COUNTDOWN TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2020
Early voting has begin in several states. Absentee and mail-in ballots arrive in mailboxes soon. The Election “season” is upon us. But, as All In: The Fight for Democracy shows, voter suppression and voter disenfranchisement lurks just about everywhere.
All In: The Fight for Democracy takes an historical approach to how politicians have manipulated the voting process to exclude groups. Gerrymandering, voter ID, closing polling places to produce long lines (in the hopes potential voters will tire of waiting and go home), and voter intimidation are just a few of the techniques used to manipulate the voting process.
We already know Trump will declare the November Presidential Election is “rigged” if he loses. But, Trump’s assertion is correct in many states: the vote is rigged to deprive targeted groups of their right to choose. All In: The Fight for Democracy is a moving documentary that provides a preview of the post-Election fight ahead. What is your plan to vote? GRADE: A
I think watching this would just make me more depressed. They are mailing out our ballots starting yesterday so I should have mine in a day or two. I’ll do it as soon as I get it and I’ll take it up to a drop box by city hall which is within walking distance.
Steve, I was bummed out watching all the trickery and deceit in ALL IN, but I came away with a better understanding of this on-going problem.
We have a week of early voting (ten days prior to the election) here—and I always try to vote then. That’s my plan. Agree with Steve: I wouldn’t want to watch this documentary right now.
Deb, Diane plans to watch the Presidential Debate tonight, but I have ZERO interest. I will watch the Vice-Presidential Debate next week.
I got my ballot in the mail last Friday, completed it over the weekend, and put it in a drop box outside my library yesterday. Pretty easy. I wasn’t even aware of this documentary. Unlike the other streaming services I have, Amazon doesn’t bombard me with emails about what’s on, so I have to look elsewhere. Thanks for the heads up. I might watch it, but there’s a lot of good stuff to watch out there right now so it’s not a sure thing.
Michael, since much of ALL IN was filmed in Georgia, you might see a lot of familiar scenes…and politicians.
Should have my ballot by the end of the week and I will walk it up to the city offices where they have several drop boxes.
Patti, we’ve signed up for absentee ballots but might vote in-person when Early Voting opens up in a couple of weeks.
Check your local laws! In some places, if you’ve signed up for an absentee ballot, and then go to vote in person, you can only get a provisional ballot. That’s the case here in Maryland. I was going to sign my mother-in-law up for a mail-in ballot, but she said she wanted to vote in person, “to get out of the house.” I looked it up, and stopped filling out the ballot request. (I suggested it would be better to do mail-in than stand in line for a 100-year-old person, but her mind was made up.)
Jeff, good point! I’ll have to check into that.
We plan to early vote in person. Unlike what Trump is asking of his supporters, we will not be voting twice. We will have our fingers crossed until he loses the election, though.
Jerry, the problem with Trump losing is that he’ll claim the Election was “rigged” and there will numerous court challenges. What a mess!
We got our absentee ballots yesterday. It was a toss up about whether to walk over to the high school to vote (New York has a week of early voting, but it doesn’t start until October 24, our anniversary) or vote by mail, but since we got the ballots we will probably mail them today.
Jeff, Diane and I are still on the bubble about whether to vote with our absentee ballots or to just go vote in-person when Early Voting is available.
OK. Did it. There isn’t much on the ballot in New York this year – no propositions, just a few judges (most are cross-endorsed on several lines) besides the President, Congressman, and state legislators. It took about a minute to finish.
It just proves that even in a backwards state like New York (backwards for Vote By Mail), Trump’s claims are idiotic. You have to fill out the ballot, put it in the return envelope, sign and date the outside of that envelope, then put that in the mailing envelope (yes, I had to put a stamp on it), and mail it. Not much room for fraud there. There is a Voter ID number, and they check your signature against the registration book.
Jeff, good for you! I can’t believe that New York State’s mail-in procedures are so antiquated.
I wish you the best!
As an outsider I really have the problem like most Europeans that we can’t understand what’s going on in the USA right now.
But there might be hope.
I saw a picture of a prognosis but I can’t upload it.
It says Biden around 333 votes, Trump around 233.
Wolf, Hilary Clinton was ahead of Trump in most polls in 2016…and the Russians found a way for Trump to win.
Wolf, even we in the U.S. can’t understand what’s going on here. All reason has fled. We’re stuck in Trump’s ongoing “Reality” Show, god help us.
The Republican “leadership” vows that the duly elected President will be sworn in Jan. 20. If by some miracle the recorded vote goes in Biden’s favor, that commitment will stick about as long as McConnell’s, Graham’s, and Cruz’s 2016 pledges not to vet and vote on a Supreme Court nomination in an election year.
Fred, I agree with you on the hypocrisy of the Republicans. We can’t trust anything they say about the Supreme Court nominee, health care, or Trump.
Our ballots go out on the 5th. I’ll do what I did last election or 2 and drop it off at the registrar of voters. You sign the outside of the ballot and date it.
Last year I volunteered to be an observer for the “count” of duncan hunter and AMAR CAMPA NAJJAR. It was an experience.
I have been a permanent mail in voter since it was allowed. I used to get an absentee ballot before that. My first vote, my mom took me to the local poll to vote, and I did that for years (the county used to give employees 2 hours off on election day)
I don’t want to see that movie. I only have one tv and would be tempted to throw something at some GOP asshole at some time.
I am going to watch the presidential debate, in hopes of seeing the POS in the WH have a meltdown.
Maggie, no Presidential Debates for me this Election year. I’ll watch the Vice Presidential Debate and hope that Mike Pence gets rolled.
Oregon is an all mail-in state. Our ballots and pamphlets will come about October 12. We fill out and drop at the box at the Post Office.
Barbara will watch the debate, and the discussions on channels afterwards. I’ll ask her how it went, but during it I’ll be reading in another room.
Rick, I just had my third Sleep Test so I’m a zombie today (I usually get ZERO sleep during these At-Home Sleep Tests with no CPAP allowed). My brain is fogged so no reading for me.
No CPAP the whole night???
I probably wouldn’t survive that – at least I wouldn’t sleep at all.
What are these tests for?
Wolf, Medicare insists that all CPAP users take a Sleep Study test to “prove” they really have Sleep Apnea. I’ve been using a CPAP machine for 25 years so this “requirement” seems completely bogus to me. But, since Medicare won’t pay for CPAP supplies unless you take the Sleep Test, I complied. That was in March 2020. Then New York State shut down because of the coronavirus for three months. When things opened up again, Medicare decided that March Sleep Test was “invalid.” So, they insisted I take another Sleep Test. This time, it was an “overnight” Sleep Test in a Sleep Clinic. When Medicare got the results, they decide I had taken the “wrong” Sleep Test–a titration test instead of a “maintenance” test. So, last night I took another “At-Home” Sleep Test. Hopefully, this will finally satisfy Medicare so I can get my CPAP supplies. Medicare is a bureaucracy run amok!
George, that’s really strange!
I was in a sleep lab almost 20 years ago, they called me to come back the enxt evening and made me use the CPAP machine – since then I haven’t had to go. They just want once a year the hours that the machine worked to check compliance – no problem for me.
TAnd of course every year I get a new mask and thos little air filters – that’s it.
I am, however, wearing my BIDEN-HARRIS T-shirt today.
Rick, Diane and I are interested in the Democratic Party’s new T-shirt that says: I PAID MORE TAXES THAN TRUMP
yes perfect t shirts
Rather OT:
That reminds me of the first time I took my new girlfriend to the USA (2 days after Hungarians could travel with ESTA, didn’t need a visa anymore …), we went to Miami Beach in November 2008, wonderful memories.
At the famous mall Sawgrass Mills near Ft Lauderdale we bought t-shirts with pictures of Obama and MLK.
My last political shirt said “2L4O” — Too Liberal for Obama. (I like Obama, but he was a Centrist. At least he was to the left of Clinton — and I liked Clinton, too.)
My favorite remains ITMFA – Impeach The M-F Already.
Jeff, impeachment didn’t work. Hopefully, people show up to vote Trump out of office.
Obviously that movie is a leftist propaganda load of horse apples, just as the claims that Russia helped Trump win the election is!!! Remember the Mueller investigation? I never saw such a mewling bunch of sore losers in my life! I’m ashamed of you!
Bob, you paid more taxes that Trump did. The guy is a weasel.
No, I got a refund, thanks to him. I paid during the Obama years.
Trump’s image in Europe is horrible – only the autocrats in Beloruss and Hungary like him or even adore him.
It’s kind of crazy how he let relations with his NATO partners go downhill, now everybody hates him.
I’m wondering how business relations might develop if he really stays in power.
PS and not too much OT:
I’m a member in a “USA forum” for tourists and Germans who moved to the USA for a few years to work there or permanently or are thinking of moving. Over 90% of the people have aversions to Trump – and the Republican party in general.
Just one crazy woman (?) adores Trump and made a remark about “pedophile Democrat politicians” and got a totally deserved sh*tstorm.
Wolf, Trump has a base of voters who are extremely loyal to him. They don’t care what he does or says. Of course, then there’s everyone else who want a new President..anyone but Trump.