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Post by Jeremy on Oct 9, 2020 13:13:54 GMT -8
Season Two of The Boys just concluded, and it was just as thrilling as the first. The series is a great deconstruction of the superhero genre, and one of the most thoroughly entertaining shows on television. The violence was initially a tough selling point, but I've gotten used to it. (...Yay?) Here's my take on the show - primarily spoiler-free, although I do discuss the general setup and characters.
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Post by Jeremy on Oct 30, 2020 12:30:10 GMT -8
Another election is around the corner, and I have my predictions as to how it will turn out. Highly indisputable, as always. Accept no substitutes. (I'm just sad I couldn't find a picture as perfect as that "Treehouse of Horror" shot from last time.)
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Post by guttersnipe on Oct 30, 2020 16:40:50 GMT -8
(I'm just sad I couldn't find a picture as perfect as that "Treehouse of Horror" shot from last time.) Nicely addressed. I'm afraid I didn't read your previous article; not as a diss, but because I don't usually find US politics that interesting until Ken Burns fills me in on events way after the fact. As such, I assumed that your previous header picture was of Homer accidentally killing Clinton and Dole by inadvertent naked jettison. Close enough. And to all you Americans - even if it's hold-your-nose tactical voting or the-lesser-of-two-evils logic, make the right choice.
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Post by Jeremy on Oct 31, 2020 20:39:15 GMT -8
My 2018 article was mostly a way to poke fun at the different ways we gauge statewide/district races in America. This one was a (slightly) more straightforward attempt to explain the quirks of the Electoral College.
Truth told, I've made an effort to avoid overdrawn political discussions with other people these last few months (because everything is terrible, etc, etc) but I do still follow electoral math pretty closely. Sadly, a lot of the specific examples I use in the article will be dated soon, since most of the country's district lines will be redrawn for 2022.
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Post by guttersnipe on Nov 5, 2020 15:20:47 GMT -8
Can I just say that I'm experiencing a weird bit of role-reversal here, because back in 2016 I was Denying American and deliberately ignoring everything to do with that guy*, and now I'm practically glued to the news for this alarmingly-protracted swing state count, and you guys (mostly to whom it's more relevant) are eerily quiet.
* Even from what little I ascertained, the very idea seemed ludicrous, and for hindsight and a huge Covid death toll to not even curb millions of people wanting another four years for Mr. Burns in Harvey Weinstein's body makes me wonder if there's something in the water over there.
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Post by Jeremy on Nov 5, 2020 21:09:59 GMT -8
Actually, I've spent the better part of the last two days texting back and forth with people about the election, often trying to explain the electoral math and why this state that looks like it's swinging this way is actually going that way. It was nail-biting at first, but became exhausting after a while. Didn't have much energy to post about much of anything on this site lately.
As of now, there's not much else to say. It became readily apparent around yesterday evening that Trump would not be getting a second term. (The late counting of mail-in ballots screwed with expectations, but Biden has effectively won at this point.) It's also become clear that Democrats drastically underperformed expectations, largely with suburban and Latino voters. Republicans will maintain control of the Senate (barring a huge upset in the Georgia runoffs) and will come close to retaking the House. So everybody wins! (Kinda, sorta, not really...)
Look, America still has plenty of issues, and both parties are going to engage in some real battles - both with each other and within their own ranks - over the next few years. But the important thing is that Alec Baldwin can finally retire.
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Post by Incandescence 112 on Nov 5, 2020 22:41:15 GMT -8
Actually, I've spent the better part of the last two days texting back and forth with people about the election, often trying to explain the electoral math and why this state that looks like it's swinging this way is actually going that way. It was nail-biting at first, but became exhausting after a while. Didn't have much energy to post about much of anything on this site lately. As of now, there's not much else to say. It became readily apparent around yesterday evening that Trump would not be getting a second term. (The late counting of mail-in ballots screwed with expectations, but Biden has effectively won at this point.) It's also become clear that Democrats drastically underperformed expectations, largely with suburban and Latino voters. Republicans will maintain control of the Senate (barring a huge upset in the Georgia runoffs) and will come close to retaking the House. So everybody wins! (Kinda, sorta, not really...) Look, America still has plenty of issues, and both parties are going to engage in some real battles - both with each other and within their own ranks - over the next few years. But the important thing is that Alec Baldwin can finally retire. Maybe Charlie Kirk, too? Is that too much to ask?
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Post by ThirdMan on Nov 5, 2020 22:44:44 GMT -8
Well, I live in Canada, but for the first time ever, I've been checking the vote totals of three battleground states (Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia) constantly for the past few days. The last two seem to be swinging in Biden's direction, but I worry he might not hold on to Arizona. I realize that he doesn't need all three, but if he gets those, as well as Nevada, it'll still be a pretty decisive victory, even if it didn't live up to poll expectations. Plus, I believe there were a lot more votes still to be counted in California, so Biden could end up nearly 8 million ahead on the popular vote, when it's all said and done.
I'm glad the major networks cut away during his bullshit conspiracy "fraud" speech, and called him out on his hugely irresponsible lies (that could very conceivably incite violence). Twitter itself also rejecting some of his, and his son's, tweets is also quite comical, given that that app seems to be his primary form of expression these days.
My only major concern going forward is that he'll try to run again in 2024, but I hope the Republican Party chooses someone more suitable (possessing maturity, intelligence, empathy, patience, a willingness to learn and grow, respectful of minorities and women, etc.), rather than going the cult-of-personality route again. Meanwhile, I'm sure he'll start his own "news" network that only says what he wants them to say, because he's had a falling-out with Fox News as of late.
70-plus more days of him is bad enough, but at least there APPEARS to be a light at the end of the tunnel.
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Post by Jeremy on Nov 6, 2020 7:27:00 GMT -8
Fun fact: If Biden wins Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada (he already has Pennsylvania), he will receive 306 electoral votes - the exact same number that Trump won in 2016.
It's certainly been an unusual election, with a more suspenseful-than-expected conclusion. I find it interesting that Trump underperformed downballot Republicans in many swing districts, suggesting that his grip on the party is not as viselike as people think, and that many voters preferred non-Trump Republicans over their Democratic opponents. Lends weight to the theory that Biden was the right call for the nomination - most of the other top contenders were more left-wing and (even factoring in the pandemic) would probably have gotten crushed in the Rust Belt.
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Post by otherscott on Nov 6, 2020 8:23:20 GMT -8
I think the rust belt is fairly socially conservative, even if they are fiscally liberal, which is the type of voter that the more left wing democrats have been attempting to alienate recently. I do fear that a lack of understanding of middle America by the core Democrat base may lead to a Republican surge in years to come, especially if the Republicans decide to move a little left fiscally and appeal more to the working class, and elect real politicians rather than corrupt businessmen trying to tear America apart at its foundations so they can funnel more money into their business properties.
But for now, it really seems like Trump is gone and that is cause for celebration in my book.
And thus ends my thoughts on politics on CT, at least until the next Canadian election.
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Quiara
Grade School
Posts: 775
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Post by Quiara on Nov 6, 2020 9:58:15 GMT -8
Actually, I've spent the better part of the last two days texting back and forth with people about the election, often trying to explain the electoral math and why this state that looks like it's swinging this way is actually going that way. It was nail-biting at first, but became exhausting after a while. Didn't have much energy to post about much of anything on this site lately. As of now, there's not much else to say. It became readily apparent around yesterday evening that Trump would not be getting a second term. (The late counting of mail-in ballots screwed with expectations, but Biden has effectively won at this point.) It's also become clear that Democrats drastically underperformed expectations, largely with suburban and Latino voters. Republicans will maintain control of the Senate (barring a huge upset in the Georgia runoffs) and will come close to retaking the House. So everybody wins! (Kinda, sorta, not really...) Look, America still has plenty of issues, and both parties are going to engage in some real battles - both with each other and within their own ranks - over the next few years. But the important thing is that Alec Baldwin can finally retire. Maybe Charlie Kirk, too? Is that too much to ask? Oh, I don't think so. If there's one takeaway from the 2020 elections, it's that conservative grifters can make a ton of money via high-budget, low-impact trolling. Maybe if TPUSA implodes, Charlie Kirk can start up The Reagan Project!
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Post by Jeremy on Nov 6, 2020 13:09:54 GMT -8
I think the rust belt is fairly socially conservative, even if they are fiscally liberal, which is the type of voter that the more left wing democrats have been attempting to alienate recently. I do fear that a lack of understanding of middle America by the core Democrat base may lead to a Republican surge in years to come, especially if the Republicans decide to move a little left fiscally and appeal more to the working class, and elect real politicians rather than corrupt businessmen trying to tear America apart at its foundations so they can funnel more money into their business properties. This is generally true, although I wouldn't say I "fear" the Republicans improving on their current brand. America is at its best when we have two healthy, functioning political parties. The Democrats have proven during this election cycle that (at least on the Presidential level) they are still a fairly well-adjusted party; now Republicans have a chance to clean things up and do the same. Oh, I don't think so. If there's one takeaway from the 2020 elections, it's that conservative grifters can make a ton of money via high-budget, low-impact trolling. Maybe if TPUSA implodes, Charlie Kirk can start up The Reagan Project! Comments like this make me wish there was a "like" button on this forum.
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Post by Jay on Nov 6, 2020 22:03:55 GMT -8
Is this where we're talking the election now? Well, I've shared this on every other social media account I have after spending about a half hour fine-tuning it in MSPaint. Here's to you, CT.
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Post by guttersnipe on Nov 7, 2020 17:47:12 GMT -8
So as I type this, Biden is getting ready for his victory speech, and whilst he's hardly an "exciting" candidate and as one news outlet put it, this election was more like a referendum on Donald Trump, I'm really made up for you guys and the world in general. Incidentally, our news is largely sour, often crying "betrayal" thanks to an ostensibly-scrapped trade deal between the two halves of "the special relationship", to which I argue: # Biden never made any promise to help us out. Why are his future actions or inactions predicated on the democratic decisions of two separate nations in separate continents, as if they were intrinsically intertwined? # What kind of "independence day" (genuine statement by our Dear Leader) or "Global Britain" idea hinges so weighedly on the goodwill of but one nation? I remember being told that Brexit was an attempt to rebuild the now-meaningless Commonwealth; now the scope was apparently more myopic even than that. # If Trump was in fact committed to his self-appropriated "Mr. Brexit" mantle, why didn't he begin trade talks this time four years ago, so we wouldn't have had to bother sending our envoys out to Brussels every week to request a deal even as vaguely beneficial as the one already in place? Was he too busy half-constructing a wall to commit to anything in that first term? Good riddance. I reckon his exit from the White House (probably petulant child-like, gripping onto the skirting boards and doorframes) will be one of the most-watched events in history.
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Post by Jeremy on Nov 7, 2020 21:47:14 GMT -8
So as I type this, Biden is getting ready for his victory speech, and whilst he's hardly an "exciting" candidate and as one news outlet put it, this election was more like a referendum on Donald Trump That's pretty much it, though. By nominating a non-exciting candidate, the Democrats made sure the focus of the election would be on Trump, rather than the threat of left-wing revolution that would distance a lot of swing voters. We know from his previous presidential runs that Joe Biden is a mediocre candidate and a terrible campaigner. But he was the perfect candidate for this specific election. Nominating a Warren/Sanders-type would have ignited pushback from Republicans and independents in battleground states and would likely have handed Trump a second term.
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