Dayum. I know way too much about Jim Jones, ... and you are spot on. Jones was definitely going to die with his followers. Not the Scam-artist in chief. He leaves every single connection, for his entire life, worse for having dealt with him, and he always abandons them. There are no counter-examples. Yes, he still has followers.
I think those GOPers that will vote for Biden will be the nail on Trump's coffin. His bloody coup in taking over the GOP has made him a number of enemies among more moderate GOPers
IA is shutting down hundreds of polling places. Polling Places Are Closing Due To COVID-19. It Could Tip Races In 1 Swing State October 29, 20205:00 AM ET Heard on Morning Edition This story was co-reported by Iowa Public Radio News, the Center for Public Integrity and NPR. The New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Waterloo. The senior high school in Fort Dodge. The Masonic Temple in Council Bluffs. Iowa voters won't be able to cast their ballot at any of those polling places this Election Day because of hundreds of closures and consolidations that have rippled across the state due to the coronavirus pandemic. "All of us, we are going to have to look up where we need to go. I mean, I'm not sure which place I would go," said Sheena Thomas, a voter in Des Moines. "That's going to be an issue for everybody." Thomas wasn't able to vote at her usual polling site this year, a senior care center on the west side of the city. She decided it would be easier to vote absentee instead. "There's precinct numbers and House district numbers and there's Senate district numbers and which one of those is used for my polling place?" she asked. "I am pretty sure of its precinct number, but even so, that's not readily available in your head." Everything about the act of voting in 2020 has been shaken by COVID-19. A record number of ballots have been cast early, either by mail or in person. All over the country, sports teams are turning over their arenas to be used as large-scale, socially distanced polling places. But in some states, the pandemic has also meant a reduction in the number of polling places, a potential roadblock for voters amid a period of already-heightened stress and confusion. (Find your polling place anywhere in the U.S. here or use Iowa's tool to find polling places in that state.) Since the 2016 general election, Iowa has lost 261 polling places, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity, Stateline and NPR. The polling place changes vary across the state; while some counties are able to keep all of their sites open, others must close or consolidate half. Overall, this affects some 670,000 Iowans, 30% of the state's registered voters. Those affected by the changes overwhelmingly live in the state's urban areas, which reliably vote Democratic. And the closures are happening at a time of multiple competitive races in the state, including the presidential contest. Pandemic sparks polling place consolidations This spring, the pandemic prompted unprecedented polling place consolidations during the primaries in jurisdictions across the U.S., sparking an outcry over images of voters standing in hours-long lines in places such as Milwaukee and Atlanta. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for election administrators to "maintain or increase the total number of polling places available to the public on Election Day to improve the ability to social distance." The guidance also says to avoid increasing the number of potential registered voters assigned to each polling place "unless there is no other option." The pandemic-related closures follow a scaling back of polling places across the country in recent years as some communities have begun voting primarily by mail or using larger "vote centers," and in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited federal oversight of election administration. I know that may create additional hardships on it, but you know, there's a lot of people that could be volunteering to work the polls that are choosing not to and I understand," Miller said, "but when we said that we need younger people to get involved and stand up this year, we weren't kidding." Many, if not most Iowans are expected to vote early or absentee this cycle and voters have already broken at least one turnout record. But for those who want to vote in person on Election Day, research has shown that polling place closures, consolidations and relocations can depress turnout. University of Northern Iowa political scientist Chris Larimer says that's a concern this cycle. Black Hawk County Auditor Grant Veeder said he didn't account for demographics when he closed or consolidated 30% of his sites. His county includes the city of Waterloo, which is home to the state's largest Black population, proportionally. "We really didn't use that kind of demographic information," Veeder said. "We were just looking for the places that we needed to make combinations and tried to make as few of them as we could and spread them out as much as we could." Veeder, like many local election officials, is hoping Iowans take advantage of early and absentee voting, to prevent overcrowding and longer lines at the pared-back polling places. The prospect of decreasing access to the polls in Black communities isn't exactly surprising for Vikki Brown, chair of the Black Hawk County Democrats. "It seems that things have always been made harder for us. But we're resilient. And we always find a way to do what we need to do," Brown said. "We overcome." Iowa voters do have other ways to cast their ballot. Early voting in the state began on Oct. 5 and every county has at least one early voting site. Additionally, no-excuse absentee voting is much more established here than in other states, with 40% of Iowa voters casting an absentee ballot during the 2016 election. Overall, Iowans tend to vote at higher rates than residents of other states, with turnout often hitting 70% during presidential elections. Despite everything, Brown is optimistic that voters will find a way, even during a pandemic. "I'm certain that it's going to make it harder for people to vote. But I am seeing a resolve right now, where people are determined," Brown said. "Whatever you do, we're going to counteract it." As of Friday, the state had received a record number of absentee ballots. But how these polling place changes affect turnout could have effects beyond Iowa. Races for the White House, U.S. Senate and multiple House districts in Iowa have all been labeled toss-ups. The races are so close, Larimer says the polling place changes could affect the outcome, especially down the ballot.
Country before party...Josh Venable serves as an adviser to the Republican Political Alliance for Integrity and Reform (RePAIR). He previously was chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Education (in the trump administration), deputy finance director for the Republican National Committee, and chief of staff for the Michigan Republican Party. Opinion: As a Republican, I'm tired of Trump's division, discord, vitriol and hate Josh Venable I am a lifelong Republican. And I am exhausted. Nearly all my career, I have worked for Republican candidates and conservative causes, managing campaigns, organizing coalitions and raising money. In 2010, I helped lead the Michigan Republican Party to its most successful election cycle in history. And for nearly two years, I served as U.S. Department of Education chief of staff in the Trump administration. But this is 2020, so of course this year is different. I cannot vote for the Republican nominee for president. For the good of the party I have supported my entire life, but more importantly, for the sake of the country I love, I implore all patriotic Republicans to join me. There is no need to relitigate this president’s well-known and well-documented transgressions and shortcomings. Nor am I interested in refuting my friends’ hollow attempts to justify their continued support for the president based on the rare policy victory of the day. The presidency is more than advancing any individual policy or political appointment; bigger than any party or individual; more important than “winning.” Its platform is the most influential and consequential on the globe. What a president says, and doesn’t say, matters. President Donald Trump thrives on purposely sowing strife and discord. I have seen it up close and in person. He does so at the expense of the nation’s interests, the health and prosperity of our fellow citizens, alliances forged through generations of sacrifice, and the personal safety of public servants. Michigan residents have become too familiar with the latter through the foiled plot to kidnap and harm our governor. Instead of a prompt and unequivocal denouncement, the president responded with a chuckle to his supporters’ “Lock her up!” chants in Muskegon, then decreed: “Lock them all up!” “The woman in Michigan” has demonstrated more character than we have ever seen from this president. While I disagree with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on many issues, I respect her. No governor or governor’s family should ever live in fear that a Twitter tirade from the president could encourage, exacerbate or inflame hostilities against them. The Republican Party has allowed Trump to mortgage its soul, devolving into nothing more than a morally bankrupt conduit to propagate the president’s politics of division and destruction. I ask my fellow Republicans: Is this honestly who we are? Are the Pyrrhic victories worth it? I strongly contend they are not. I have worked to advance education reform and school choice throughout my career. I am gravely concerned this president’s toxicity may sour a generation on those causes and many others I hold dear — causes that once united and defined the Republican Party. Our Founders were not perfect. But they knew for the American experiment to endure, the underpinning of our institutions of government must be more than words on paper; that government also must be led by women and men of character. In Federalist 57, James Madison wrote: “The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the society…” Trump lacks even a modicum of the character the Founders recognized as requisite for the proper functioning of our self-governing Republic. So, yes, I am tired. But I am not “tired of winning,” as you claimed I would be, Mr. President. I am tired of the division, discord, chaos, vitriol and hate. I am tired of your failure and refusal to lead. Our party can — and must — do better. America deserves nothing less from us. Josh Venable serves as an adviser to the Republican Political Alliance for Integrity and Reform (RePAIR). He previously was chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Education, deputy finance director for the Republican National Committee, and chief of staff for the Michigan Republican Party. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/o...tired-trumps-division-and-discord/6068898002/
I voted for the first time in the midterms 2 years ago not expecting much, next thing I know we got Lina Hidalgo and even Longview, TX went for Beto. Still think Democrats will shatter every city over the population of 200,000 but in the end fall short because there are so many Pampas
R vote in-person some 40 pts more than D (at least nationally according to polls weeks ago). You can almost make the argument it's suppression of R voters. Need to read more into the reason why. Are they running out of poll workers?
Pampases? Pampa-esque? Pampa like? Just small cities where the population is 17,000 very little diversity and they frown on sex toys and the local pastor has 2 different kids from different affairs.
If he doesn't kill 'em with covid, he'll kill 'em with hypothermia and exposure. These folks may be too sick to vote...
The Biden Team did reach out to Cube at least get your facts straight. Don't blame Cube for meeting with Trump it at least puts pressure on the Dems to step up after the election. Ain't nobody voting for Trump because he met with Ice Cube but the contract with black america is getting needed pub.
I'm voting for Trump......because he met with Ice Cube AND Lil Wayne. **BOOM** Wait...I already voted. But if I could vote again...
