Thursday, September 24, 2020

And another day of proof that the Republican Party needs to die comes to a close:

"The knowledge that the political transition is not yet complete shakes me, because I know how much worse it can get. I don't have longing for the past. I have nostalgia for the future." -- Sarah Kendzior, Hiding in Plain Sight

Deaths

US: 207,538 (+945)

World: 987,724 (+5768)

Cases

US: 7,182,471 (+45,918)

World: 32,408,504 (+316,273)

Countdown: 40 days.

How Republicans in key states are preparing to run out the clock on the election. Trump's comments about the transition were only the latest instance where he's actively sought to sow doubt into the legitimacy of the election. But beyond Trump's rhetoric, his campaign and Republicans at the state and local level are moving to make it more difficult for voters to cast a ballot, more difficult for states to count votes and more likely that tallies will be challenged in the courts -- with a particular focus on mail-in voting, which is being dramatically scaled up this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Those efforts, along with Trump's repeated baseless claims that the election will be rigged, threaten to eat away at the public's confidence in the outcome, regardless of whether Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden is declared the winner.

Lindsey Graham Isn’t Being Subtle About Why Republicans Are Rushing to Fill RBG’s Seat. Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham said during a Fox News appearance on Thursday that he plans to get a ninth Supreme Court justice through the committee process before November 3 so that the court would be able to weigh in on the results of a contested presidential election.

Gallup: 61 percent support abolishing the Electoral College. A strong majority of Americans support amending the U.S. Constitution to replace the Electoral College with a popular vote system, according to a new poll from Gallup...Eighty-nine percent of Democrats and 68 percent of independents support replacing the Electoral College system, while only 23 percent of Republicans favor moving to a popular vote system. -- It’ll never happen with Republicans in charge. The Electoral College is the only way they can get into power. It’s because their ideas are shit and are designed to only help the 1%.

The most dangerous conspiracy theory in 2020 isn’t about blood-sucking pedophiles. QAnon is scary, but misinformation about voter fraud poses a bigger and more immediate threat to democracy.

Trump signs executive order that aides say advances his health care "vision," including protecting people with preexisting conditions. That is already guaranteed in the Obama-era law his administration is asking the Supreme Court to overturn. -- So in other words he did nothing.

The Seattle Office of Police Accountability has asked for a criminal investigation to be conducted after a video showed a Seattle police officer rolling his bicycle over the head and neck of a person lying on the ground during Breonna Taylor protests in the city on Wednesday night. —Watch the video. He didn’t roll his bike over the person, he rode his bike over the person. 

Trump booed as he pays respects to Ginsburg at court. "Vote him out," crowds began chanting when Trump appeared before the flag-draped coffin containing the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last week after a long bout with cancer. -- They were loud.

Postmaster general says postal service can't return mail-sorting machines. -- They have set it up to fail.

The White House must provide sign language interpreters at public Covid-19 briefings, federal judge rules. -- The fact that a judge had to order this to happen shows Trump’s complete disregard for people with disabilities.

Thousands of parents around the U.S. have made a similar decision, having their children delay or skip kindergarten because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A growing toxic threat — made worse by climate change. Hurricanes, floods and wildfires imperil hundreds of hazardous waste sites. But the Trump administration won't talk about the rising risks.

Amazon's new products include flying security camera for your home, virtual assistant for kids. The "Ring Always Home Cam" is a $250 drone-like camera that can fly room to room remotely. The idea is to check on those nagging questions after leaving home, such as whether the stove wasn’t turned off or if a window was left open.

Man dies after eating bag of licorice every day for a few weeks. A Massachusetts construction worker’s love of black licorice wound up costing him his life. Eating a bag and a half every day for a few weeks threw his nutrients out of whack and caused the 54-year-old man’s heart to stop, doctors reported.

Remains of Jurassic sea predator found in Chile's Atacama desert. Pliosaurs were reptiles from about 160 million years ago with a more powerful bite than Tyrannosaurus rex.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.