafen4]

It's usually fledgling states, new or failing democracies in the developing world that board up and increase security - place riot police on active duty during elections.

Forget about Democrat or Republican. The US is so fractured it won't matter who wins. I'm beginning to wonder if there's any coming back from this. Period.

[Auston'sWilly]

There will be minimal unrest of Biden wins.
The only way the far-right might freak out is if the results are super close and they smell a rat with respect to voter suppression or fraud. Certainly possible but unlikely.

However, if President Trump wins, there will be significant rioting. Even if he wins big, his opponents simply won't accept it. And people like Harris/Omar/AOC/Pelosi - they will absolutely throw fuel on an uprising after Biden goes into basement hiding again.
That's why the businesses are being boarded up in Democrat cities.
They anticipate (probably correctly) that Dems are going to lose their minds if POTUS is re-elected.

The 2016 reaction was mostly just an ocean of tears.
The 2020 reaction will be pure hatred and rage. Almost Purge-like.

So if you want peace, pray for a Biden win, I guess.
But if you want America to have a future (beyond a few weeks of rioting), pray for President Trump to get re-elected.

We already know the playbook folks. Trump will continue to get blamed well into Biden's 3rd year. But at some point, you're going to have to admit a painful truth: you made a disastrous decision in 2020 voting for personality over policy.

[rataylor22]

Ah yes, the well documented Democratic voter suppression.

[2014olympicgold]

Wait wait wait wait...

So the playbook is the first 3yrs is the previous regime effect just carrying over into the current regime. Then the 4th yr is when 'we' come to the painful truth we made a disastrous decision 3+yrs prior?

[rataylor22]

Wait wait wait wait...

So the playbook is the first 3yrs is the previous regime effect just carrying over into the current regime. Then the 4th yr is when 'we' come to the painful truth we made a disastrous decision 3+yrs prior?

Oh man haha

[lucafen4]

There will be minimal unrest of Biden wins.
The only way the far-right might freak out is if the results are super close and they smell a rat with respect to voter suppression or fraud. Certainly possible but unlikely.

However, if President Trump wins, there will be significant rioting. Even if he wins big, his opponents simply won't accept it. And people like Harris/Omar/AOC/Pelosi - they will absolutely throw fuel on an uprising after Biden goes into basement hiding again.
That's why the businesses are being boarded up in Democrat cities.
They anticipate (probably correctly) that Dems are going to lose their minds if POTUS is re-elected.

The 2016 reaction was mostly just an ocean of tears.
The 2020 reaction will be pure hatred and rage. Almost Purge-like.

So if you want peace, pray for a Biden win, I guess.
But if you want America to have a future (beyond a few weeks of rioting), pray for President Trump to get re-elected.

We already know the playbook folks. Trump will continue to get blamed well into Biden's 3rd year. But at some point, you're going to have to admit a painful truth: you made a disastrous decision in 2020 voting for personality over policy.

I can agree with the part of this that says the Dems will riot. I fully expect that to happen.

I don't agree the right will peacefully accept a democratic win, regardless of closeness. I'm expecting equal parts shit-show regardless of election results.

Even in Trumps debates he was blaming Obama for 6yr old policies.

Obama blamed Bush for policies for years.

Bush & Cheney blamed Clinton for policies

Clinton blamed Bush Sr. for policies.

Hell... democrats still blame Regan for 1980's policies... Republicans still complain about JFK... it's an endless cycle.
Biden won't be any different in that respect than any president that came before him.
It's essentially a convention built into becoming president.

but if we're being completely transparent, there won't be a victory tonight. I'll steal a line from a recent Rogan podcast with Alex Jones. "We're going to enter 79 days of hell". Day 1 is Nov. 4.

[Wonko]

I agree with most of what you are saying, but will add that while Trump is absolutely polarizing and a very poor representative of how a President should act, the Democrats and media have done nothing but foment and encourage polarization between Americans.

I don't disagree that the far left and some media outlets have fanned the flames of polarization. Definitely. What has Trump done to help put out this fire? Absolutely nothing. In fact, he has actively exacerbated this polarization and poured gasoline on the fire.

Trump is not a President for all Americans, he is a President for his base and his base alone.

In the 2016 elections, Clinton won the popular vote (by just under 3M votes), there were still nearly 63 million Americans who voted for Trump, likely hoping for a different type of President (and boy, were they right, just not in the way most wanted!). The Democrats, media and those who hate Trump have done everything in their power to vilify Trump supporters, calling them (not just the President) all sorts of unfounded names (racist, Nazi, etc), trying to cancel them and their businesses and even physically attacking them and their property if they have the audacity to support a sitting President.

This is greatly exaggerated. It happens in isolated rare instances and is in no way indicative of the vast majority of democrats. Further, this is not a new development and both parties are guilty of it. Obama was persecuted for eight year too. Hell, the current President claimed he was not even an American citizen and demanded to see his birth certificate. Mitch McConnell vowed unequivocally that he would not pass any legislation presented to the senate from the Obama administration. Obama had death threats, his followers were called socialists, etc., etc. This type of crap happens in every administration.

People are rightfully angry when they are attacked for wearing a red hat or waving an American flag.

I am hoping for a landslide one way or the other, so that this doesn't end up in the courts and as you say Wonko, we get through this mess quickly!

Just a few thoughts on your good comments Commish.