(08-18-2020, 07:49 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: The states' rights argument for the EC falls flat, though. The POTUS is not in charge of the states, he doesn't represent the states, he represents the people. Several of the framers wanted a popular vote for president because of this, but they knew it wouldn't float for the south.

(08-18-2020, 11:49 AM)hollodero Wrote: The tyranny of the majority sounds odd for an election in a democracy... but actually I get what you say. What I do not get is why the EC is connected with states' rights. Imho these two issues inherently don't have to do anything with each other. The one is about picking the president, the other is about what he can do. Separate.

Quote:How'd you say, I'm constantly intrigued by this notion. Because you don't know that. Also, if the system were failproof, you wouldn't need an armed populace to avoid tyranny in the first place :) - And it probably always needs people doing the right thing, and overall vigilance and an effort of everyone, to keep the democratic system in place. Congress as safeguard already sort of failed, now as kind of a "next safeguard up" it might just be the electorate's turn to say, no Trump, not like that. I kind of see it that way.

Quote:Well, it sure as hell isn't Trump. In the first instance, Biden would kind of recast the mold just by not pulling the same kind of stunts.

(08-18-2020, 10:47 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Well, a person has to become President before being able to do anything, no?

(08-18-2020, 10:47 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: No system is foolproof, we completely agree.  But for this system to fail int he manner described would require large scale collapse.  If such a collapse within the system occurs we'll have many more problems than just that to deal with.

(08-18-2020, 10:47 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Again, we agree, it's not Trump.  It's also not the pro criminal anti law enforcement position of the Democratic party either.  Like I've been saying, although not in these exact words, it's almost a literal Sophie's Choice.

(08-19-2020, 10:25 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/19/politics/donald-trump-qanon/index.html

Trump was asked about QAnon today and said that he appreciated the support of the followers and that he has heard that they love America.

(08-21-2020, 01:08 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/513048-trump-says-he-will-send-law-enforcement-us-attorneys-to-polls-in

Trump says he plans on sending various law enforcement officials to the polls in November to prevent fraud.

Quote:A Statement by Former Republican National Security Officials


We are former national security officials who served during the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and/or Donald Trump, or as Republican Members of Congress. We are profoundly concerned about the course of our nation under the leadership of Donald Trump. Through his actions and his rhetoric, Trump has demonstrated that he lacks the character and competence to lead this nation and has engaged in corrupt behavior that renders him unfit to serve as President.

For the following reasons, we have concluded that Donald Trump has failed our country and that Vice President Joe Biden should be elected the next President of the United States.

1. Donald Trump has gravely damaged America’s role as a world leader. Trump has disgraced America’s global reputation and undermined our nation’s moral and diplomatic influence. He has called NATO “obsolete,” branded Europe a “foe,” mocked the leaders of America’s closest friends, and threatened to terminate longstanding US alliances. Other global leaders, friends and foes alike, view him as unreliable, unstable, and unworthy of respect.
2. Donald Trump has shown that he is unfit to lead during a national crisis. Instead of rallying the American people and the world to confront the coronavirus, Trump has spent the past half year spreading misinformation, undermining public health experts, attacking state and local officials, and wallowing in self-pity. He has demonstrated far greater concern about the fate of his reelection than the health of the American people.
3. Donald Trump has solicited foreign influence and undermined confidence in our presidential elections. Trump publicly asked Russian president Vladimir Putin to assist his 2016 campaign, called on Chinese president Xi Jinping to “start an investigation” into his current political opponent, and pressured the president of Ukraine to act against his opponent. Citing exaggerated claims of voter fraud, he has challenged the integrity of this year’s election, even suggesting that it be postponed.
4. Donald Trump has aligned himself with dictators and failed to stand up for American values. Trump has regularly praised the actions of dictators and human rights abusers. He proclaimed his “love” and “great respect” for North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un, endorsed “brilliant leader” Xi Jinping’s move to serve as China’s president for life, repeatedly sided with Vladimir Putin against our own intelligence community, and pronounced himself a “big fan” of Turkish president Recep Erdogan despite his crackdown on democracy.
5. Donald Trump has disparaged our armed forces, intelligence agencies, and diplomats. Trump has attacked Gold Star families, scoffed at American prisoners of war, interfered in the military justice system, and embroiled our military in domestic politics. He has ridiculed US intelligence agencies and falsely branded our nation’s diplomats as the “deep state.”
6. Donald Trump has undermined the rule of law. Trump has compromised the independence of the Department of Justice, repeatedly attacked federal judges, and punished government officials who have sought to uphold the law. To protect himself from accountability, he has fired officials who launched investigations or testified against him, threatened whistleblowers, dangled pardons as incentives to stay silent, and blocked prison time for a political crony convicted of lying on his behalf. He has impugned journalists investigating his misconduct and has repeatedly denounced the press as the “enemy of the people.”
7. Donald Trump has dishonored the office of the presidency. Trump engages in childish name-calling, mocks the disabled, belittles women, persistently lies, peddles baseless conspiracy theories, and continually embarrasses Americans in the eyes of the world.
8. Donald Trump has divided our nation and preached a dark and pessimistic view of America. Trump consistently seeks to incite political, racial, and ethnic divisions, weakening our nation and delighting our adversaries. In contrast to Reagan’s vision of America as a “shining city on a hill,” Trump speaks of “American carnage,” pits Americans against each other, and stokes fears that “angry mobs” and “anarchists” are destroying our country.
9. Donald Trump has attacked and vilified immigrants to our country. Trump routinely denigrates immigrants and inflames prejudices as he seeks support for his reelection. Despite America’s legacy as a nation of immigrants, he has demonized Americans who come from other countries, even telling members of Congress whose families immigrated to the United States to “go back” to the “crime-infested places” from which they came.
10. Donald Trump has imperiled America’s security by mismanaging his national security team. Trump has dismissed or replaced — often by tweet — the secretaries of State, Defense, and Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the Directors of National Intelligence and the FBI, three National Security Advisors, and other senior officials in critical national security positions, many because they refused to cover for his misdeeds or demonstrate sufficient personal loyalty.
    
    

While we – like all Americans – had hoped that Donald Trump would govern wisely, he has disappointed millions of voters who put their faith in him and has demonstrated that he is dangerously unfit to serve another term.

In contrast, we believe Joe Biden has the character, experience, and temperament to lead this nation. We believe he will restore the dignity of the presidency, bring Americans together, reassert America’s role as a global leader, and inspire our nation to live up to its ideals.
While some of us hold policy positions that differ from those of Joe Biden and his party, the time to debate those policy differences will come later. For now, it is imperative that we stop Trump’s assault on our nation’s values and institutions and reinstate the moral foundations of our democracy.

To that end, we are firmly convinced that it is in the best interest of our nation that Vice President Joe Biden be elected as the next President of the United States, and we will vote for him.

(08-19-2020, 06:59 PM)hollodero Wrote: Sure. So the argument for the EC is that it is less likely a person could be elected president that could then as president target states' rights.

I mean, sure, maybe. I guess in your shoes, I'd still rather be annoyed, but hey I am not.

Quote:Yeah, this is probably true, but still it's a bit of a sad argument. Also I'd say a system does not have to fail with a bang, it can also fail incrementally. A kind of erosion. Of which this post office scam could very well be seen as an example.

Quote:Well, while I fully understand that someone could see Democrats as too lenient towards criminals, I would not call them "pro criminal", or, in the same sense, "anti-law enforcement". I consider those terms simplified exaggerations. Second thing though, imho the kind of ship that needs righting is about preserving democratic norms and values, and I do not doubt that Biden is the only candidate who respects democracy and the institution and free press and all those things that I at least actually meant when talking about shiprighting. I'd maybe also argue those law enforcement topics are - in comparison - a minor issue, but mainly I'd argue that they are a different issue.

Brayden — When I was growing up, my mom always told me that bravery resides in every heart and that someday it will be summoned. Well, you summoned yours last night and showed the whole world that your stutter doesn't define you. I couldn't be prouder. https://t.co/61eAOjraHq

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 21, 2020

(08-21-2020, 12:17 PM)GMDino Wrote: Ah, the deplorables never disappoint.

Then they take it down and try to pretend it never happened.  What moral fortitude!

This is what stutterers face every day. I’m in awe of Brayden’s courage and resolve. https://t.co/epTs6FBZ3s pic.twitter.com/YOtecayHTg

— John Hendrickson (@JohnGHendy) August 21, 2020

 

(08-21-2020, 11:33 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: He changed his bio to “ I didn’t  mock a kid. I never would. I mocked Biden who lies about his personal life..a lot. I’m blocking everyone who comes at me” and locked his account

Quote:Trump Cooks Up Wacky New Birther Slam: Joe Biden Wasn’t Born In Pennsylvania
Because the Democratic nominee moved out as a child, he really wasn’t born in Scranton, the president told a perplexed Pennsylvania crowd.





President Donald Trump expanded his “birther” conspiracy theories on Thursday to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, telling a crowd in Pennsylvania that Biden “wasn’t born” in the state because he moved to Delaware with his family when he was a child.

“He’d say he was born here,” Trump told listeners in Scranton. “But he left when he was like 8, 9 or 10. So he left 68 years ago, he left — a long time ago. So I view it differently. He wasn’t born here. He abandoned Scranton!”
Trump conceded: “His family had something to do with that, you know, his parents. But he left Scranton.”

Biden was born in Scranton in 1942 and moved from the state to Mayfield, Delaware, with his family when he was 13, according to his biography. Trump didn’t name the state he believes counts as Biden’s birthplace.


Trump repeatedly pushed the false and racist conspiracy theory that former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. He has also recently questioned the citizenship of Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris, saying she may not “meet the requirements” to run as vice president because her parents were immigrants — even though she was born in California. Everyone born in the U.S. is an American citizen under the Constitution.

Critics could hardly believe what they heard coming out of Trump’s mouth.

(08-22-2020, 08:48 AM)GMDino Wrote: The Trump campaign is finding it very hard to find an attack that sticks with Biden.

So now there is this...lol.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-birther-conspiracy-joe-biden-pennsylvania_n_5f3f0e27c5b6305f32555891



I guess when you have had a lifetime of being allowed to create your own realities in your head ("I'm a successful businessman", "Women love me", etc) you just say anything an expect the yes men around you won't say anything back.


Note:  I didn't write the article or tell DJT what to say.  I am sharing the video and commentary on it as a continuation of the discussion about the 2020 election and how the candidates are choosing to campaign.  Others may have different information/links to provide a different/better insight into why Trump said what he said that would allow for a different reaction to it.









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(08-22-2020, 09:07 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Why do you keep putting a disclaimer on your posts?