alternet--2020-10-31--The 'hanging chads' of 2020: More than 1 million mail-in ballots could be rejected this election

More than 1 million mail-in ballots could be rejected in the 2020 election if recent trends hold up , experts say , raising fears that the rejections could swing close races .
Mail-in ballots have been rejected at around a 1 % rate in recent years , though 2020 is expected to be on the higher end due to the number of voters casting ballots by mail for the first time , mail delivery issues at the U.S .
Postal Service , and court decisions disenfranchising voters whose ballots were cast by Election Day but do not arrive in time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots will be disqualified — at least one or two million due to the normal 1-2 % disqualification of mail-in ballots , primarily for errors in completing the ballot , such as a signature problem or late submission , '' Richard Briffault , a professor a the Columbia School of Law , told Salon .
`` Of course , in a close election , rejecting thousands of ballots would be enough . ''
Just under 1 % of mail-in ballots were rejected in the 2016 election , according to the Election Administration and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all mail-in ballots cast between 2016 and 2018 were disqualified , according to an analysis by ABC News .
But researchers at Dartmouth University found that first-time mail-in voters were about three times more likely to have their ballots rejected .
More than 51 million mail-in ballots have already been cast in the 2020 election .
With a surge in mail voting due to the coronavirus pandemic , about 2 % of mail ballots were rejected in this year 's primary elections , according to research by University of Florida professor Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons .
About a third of all mail-in ballots rejected in 2018 were tossed because of problems with voter signatures , which in most states must match the signature on file .
Some states also require a witness signature .
Some ballots are also rejected because they are missing information like addresses or dates .
Ballots can also be rejected if voters incorrectly bubbled in their candidate selection .
More than a quarter of mail-in ballots rejected in 2018 were disqualified because they were not received by the state 's deadline .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Day , while others allow ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day but arrive several days later .
Some states allow voters to fix or `` cure '' their ballot before the election but most states have no such mechanism .
Andrea Mercado , executive director of the grassroots racial justice group New Florida Majority , told Salon that educating voters to avoid having their ballot rejected has been a `` massive undertaking . ''
`` It 's been a challenge to make sure people are educated on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to properly sign the outside of the envelope , '' she said .
`` And also that they do n't have to put it in the mail , they can put it in a drop-box .
And then most importantly that their ballot has to be received by Election Day .
It ca n't be postmarked by that date , it has to be received by that date . ''
Tens of thousands of ballots have already been flagged for rejection in states like Florida and North Carolina , though groups like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help voters cure their ballots in states where it 's possible .
Mercado said the percentage of rejected ballots has not increased to a `` number that gives us cause for great alarm '' but the group is focused on the disproportionate impact of the ballot rules on communities of color .
`` We 're seeing that here in Florida and it 's registering to us because we know that the GOP has used their stranglehold on power … to pass laws like the signature match law that disproportionately disenfranchises Black and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 0.47 % of mail-in ballots have been flagged for rejection in Florida and about 1.2 % of mail-in ballots have been flagged in North Carolina .
Florida 's 2018 Senate race was decided by just 10,033 votes .
North Carolina 's 2016 gubernatorial race was decided by just 10,277 votes .
A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that there is greater than a 10 % chance that the Electoral College could be decided by just 20,000 votes in a single state .
These rejections do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every down-ballot election as well .
`` Whether or not the rejection rates are higher enough to necessarily cause the presidential election to go one way or another , there is reason to think that these could be shifting local races , like races for local district attorneys , '' Kevin Morris , a researcher at the Brennan Center for Justice , told ABC News .
`` The vote-by-mail ballot rejections are going to be the hanging chads of 2000 , '' Daniel Smith , a political science professor at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated that more than 100,000 mail-in ballots could be rejected in Florida alone based on the rate of rejections in the primaries and Philadelphia City Commissioner Lisa Deeley warned that more than 100,000 ballots could be rejected in Pennsylvania due to a rule barring `` naked ballots , '' or those submitted without a second privacy envelope .
`` Every vote cast can affect the outcome of the election .
Every ballot that is rejected could also potentially swing the election and the Electoral College .
Rejected ballots can be the margin of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain states , '' Hannah Fried , the national campaign director at the voting rights group All Voting is Local , told Salon .
Fried said `` naked ballots '' have been a `` confusing issue '' for voters , particularly in states like Pennsylvania .
`` Mail-in ballots submitted without the privacy sleeve will be considered 'naked ' and not counted .
If a voter returns an absentee or mail‐in ballot but the ballot was rejected by a county elections official , and the voter believes they are eligible to vote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provisional ballot on Election Day , '' she said .
`` As long as their mail-in ballot was rejected , their vote will be able to be counted .
For mail-in ballots , signature matching and/or accidentally writing your birthday on the 'outer envelope ' instead of the date can not be the sole basis for ballot rejection . ''
Fried said the `` most important thing '' Pennsylvania could have done is install uniform cure procedures for each of the state 's counties .
The state currently does not have any process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fried stressed that voters should `` get comfortable with the fact that we likely wo n't know the election results until days or weeks after Election Day '' due to the influx of mail-in ballots .
`` The pandemic has disrupted every part of society and the election is no exception , '' she said .
`` Different voters will make different choices about how they can vote safely during this pandemic .
Some people will vote in person with a mask , some will vote by mail .
While having multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socially distant , it also means election officials will need to take a little longer to count and verify that all the ballots are valid . ''
The U.S .
Postal Service and voting rights advocates have also warned that ballots mailed after Oct. 27 may not arrive in time to be counted .
`` The time for mailing in your ballot has passed , '' Mercado said .
Voters should use drop boxes to submit their mail-in ballots or vote in person either at an early voting location or their assigned polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote is submitted in time .
President Trump has repeatedly urged his supporters to avoid casting ballots by mail due to widely debunked claims tha mail ballots are plagued with fraud .
Millions of Democrats are expected to vote in person on Election Day as well .
A recent investigation by Vice News found that nearly 21,000 polling locations have been closed ahead of 2020 and primaries in states like Wisconsin and Georgia were marred by poll closures and excessively long lines .
Mercado said the New Florida Majority is monitoring for issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some groups say the closures already pose an impediment to some voters .
`` Having polling locations farther away or that are more crowded creates a hardship for many workers , particularly blue-collar and hourly workers , '' Derrick Johnson , the president of the NAACP , told Vice .
`` This level of doubt this late in the process is concerning .
There are so many new variables on top of old problems .
We 're talking about how voting will be carried out in the midst of a pandemic .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been far more likely to cast their votes by mail and Republicans have long pleaded for Trump to stop sowing doubt about mail-in voting to no avail .
Rick Hasen , an election law expert at the University of California Irvine School of Law , argues that Trump is `` shooting himself in the foot '' by discouraging mail voting and fighting mail-in ballot expansions in court .
`` He 's discouraged his supporters from voting by mail , and some will have trouble voting in person on Election Day , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meanwhile , are working overtime to ensure that voters , particularly groups that have been disproportionately impacted like Black and Latino communities , have their voices heard .
`` In the face of voter suppression , Black and Latino communities are organizing to address some of the structural problems in our democracy , '' Mercado told Salon .
`` While there are agents of chaos that seek to sow confusion and distrust at the highest levels of our government , there are also thousands of organized volunteers and community members that are doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy . ''

More than 1 million mail-in ballots could be rejected in the 2020 election if recent trends hold up, experts say, raising fears that the rejections could swing close races.
Mail-in ballots have been rejected at around a 1% rate in recent years, though 2020 is expected to be on the higher end due to the number of voters casting ballots by mail for the first time, mail delivery issues at the U.S. Postal Service, and court decisions disenfranchising voters whose ballots were cast by Election Day but do not arrive in time.
"It is possible millions of ballots will be disqualified — at least one or two million due to the normal 1-2% disqualification of mail-in ballots, primarily for errors in completing the ballot, such as a signature problem or late submission," Richard Briffault, a professor a the Columbia School of Law, told Salon. "Of course, in a close election, rejecting thousands of ballots would be enough."
Just under 1% of mail-in ballots were rejected in the 2016 election, according to the Election Administration and Voting Survey, and about 1.2% of all mail-in ballots cast between 2016 and 2018 were disqualified, according to an analysis by ABC News.
But researchers at Dartmouth University found that first-time mail-in voters were about three times more likely to have their ballots rejected. More than 51 million mail-in ballots have already been cast in the 2020 election. With a surge in mail voting due to the coronavirus pandemic, about 2% of mail ballots were rejected in this year's primary elections, according to research by University of Florida professor Michael McDonald.
Ballots are rejected for several reasons. About a third of all mail-in ballots rejected in 2018 were tossed because of problems with voter signatures, which in most states must match the signature on file. Some states also require a witness signature. Some ballots are also rejected because they are missing information like addresses or dates. Ballots can also be rejected if voters incorrectly bubbled in their candidate selection.
More than a quarter of mail-in ballots rejected in 2018 were disqualified because they were not received by the state's deadline. Some states require ballots to be received by Election Day, while others allow ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day but arrive several days later.
Some states allow voters to fix or "cure" their ballot before the election but most states have no such mechanism.
Andrea Mercado, executive director of the grassroots racial justice group New Florida Majority, told Salon that educating voters to avoid having their ballot rejected has been a "massive undertaking."
"It's been a challenge to make sure people are educated on how to properly fill it out, how to properly sign the outside of the envelope," she said. "And also that they don't have to put it in the mail, they can put it in a drop-box. And then most importantly that their ballot has to be received by Election Day. It can't be postmarked by that date, it has to be received by that date."
Tens of thousands of ballots have already been flagged for rejection in states like Florida and North Carolina, though groups like Mercado's have recruited thousands of volunteers to help voters cure their ballots in states where it's possible. Mercado said the percentage of rejected ballots has not increased to a "number that gives us cause for great alarm" but the group is focused on the disproportionate impact of the ballot rules on communities of color.
"We're seeing that here in Florida and it's registering to us because we know that the GOP has used their stranglehold on power … to pass laws like the signature match law that disproportionately disenfranchises Black and brown communities," she said.
About 0.47% of mail-in ballots have been flagged for rejection in Florida and about 1.2% of mail-in ballots have been flagged in North Carolina. Florida's 2018 Senate race was decided by just 10,033 votes. North Carolina's 2016 gubernatorial race was decided by just 10,277 votes. A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that there is greater than a 10% chance that the Electoral College could be decided by just 20,000 votes in a single state.
These rejections don't just affect the presidential race but every down-ballot election as well.
"Whether or not the rejection rates are higher enough to necessarily cause the presidential election to go one way or another, there is reason to think that these could be shifting local races, like races for local district attorneys," Kevin Morris, a researcher at the Brennan Center for Justice, told ABC News.
"The vote-by-mail ballot rejections are going to be the hanging chads of 2000," Daniel Smith, a political science professor at the University of Florida, told NBC News.
Smith estimated that more than 100,000 mail-in ballots could be rejected in Florida alone based on the rate of rejections in the primaries and Philadelphia City Commissioner Lisa Deeley warned that more than 100,000 ballots could be rejected in Pennsylvania due to a rule barring "naked ballots," or those submitted without a second privacy envelope.
"Every vote cast can affect the outcome of the election. Every ballot that is rejected could also potentially swing the election and the Electoral College. Rejected ballots can be the margin of error that swings the election results in certain states," Hannah Fried, the national campaign director at the voting rights group All Voting is Local, told Salon.
Fried said "naked ballots" have been a "confusing issue" for voters, particularly in states like Pennsylvania.
"Mail-in ballots submitted without the privacy sleeve will be considered 'naked' and not counted. If a voter returns an absentee or mail‐in ballot but the ballot was rejected by a county elections official, and the voter believes they are eligible to vote in person, the voter may cast a provisional ballot on Election Day," she said. "As long as their mail-in ballot was rejected, their vote will be able to be counted. For mail-in ballots, signature matching and/or accidentally writing your birthday on the 'outer envelope' instead of the date cannot be the sole basis for ballot rejection."
Fried said the "most important thing" Pennsylvania could have done is install uniform cure procedures for each of the state's counties. The state currently does not have any process that lets voters address naked ballot issues.
Fried stressed that voters should "get comfortable with the fact that we likely won't know the election results until days or weeks after Election Day" due to the influx of mail-in ballots.
"The pandemic has disrupted every part of society and the election is no exception," she said. "Different voters will make different choices about how they can vote safely during this pandemic. Some people will vote in person with a mask, some will vote by mail. While having multiple options for voting keeps people safe and socially distant, it also means election officials will need to take a little longer to count and verify that all the ballots are valid."
The U.S. Postal Service and voting rights advocates have also warned that ballots mailed after Oct. 27 may not arrive in time to be counted.
"The time for mailing in your ballot has passed," Mercado said.
Voters should use drop boxes to submit their mail-in ballots or vote in person either at an early voting location or their assigned polling place on Election Day to ensure their vote is submitted in time.
President Trump has repeatedly urged his supporters to avoid casting ballots by mail due to widely debunked claims tha mail ballots are plagued with fraud. Millions of Democrats are expected to vote in person on Election Day as well.
A recent investigation by Vice News found that nearly 21,000 polling locations have been closed ahead of 2020 and primaries in states like Wisconsin and Georgia were marred by poll closures and excessively long lines.
Mercado said the New Florida Majority is monitoring for issues with lines and other voting difficulties but some groups say the closures already pose an impediment to some voters.
"Having polling locations farther away or that are more crowded creates a hardship for many workers, particularly blue-collar and hourly workers," Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP, told Vice. "This level of doubt this late in the process is concerning. There are so many new variables on top of old problems. We're talking about how voting will be carried out in the midst of a pandemic. We just don't know."
Democrats have been far more likely to cast their votes by mail and Republicans have long pleaded for Trump to stop sowing doubt about mail-in voting to no avail. Rick Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California Irvine School of Law, argues that Trump is "shooting himself in the foot" by discouraging mail voting and fighting mail-in ballot expansions in court.
"He's discouraged his supporters from voting by mail, and some will have trouble voting in person on Election Day," he said.
Voting rights groups, meanwhile, are working overtime to ensure that voters, particularly groups that have been disproportionately impacted like Black and Latino communities, have their voices heard.
"In the face of voter suppression, Black and Latino communities are organizing to address some of the structural problems in our democracy," Mercado told Salon. "While there are agents of chaos that seek to sow confusion and distrust at the highest levels of our government, there are also thousands of organized volunteers and community members that are doing everything they can to protect and expand democracy."


alternet--2020-10-31--BUSTED: Texas GOP senator didn't 'graduate' from Oxford law program -- as claimed in prior campaign

Sen. John Cornyn , R-Tx.
, who currently finds himself in an unusually competitive race against Democratic opponent MJ Hegar , previously falsely represented himself as a graduate of Oxford University in England in the run-up to his successful election to the Texas Supreme Court , press and public records show .
In the eight months before Cornyn 's 1990 election to the state 's highest court , seven Texas publications , including regional standard-bearers such as the Austin-American Statesman and the Houston Chronicle , published 10 profiles claiming that Cornyn had `` graduated '' from `` the Judicial Studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , archived versions of which were reviewed by Salon , ran from February until days before the election in November , with headlines like `` Judge Promises 'Restoration of Integrity ' '' and `` Cornyn 's Record Makes Him Choice for Supreme Court . ''
The latter article concluded by mentioning the Oxford program .
However , during his campaign for attorney general of Texas eight years later , Cornyn repeatedly attacked Republican rival Barry Williamson for padding his resume `` just like Lena Guerrero did '' — a reference to a Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race for state office to Williamson after it was revealed that she had lied about having a college diploma .
`` It 's a question of inflating his resume to give the false impression that he has more judicial experience than he actually has , '' Cornyn told the Austin-American Statesman at the time .
The Oxford claim misrepresents Cornyn 's qualifications , and though its origins are unclear , went uncorrected by Cornyn for the duration of the campaign , leaving voters with the impression that he passed through one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In reality , Cornyn earned his highest degree from the School of Law at St. Mary 's University in San Antonio in 1977 — a Juris Doctor .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany erroneously claimed last month that then-Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford , when she had actually attended Rhodes College in Memphis , Tenn. A 2020 freedom of information request to Oxford University reviewed by Salon returned no record of Cornyn graduating from or attending a regular or continuing studies program offered through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law had no record of a Judicial Studies Program at all .
`` The Degree Conferrals Office and Department of Continuing Education have been unable to find any record of a John Cornyn with a date of birth of 2 February 1952 , '' the institution wrote .
`` The Faculty of Law is unable to confirm the existence of a Judicial Studies programme . ''
It appears that the claim stems from a two-week seminar jointly hosted by the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada , Reno and Florida State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1988 , two years before his state Supreme Court run .
The advanced seminar , titled `` Anglo-American Jurisprudence , '' was held on the Wadham College campus in Oxford .
While prestigious , the seminar was not affiliated academically with the university .
Oxford faculty helped lead the program , along with faculty and judges from elsewhere in England and the U.S .
The program contrasted approaches taken by American and British jurists and included visits to historic sites , such as the Old Bailey criminal court and Grendon Underwood prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas judge in Galveston County attended the same course .
Profiles from the 1990 race also included the unsubstantiated claim that Cornyn had graduated `` top of his class '' at St. Mary 's University School of Law .
As with Oxford , this claim does not seem to appear in the public record beyond Coryn 's 1990 state Supreme Court run .
The school would only confirm that Cornyn had graduated in 1977 .
Neither claim appears in the biography on Cornyn 's Senate website .
However , Cornyn 's misrepresentation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his 2020 campaign : In August , he ran an ad touting his commitment to safely reopening schools in the Lone Star state , which used stock footage of a classroom halfway around the world in Estonia .
Unlike in Texas , COVID-19 was scarce in the European country at the time .
The Cornyn campaign did not reply to Salon 's request for comment .

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tx., who currently finds himself in an unusually competitive race against Democratic opponent MJ Hegar, previously falsely represented himself as a graduate of Oxford University in England in the run-up to his successful election to the Texas Supreme Court, press and public records show.
In the eight months before Cornyn's 1990 election to the state's highest court, seven Texas publications, including regional standard-bearers such as the Austin-American Statesman and the Houston Chronicle, published 10 profiles claiming that Cornyn had "graduated" from "the Judicial Studies Program" at Oxford.
The profiles, archived versions of which were reviewed by Salon, ran from February until days before the election in November, with headlines like "Judge Promises 'Restoration of Integrity'" and "Cornyn's Record Makes Him Choice for Supreme Court." The latter article concluded by mentioning the Oxford program.
However, during his campaign for attorney general of Texas eight years later, Cornyn repeatedly attacked Republican rival Barry Williamson for padding his resume "just like Lena Guerrero did" — a reference to a Texas Democrat who two years prior lost a race for state office to Williamson after it was revealed that she had lied about having a college diploma.
"It's a question of inflating his resume to give the false impression that he has more judicial experience than he actually has," Cornyn told the Austin-American Statesman at the time.
The Oxford claim misrepresents Cornyn's qualifications, and though its origins are unclear, went uncorrected by Cornyn for the duration of the campaign, leaving voters with the impression that he passed through one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. In reality, Cornyn earned his highest degree from the School of Law at St. Mary's University in San Antonio in 1977 — aJuris Doctor.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany erroneously claimed last month that then-Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford, when she had actually attended Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.
A 2020 freedom of information request to Oxford University reviewed by Salon returned no record of Cornyn graduating from or attending a regular or continuing studies program offered through the school. The university's Faculty of Law had no record of a Judicial Studies Program at all.
"The Degree Conferrals Office and Department of Continuing Education have been unable to find any record of a John Cornyn with a date of birth of 2 February 1952," the institution wrote. "The Faculty of Law is unable to confirm the existence of a Judicial Studies programme."
It appears that the claim stems from a two-week seminar jointly hosted by the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada, Reno and Florida State University Law School, which Cornyn attended in 1988, two years before his state Supreme Court run.
The advanced seminar, titled "Anglo-American Jurisprudence," was held on the Wadham College campus in Oxford. While prestigious, the seminar was not affiliated academically with the university. Oxford faculty helped lead the program, along with faculty and judges from elsewhere in England and the U.S.
The program contrasted approaches taken by American and British jurists and included visits to historic sites, such as the Old Bailey criminal court and Grendon Underwood prison, according to university records. A Texas judge in Galveston County attended the same course.
Profiles from the 1990 race also included the unsubstantiated claim that Cornyn had graduated "top of his class" at St. Mary's University School of Law. As with Oxford, this claim does not seem to appear in the public record beyond Coryn's 1990 state Supreme Court run. The school would only confirm that Cornyn had graduated in 1977.
Neither claim appears in the biography on Cornyn's Senate website. However, Cornyn's misrepresentation of academic settings has apparently followed him into his 2020 campaign: In August, he ran an ad touting his commitment to safely reopening schools in the Lone Star state, which used stock footage of a classroom halfway around the world in Estonia. Unlike in Texas, COVID-19 was scarce in the European country at the time.
The Cornyn campaign did not reply to Salon's request for comment.


alternet--2020-10-31--Biden or Trump? A few early voting clues reveal who has the edge

The 2020 presidential election has a historic early voter turnout with more than 80 million Americans casting their ballots before Election Day .
With the massive early voter turnout , many are now wondering who the early voters will benefit .
Is it Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden or President Donald Trump ?
A number of clues may indicate which candidate will benefit from early voting .
Here are a few clues : 1 .
New voters are heading to the polls - A new analysis shows early voting has attracted many new voters for the upcoming election .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters — approximately 27 percent — were either `` new or infrequent voters , '' according to AP 's analysis .
So who are new voters casting their ballot for ?
According to the data , Democrats are getting the job done .
The data indicates that 43 percent of the new or infrequent voters are registered Democrats , whereas only about a quarter of those early voters are registered Republicans .
Tom Bonier , who works for the political data firm TargetSmart , weighed in on Democrats ' efforts to expand their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from it .
`` Democrats are already expanding their electorate , '' said Bonier .
`` That would certainly appear to be favorable for Biden — to be taken with the caveat we 've heard a million times before , that we do n't know how many other voters will come out on Election Day . ''
2 .
Democratic early voting lead - In addition to the new or infrequent voter analysis , overall early voting turnout also leans toward Democratic voters .
As of Friday , October 30 , Democrats lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the turnout .
Republicans , on the other hand , only account for 33 percent of early voting turnout .
While that does not guarantee an Election Day win , it does position the Democrats with a sizable advantage going into Election Day .
3 .
Black voter turnout remains steady - Black voter turnout may strongly impact Biden 's ability to swing battleground states .
For the 2016 election , Democrats suffered a decline in voter turnout in battleground states which likely contributed to the relatively close losses in multiple key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been a distinct surge in Black voter turnout in multiple key states that could greatly impact the outcome of the election .
There 's been a surge in the older African-American vote .
Black voters 65 and older are already one of the most reliable voting demographics , but according to TargetSmart data they have already surpassed their numbers in six key battlegrounds — Arizona , Florida , Georgia , Nevada , North Carolina and Texas .
4 .
Young voters may also offer a Democratic advantage - As previously reported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Trump among young voters aged 18-24 .
Even among Millennials , Biden holds a stable lead over Trump which may also help Democratic voters .
In the Sunbelt battlegrounds of Florida , Georgia and North Carolina , young voter turnout accounted for 30 percent of the vote .
With the current clues , Democrats are going into Election Day will a sizable advantage .
Although Republicans are hoping that they will have the turnout they need on Election Day , they are going into the big day needing a larger overhaul to @ @ @ @ @

The 2020 presidential election has a historic early voter turnout with more than 80 million Americans casting their ballots before Election Day. With the massive early voter turnout, many are now wondering who the early voters will benefit. Is it Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden or President Donald Trump? A number of clues may indicate which candidate will benefit from early voting.
Here are a few clues:
1. New voters are heading to the polls - A new analysis shows early voting has attracted many new voters for the upcoming election. More than 1 out of 4 of all voters — approximately 27 percent — were either "new or infrequent voters," according to AP's analysis. So who are new voters casting their ballot for? According to the data, Democrats are getting the job done. The data indicates that 43 percent of the new or infrequent voters are registered Democrats, whereas only about a quarter of those early voters are registered Republicans.
Tom Bonier, who works for the political data firm TargetSmart, weighed in on Democrats' efforts to expand their electorate and how the party is benefiting from it.
"Democrats are already expanding their electorate," said Bonier. "That would certainly appear to be favorable for Biden — to be taken with the caveat we've heard a million times before, that we don't know how many other voters will come out on Election Day."
2. Democratic early voting lead - In addition to the new or infrequent voter analysis, overall early voting turnout also leans toward Democratic voters. As of Friday, October 30, Democrats lead in early voting making up 47 percent of the turnout. Republicans, on the other hand, only account for 33 percent of early voting turnout. While that does not guarantee an Election Day win, it does position the Democrats with a sizable advantage going into Election Day.
3. Black voter turnout remains steady - Black voter turnout may strongly impact Biden's ability to swing battleground states. For the 2016 election, Democrats suffered a decline in voter turnout in battleground states which likely contributed to the relatively close losses in multiple key states. According to WFLA, there has been a distinct surge in Black voter turnout in multiple key states that could greatly impact the outcome of the election.
There's been a surge in the older African-American vote. Black voters 65 and older are already one of the most reliable voting demographics, but according to TargetSmart data they have already surpassed their numbers in six key battlegrounds — Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas.
4. Young voters may also offer a Democratic advantage - As previously reported by AlterNet, Biden carries a significant lead over Trump among young voters aged 18-24. Even among Millennials, Biden holds a stable lead over Trump which may also help Democratic voters. In the Sunbelt battlegrounds of Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, young voter turnout accounted for 30 percent of the vote.
With the current clues, Democrats are going into Election Day will a sizable advantage. Although Republicans are hoping that they will have the turnout they need on Election Day, they are going into the big day needing a larger overhaul to maintain the White House.


alternet--2020-10-31--Trump's 'Sharpiegate' grudge may have led to NOAA’s acting chief scientist losing his job

President Donald Trump has a long history of undermining the work of scientists and the variance surrounding Hurricane Dorian is reportedly still a point of conflict within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) .
Like Trump 's stance on the coronavirus outbreak , he refused to admit that he was completely wrong about the catastrophic Category 5 's path and according to The New York Times , the ordeal spiraled into a full scandal behind closed doors .
In fact , the `` Sharpiegate '' ordeal reared its ugly head yet again this week when NOAA 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost his job .
The publication reports that McLean was removed from his position earlier this month when he raised questions about whether or not a new political appointee was aware of the agency 's guidelines scientific integrity .
The guidelines strictly prohibit manipulating scientific research for the purpose of political gain .
In a nutshell , politicization of any kind is not allowed .
Apparently , the new appointee , identified as Erik Noble , also a former White House adviser , was not pleased with McLean 's request .
Here is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The request prompted a sharp response from Dr. Noble .
`` Respectfully , by what authority are you sending this to me ? ''
he wrote , according to a person who received a copy of the exchange after it was circulated within NOAA .
Mr. McLean answered that his role as acting chief scientist made him responsible for ensuring that the agency 's rules on scientific integrity were followed .
The following morning , Dr. Noble responded .
`` You no longer serve as the acting chief scientist for NOAA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a new chief scientist had already been appointed .
`` Thank you for your service . ''
While McLean is still employed with the agency , he appears to have been demoted .
Now , Ryan Maue , a former research meteorologist at the Cato Institute , has taken over the chief scientist position .
The latest NOAA debacle follows Trump 's `` Sharpiegate '' scandal when he attempted to undermine NOAA scientists as he claimed Alabama was within the cone for the hurricane 's projected path .
The president had also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included an altered look at the hurricane 's projected path .
The altered image actually included Alabama .
This was completely untrue .
At the time , the NOAA quickly responded to make it clear that Alabama was not in the storm 's path .
The agency tweeted , `` Alabama will NOT see any impacts from # Dorian .
We repeat , no impacts from Hurricane # Dorian will be felt across Alabama .
The system will remain too far east . ''
Days later , McLean pushed back against the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denounced the Trump administration 's interference .
Over the last year , Trump 's blatant disregard for science has weakened the American public 's trust in the integrity of science .
Many of his supporters now diminish the importance of science often dismissing the severity of reports due to the president 's stance .

President Donald Trump has a long history of undermining the work of scientists and the variance surrounding Hurricane Dorian is reportedly still a point of conflict within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Like Trump's stance on the coronavirus outbreak, he refused to admit that he was completely wrong about the catastrophic Category 5's path and according to The New York Times, the ordeal spiraled into a full scandal behind closed doors. In fact, the "Sharpiegate" ordeal reared its ugly head yet again this week when NOAA's acting chief scientist, Craig McLean, lost his job.
The publication reports that McLean was removed from his position earlier this month when he raised questions about whether or not a new political appointee was aware of the agency's guidelines scientific integrity. The guidelines strictly prohibit manipulating scientific research for the purpose of political gain. In a nutshell, politicization of any kind is not allowed.
Apparently, the new appointee, identified as Erik Noble, also a former White House adviser, was not pleased with McLean's request. Here is an excerpt from the NY Times report:
The request prompted a sharp response from Dr. Noble. "Respectfully, by what authority are you sending this to me?" he wrote, according to a person who received a copy of the exchange after it was circulated within NOAA.
Mr. McLean answered that his role as acting chief scientist made him responsible for ensuring that the agency's rules on scientific integrity were followed.
The following morning, Dr. Noble responded. "You no longer serve as the acting chief scientist for NOAA," he informed Mr. McLean, adding that a new chief scientist had already been appointed. "Thank you for your service."
While McLean is still employed with the agency, he appears to have been demoted. Now, Ryan Maue, a former research meteorologist at the Cato Institute, has taken over the chief scientist position. The latest NOAA debacle follows Trump's "Sharpiegate" scandal when he attempted to undermine NOAA scientists as he claimed Alabama was within the cone for the hurricane's projected path. The president had also been photographed with an NOAA image that included an altered look at the hurricane's projected path. The altered image actually included Alabama.
This was completely untrue. At the time, the NOAA quickly responded to make it clear that Alabama was not in the storm's path. The agency tweeted, "Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian . We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east."
Days later, McLean pushed back against the White House in a statement as he openly denounced the Trump administration's interference. Over the last year, Trump's blatant disregard for science has weakened the American public's trust in the integrity of science. Many of his supporters now diminish the importance of science often dismissing the severity of reports due to the president's stance.


alternet--2020-10-31--Biden appears stable with voters under 30 -- but there is just one issue

With only three days left until the 2020 election , Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has a significant edge over President Donald Trump where voters aged 18-24 are concerned , according to a new poll .
According to Forbes , young voters inclined to embrace more revolutionary and progressive policies have opted to support the Biden campaign on the road to the White House .
The poll has revealed eight out of 10 younger voters ( 86 % ) are taking the election very seriously and see it as a decision that could ultimately impact their futures .
The publication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visual highlighting the top concerns young voters have .
One of the graphs suggests younger voters are highly concerned about the coronavirus pandemic , the subsequent impacts it has had on the economy , the future of health care , and the country 's ongoing problems stemming from systemic racism .
Although Trump has long boasted about his administration 's handling of the pandemic while disregarding the importance of public health and the existence of systemic racism , the poll shows that younger voters `` say they are not happy with the status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. is on the 'wrong track . '
'' Young voters also weighed in with their take on the `` American Dream . ''
When asked whether they think the American Dream is `` alive and well , '' `` presently in a coma , '' or `` dead and not coming back , '' 47 % say the American Dream is `` presently in a coma '' and 20 % say it 's `` dead and not coming back . ''
Just 26 % of young people say the American Dream is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last three months , Biden has also gained momentum among young White , Hispanic , and Black voters .
While Biden still maintains a significant lead among white voters , the only issue is that the Democratic presidential hopeful 's support among those voters has slightly slipped .
See the graph below : Biden is also maintaining the support among Gen-Z voters .
However , his support among Millennial voters is slightly lower .
Despite the variation , the poll still shows Biden significantly ahead of Trump .
As of Saturday October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have already cast their vote for the upcoming election .

With only three days left until the 2020 election, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has a significant edge over President Donald Trump where voters aged 18-24 are concerned, according to a new poll.
According to Forbes, young voters inclined to embrace more revolutionary and progressive policies have opted to support the Biden campaign on the road to the White House. The poll has revealed eight out of 10 younger voters (86%) are taking the election very seriously and see it as a decision that could ultimately impact their futures.
The publication also included multiple graphs to provide a visual highlighting the top concerns young voters have. One of the graphs suggests younger voters are highly concerned about the coronavirus pandemic, the subsequent impacts it has had on the economy, the future of health care, and the country's ongoing problems stemming from systemic racism.
Although Trump has long boasted about his administration's handling of the pandemic while disregarding the importance of public health and the existence of systemic racism, the poll shows that younger voters "say they are not happy with the status quo, with 60% reporting the U.S. is on the 'wrong track.'"
Young voters also weighed in with their take on the "American Dream."
When asked whether they think the American Dream is "alive and well," "presently in a coma," or "dead and not coming back," 47% say the American Dream is "presently in a coma" and 20% say it's "dead and not coming back." Just 26% of young people say the American Dream is "alive and well."
Over the last three months, Biden has also gained momentum among young White, Hispanic, and Black voters. While Biden still maintains a significant lead among white voters, the only issue is that the Democratic presidential hopeful's support among those voters has slightly slipped.
See the graph below:
Forbes
Biden is also maintaining the support among Gen-Z voters. However, his support among Millennial voters is slightly lower. Despite the variation, the poll still shows Biden significantly ahead of Trump.
As of Saturday October 31, more than 75 million Americans have already cast their vote for the upcoming election.


alternet--2020-10-31--A wave of reports expose Trumpworld corruption as the president's allies point fingers

It 's been a long , difficult week in Trumpworld with all of the incriminating reports of corruption surrounding President Donald Trump and his administration .
With Election Day less than five days away , Trump is likely feeling the pressure as the opposing forces work over time to state their case and prove that he is unfit for the office of the presidency .
Many of the stories raise more questions about Trump 's leadership and the hidden agendas of his White House officials and other members of his administration .
Here 's a breakdown of the stories circulating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , and the Turkish Bank A new report by the New York Times has uncovered details about Trump and U.S. Attorney Bill Barr questionable handling of possible violations of U.S. sanctions involving billions of dollars worth of gold and cash that was funneled to Iran .
When Geoffrey S. Berman , a top federal prosecutor in Manhattan , traveled to the White House to speak with Barr and some of his top administrative officials about the criminal investigation into the state-owned Turkish bank , Halkbank , Barr suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indictment by paying only a fine and admitting that some wrong was done .
Barr 's sentiments also echoed Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 's words as he had reportedly asked Trump repeatedly to stop the investigation .
Trump 's presumed eagerness to please Erdogan has also raised questions about where the president truly stands .
For Berman , Barr 's request raised red flags and questions about whether or not Barr was colluding with foreign operatives .
`` This is completely wrong , '' Berman later told lawyers in the U.S. Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received intel about the proposal and Barr 's reaction .
`` You do n't grant immunity to individuals unless you are getting something from them — and we would n't be here . ''
This report is yet another cloud over Trump and his administration regarding where their loyalty lies .
2 .
Pompeo Family Email Scandal U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was caught in the middle of an email scandal when it was revealed that he and his wife , Susan Pompeo had conducted official White House business using personal email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being investigated by both Congress and the State Department 's inspector generals for `` potential misuse of government resources . ''
On multiple occasions , Susan Pompeo is said to have regularly utilized her personal email address for business matters , according to email correspondence .
`` The emails show that Susan Pompeo routinely gives instructions to State Department officials from her personal email address about everything from travel plans and restaurant reservations to the elite Madison Dinners , '' according to NBC News .
Below is an example of the types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department official .
The message captures a conversation between her and a State Department official whose name was redacted from the record .
`` The dryer is n't hooked up ...
I think you told me someone was coming to fix that ? ''
Susan Pompeo said via text message to a State Department official .
`` Ma'am – On it , I was told it was fixed .
Let me get you an answer , '' the official responded by email hours later .
3 .
Rick Perry 's Dirty Dealing A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and his involvement in an attempted scheme to help some of his friends profit off a massive gas deal .
Although Perry has denied the allegations , there are multiple details that highlight Perry 's ties to Ukraine , according to Pro Republica .
During a six-month investigation , reporters from Time magazine , WNYC and ProPublica discovered that `` Perry and his staff at the Energy Department worked to advance energy deals that were potentially worth billions of dollars to Perry 's friends and political donors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to benefit Energy Transfer , the Texas company on whose board Perry served immediately before and after his stint in Washington .
The biggest was worth an estimated $ 20 billion , according to U.S. and Ukrainian energy executives involved in negotiating them .
4 .
Wilbur Ross ' Chinese Conflict of Interest Like Perry , Ross found himself at the center of controversy when he failed to separate from his business ties while serving as the U.S. Commerce Secretary .
According to ForeignPolicy.com , documents appear to suggest that Ross ' potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more evident than previously thought .
Here is a breakdown of the conflicts surrounding Perry , his business ties , and government affiliation .
In Chinese corporate documents obtained by Foreign Policy , Ross is listed as serving on the board of a Chinese joint venture until January 2019—nearly two years into his term as commerce secretary .
That joint venture , now called Huaneng Invesco WLR ( Beijing ) Investment Fund Management Co. , is an investment partnership formed in September 2008 between Huaneng Capital Services , the U.S. management company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , WL Ross & Co. Huaneng Capital Services is an arm of China Huaneng Group , a major state-owned power producer .
As Election Day approaches , more incriminating reports are circulating and raising more questions about the integrity of the Trump administration .

It's been a long, difficult week in Trumpworld with all of the incriminating reports of corruption surrounding President Donald Trump and his administration. With Election Day less than five days away, Trump is likely feeling the pressure as the opposing forces work over time to state their case and prove that he is unfit for the office of the presidency.
Many of the stories raise more questions about Trump's leadership and the hidden agendas of his White House officials and other members of his administration.
Here's a breakdown of the stories circulating this week:
1. Trump, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the Turkish Bank A new report by the New York Times has uncovered details about Trump and U.S. Attorney Bill Barr questionable handling of possible violations of U.S. sanctions involving billions of dollars worth of gold and cash that was funneled to Iran.
When Geoffrey S. Berman, a top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, traveled to the White House to speak with Barr and some of his top administrative officials about the criminal investigation into the state-owned Turkish bank, Halkbank, Barr suggested that the bank be allowed to avoid indictment by paying only a fine and admitting that some wrong was done. Barr's sentiments also echoed Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's words as he had reportedly asked Trump repeatedly to stop the investigation. Trump's presumed eagerness to please Erdogan has also raised questions about where the president truly stands. For Berman, Barr's request raised red flags and questions about whether or not Barr was colluding with foreign operatives.
"This is completely wrong," Berman later told lawyers in the U.S. Department of Justice, according to people who received intel about the proposal and Barr's reaction. "You don't grant immunity to individuals unless you are getting something from them — and we wouldn't be here."
This report is yet another cloud over Trump and his administration regarding where their loyalty lies.
2. Pompeo Family Email Scandal U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was caught in the middle of an email scandal when it was revealed that he and his wife, Susan Pompeo had conducted official White House business using personal email addresses. Now, the couple is being investigated by both Congress and the State Department's inspector generals for "potential misuse of government resources." On multiple occasions, Susan Pompeo is said to have regularly utilized her personal email address for business matters, according to email correspondence.
"The emails show that Susan Pompeo routinely gives instructions to State Department officials from her personal email address about everything from travel plans and restaurant reservations to the elite Madison Dinners," according to NBC News.
Below is an example of the types of messages Susan Pompeo sent to a State Department official. The message captures a conversation between her and a State Department official whose name was redacted from the record.
"The dryer isn't hooked up... I think you told me someone was coming to fix that?" Susan Pompeo said via text message to a State Department official. "Ma'am – On it, I was told it was fixed. Let me get you an answer," the official responded by email hours later.
3. Rick Perry's Dirty Dealing A new report centers on former United States Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and his involvement in an attempted scheme to help some of his friends profit off a massive gas deal. Although Perry has denied the allegations, there are multiple details that highlight Perry's ties to Ukraine, according to Pro Republica.
During a six-month investigation, reporters from Time magazine, WNYC and ProPublica discovered that "Perry and his staff at the Energy Department worked to advance energy deals that were potentially worth billions of dollars to Perry's friends and political donors."
Two of these deals seemed set to benefit Energy Transfer, the Texas company on whose board Perry served immediately before and after his stint in Washington. The biggest was worth an estimated $20 billion, according to U.S. and Ukrainian energy executives involved in negotiating them.
4. Wilbur Ross' Chinese Conflict of Interest Like Perry, Ross found himself at the center of controversy when he failed to separate from his business ties while serving as the U.S. Commerce Secretary. According to ForeignPolicy.com, documents appear to suggest that Ross' potential conflicts of interest surrounding Chinese business are much more evident than previously thought.
Here is a breakdown of the conflicts surrounding Perry, his business ties, and government affiliation.
In Chinese corporate documents obtained by Foreign Policy, Ross is listed as serving on the board of a Chinese joint venture until January 2019—nearly two years into his term as commerce secretary. That joint venture, now called Huaneng Invesco WLR (Beijing) Investment Fund Management Co., is an investment partnership formed in September 2008 between Huaneng Capital Services, the U.S. management company Invesco, and a firm Ross founded, WL Ross & Co. Huaneng Capital Services is an arm of China Huaneng Group, a major state-owned power producer.
As Election Day approaches, more incriminating reports are circulating and raising more questions about the integrity of the Trump administration.


alternet--2020-10-31--Donald Trump's Hunger Games: More power. More money. More golf. More women.

That 's how much Trump charged the federal government for a glass of water in April of 2018 when he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met at Trump 's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida .
According to the Washington Pos t , Trump 's company also charged the government `` $ 13,700 for guest rooms , $ 16,500 for food and wine and $ 6,000 for the roses and other floral arrangements , '' over the two days he held meetings with Abe at the resort .
But one day , Trump was scheduled to meet with Abe without aides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or cocktails or any other celebratory nonsense .
Just the two leaders , alone in a room , talking .
According to the Post , the bill for that day contained a line item reading , `` Bilateral meeting .
Water .
$ 3.00 each . ''
Donald Trump has been paid `` at least $ 2.5 million by the U.S. government , '' since taking office , according to official documents obtained by the Post .
Trump has made more than 280 visits to his own hotels and golf clubs over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered costs for `` hotel rooms , ballrooms , cottages , rental houses , golf carts , votive candles , floating candles , candelabras , furniture moving , resort fees , decorative palm trees , strip steak , chocolate cake , breakfast buffets , $ 88 bottles of wine and $ 1,000 worth of liquor for White House aides . ''
according to the Post .
And water .
A total of six bucks for water , no charge being too small to make it onto a bill to the government for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man who owns the Trump Organization and everything it comprises , including his resort in Palm Beach .
It 's apparently a good part of what the Trump base likes about him — his appetites , his pure , unadulterated , money-grubbing-right-down-to- $ 3-for-water greed .
Trump has wanted more his entire life .
He wants more money , of course .
He has spent a lifetime in pursuit of more money , and then some more , and more and more .
He borrowed so much money in pursuit of even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankruptcy , several bankruptcies in fact .
Today , as president , he is said to be in debt for nearly $ 1 billion to banks and other lenders , a debt that will come due within the next few years , according to the New York Times and other reports .
Trump wants more fame , a drive that started off with mentions in gossip columns like the New York Post 's `` Page Six , '' during the years he was coming into his own as a builder in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ columnists and plant items about himself , posing as a PR person , and then he would call the columnists the next day and comment on their mention of him in order to gain yet another column inch or two in the tabloids .
Some said he ran for president back in 2016 to `` burnish his brand , '' to achieve even more fame and use it to make even more money .
Since he became president , he has been relentless in his pursuit of attention , tweeting at all hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give him enough coverage , calling in to shows like `` Fox & Friends '' and `` Hannity '' both to reward them for the coverage they 've already given him , and to get more coverage .
He wants more women , from wife No .
1 , Ivana , when he was just starting out , to wife No .
2 , Marla Maples , after he jettisoned Ivana , and now wife No .
3 , Melania , who replaced No .
2 when he determined she had a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then there were all the women in between , in and among his marriages , the women he groped on airplanes and at bars and during parties , the women he ( allegedly ) raped in places like a Bergdorf 's dressing room or a hotel room or a bathroom during a party , the women whose mouths he forced his tongue down , the women he pushed up against walls and pressed himself against , the women whose bodies he commented on in offices or across rooms , the women whose skirts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tables , the women whose breasts he grabbed at tennis tournaments and beauty pageants , the women whose rear ends he grabbed in green rooms before television show tapings , the women he dragged behind curtains at New Year 's Eve parties and forcibly kissed and groped .
All of those women .
Trump wanted their bodies and their mouths and he took them without asking permission because he was Donald Trump , and he took what he wanted .
He wanted more golf , so he played more golf more frequently than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much golf that he went around the world buying and building his own golf courses , and then he played them , because he owned them , and because he owned the golf carts , as president he could charge the government for his own Secret Service agents .
He could even charge the government for the hotel rooms the agents stayed in while they protected him .
He charged the government $ 17,000 a month for a cottage at his Bedminster , New Jersey , golf course , which the Secret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just in case he had a mind to play a round of golf .
Trump wants more adulation , more love from the `` base , '' and when he feels he is n't getting enough , he tweets .
There are n't enough hours in the day for Donald Trump .
He was up at 3 a.m. this week , tweeting about the Supreme Court , the court to which he has appointed three arch-conservative justices , yelling at them for their recent decisions allowing mail-in votes to be counted after Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants more votes .
He 's been up at 3 a.m. tweeting before , taunting a Miss Universe contestant for a `` sex tape , '' taunting CNN as `` low rated , '' bragging about his debate performance , yelling at polls that show him losing .
And now Trump is making his final campaign swing through the `` battleground states , '' feeding the insatiable need of his base for more of himself .
`` Four more years '' has become `` 12 more years . ''
Somehow Trump is owed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they '' took two or three years away from him during the Russia investigation , because `` they '' spied on his 2016 campaign , because `` they '' do n't deserve to win .
The red-hat-wearing mobs of un-masked fans at his rallies want more of the America they think Trump is bringing back to them .
It 's an America that is more white , has more guns , has more churches , more of `` us , '' less of `` them . ''
That 's what they like about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same way he does .
That 's what opposition to affirmative action has always been .
They do n't want some of the college admissions , they want them all .
That 's what Shelby County v. Holder was about , that 's what voter IDs and all the restrictive rules about voting by mail are about .
They want all the votes .
For the Trump base , making America great again means making America ours again , but he 's going to make sure he puts it on their tab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water and $ 546 for rooms and $ 50 for decorative palm trees for table decorations and $ 1,005.60 for 26 servings of Patron and Don Julio tequila , 22 Chopin vodkas , and six glasses of Woodford Reserve bourbon consumed by White House staffers at the Mar-a-Lago bar .
It 's going to cost us more than votes to get our country back .
We 're going to be paying for Trump 's insatiable greed long after he 's gone .
More than 228,000 of us have already paid with our lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — 98,500 new cases and more than 900 dead — a half million of us may perish by the time Trump walks out of the White House for the last time .

Remember this number: $3.
That's how much Trump charged the federal government for a glass of water in April of 2018 when he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. According to the Washington Pos t, Trump's company also charged the government "$13,700 for guest rooms, $16,500 for food and wine and $6,000 for the roses and other floral arrangements," over the two days he held meetings with Abe at the resort. But one day, Trump was scheduled to meet with Abe without aides and advisers, with no meal service or cocktails or any other celebratory nonsense. Just the two leaders, alone in a room, talking. According to the Post, the bill for that day contained a line item reading, "Bilateral meeting. Water. $3.00 each."
Donald Trump has been paid "at least $2.5 million by the U.S. government," since taking office, according to official documents obtained by the Post. Trump has made more than 280 visits to his own hotels and golf clubs over the last four years, and the payments covered costs for "hotel rooms, ballrooms, cottages, rental houses, golf carts, votive candles, floating candles, candelabras, furniture moving, resort fees, decorative palm trees, strip steak, chocolate cake, breakfast buffets, $88 bottles of wine and $1,000 worth of liquor for White House aides." according to the Post.
And water. A total of six bucks for water, no charge being too small to make it onto a bill to the government for a payment going straight into the pocket of the man who owns the Trump Organization and everything it comprises, including his resort in Palm Beach.
It's apparently a good part of what the Trump base likes about him — his appetites, his pure, unadulterated, money-grubbing-right-down-to-$3-for-water greed. Trump has wanted more his entire life. He wants more money, of course. He has spent a lifetime in pursuit of more money, and then some more, and more and more. He borrowed so much money in pursuit of even more money that it drove him into bankruptcy, several bankruptcies in fact. Today, as president, he is said to be in debt for nearly $1 billion to banks and other lenders, a debt that will come due within the next few years, according to the New York Times and other reports.
Trump wants more fame, a drive that started off with mentions in gossip columns like the New York Post's "Page Six," during the years he was coming into his own as a builder in New York City. He used to call gossip columnists and plant items about himself, posing as a PR person, and then he would call the columnists the next day and comment on their mention of him in order to gain yet another column inch or two in the tabloids. Some said he ran for president back in 2016 to "burnish his brand," to achieve even more fame and use it to make even more money. Since he became president, he has been relentless in his pursuit of attention, tweeting at all hours, criticizing cable networks who don't give him enough coverage, calling in to shows like "Fox & Friends" and "Hannity" both to reward them for the coverage they've already given him, and to get more coverage.
He wants more women, from wife No. 1, Ivana, when he was just starting out, to wife No. 2, Marla Maples, after he jettisoned Ivana, and now wife No. 3, Melania, who replaced No. 2 when he determined she had a few too many miles on her. And then there were all the women in between, in and among his marriages, the women he groped on airplanes and at bars and during parties, the women he (allegedly) raped in places like a Bergdorf's dressing room or a hotel room or a bathroom during a party, the women whose mouths he forced his tongue down, the women he pushed up against walls and pressed himself against, the women whose bodies he commented on in offices or across rooms, the women whose skirts he put his hand up at restaurant tables, the women whose breasts he grabbed at tennis tournaments and beauty pageants, the women whose rear ends he grabbed in green rooms before television show tapings, the women he dragged behind curtains at New Year's Eve parties and forcibly kissed and groped. All of those women. Trump wanted their bodies and their mouths and he took them without asking permission because he was Donald Trump, and he took what he wanted.
He wanted more golf, so he played more golf more frequently than any president before him. He wanted so much golf that he went around the world buying and building his own golf courses, and then he played them, because he owned them, and because he owned the golf carts, as president he could charge the government for his own Secret Service agents. He could even charge the government for the hotel rooms the agents stayed in while they protected him. He charged the government $17,000 a month for a cottage at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf course, which the Secret Service had to rent month after month just in case he had a mind to play a round of golf.
Trump wants more adulation, more love from the "base," and when he feels he isn't getting enough, he tweets. There aren't enough hours in the day for Donald Trump. He was up at 3 a.m. this week, tweeting about the Supreme Court, the court to which he has appointed three arch-conservative justices, yelling at them for their recent decisions allowing mail-in votes to be counted after Election Day, because of course, he wants more votes. He's been up at 3 a.m. tweeting before, taunting a Miss Universe contestant for a "sex tape," taunting CNN as "low rated," bragging about his debate performance, yelling at polls that show him losing.
And now Trump is making his final campaign swing through the "battleground states," feeding the insatiable need of his base for more of himself. "Four more years" has become "12 more years." Somehow Trump is owed more years of the presidency because "they" took two or three years away from him during the Russia investigation, because "they" spied on his 2016 campaign, because "they" don't deserve to win. The red-hat-wearing mobs of un-masked fans at his rallies want more of the America they think Trump is bringing back to them. It's an America that is more white, has more guns, has more churches, more of "us," less of "them."
That's what they like about him. They want it all, the same way he does. That's what opposition to affirmative action has always been. They don't want some of the college admissions, they want them all. That's what Shelby County v. Holder was about, that's what voter IDs and all the restrictive rules about voting by mail are about. They want all the votes.
For the Trump base, making America great again means making America ours again, but he's going to make sure he puts it on their tab, right there with $3 for water and $546 for rooms and $50 for decorative palm trees for table decorations and $1,005.60 for 26 servings of Patron and Don Julio tequila, 22 Chopin vodkas, and six glasses of Woodford Reserve bourbon consumed by White House staffers at the Mar-a-Lago bar. It's going to cost us more than votes to get our country back. We're going to be paying for Trump's insatiable greed long after he's gone. More than 228,000 of us have already paid with our lives. If the Friday totals keep up — 98,500 new cases and more than 900 dead — a half million of us may perish by the time Trump walks out of the White House for the last time.