georgia

Election Update Explainer: Senate

There’s a lot of loose gossip going around about the slow vote counts that are delaying the final results in the Senate. Most of the conspiracy theories are patently false; there’s no reason to expect malfeasance anywhere, but for different reasons in each state. Having said that, there’s always the possibility of a challenge that would impact the final results regardless of the cause or the truth of any given conspiracy theory. The eventual determination, however, is always definitive for Senate races.

Let’s look at things state by state:

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H.R. 1: Voter’s Rights Versus Election Security

Opinion

The headline’s boring, because I don’t write clickbait (no matter what Justin says). It’s also inaccurate, because the debate is being framed by two partisan groups who have skin in the game.

I’ll spell it out: While it would be nice to be able to say that Republicans are genuinely concerned about securing elections from fraud, or that Democrats are trying to make sure that everyone who wants to vote can vote, we really can’t. Oh, sure, when it comes to voters, that might well be their actual concerns, but that’s only because that’s what’s being hammered into them as what’s important by people they trust to tell them about things. The very simple version of the truth is, the Democrats want this to pass because it will mean they win more elections, and the Republicans don’t want it to pass for the same reason.

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F&L 2020: It’s Not Over

It’s not over yet, people.

No, not the Presidential race, though to be sure we’re still working through some of the process. Instead, let us consider the Senate: presently deadlocked at 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats, with a probable two seats up for runoff elections in Georgia.

Republicans don’t seem to have quite realized yet that the Democrats are probably going to win both seats.

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F&L 2020: Recounts and the Electoral College

Much as Gore did in 2000 — albeit far more loudly — President Trump is refusing to concede the election. Legal teams have been mobilized in several states to draw attention to certain practices which, viewed objectively, are at least questionable. But does this mean Trump still has a chance to win? Why would he challenge the results if he didn’t?

It’s complicated. (You knew I was going to say that.)

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When Will We Know For Sure?

Not today, and probably not tomorrow either. Sorry, but that’s the truth.

In a normal year, we’d have most of these things figured out by now, but this is not a normal year. Thanks to COVID-19, a record number of votes came in by mail, and the outdated laws in most states haven’t yet caught up with the new normal. As a result, some states will still be receiving votes through Friday, one or two over the weekend, and so on. It gets complicated, and there’s no reason you should have to know all the details.

But, what the hell — that’s what we’re here for. Right? …Right?

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Is It Voter Fraud — Or Suppression?

There’s a curious debate going on in this country, and I’m here to settle it.

Republicans are worried about voter fraud.  Democrats are worried about voter suppression.  Both topics are all through the news right now, and they’ll continue to be trumpeted through the election.  If we asked them, most people would say that at least one of these subjects ought to be a matter of blazing headlines, followed by investigations, prosecutions, and convictions.

They say a lot of people in this country don’t vote.  I’d say that, for non-voters, we Americans take the subject pretty seriously.

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Skippers Fish Camp, Darien GA

When there’s no parking left because of all the local cars, when the smell of the seafood drives you nuts while you’re in line to get seated, and where there’s an actual shrimp boat tied up to the dock outside — that’s where you go to get good food.

Darien is a little town in Georgia with a big history and a wildlife sanctuary, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.  Instead, we’re talking about fresh-caught Georgia shrimp (more…)