2020 US Elections | Biden certified as President | Dems control Congress

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Red Stone

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Someone knowledgeable: what are the chances of the Dems pushing through big changes that would shift the balance of power electorally during a possible Biden presidency, e.g - legislative representation for the District of Columbia, reforming the Electoral College, statehood/voting rights for US territories like Puerto Rico?

Do mainstream Dems want these things/see them as achievable and desirable? What would be required to achieve them in terms of votes in the state and federal legislature/courts?
As it stands now it looks like the Senate stays Republican, but there could be shake-ups. The Senate race in Georgia is huge since there are two seats in play there, but that won't be determined until January. If the Dems take those seats the Senate is tied, and Harris as VP is the tiebreaker. That opens up for them to make some significant changes. I expect them to get rid of a lot of the Republican ratfeckery that has plagued American politics in the last few years. Gerrymandering, filibuster and so on. If they don't win the Senate McConnell is just going to keep acting like a complete cnut and Dems won't be able to do anything substantial in that regard.
 

Precaution

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Close to zero if the the senate situation stays as it is. This will be a brutally frustrating Presidency for Biden.
Depends what happens in January now, all eyes again will be on Georgia for a Senate run off (2 seats in play) and I believe Maine has a seat in play too if Collins came under 50% otherwise it will be an Obama era Presidency thanks to Turtlehead Mitch purposely blocking everything which he admitted he already would do and then the Republican and Trumpers will say "Biden accomplished nothing" etc just again like they did for example with Obamacare which alot of provisions and reason why OC was the way it ended up being, were Republican led and Obama gets the blame for it.
 

UweBein

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Close to zero if the the senate situation stays as it is. This will be a brutally frustrating Presidency for Biden.
The problem is that the way Senate is being elected it highly favours the Reps. States like Montana, Wyoming, Alaska should be almost a non-factor when it comes to national politics. But as it is, the three of them together are more influential then Cal & NY, combined.
 

Hamnat

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Someone knowledgeable: what are the chances of the Dems pushing through big changes that would shift the balance of power electorally during a possible Biden presidency, e.g - legislative representation for the District of Columbia, reforming the Electoral College, statehood/voting rights for US territories like Puerto Rico?

Do mainstream Dems want these things/see them as achievable and desirable? What would be required to achieve them in terms of votes in the state and federal legislature/courts?
As others have said its almost 0. Although the Georgia result and freeing up a runoff of the 2 senate races now is CRUCIAL for a Biden Agenda. This runoff in January is POSSIBLE to get 2 more Senate seats. Im getting fundraising emails already for those fights. Those races will be the hottest fights for seats for months. Both parties will be giving their all to get them. Mitch wants to keep a lock on any Biden agendas obviously and for Biden to even have a remotely effective policy machine has to have those seats.
 

owlo

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Entirely depends on the Senate. Unlikely though anyway as Biden is going to be working doubly hard to unite the country.
No. And no. Some of those things require amendments, not the senate. And he’s on the record for statehood for pr and D.C. house already passed it.
 

mariachi-19

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Someone knowledgeable: what are the chances of the Dems pushing through big changes that would shift the balance of power electorally during a possible Biden presidency, e.g - legislative representation for the District of Columbia, reforming the Electoral College, statehood/voting rights for US territories like Puerto Rico?

Do mainstream Dems want these things/see them as achievable and desirable? What would be required to achieve them in terms of votes in the state and federal legislature/courts?
After the shit show we have seen for the last 4 years, absolutely massive. Statehood for Columbia will essentially give the Dems atleast 2 more senate seats at every election and adding further justices will give balance to a currently massively lopsided Court.

The issue currently is the whole system is rigged to stop voters rather than encourage them. That needs to change.
 

lynchie

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If Biden can make a good impression over the next 2 years, there's some promising senate seats up for grabs in 2022...
 

jeff_goldblum

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Entirely depends on the Senate. Unlikely though anyway as Biden is going to be working doubly hard to unite the country.
Close to zero if the the senate situation stays as it is. This will be a brutally frustrating Presidency for Biden.
Someone not knowledgeable: seems rather unlikely since Reps are still controlling Senate and Supreme Court.
As it stands now it looks like the Senate stays Republican, but there could be shake-ups. The Senate race in Georgia is huge since there are two seats in play there, but that won't be determined until January. If the Dems take those seats the Senate is tied, and Harris as VP is the tiebreaker. That opens up for them to make some significant changes. I expect them to get rid of a lot of the Republican ratfeckery that has plagued American politics in the last few years. Gerrymandering, filibuster and so on. If they don't win the Senate McConnell is just going to keep acting like a complete cnut and Dems won't be able to do anything substantial in that regard.
Thanks guys, suspected this would be the case. I guess the Checks and Balances built into the system are working as designed and preventing anything radical from happening. Just a pity it's for the worse in this case.

Would be interested to see whether Dems want/care about these things. D.C representation in the legislature especially should be an open and shut matter of principle, surely.

@mariachi-19 and @Hamnat - Apologies, quoted all the replies before I saw yours.
 

Smores

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I was convinced it would be done by the time i woke up. The never ending election :lol:
 

UweBein

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If Biden can make a good impression over the next 2 years, there's some promising senate seats up for grabs in 2022...
It depends. My gut feeling is that people like Pelosi - although on the right side of history - need to step aside.
 

Raoul

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Sounds like PA are going to be reporting more results soon. Once Biden crosses the line there, that should be it.
 

Precaution

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It depends. My gut feeling is that people like Pelosi - although on the right side of history - need to step aside.
Pelosi needs to go. She talks about playing politics, she has literally done that with the next stimulus bill, it's all well and good betting on an election win but most Americans can't wait till January for help when their rent is due, WH and Trump went upto $1.8trill from her $2.2trill bill and she barely budged, demanding an outrageous $600 a week (ontop of state unemployment so for where I live that has one of the lowest maximum payouts for unemployment is $847 a week.... In Boston that was over $1k a week!)

WH offered $400 and it wasn't enough for her, that ontop of other stupid unrelated Covid provisions, she truely screwed over alot of American people.
 

Abizzz

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Sounds like PA are going to be reporting more results soon. Once Biden crosses the line there, that should be it.
Isn't it it for everyone other than Trump already? Do people still seriously think this can go wrong via the electorate? My only worry is the courts now.
 

Raoul

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Isn't it it for everyone other than Trump already? Do people still seriously think this can go wrong via the electorate? My only worry is the courts now.
All of Trump’s litigation is frivolous so I wouldn’t expect much traction in the courts .
 

mariachi-19

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Isn't it it for everyone other than Trump already? Do people still seriously think this can go wrong via the electorate? My only worry is the courts now.
Im not concerned with the Courts. He has feck all chance of securing anything. There is no evidence that backs up his claim and his legal team is Rudy Giuliani. Great a long time ago, fecking mad man now.
 

Tom Van Persie

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Isn't it it for everyone other than Trump already? Do people still seriously think this can go wrong via the electorate? My only worry is the courts now.
Biden is most likely going to win every state remaining (except NC of course) which will put him at 306. Trump will try to fight it in the courts but it won't go anywhere. This has been over.
 

Sylar

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Seeing the PA dude, who is republican, and said despite his affiliation, basically say there is no fraud was quite funny. He seemed a sound dude as well.
 

Abizzz

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All of Trump’s litigation is frivolous so I wouldn’t expect much traction in the courts .
Im not concerned with the Courts. He has feck all chance of securing anything. There is no evidence that backs up his claim and his legal team is Rudy Giuliani. Great a long time ago, fecking mad man now.
I sincerely hope (and think) you're both right. I'm just so disillusioned with the judicial system that I emotionally hedge against the worst outcomes.
 

Lj82

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Well I’m choosing to ignore your explanation and believe he’s trolling trumpers. Please leave me in my ignorant happy place. Thank you.
The two are not mutually exclusive though. His campaign slogan was "the opposite of Donald trump is an Asian who loves maths"
 

Mike Smalling

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Just checked out Fox News' website and watched a couple of clips with key Republicans. People like Ted Cruz and especially Kevin McCarthy are on there spreading lies, and are pretty much just as culpable as Trump in terms of refusing to accept the election. There will be no consequences for them, of course.
 

mariachi-19

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Just checked out Fox News' website and watched a couple of clips with key Republicans. People like Ted Cruz and especially Kevin McCarthy are on there spreading lies, and are pretty much just as culpable as Trump in terms of refusing to accept the election. There will be no consequences for them, of course.
Those boys are all sniffing blood and want Trumps base for their own election runs in four years. Make no mistake they're not sucking up to Trump to support him personally.
 

Mike Smalling

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Those boys are all sniffing blood and want Trumps base for their own election runs in four years. Make no mistake they're not sucking up to Trump to support him personally.
You are probably right, but one of their pundits was absolutely certain that Trump was going to be the nominee in four years, because, and I quote, 'the fact that he doesn't drink, means he is not going to change' :lol:
 
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