[Discussion] Welcome to the Biden Administration!

Anything related to Biden and his upcoming administration. May this thread be less active and controversial as that last guys thread.

I'd be fine with bringing Mattis back too, but would prefer new blood across the entire Cabinetry.

It's a shame Jim Wright (Stonekettle) has said he'd refuse any position. He'd be great.

Poll: 70 percent of Republicans don’t think the election was free and fair

Politico wrote:

After the presidential race was called for Democratic candidate Joe Biden, Republicans’ trust in the election system plummeted, while Democrats’ trust soared, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll.

Multiple new organizations announced Biden as the election winner on Saturday after four days of counting in several swing states. Following the news, 70 percent of Republicans now say they don’t believe the 2020 election was free and fair, a stark rise from the 35 percent of GOP voters who held similar beliefs before the election. Meanwhile, trust in the election system grew for Democrats, many who took to the streets to celebrate Biden’s victory on Saturday. Ninety percent of Democrats now say the election was free and fair, up from 52 percent before Nov. 3 who thought it would be.

Among Republicans who believed that the election wasn’t free and fair, 78 percent believed that mail-in voting led to widespread voter fraud and 72 percent believed that ballots were tampered with — both claims that have made a constant appearance on the president’s Twitter thread. Like President Donald Trump, a majority of the people that thought the election was unfair, 84 percent, said it benefited Biden.

The lack of trust in the election system has led to Republicans being more skeptical about the election results. Although only 18 percent of Republicans had said the results would be unreliable prior to Election Day, now 64 percent feel the same way following Biden’s victory. By contrast, 86 percent of Democrats say they trust the results.

Republicans were particularly wary of the results coming out of swing states, especially in Pennsylvania, which counted votes for four days before delivering Biden a decisive win on Saturday. Sixty-two percent of Republicans said the Pennsylvania results would be unreliable, a stark contrast to the 8 percent of Democrats who held the same beliefs.

Distrust is similarly high in Wisconsin (55 percent), Nevada (54 percent), Georgia (54 percent) and Arizona (52 percent). The skepticism has particularly been fueled by the Trump campaign, which has filed more than half a dozen lawsuits in states like Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan and Georgia since Election Day. Two days after the race was called for Biden, Trump continues to tweet out that “Nevada is turning out to be a cesspool of Fake Votes” and “Pennsylvania prevented us from watching much of the Ballot count.”

However, despite their lack of trust in the results, Republicans are split on whether or not the outcome will change. Thirty-eight percent of Republicans believe the results will be overturned, while 45 percent say it’s unlikely.

Attorney General William Barr authorizes DOJ to probe ‘substantial allegations’ of voting irregularities despite little evidence of fraud

AP wrote:

Attorney General William Barr has authorized federal prosecutors across the U.S. to pursue “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities before the 2020 presidential election is certified, despite little evidence of fraud.

Barr’s action comes days after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump and raises the prospect that Trump will use the Justice Department to try to challenge the outcome. It gives prosecutors the ability to go around longstanding Justice Department policy that normally would prohibit such overt actions before the election is formally certified.

...

In a memo to U.S. attorneys, obtained by The Associated Press, Barr wrote that investigations “may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.”

Morons. All of them.

They are a death cult of uneducated people.

Literally no proof of fraud has been found.

None. None evidence.

Well, it's nice to see the Republicans embracing the spirit of unity with the incoming administration.

OG_slinger wrote:

Attorney General William Barr authorizes DOJ to probe ‘substantial allegations’ of voting irregularities despite little evidence of fraud

AP wrote:

Attorney General William Barr has authorized federal prosecutors across the U.S. to pursue “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities before the 2020 presidential election is certified, despite little evidence of fraud.

Barr’s action comes days after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump and raises the prospect that Trump will use the Justice Department to try to challenge the outcome. It gives prosecutors the ability to go around longstanding Justice Department policy that normally would prohibit such overt actions before the election is formally certified.

...

In a memo to U.S. attorneys, obtained by The Associated Press, Barr wrote that investigations “may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.”

Do you want to see public servant professionals game the system to make sure these "investigations" go nowhere between now and the inauguration?? This is how you get that. Public servants, or at least those who have made it their career, know exactly what to do in order to cut through the red tape. They also know exactly what questions to ask to increase the red tape exponentially.

mudbunny wrote:
OG_slinger wrote:

Attorney General William Barr authorizes DOJ to probe ‘substantial allegations’ of voting irregularities despite little evidence of fraud

AP wrote:

Attorney General William Barr has authorized federal prosecutors across the U.S. to pursue “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities before the 2020 presidential election is certified, despite little evidence of fraud.

Barr’s action comes days after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump and raises the prospect that Trump will use the Justice Department to try to challenge the outcome. It gives prosecutors the ability to go around longstanding Justice Department policy that normally would prohibit such overt actions before the election is formally certified.

...

In a memo to U.S. attorneys, obtained by The Associated Press, Barr wrote that investigations “may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.”

Do you want to see public servant professionals game the system to make sure these "investigations" go nowhere between now and the inauguration?? This is how you get that. Public servants, or at least those who have made it their career, know exactly what to do in order to cut through the red tape. They also know exactly what questions to ask to increase the red tape exponentially.

The point isn't to find wrongdoing. The point is to start a DOJ investigation.

Natus wrote:
mudbunny wrote:
OG_slinger wrote:

Attorney General William Barr authorizes DOJ to probe ‘substantial allegations’ of voting irregularities despite little evidence of fraud

AP wrote:

Attorney General William Barr has authorized federal prosecutors across the U.S. to pursue “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities before the 2020 presidential election is certified, despite little evidence of fraud.

Barr’s action comes days after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump and raises the prospect that Trump will use the Justice Department to try to challenge the outcome. It gives prosecutors the ability to go around longstanding Justice Department policy that normally would prohibit such overt actions before the election is formally certified.

...

In a memo to U.S. attorneys, obtained by The Associated Press, Barr wrote that investigations “may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.”

Do you want to see public servant professionals game the system to make sure these "investigations" go nowhere between now and the inauguration?? This is how you get that. Public servants, or at least those who have made it their career, know exactly what to do in order to cut through the red tape. They also know exactly what questions to ask to increase the red tape exponentially.

The point isn't to find wrongdoing. The point is to start a DOJ investigation.

And the lifers who it will fall upon will see this is a perversion of justice, and will slow this thing to a crawl. You can throw all the appointees you want in there, but eventually a lifer will be involved, and the investigation will go nowhere and will die when Biden takes office.

jowner wrote:
cheeze_pavilion wrote:

Wouldn't it be sweet if Biden gets his senate majority if enough Trump voters stay home because without The Donald at the top of the ticket to vote for, they don't care?

I find this interesting because I guess this will be the first very real test of was Trump driving people to the polls for the Republicans or were the Republicans going to get this level of support regardless.

Considering how soon it's going to happen also I'm not sure if there will be any concrete analysis until before it happens.

Facing runoffs, Georgia’s Republican senators ask the state’s top elections official, also a Republican, to step down.

Looks like they are trying to eat each other in GA which I'm not sure will be very good for the GOP in the run offs.

You think I'm hot about Biden, just wait until VP Harris' track record with incarcerated trans women comes up.

Can't wait. Should they resign now?

jowner wrote:
jowner wrote:
cheeze_pavilion wrote:

Wouldn't it be sweet if Biden gets his senate majority if enough Trump voters stay home because without The Donald at the top of the ticket to vote for, they don't care?

I find this interesting because I guess this will be the first very real test of was Trump driving people to the polls for the Republicans or were the Republicans going to get this level of support regardless.

Considering how soon it's going to happen also I'm not sure if there will be any concrete analysis until before it happens.

Facing runoffs, Georgia’s Republican senators ask the state’s top elections official, also a Republican, to step down.

Looks like they are trying to eat each other in GA which I'm not sure will be very good for the GOP in the run offs.

Word on the street is this is the strategy that the Turtle has settled on to get their vote out in Jan. I'll take my chances with Stacey Abrams vs the Turtle.

You know, given the current political climate, given what the GOP are trying to do, given what the DOJ is doing, given that the Trumpists were promised victory and a hot-tub of liberal tears, we shouldn't assume anything. Masha Gessen and Sarah Kendzior have been warning us since 2015 on how authoritarian regimes operate.

jowner wrote:

Looks like they are trying to eat each other in GA which I'm not sure will be very good for the GOP in the run offs.

The GOP is doing and saying anything to keep Georgia Republicans angry and fearful that the dirty Democrats are trying to steal another election.

Biden's only up by about 11,500 votes in Georgia. That means Republicans might walk with two Senate seats comes January even if Democratic voters turn out like they did last week and if those voters ease up just a little--or the GOP makes sure another angry white guy or two votes in January--then McConnell's back in control of the Senate.

Natus wrote:

You know, given the current political climate, given what the GOP are trying to do, given what the DOJ is doing, given that the Trumpists were promised victory and a hot-tub of liberal tears, we shouldn't assume anything. Masha Gessen and Sarah Kendzior have been warning us since 2015 on how authoritarian regimes operate.

I wouldn't be surprised if "evidence" was somehow manufactured in order to steal the election and continue waging war against the American people.

There's already proof of fraud
It's just that it's a Trumpist fraudulently sending in her ex-roommate's absentee ballot.

Trump himself voted illegally, at least in the primary. Probably in the general too. He doesn't live at Mar A Lago, it's a business, not a residence. But that's the address he used for mail in.

Hell he doesn't even live in Florida. Trump tower in NYC. But he wanted to vote in a purple state.

Badferret wrote:
jowner wrote:
jowner wrote:
cheeze_pavilion wrote:

Wouldn't it be sweet if Biden gets his senate majority if enough Trump voters stay home because without The Donald at the top of the ticket to vote for, they don't care?

I find this interesting because I guess this will be the first very real test of was Trump driving people to the polls for the Republicans or were the Republicans going to get this level of support regardless.

Considering how soon it's going to happen also I'm not sure if there will be any concrete analysis until before it happens.

Facing runoffs, Georgia’s Republican senators ask the state’s top elections official, also a Republican, to step down.

Looks like they are trying to eat each other in GA which I'm not sure will be very good for the GOP in the run offs.

Word on the street is this is the strategy that the Turtle has settled on to get their vote out in Jan. I'll take my chances with Stacey Abrams vs the Turtle.

Yeah, let's hope, right? Lke jowner said, it's very preliminary, but comparing the up/down/up of 16/18/20, it may be that Trump *helps* down ballot Republicans. He might bring out people who think 'the system is rigged!' and when they can't vote for him, they just don't vote.

From what I've read, there are very, very few true swing voters, and the ones that exist tend to think the two parties are the same/their vote doesn't matter/etc. Usually they break against incumbents, but Trump may be the exception that proves the rule. Hopefully with Trump off the ballot they'll stay home. It would be extra karma if all of Trump's "the system is rigged!" talk made these people stay home and cost Republicans the Senate.

Crazy to think that 78% of R’s would welcome a complete removal of democracy and embrace a shame government mostly because they believe anyone but them is a real citizen and American. I’d love to say that Racism isn’t the driving force but it is.

Vrikk wrote:

Say I’m stupid but I would love if Biden asked Mattis back.

Absolutely not. Mattis voluntarily submitted himself to the Trump taint.

r013nt0 wrote:

David Farrar has his dream Biden cabinet picked out already and I think "f*ckin' Yikes!" just about covers it:

State: Mitt Romney
Treasury: Lawrence Summers
Defence: Pete Buttigieg
Attorney-General: Geoffrey Berman
Education: Michelle Rhee
Homeland Security: Tammy Duckworth
Trade: Paul Ryan
DNI: David Petraeus
======

Look, I love Tammy and all, but yeah. Yikes.

Dream team? Looks like a nightmare. Who the hell is David Farrar?

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Vrikk wrote:

Say I’m stupid but I would love if Biden asked Mattis back.

Absolutely not. Mattis voluntarily submitted himself to the Trump taint.

r013nt0 wrote:

David Farrar has his dream Biden cabinet picked out already and I think "f*ckin' Yikes!" just about covers it:

State: Mitt Romney
Treasury: Lawrence Summers
Defence: Pete Buttigieg
Attorney-General: Geoffrey Berman
Education: Michelle Rhee
Homeland Security: Tammy Duckworth
Trade: Paul Ryan
DNI: David Petraeus
======

Look, I love Tammy and all, but yeah. Yikes.

Dream team? Looks like a nightmare. Who the hell is David Farrar?

It looks like he is a random blogger from New Zealand. I'm sure the Biden team is putting a lot of thought into his contribution to the conversation.

TheGameguru wrote:

Crazy to think that 78% of R’s would welcome a complete removal of democracy and embrace a shame government mostly because they believe anyone but them is a real citizen and American. I’d love to say that Racism isn’t the driving force but it is.

If conservatives become convinced that they can not win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. The will reject democracy.” ― David Frum

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Dream team? Looks like a nightmare. Who the hell is David Farrar?

Indeed. He's a crazy right-wing pollster from New Zealand who supports a nutjub party which got absolutely crushed. I posted it for amusement's sake, which tends to upset a lot of people here.

I look forward to this thread being boring but I am worried that may be a while......

NPR: Trump Appointee Delays Biden Transition Process, Citing Need For 'Clear' Winner

But one thing Biden cannot do at this point is move into any government office space or receive government funding for the transition.

A key, if little-known Trump administration official has yet to determine formally that Biden won the election, holding up some crucial resources traditionally available to the president-elect.

Under the 1963 Presidential Transition Act, it's up to the General Services Administration, or GSA, to determine or "ascertain" the winner of the presidential election, at least as far as starting the process of turning over the keys to the new administration goes.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution's reporting that Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue called for Georgia's Secretary of State to resign over non-existent electoral fraud because they were pressured by senior administration officials.

Those officials said that because Trump was sticking with the false claim that he didn't win because of electoral fraud that the Senators should publicly back him "lest [Trump] tweet a negative word about them and risk divorcing them from his base ahead of the consequential runoff."

Again. No evidence.

These people are f*cking morons. There's literally no evidence of fraud.

The world is laughing at the GOP.

Vrikk wrote:

Again. No evidence.

These people are f*cking morons. There's literally no evidence of fraud.

The world is laughing at the GOP.

YOU WOULD THINK. But it doesn't change the fact that the GOP is harnessing their 71+ million followers towards an undemocratic seizure of power. We can laugh at the nutty Trumpkins and QAnon all we like, but they are deadly serious. They don't want to govern, but to rule, and I don't know that our institutions and civil servants can resist the repeated assaults.

Vrikk wrote:

Again. No evidence.

These people are f*cking morons. There's literally no evidence of fraud.

The world is laughing at the GOP.

They don't need evidence, they only need to sow doubt in enough minds that the ballots are tainted and that the only recourse is for states (republican lead ones at least) to select the "right" slate of electors. The GOP will know it's malarkey, but they don't care anymore, because it means 4 more years of power.