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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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People really shouldn’t expect the government to help after they watched the GOP drown it in a bathtub.

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Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

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I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Saturday Morning Open Thread: Smart Move, Players

Saturday Morning Open Thread: Smart Move, Players

by Anne Laurie|  August 29, 20207:36 am| 135 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Racial Justice, Sports

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As part of an agreement to resume playoffs Saturday, the NBA and its players union announced a plan to promote social justice and civic engagement — including converting arenas into polling places for the upcoming election. https://t.co/LtXaNq5koQ

— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) August 29, 2020

Expect red state governors to resist the hell out of this, but it may be key for ensuring turnout in Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Detroit, Miami, Orlando and Phoenix.
Once again, the NBA proves that it's the most socially-aware, forward-thinking league. No pretend escapism here. https://t.co/HHBp3Ruwlc

— Slava Malamud (@SlavaMalamud) August 28, 2020

Plus their get out the vote drive will help them turn out people that support good policies. Great all around.

— Nathan ‘Midnight Leader’ Harris (@NathanIHarris) August 29, 2020

1. This was a smart, effective use of the leverage NBA players have at the moment, and the kind of protest no reasonable person could have any problem with. All in all, a pretty remarkable victory for the players. https://t.co/2cE1NqrdyX

— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) August 29, 2020

4. The criticism of the players for deciding to go back to work seems foolish. A true wildcat strike would have violated the CBA and been economically devastating, for little benefit. Walking away would have been a statement, but it wouldn't have accomplished anything concrete.

— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) August 29, 2020

TRUMP: Mail-in voting can't be trusted. IN PERSON ONLY.

NBA: *opens dozens of arenas as polling places in downtown areas with 750,000 sq feet of space each to safely distance and quickly cycle large numbers of voters.

TRUMP: No not like that.

— Zeddy (@Zeddary) August 28, 2020

Cosplay socialists agree: Shut up and dribble!

are you fucking kidding me https://t.co/4uL6uIEUCA

— Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) August 28, 2020

The players chose a course of action that is both popular and generated concrete benefits so clearly this was a failure by internet leftist standards. https://t.co/NHXgWwrkyC

— Alex Hazanov (@alexhazanov) August 28, 2020

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Previous Post: « COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Friday/Saturday, August 28-29
Next Post: I’m not expecting to grow flowers in a desert »

Reader Interactions

135Comments

  1. 1.

    OzarkHillbilly

    August 29, 2020 at 7:43 am

    This was a smart, effective use of the leverage NBA players have at the moment, and the kind of protest no reasonable person could have any problem with.

    Republicans on the other hand…

  2. 2.

    rikyrah

    August 29, 2020 at 7:44 am

    Good Morning, Everyone ???

  3. 3.

    rikyrah

    August 29, 2020 at 7:45 am

    Ingraham just let it slip and said Trump lost his brother to Covid ?— Shawny? (@Shawnrobb72) August 29, 2020

  4. 4.

    johnnybuck

    August 29, 2020 at 7:45 am

    The Atlanta Hawks had already planned to do this very thing with State farm arena. The problem with Trump is that he can’t keep his fucking mouth shut and telegraphs every plan, which gives the Democrats- and voters the opportunity to counter. This is a great idea. Players are sitting out practice at several SEC schools threatening fall football. Hit them where it hurts.

  5. 5.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    August 29, 2020 at 7:46 am

    @rikyrah:

    Good morning! ?

  6. 6.

    rikyrah

    August 29, 2020 at 7:46 am

    BREAKING: Jacob Blake’s father just said that “It’s too late for Trump to call. He should have called four days ago like Joe Biden.”— Mrs. Krassenstein (@HKrassenstein) August 29, 2020

  7. 7.

    Starfish

    August 29, 2020 at 7:47 am

    Oklahoma City is not participating for reasons of white people can’t be bothered. Why do people need voter registration cards? Who has not moved this crap online in the year 2020?

  8. 8.

    WereBear

    August 29, 2020 at 7:49 am

    Glad to hear we’re bringing our A game…

  9. 9.

    Mousebumples

    August 29, 2020 at 7:51 am

    Proud to be Milwaukee Bucks fan. Not that they did all of this themselves, but in many ways they set this all off. (with a, hat tip to the Detroit Lions for canceling their practice the day before)

  10. 10.

    Baud

    August 29, 2020 at 7:51 am

    @rikyrah: Good morning.

  11. 11.

    zzyzx

    August 29, 2020 at 7:58 am

    I’m not sure I see what the advantage is here, unless this comes with an agreement to also have a LOT more voting machines. Otherwise, we mess with people’s voting routines in order to create huge crowds indoors during a pandemic.

    I guess it helps in that it’ll be more obvious if weirdness is happening since it’ll be in one spot so we can all see it, and it’ll make it harder for off duty cops to intimidate people posing as monitors, so that’s good at least.

  12. 12.

    prostratedragon

    August 29, 2020 at 7:58 am

    @Starfish:  That might be the lamest thing I’ve heard this year. Maybe longer.

  13. 13.

    johnnybuck

    August 29, 2020 at 8:01 am

    @zzyzx: State Farm Arena will have 100 booths 10 feet apart, and masks will be provided.

  14. 14.

    oldgold

    August 29, 2020 at 8:02 am

    Yesterday, our Divider in Chief, Trump:
    “It’s terrible. I think what they’re doing to the NBA in particular is going to destroy basketball. I can’t – I don’t even watch it. … You know when you watch sports, you want to sort of relax, but this is a whole different world. … You don’t want to stay in politics. You want to relax.

    “It’s very bad for the NBA and it’s going to prove to be very bad for football. Roger Goodell should have learned his lesson two years ago. And I’m not letting up. I’m not letting up. They were begging for mercy two years ago on the flag. I’m not letting up.”

  15. 15.

    The Thin Black Duke

    August 29, 2020 at 8:05 am

    Who is Ashley Feinberg and why should I care what this idiot says?

  16. 16.

    Ken

    August 29, 2020 at 8:07 am

    @oldgold: Two years ago… I think that’s when I first heard the quip, “who would have thought when the liberals and the conservatives separated, the liberals would get football”. There were a couple of other surprises on that list – I don’t think it had NASCAR at that time, but it would today.

  17. 17.

    PsiFighter37

    August 29, 2020 at 8:09 am

    Woke up this morning to read the sad news about Chadwick Boseman. Cancer sucks in every year, not just 2020.

  18. 18.

    germy

    August 29, 2020 at 8:09 am

    Miami Herald by @doug_hanks:Jesus Fernandez Jr., a close friend of Giancarlo Granda, had photos of Becki (and Jerry Jr.?) Falwell. Michael Cohen's involvement (intimidation?) in 2016 led to changing his name to Gordon Bello. Bello says Granda knows more.https://t.co/8aTrw2rVfw

    — Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) August 28, 2020

  19. 19.

    Princess

    August 29, 2020 at 8:10 am

    Clearly the NBA should have stayed out until white supremacy had ended everywhere and there were no more police forces. Otherwise they are no different than Trump.

  20. 20.

    zzyzx

    August 29, 2020 at 8:12 am

    @johnnybuck: how does that compare to how many booths that number of voting locations would have normally? Maybe Seattle is different, but before we moved to vote by mail, I lived in 3 locations, all within a 4 mile radius of where I live now and each one had a different location with 10-15 booths each.

    Then again, the lines are so bad in Georgia that maybe 100 booths for all of the downtown area would be an insane improvement.

  21. 21.

    Baud

    August 29, 2020 at 8:12 am

    @rikyrah:

    He should have called four days ago like Joe Biden.

    Give Trump a break. He doesn’t have Biden’s energy.

  22. 22.

    rikyrah

    August 29, 2020 at 8:13 am

    Notice suddenly all the polling firms doing Trump surging memes are conservative media giants in those Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan polls? All timed in coordination with RNC to show memes that poor non-college whites are accepting Trump again as their Fuhrer.— Jeff Gauvin (@JeffersonObama) August 29, 2020

  23. 23.

    rikyrah

    August 29, 2020 at 8:14 am

    You know what hurts Biden/Harris the most? Is the media. They need to circumvent them like PBO did, he used other outlets to get their message heard.— cjtown (@ladyc10) August 28, 2020

  24. 24.

    debbie

    August 29, 2020 at 8:14 am

    Man, whatever the FOP out there calls itself is really demonizing Blake. What a monster he was! How courageous the officer who shot him seven times in such a controlled manner! ?

  25. 25.

    johnnybuck

    August 29, 2020 at 8:17 am

    @zzyzx: It is in addition to the 236 other polling sites in Fulton county, and will be expanded to 300 machines for the general election.

  26. 26.

    Ken

    August 29, 2020 at 8:19 am

    @Baud: Did you see the report that Trump’s staff tries to start his “work” day at 11, and don’t even manage that most days?

  27. 27.

    zzyzx

    August 29, 2020 at 8:20 am

    @johnnybuck: OK thanks! That was the detail I was missing and now it makes more sense.

    I wonder how do they do the checking off of people who already voted, without having people tied to one location. I mean, yeah, it’s 2020 and we have computers that let us store that information, but that’s also potentially hackable.

  28. 28.

    gkoutnik

    August 29, 2020 at 8:21 am

    @zzyzx: I was struck by the same questions and concerns that you articulate here.  I do hope that the Boards of Election in each city can handle the systemic and logistic shifts required.  At least they have 2+ months to plan (or less, if early voting).  I think it will take some extraordinary participation and support of the people who live in those city centers, not to mention the municipal governments.

  29. 29.

    Kay

    August 29, 2020 at 8:23 am

    @rikyrah:

    Democrats (and Republicans) have internal polling in congressional races and all the polls include a presidential question. This just came up locally where I live because we had a meeting with a congressional candidate where he told us his internal polling and what the top line for Biden was – it was positive, in this case, but if there’s movement they’ll see it. I was wondering about a specific county within his district so it’s not exact but it’s probably useful. If you wanted to see if a specific county was moving you would look at polling in the congressional district that includes that county.

  30. 30.

    zzyzx

    August 29, 2020 at 8:24 am

    @gkoutnik: I have the weakness of being absolutely fascinated with that sort of logistical issue without the corresponding strength of being good at being able to solve them.

  31. 31.

    gene108

    August 29, 2020 at 8:24 am

    @Starfish:

    Expect more of Republican run states to not use arenas as polling places.

    Reality is to get an arena setup as a polling place will take time, money, and manpower. The BoE will need to figure out what precincts get to vote in the arena, and if they keep the original polling place open, as well as the new polling place due to limited number of voting machines.

    There are enough logistical hurdles to give Republican run states an easy out to not even bother to try using these venues.

    It’s a nice gesture, but the NBA needs to also put money behind it, as well as pay for arena staff to help with the logistics. These guys can turn an arena into a concert venue, monster truck venue, pro-wrestling venue, circus venue, etc., and back to a sports arena pretty quickly.

    Edit: I think this offer to use arenas for voting needs to be kept for elections in 2022, and beyond, because that will give BoE’s time to really plan out how to best use the offer. If the NBA is serious about this issue, it cannot be a one-off.

  32. 32.

    gkoutnik

    August 29, 2020 at 8:25 am

    @zzyzx: In my rural upstate NY county, last year was the first time any digital equipment (tablets for voter registers, etc.) were used (other than the voting machines themselves).  Legislative bodies are (probably not) surprisingly reluctant to spend a lot of money on newfangled technology.

  33. 33.

    Baud

    August 29, 2020 at 8:26 am

    @Ken: I didn’t.  Doesn’t surprise me.

  34. 34.

    ronrab

    August 29, 2020 at 8:26 am

    This is excellent, creative thinking and for the best of causes this year.

  35. 35.

    johnnybuck

    August 29, 2020 at 8:28 am

    @zzyzx: I wondered about that too. It was used in the primary, but only for early voting (and will again) but the story says for the general election it will be used election day as well.

  36. 36.

    Baud

    August 29, 2020 at 8:28 am

    @rikyrah:

    The media has been begging Joe and Kamala to do more interviews so they can ask them to respond to the latest GOP attack.

  37. 37.

    gkoutnik

    August 29, 2020 at 8:29 am

    @zzyzx: I think most of us here share both those characteristics – it’s what attracts us to political punditry.

  38. 38.

    Chyron HR

    August 29, 2020 at 8:31 am

    Hmm, well, let’s open up the news and see how Trump’s Big Convention Pivot is going…

    ‘It was the lighting’: Don Jr addresses rumors he was on cocaine during RNC speech

    Oh dear.

  39. 39.

    WereBear

    August 29, 2020 at 8:32 am

    @gkoutnik: In my rural upstate NY county we mark a paper ballot with dark Sharpie pens and run it through the machine ourselves. So there’s an audit trail.

    It can’t be all digital. That’s how Republicans cheat.

  40. 40.

    lowtechcyclist

    August 29, 2020 at 8:33 am

    @zzyzx:

    I’m not sure I see what the advantage is here, unless this comes with an agreement to also have a LOT more voting machines.

    There’s no shortage of machines.  The problem we’re facing with in-person voting this year appears to be one of staffing.  The usual volunteer crew of elderly civic-minded retirees mostly isn’t going to show up on account of Covid-19.

    This agreement deals with the staffing problem by having arena workers staff the polls.  There should be plenty of machines available; they’ll just need to be transported to the arenas, rather than to the schools and other locations where voting normally would take place.

    Hooray for the NBA players!!!  And I’m not even a hoops fan.

  41. 41.

    Danielx

    August 29, 2020 at 8:34 am

    @The Thin Black Duke:

    I wondered the same thing, but on the other hand I’m still wondering how somebody makes six figures being a YouTube or TikTok “star” while having no discernible talent other than being an asshole.

  42. 42.

    Sab

    August 29, 2020 at 8:36 am

    @ronrab: Also, aren’t those stadia mostly in neighborhoods that were badly impacted by the stadia being built?

  43. 43.

    gene108

    August 29, 2020 at 8:37 am

    @debbie:

    Since the FOP unions go out of their way to defend police misconduct, they need to somehow take a hit financially.

    I do not know, if the same strategy that was used to bankrupt white supremacist groups in the late 1980’s, and through the 1990’’s would work. IIRC, the reason the plaintiff won was the ability to prove the groups’ rhetoric contributed to white supremacist violence.

  44. 44.

    WereBear

    August 29, 2020 at 8:37 am

    @Danielx: If you get eyeballs, companies will pay you to include their product in your shows.

  45. 45.

    Kay

    August 29, 2020 at 8:39 am

    This to me seems about as far as the NBA can go in “replacing a functioning government”. I’m not clear what people expected them to do. The whole thing is extraordinary on its face, leaving aside the specifics. It’s kind of alarming they’re tasked with creating polling places- that government has failed to that extent-  but if it’s come to this (and it has) they seem competent and in many ways it works with what they manage in their actual business- promotion, the logistics of getting people in and out of urban center arenas, etc.

  46. 46.

    Geminid

    August 29, 2020 at 8:42 am

    @The Thin Black Duke: No reason to care about Ashley F.  She and people like her are a small cohort that generates noise disproportionate to their numbers. I was encouraged to read the responses to her dumbass tweet. Basically, she was carpet bombed.

  47. 47.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    August 29, 2020 at 8:43 am

    I really hope Biden scores a convincing victory on election day. I know we’re in danger until Jan 20, but I’ll feel better about the country if Biden wins the vote.

    I wish I believed Mitch McConnell will lose. Even if the Ds take the Senate so he’s Minority Leader, he’s damaging.

  48. 48.

    MazeDancer

    August 29, 2020 at 8:43 am

    “Going to go vote in the Arena!” is definitely a Voting Plan some people will be excited to make. And will certainly help in some big cities. And every vote counts.

    New Illustrated Plans – no Arenas, yet – are up.  WaterGirl has made a nifty Election Action section at the top of the sidebar. Never despair, just click over there and do something.

    And post your Voting Plan here and it shall be Illustrated, pronto.

  49. 49.

    Baud

    August 29, 2020 at 8:44 am

    @Danielx:

    I’m still wondering how somebody makes six figures being a YouTube or TikTok “star” while having no discernible talent other than being an asshole

    I’m on the wrong internet site.

  50. 50.

    PsiFighter37

    August 29, 2020 at 8:49 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Biden needs to win on Election Night – because if he doesn’t, I 100% guarantee Trump will sue to impound all mail-in ballots and have them torched. And the GOP will go right along with it, because they have been shrieking about ‘voter fraud’ all of these years.

    As for Turtle – just strip him of the filibuster, and he can go back to being as useless as Kevin McCarthy is in the House. I sure hope that Democrats implement that on Day 1, and pass every last thing possible in the first two years, because this country seems to love giving Republicans power back after they are out of power for 2 years, for whatever reason (it’s also because our side is lazy as FUCK when it comes to non-presidential elections, which is infuriating).

  51. 51.

    gkoutnik

    August 29, 2020 at 8:49 am

    @WereBear: Yeah – sorry for the confusion – that’s exactly how we do it.  The reader is the digital part.  It was not too long ago that we were pushing levers behind a curtain.

  52. 52.

    mrmoshpotato

    August 29, 2020 at 8:51 am

    Well played, Zeddy! (no pun intended)

  53. 53.

    Danielx

    August 29, 2020 at 8:53 am

    @WereBear:

    I get that, intellectually, but I can’t help but think of high end kitchen cutlery being promoted on a Hannibal Lecter YouTube channel.

  54. 54.

    batgirl

    August 29, 2020 at 8:57 am

    @zzyzx: Also only helps if this is in ADDITION to the local polling places that are close by and easy to get to. If they close neighborhood polling places because of this, it will make it harder for many people

    Edited to add: Ah, I see Johnnybuck has answered my question and that this is in addition to the neighborhood voting locations. This is good!

  55. 55.

    Danielx

    August 29, 2020 at 8:59 am

    @Baud:

    You have a gift but lack self promotion skills. I hear Brad Parscale has time on his hands….

  56. 56.

    WereBear

    August 29, 2020 at 8:59 am

    @Danielx: Rule 34.

  57. 57.

    Kay

    August 29, 2020 at 9:00 am

    @Baud:

    If you have to have someone to respond to media/GOP attacks on this issue (and you can’t have Obama as a candidate), you really can’t do better than having Joe Biden who dealt with this constantly in the Obama Administration.

    It isn’t that Joe Biden will succeed- I don’t know if he will- it’s that there isn’t some Alternate Person who could do it better. He’s the best available in the Democratic Party on it, and you don’t get to have Alternate Person Who Would Theoretically Be Better- it has to be an existing person :)

  58. 58.

    WereBear

    August 29, 2020 at 9:02 am

    @batgirl: If they close neighborhood polling places

     

    IF? They are going to do everything. EVERYTHING…

    Which is why we need extraordinary measures. I want every state to declare an early voting window, like a MONTH early.

    It’s the only way to be sure.

  59. 59.

    mrmoshpotato

    August 29, 2020 at 9:03 am

    @Baud: Dump doesn’t have Biden’s stamina either.

    SAD! WEAK! POOP!

  60. 60.

    Danielx

    August 29, 2020 at 9:04 am

    @WereBear:

    Fava beans and a big Amarone!

  61. 61.

    Cameron

    August 29, 2020 at 9:07 am

    @The Thin Black Duke: We are all Ashley Feinberg.

  62. 62.

    Danielx

    August 29, 2020 at 9:08 am

    @WereBear:

    totally OT, but while I’ve got you – why do cats row themselves – you know, that thing where they lie on the carpet and pull themselves by digging in their claws and drag themselves from one location to another? The daughter unit wants to know.

  63. 63.

    Ken

    August 29, 2020 at 9:09 am

    @mrmoshpotato: Trump nearly fell at yesterday’s New Hampshire rally, problems with his right leg again.  Whatever he’s got doesn’t appear to be getting better, so it may be only a matter of time before a faceplant.  It will be interesting and I’m sure infuriating to see how the media covers it.

  64. 64.

    mrmoshpotato

    August 29, 2020 at 9:11 am

    @Chyron HR: Soviet shitpile mobster cokeheads!

    ETA – now defend your dad’s fat, orange fascist face, Junior!

    Fuck these people with set of gallows.

  65. 65.

    Baud

    August 29, 2020 at 9:12 am

    @Kay:

    Joe Biden is … Malarkey Man!

  66. 66.

    There go two miscreants

    August 29, 2020 at 9:12 am

    @PsiFighter37:Biden needs to win on Election Night

    Yeah. My original plan was to vote early in person, even though they are encouraging vote-by-mail here in MD, for exactly that reason. However, Maryland recently announced that they will begin tallying (but of course not releasing) mail-in votes in October, rather than waiting until election day as was the previous system. We will also have drop boxes, and I plan to drop my ballot there.

  67. 67.

    Jeffro

    August 29, 2020 at 9:13 am

    @PsiFighter37:As for Turtle – just strip him of the filibuster, and he can go back to being as useless as Kevin McCarthy is in the House. I sure hope that Democrats implement that on Day 1, and pass every last thing possible in the first two years,

    Yup.  Hit the ground not running but fucking SPRINTING, and go for broke.

  68. 68.

    WereBear

    August 29, 2020 at 9:13 am

    @Danielx: why do cats row themselves – you know, that thing where they lie on the carpet and pull themselves by digging in their claws and drag themselves from one location to another?

     
    The short answer is because they can :)

    While I have never found a science explanation, years of observation have led me to conclude they are specifically exercising their forelegs and shoulders. This is part of why they scratch, too.

    It feels good and follows the urging of their survival instincts. Be ready. Always be ready.

  69. 69.

    Cameron

    August 29, 2020 at 9:14 am

    @Ken:”Today Donald Trump became Gerald Ford.”

  70. 70.

    OzarkHillbilly

    August 29, 2020 at 9:19 am

    @Cameron:  Not possible, Gerald Ford was capable of being presidential. trump can’t even pretend.

  71. 71.

    Ohio Mom

    August 29, 2020 at 9:20 am

    OT from today’s Cincinnati Enquirer: one of lawyers from Nick “the smirker” Sandmann’s team is fundraising for Rittenhouse’s defense. Who knew that right-wing young males were a law speciality?

  72. 72.

    Danielx

    August 29, 2020 at 9:21 am

    @WereBear:

    Thanks! I’ll stick with the “because they can” explanation, which she will totally get – which covers a lot of other cat behavior too as far as I can see.

  73. 73.

    Martin

    August 29, 2020 at 9:22 am

    Once again, the NBA proves that it’s the most socially-aware, forward-thinking league. No pretend escapism here.

    I’d give that honor to the WNBA or USWNT. They have both been more outspoken on any number of issues, but simply don’t have the kind of clout that the NBA does. My guess is that only mens sports were on her list.

    That said, the NBA did good here.

  74. 74.

    SW

    August 29, 2020 at 9:24 am

    Trump is freaking out about the NBA today. Tempting to chalk it up to racism. Don’t. Its all about the voting. They were relying on restricting the voting to black folk in large urban areas by limiting polling places and intimidating the ones that were left with their goons.

    The guys at the NBA made the genius move of making their stadiums available and I assume their security available and poof, well laid plans of mice and men go up in smoke!

    The racism is always there as an undercurrent. But the voting is an existential threat to Trump. They will do anything they can to derail this. Stand firm men. You have them by the nuts.

  75. 75.

    Martin

    August 29, 2020 at 9:26 am

    @WereBear:

    It can’t be all digital. That’s how Republicans cheat.

    You really underestimate their ability to cheat in a whole range of ways.

  76. 76.

    PsiFighter37

    August 29, 2020 at 9:26 am

    @Jeffro: Marginally worried, though, that there will not be plans to do so. I also hope both Chuck & Nancy don’t let Congress take as many breaks…lots of things to fix in this country.

  77. 77.

    mrmoshpotato

    August 29, 2020 at 9:29 am

    @MazeDancer: Let’s All Go To The Lobby?

    No.

    ?Going to the arena, going to the arena, going to the arena, to vote the Trump trash out!?

  78. 78.

    mrmoshpotato

    August 29, 2020 at 9:33 am

    @Danielx:

    why do cats row themselves 

    Lack of boats and possible fear of water?

  79. 79.

    Kay

    August 29, 2020 at 9:34 am

    @Baud:

    Obama’s presidency was basically 8 years of media and Republicans demanding an answer from Obama to the same question “you like black people more than white people, don’t you?”

    This is that question. Joe Biden’s an expert on it.

  80. 80.

    Sab

    August 29, 2020 at 9:39 am

    @Kay: I won my white midwestern mother over to Obama by pointing out that he deeply loved  his white grandmother from Kansas.

  81. 81.

    Baud

    August 29, 2020 at 9:40 am

    @Kay:

    Answer: “Yes, I do. For obvious reasons.”

  82. 82.

    Kay

    August 29, 2020 at 9:41 am

    @SW:

    I disagree. Trump has no interest in process. He doesn’t know the first thing about how voting works. He’s fighting a culture war and he’s always afraid he’s losing. He understands the importance of sports in the culture war and he lost the “take a knee round”, which he thought he would win.

    I don’t follow sports but I’ve been surrounded by the popular culture around it my whole life and I recognize how big and powerful it is. So does he.

  83. 83.

    H.E.Wolf

    August 29, 2020 at 9:45 am

    @PsiFighter37: our side is lazy as FUCK when it comes to non-presidential elections, which is infuriating

      I have good news for you! The 2018 midterm elections, and the 2017 and 2019 “off-off-year” state, local, and special elections, indicate the opposite. Democratic turnout is way up, and Democratic candidates have been winning their campaigns and gaining the majority in legislatures.

    In my own state, where I’ve been volunteering as a data-entry person for the State Democratic Party, here are the patterns I’ve seen since 2017:

    Men (particularly working-age men) were the only group of volunteers in the 2018 cycle whose participation lagged behind everyone else’s.

    In 2020, working-age men are starting to show up to volunteer in numbers closer to everyone else’s. This is a big change.

    I wonder if it’s a combination of the large numbers of people working from home, the work-from-home nature of the 2020 GOTV effort, and the realization that the actions of the current administration are hurting almost everyone.

  84. 84.

    Kay

    August 29, 2020 at 9:46 am

    @Sab:

    Right. The Philadelphia speech. Beautiful speech but at base it was an answer to that same question. The beer summit? Same question- they’ll demand an answer to the question until they get it, over and over, forever. We’ll know things have really changed when they stop asking it.

    Joe Biden can answer it too. He knew it was coming.

  85. 85.

    Kay

    August 29, 2020 at 9:48 am

    @Baud:

    Guffaw. It’s such a babyish, whiny question. I’m ashamed on their behalf. Grow up, snowflakes.

  86. 86.

    Geminid

    August 29, 2020 at 9:52 am

    @PsiFighter37: I think the Democratic Congressional leadership has a plan for January. The House passed a lot of good legislation last year and this and these bills are sitting on the shelf ready for reintroduction. The main question will be which bill or bills will be brought up first, second, third etc. My own preferences are election reform and comprehensive immigration reform first, clean energy transition/green new Deal legislation second. But I won’t kick if Speaker Pelosi thinkdecides differently. And they’ll have to make economic measures to stave off a depression a critical priority. Things are bad now, but the economy could be in free fall come January.

  87. 87.

    zhena gogolia

    August 29, 2020 at 9:58 am

    @WereBear:

    Great answer.

  88. 88.

    Geminid

    August 29, 2020 at 10:05 am

    @PsiFighter37: I think Congress won’t  be taking much break time the first half of next year. They’ll hopefully have a lot of legislation to work on that actually will be signed by a Democratic president. But it’s not like they are on vacation now, at least not the 41 Democratic freshman who flipped Republican seats in 2018. Some , like Xochitl Torres-Small (D-NM) represent districts that trump carried by 10% in 2016. Torres-Small might not take a day off until November.

  89. 89.

    Benw

    August 29, 2020 at 10:16 am

    Good job NBA players! Sucks you have to replicate a working government but here we are

  90. 90.

    Kristine

    August 29, 2020 at 10:19 am

    @lowtechcyclist: the staffers would need traceable training as well. Also, opportunities to practice. That’s what our training involved in Illinois. I assume it’s the same or similar in other states.

  91. 91.

    Kay

    August 29, 2020 at 10:25 am

    Paul Page
    @PaulPage
    A new wave of layoffs is washing over the U.S. as major companies adjust to a longer, deeper pandemic upheaval than they had anticipated.

    I’m baffled why they didn’t anticipate it. They must have known the first round of rescue was holding the economy up- that was the stated reason we did it and they clamored for it. What did they think was going to happen when that dried up?

  92. 92.

    Nora

    August 29, 2020 at 10:31 am

    @WereBear:  In my sophisticated suburban county in downstate New York, we also use sharpies on paper ballots and feed them into the machines ourselves.  When my husband and I vote, we’re usually in the first five people at our polling place (you see your ballot register on the counter).

  93. 93.

    patrick II

    August 29, 2020 at 10:45 am

    @Geminid:

    That is great news, but if any of those plans having to do with voting they will require a couple of Supreme Court justice appointments before they can actually be implemented.

  94. 94.

    Gvg

    August 29, 2020 at 10:47 am

    @WereBear: They also need to wear down their claws and keep them sharp. Cats claws is nature get used for climbing. Indoor pets claws can get too long and brittle. They need to claw things that can wear them down at the natural rate of regrowth. My getting older house cat is getting her claws hook stuck in fabric this week, and I’m going to have to trim her nails this weekend. Not looking forward to it. This one is easily frightened, but the tips are definitely too long and getting in her way.

  95. 95.

    Villago Delenda Est

    August 29, 2020 at 10:49 am

    the kind of protest no reasonable person could have any problem with.

    Well, there’s your problem, right there. We’re not dealing with reasonable people. We’re dealing with the fascist scum of the GOP and the MAGAts.

  96. 96.

    WereBear

    August 29, 2020 at 10:53 am

    @zhena gogolia: Thanks! Now that my job has gone poof! I am officially a professional Cat Guru :)

  97. 97.

    Gvg

    August 29, 2020 at 11:06 am

    @Kay: they didn’t expect the republicans to shoot themselves in the foot by cutting aid. It’s hard to adjust to the idea that politicians are so out of touch that they won’t know a political miscalculation of that magnitude. Yes, they have don it before. It’s still amazingly stupid. They didn’t use to be this stupid, although to me every shut down starting with Bush has been an indicator. Electing Paul Ryan as speaker was also evidence of stupidity.

  98. 98.

    schrodingers_cat

    August 29, 2020 at 11:06 am

    If  you were in Massachusetts who would you vote  for, Markey or Kennedy. I collected signatures to get Markey on the ballot in May when we were in a lockdown. As a matter of principle I don’t like primary challenges to democratic incumbents but since May Markey has been embraced by the purity left including clowns from the sunrise movement. They are relentless in attacking Kennedy on Twitter including making  widow jokes directed at his wife. Markey has done little to stop them. So I am having second thoughts about Markey.

  99. 99.

    Catherine D.

    August 29, 2020 at 11:09 am

    @Nora: Also in NY. The ballots are indeed paper + sharpie, but the registers went electronic because of early voting. The stylus was round-tipped and very wide, which meant no one’s signature looked right. A whole new set of poll workers was there, and one asked me for my license. I asked when exactly had I moved so far south and complained to the county board about the ID request and the stylus. This was Nov 2019.

  100. 100.

    Kathleen

    August 29, 2020 at 11:12 am

    @Baud:  I think both Joe and Kamala know what’s up. Truly grasping the perfidy of our propatainment complex may be one of the few benefits gleaned from 2016.

  101. 101.

    Kathleen

    August 29, 2020 at 11:16 am

    @WereBear: We do that in Hamilton County (Cincinnati) as well. This year I’m voting by mail for the first time.

  102. 102.

    Kathleen

    August 29, 2020 at 11:19 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: I hate to diss one of our Democratic candidates but I think McGrath has run a horrible campaign. Also, McConnell just hired Nick Smirker from Covington Catholic to be his grass roots coordinator.

  103. 103.

    gwangung

    August 29, 2020 at 11:23 am

    @H.E.Wolf: I think it’s strictly an “anti-Trump” movement.

    Which is why I worry about 2022 if we win, and why it’s vital to paint the rest of the Republicans as Trump without the name.

  104. 104.

    Jay

    August 29, 2020 at 11:23 am

    @Kay:

    the same reason why Schools are being opened but Legislature Sessions and Public Tours are still closed.

    Corps with big bank like Apple, have written off 2020 and 2021.

    Corps with out, used to living quarterly, reacting quarterly, deciding quarterly,……. well, October,……

  105. 105.

    Kathleen

    August 29, 2020 at 11:23 am

    @Ohio Mom: Did you see that McCconnell hired The Smirker?

  106. 106.

    patrick II

    August 29, 2020 at 11:27 am

    @gene108:

    I am not sure if they can keep the arena open to voting in future years.  This year they are empty of basketball games, in future years they won’t be. The logistics might not be tenable.

  107. 107.

    germy

    August 29, 2020 at 11:27 am

    Credit for the DEEP dive on Glenn Greenwald’s past of torture porn, organized crime issues, and financial losses as documented in public records and archived websites — all credit goes to @AlanVRK & @wokyleeks.

    — Xeni Jardin (@xeni) August 29, 202

    Thread

  108. 108.

    Kathleen

    August 29, 2020 at 11:28 am

    @Martin: MLB also supported BLM and I was pleasantly surprised. The Brewers didn’t play the Reds and Reds players supported the decision by also agreeing not to take the field. Amir Garrett told the story during an interview. He was very moving. Love that guy. He lived in my high rise for 2 seasons and is a sweetheart.

  109. 109.

    Kathleen

    August 29, 2020 at 11:31 am

    @Kay: Of all brilliant things you’ve said this is the most on point evah!

  110. 110.

    Jay

    August 29, 2020 at 11:32 am

    ī@schrodingers_cat:

    https://www.google.ca/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/joe-kennedy-iii-challenges-ed-markey-in-2020s-weirdest-primary-race-144902

    Do you want a progressive rep, a Centrist rep, or a feudal rep?

  111. 111.

    Geminid

    August 29, 2020 at 11:33 am

    @patrick II: Why is that?

  112. 112.

    germy

    August 29, 2020 at 11:35 am

    We asked: did @realdonaldtrump break his promise to keep the White House and his business separate?

    White House spokesman responds by…defending Trump’s private business. pic.twitter.com/n2vy5DA1dc

    — David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) August 28, 2020

  113. 113.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    August 29, 2020 at 11:40 am

    I woke up this morning thinking about Chadwick Boseman, and I can’t stop thinking about him. It’s just not fair.

    Looking at the dates on his IMDb page and realizing that the body of work I know is all after the diagnosis and during cancer treatments, I am even more in awe.

  114. 114.

    germy

    August 29, 2020 at 11:45 am

    I know some preening, self-righteous cyber heroes who are going to have to choke on a heaping plate of crow as the truth emerges about Glenn Greenwald. @wokyleeks

    — Xeni Jardin (@xeni) August 29, 2020

    If I were the Russian intelligence services, and I were looking for someone to recruit, a disgraced rule breaking lawyer who fled the United States because a gang was upset at him, ran off to Brazil, ran a gay boy torture porn empire in Brazil, good target. Just sayin

    — Xeni Jardin (@xeni) August 29, 2020

  115. 115.

    Matt

    August 29, 2020 at 11:53 am

    The players chose a course of action that is both popular and generated concrete benefits so clearly this was a failure by internet leftist standards.

    Positively heartwarming to see that even in a time where fascists are openly embracing lethal street violence, there’s still time to punch hippies.

  116. 116.

    patrick II

    August 29, 2020 at 11:59 am

    @patrick II:

    Because this Supreme Court has had a very consistent five votes against anything for any excuse they can find against any law that would harm republicans chances at the voting booth.

  117. 117.

    Chyron HR

    August 29, 2020 at 12:02 pm

    @Matt:

    You morons are openly rooting for Trump.

  118. 118.

    Brachiator

    August 29, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    @Kay:

    I’m baffled why they didn’t anticipate it. They must have known the first round of rescue was holding the economy up- that was the stated reason we did it and they clamored for it. What did they think was going to happen when that dried up?

    This is also a problem in Europe and elsewhere, where some governments crafted support packages. No one knew how long the pandemic would last, but hoped that it could be brought under control after a few months. But furloughs have turned into layoffs. Also, bankruptcies are increasing.

    Of course here we also have a Trump administration which has been hostile to the idea of realistically dealing with the pandemic.

  119. 119.

    WereBear

    August 29, 2020 at 12:18 pm

    @Gvg: We have an abundance of cat trees for that purpose. I used to have, when I ran my cat rescue, a giant sheet of plywood, wrapped in a wall sized Berber carpet remnant, wedged against the ceiling and with shelves on either side.

    Got a workout every day! Spider-cat, spider cat…

  120. 120.

    Emma from FL

    August 29, 2020 at 12:29 pm

    Got as far as maybe comment #40 before I gave up. What the bloody hell is it that makes democrats so dedicated to looking a gift horse in the mouth? “this is great, but…” “they should also have…” “I hope they have thought of…” It’s a publicity coup if nothing else. Enjoy winning a big one for once!

  121. 121.

    Omnes Omnibus

    August 29, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    @Emma from FL: Yes, there are clearly details that would have to be worked out.  There are places where using NBA facilities is impractical or unnecessary, but were it does work and is needed it will be great.  Also, the publicity about voting and voter suppression is priceless.  The NBA did a good thing.  End of story.

  122. 122.

    Frankensteinbeck

    August 29, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    @patrick II:

    Because this Supreme Court has had a very consistent five votes against anything for any excuse they can find against any law that would harm republicans chances at the voting booth.

    Not true.  You would think so, but it’s not.  They are certainly more pro-gerrymandering than they should be, but the Roberts court runs around 50/50 on the subject with the biggest factor being how obvious the racism is.

  123. 123.

    patrick II

    August 29, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    They found “reasons” for the most important voting rights restriction cases over the last 20 years.  Voter ID, in which there are very few actual in-person infractions, combined with closing driver’s license offices in black neighborhoods. Gutting the ACA VRA because (to paraphrase) “we don’t need it anymore because the South is no longer racist” while known to everyone Southern states had numerous voting restriction laws in the pipeline for the minute the decision was rendered. And then, they ended most restrictions on money in politics even for state judicial elections because “money is equivalent to free speech” which not only let rich Americans into the game in an even bigger way but also foreigners and foreign corporations. Rich Americans are now allowed to bribe judges hearing their case with impudence by contributing to their campaign.

    And taking care of the receiving of bribes end, they also overturned the bribery case of former Virginia governor Robert McDonnell on criteria that makes it very difficult to find all but the most egregious bribery cases, completing the money in politics cycle.

    As for gerrymandering, they were about to overturn one case against gerrymandering when a daughter’s release of her dead father’s files showing planning and motivation for racist gerrymandering made it almost impossible to do, and in another case emails and quotes of the true motivations by Republicans made it difficult to find in their favor. But the basic SC get out of jail free themes in gerrymandering are 1. In cases of multiple-cause with mixed political advantage and racist advantage, there is no crime as long as Republicans don’t get caught with emails or dead daughter’s documentation.  Otherwise, political advantage overrules racism as motivation, counteracting the way the law had been previously interpreted.  Their second strategy is the “I wash my hands of this” the judicial branch has no business interfering between other branches of government.

    I wrote this out unedited, so you can probably pick at this comment if you want, but bottom line, expect the Supreme Court five to find any excuse they can that isn’t too publicly embarrassing or Roberts judges harmful to the long term goal of helping Republicans win elections, to help Republicans win elections through illicit and specious legal reasoning.

  124. 124.

    Bill Arnold

    August 29, 2020 at 1:51 pm

    @germy:
    Seems a good idea to avoid angering Xeni Jardin.
    Good to see re GG. I ran into him once online in the GWB era; prick lawyer.

  125. 125.

    mrmoshpotato

    August 29, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    @germy: Spleenwald is a scumbag?  Wanna see my shocked face?

  126. 126.

    John Revolta

    August 29, 2020 at 2:49 pm

    @WereBear: because they can

    Hilarious! This is the same exact reason that first came into my head. I mean, cats get bored, and it’s something to do, innit?

  127. 127.

    J R in WV

    August 29, 2020 at 2:51 pm

    @The Thin Black Duke:

    Who is Ashley Feinberg and why should I care what this idiot says?

    Not sure why you ask, nor why so hostile, but from Wikipedia:

    Oh, I looked for Ms Feinberg in the original post, and now I see why you ask, and understand your appropriate lever of hostility. Sorry to doubt you, Mr Dude!!!

    Ashley Feinberg is an American journalist. She works as a senior writer at Slate, covering politics, media, and technology.[1] She is known for her internet sleuthing, through which she has uncovered information about the online activity of public figures.[2]

     

  128. 128.

    Darkrose

    August 29, 2020 at 3:08 pm

    @Kathleen: I have been so impressed with the Giants, especially since the one Black player on the 40-man roster is currently down here in Sacramento. Gabe Kapler has said all the right things, and to my happy surprise, the Yazling (Mike, Carl Yazstremski’s grandson) has been a clubhouse leader on this issue. He said after Wednesday’s game was postponed that people are mourning, and they needed to support and mourn with them.

  129. 129.

    patrick II

    August 29, 2020 at 3:09 pm

    @patrick II:

    Line three should read VRA not ACA.  Wrong case of specious legal reasoning.

  130. 130.

    Uncle Cosmo

    August 29, 2020 at 3:44 pm

    @There go two miscreants: Maryland recently announced that they will begin tallying (but of course not releasing) mail-in votes in October, rather than waiting until election day as was the previous system.

    I intend to vote early, in person, and I suggest you do likewise if you want to be certain your vote will count.

    As it happens, the procedure you outlined violates MD state law – specifically, MD Election Law Section 11-302, Canvassing of absentee ballots:

    (a) In general.— Following an election, each local board shall meet at its designated counting center to canvass the absentee ballots cast in that election in accordance with the regulations and guidelines established by the State Board.

    (b)Time for opening of absentee ballots.— (1) A local board may not open any envelope of an absentee ballot prior to 8 a.m. on the Wednesday following election day.

    (Full pdf here.)

    Call me paranoid, but It’s my suspicion that there is skulduggery afoot on the part of the MD GOP (which holds a 3-2 majority on the BoE) to encourage this lawbreaking & then file suit demanding that every mailed ballot counted before November 4 be invalidated as having been spoiled by having been opened illegally.

  131. 131.

    J R in WV

    August 29, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    @Kathleen:

    August 29, 2020 at 11:23 am

    @Ohio Mom: Did you see that McCconnell hired The Smirker?

    I have to correct people. That racist boy wasn’t smirking, or grinning, he was sneering at the elderly Native drummer. Sneering.

    I guess they teach that at Covington Catholic first thing, how to sneer at people who aren’t just like them! Of course, McConnell already knows how to sneer, and recruits others who do also.

  132. 132.

    WaterGirl

    August 29, 2020 at 3:58 pm

    @patrick II: I added your correction for clarity.

  133. 133.

    PAM Dirac

    August 29, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    @Uncle Cosmo:

     

    Call me paranoid, but It’s my suspicion that there is skulduggery afoot on the part of the MD GOP (which holds a 3-2 majority on the BoE) to encourage this lawbreaking & then file suit demanding that every mailed ballot counted before November 4 be invalidated as having been spoiled by having been opened illegally.

    I can’t speak to how legally sound it is, but here is the public notice (pdf) that suspends 11-302 and associated laws.

  134. 134.

    rikyrah

    August 29, 2020 at 7:44 pm

    @Ken:

     

    Twitter will cover the faceplant….

     

    BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

  135. 135.

    m.j.

    August 29, 2020 at 10:13 pm

    I have a vague memory, about 1970ish during a holiday hosting, of my grandfather remarking with some dismay that there seemed to be a lot of black players on the football teams we were seeing.

    Decades.

    Money.

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