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Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

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Re: Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

#531

Post by crocodiletears »

jimnotgym wrote: post #479

Please permit me a ramble, there are too many points to fit in a hn box and I'm typing on a phone. I'm sure our stateside friends would be happy to acknowledge that US politics has a major effect on the whole world. I have had it pointed out to me before, however, that the USA can vote in whomever they please, and it is none of our business. But American companies sell us our books and films (understatement), take cu…

I'll welcome a divorce from Europe. The EU should flourish into the society it wants to be, and be free to develop its internal market as it sees fit.

An insular US, engaging primarily its geographic neighbours, and countries in the Americas will be better able to focus inward, and work to rectify the internal problems that see it on a path of decline already, while mantaining its sovereignty.

As much of a fantasy as it might be, I do hope Biden will continue the Trajectory of bilateral relations, and minimal alliances that Trump's administration has so clumsily set us on.

Re: Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

#532

Post by wrkronmiller »

jeffrallen wrote: post #511

This election was your regular 4 year reminder that the electoral college is stupid and that the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact needs to be completed.

I don’t disagree with your goal but I think you ought to elaborate on your arguments.

The electoral college balances geographic diversity against raw popularity. This is just one of many ways the US government gives outsized power to vocal political minorities. Perhaps explain why you don’t like things this way?

Re: Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

#533

Post by sebmellen »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #327

Being a centrist, I can definitely understand the desire for more conservative policies, and a rejection of more liberal policies. What has been tough for me personally, though, is to see a person as amoral as Trump get so much support. I DO agree that Trump has done some good things, things that before him neither the left nor the right was willing to do in a substantial way (mainly his forcing a re-evaluation of ou…

I had a Lyft driver on a business trip in Pennsylvania recently who was a very nice fellow. He was immunocompromised, worried about COVID, and said he hated Trump's character.

And yet, he said he was voting for Trump. Why? Because Joe Biden was a pedophile whose son f~~ked underage Chinese children and took money from a Ukranian dictator to influence US policy.

He saw Biden as more amoral than Trump. I think this is a significant demographic block that's been ignored, because the media class doesn't really meet with people of these sort. He was extremely convinced, and I'm sure he really believed it. He really seemed upset about the moral quandary of voting for Trump vs. voting for a pedophile.

Re: Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

#535

Post by kylestlb »

chmod600 wrote: post #526

A voting system needs to be accurate but it also needs to inspire confidence. I think the U.S. failed on the latter point. Let me be clear that I don't think this affected the outcome , only the confidence in the outcome . Mail-in voting has existed for a long time, but it is being done at a larger scale and in new ways and new places. It was a mistake to do it during such a contentious election. Covid is not a good…

have any links to real evidence of widespread fraud that would affect the outcome?

Re: Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

#536

Post by TheRealPomax »

No: he hasn't, and that's confusing to both "the world" as well as waaay too many Americans: the election isn't until mid December, when the electoral college casts its votes. You didn't vote for the president, you voted for what your state will try to vote for in December. Unfortunately, state representatives in the presidential election are not universally required to vote along the state election result, and while rare in the past, the current administration is clearly not above bribery and criminal endeavours to get what they want, when they need it.

(Of course, if that's news to you, then you're probably not in the US right now)

Biden is PROJECTED to win the White House, because that's how US elections work. It looks for all the world that he'll win, but he might not depending on the electoral college: you don't win because the most people voted for you. That's not how elections work in the US.

And before someone goes "what are the odds": this isn't 2016 when people still pretended to honour the system. We have 4 years of established corruption, exploits, and literal criminal behaviour to draw on. Until elected by the electoral college, Biden has not won. And remember that many states merely put a monetary fine on being a faithless electors: it's not even illegal. $1000 to pick the guy who'll pay you back bigger, instead of who the state voted for? Scandalous! But also: entirely legal.

Re: Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

#537

Post by mandeepj »

throwaway201103 wrote: post #411

To me what this election (as well as the 2016 election) illustrates, is what a poor set of choices we have had. In no sane world should it have been difficult for the Democrats to defeat Donald Trump in 2016. He had no history in political office, and he lost the popular vote to just about the worst candidate the Democrats could have put up. Had the Democrats put up anyone who was less divisive than Hillary Clinton t…

You missing a big point from 2016. Hillary lost due to social engineering hack behind that election. Social media cos were better prepared this time

Re: Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

#538

Post by vermilingua »

jimnotgym wrote: post #479

Please permit me a ramble, there are too many points to fit in a hn box and I'm typing on a phone. I'm sure our stateside friends would be happy to acknowledge that US politics has a major effect on the whole world. I have had it pointed out to me before, however, that the USA can vote in whomever they please, and it is none of our business. But American companies sell us our books and films (understatement), take cu…

When I was complaining to a friend that our media (Australia) spends more time on US politics than our own, they showed me a map of extraterritorial US military bases.

I think the comparison to a colonial overlord is more than apt.

Re: Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided U.S.

#539

Post by fl0wenol »

throwaway201103 wrote: post #411

To me what this election (as well as the 2016 election) illustrates, is what a poor set of choices we have had. In no sane world should it have been difficult for the Democrats to defeat Donald Trump in 2016. He had no history in political office, and he lost the popular vote to just about the worst candidate the Democrats could have put up. Had the Democrats put up anyone who was less divisive than Hillary Clinton t…

I don't trust Biden any further than I can throw him, but he is a known devil who is under scrutiny for his neoliberal legislative history. It was a smart move to veep Harris.

In a way his tough on drugs/crime history was necessary to pull in the hand-wringing boomers and fingers crossed he's flip flopped there and wants to be the cool grandpa who gets to legalize it before he croaks as his legacy or whatever.

I'm paraphrasing and streamlining several people's opinions on the matter here.

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