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There is likely to be huge voter suppression even by US standards. Even if Trump loses he is not likely to simply hand over the reins of power. There is nothing he isn't capable of- we have already seen the new federal force snatching people off the streets. the police are out of control in many places. It's full, unashamed fascism.
Things could get a lot worse in the US before they get better. The only hope is that he is trounced so badly that even he can't argue it.
I think it's still Biden's to lose - his lead in the polls has been steady, at a level that was Clinton's upper ceiling four years ago, which she couldn't hold on to for any length of time. Although I think it is reassuring, worrying and frustrating at the same time. Reassuring in that as time goes by it becomes more and more likely that he will carry this sort of lead into the election and that, combined with better management of the Electoral College, should ensure a solid victory; worrying because a couple of points shift could lead to it becoming a nail-biter again. And frustrating because it's probably not quite enough to turn states like Texas, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina and Iowa and hand out the landslide defeat he deserves, which might cause proper soul-searching within the Republican party.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Fly
That is the big worry of course, and protestors on the street is a big possibility. The hope here is that all legal challenges can be resolved quickly and that the military is true to its vow to uphold the Constitution, rather than taking political sides - if that happens, then those protests are not likely to prevent or significantly delay the passing of power. Also, I know where you're coming from Mr. A, but it is a really bad sign that the main defence against an unfair challenge to the election results is that Biden has to trounce Trump to win - 270 Electoral College votes with a plurality of any size in states he wins (subject to recounts) should be enough if there is no real evidence of significant voter fraud. Although the Democrats should already be preparing their legal briefs regarding voter suppression already.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
Well I may have spoken too soon given the latest controversy over his alleged remarks regarding fallen soldiers. We'll have to wait and see whether enough of that sticks, or simply falls into the fake news abyss.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
That aside however, I just think the protests and riots have gone on for so long now that they'll play into his hands come November. America is into full on culture war territory and I believe there's a significant proportion of the American population that the polls just don't reach or reflect - the silent Trump voter/growing anti-Democrat party voter. In other words...don't trust the polls.
Lots more stories to come between now and election day, and the polls will ebb and flow accordingly. Right now Trump is over the coals for his comments on soldiers, but it'll be Biden's turn next. There's always another scandal or slur to sling.
I wonder about where the votes will come from. Who will vote for Trump that didn't vote last time - I cannot imagine he has won over many new voters over the last 4 years. His base will still be there though.
Will Biden pick up all of those who voted for Clinton? There is also a base that will vote Democrat no matter what, but how many beyond that?
And it will all come down to a few states, and even a few pockets within states, that determine the overall result. And the locations of those pockets are only really known in hindsight.
Yep, he's just been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize so that'll give him a bounce. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
318 nominees this year so far. He was nominated by the same Norwegian right-wing politician that nominated him two years ago. It doesn't seem to be that big a story in the USA.
US media propaganda is alive and well and its tentacles have reached all the way to Ireland. Truly delusional take on what's happening in America.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
The evidence is very clearly there- I have seen multiple examples of horrendous police behaviour and there are plenty more out there too. Do you really think it is not happening?
It was probably the "full, unashamed fascism" comment which spurred the reply.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
Trumpists are irredeemable lads. The best way of dealing with them is to ignore them completely. The site providers a function for that very feature.
I can think of one obvious case lately, and one from last year or the year before. But I would be glad to compare notes. While we're on the topic, can you tell me about any 'horrendous behavior' against police lately?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
There are over 200 videos on this twitter thread alone. https://twitter.com/greg_doucette/st...95872057950208
I have seen plenty of twitter feeds, but an awful lot of them lack context. Having said that, do you have any other twitter threads you'd like to share? Like perhaps the barricading of police officers into their stations and the setting alight of these buildings by Antifa and BLM, with the officers inside? That's happened more than once this summer. Or perhaps the footage of police standing there like sheep (on the orders of their city mayors not to engage) and being hit by all manner of missiles? Do you have any of those twitter feeds? Did you want to share the fact that some 3000 police officers have been injured since June? Or do you have a count of the police officers killed this summer (I think it's 4 right now but I gave up counting)? And what about the 2 officers shot by snipers the other night, or the two Los Angeles officers, sitting in a squad car a couple of weekends ago when they were both shot by an assailant, with no provocation at all. And the ensuing blocking of the entrance to the hospital where the ambulance was headed with the injured officers. And the "I hope you pigs die" chants (or words to that effect) by those wonderful BLM/Antifa types outside the hospital in LA.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
AND TO THINK THE PREMIER LEAGUE IN ENGLAND KNEELS DOWN EVERY WEEKEND TO SUPPORT THESE ANARCHISTS?
Look we can all agree that what happened to George Floyd was wrong, way wrong. It was murder. The whole world agreed. But that is the only case that the whole world agreed upon. Jacob Blake - we were sold a bill of lies about that case. Ditto Breonna Taylor. Ditto Trayvon Martin and of course the case that spawned "Hands Up Don't Shoot" - Michael Brown of Ferguson Missouri. Only problem is that "Hands Up Don't Shoot" was a lie. It never happened. So says the court transcripts.
Breonna Taylor is the case in the news right now. But America has been lied to by the media for approximately six months about this case - she was not shot in her bed, she herself was on the warrant and wanted for questioning about her ex-boyfriend who was a drug dealer and dealing out of her home. Did she deserve to die? No, not at all. But she made some horrible choices in her life - and that's what led to her death. She lived with a drug dealer. She ditched him and hooked up with a guy who shot through a closed door and hit a police officer in the leg. Shooting through a closed door and hitting a police officer is not going to come to a good conclusion. But the CNN's and ABC's of the world will work day and night to bury those facts.
Looking at the big picture. Most of the blue (democrat) states in America want to defund the police (surely to God you can see the insanity in that?). And on top of that they want to take away people's right to protect themselves (ie with their own firearms). Does any of that make sense - no police, anarchists running riot in the streets and the regular Joe has to stand there with his family and turn the other cheek? America has burned this summer, from Minneapolis to Atlanta, from Seattle to New York. Hopefully you can see that the country is headed in a very very bad direction with Antifa and BLM pulling all the strings with the media and the Democrat party?
You're using the word defund. I do not think you know what it means
Defund - ie. take money away from.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
In New York, for example, the mayor has decided to take something like a billion (or a billion and a half?) dollars away from the NYPD and give it (according to the purported plan anyway) to community causes. The NYPD, with a force of 49,000 officers, recently had its whole undercover unit (some 600 detectives) disbanded as part of the 'defunding'. Retirements of police officers across the country are at a record level. Combine that with the 'no bail' initiative in many American cities, and we see the vast majority of offenders right back on the street the day they commit their crimes. Why? Because there is no more cash bail. Apparently, you just sign the paperwork and agree to show up for your court date and that's it. It's basically a 'get out of jail card' for the criminals. Needless to say - crimes of all description have gone through the roof in NYC and elsewhere and many in the black communities (including Al Sharpton) are now calling for more police presence rather than less.
Minneapolis was the first American city to come up with this 'initiative'. Their reasoning in the aftermath of George Floyd was 'policing is too heavy-handed and too racially motivated' and why can't we have councillors and mediators go to these crime scenes to peacefully talk to the perpetrators? The police have been likened to Nazis by the Minneapolis City Council and the vote to defund them there was almost unanimous if I remember correctly. Can't make this up, but last week the spokesperson for the Minneapolis City Council wondered aloud why crime is rising so drastically in the city at the same time as asking 'Where are all the police?'.
I would like to think Tets that you know of the goings-on in Portland? Pretty sad if you don't yet totally understandable at the same time, because family members I speak to in Ireland do not have access to American news and therefore have no clue what's going on.
Aside from all of the above, we can look for the riots, looting and burning to ramp up in the coming weeks, all with the backdrop of less and less police. It is full steam ahead for BLM and Antifa now to discredit the 'too Catholic' Supreme Court pick, Amy Coney Barrett and they'll also be doing everything in their power to stop DT from being reelected.
Why has the mayor taken 1.5 billion from the police budget? It's not down to the Tax take in NYC being down nearly 10 Billion is it? I wonder what caused that? That is some shortfall. Is there any pandemic or major event causing budgets to take a hit. I must do some research.
I love the way he has taken that money and given it to community causes though. You've taken a truth, turned it into a half truth and completed the trick with a nugget of complete fantasy at the end. Your last 2 posts are quite the read.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mark12345
So because of her choices years ago, clearly the police have no duty of care to her when they enter her apartment and resistance in the confusion must be met with overwhelming lethal force without accountability... after all, she's not a white vigilante gunning people down in the street - he gets to walk past the police tank. What's that, black people? Black Lives Matter? How dare you!? All Lives Matter!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by mark12345
No half-truths or fantasy, just the facts. I promise you I am not trying to pull the wool over your eyes or anyone else's.Quote:
Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid
I'm quite confused Sam on what you mean in your reply. I had heard a version of what happened to Breonna Taylor, but it was nothing like what actually came out of the Grand Jury last Tuesday. My point is that the media led the country to believe a certain narrative about Breonna Taylor and it was nothing like what really happened - from what I'm told RTE and BBC do the same thing from time to time? Bottom line is there is a media-driven war on the police in the US right now because racial strife keeps the masses at each other's throats. But those people who are suffering the most are those in the inner city black communities (as Al Sharpton has quite rightly said). What is your reference to Trayvon Martin about?
In fairness, 'Defund the Police' is a fairly stupid and (I guess deliberately) antagonistic slogan for an idea to take away certain responsibilities (and accompanying funding) from the police and involve more suitable professions instead.