116th Congress - Episode 3: Impeach the Motherf**er

[BassAle]

Gotta be hacked.
Edit: But The Lincoln Project's reply is pure gold.

Not hacked. She’s trying to “teach RINOs a lesson”

https://mobile.twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/1281693077325975556

Her real problem is turtle boy is putting money into defeating white supremacist Kobach in the Kansas senate primary

https://mobile.twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/1281686940727869449

 

[Handyman]

So the CEO of Goya Foods decided to fellate Trump and talk about how Cubans love him. This lead to Liberals calling for a boycott. "Ted" Cruz decided he would jump into the fray:

https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1281679899607142400

Goya is a staple of Cuban food. My grandparents ate Goya black beans twice a day for nearly 90 years. And now the Left is trying to cancel Hispanic culture and silence free speech. #BuyGoya

It didn't end well:

https://twitter.com/Yaz_Minsky/statu...51270420811782https://twitter.com/Yaz_Minsky/statu...51270420811782

Goya was founded in 1936 in New York and was a fairly small local company until the late 70s, and certainly never exported to Cuba before the US embargo. Ted Cruz’s Cuban grandparents died in 1991 and 2004.

https://twitter.com/lib_crusher/stat...10075434893314

Goya didnt even start selling products outside of New York City, much less Cuba, until long after Ted Cruz's grandparents were dead

https://twitter.com/R0mantik/status/1281987779602329600

Also on top of the company not being 90 yrs old and the product not available in Cuba, and not even nationally back then. They started in NYC and only made olive oil, sold olives and sardines back then. Not beans

There is more though. Lots of people ripping him for only embracing his heritage to score political points. (lots of people calling him Rafael) Other people talking about how he will defend beans but not his wife. Then lastly, posting the tweet he sent out about boycotting Nike because they supported Kap. It is a very entertaining thread

 

[French Rage]

Maybe he meant Jon Kyl 90.

 

[Kepler]

Roll Call piles on.

After Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in 2016, there’s a temptation to avoid making political projections. But one election result shouldn’t cause us to ignore the data. And right now, the preponderance of data points to a great election for Democrats, including taking control of the Senate.

As Joe Biden has grown a significant lead over Trump in the race for the White House, the Senate battleground has improved for Democrats down the ballot, including Inside Elections rating changes in eight races.

Some states, such as Colorado, Arizona, Maine and North Carolina, have been competitive for the entire cycle. But previously lower-tier contests in Iowa, Montana and Georgia are now hosting neck-and-neck Senate races. And Kansas, Texas, and even Alaska and South Carolina can’t be considered solid for Republicans anymore. That gives Democrats more than one legitimate path.

Democratic challengers continue to raise money at astounding rates, but arguably the biggest factor in boosting Democratic chances is the president underperforming his 2016 totals by 8-12 points or more. For example, Trump won Montana by 20 points four years ago, but the presidential race is likely within the margin of error today.

 

[Kepler]

Given the prior post, let's play a game. Say things keep getting worse for the Nazis. Say on Labor Day Dump is down 16 points and polling is predicting a 1932-like realignment tsunami and the demotion of the GOP to a regional white nationalist party.

What do the Nazis do? I see three options:

1. Take their lumps and try to rebuild on the other side
2. Eject Dump and limit the damage as best they can
3. Stop the election

1 and 2 are fine; that's politics. 3, obviously, is a coup and has to be prevented by any means necessary. So, looking at squarely at 3, what do we do today to be ready for it? How do we stop them today so they cannot even begin to consider it tomorrow?

 

[Kepler]

Just to give an idea of what the Nazis might fear, here is a chart of the control of the Senate, Presidency, and House:

Sweeps, since 1900:

1921-1933 GOP 12 years
1933-1947 Dem 14
1949-1953 Dem 4
1960-1968 Dem 8
1977-1981 Dem 4
2002-2008 GOP 6
2010-2012 Dem 2
2016-2018 GOP 2

The GOP held a sweep for 8 of the 40 years of the Reagan Realignment (1981-2021).

The Dems held a sweep for 30 of the 48 years of the FDR Realignment (1932-1981).

Note also that while the Dems were split between liberal and regressive factions during the FDR Realignment, the Dem split is now only between liberals and centrists. So Dem rule now, while compromised by corporate cronyism, would be unburdened by racists and fundy wackjobs. So Dem rule now would be far more effective.

We really could undo much of the damage of the 1981-2021 period in a fairly short amount of time. We could start with decades-delayed reform of the political process itself, to seriously curtail fraud, Jim Crow, and bribery. Those were the only way the Nazis were able to get to the White House since 1992.

The point is: the Nazis aren't going to go quietly. They know an interval of Democratic control unburdened by the internal cancer of the Dixiecrats could spoil their work of a half generation of plutocracy and white supremacy. They will certainly not go without cheating, and perhaps not without violence. We need to be ready for their meltdown.

 

[Bronco]

They've already pointed out what they are going to do. This election will be a FRAUD perpetuated by the FAKE NEWS and only REAL Americans will stand up for FREEDOM.

 

[Handyman]

Yeah but they're isn't much they can do with that. Hell they can't even count on the Supreme Court to shield them.

 

[Kepler]

Yeah but they're isn't much they can do with that. Hell they can't even count on the Supreme Court to shield them.

Not sure about that. The righties throw bones on social issues they don't care about. But endangering the heists? On political questions they seem to be good little soldiers.

 

[Kepler]

They've already pointed out what they are going to do. This election will be a FRAUD perpetuated by the FAKE NEWS and only REAL Americans will stand up for FREEDOM.

Right, but how will they do it? In 2000 they stole FL. In 2004 they may have stolen OH, we'll never know. In 2016 the Russians did the job for them.

In states with Republican control of voting they'll just blatantly cheat. "It's not who votes, it's who counts the votes." SCOTUS can quash any challenges exactly how they fixed it for Dubya: demur in "a political question."

In states with Democratic control of voting they will claim the vote is fraudulent and/or compromised. They don't need evidence they can just say it and blanket their airwaves -- within 12 hours their entire 60-million plus voting base will sincerely believe it. The Senate will object to those slates of electors and appeal to SCOTUS. And if SCOTUS rejects the slates because "they (sniff) deeply regret a lack of certainty in their legitimacy" then we'll see.

 

[Handyman]

Not sure about that. The righties throw bones on social issues they don't care about. But endangering the heists? On political questions they seem to be good little soldiers.

Since when are Trump's taxes a social issue? When did his ability to investigated become a social issue? They only side with him when it benefits the 1% and they can side with any GOPer and do that.

 

[Kepler]

My longer treatment in Kos.

 

[bronconick]

Given the prior post, let's play a game. Say things keep getting worse for the Nazis. Say on Labor Day Dump is down 16 points and polling is predicting a 1932-like realignment tsunami and the demotion of the GOP to a regional white nationalist party.

What do the Nazis do? I see three options:

1. Take their lumps and try to rebuild on the other side
2. Eject Dump and limit the damage as best they can
3. Stop the election

1 and 2 are fine; that's politics. 3, obviously, is a coup and has to be prevented by any means necessary. So, looking at squarely at 3, what do we do today to be ready for it? How do we stop them today so they cannot even begin to consider it tomorrow?

They can't eject Trump because unlike Dole in 1996, the party and their supporters have been totally remade in Trump's image, and he'll burn the GOP down with him. It's a problem that I wish them joy in solving.

 

[Rover]

Right, but how will they do it? In 2000 they stole FL. In 2004 they may have stolen OH, we'll never know. In 2016 the Russians did the job for them.



In states with Democratic control of voting they will claim the vote is fraudulent and/or compromised. They don't need evidence they can just say it and blanket their airwaves -- within 12 hours their entire 60-million plus voting base will sincerely believe it. The Senate will object to those slates of electors and appeal to SCOTUS. And if SCOTUS rejects the slates because "they (sniff) deeply regret a lack of certainty in their legitimacy" then we'll see.

Can anyone show me in the law or the Constitution that the Senate has any role in accepting the electors from the states, and has the power to object to the results?

 

[Handyman]

The only thing I can find is that during the counting of the EC votes in a joint session objections to votes can be made but are only dealt with if a Rep and a Senator sign off on it. Then the joint session is suspended, both Houses deliberate and then unless it is proven there is a problem with that vote it goes back to joint session and counted. From Wiki:

Members of Congress can object to any state's vote count, provided objection is presented in writing and is signed by at least one member of each house of Congress. An objection supported by at least one senator and one representative will be followed by the suspension of the joint session and by separate debates and votes in each House of Congress; after both Houses deliberate on the objection, the joint session is resumed.

A state's certificate of vote can be rejected only if both Houses of Congress vote to accept the objection, meaning the votes from the State in question are not counted. Individual votes can also be rejected, and are also not counted.

As far as I can tell the House of Representatives has the power to deal with the Presidential Election not the Senate. The Senate has the power to deal with the Vice President. If the GOP objected to enough electors (and somehow made it work that they could get enough people in both Houses to sign off on it AND vote for it) then no one would get the votes needed to win since objecting to a vote does not lead to a replacement it just cancels out that vote completely. If no one hits the majority number the election is kicked to the House of Representatives. They will then elect the new President from the 3 candidates with the most votes. That is what is called a Contingent Election. The new House would deal with the election though so in theory if the House flipped back they could choose Trump. Of course if they flip back most likely Trump wins anyways so the point is moot.

As for the Senate, the only way they have any power is if they elect a Vice President and the House cant agree on a President. Then the VP-Elect is acting President until the House elects the President. Trump would not be eligible for that since he is not running for the office of Vice President. It would be between Pence and whoever Biden picks.

If NEITHER can elect someone before the inauguration then the Speaker of the House becomes President until such time as this is resolved.

 

[bronconick]

And all of that kind of depends on the Trump campaign being better at filing their paperwork more correctly than the Trump administration that got shot down by the Supremes repeatedly for failing at administrative issues and claiming unlimited immunity. In short: I don't like his lawyers' competence.

 

[psych]

I think a contingent election is predicated upon each state’s US house delegation getting one vote, not the representatives themselves, so even if the House didn’t flip back, Republicans would still likely have a 26-23 or 26-24 lead in states they control, and therefore, they could choose Trump. I don’t think any of that is going to happen anyways.

 

[Handyman]

I think a contingent election is predicated upon each state’s US house delegation getting one vote, not the representatives themselves, so even if the House didn’t flip back, Republicans would still likely have a 26-23 or 26-24 lead in states they control, and therefore, they could choose Trump. I don’t think any of that is going to happen anyways.

Yes you are correct. But to get to the Contingent Election they would need to cancel out singular votes through challenge to the point that no one gets to 270. (there is about .0000000000000000001% chance that would happen with one vote let alone enough to muck up the election) Unless a third party mucks up the numbers.

Basically the only way Congress could award Trump the Presidency is if somehow no one gets to 270 AND the House flips by a pretty solid margin.

 

[Rover]

My point in bringing this up isn't to blast Kep. It's because I want to be on the lookout for realistic scenarios and not faulty ones. These Tim Wirth inspired ploys all fall down on trying to inject current GOP held offices (Senate, State legislature, etc) into the electoral process where they don't actually exist. I'm concerned about any state where Goopers hold the secretary of state office or the state supreme court. For example if rather not see the election come down to Wisconsin. But unlike 2016 Republicans don't hold power to affect vote counts and certifications in enough swing states to throw the election.

 

[psych]

My point in bringing this up isn't to blast Kep. It's because I want to be on the lookout for realistic scenarios and not faulty ones. These Tim Wirth inspired ploys all fall down on trying to inject current GOP held offices (Senate, State legislature, etc) into the electoral process where they don't actually exist. I'm concerned about any state where Goopers hold the secretary of state office or the state supreme court. For example if rather not see the election come down to Wisconsin. But unlike 2016 Republicans don't hold power to affect vote counts and certifications in enough swing states to throw the election.

I agree. Barring a disaster, like Biden dressing up in blackface for the first debate, he’s on pace to win by 5-7 points, and bring the Senate with him.