American Politics Discussion Thread

[superdeath]

Then there is debate which areas should be privatized. One debate for many years: Should prisons be allowed to run by private companies?  The USPS?

Prisons are basically already run by private companies, they make pretty good money last i checked...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqQa_0gM6hg

Post office is "basically" private, as id say anything public is funded by tax payer money and the USPS isnt.

[Charriu]

A big issue with voter id is cost. Minnesota had a voter id referendum a few years back and it was estimated it would costs the government (state and local) around $80 million over 4 years to implement for something that occurs 0.00004% of the time (since 1979).

Minnesota also usually has one of the highest voter turnout, no excuse mail-in ballots, early voting, and same-day registration. The State basically make it as easy as it can be to vote. Why pay $80M for something that happens 1 in every 25 million votes cast. With a voting population just over 3 million, that is one instance every 8-9 election cycles.

Don't forget that voting is only one factor in having an ID. The other factor is security against identity theft. Right you only have the social security number, which is not secure enough

[suboptimal]

A big issue with voter id is cost. Minnesota had a voter id referendum a few years back and it was estimated it would costs the government (state and local) around $80 million over 4 years to implement for something that occurs 0.00004% of the time (since 1979).

Minnesota also usually has one of the highest voter turnout, no excuse mail-in ballots, early voting, and same-day registration. The State basically make it as easy as it can be to vote. Why pay $80M for something that happens 1 in every 25 million votes cast. With a voting population just over 3 million, that is one instance every 8-9 election cycles.

Don't forget that voting is only one factor in having an ID. The other factor is security against identity theft. Right you only have the social security number, which is not secure enough

This is one reason why signatures act as a security measure on ballots - the theory goes a signature is harder to steal/fake than information.

[Charriu]

A big issue with voter id is cost. Minnesota had a voter id referendum a few years back and it was estimated it would costs the government (state and local) around $80 million over 4 years to implement for something that occurs 0.00004% of the time (since 1979).

Minnesota also usually has one of the highest voter turnout, no excuse mail-in ballots, early voting, and same-day registration. The State basically make it as easy as it can be to vote. Why pay $80M for something that happens 1 in every 25 million votes cast. With a voting population just over 3 million, that is one instance every 8-9 election cycles.

Don't forget that voting is only one factor in having an ID. The other factor is security against identity theft. Right you only have the social security number, which is not secure enough

This is one reason why signatures act as a security measure on ballots - the theory goes a signature is harder to steal/fake than information.

Sorry, I wasn't clear about my post. I was not referring to using the social security number for voting, rather I was talking about all the other things were you identify yourself with that number. But while we are at signature. The problem of course with signature is that your signature changes over time.  Just take this famous picture about Nixons signature:

[Serdoa]

I like the last one. Just a line with two dashes.

[Bobchillingworth]

Oh, what a surprise, COVID-19 cases are spiking across the U.S., with deaths soon to follow, and several states are facing catastrophic shortages of hospital beds and respirators. If only anyone had seen this coming!



Meanwhile the president is spending all of his time golfing, infecting his staff, and orchestrating a coup and/or civil war.



America first!

[Boro]

In hungary we finally locked down, but its a little too late for me, even staying home... mother got it and we started having symptoms at about the same time. I can only bear it with pain/fever killers and a mucus dissolver and its only the first day.

Good thing I set funds aside for at least two funerals

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Ah shit that ain't good.

They're probably sold out, but having a pulse oximeter is a good way of keeping an eye on your blood oxygen, having it drop below 90% is a sign to go the hospital. Actual shortness of breath is a serious sign to get to a hospital. Until then, one weird trick is to rest prone on your stomach, somehow that puts less pressure on your alveoli.

Other than that, drink water and eat food, even if the food tastes like mush. Fever reducers are good. If you have no bleeding disorders, and you're already taking it, aspirin can help with both fever and clotting.

Most people will survive, and doctors and nurses are getting much much better at keeping people alive, which explains the drop in the case fatality rate. Don't assume you're a lost cause. Take this disease seriously.

And if you don't have it, then also take this disease seriously and try to not catch it/spread it.

[Boro]

one good thing in preparing for the worst scenario is that it can only get better than that.

Yes, we're taking it seriously. fever reducers, rest, drink. No pneumonia, so far so good.

IDK what happens if it hits the lungs, as I have heart insufficiency that can hardly compensate for reduced oxygen.

Fingers crossed.

As an upside I'm playing the android version of titan quest at last.

[darrelljs]

Meanwhile the president is spending all of his time golfing, infecting his staff, and orchestrating a coup and/or civil war. 

I've always rolled my eyes at conspiracy theories, but I totally believe he's contemplating this and if the hobgoblins in his mind convince him he can pull it off, he'll go for it.  January 20th can't come fast enough .

Boro, best wishes for a speedy recovery for you and your family .

Darrell