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Nov 2023 Mod notice:


There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.

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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

DavidMerrick from Ottawa, ON Since: Jun, 2018
#332101: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:03:02 PM

I hear Mero's Trump in my head.

EDIT: Unintentional page-topper. I swear that made sense in context.

Edited by DavidMerrick on Oct 6th 2020 at 6:09:15 AM

ElSquibbonator Since: Oct, 2014
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#332104: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:10:30 PM

Really? Are we going so far as to look into sports old wives' tales as an excuse to doomsay? And haven't you gotten in trouble for needless doomsaying in the past?

Edited by AlleyOop on Oct 6th 2020 at 6:11:16 AM

Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#332105: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:14:44 PM

[up][up][up] That's only a pattern that has been sustained for 4 iterations. Which means a 6.25% chance of being right through sheer random chance.

With how many professional sports teams there are, it would be weird if they weren't a few matchups that seemed to line up with election results for an unusually long period of time.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#332106: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:14:53 PM

Better consult your local Groundhog for further details.tongue

[up][up][up]This, this I like.grin

Edited by Rationalinsanity on Oct 6th 2020 at 7:15:27 AM

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#332107: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:18:01 PM

It’s also totally nonsensical. The winner of a football game determines who people vote for? How? Do people see one team win and then go “okay time to vote for Biden”?

Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#332109: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:23:24 PM

So Trump is guaranteed to win because of a sports team pattern?

Don't make me tap the sign.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#332110: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:28:06 PM

No wonder Trump is obsessed with bringing football back.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#332111: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:31:10 PM

[up]x4 Yeah, it's kind of amusing from a trivia perspective, but ultimately it's just random statistical noise.

In a hypothetical sports league with 30 teams there are roughly 400 possible matchups. Which means that statistically it's probable that at least one matchup will "predict" the outcome of any 5 set of consecutive elections.

Ayasugi Since: Oct, 2010
#332112: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:34:35 PM

Football games are the modern oracular chickens.

Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#332113: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:35:28 PM

PAUL THE OCTOPUS IS THAT YOU GUIDING THE WORLD'S POLITICS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE!??!

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#332114: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:38:15 PM

Sportsball superstations aside, I got to say that Trump publicly announcing that stimulus negotiations will be put on hold until after the election has got to be the dumbest political maneuver I've seen...this week.

If he at least nominally stayed at the table he could of at least tried to frame a failure to get a relief bill through as the House Democrats fault. But by publicly walking away from the table he's owned that failure.

DrunkenNordmann from Exile Since: May, 2015
#332115: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:47:44 PM

Arkansas Republican County Chair Dies of COVID-19 Weeks After His Committee Hosted Maskless Gathering

The chairman of an Arkansas county Republican committee died from complications associated with COVID-19 on Tuesday—less than one month after his organization hosted a maskless gathering with other elected leaders.

Steven Farmer, who served as the chairman of the Craighead County Republican Committee, died on Tuesday after a weeks-long battle with the coronavirus that resulted in a stay at the ICU and a ventilator, his daughter and the organization announced.

The news comes just three weeks after his committee hosted an event with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX), who contracted COVID-19 in July, for Reagan Day. Photos of the event show few attendees wearing masks and minimal social distancing. Arkansas state Rep. Dan Sullivan, who is currently spearheading a lawsuit to overturn the mask mandate and other health directives in his state, also appears to have spoken at the event.

A committee spokesperson told The Daily Beast that Farmer, who also served as the superintendent of the Jonesboro Human Development Center, did not attend the Sept. 14 event.

“Dad’s soul is singing today even though ours aren’t. But grief is the price you pay for being blessed enough to experience the kind of love that dad gave and lived through his actions every day,” Audrey Haynie, Farmer’s daughter, said in a Tuesday Facebook post.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t save you....but I know that you’re even more perfect now than when you were here. We will see your face and hear your voice in everyone and everything you left here.....in your legacy. Thank you for that. For the gift of you. We’ll be seeing you.”

Haynie has chronicled her father’s illness since Sept. 18, posting on Facebook that he was admitted to the ICU the same week as the Reagan Day event. Over several posts, Farmer’s daughter described how the GOP county chair had been showing some signs of recovery until Sept. 25—when his condition took a turn for the worse.

We got a horrible report this morning. The doctor called me and said he was very worried that dad was not going to make it through this,” Haynie wrote, adding that her father was beginning to show signs of shock. On Monday, Haynie posted, “Breathe easy, dad. Just breathe,” while sharing that his EEG showed that Farmer had minimal brain activity.

Following Haynie’s announcement about her father’s passing, the Craighead County Republican Committee released a statement, calling Farmer a “great caring friend to all and a dedicated leader.”

In addition to his duties as chairman of the GOP committee, Farmer has also served as coordinator for the Craighead County Crisis Response Team. According to KAIT, Farmer was a former board member of the Arkansas Crisis Response Team, and served as a chaplain for the Jonesboro Fire Department.

We learn from history that we do not learn from history
astrokitty Happiness is a cup of tea from Somewhere Out There Since: May, 2014 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Happiness is a cup of tea
#332117: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:49:45 PM

I thought Trump was trying to pull some half-baked fear tactic, but with further thought, it doesn't even work as that. By proclaiming that he won't consider any COVID relief until after the election, he's basically stating he won't do squat.

Somebody once told me the world was macaroni, I took a bite out of a tree
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#332118: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:52:44 PM

It's another desperation tactic, basically suggesting that there won't be a relief bill unless he is elected.

These are the tactics of a president who sees the writing on the wall and is desperate to avoid defeat.

Edited by Redmess on Oct 6th 2020 at 12:54:26 PM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
ScubaWolf from South Carolina Since: Feb, 2020
#332119: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:54:01 PM

[up] Which doesn't work because everybody knows his opponent will give a relief bill.

"In a move surprising absolutely no one"
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#332120: Oct 6th 2020 at 3:55:18 PM

Of course not, but desperation does not lead to rational thinking.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#332122: Oct 6th 2020 at 4:01:11 PM

And Haberman is generally quite conservative, so this is probably legit.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Galadriel Since: Feb, 2015
#332124: Oct 6th 2020 at 4:07:43 PM

[up][up][up] Who is Miller?

Edited by Galadriel on Oct 6th 2020 at 7:07:55 AM

Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#332125: Oct 6th 2020 at 4:12:13 PM

Senior Advisor to the President and Trump's Heinrich Himmler of the border detention camps.


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