US Elections 2020 (geopolitics, informed debate, no ad hominems)

Biden

14 (66.7%)

Trump

7 (33.3%)

Total Members Voted: 21

Voting closed: November 02, 2020, 06:25:59 pm

[Manoli]

You're being hyperbolic.  Aren't Dutch national police used in Dutch demonstrations?

Also, we don't operate like an "African dictatorship".  We are a nation of laws. That's a pretty insulting comment you made especially when you consider how the Dutch colonized Africa killing thousands if not millions of Africans for your gain and in other Dutch colonies around the world.  And today, your The Netherlands has laws that target Muslims.  Maybe you should look inward before you point finger at others.  People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. 

Bernard is Belgian, not Dutch.

[PeterAit]

How much of New York did you build?

Talk about your completely irrelevant questions, sheesh.

[faberryman]

Talk about your completely irrelevant questions, sheesh.

I think he owns, or at least manages, eight buildings in New York, which is what, half of New York? But maybe the internet is wrong.

[Alan Klein]

Bernard is Belgian, not Dutch.

Well, sorry.  But Belgium was not any better when it came to colonialism including the Belgian Congo where up to ten million Congolese died due to Belgian occupation and exploitation?  Their record on discrimination against Muslims in their country is one of the worse in Europe.  Look, America isn't perfect.  But people should look at their own countries and straighten out their own issues before they point fingers at the USA. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_colonial_empire#:~:text=Belgium%20controlled%20two%20colonies%20during,Burundi)%20from%201922%20to%201962.&text=Roughly%2098%25%20of%20Belgium's%20overseas,known%20as%20the%20Belgian%20Congo.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3431184

[faberryman]

Well, sorry.  But Belgium was not any better when it came to colonialism including the Belgian Congo where up to ten million Congolese died due to Belgian occupation and exploitation?  Their record on discrimination against Muslims in their country is one of the worse in Europe.  Look, America isn't perfect.  But people should look at their own countries and straighten out their own issues before they point fingers at the USA. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_colonial_empire#:~:text=Belgium%20controlled%20two%20colonies%20during,Burundi)%20from%201922%20to%201962.&text=Roughly%2098%25%20of%20Belgium's%20overseas,known%20as%20the%20Belgian%20Congo.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3431184

Seems like you live in a glass house and are throwing stones at Belgium. So what makes you special that it is okay for you to do.

[Craig Lamson]

Talk about your completely irrelevant questions, sheesh.

So in other words your real estate business experience is considerably less than the guy whos real estate business you want to trash.. OK, got it. 

[Manoli]

Well, sorry.

That’s ok.

Just thought you might at least want to get the correct nationality before you skewer him (Bernard). In their (Belgian) defence though they do lay claim to inventing ‘french fries’ (contested by the French) whilst all the Dutch gave us were two poxy cheeses,  Gouda and Edam.

[Alan Goldhammer]

Well, sorry.  But Belgium was not any better when it came to colonialism including the Belgian Congo where up to ten million Congolese died due to Belgian occupation and exploitation?

This is pointless.  The US was a nation founded on the preservation of slavery.  It forced indigenous peoples off lands that were given to them in treaties and then consigned to reservations.  A little inward reflection should relieve you of the desire to throw stones at others.

[Alan Klein]

Seems like you live in a glass house and are throwing stones at Belgium. So what makes you special that it is okay for you to do.

Because Bernard is constantly criticising my country-America, calling all sorts of vile names.  If he can't take it, he shouldn't dish it out. 

[Alan Klein]

That’s ok.

Just thought you might at least want to get the correct nationality before you skewer him (Bernard). In their (Belgian) defence though they do lay claim to inventing ‘french fries’ (contested by the French) whilst all the Dutch gave us were two poxy cheeses,  Gouda and Edam.

Well, I really like French fries.  So I guess they're really not that bad after all. 

[Alan Klein]

This is pointless.  The US was a nation founded on the preservation of slavery.  It forced indigenous peoples off lands that were given to them in treaties and then consigned to reservations.  A little inward reflection should relieve you of the desire to throw stones at others.

You're late to the discussion and should stay out of it.  He threw the first stone and insulted America.  As an American, you ought to stand up for it instead of accepting insults from others. 

[hogloff]

You're late to the discussion and should stay out of it.  He threw the first stone and insulted America.  As an American, you ought to stand up for it instead of accepting insults from others.

Unless the insult is based on facts.

[Alan Klein]

Unless the insult is based on facts.

I said America isn't perfect.  But it's not polite to insult others here in the forum or their country.  If he keeps it up, I'll keep it up. 

[faberryman]

I said America isn't perfect.  But it's not polite to insult others here in the forum or their country.  If he keeps it up, I'll keep it up.

I thought you said you were 75.

[kers]

Well, sorry.  But Belgium was not any better when it came to colonialism including the Belgian Congo where up to ten million Congolese died due to Belgian occupation and exploitation?  Their record on discrimination against Muslims in their country is one of the worse in Europe.  Look, America isn't perfect.  But people should look at their own countries and straighten out their own issues before they point fingers at the USA. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_colonial_empire#:~:text=Belgium%20controlled%20two%20colonies%20during,Burundi)%20from%201922%20to%201962.&text=Roughly%2098%25%20of%20Belgium's%20overseas,known%20as%20the%20Belgian%20Congo.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3431184

whatever...

[Robert Roaldi]

You're late to the discussion and should stay out of it.  He threw the first stone and insulted America.  As an American, you ought to stand up for it instead of accepting insults from others.

Why should he stay out of it?

[Chris Kern]

If he keeps it up, I'll keep it up.

Sigh.  So much for "geopolitics, informed debate."

[degrub]

yeah, that's what can happen when you use ketchup instead of mayo on the french fries 

[Pavel]

Does anyone actually believe “polls” like this anymore, especially after the egg on face last round of manipulative malarky during the lady election? They have no fresh ideas in the press, so why not try it again - somebody i bound to believe us and if it
Gets the USA closet to the
Communist utopia, then the lie is heroic truth. As an escape from communism, where my father funneled makes ney to the west to buy journalists ‘of the right ideals’ when in the army for i can vouch for the fact that the tactics never change.  A sucker born every day does not belong to Barnum only.

[TechTalk]

Does anyone actually believe “polls” like this anymore, especially after the egg on face last round of manipulative malarky during the lady election?

Yes. But that requires an understanding of what polls are and what they are not. Polls give an indication of a probability of a result not a prediction of a result. On average in 2016, national polling was quite accurate regarding the popular vote. At the state level, results were less accurate, as they usually are, but not very far off from average polling error.

Still, the very slim margins (0.2% to 0.8%) in a few key states which were won by Trump were within the margin of polling error. Put another way, if Clinton had received just 1% more of the actual vote in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, she would have won the electoral vote in addition to her win of the popular vote.

One poll is just one sample taken of a moment in time. Individual pollsters vary in their historic accuracy and methodology. Poll aggregators are generally a better indicator of what a result may be... within the margin of error of course. Of the poll aggregators, 538 is my preference. They have a deep understanding of polling and statistical analysis. They have measured the accuracy of various pollsters and have ratings for them. They have sophisticated methods for weighting their poll averages and have a realistic outlook on polling.

Here's the headline of an article that 538 published just a few days before the election in 2016; "Trump Is Just A Normal Polling Error Behind Clinton" https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/trump-is-just-a-normal-polling-error-behind-clinton/  Their article the day after election day is also revealing... https://fivethirtyeight.com/what-a-difference-2-percentage-points-makes   A 2018 analysis of the state of polling with a lot of data showing past error rates... https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-polls-are-all-right/

You can find the latest results from 538 here...  https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/national/

Pollster ratings are located here...  https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/pollster-ratings