TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

The General US Politics Thread

Go To

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.

If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines before posting here.

Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.

If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules when posting here.


In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.

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

clemont107 Mega Togekiss?! from Land of Missed Opportunities (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Mega Togekiss?!
#339551: Nov 16th 2020 at 2:53:23 PM

[up] Jeez, it's just pathetic how far Graham has fallen down the rabbit hole. Maybe senility?

"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#339552: Nov 16th 2020 at 2:54:05 PM

According to the Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensburger, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) tried to get him to toss Legal Votes to get Trump to win Georgia.

If we somehow win a Senate Tie/Majority, the House should do a thorough investigation into Graham and see what other Criminal things he has done. The Republican Party really is in a death spiral of radicalism at this point.

EDIT: [nja]

Edited by DingoWalley1 on Nov 16th 2020 at 5:54:46 AM

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#339553: Nov 16th 2020 at 2:54:25 PM

[up][up]This has nothing to do with senility and everything to do with him being a spineless cowardly sycophant desperate to hang onto power.

Edited by Draghinazzo on Nov 16th 2020 at 7:54:36 AM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#339554: Nov 16th 2020 at 2:55:27 PM

This is what I'm talking about. This shit is dangerous and taking for granted victory is a bad idea.

They're willing to destroy this election.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Nov 16th 2020 at 2:56:16 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#339555: Nov 16th 2020 at 2:57:01 PM

The reason this is bad is not because it's likely to turn over the election results. It's bad because it legitimizes "I reject your reality and replace it with my own" as an electoral/political strategy against your opponents and undermines the democratic process.

The problem it's contributing to is not an immediate one, but a medium and long term one.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#339556: Nov 16th 2020 at 2:58:49 PM

[up][up] The Republican Secretary of State is telling them no and calling them liars on the record, so I'm less worried.

[up][awesome] Yeah, this.


In their conversation, Graham questioned Raffensperger about the state's signature-matching law and whether political bias could have prompted poll workers to accept ballots with nonmatching signatures, according to Raffensperger. Graham also asked whether Raffensperger had the power to toss all mail ballots in counties found to have higher rates of nonmatching signatures, Raffensperger said.

Raffspenger said he was stunned that Graham appeared to suggest that he find a way to toss legally cast ballots. Absent court intervention, Raffensperger doesn't have the power to do what Graham suggested, as counties administer elections in Georgia.

"It sure looked like he was wanting to go down that road," he said.

Okay, missed this part on my first read-through. Wow. Is this a crime? I feel like it should be a crime.

Edited by nova92 on Nov 16th 2020 at 3:01:33 AM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#339557: Nov 16th 2020 at 3:02:49 PM

Lindsay: Hey, all I did was ASK.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
ryanasaurus0077 Since: Jul, 2009
#339558: Nov 16th 2020 at 3:02:52 PM

At this point, our only hope is that even the Republican judges see these cases for the insidious wastes of time that they are... which, needless to say, has been happening 99% of the time. We still need to be on our guards, though, because with an outgoing President who's proven to be quite unpredictable over the last four years anything can happen.

All I'm saying is, because Biden won the election doesn't mean the war for the soul of the nation is won. All we won is a battle; the real war is but yet begun.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#339559: Nov 16th 2020 at 3:14:24 PM

AP News has called UT-4 for Burgess Owens, meaning Democrats lose their 10th seat in the House (net 8 loss). It was one of the reddest seats in the country, but McAdams lost by about 0.5%, which, I don't know if that's better or worse.

I think Owens has spoken positively on QAnon before, which brings the Q-people in Congress to 3. Ugh.


For what's left in the House, there are 12 uncalled seats, with 4 likely to be called for Democrats and 5 for Republicans.

Of the remaining 3 uncalled:

  • IA-2: Democrat Rita Hart is down by 48 votes with all votes counted - they're going into a recount.

  • CA-25: Democrat Christy Smith is down by just 104 votes, with a handful of ballots left to be counted, which should narrow the gap, but I don't know if it's enough.

  • NY-22: New York is counting very slowly. Democrat Anthony Brindisi is down by 9% but closing the gap fast. The question is whether mail-in ballots run out before he can catch up. (EDIT: Looks like NYT has been slow to update its page. Brindisi is still down, but by about 5,000 votes)

So: Democrats will have between 222-225 seats in the House, depending on how the last three races shake out.

Edited by nova92 on Nov 16th 2020 at 4:08:38 AM

clemont107 Mega Togekiss?! from Land of Missed Opportunities (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Mega Togekiss?!
#339560: Nov 16th 2020 at 3:22:36 PM

What's really infuriating is that people are voting for these nutjobs because they support Qanon. I really hope that with Biden this support dissipates quietly into thin air.

"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn
BonsaiForest Since: Jan, 2001
#339561: Nov 16th 2020 at 3:25:40 PM

It won't disappear into thin air. From what I've read about cults and extremists, losing tends to make them intensify. They get more desperate and more convinced the world is out to get them, the conspiracy is bigger than ever, and they fight harder.

Even having prophecies fail makes them convinced that the prophecy secretly occurred in some non-literal way, or that their faith prevented it from happening (if the prophecy was something bad), or... they just make excuses, basically.

QAnon will morph into something else even if it loses its original name. It will not disappear.

AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#339562: Nov 16th 2020 at 3:45:35 PM

But if course, it is the Republicans who are pushing for electoral fraud.

Fucking hypocrites.

[up][up] I am still dumbstruck with how obvious bullshit bait from 4chan, managed to dupe so many idiots who fell for 4chan tier bullshit and inside jokes and then get into mainstream.

What pains me is how obviously bullshit that conspiracy, but still convinced so many people who can't fucking filter anything.

Edited by AngelusNox on Nov 16th 2020 at 8:50:43 AM

Inter arma enim silent leges
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#339563: Nov 16th 2020 at 3:46:52 PM

Qanon is over given that Q has taken the money and ran.

However, it will just go back to the Tea Party.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
ShinyCottonCandy Everyone's friend Malamar from Lumiose City (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Everyone's friend Malamar
#339564: Nov 16th 2020 at 3:48:47 PM

I can see the line of thought that leads republicans to thinking the democrats cheated. After all, if they cheated so hard and still lost, the opponents must have cheated harder.

My musician page
ITNW1989 a from Big Meat, USA Since: Nov, 2012 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
a
#339565: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:01:35 PM

That's pretty much the argument I saw from a few "centrists" in one of my old D&D discord groups (that I left precisely because of this bullshit). Their reasoning was that since it's obvious that the Republicans tried their hardest to cheat and lost, then it's clear that the Democrats had an even more underhanded method of cheating that has to be uncovered and revealed to the world.

Hitokiri in the streets, daishouri in the sheets.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#339566: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:03:23 PM

Darwinists always think that bad=better.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#339568: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:07:54 PM

She can work as a sceptic tank.

Inter arma enim silent leges
Steven (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#339569: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:42:12 PM

It makes me wonder the people crying foul about the "cheating" ever have an explanation on why the Democrats didn't just cheat all the way and only stopped at the presidency.

Remember, these idiots drive, fuck, and vote. Not always in that order.
CookingCat Since: Jul, 2018
#339570: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:45:26 PM

Trump asked his advisors about striking Iran's main nuclear site on Thursday: https://twitter.com/nick_ramsey/status/1328492378311823364

Edited by CookingCat on Nov 16th 2020 at 4:45:59 AM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#339571: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:49:10 PM

It makes me wonder the people crying foul about the "cheating" ever have an explanation on why the Democrats didn't just cheat all the way and only stopped at the presidency.

Because fascists say that the Enemy is simultaneously weak and craven but all powerful.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
clemont107 Mega Togekiss?! from Land of Missed Opportunities (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Mega Togekiss?!
#339572: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:50:29 PM

[up][up] Too desperate to win credibility back in his last few months, I see.

"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#339573: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:51:45 PM

Or he's trying to make Biden's life as difficult as possible on his way out.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#339574: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:56:52 PM

If we'd cheated, at least we could have stolen the Senate too. We suck at it, apparently.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#339575: Nov 16th 2020 at 4:58:40 PM

https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-11-16/supreme-court-declines-to-take-up-pennsylvania-absentee-ballot-case

Christmas came early. The US Supreme Court has declined to involve itself in the Trump election case.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.

Total posts: 417,856
Top