US Election Week 2020

[Syt]

[Richard Hakluyt]

An interesting piece from the Brookings Institute :

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/11/09/biden-voting-counties-equal-70-of-americas-economy-what-does-this-mean-for-the-nations-political-economic-divide/

In a nutshell, the counties that Biden won comprise 70% of the USA's economy, Trump's counties only 30% 

[Josquius]

An interesting piece from the Brookings Institute :

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/11/09/biden-voting-counties-equal-70-of-americas-economy-what-does-this-mean-for-the-nations-political-economic-divide/

In a nutshell, the counties that Biden won comprise 70% of the USA's economy, Trump's counties only 30% 

Interesting way to break things down. Wonder how that would look in other elections.
Though I suppose it works particularly well in the US with the vast distances involved so you won't get many down at heel towns that supply the workers to the big city.

[Tamas]

An interesting piece from the Brookings Institute :

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/11/09/biden-voting-counties-equal-70-of-americas-economy-what-does-this-mean-for-the-nations-political-economic-divide/

In a nutshell, the counties that Biden won comprise 70% of the USA's economy, Trump's counties only 30% 

Interesting. I guess it should check out, poverty and insecurity breeds ignorance and anxieties, which in turn make one more prone to be afraid and hateful towards others.

It is something I even noticed when moving to Britain. A much more stable (pre-Brexit) and prosperous country, on the grand average, everything is/was super chill compared to Hungary, form everyday interactions to things like commercial and bureaucratic processes. These kind of feed off each other of course, but I do suspect that the less uncertainty you have about your future, the more chilled you are and on a societal scale that can show, in a big way.

[Sheilbh]

One of the bits of evidence submitted by the Trump campaign is that a poll-watcher saw members of the military vote for Biden, which they found suspicious

I feel like he might not have much of a case.

[Razgovory]

An interesting piece from the Brookings Institute :

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/11/09/biden-voting-counties-equal-70-of-americas-economy-what-does-this-mean-for-the-nations-political-economic-divide/

In a nutshell, the counties that Biden won comprise 70% of the USA's economy, Trump's counties only 30% 

Interesting. I guess it should check out, poverty and insecurity breeds ignorance and anxieties, which in turn make one more prone to be afraid and hateful towards others.

It is something I even noticed when moving to Britain. A much more stable (pre-Brexit) and prosperous country, on the grand average, everything is/was super chill compared to Hungary, form everyday interactions to things like commercial and bureaucratic processes. These kind of feed off each other of course, but I do suspect that the less uncertainty you have about your future, the more chilled you are and on a societal scale that can show, in a big way.

Part of it is the urban/rural divide.  People in cities and the suburbs around cities make more money than people who live in rural areas or small town.  The cost of living is lower in rural and small towns so you wouldn't necessarily call these areas poor.  People who move to my hometown are surprised how cheap everything is particularly real estate.

There is of course real poverty.  The county I'm in is fairly affluent by Missouri standard, but if you drive 30 miles south you start to see a major decline in wealth.  You go 100 miles south it's pretty dire.

[Monoriu]

One of the bits of evidence submitted by the Trump campaign is that a poll-watcher saw members of the military vote for Biden, which they found suspicious

I feel like he might not have much of a case.

I am extremely disappointed in Trump's legal strategy.  I assumed that the case would quickly reach the Supreme Court.  Instead his legal strategy is almost invisible. 

[Caliga]

I think it's just posturing.

[celedhring]

I think it's just posturing.

Absolutely, I just wish Trump's coping therapy didn't involve undermining trust in elections and American democracy.

[Caliga]

Ok, so a normal person would have done the honorable thing and conceded already, because they would care about the democratic process.

Trump, as everyone knows, cares about nobody and nothing but himself, so he's doing this (even though I'm quite sure he knows he's lost) to keep his base inflamed, the better to exploit them later by getting them to sign up for Trump TV or whatever he'll need to keep himself from going insolvent once he leaves office.

[Sheilbh]

I don't think even think it's that. I think it's that he is so pathologically insecure and needy that he can't accept that he lost. So he must have been cheated and is building up that narrative to reach a point where he can not accept that it was a fair election but concede.

[FunkMonk]

Yeah, I think his puerile insecurity is driving this and his temper tantrums. There is no master plan. I think the people around him are definitely taking advantage of this moment as much as possible though.

[Caliga]

I don't think even think it's that. I think it's that he is so pathologically insecure and needy that he can't accept that he lost. So he must have been cheated and is building up that narrative to reach a point where he can not accept that it was a fair election but concede.

I dunno, it's hard for me to believe almost a week on he still doesn't realize he lost or won't accept it.  Remember, this guy is a con artist and has been running cons his entire career.  He's got mental problems for sure, but I don't think he's actually insane.

[Sheilbh]

I dunno, it's hard for me to believe almost a week on he still doesn't realize he lost or won't accept it.  Remember, this guy is a con artist and has been running cons his entire career.  He's got mental problems for sure, but I don't think he's actually insane.

I don't think he's insane or stupid - I think he's aware he's lost. But he is incapable of being a loser or weak.

This is a guy who's stiffed people on every project he's had, he's apparently threatened or started around 3,000 lawsuits (often directed at people who don't have the money to fight him). He cannot acknowledge when he loses or when he fails - instead he's been cheated or he's been a victim in some way. You'd be an idiot or an easy mark (like Obama and Clinton) if you conceded defeat without trying as many legal challenges as possible or trying to gum up the system.

[Caliga]

I don't think he's insane or stupid - I think he's aware he's lost. But he is incapable of being a loser or weak.

This is a guy who's stiffed people on every project he's had, he's apparently threatened or started around 3,000 lawsuits (often directed at people who don't have the money to fight him). He cannot acknowledge when he loses or when he fails - instead he's been cheated or he's been a victim in some way. You'd be an idiot or an easy mark (like Obama and Clinton) if you conceded defeat without trying as many legal challenges as possible or trying to gum up the system.

I think we're in full agreement.