Now that the 2020 Election is over....

[aletheist]

The left is quite frankly totalitarian in their view points ...

Last night I started reading Ross Douthat's new book, Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents. His diagnosis of "soft totalitarianism" strikes me as on the mark, imposed not by government repression but by voluntary (though perhaps unwitting) embrace; as he puts it, more Brave New World than Nineteen Eighty-Four.

I think the author is Rod Dreher.

Thanks, you are correct, I keep getting those two mixed up for some reason. I have fixed the post.

[peter_speckhard]

I think, Peter that there may be more to the story. Or maybe not. Truth isn’t always one thing; sometimes it evolves. Like everything.

True. But WaPo was extremely quick to report the man had recanted and very slow to report that he now says he was wrong. That is a typical pattern in my experience— yes, there is lot of confusion, but the press makes sure the version of events more favorable to Democrats ends up being the official version.

Sometimes it is via silence. If you read any conservative news, you have been been reminded that one of the first questions of the first debate was to Biden, who was asked if he would promise then and there that he would not declare victory until the official vote was certified. He answered with an equivocal yes. Why does the NYT or WaPo not treat that the same as they would Republican?

[Julio]

Your right-wing media or Fox (which is, sad to say, mainstream), doesn't even pretend to present facts. It publishes outright lies and knows that it is publishing lies to advance a political agenda.

Yes ... right winged Fox has declared Biden President elect ... routinely “fact checks” the President and his press secretary and oh yes refers to Biden as president elect.

Really right wing stuff.🧐

[James S. Rustad]

I think, Peter that there may be more to the story. Or maybe not. Truth isn’t always one thing; sometimes it evolves. Like everything.

True. But WaPo was extremely quick to report the man had recanted and very slow to report that he now says he was wrong. That is a typical pattern in my experience— yes, there is lot of confusion, but the press makes sure the version of events more favorable to Democrats ends up being the official version.

Sometimes it is via silence. If you read any conservative news, you have been been reminded that one of the first questions of the first debate was to Biden, who was asked if he would promise then and there that he would not declare victory until the official vote was certified. He answered with an equivocal yes. Why does the NYT or WaPo not treat that the same as they would Republican?

Actually, it was the last question on September 29.  What does "independently certified" mean?  The news media says so?  Each state announces their results?  All court challenges are over?  The electors meet?  The congress accepts the elector's votes?  Wallace should have been more specific.

WALLACE: Vice President Biden, final question for you. Will you urge your supporters to stay calm while the vote is counted? And will you pledge not to declare victory until the election is independently certified?

BIDEN: Yes. And here’s the deal. We count the ballots, as you pointed out. Some of these ballots in some states can’t even be opened until election day. And if there’s thousands of ballots, it’s going to take time to do it. And by the way, our military–they’ve been voting by ballots for since the end of the Civil War, in effect. And that’s, and that’s what’s going to happen. Why was it not, why is it for them, somehow not fraudulent. It’s the same process. It’s honest. No one has established at all that there is fraud related to mail-in ballots, that the, somehow it’s a fraudulent process.

[John_Hannah]

Nonetheless Trump's behavior is contrary to what every Republican candidate has done before in losing. It is just another example of the "cancel culture" spreading every where today.

An example of the cancel culture? How so?

"contrary to what every Republican candidate has done before in losing."   

Peace, JOHN

Oh, you were being whimsical ... 

No. Not al all. Presidential protocol is an important part of our culture even though it is not specified in the Constitution. Perhaps it is the wave of the future for presidential elections. If so, there's nothing I can do about it. I do hope it is not.   

Peace, JOHN

Fair enough. But it is not an example of cancel culture. Unless you're into the Stoffregen style of making up your own definitions.

It's cancel culture to me regardless of what you or Stoffregen say. Merriam Webster has not yet defined the word as far as I know.   

Peace, JOHN

[Dan Fienen]

What I failed to understand is that the AP was designated by law as the agency that certifies the election.

[Julio]

Nonetheless Trump's behavior is contrary to what every Republican candidate has done before in losing. It is just another example of the "cancel culture" spreading every where today.

An example of the cancel culture? How so?

"contrary to what every Republican candidate has done before in losing."   

Peace, JOHN

Oh, you were being whimsical ... 

No. Not al all. Presidential protocol is an important part of our culture even though it is not specified in the Constitution. Perhaps it is the wave of the future for presidential elections. If so, there's nothing I can do about it. I do hope it is not.   

Peace, JOHN

Fair enough. But it is not an example of cancel culture. Unless you're into the Stoffregen style of making up your own definitions.

It's cancel culture to me regardless of what you or Stoffregen say. Merriam Webster has not yet defined the word as far as I know.   

Peace, JOHN

Except that we found out in the ACB hearings, Merriam Webster’s definitions at times change along with he political winds.🤭

[James S. Rustad]

Nonetheless Trump's behavior is contrary to what every Republican candidate has done before in losing. It is just another example of the "cancel culture" spreading every where today.

An example of the cancel culture? How so?

"contrary to what every Republican candidate has done before in losing."   

Peace, JOHN

Oh, you were being whimsical ... 

No. Not al all. Presidential protocol is an important part of our culture even though it is not specified in the Constitution. Perhaps it is the wave of the future for presidential elections. If so, there's nothing I can do about it. I do hope it is not.   

Peace, JOHN

Fair enough. But it is not an example of cancel culture. Unless you're into the Stoffregen style of making up your own definitions.

It's cancel culture to me regardless of what you or Stoffregen say. Merriam Webster has not yet defined the word as far as I know.   

Peace, JOHN

Dictionaries always lag popular usage.  Merriam-Webster may not yet have added "cancel culture" to their dictionary yet, but others have.  A recent article on the Merriam-Webster web site:

Cancel is getting a new use. Canceling and cancel culture have to do with the removing of support for public figures in response to their objectionable behavior or opinions. This can include boycotts or refusal to promote their work.

The online definition of "cancel" doesn't yet include this new meaning, but the text below appears in the FAQ after the formal definitions.

What does it mean to cancel someone?
To cancel someone is to stop supporting them or their work. This means no longer reading what they write, listening to or watching what they create, or enjoying what they produce.

[James J Eivan]

What I failed to understand is that the AP was designated by law as the agency that certifies the election.

The AP has about as much creditably as Boris Johnson referring to President Trump as the past president ... apparently unaware that the presidential term lasts until noon eastern Jan 20.

[John_Hannah]

Nonetheless Trump's behavior is contrary to what every Republican candidate has done before in losing. It is just another example of the "cancel culture" spreading every where today.

An example of the cancel culture? How so?

"contrary to what every Republican candidate has done before in losing."   

Peace, JOHN

Oh, you were being whimsical ... 

No. Not al all. Presidential protocol is an important part of our culture even though it is not specified in the Constitution. Perhaps it is the wave of the future for presidential elections. If so, there's nothing I can do about it. I do hope it is not.   

Peace, JOHN

Fair enough. But it is not an example of cancel culture. Unless you're into the Stoffregen style of making up your own definitions.

It's cancel culture to me regardless of what you or Stoffregen say. Merriam Webster has not yet defined the word as far as I know.   

Peace, JOHN

Dictionaries always lag popular usage.  Merriam-Webster may not yet have added "cancel culture" to their dictionary yet, but others have.  A recent article on the Merriam-Webster web site:

Cancel is getting a new use. Canceling and cancel culture have to do with the removing of support for public figures in response to their objectionable behavior or opinions. This can include boycotts or refusal to promote their work.

Thanks. Good to know Merriam Webster are on top of things. It does then apply to removing support for the President elect. A bit of embarasment for Republicans that I hope they come to regret in the future.   

Peace, JOHN

[Donald_Kirchner]

It does then apply to removing support for the President elect. A bit of embarasment for Republicans that I hope they come to regret in the future.   

No, it does not apply.

But I know, Rev Hannah, that you (and ALPB) cannot be wrong. You're from New York. So I acquiesce.

Oh yeah... 😊

Peace

[Richard Johnson]

The left is quite frankly totalitarian in their view points ...

Last night I started reading Ross Douthat's new book, Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents. His diagnosis of "soft totalitarianism" strikes me as on the mark, imposed not by government repression but by voluntary (though perhaps unwitting) embrace; as he puts it, more Brave New World than Nineteen Eighty-Four.

I think the author is Rod Dreher.

Thanks, you are correct, I keep getting those two mixed up for some reason. I have fixed the post.

Well, they  have the same initials and they are both interesting writers. Don't be too hard on yourself. 

[James J Eivan]

The left is quite frankly totalitarian in their view points ...

Last night I started reading Ross Douthat's new book, Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents. His diagnosis of "soft totalitarianism" strikes me as on the mark, imposed not by government repression but by voluntary (though perhaps unwitting) embrace; as he puts it, more Brave New World than Nineteen Eighty-Four.

I think the author is Rod Dreher.

Thanks, you are correct, I keep getting those two mixed up for some reason. I have fixed the post.

‘A Christian Response to Soft Totalitarianism’ is an interview about the book with Rod Dreher.

[Julio]

I understand the feelings of those who think the president was unfairly treated. I disagree with them and hope they will recover soon.

Really ... you don’t see that branding your opponents as ‘sick’ and as such hoping “they will recover soon” is nothing short of personally attacking those with whom you disagree ... definitely not the ‘unity’ speak you have piously spoken of.

I won’t and can’t change how they feel. I can ask them, for the good of the country, to work fairly with those now in office,

This statement is priceless ... you have failed to do this for for the current president who by the way is still in office ... those not in office include those claiming the fictitious “office of president elect”. The constitution makes no mention if this office.

- if they think this is the situation - “returning evil for evil”. (Romans 12:17)

Again priceless ... after 4 years of evil speech against President Trump you find religion?

[James J Eivan]

Thanks. Good to know Merriam Webster are on top of things. It does then apply to removing support for the President elect. A bit of embarasment for Republicans that I hope they come to regret in the future.   

Peace, JOHN

Wasn’t it an embarrassment to the dems in 2000 when Gore waited 30 days to concede? The union survived ... some would say that the process improved election technology.

Perhaps this time around slow counting states such as PA will learn from states such as Florida how to administer an election in a timely manner  ... Florida went from the source of the problem in 2000 to being a shining example of efficient and reliable election administration this year.

Still awaiting for the constitutional reference to the “president elect”. Crickets 🦗 thus far! Please quit manufacturing this “‘embarrassment” crud.