“I despise people who go to the gutter on either the right or the left and hurl rocks at those in the center.”
–Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Today is Origami Day
Impressive …
I had a teacher who was an expert at origami …. best teacher I ever had. And even HE couldn't teach me to be consistent with folding.
This is actually kirigami. It involves cutting as well as folding paper.
Question for those with a lot more knowledge than I: The GSA administrator refuses to issue money marked for the transition because the election is not certified, December 14 is the day the electoral college meets to vote for the winner of the election, anyone have an idea what happens when those two things come face to face?
Force of law instead of political custom should kick in then. Four weeks away is not a long time. Biden and company can use the time other ways. Don’t expect anything civil from the Trumpers and you’ll never be surprised by their political crudeness.
True.
There will not come a point where Donald will say, "I give up, I'm sorry." His followers…same.
90% of the Trump signs in my neck of the woods are gone. I'd say that's a pretty good sign his support has collapsed.
"Don’t expect anything civil from the Trumpers and you’ll never be surprised by their political crudeness."
Oh no….I never cease to be amazed by their crudeness, political and otherwise.
We need to all recognize this for what it is, the beginning of that thing we’ve all been warned about so often and so many times, and prepare ourselves accordingly . . .
. . . the Zombie President Apocalypse.
I think that it will come to a head sooner than December 14. The key dates are the deadlines for election certification in each state. These are the last possible dates, so the actual certification dates could be earlier: Georgia -11/20/20, Penn – 11/23/20, Mich -11/23/20, Ariz – 11/30/20, Wisc – 12/01/20, and Nev – 12/01/20. Once Pennsylvania's vote is certified, the pressure will be great to get on with the transition.
Trump may sue to prevent certification, but that does not seem to be likely to be successful. The recount in GA or others may slow things down, but each state election official knows their own deadline. Trump's "moonshot" would be to tie things up in court to prevent certification by December 8, 2020, the safe harbor date established by Congress for each state to have certified its vote and appointed its electors. If he were to succeed, he would then try to get the Republican-controlled legislatures (GA, AZ, PA, WI, MI) to appoint Trump electors.
I can see all of those state legislatures appointing republican electors and Pompeo as much as said that they have something like that up their sleeves. I don't trust any of them! Is there any recourse if this should happen?
Even in the Trumpiest of states, can you imagine a majority in a state legislature voting to overturn what their election official (usually ALSO a Republican) has reported as the election results?
I know some might go along with such a plan … and some, constitutional idealist and believers in democracy, would not. I'm optimistic some pragmatists would also think of the next election's ads and the realization that unless they are willing to abandon elections for a decade or so, they would start in a large hole.
And that is before we get to the other possible reactions — constant protests; rolling strikes to disrupt key elements of the economy, a general strike, massive taxpayer resistance. potential for blue state legislatures and governors to inhibit commercial activity … I'm sure other people would be even more inventive than I.
I agree. I think the risk of this type of coup is extremely remote. In effect, the Republican legislators and the republican judiciary, all the way up to the Supreme Court, would have to decide to sacrifice the Constitution to one man’s ego. They have kissed his butt, let him lock up children, let him call veteran’s losers, and, of course, lie constantly. But I do not think they want to die with him on the hill that destroys our country.
Setting aside the domestic fallout, the international reaction should scare the Republicans to death. We would immediately become the next Venezuela. Russia, Turkey, and maybe India, would support the usurper in chief. Everyone else would be outraged.
Edit: I just realized that Republicans have been warning us that if we elect Biden, we will become a failed state just like Venezuela. They are just trying to fulfill their prophecy.
I hope you’re right, Early. But to your last point in your thoughtful post, that Republicans like to warn Democrats that we’re on the road to becoming Venezuela- every slander and insult Trump makes should be read as projection. This habit of projecting one’s worst impulses onto the opposition has been embedded in Republican thought since Reagan’s day, and peaked under Trump.
Also, I think they will start to peel away in the next week with some of the less delusional GOP senators starting to put distance between themselves and the White House (i.e., the Rob Portman types).
There will, of course, be some who stay in the bunker to the bitter end (i.e., the Ted Cruz and Lindsay Graham types) and may need to be escorted out of the White House in January.
Look at it from their perspective: 71 million people voted for Trump and they’re not going anywhere. If anyone is thinking of running for the GOP nod in 2024, they don’t want to piss off those 71 million people.
Georgia is going to do a recount by hand of 5 million ballots.
They have fewer than 9 days.
What do you think the error rate will be?
What do you think the chances are that they run out the clock and force the GOP legislature to select a slate of electors so the state does not lose its participation in the electoral college?
Biden doesn’t need GA.
He’s already beyond 270.
So even if “they” is Bikers for Dump it doesn’t matter.
What is the pertinence and the impact wrt the Senate races?
The error rate will be lesser concern than the completion rate. Larger counties are going to be significantly challenged to get the task done in time for the Nov. 20 deadline.
"Some counties in the state took a full week to count their ballots in the first place—and that was with machine counts, which move significantly faster than hand counting and are less prone to error.
Raffensperger’s order comes after he’s faced a huge amount of pressure from other Republicans in his state to do something, anything, to help Trump win—and it may be a sign that he’s bowing to political pressure from his base. "
Trump has now sued Michigan to prevent certification; a state that he lost by over 146,000 votes. Waiting for him to sue Colorado.
I don’t think that it would come to that.
The election has to be certified so that electors know which group (Dump’s or Biden’s) gets to to cast their electoral votes.
Certification preceding the electoral college vote would imply that the transition is funded and homed by that time.
Fascinating article on the challenges of distribution:
A Possible Covid Vaccine Means It's Time to Fix Cold Chains
Thanks for the link, Michael. This is Karen’s kind of geekiness.
Solar vaccine refrigeration is a mature technology – the earliest models were made decades ago. Contemporary models routinely chill to -8 degrees Centigrade- which isn’t cold enough to store COVID vaccines.
I would trust real scientists in a Biden administration, cooperating with the world’s best scientists, to meet the challenge of powering ultra low conventionally powered freezers with a solar or renewable supply.
I wonder what Ttump has on his agenda for today to dishonor Veterans Day?
The draft dodger president will doubtless explain again why our pows were cowards.
I think he will tell attendees and veterans at Arlington National Cemetery that even if those nasty people stole the election from him he is a tremendous human being who showed up today anyway, so the honor is all theirs. Always about him.
Let me see if I got my glossary of Trump insults right:
1. POWs were "cowards" and "not heroes."
2. Guys were not caught are the "heroes."
3. The war dead are the "suckers" and "losers."
4. And no one has done more for vets than Trump.
Did I get that right?
Don't forget Trump's repeated claim (more than 156 times) of credit for the Veterans Choice Act!
The Trump public schedule has a trip to Arlington National Cemetery. That’s all.
But as several people told me, it’s raining in DC and Virginia, so even that visit may be scrapped.
Turned on CSpan and watched a wreath being placed, then a static scene — with LOTS of scurrying about at the top of the stairs — for over 5 minutes. Just heard the announcement that Trump was “being greeted by …..” various dignitaries. So I guess he is there. Some non-slip surface is down on the stairs — other people are being careful going up and down the marble stairs on either side.
Now static for over 10 minutes.
And now, Trump has entered from the side (no steps) and is placing the wreath. Melania was not seen.
Oh yes, like the Normandy cemetery hair crisis.
“Trump was expected to arrive at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery” which is not in Normandie.
17 ha World War I cemetery in Belleau, Northern France. It is located at the foot of the hill where the Battle of Belleau Wood was fought, with many American fatalities.
I stand corrected. Thank you.
But he still cancelled due to a bad hair day.
A “Cry for me,
ArgentinaAmericuh (. . . and God)” screed from a (canopied) White House balcony, then . . .It's a batshit crazy, deplorables pride parade…..
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/11/maga-rally-washington-dc-435958
Great idea!
Get them all in one place, nuke them all, and let God sort it out.😁