With the election coming up and all, I should do more of these — even on a slow day like today:
- Trump’s erratic tweets on economic relief leave strategy unclear — Or, we could headline this one, Trump Yadda-Yadda. I think he must be somewhere around Barstow — the drugs are kicking in. You notice that we’re having a bit of a lull? Which is nice, after the crisis-every-day of last week. This is the lull between Trump’s helicopter ride back to the White House, and the upcoming one back to Walter Reed. But maybe not. I hope not. I want him healthy. I don’t want him having an excuse when he loses. The message of repudiation by America needs to be as clear as possible.
- Heading into second debate, race between Graham, Harrison now a toss up — Which is also nice, although I’ve about had enough debates. Can’t believe the veep debate is tonight. Dang. But I suppose this would be a good time to hear from y’all as to how you think Jaime and Lindsey did in their first debate, since I didn’t post about that. I thought Jaime did fine. Here’s how I think Lindsey did.
- Supremes say SC absentee voters must get witness signature — This is way old, but hey, The State led with it this morning as though it hadn’t happened way back on Monday. And we haven’t talked about it. Maybe we don’t need to. Let’s use this one as a departure point for anything you want to say about absentee voting, which opened with a bang this week.
- Stephen Miller gets COVID — I’m going to confess something here, so y’all can give me a hard time about it. Which I deserve. I was walking last night, listening to NPR on my earbuds, when I first heard this news. And for a split-second, I felt my face start to smile. I stopped it immediately, because I think that is inexcusable. I really believe the things Bret Stephens said in his column yesterday, “Wish a President Well Who Doesn’t Wish You Well.” That applies to Miller, too. Maybe if he didn’t look like a movie villain (specifically, a young Jonathan Banks). Or better yet, if he didn’t act like a movie villain. But those excuses are inadequate. I should not have felt that impulse.
- Islamic State ‘Beatles’ charged in US over hostages’ deaths — Just to say, this stuff is still out there. Our inward-looking insanity isn’t the only thing in the world. A quick point about this: Is it a weakness, in the sense of a flaw in the system, that it takes liberal democracies this long to get around to processing something like this? These monstrosities took place in 2014.
- Eddie Van Halen dies — Wow, now even the kids are dying. Yeah, I know, he was almost as old as I am. But the ’80s were when my kids were kids, so after my time. Anyway, I hate to see it.
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A friend went to vote in Lexington today, and took the above photo of the line. It was taken just after 2 p.m.
When she got to the front of the line, there had been close to 2,000 voting today…
I’ve applied to volunteer as a poll worker for my precinct. Figured it was a nice avenue for some community service, and goodness knows it’s needed in this area. On a side note, I like that the church gym where I now vote is the same gym where I played in preschool…way back in the day.
In other news beyond our borders, a Saudi royal family member spoke publicly in harsh terms against the current Palestinian leadership, which further shows the greater Arab world is starting to shift its thinking on the Israel/Palestinian issue. Could be something, but with most diplomatic movement, it’s on a a long timeline.
In some good news, looks like coffee may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
I guess I’ll watch the VP debate. Might as well, right? I mean, it can’t be any worse than the previous debate. That’s all for now, sports-fans. I’ve got to get my son ready for a little league game.
Also benefits for colon cancer patients.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/09/coffee-linked-to-improved-survival-in-metastatic-colorectal-cancer/
1. When he loses. I wouldn’t be so over confident just yet. Today the folks at FiveThirtyEight.com gave Biden an 84% chance of winning. On October 17, 2016 Hillary had an 88% chance. That was right after the Access Hollywood tape surfaced. By Election Day that dwindled to 71%, which probably failed to capture Comey’s announcement. And for all of you mathematically challenged people out there 84% does not equal 100.
Maybe they’ve adjusted their algorithms with feedback from last time. Maybe.
I’m sure they have. For one thing there are far fewer undecideds this time around making polling more accurate.
But what is a bigger concern is the ongoing efforts by Republicans to selectively suppress voter turnout. They succeeded in requiring a witness signature. Really? In Florida the GOP is changing the rules for ex-felon voting. In Harris County TX there is only one drop off location for early votes. One, in a county bigger than RI and a population of 4+ million. Election reform is long overdue.
I had a Republican house member tell me the signature requirement was bogus. He said they don’t even verify it.
I asked him if my dog could sign as a witness. He replied “no one verifies any mark on the signature line”
Any mark counts. You could sign it yourself.
He agreed with me that it was just a way to make it a little harder to vote.
Who was the house member?
No one who will cop to that. But he is right…
Of course. A bogus signature requirement that is NEVER verified in any way at all just makes it a little harder to vote.
Here is a portion of what an elections commission member messaged and said to me when I inquired after I had communicated with my Republican House friend- – this is a copy and paste..
“There is no age requirement. There is no requirement that the signature be legible.”
So a child, a 4 year old could be a witness. Their mark on the line doesn’t have to be legible. There is NO verification.
We know who is impacted by that in South Carolina. Republicans are served better when fewer people vote, especially black people.
Now why would I tell you? That would not serve me well at all.
I won’t say because I have his trust and he keeps me up to date on things behind the scenes. I worked in the general assembly for 2 years a long time ago. He knows that and we have a good relationship because he respects the person I worked for when I was there back in the day.
Let’s just say, he’s not from the midlands.
Re:Bryan,poll worker
I have seen a lot of poll workers you know what I’m saying…
Regarding the VP debate, I thought for sure that fly was stuck! Clearly, it made a decision to move on from being a “fly on the wall.”
Flies are attracted to things that are decaying.
Where is Judi Gaskins when we need her? What a terrible moderator. Pence has gaslighting and mansplaining down pat.
Time to throw a bomb in here.
Your initial instinct about Miller was the righteous one.
But it applies x-times more to his boss. Fact is, I don’t care how he’s removed. Just so long as he’s removed. And by “removed,” I mean from this Earth. We have to assume that during his time in office he has had access to the most highly classified information available. And even members of his own administration, let alone those from past administrations, find him a threat to national security. So his elimination is the only way to keep him from profiting from that information or otherwise causing (additional) harm to the country as a result. He has shown time and time again that he has no allegiance to anyone but himself. No need to trust or verify.
And unless you think I’m way out there on this, I have a friend – a BJU graduate, no less – who’s been fantasizing for the past 3+ years about rearranging the man’s head with a shovel or other sharp-edge garden implement.
Miller’s wife is as nutty and racist as he is.