US Election Week 2020

[crazy canuck]

This is a very dangerous moment. The architecture of the American electoral process is  far from seamless.  Like much else it relies on people following custom and unwritten rules to work smoothly.  Trump has shown again and again he is completely unconstrained by such norms and views them as vulnerable loopholes to be vigorously exploited.  Trump doesn't need to win legal actions in court on the merits, he just need to disrupt or drag out the process of formally commissioning Electors long enough to prevent a sufficient number of states from certifying slates of Electors by the December 14 deadline for the Electors to meet and cast their votes.  If he can do that, no candidate will secure 270 and the election goes to the House to vote by delegation, where the GOP controls a majority of delegations. This no longer hypothetical speculation, it is Trump's strategy and it appears he has already succeeded in getting important elected GOP officials to cooperate with at least the opening moves.

An election official from Arizona was just on CNN saying that it was clear now that the President is trying to slow everything down.

All of this talk about fraudulent elections and all the apologists floating around defending it may just be a distraction from the real plan.

[derspiess]

He's just delaying the inevitable.  But what do you think "the real plan" is?

[crazy canuck]

He's just delaying the inevitable.  But what do you think "the real plan" is?

It is all laid out in JR's post.

[Valmy]

I don't believe such a crazy plan would succeed. The Republicans are eager to move on to cash in an ineffectual Biden Presidency with a huge win in 2022. I don't think they are going to sell out everything just to keep Donald around.

That's my view anyway.

[The Brain]

What would they be selling out?

[crazy canuck]

I don't believe such a crazy plan would succeed. The Republicans are eager to move on to cash in an ineffectual Biden Presidency with a huge win in 2022. I don't think they are going to sell out everything just to keep Donald around.

Someone tell that to the Republicans that are going into delay mode.  I have no reason to not believe the election official from Arizona.

[Valmy]

What would they be selling out?

Political capital. Destroying the Constitution for Donald might sell well to his hard core supporters but not much outside of that. And even once they do it it might not even work.

It might undermine their efforts to win the two seats in Georgia for one. Why risk it?

[mongers]

Fill a show with enough Brit actors and there's a decent chance a number of them will eventually appear in some dumb American stuff that makes them famous. 

It's inevitable - also true for Australian soaps.

Personal favourite in I Claudius is John Hurt's turn.

And the main thing that surprises me about Patrick Stewart is how handsome he is a young man. It makes a lot of sense because he was handsome/dignified when he was older. But it's still weird. (I know one girl with a thing for bald men who has an enormous crush on Patrick Stewart )

As Oberon

Meri, don't forget he was Leondegrance in 'Excalibur' 

[Valmy]

I don't believe such a crazy plan would succeed. The Republicans are eager to move on to cash in an ineffectual Biden Presidency with a huge win in 2022. I don't think they are going to sell out everything just to keep Donald around.

Someone tell that to the Republicans that are going into delay mode.  I have no reason to not believe the election official from Arizona.

Hey if you are right, you are right.

But I will need to see some pretty convincing evidence that everybody is falling in line with this plan to buy it.

Trump lost this election but the Republicans won it to a degree. I think they will be eager to move forward to capitalize on what they have won, not sacrifice it all in a losing cause.

But hey maybe they are completely insane and self-destructive. I wouldn't be totally shocked. It just strikes me as unlikely.

Biden coming in under a cloud of controversy with a hostile Senate majority is almost perfect for them.

[Malthus]

I don't believe such a crazy plan would succeed. The Republicans are eager to move on to cash in an ineffectual Biden Presidency with a huge win in 2022. I don't think they are going to sell out everything just to keep Donald around.

Someone tell that to the Republicans that are going into delay mode.  I have no reason to not believe the election official from Arizona.

Hey if you are right, you are right.

But I will need to see some pretty convincing evidence that everybody is falling in line with this plan to buy it.

Trump lost this election but the Republicans won it to a degree. I think they will be eager to move forward to capitalize on what they have won, not sacrifice it all in a losing cause.

But hey maybe they are completely insane and self-destructive. I wouldn't be totally shocked. It just strikes me as unlikely.

Biden coming in under a cloud of controversy with a hostile Senate majority is almost perfect for them.

I think Trump may grasp at any straws, and the GOP is largely so cowardly they will go along with it so as not to be seen as "disloyal".

I think it will fail dismally (as Trump court challenges have all failed so far) and the the GOP simply will not care - of Trump is tossed out on his ear, so much the better for them.

They can then go back to their favourite plan - making sure Biden can't get anything done, using complete obstructionism on every issue ... then blaming the Democrats for failure to accomplish anything. 

[Valmy]

I think Trump may grasp at any straws, and the GOP is largely so cowardly they will go along with it so as not to be seen as "disloyal".

They will play along and look for the first off ramp they can find while blaming the Democrats.

[Syt]

... then blaming the Democrats for failure to accomplish anything failing to compromise.

FYP

[Sheilbh]

Hey if you are right, you are right.

But I will need to see some pretty convincing evidence that everybody is falling in line with this plan to buy it.

I think Republicans who have an eye on 2024 are rowing in behind it - by my count Graham, Cruz, Haley and Cotton have all come out in support of Trump's nonsense.

Republicans who don't, aren't. And I think people will follow power which is sort of about reality, so I expect the people around Trump who are backing him will dwindle.

But Trump will never "concede". He'll never admit he lost. It'll always be an election he won that was stolen from him. Whether's saying that on Twitter, on Trump TV (OANN?), or on a rally stage in 2024 is much of a muchness.

Trump lost this election but the Republicans won it to a degree. I think they will be eager to move forward to capitalize on what they have won, not sacrifice it all in a losing cause.

Agreed and I think the Supreme Court would do the same. For the establishment Republican they don't need Trump right now and they'll dump him.

[Eddie Teach]

I correct my earlier post about the press having generally sensible takes.

It's Gritty, mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team and working class hero.

ANNOUNCEMENT. I NOW HAVE A (ice. Not real) HOCKEY TEAM.

Field hockey is for girls.

[crazy canuck]

I don't believe such a crazy plan would succeed. The Republicans are eager to move on to cash in an ineffectual Biden Presidency with a huge win in 2022. I don't think they are going to sell out everything just to keep Donald around.

Someone tell that to the Republicans that are going into delay mode.  I have no reason to not believe the election official from Arizona.

Hey if you are right, you are right.

But I will need to see some pretty convincing evidence that everybody is falling in line with this plan to buy it.

Trump lost this election but the Republicans won it to a degree. I think they will be eager to move forward to capitalize on what they have won, not sacrifice it all in a losing cause.

But hey maybe they are completely insane and self-destructive. I wouldn't be totally shocked. It just strikes me as unlikely.

Biden coming in under a cloud of controversy with a hostile Senate majority is almost perfect for them.

I think Trump may grasp at any straws, and the GOP is largely so cowardly they will go along with it so as not to be seen as "disloyal".

I think it will fail dismally (as Trump court challenges have all failed so far) and the the GOP simply will not care - of Trump is tossed out on his ear, so much the better for them.

They can then go back to their favourite plan - making sure Biden can't get anything done, using complete obstructionism on every issue ... then blaming the Democrats for failure to accomplish anything.

I agree that is the way this will likely play out.  I am not sure we should assume that most Republicans will grow a spine now after what we have seen them do over the last four years.