***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[gry60]

Aren't internet costs rather absurd in the US?
Strictly for the internet, no tv/mobile additives, how much would you pay on average for something like my connection?
Fibre-optic cable, 200mb/s download and 30mb/s upload speed

It's not just cost; it's also an issue of availability. There are places in the US where the only lines available are dial-up, and other areas where all you have is satellite, which isn't great either.

Because the internet is provided by private entities with no government service to compete with, you cannot even begin to implement a nationwide modernization program similar to Eisenhower's interstate program. The only workable alternative I can think of at the moment would be to organize ISPs similarly to how power companies are structured, with certain rules guaranteeing access to the internet for all and controlling fees to access. Those rules will be enforced under a federal internet commission (just like electricity). However, I believe that putting a plan like that in motion will require the internet to be designated as a utility.

 

[dacomeup]

It’s scary times when a party can telegraph that they’re blatantly trying to steal and election and its hardly even a story, let alone the biggest story of the year.

 

[frink85]

Internet companies have monopolies over regions/neighborhoods, so there’s that.

Then they always up sell the tv and phone services with their internet into bundles so that jacks up the price too.

 

[boris]

Internet at a certain speed should be a utility, and free to all. Then ISP could charge for faster speeds. It seems so simple but it won’t happen.

Many states even have laws that significantly hinder or outright prevent municipal networks.

 

[Wargames]

Many states even have laws that significantly hinder or outright prevent municipal networks.

I didn’t even know that? That is absurd on so many levels. It’s not even a bad business thing, it would benefit so many and ISP’s could continue to charge for high speeds. All those laws do is allow ISPs to charge more for less.

 

[mplsdunk]

Minneapolis has internet through the city if you want to use it. They just now got high speed so I’m sure people will start using it more.

 

[Wargames]

Here’s my thing that nobody is talking about. What if at the very end Trump just ignores the results and declares himself president, or the republicans manipulate the election to gain a temporary lead and then stop counting ballots.

People compare trump to the Nazi’s but he is a lot more similar to a dictator of a “banana republic” where the people in power might just say “F everyone’s vote and this election. We’re still in charge!” What happens then?

 

[Wargames]

Minneapolis has internet through the city if you want to use it. They just now got high speed so I’m sure people will start using it more.

See that would be a model to follow nationally. Also the extension of internet to more rural parts of the country.

 

[gry60]

I didn’t even know that? That is absurd on so many levels. It’s not even a bad business thing, it would benefit so many and ISP’s could continue to charge for high speeds. All those laws do is allow ISPs to charge more for less.

It's a byproduct of American political apathy. ISPs put money in the campaign coffers of local politicians, and in return officials elected with the support of ISPs write very favorable laws for them.

 

[Mister Meaner]

Here’s my thing that nobody is talking about. What if at the very end Trump just ignores the results and declares himself president, or the republicans manipulate the election to gain a temporary lead and then stop counting ballots.

People compare trump to the Nazi’s but he is a lot more similar to a dictator of a “banana republic” where the people in power might just say “F everyone’s vote and this election. We’re still in charge!” What happens then?

I was looking up if Trump could be impeached again if a solid enough case was to be brought up. This could be the only peaceful means of removing him before it’s too late.

 

[gry60]

or the republicans manipulate the election to gain a temporary lead and then stop counting ballots.

This is the scenario Hillary envisioned when she told Joe to not concede, expect that they would rely on all ballots not being counted by the end of election night (mail-in ballots take time to reach their destination.

 

[heelsandeers]

 

[IATT]

Smmmmhhhhhhhhhhh

Top intelligence office informs congressional committees it'll no longer brief in-person on election security

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has informed the House and Senate Select Committees on Intelligence that it'll no longer be briefing in-person on election security issues, according to letters obtained by CNN. Instead, ODNI will primarily provide written updates to the...

www.cnn.com

 

[RustyShackleford]

I swear, these struggle socialist on Twitter really be having a hard time with getting past their "don't black people know we know what's best for them" hangups.

 

[whywesteppin]

build

a

wall

These young men would be ok if they just got themselves a nice, attractive, loving woman by their side.

[looks at photos]

These young men would be ok if they just got themselves a nice, attractive, loving woman by their side. a nice pile of porn videos by their side.

 

[boris]

I didn’t even know that? That is absurd on so many levels. It’s not even a bad business thing, it would benefit so many and ISP’s could continue to charge for high speeds. All those laws do is allow ISPs to charge more for less.

Yeah, it's ridiculous and only benefits the ISPs. It's the classic case of politicians and corporations making public utilities useless or nonexistent and then telling us how awful socialism is.

 

[wr]

Here’s my thing that nobody is talking about. What if at the very end Trump just ignores the results and declares himself president, or the republicans manipulate the election to gain a temporary lead and then stop counting ballots.

People compare trump to the Nazi’s but he is a lot more similar to a dictator of a “banana republic” where the people in power might just say “F everyone’s vote and this election. We’re still in charge!” What happens then?

This is what really scares me. Definitely the direction I think things are headed.

 

[frshstunna]

Minneapolis has internet through the city if you want to use it. They just now got high speed so I’m sure people will start using it more.

In Baltimore they had some type of free internet for a min but it barely works so nobody uses it ...Seems like they just put it out there just to make it look like they doing something

 

[wavycrocket]

Here’s my thing that nobody is talking about. What if at the very end Trump just ignores the results and declares himself president, or the republicans manipulate the election to gain a temporary lead and then stop counting ballots.

People compare trump to the Nazi’s but he is a lot more similar to a dictator of a “banana republic” where the people in power might just say “F everyone’s vote and this election. We’re still in charge!” What happens then?

He’s definitely going to ignore and contest the results . If he loses, he gets prosecuted. He doesn’t want that. If he wins/stays in office...the statue of limitation keeps him out of legal trouble....because the DOJ foolishly abides by an OLC “opinion” that a sitting president can’t be prosecuted.

 

[yasuke.]

Maybe it's just me, but I can't square with how some folks in the media are treating everything. Places like the NYT and CNN seemingly can't understand why framing matters, and why saying things online/over the airwaves like "_____ voters don't care about the Hatch Act" instead of "this is a crime, and here's why it is" can shape the public perception. It's infuriating. They haven't learned anything from 2016, and act as if their lives won't be adversely affected in a world if Trump get reelected. Don't get me started on their blatant whataboutism of the protests in WI either.

 

[Brownstone]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/police...u-s-cities-amid-defunding-efforts-11594472400

What propaganda looks like

 

[cosmiccoffee9]

Here’s my thing that nobody is talking about. What if at the very end Trump just ignores the results and declares himself president, or the republicans manipulate the election to gain a temporary lead and then stop counting ballots.

People compare trump to the Nazi’s but he is a lot more similar to a dictator of a “banana republic” where the people in power might just say “F everyone’s vote and this election. We’re still in charge!” What happens then?

what´s scary is that we´ve been talking about this for a long time...here´s a smart guy speaking on it last year:

There is a very real possibility Donald Trump might lose the election and claim that their was election fraud and not want the result certified after the election. His claims could be backed states run by Republicans like Arizona, Ohio, Georgia, or Florida. Furthermore the DOJ might sue to try to invalidate election results or force recounts.

Al Franken was not seat for months because of litigation. So contested election results might delay us knowing who will be president come January 2021

Also remember the electoral college decides the winner, so some electors could be pursuaded by Trump antics, and try to invalidate the results at the electoral college. This might also cause a constitutional crisis

Then the House might have to vote in some scenarios.

So there might not be a peaceful transfer of power,and there is the possibility that time for inauguration comes around and we don't know who should be sworn in.

So we are in a situation where John Roberts gets to decide who is president, and our generals have to agree.

Al Gore was screwed out of being president by state and local officials and the Supreme Court. So let is not act like an election can't be stolen from under our noses. Clinton and Gore chose peace over protest to avoid putting our democracy in a tailspin. We really trusting Trump to care as much as them?

So yes, Trump might not appear like dictators we are use to seeing but it is naive to think he can't or won't spin this country in a tailspin if the election is close enough.

We vote because we need a legitimate claim for his removal. If you let him have it, then we are really in a dictatorship

we all remember the 2000 election, the only reason there wasn´t a constitutional cluster**** is that one candidate conceded because normz n decorum...betting it´s not going to be so polite a process this time.

I think the real question remains, and I keep asking it: what is even to be done about this?

 

[kdawg]

Biden will have to win about 70/30 so that they can’t quibble about election fraud and recounts.

I’m pretty confident it’s going to be a mess. Banana republic is right.

 

[mplsdunk]

In Baltimore they had some type of free internet for a min but it barely works so nobody uses it ...Seems like they just put it out there just to make it look like they doing something

Yeah ours was straight trash but it was dirt cheap and you don’t need any hardware. It’s just wifi.

now they got fiberoptic high speed internet with the same concept so I’m sure it’s better.

I don’t f with Comcast. I have century link and it’s only 40 a month and it rips.

 

[obeahmyal7]

The concern about whether 45 leaves office is disturbing. How shocking is it that just yesterday, the Associated Press noted that "Top General Says No Role for Military in Presidential Vote" (https://nyti.ms/2YJl2YY)? How frightening is it that it is no longer a question of if but to what ends will Trump claim fraud?

This is no longer a scenario of our darkest dreams; it is actively being discussed and anticipated.

RustyShackleford offered the simplest reason to vote:

"We vote because we need a legitimate claim for his removal. If you let him have it, then we are really in a dictatorship."

I like this because it distills the stakes of the election, and underscores the recent point that leftists are of the "mistaken belief" that if Biden/Harris lose they'll ever get a shot at electing a more left-leaning candidate.

But there are still a few things to parse:

• Is the core assumption that, with a 70/30 split for Biden, various stakeholders (courts, electors, military) will be thus compelled to honor the vote and remove Trump from office (should he refuse to concede)?

• If we have grave concerns about the commitments and ethics of many of these electors, court justices, and so forth, on whom and what else can we rely to preempt a take over? Aside from Biden refusing to concede, in other words, what else is there? Who else is there?
  • (My sense is that the answer is us--the people in the form of a general strike--but that just disrupts relations of production/consumption, without necessarily disrupting accumulation through the stock market, thus without necessarily producing the kind of capital strike that might also be an unfortunate ally against dictatorship. Are we then talking about the people forcing the hand of law enforcement to decide between obeying their king or mowing down the people, [ala Tianmen square]?).

• Is voting not only critical for the reasons Rusty mentioned, but also because it endows in us, as the people, the right to refuse to be governed illicitly and illegally? And to follow through on that right by any means necessary?