US election 2020: the morning after
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6:05 am, November 5th, 2020 - 155 comments
Categories: democracy under attack, us politics -
Tags: US election 2020
It’s a waiting game as votes continue to be counted and Trump continues to cast doubt on the electoral process.
The Guardian,
Donald Trump falsely claimed victory in the race for the presidency in the early hours of Wednesday morning, even as the election remained too close to call with millions of votes yet to be counted.
Addressing a crowd of supporters packed into a room at the White House despite the pandemic, Trump claimed victory in states that remain too close to call and peddled baseless claims of “fraud”.
The president also threatened to challenge the election results in the supreme court, even as his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, won the state of Arizona – a remarkable upset for Republicans in a state known as the birthplace of Trumpism.
From Stuff, last night,
“We were getting ready to win this election – frankly we did win this election,” he said, citing victories in some states that had yet to be decided. “So we’ll be going to the US Supreme Court, we want all the voting to stop, we don’t want them to find any ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning and add them to the list.”
It’s just after midnight, Biden has 238 electoral college votes and Trump has 215. There are still seven states yet to be declared. Then there are the postal and early votes to count. Stuff’s chief political reporter, Henry Cooke, has some detailed projections on his twitter.
Edited above (weka 8.24am)
lprent: 0651
Catching up on this election with the morning coffee with the New York Times and the path to 270 archaic and arcane electoral college votes required.
It stands at 227 electoral college votes to Biden, 213 to Trump with 7 states still in contention.
- Wisconsin 10 ev. Nearly all counted and Biden ahead with by ~10k votes ahead. There are apparently only about another 300 or so to be counted. This will go to Biden, but almost certainly result in a court challenge.
- Michigan 16 ev. Mostly counted and Biden ahead by ~45k votes. Most of the remaining votes are coming from from around Detroit which had a large increase in votes this election and is voting towards Biden strongly. I’d say that Biden will get this one as well.
- Pennsylvania 20 ev. Only 80% counted and Trump is ahead by ~400k. Most of the remaining votes are mail in and these have been running at 78% to Biden. Roughly 1.3 million votes to count. Of the remaining votes, more ~910k come from areas won by Clinton in 2016, ~390k from Trump counties. Too far out to guess, but Trump’s current lead will be whittled.
- North Carolina 15 ev. Nearly finished – almost certainly Trump as he is ~75k ahead with only a minor lean to Biden in the mail in votes.
- Georgia 16 ev. ~85k to Trump, but most of the mail in votes remaining votes coming from Atlanta area. Those have been leaning to Biden. No idea if this is enough to whittle the lead away.
- Arizona 11 ev. ~90k to Biden with about 86% counted. Mostly mail in votes to count and those have been leaning strongly to Biden. I’d say that Biden has this one.
- Nevada 6 ev. This one is winner takes all (I keep confusing it with Nebraska). Currently there is only ~8k toward Biden. The remaining votes are all mail ins and will be counted Thursday. Can’t tell.
- Alaska 3 ev. Slow counter. But that will go to Trump.
Right now I think that Biden has about 264 electoral votes he can be confident on. Trump has 231. Pennsylvania (20), Georgia (16) and the exact balance in Nevada (6) still to work on.
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- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...1 week ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...1 week ago
- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...1 week ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Winston Peters must apologise
The Deputy Prime Minister should apologise to the public servant he named and blamed for something they did not do, and for misusing the rules of Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...9 hours ago - Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...10 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...10 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...10 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...11 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...12 hours ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...13 hours ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...13 hours ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...14 hours ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...16 hours ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...18 hours ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...1 day ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...2 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...2 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...2 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...2 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...2 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...2 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...3 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...3 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...3 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...3 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...3 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...4 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
Five new Aquaculture Settlement Areas will help ensure Ngāi Tahu shares in the opportunities aquaculture offers for Southland’s economy, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The Aquaculture Settlement Areas (ASAs) I’m announcing today set aside space so the Crown and Ngāi Tahu can assess their potential for aquaculture development. ...6 days ago
- Government launches review to ensure electricity market is fit-for-purpose
The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity, Energy Minister ...7 days ago
- Speech to Social Investment Hui: Jack and his whānau need our help
Kia ora koutou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai. Ki te mihi atu ahau, ki te manwhenua nei, Te Atiawa, Ngāti toa rangatira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you, Andy, for your introduction. Let me acknowledge you as the new Chief Executive of the Social Investment ...7 days ago
- Minister of State for Trade heads to Brisbane for PACER Plus meeting
Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg has travelled to Australia to attend the PACER Plus Ministers Meeting in Brisbane. “Trade plays a critical role in driving employment, economic growth, and improving the standards of living in the Pacific Region. The Government is strongly committed to supporting Pacific Island countries ...7 days ago
- Proposals to modernise conservation released
Toitū te taiao – Our environment endures The Government is consulting on proposals to modernise New Zealand’s conservation management system, aiming to protect relevant natural areas while supporting sustainable growth in tourism and regional economies, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. “Today, the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai is ...7 days ago
- Grattan on Friday: Marles plays a defensive bat on nuclear as the government rushes to get though la...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Richard Marles is an ambitious man who hasn’t given up the dream of one day reaching the top job. But, despite being deputy prime minister, his profile is much lower than that of Treasurer Jim ...2 hours ago - NEW POLL: Kiwis Overwhelmingly Support MPs’ Expenses Transparency Law Change
62% of respondents support the extension of the OIA to cover MPs’ spending, compared to just 13% opposed and 24% were unsure. ...4 hours ago - The House: Meanwhile, a week of passing law
The political week has been packed with worthy distractions, but all week Parliament has focused on passing new laws. Here are the highlights. ...5 hours ago - The biggest difference between Hīkoi mō te Tiriti and past hīkoi: More support from non-Māori
Analysis - The diversity of voices during the hīkoi was noticeable - from tangata moana to young immigrants to elderly Pākehā from the South Island. ...5 hours ago
- The House: Samoan citizenship restoration – ‘It means we belong to this land’
When the bill to restore NZ citizenship to some Samoans passed this week, Parliament's galleries were full to the brim with members of the community. ...6 hours ago
- More Delays In Action On Use Of Puberty Blockers With Children
Women’s Rights Party Co-leader Jill Ovens says the Ministry has put New Zealand children at risk by continuing to allow “off-label” prescribing of puberty blockers at far higher rates than other similar countries. ...7 hours ago
- Police Minister adamant he wasn’t aware of gang members training at gun clubs
That is despite two papers from police that raised the matter with him. ...8 hours ago
- Shorten declares himself ‘a proud moderate’, saying Australians ‘in the middle’ shouldn’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Bill Shorten has declared himself “a proud moderate” in a valedictory speech declaring parliament has the responsibility to ensure the extremes of left and right do not set the terms of political debate. Shorten, ...8 hours ago
- New ‘best practice’ principles for superannuation products are coming. We asked a panel of exper...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer Studio Romantic/Shutterstock We all know how important it is to save enough money for retirement – but what about spending it wisely when we get there? Even for those who have built up a suitable ...8 hours ago
- Government accused of betraying Kiwis’ trust over lack of consultation on live exports
The government has always vowed to reinstate live exports by sea, which was banned by the previous Labour government. ...8 hours ago
- 7 things you can do if you think you sweat too much
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Freeman, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Bond University ERIK Miheyeu/Shutterstock Sweating is our body’s way of cooling down, a bit like an internal air conditioner. When our core temperature rises (because it’s hot outside, or you’re exercising), sweat glands all ...9 hours ago
- Phenergan for under 6s is now banned due to hallucination fears. Here’s what to use instead
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Macquarie University Australia’s drug regulator has issued a safety warning over the medicine Phenergan and related products containing the antihistamine drug promethazine. The Therapeutic Goods Administration said the over-the-counter products should not be given to children ...9 hours ago
- A new stage adaptation of Peter Carey’s Jack Maggs is a delightful homage to theatrical storytelli...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Campbell, Lecturer, Performing Arts, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia Matt Byrne/STCSA Jack Maggs is a delight and a homage to theatrical storytelling in Australia. Based on Peter Carey’s bestselling novel, Jack Maggs follows the ex-convict as he lands ...9 hours ago
- The government has introduced laws for its social media ban. But key details are still missing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Angus, Professor of Digital Communication, Director of QUT Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology Ron Lach/Pexels The federal government today introduced into parliament legislation for its social media ban for people under 16 years. Communications Minister Michelle ...9 hours ago
- Archives NZ, National Library to cut 27 roles
The Department of Internal Affairs wants to bring the two organisations under the joint leadership of the Chief Archivist and National Librarian. ...9 hours ago
- Gang patch ban: Members warn of potential for violence to ‘erupt’ as new laws enforced
"I can't see this lasting unless they have a budget to lock fullas up in jail which I think is absolutely stupid, really it's ludicrous," Ngavii Pekapo, who set up a Mongrel Mob chapter 54 years ago, says. ...9 hours ago
- ACT leader David Seymour raises doubts about Waikato medical school
Government documents show ACT leader David Seymour told the government he was "dissatisfied" with a cost-benefit analysis. ...9 hours ago
- National’s Erica Stanford allegedly calls Labour’s Jan Tinetti a ‘stupid bitchR...
The Education Minister has apologised in Parliament for her remark. ...9 hours ago
- Labour backs new Police Commissioner – but warns against routine arming
The alternative to policing by consent would be a police state, which New Zealanders don't want, the party says. ...11 hours ago
- Youth on boot camp pilot re-offended five weeks after release
Children's Minister Karen Chhour said while it was disappointing, it would naïve to think none of the participants would lapse. ...11 hours ago
- In photos: People of the hīkoi, and why they marched
Hikoi mō Te Tiriti has come to an end, going down in history as the largest march to Parliament in Aotearoa. ...12 hours ago
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Ahead of his appearance in Aotearoa, the acclaimed British journalist, podcaster and documentarian talks to Stewart Sowman-Lund about why people are still fascinated by the fringes. The last place I would expect to find Jon Ronson is relaxing in the countryside. The iconic British journalist and writer is best known ...12 hours ago - Kia kaha Lebanon: NZ media only tell half your story of struggle
The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council ceasefire resolution — for the fourth time — in Israel’s war on Gaza, while Hezbollah demands a complete ceasefire and “protection of Lebanon’s sovereignty” in any deal with Israel. Amid the death and devastation, Joe Hendren reflects on his time in ...13 hours ago
- ‘Deserves a Bafta’: After the Party premieres in the UK to five-star reviews
The acclaimed New Zealand drama has just premiered on TV in the United Kingdom, and the five-star reviews are already flowing in. Six months after it was called a “blistering” “tour de force” by Australian critics, and nearly a year since The Spinoff declared it the best drama New Zealand ...13 hours ago
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New Zealanders are drinking and smoking less, but most other recreational drugs are becoming cheaper, more popular and more available, two new reports show. Two significant new surveys about drugs in Aotearoa were released this week, offering a rare insight into New Zealanders’ choice of substances, which ones are becoming ...13 hours ago
- COP29: ‘climate finance’ for the Pacific is mostly loans, saddling small island nations with mor...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Ratuva, Director, Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury Lenora Qereqeretabua, the deputy speaker of Fiji’s Parliament, at the COP29 climate summit. IISD/ENB/Mike Muzurakis, CC BY-SA As this year’s UN climate summit reaches its final stage of negotiations, Pacific ...13 hours ago
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- Dame Jacinda Ardern to be given United Nations leadership award
She will get the champion for global change award from the United Nations Foundation at a ceremony in New York tomorrow. ...15 hours ago
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Analysis: NZ is lifting what was supposed to be a permanent ban on live animal exports. But it’s not the lucrative industry it once was. The post NZ will resume live animal exports – to low demand appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago - Financial forms of family violence affect one in seven of us – but the law is lagging
There are calls for New Zealand’s Family Violence Act to name economic harm as a standalone type of violence, rather than a subcategory of psychological abuse, to bring it in line with the United Kingdom and Australia. Economic harm – restricting access to, sabotaging or exploiting another person’s financial resources, ...15 hours ago
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New Zealand is currently running a structural fiscal deficit, with expenditure exceeding revenue. Economic growth falling short of expectations has been making it harder for the Government to bring the books back into balance. ...16 hours ago
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Big surge in Democrat precinct counts overnight puts Biden back in contention. The NYT map now has a path to victory for him: if current trends continue he gets 270, the exact number required for victory.
Problem is, aggregate trends are vulnerable to being shifted by big local variations, so too close to call until the whole count is complete probably. And subsequent legal challenges could make the outcome moot for the forseeable future..
Biden is 2% ahead in the nationwide count, which seems to indicate that the 10-14% lead that polls have been showing the past six months was a chimera. Polling methodology may now appear suspect to many pundits! Or maybe undecideds mostly went to Trump – better the devil you know.
On of the few glimpses of clarity last night was a poll analyst saying the mistake made by pollsters was asking people who they wanted to vote for, they should have asked who their friends etc were voting for, that gave a more accurate view of their cohort and a very accurate indication of the askees órientation. Trumpers were avoiding arguments and lying,. No surprises there.
So then the question becomes: is polling permanently broken, or is this a phenomenon specific to the Dotard of Doltistan?
Nah..!..it's broken here too,..pollsters and pundits have become a big joke…in both places..who can forget that nadir in local punditry in 2016…when a tv pol-talkshow when they had most of the usual suspects pundits on the show…and they all assured us that way could clinton lose…(I still chuckle over that one ..).…and more recently here none of the pollsters/pundits picked labour ruling alone ..so what effing use are they..?…maybe they should all go back to reading runes..?..they could hardly do worse…
I mean..even I do better than them…I picked trump to win in 2016..biden this time..and in the election here I picked Chloe winning ak central….the return of the maori party..death of nz first….(but I didn 't pick labour ruling alone.)..it's a crap-shoot..this punditry thing..why do they take themselves so seriously…?..and why don't we just ignore them..?..their track record is a shocker…
With the pollsters appalling accuracy maybe they could get a gig as an economic mouthpiece on one of the media outlets.
Bring back the horoscopes!
It is the country and the electoral system that are broken. They have been for a long time, it has just become more obvious under Trump.
Followed overnight as Biden pulled ahead in Wisconisn and then Michigan. Biden seems likely to win both now.
Holding the lead in Arizona (not yet a Biden win by the way, some called that too early) and Nevada gives Biden the win. Biden won't need either if he takes out Georgia – possible via completing the Fulton County vote.
Biden has these paths to victory while Trump lawyers up trying to prevent the Pennsylvania mail votes being counted. it was always best to have the win without needing Pennsylvania. Biden would be a slight favourite to win the 20 EC votes once all votes were counted.
Agreed, SPC. Biden looks to have secured a narrow victory.
Now the balls firmly in Trump's court. We know he'll litigate, but will he also call out his redneck supporters with their AK47s?
After all, by his reasoning, if someone's trying to steal something from you, you have a legitimate right to resist being robbed, haven’t you?
I sure as hell wouldn't like to be living in the States for this next few weeks.
I'm pretty sure that based on what is left once the dust has settled that Biden will have won.
I'm also sure that there will be a lot of uncertainty because it will get litigated extensively. However I also think that there is a much better paper trail than there was in 2000 – so the result isn't likely to be thrown out by legal battles.
Last night when Biden and trump had about 123 million votes between them but commentators were saying that 164 million had voted, I was going hang on a minute thats 25% of votes missing, where are the 40 million as the percentages shown as counted didn't reflect that many left to go. But then it was obvious that the coverage from CNN and Sky left a lot to be desired, a lot of bullshit and only a few gems of clarity.
New York Times is pretty good.
The Senate is finely poised.
It seems 49 (the R will win the runoff in Georgia)-47-2 (I who side with tem D) with two states in play.
Peters vs James in Michigan and Maine – Gideon vs Collins. Stuff it Collins won.
At best, its now 50-50 if Peters wins. Hopefully the VP gets to cast the 51st vote.
SCOTUS still has reason to bide their time for the
Michigan Senate vote (as to Bidens ability to Garland of roses his victory).
Senate will be finely balanced again. Most likely with one or two to the Republicans.
Incumbency is hard to overwhelm.
In 2022, the seats of 2016 are back in play. But if Peters loses in Michigan the GOP retain their 51-49 lead till then. The one good thing about that is it will expose Collins – and she will be gone in 2026.
That rerun in Georgia will be very interesting. There was a massive increase in the vote from the cities there. If that happens again in the rerun and extends a bit – then it'd wind up with a 50-50 split and VP Harris becoming the pivot.
Senate looks most likely Republican, and this result is arguably as important as the presidency. Likely outcome seems Biden for president, but completely unable to actually pass any legislation through the Senate.
So Republicans will block stimulus, healthcare etc, and Biden will get the blame!
Yeah you got that right. I made the rookie mistake of presuming from the NYT Democrat Senate total (47) that they would have 48 plus Sanders and the other Independent. But they had the two in their Dem total. So its R 52 D 48, even if Peters wins Michigan.
Maybe Biden can still take the US back into the Paris Accord …
There is nothing gracious about Trump. He is making such a fool of himself and he is showing how pathetic he is when it comes to declaring himself the winner before the final vote count.
Biden needs to stay on course and get to 270 college votes for the US to be saved from 4 more years of political instability. The remaining margins are paper thin in 2 states.
Biden has now won Wisconsin, bumping him up ten to 237.
I see the Herald reckons him at 248 – maybe the folks at NYT haven’t fully updated?? Yeah, I just checked google & they also have 248.
33 electoral college votes to go for Biden. 33 is a power number in numerology.
It's too early to call Arizona – it should be 237.
Oh is that it? There was a snafu reported in the Arizona count last night, resulting in a mistaken declaration of outcome.
I don't know the basis of those declarations anyway. If you check declared states on the NYT map by hovering your cursor, the details window that appears on each shows an incomplete vote count. Somehow they are authorised to declare a result despite that – would be good to know the basis for doing so.
Those calls are being made because the votes left to be counted are from mainly urban areas…which favour biden..
Aljazeera has Biden at 248.
Link: Biden wins more votes than any candidate in US history: Live …
http://www.aljazeera.com › news › 2020/11 › us-anxiously-a…
4 hours ago — With votes still being counted, Biden has broken Barack Obama's record, … Voting has closed in the United States and all eyes are on the count in … Hello and w…
and – https://en.as.com/en/2020/11/03/latest_news/1604394877_801753.html
Spanish news service I think – Prisa Group under Diario AS, S.L. – Madrid
Election 2020: latest headlines
Electoral college: Biden: 248; Trump 214 (13:25 ET)
-Trump team files lawsuit in Pennsylvania and Michigan to halt routine ballot count
-Trump campaign to request immediate recount in Wisconsin; Biden wins by less than 1%
– Twitter slaps warnings on Trump tweets falsely claiming foul play over continued ballot counting "they are finding Biden votes all over the place"
Latest is that the APS has said that Wisconsin is key battleground for Biden. e&oe
Seems to me that one change to the electoral method in USA would be to give electoral votes on the basis of registered population, people only having one vote in one state, where they live the majority of the time. That would be a straightforward move that could be done on an easily argued premise. Others would involve changing
people’s attitudes and questioning long-held certainties that have become the embedded or folded lies that WH Auden has written about in poem 1 September 1939. We are virtually at war.
Biden at 264 Trump 214 on my aljazeera link above.!!!! I think I've remembered right (the guideline given for winning is 270).
A Dem Presidency/Congress is still going to be severely hampered if they can't get the Senate. Even (even forbid) a Trump win could be mitigated a bit by this.
If Peters wins Michigan – still a chance. Then it is 50-50 in the Senate and the VP can use a casting vote.
The Democrats have to place pressure on/work with Sen Collins from Maine.
Well this seriously messes up trumps' master-plan..which was to resign in second term .hand it over to pence…and the deal being that pence then gives him a presidential pardon for all his crimes…now..?
Resign..pardon – during the transition period? That would be a bold move!
No…in his second term..if he won..
Can Trump pardon himself in the next 3 months ?
No..
He can try.
It's an unresolved question as to whether it would actually work or not. Nobody has tried it before, so it’s never been tested. And since accepting a pardon requires accepting guilt for the crimes being pardoned, it might be a high-risk strategy if it's subsequently decided that presidents can't pardon themselves.
Now his taxes might get the treatment Capone's did. Not before time.
What crimes? Trump tells us that Mueller rang him to say Trump was the most innocent man in America, maybe even in history.
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-says-mueller-just-called-him-and-said-hes-the-most-innocent-person-ever
Correction:..he can get presidential pardons for any federal crimes..but not for those filed in states…as in new york….so he is still facing jail-time..
What is Trumps Electoral tally?
214 not sure how many states this is from.
Trump is about to spew vile like never heard from him. He is warming up with using the words fraud and integrity. His blood pressure would be high. AJ TV has good coverage.
Wisconsin goes to Biden. Michigan is paper thin with Biden leading.
I think the Black Lives movement has played a big part in the election result.
How many states have acted against women's sexual health and rights? I haven't kept count. Is there a good state with progressive rationality, respect for women and their fertility rights, and good living conditions and respect for all citizens in the state anywhere in the USA?
Listened to the Australian commentary.. Wow, so Trumpish and calling Biden and c/o "elitists."
He was giving the pollsters hell, so won't like the mail in count!!
As Cinny said, too close to say, but hope Biden gets up.
Biden just on AJ TV said postal votest were 78% in favour of Democrats. Biden is leading the popular vote as well as the electoral college vote.
Biden is so calm and contained compared to Trump who is drunk on power and control.
Looks like Biden is the only person Trump will lose to which Trump cannot fix.
Edit the postal votes are 78% in favour in Pennsylvania for the Dems. So an expected win there.
An empire is crumbling.
Its electoral system is a shambles. More American exceptionalism.
On the contrary, it has worked, the candidate with the majority of votes will/has won. Better than 2016.
The individual states like it that way.
"Its electoral system is a shambles".
I'm not really sure that people in New Zealand can make such statements. After all we are a country which has, twice in the last 25, years managed to do the following.
Hold a National Election. Count all the votes for each party. Then hand over the decision on who the Government is going to be to Winston Peters. After about 2 months, in 1996, of about 3 weeks, in 2017, he will return from Mt Sinai with his decision.
I had great trouble persuading Australian friends that this made any sense. They simply regarded our electoral system as being a shambles.
I think that when it comes to evaluating another countries system we should keep quiet.
Blue Michigan.
NBC calls Michigan for Biden.
253 – 214
Also here:
https://fivethirtyeight.com/live-blog/2020-election-results-coverage/
Nevada remains a nail-biter, with Biden ahead by just 8k votes. They won't announce more results until tomorrow. But most of the votes still to be counted are in Clark County (Las Vegas) and Washoe County (Reno). The remaining votes are expected to be favourable to Biden, but even if they all exactly match the vote split in their counties so far, Biden should increase his margin by around 2k to 3k votes.
Arizona is looking more comfortable for Biden. He's ahead by 93k votes, the remaining votes are expected to favour him, and the big numbers still to be counted are in counties that are most favourable to him.
Arizona and Nevada get Biden to the narrowest possible win with 270 Electoral College votes.
I'm doubtful Biden will pull off a come-from-behind in Pennsylvania. He's about 320k behind at the moment. Looking at numbers of votes still to be counted in Philadelphia and suburbs, Pittsburgh etc, I just can't see him making up more than around 250k of that deficit.
I just don't see enough votes still to be counted in Georgia or North Carolina for Biden to squeak out a win in either of those states.
So to me it's looking fairly likely for a 270 EC vote win to Biden.
Pennsylvania to Dems by ~ 80K.
This is my guess following some Dems there, not anything reported.
Jaeeezzuss. Mind sharing a bit of whatever happy-juice you're on?
edit: there’s about a million votes still to be counted in PA. Just to get to even, Biden has to win 2/3 of them. To get to an 80k winning margin, he has to win them by better than 700k to 300k. That would be … something.
We'll see, I don't mind being wrong.
I cannot adequately express how much I desperately desperately hope you're right.
Perhaps he's a sensitive with an electoral divining device. That would be divine.
What I've been told is they're all early &/or mail-in votes (favoring democrats) & are predominantly from Democrat strong areas. It is this combo that provides hope in circles needing hope.
I'm starting to allow myself a bit of hope, and my sphincter isn't cramping quite so badly.
Biden's deficit is down to about 203k, and it seems there's around 850k votes still to be counted. So the winning margin he needs in the remaining votes has dropped a lot.
Yeah am on tender hooks here too.
The Georgia race is tightening too – so the Orange marmalade wants to stop counting there too. Around 200,000 ballots to count there according to Vox live this morning.
current standing:
Donald J. Trump (R) * 2,420,229 49.84%
Joe Biden (D) 2,375,962 48.93%
Trump's lead in Pennsylvania is down to 114 011. There is 8% of the vote remaining. That's ~ 500 000.
He lost 89 K lead from 350 K votes. If the rest are the same another 127 000 drop will put Trump at:
Minus 13 000.
And Biden takes PA.
500 K figure for remaining votes not official.
550 K outstanding PA votes.
Biden by 25K if current trend continues.
According to the NY Times, Biden is currently winning absentee votes in PA by 78%.
The also say “According to turnout estimates, around 700,000 votes remain in counties won by Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump 2016 counties have around 290,000 votes left to report.”
Is that enough hope?
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-pennsylvania-president.html
Biden did say they are getting about 78 percent of those early votes…so it is possible he could claw back pennsylvania..
I'd kinda prefer a more credible source than a politician commenting on his own election.
Andre did you see that Biden is up to 264 and Trump still 214? On my aljazeera link about 6.
He has been backed up in that assertion…and really…I don't see biden apeing trump..and outright lying..do you..?
Yeah – that's what I'm seeing and fearing: 270-268. Including several narrow Biden wins. And to win, Trump would have to overturn only one of them (any one will do) via recount or legal jiggery pokery.
Have to admit I was impressed by Biden's speech just before. Calm, pointing to the relevant facts, reassuring, being clear what the process is, noting the important gains for the Dems.
Bernie predicted exactly how Trump would play this.
https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/1323998661089628163
https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/1323998661089628163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1323998661089628163%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stuff.co.nz%2Fworld%2F123302475%2Fbernie-sanders-predicted-how-the-election-would-play-out-including-how-trump-would-react
How do I embed the twitter link into the post?
Edit your link by removing the ? and the long string of gibberish after it.
Joe 90 advised other day – Cut and trim the url back to the question mark and paste.
Does that do it.
Let’s see.
https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/1323998661089628163
Awesome. Thanks folks.
don't use tags, wordpress will embed automatically from a tweet URL (and yep, remove all the useless bits at the end). You can see the diff in my edit of your comment.
Bernie nailed it…
The pavolovian behaviour of trump supporters reacting to the 'call' storming count facilities etc sums it up for me.
A nation divided by it’s narcissistic leader.
Looking at the aljazeera electoral map, the nation is divided by a broad red streak down the middle with blue on each side forming two blocs abutting onto the sea.
It's looking like Arizona is going to the only major deviation from the 2016 result. I wonder how much of that will be directly attributable to the despicable behaviour the Largemouth Ass indulged in towards Arizona's favourite son John McCain?
Biden is underperforming compared to 2016, especially in down-ballot races. Trump's support among Black voters doubled, and he made gains among Hispanic voters too! It shouldn't have been this close
Michigan and Wisconsin appear to be confirmed for Biden now.
I've just been talking to a good friend, a Canadian ex-pat who's lived in Denmark for decades. She went out for a walk with an American friend earlier and they were afraid to speak in English because of their accents. She really believed they would at the very least cop verbal abuse, if not physical. I'd really like to think Americans here don't have that sort of worry.
edit
They have chosen to travel enjoying their status as Americans to get them around most of the world freely. They have the money to do so, and so are privileged. They come from a country that holds itself up to be the epitome of righteousness and while it is self-destructing and morphing into a different political entity, it is going down as a democracy and creating world schisms. Other nations are rightly outraged that they get dragged down with this behemoth. No wonder people in their own countries are agitated, Americans can expect to feel some heat as they ponce around in their complacency and advantage.
So the Canadians have to suffer too? Just like most countries can't distinguish us from the Aussies, can you 100% tell where in North America that person originates from?
I've met a fair few America migrant here who consider themselves 'political refugees' from the GWB era. I suppose by your definition one could call them 'privilaged' because they were able to get out of their home country that had become politically intolerable for them. But according to you, it's fine for expat Americans- the vast majority who statistically don't like what's happening there- to "feel some heat as they ponce around in their complacency and advantage?"
Good grief.
Good that you can feel grief for people who are not Americans. It was Americans that you largely were talking about and I followed on that, not Canadians.
Like many NZs you can feel emotion on the push of a story, but long-term it settles down to people who you know or who are drawn to your attention. There are millions of people in the world and thousands in NZ who get very little on-going caring about them in their grief and struggles after they were forced to leave their country to enable them to have a life and not a death. So let's think kindly about them too please. Turn it to a good grief.
edit
aljazeera says that Trump campaign is suing to stop vote count in Pennsylvania and Michigan.
I do not like it how there is no consensus on the counting of postal votes. Some appear to be invalid to count. This could have been prevented in particular due to high postal voting because of Covid.
Only 6 electoral college votes to go and a Biden victory.
edit
Postal voting problems being prevented, did you say? I thought that Trump had tried to cause them by doing away with parts of the postal system, taking out boxes etc. in some states, can’t remember which.
And do you remember the hanging chads? (Bush and Gore’s time I think.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/04/election-2020-hanging-chads-reconstruction-and-contested-elections/6161664002/
and
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/11/03/2020-election-recount-ballot-machine-technology-law-433871
Forget Hanging Chads. Copyright Laws Could be the Next Electoral Quagmire.
Most election-tech equipment is the intellectual property of the companies that make it — meaning a contested election could get even more complicated.
(That's kinda funny when you think that all this tech that the USA has developed all comes from government investment in research and development, and business is using the latest chain of innovation that was initially developed by government.)
Unusual as it may seem, this isn’t uncommon: Most voting technology used throughout the U.S. is covered by intellectual property law. That means the touch-screen you might have tapped on to vote could be patented. The software used to process your vote could be copyrighted. Before you even got to the voting booth, your ballot was likely designed on copyrighted software.
And all of it could cause a nightmare after Nov. 3, according to election-security experts.
“We’re going to wind up with a thousand court cases that cannot just be resolved by just going into the software and checking to see what happened, because it’s proprietary,” said Ben Ptashnik,
the co-founder of the National Election Defense Coalition, a bipartisan advocacy group that pushes Congress to reform election security.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/4/trump-campaign-wants-a-wisconsin-recount-but-how-would-it-work
Both, preventing votes and preventing counting of votes. As nasty as it comes in a so called democracy. All Trump cares about is his own democratic rights.
Biden looks like just getting Georgia if the trend carries on as it is.
Interesting interview on rnz with mark rubin…on why trump has the level of support he has…and he joined some dots I hadn,t thought of…in that much of the trade legislation enacted by trump was what sanders was calling for…he also noted how the election of biden marks a return to the same old same old globalisation agenda of obama/bush/clinton etc. …hard to argue with that ..and of course it is those policies that decimated the middle class..and drove/fed that support for trump..
Drumpfkins are deciding their vote on trade policy? That's the best one I've heard in a while.
It's straight up middle-finger voting. Or if you want to be polite about it, call it culture-war voting.
https://www.salon.com/2020/11/04/after-2020-we-face-an-existential-struggle-what-does-it-mean-to-be-an-american/
Under Trump there has been a pandemic, racial disharmony, an economic downturn due to Covid and next a civil fallout.
No leadership, just an ignore it all attitude and it will go away.
I don't recall saying trump supporters voted on trade policies..I just noted how many of his policies were what bernie also wanted..and how globalisation created that alienated class…what rubin calls 'the expendables'…why don't you listen to the interview..instead of putting words into my mouth..
Yet despite their supposed support for much of the trade legislation enacted by trump was what sanders was calling for, economically nothing really changed for tRump supporters.
https://twitter.com/BrodyLogan/status/1324099928667291648
But no matter how this election concludes, America is now a different country. Nearly half of the voters have seen Trump in all of his splendor—his infantile tirades, his disastrous and lethal policies, his contempt for democracy in all its forms—and they decided that they wanted more of it. His voters can no longer hide behind excuses about the corruption of Hillary Clinton or their willingness to take a chance on an unproven political novice. They cannot feign ignorance about how Trump would rule. They know, and they have embraced him.
Sadly, the voters who said in 2016 that they chose Trump because they thought he was “just like them” turned out to be right. Now, by picking him again, those voters are showing that they are just like him: angry, spoiled, racially resentful, aggrieved, and willing to die rather than ever admit that they were wrong.
[…]
It’s clear now that far too many of Trump’s voters don’t care about policy, decency, or saving our democracy. They care about power. Although Trump appears to have received a small uptick in votes from Black men and Latinos, the overwhelming share of his supporters are white. The politics of cultural resentment, the obsessions of white anxiety, are so intense that his voters are determined not only to preserve minority rule but to leave a dangerous sociopath in the Oval Office. Even the candidacy of a man who was both a political centrist and a decent human being could not overcome this sullen commitment to authoritarianism.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/11/large-portion-electorate-chose-sociopath/616994/
( alt link https://archive.li/VrdGN )
Biden will get more than 300 Electoral College votes. Trump won't get the Supreme Court to stop the vote count. Big question is whether he accepts Biden win and hands over power.
Anyone got a state of play update? How many states are left to declare? If that pushes the EC vote above 270, does that mean the court processes automatically fail and we are left with whatver fuckery DT gets up to in the next 10 weeks?
I'm frantically refreshing and doom-scrolling https://edition.cnn.com/election/2020/results/president?iid=politics_election_national_map plus cycling around to Georgia and Pennsylvania individual results.
Biden is has been called the winner by news orgs in states adding up to 253 EC votes, including Michigan and Wisconsin.
Biden is ahead in Arizona and Nevada, which would get him to 270. Nevada isn't going to release more results until tomorrow. Arizona is expected to release more results around 3ish our time. Arizona has a long history of Repug mail voting, so don't expect Biden's lead to improve. But he has a fairly good margin, so it would be really unlikely for the mail votes to take it away from Biden. So far no serious legal fuckery in Arizona or Nevada.
Biden is behind in Pennsylvania, but catching up fast as more votes are counted. PA authorities say don't expect all votes to be counted for several days yet, and the window for votes to be accepted doesn't close until Friday (their time). If the current trend holds, Biden has a good chance of winning.
Biden is behind in Georgia, but catching up fast. I'm not quite as hopeful Biden will squeak through to a win.
Repug lawsuits to stop counting are flying in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina. On spurious grounds, of course.
Two very interesting comments posted on 538 re Georgia
And.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/live-blog/2020-election-results-coverage/
Brilliant, thank-you!!
One of the people reporting from their state (?) on CNN said pro-Trump protesters have turned up outside the place they're counting votes. It was organised via social media. Security is beefing up.
It was some voting official, not a reporter.
Genius tRump supporters want to stop the counting.
https://twitter.com/PattersonNBC/status/1324086177885003778
In the images of counting centres that I have seen, they workers appear to be all women. If the Trump supporters are men and vociferous women then there is another threat to a smooth respectful democratic process.
yeah, that's not good.
Just catching up but a legal expert pointed out that you cannot just go to the Supreme Court. Must go to a lower Court first which then decides on the merit and then the Supreme might choose to hear the case or not.
I think Trump must know this so his motive is to ramp up his supporters to riot level rather than "win" a case. (Remember the National Party angst that they were robbed of their born to rule in 2017, and 2018, and 2019?)
why do you think they rushed the latest SCOTUS pick? And the dozens or hundreds of federal judgeships they kept vacant over Obama and got dolt45 to fill.
An American cannot just call on the Supreme Court to make a judgement on this Election. here is no pathway. Probably the same in NZ?
But if you are one of the masses who feel cheated, then you will applaud such a Presidential declaration. And scream cheated! They will also believe that "they" have stopped us from going to the Supreme Court. "They" are part of the cheats who stole our win from us. Thus Trump is not foolish.
That would be why the Mcconnell senate confirmed 218 orange nominees as lower court judges, not just the supreme court 3. Obama got 55 in 8 years, the difference mostly down to McConnell stalling the senate to stop Obama achieving anything.
If someone loses a case, they appeal higher and higher until they get what they want, right? If the top few tiers owe their jobs to the shitgibbon, how do you think (or at least how does the shitgibbon expect) the case to end?
218 in short time cf 55 in 8 yrs for Obama. He took on a mighty task and who was it spread the story that he was born in Africa?
It's happened before.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks_Brothers_riot
I agree. I suspect the court cases aren't viable but are there to rouse supporters to disruption.
American man on radio in hope this afternoon reflecting with the quote of the day:
"We used to pick cotton, now we pick Presidents."
https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1324093841557856257
.
Biden thinking ahead.
https://en.as.com/en/2020/11/03/latest_news/1604394877_801753.html.
Biden launches transition website
Joe Biden in a move to show he believes he's on course for victory has launched a transition website, buildbackbetter There's nothing in it beyond this text yet, but he's clearly already thinking about the next moves.
If you want an incredible, and very scary, view of the way Donald Trump approached the transition from the Obama administration I'd thoroughly recommend reading The Fifth Risk, by Moneyball and the Big Short author Michael Lewis.
and
A fun fact: A California politician is panicking – he announces it is illegal to count late votes.
California Republican Senator Kevin McCarthy holds press conference
On the Republican gains in the Senate this election. Kevin McCarthy reiterates that the GOP want "every legal vote to be counted" but that "people shouldn't be allowed to vote today".
It seems not only Trump is confused about the distinction between voting, and counting votes.
and
Panicking could cost Trump's campaign $3 million.
The end is nigh for Wisconsin; Trump recount imminent
There are only about 300 votes left to count in Wisconsin, officials say. They’re in the town of Willow in Richland County.
Biden leads by more than 20,000 votes.
Meanwhile, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement that Trump “is well within the threshold to request a recount” in Wisconsin, and that the campaign planned to “immediately do so.”
This would incur a $3 million fee to Trump's campaign, as the margin is more than one quarter of a percent.
Thanks for the Michael Lewis link, Grey.
A few laugh out loud sentences in that.
Exactly. That was what I was thinking when Trump was declaring his "win" last night. In NZ votes have to be in hand on Election Day but it takes up to 2 weeks for Specials to be counted and checked. Trump would forbid those specials to be counted.
There was an interesting snippet I found while trawling through the very informative Spanish site that I found. Bound to be better than Fox News for sure. It's about the postal votes in the USA. Apparently if they were not delivered then they can't be accepted as valid to be counted.
I seem to remember about NZ law, if you had posted something and it had been postmarked with the date, that was proof that you had sent it on that date and if before a closing date, was valid even if not delivered till after.
Don't know about now in NZ, often not stamped or there is no date. But in USA I wonder about the situation because:
Federal judge Sullivan makes clear non-compliance unacceptable
In hearing with USPS over non-delivery of mail-in ballots on Election Day.
It is yet unclear whether the number of ballots left behind would affect the election result or in fact be negligible.
https://en.as.com/en/2020/11/03/latest_news/1604394877_801753.html
You'd think that a global superpower would be able to come up with more counters. Like folks who can count. Get the job done a little quicker.
That hardly supports the quest for illegitimate power though. Like the pollin booth removal, not enough counters plays right into their hands.
Now for a curve ball….
Read an article looking at the possibility that electoral college voters flip from Biden to Trump in reaction to their disgust at the evolving Hunter Biden hard drive saga and the huge censorship efforts by the MSM etc to protect the Biden.
Also raised the possibility that states could object as their votes are about to be announced, halting the count until an investigation in to the allegations of corruptly taking money from foreign powers ( Chinese companies 'Loans' to Hunter Biden et al )
Writer suggested the timing of the first release of the Biden hard drive info at first blush was too late in the game, but that it was a deliberate trap that could end up with Biden winning the election but Trump remaining president
Popcorn supplies running low…..
Have the blackbirds left your thinking cap?
Ha Ha.Long ago I’ll bet.
not my musings, but that of a guy who was quoting the law around these matters…
you know, those pesky wee rules…….
When commenters don’t provide a link it is fair to assume that their ‘musings’ are theirs in actual fact. Maybe you could give the link, yes? Asking for a friend.
did state it was an article I wrote…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trumps-64-day-post-election-endgame-or-can-criminal-be-inaugurated-president
Can't see you lasting here much longer than tonight.
Oh dear, we have a live one..
/
Not so much a 'curveball'….as an oddball..?
And while Rome is burning, the stage is set for one man only…..
It must be getting pretty grim being around trump about now…as he rages against the coming dark night…giant orange primate…frothing at the mouth..and snarling at all within reach..and having to realise.. that he is the big loser..being a one term president is about as biggest loser you can get/be in america…plus his upcoming snowstorm of indictments…and facing jail time…and now no chance of a pence-pardon..he’s had better days…
Inauguration Day 2021
More on protecting the counters.
https://twitter.com/juliettekayyem/status/1324221183580143616
They're not taking it well.
https://twitter.com/laurenpeikoff/status/1324210871975972865
https://twitter.com/GadiNBC/status/1324187296984231936
Tough guy Harlan's on the job.
https://twitter.com/dmeisner99/status/1324229961088004096
Maricopa – Arizona.
You obviously have never heard of the ancient asian discipline of doing battle using bow-ties…approach this warrior at your peril..!
Lose the White House, most repub!s thank —- he has gone. Missery, no!.We have control of the budget, we have control of the Senate.
ffs
https://twitter.com/stuartpstevens/status/1324161312323067906
Don't tell Jamie lee ross that news…he may start to think it isn't all over for him..and his motley crew of political fringe dwellers..
A list of states that were still in contention and their electoral college numbers.
https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54783016 morning 5 Nov.
US Election 2020: Results and exit poll in maps and charts
Nevada will do the trick.
However this plays out, these numbers are neither a repudiation of Trump nor a landslide endorsement of Biden. No-one can be happy with this outcome, and it resolves nothing. The political and social divisions are only going to intensify.
Between this and the covid winter, the next 100 days are going to be a narrow pass.
Of course it is a repudiation of Trump. He will have been a one term President.
Before the counting began I said that my working assumption is that Biden would win, but that it would be too close for comfort. I think that still stands.
Good for you.
A Biden win, however slim the margin, is confirmation voters have seen Donald Trump, and rejected him.
Technically yes, but it needed a substantial Biden win to take the heat out of the intense partisan polarisation we are witnessing. That hasn't happened.
Between the high turnout and Biden 's highish actual vote share, Biden will likely end up with a higher % of eligible voters than any other recent prez, going back to before Raygun.
And if Trump loses he will have gained more popular votes than Obama … the point being this is an argument that cuts both ways.
Yes it's definitely problematic for Biden's people. Having won an election after the horror show presidency of Trump, to still be given the middle finger by such a large percentage of their own countrymen.
After everything they've seen, to vote for that man. A vote for Trump was a middle finger to science, decency and humanity.
It was also a scream of rage from the dispossessed/economicaly-ignored..
edit
There will always be screams of rage from people who have no vision for a good humanity, who react to comments about their own favoured group without being prepared to look at their own thinking and doing, and consider others POV and try and understand and reach possibly mutual dislike, but agree on enough points to live together amicably. That's what is needed in the USA now and actually in all the world. Raw emotive, egotistic, partisan and alienating behaviour disintegrates the good and common purpose that a community with shared values can build.
Screams of rage come from the dispossessed/economically ignored when they feel strong and powerful enough to protest. Those most disadvantaged can be very quiet and subdued. They often need an advocate to speak for them; they are squashed by the unkindness of the world as expressed by the authorities. Those who are loudest and angriest tend to be those who want more for themselves and their group, but may never be happy with their materialistic gains.
And that is the difficulty, knowing in the mind and soul when to be satisfied and be willing to consider and share with others, and allow some others to have more without being in knots with envy and feeling discombobulated. Now that is a disease of the mind that is rife in developed countries. What can we do to contain it in ourselves and the wider community? We could give it a cute, folksy but catchy term – going Pollyanna, ie looking for the things we have to be happy about!
Yes. The to and fro of the binary has left many dispossessed across a broad range of society. One common denominator would be economic. The disproportionate rage shown by Trump followers may at least partially be correlated with disproportionate promises and subsequent levels of disappointment for white vs coloured America.