Epicurus

It seems that Biden will be the next president of the US, with 6-8 million more votes than Trump, nationally, and a comfortable Electoral Vote margin. Trump, true to his nature, is attacking our democratic institutions with baseless accusations. In 2016 he told a big lie that he also won the popular vote (H.R. Clinton did), which was another attack on the legitimacy of our elections. It's befitting him that he's going to be shamed and laughed out of town. Unfortunately, it'll be a s**t show for a couple months, but at least this national nightmare will be over.

Trump has been playing his base like a fiddle. He's a con man. Totally dishonest, and very dangerous. He's a tax cheat and a terrible businessman. No wonder why he has been fighting to keep his tax records secret! But, this is nothing new. Many of us knew he was a big con man before he even ran for president. Come to think of it, every ugly thing we knew or suspected about this vile man, has been confirmed by multiple sources & times. This also destroys the myth that the US has the highest corporate tax rates the conservatives like to say. Trump has been financing a lavish lifestyle with graft, tax evasion, dishonest business deals, and with foreign help (which makes him an extortion pawn by his foreign lenders). The whole Trump organization and his family is like the mafia.

1. "in the western world" reality is a matter of convenience?! Whatever this means... But, the reality remains: the facts, some of which are rules made by humans, like the US constitution, and 50-state electoral systems. I have marched in protest, voted & been politically active, talked to people, and have tried to understand how the system works in order to change it for the better. I'm also old enough to realize that the perfect cannot be the enemy of the practical. Was the Emancipation a positive step? Of course, even though it took another 100 years to reverse some of the most cruel laws/ social norms--and we still have much to do. Those who oversimplify tend to be ignoramuses in my opinion. In real terms, I could see you saying Hitler/Stalin being two sides of same coin, but HRC/DJT?! Actually I'm appalled by such ridiculously ignorant statement. The country would be going in a different direction, in which science, competence, education, environment, economics (taxes and social safety net) health, immigration, etc, etc.would have been addressed in a very different manner by HRC than the current moron-in-charge has taken us into. Apparently those issues don't matter to you!?! 2. Another reality: the laws of nature, which include dying. Great. So, go ahead and die after you read this. If you continue to live, then you disagree with yourself... that even though you will die one day, you now want to continue to experience life. And, I'm betting you care which side of the coin comes up... So, savor your days alive! Cheers.

^^^ I want rainbows and butterflies, and all people to live in harmony. But, the reality is different. And, if you don't truly understand reality, including how the game is played, you can't be a force for change. At least for change that leads to positive outcomes. ps. same coin, but it's like, heads you live, tails you die... (I hope you see the difference)

Trump commuted the sentence of his former goon, Roger Stone, who was to report to prison tomorrow. Get ready for many more pardons as Trump will take care of his crime family. He's the most corrupt president, like some Republicans (sadly few) are now saying. I'm willing to bet that Trump is thinking of pardoning himself too. Believe it or not, the constitution is not clear on this, whether a prez can pardon himself. And, who would stop him? Fortunately, he can't pardon himself or anyone else for state crimes! I bet NYS and others are getting ready to charge him with crimes, the same crimes that his former lawyer, his goon, etc, have been convicted of. And, then we'll get to see his tax returns.... What a fraud he's been but so many cultists don't want to acknowledge this... (maybe once he's labeled a "loser")

^^^^ Mexicans, Greeks, et al, vote if they're citizens... But, unfortunately there is electoral fraud (I didn't say voter fraud), since it's the policy of the Republican party to prevent people and groups from voting, and they draw districts in such a way as to favor their party. That's why you see their party gets more seats in states like Wisconsin, N. Carolina, etc, even though it gets fewer votes than the Dem party. As to picking a side, wouldn't you say the rules determine how the game is played? Of course, so the next president WILL BE either a Dem or a Repub--Biden or Trump. If they die before the election, their parties will replace them with someone else. Voting for another candidate, hoping for a change, it's a wasted effort in my opinion. And, it's stupid today, if I may add, because these two are so different that there's a clear choice; and no one should sit this out. By the way, have you thought why there have been 2 major parties/coalitions in American politics since the first election? The system favors 2 major parties, plus, in my opinion, tradition plays a role...

OK, the numbers among age groups in the US show that if you're under 50, you have 1 in 10 chances of dying if infected, and 45% if you're age 50-79. The rest of % for other groups. I happen to read the NYT's COVID-19 coverage which includes obituaries of people of all ages. Healthy and younger people are among the victims. I'm healthy but I don't know if infected what will happens. I try to minimize my risk, because I don't want to play Russian roulette. Even 1 in 10 chance the bullet is in the chamber is still too high of a risk. On the other hand, most people have fathers, grandparents, relatives and friends in those most vulnerable groups. Is that OK if they drop? Until we're all tested, even if you're willing to take the risk, you may be playing the Russian roulette with the lives of others. I'm not oblivious to the economic hardship and the struggle for survival for many working people. This is also a situation where we need to reevaluate the social safety net.

Texas Tribune: Texas has the most people without health insurance in the nation — again

We'll he'll have to be out a lot more to campaign for Biden than he did in 2016 for HRC. Even though I'm not saying that Biden has to win by a lot to be legitimate, but it sure would be nice to send off Trump in a landslide. It would also make things easier because otherwise Trump will be contesting this for ever.

https://twitter.com/sarahcpr/status/1253474772702429189?s=20 If only we had a clue before the election that this man is a dangerous moron....

Yeah, because the Greek μαγκες thought they should have to pay those loans back.... Unfortunately for them they kept asking for more money (loans) because Greece was bankrupt! When the world markets would not lend Greece a single dollar, given how risky this was, the EU still gave Greece loans with low interest rate but with the stipulation Greece would repay most (not all) of what it owed. Where's the trap? or the exploitation? That's why several EU countries were 100% against giving Greece any new loans.... Oh, we cried laughing when some "geniuses" said that Greece should go back to the drachma.....? a worthless currency that nobody would accept at a time when Greece imports almost everything.... tsk.

British PM Teresa May announced that she's resigning after suggesting a parliament vote that may include a second national referendum on Brexit. It was here party and the former PM, Cameron, that started this whole mess.... obviously without a plan how to get it done. It was a risk only an idiot (Cameron) would take.

^^^^ When you're wealthy, you do take an interest in politics, because you want to keep your money, and create laws that further advance your wealth holdings. The so-called "donor class" does exactly that. Yet, there are a few who may be crazy and are ..traitors to their own class, supporting policies that may depend on taxing the wealthy and regulating capital/marketplace.

that's what I've been saying all along here.... The UK and Greece can leave any time they want. And while at it, Greece can go back to the drachma tomorrow if desired. It's turning logic on its head when people argue that they want to leave but also want others to pay them to do so, or let them keep rights & privileges of membership.

Biden's announcement has sucked the air out of the room..... He's the most well known, with Sanders of course. But, I think this is due to the fact that everyone else is not known but to few Dem voters. Biden is what the Dems want: someone to beat Trump. Sanders doesn't have the same numbers among Dems in a hypothetical match against DJT, which would worry me if I were him. I could also see a dynamic where Biden maintains a 25-30% support while the divided field doesn't allow anyone to come close to that to challenge him. Yet, I do believe it's way to early to make predictions right now. Barak, who? (2007)