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

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#342276: Dec 6th 2020 at 6:26:06 AM

So Congress people want the IRS to go after rich people more, but don't want to raise taxes and/or cut funding to other stuff so that the IRS can actually hire more people and incentivize more experienced employees to stay.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#342277: Dec 6th 2020 at 6:32:16 AM

No, Congress does not want the IRS to go after rich people. At least not enough to vote for increasing its funding. Consider the source: a bunch of rich people who probably avoid taxes voting to increase tax enforcement on themselves.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#342278: Dec 6th 2020 at 6:34:33 AM

Yeah, that was my point.

Congress: Hey IRS, go do the thing.

IRS: Awesome. Do you think maybe you'll give us the money we need to actually do the thing since you've been chopping away at us for a decade?

Congress: LOL no.

IRS: ...<cue Picard face palm>

Edited by M84 on Dec 6th 2020 at 10:35:27 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Mio Since: Jan, 2001
#342279: Dec 6th 2020 at 7:05:14 AM

It's funny (but not unexpected) because as someone who has experience in tax audits (though at the Federal level) auditing the poorer businesses doesn't yeild much and just makes things harder for the poor in terms of payment an compliance, while rich business can hire specialized attorneys and accountants to just make things go away/ slash make life hell for auditors.

Even tax enforcement just perpetuates the economic social structure.

Edited by Mio on Dec 6th 2020 at 10:06:01 AM

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#342280: Dec 6th 2020 at 7:05:59 AM

Not sure if this exact Lawsuit was already posted, if yes then excuse me.

It seems like contesting the results isn't enough for ol' Donny anymore, now he wants a new election alltogether in Georgia

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/trump-lawsuit-georgia-election-b1766590.html

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#342281: Dec 6th 2020 at 7:16:46 AM

He's not going to win. This is a show for his followers and to assuage his ego.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#342282: Dec 6th 2020 at 7:20:26 AM

Off course. But that just goes to show you how beautifully the mask is coming off. Nobody in their right mind can now still deny that the guy is an anti-democratic piece of crap.

(Yes, yes, I know, many people will still not acknowledge that fact)

Edited by Forenperser on Dec 6th 2020 at 4:20:40 PM

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#342283: Dec 6th 2020 at 7:35:12 AM

The Georgia Senate campaigns are just a continuous string of blatant Republican hypocrisy and I hate all these people so much.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#342284: Dec 6th 2020 at 7:43:04 AM

The funny part is, there already is going to be another election in Georgia.

Trump's just not on the ballot, and that's what he's really whining about.

But it's cool, Donnie. Keep on ranting to your base about how rigged the elections are and how the liberals have already stolen the runoff and how they shouldn't even bother turning up to vote. You do you, man.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Dec 6th 2020 at 7:44:14 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#342285: Dec 6th 2020 at 7:47:10 AM

I'm suddenly reminded of the French Third Estate.

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#342286: Dec 6th 2020 at 7:49:52 AM

[up]x2 Sadly Don didn't say "Don't bother voting". He did say that the vote was gonna be rigged, but he told them to go vote anyways. It sounded like Trump wanted to appease both his die hard followers who are calling for a Boycott and the Republican Loyalists who want McConnell to keep his Senate Majority Job. So both factions are going to continue to be hostile towards each other which should be helpful, but Georgian Democrats still have to go out and vote.

clemont107 Mega Togekiss?! from Land of Missed Opportunities (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Mega Togekiss?!
#342287: Dec 6th 2020 at 8:04:11 AM

[up]Maybe his followers would be too demoralized to vote anyway due to their savior losing to a "Sleepy Old Man", which should be "IMPOSSIBLE!" according to their own twisted minds.

"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#342288: Dec 6th 2020 at 8:16:55 AM

He didn't say not to bother voting, but that's what his supporters are hearing. Democrats know better than anyone that voting is inconvenient. It takes time out of your day that you may not be able to afford to spend; if you're poor, it can be hard to choose between going to the ballots or earning a day's wage. Election day isn't a holiday; your job expects you to be on the clock and this doesn't change for runoffs.

Even if your job isn't a problem, your kids might. Your family responsibilities might. People lead busy lives and democracy asks that you drop what you're doing and come out to the ballots instead. That voting is just plain hard, sometimes insurmountably so, is a major factor in voter apathy. People start grasping at excuses not to do it.

  • "I don't like my candidate's unicorn credentials."
  • "It's not like it matters; the Illuminati will just pick whoever the next POTUS is anyway."
  • "My state's not going to vote for my party so why even bother?"
  • "Not voting is an act of protest that will make the party listen to me!"
  • "Five seconds of Googling tells me that the candidates are completely identical in every way so it doesn't really matter who wins, does it?"

Etc. etc.

Right now, this is a problem for Republicans. Trump has been calling the Georgia election rigged and claiming that massive fraud gave Biden his win. What his voters, faced with how hard voting is, take away from that is "Hey look, I don't need to vote because the outcome's already decided. Why should I take time out of my busy day to go down to the ballot boxes if it's not going to even matter?"

I saw a recent Republican town hall about the Georgia runoffs where one voter even asked outright, "If the Democrats have already rigged the election then why should I spent time [to vote] and money [on donations]?" This is what voters are taking away from Trump's rhetoric: it's not worth being politically active in this runoff because your vote and your donation will not affect the outcome.

And that's before you take into account that Trump may not be saying that people shouldn't vote, but his lawyers have literally told Georgia Republicans to boycott the runoff. They have actually said that. With words. From their mouths.

Georgia Republicans are fighting an uphill battle against voter apathy because Trump's efforts to delegitimize the election has downballot effects.

EDIT: Of note, especially if you're in Georgia, please do not take this to mean we are guaranteed to win the runoff and that you shouldn't bother volunteering or phone banking or, worse, fucking voting. Do not take conservative voter apathy as an excuse to engage in liberal voter apathy.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Dec 6th 2020 at 8:20:31 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#342289: Dec 6th 2020 at 8:18:06 AM

In a recent runoff in Georgia, Republicans actually had better turnout. It was only in part of the state, the race wasn't nationalized/didn't get much publicity, but all the same. I think people are a little too eager to believe that Republican turnout will see this collapse - the same speculation happened during the summer with mail-in-voting, and while it may have dropped a little, most Republicans still voted.

I'm still praying it happens, but don't hang your hopes on it or anything.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#342290: Dec 6th 2020 at 8:51:32 AM

I admit, I'm a bit perplexed as to which runoff you're referring to. To my knowledge, all of the runoffs that have taken place in Georgia already either pit Democrats against Democrats (such as the District 5 special election to fill a House seat for a month before Nikema Williams takes the seat) or Republicans against Republicans (such as the Polk County Commissioner).

What runoff has already happened in Georgia since Election Day and featured a Democrat and Republican competing?

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#342291: Dec 6th 2020 at 8:52:02 AM

Ironically one of the solutions to many of the 'voting is hard' issues described [up][up] is the mail-in voting Trump has spent so much time claiming is untrustworthy.

nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#342292: Dec 6th 2020 at 8:59:40 AM

[up][up] Western District Attorney. Two Democrats split the vote during the general election, where they got a combined 65% of the vote, but the Democrat got 52% in the runoff.

Edited by nova92 on Dec 6th 2020 at 9:04:51 AM

Resileafs I actually wanted to be Resileaf Since: Jan, 2019
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
#342293: Dec 6th 2020 at 9:30:26 AM

[up][up][up][up]Or you know, we're just delighted by the Republican party eating itself as the 'normal' Republicans and the T****ists fight each other like rabbid dogs.

Edited by Resileafs on Dec 6th 2020 at 12:30:44 PM

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#342294: Dec 6th 2020 at 9:51:22 AM

We already have one poll showing Republican turnout suffering, it's not decisive evidence but it's still evidence.

Trump hurting turnout is a possibility, that it's not a certainty is true but not relevant. No one is arguing that it's inevitable.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Mullon Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
#342295: Dec 6th 2020 at 9:53:45 AM

If Lindsey Graham is suspected of interfering in other elections why does no one suspect him of interfering in his own election?

Never trust anyone who uses "degenerate" as an insult.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#342296: Dec 6th 2020 at 9:54:10 AM

If that doesn't translate into electoral damage on the Republicans side, then the delight is misplaced. As is it, the polling averages show the races in Georgia to be neck and neck. At best that means a percentage point of Trumpers not showing up can make a difference, but at the same time they could show up to vote anyway and there goes the Senate.

Thinking the voting process is rigged against you and voting anyway are not mutually exclusive. Heck, we have been saying that all year, albeit for genuine voter suppression actions rather that what conspiracies are in Trump's head, and proved that enough enthusiasm and organizing can make a difference.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#342297: Dec 6th 2020 at 10:02:46 AM

Thinking the voting process is rigged against you and voting anyway are not mutually exclusive. Heck, we have been saying that all year, albeit for genuine voter suppression actions rather that what conspiracies are in Trump's head, and proved that enough enthusiasm and organizing can make a difference.

Once again, no one said that it's inevitable. But it's possible and I don't see any benefit to assuming otherwise.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
nova92 Since: Apr, 2020
#342298: Dec 6th 2020 at 10:14:14 AM

[up][up][up] Because there's no evidence. Lindsey Graham's performance this year is in line with what other Republican Senate candidates get in other years, and there are, AFAIK, no anomalies when comparing with the Presidential/other downballot races/other states.


[up] I agree it's possible, just less likely than some people (not? on this thread I think, just overoptimistic general Dem sentiment) think it is.

As for that poll, the rigged thing is based on the answer of 21 respondents, and 10% of Biden voters said they wouldn't vote in the runoffs compared to 11% of Trump voters, so I find it very inconclusive.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#342299: Dec 6th 2020 at 10:17:06 AM

So in response to discussing factors at play in the current election battle, you're creating hyper-optimistic strawmen to pessimistically rail against?

I feel like that's a form of doomsaying.

The reality is that the Georgia runoff is an important and fierce battle, and every little bit helps. There is no one factor that will guarantee the election. There is never one factor that will guarantee an election. But going "HOW DARE you try to have hope?! HOW DARE you think that anything could ever be positive?!" is not productive.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Dec 6th 2020 at 10:19:57 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#342300: Dec 6th 2020 at 10:21:01 AM

So 538 are adding polls again, there haven’t been many since Election Day but there have been a few. Here’s what we have so far, with the poll date and 538’s pollster ranking for each pollster included. They’re in the order that 538 received them.

  • Ossoff vs Perdue: R+4 (November 8-9, C-), Even (November 16, B-), D+2 (November 27-30, A), D+1 (November 19-24, B/C), D+1 (December 1-3, C- partisan pollster).
  • Warnock vs Loeffler: R+1 (November 8-9, C-), D+1 (November 16, B-), R+4 (November 10, unrated partisan pollster), D+7 (November 27-30, A), D+2 (November 19-24, B/C), R+5 (December 1-3, C- partisan pollster).

So it’s very much narrow, but does seem to favour the Dems with the higher graded pollsters. I’ll also note that the A rated pollster was within a couple points of the November results with their last poll in early October.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran

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