General Politics Discussion (IX) [ARCHIVED] • Page 1720

Are there any chain stores I can buy n95 or kn95 masks I can get right away aside from ordering online? I see this is at target but it doesn’t say n95/kn95 but mentions protecting from 95% airborne matter, could this be it?

 

I think Home Depot has a bunch

 

be sure to pick up the CEO’s book while you’re there.

 

You are going to the dog park with us so Annabelle can see her best friend

 

Okay I feel super dumb so don't @ me (or do) but I don't get the electoral college argument. If there is no electoral college why does it supposedly result in certain states getting to pick the president? I always see ppl say that if we abolish it, like 2 liberal states will choose the president. If its a popular vote doesnt everyones voice/vote get heard? Does anyone have a decent article or something about it that's not posted by my conservative great aunt? This is like a basic thing I feel like I've never gotten

 

Conservatives will say that “California and New York will pick the president” because they have such high population numbers and both vote heavily democratic. Which is pretty funny considering Texas and Florida also exist. But yeah it’s their bullshit way of still winning the White House even when they lose the popular vote…why would they want to give that up?

 

I don’t believe that’s true haha

 

This is a pretty good explainer. There is an example in there about California which shows why that argument about big states dominating is BS.

The logic behind the EC is also just flawed in general. On the surface, it's supposed to be about making sure large states don't dominate smaller states politically. But the president is supposed to represent the entire nation, not any single state, so it should logically be determined by a national popular vote. We also already have the senate which gives every state an equal number of representatives to ensure no one state can dominate, so the electoral college is redundant if that's the argument.

(personally, I think we should abolish both, as they just lead to minority rule).

 

Oh okay so it is that simple? I didn't know if there was something more complex about it I didn't understand. Tbh I feel like in school when we first learned about the electoral college we were all confused and like wtf you don't just vote and then they get counted and then whoever gets the most wins?

 

It should be that way though!

 

The real concern from Republicans though is that the margin in the most-populous blue states is much larger than the most-populous red states, whereas most states are "winner take all" under the electoral college system.

These are all approximate, but in 2020 California was Biden +34, NY was Biden +23, and Illinois was Biden +17, whereas Texas was Trump +5.5, Florida was Trump +3.5, and Ohio was Trump +8.

If you assume each states voter turnout is proportionate to its population (I don't think that's the case) and just look at the 10 most-populous states, which account for a little over half the population, Biden comes out to a nearly +10 advantage.

 

I tested positive for COVID for the first time last night. Of course it was right before I was set to go on a road trip to see Halsey in Milwaukee.

I'm in good spirits though, and not experiencing severe symptoms. Probably gonna binge Stranger Things and go on a little spending spree with the cash I made selling my Halsey tickets.

 

If you wanna get spicy, ask her why we don't have an electoral college equivalent for race.

If you start with the incorrect baseline assumption of "California and New York have half the population" and then from there incorrectly conclude "if a population group has half the population, their votes are the only ones that matter under the popular vote"... pointing out that white people represent over half the country certainly reaches some interesting conclusions (and perhaps, given us history, shows that a pure popular vote might not actually be the best idea. its just that splitting stuff up by states doesn't work very well either)

 

got a cheap nosebleed seats weeks ago to see TfF, and garbage put on a damn good show.

 

Arizona moves "to kill public education" with new voucher law

 

I don't think I've ever been more unimpressed by an executive-level politician than Kamala Harris. She was an extremely competent and relatively effective member of the Senate but she is just not built for this job or ready at all to meet this moment.

Say what you want about Biden but he's like 78 years old and this is who he has been forever. These tweets are embarassing.

 

I'm very much feeling the unspoken "and we are not them" after that first sentence.

 

Honestly, I read this and see "smaller class sizes for public schools and less red state psycho parents interfering in it".

 

If only it worked that way!

Instead, you end up with public funds diverted away from public education and then further defunding of those public schools after enrollment drops, which only leads to larger disparities in the funding for public schools, which, generally speaking, has a more-pronounced negative impact on poor and minority populations.