Georgia runoff elections for Senate too close to call

I assume the two Republicans will win but still expect to hear Trump Republicans claim every vote cast for one of the Democrats was fake.

Trump and his Republican backers, especially slimy politicians like Ted Cruz and others with zero integrity, have done more to undermine voting and elections, cornerstone to the republic, than any other anti-American group in history.

Under 2 hrs until the results start coming in. Hopefully, they've finished counting all the absentee and early votes from last week already. Just need the votes from today and te absentee ballots from the mail and drop boxes collected at 7pm local time.

I didn't vote for the coices I wanted for Georgia. I voted for who the country needed. They are not the same.

expect Trump and his supporters to claim fraud unless they win...

Under 2 hrs until the results start coming in. Hopefully, they've finished counting all the absentee and early votes from last week already.

Georgia law doesn't even let them start counting those ballots until the polls close. Results will take several days to be announced.

It’s funny that anyone would try to blame Pelosi and expect us to take them seriously.

Pelosi sat on her hands for eight months refusing to deal because she didn’t want to give Trump a win. As-soon-as the election was over she then settled for a deal worse than what Mnuchen offered her before the election. That’s why the Dems lost 10 House seats when they were expected to gain 10 to 20. Pelosi is a Leftist extremist to the bone. Anything for power. She has zero integrity.

But a state election board rule requires county election officials to begin processing absentee ballots — verifying signatures on the outer envelope, opening the envelopes and scanning the ballots — before Election Day. That should speed things up on election night.

Thanks DT.

I knew some processing was done before election day and assumed they could count absentee ballots on election day because if you requested an absentee ballot in Georgia, but decide to vote in-person, then that paper need to be brought to the precinct.

Other states run the ballots through the counting machines in advance, but do not access the results until the polls close. That was part of my confusion.

Polls are closed here. Anyone in line gets to vote, but waiting lines were usually 1 min or less in the reports I saw earlier today.

Just heard that the two Dems, Ossoff and Warnock, raised the most money for a Senate race in American history. The oligarchs have placed all of their bets on Biden’s support for big business. If money buys elections - it’s a done deal.

despite all the progress (trend reversal from the obama years). Shows the dems are very short on policy.

The reversals were basically because unethical stupid white Trump didn't like honorable black Obama, his intelligence, nor his humanity (ie, Trump is a whiny, juvenile, racist con man). The short on policy is a joke. Obama was a great president, a reason why he was re-elected for a second term, with huge approval. A winner, unlike Trump, a total loser. Obama understood policy, made them, and executed them.

Trump had few to no policies, no understanding how to implement a US government plan, and lack of any execution, thereof. He was and is a windbag. He sandbagged America to vote for him, and many realized their error, and didn't vote for him a second time. Trump was a 4 year mistake, who's approval rating dropped.

Trump, the worst president ever. The worst president imaginable.

Pelosi sat on her hands for eight months refusing to deal because she didn’t want to give Trump a win.

This is very true. There was never a need to holdout on aid at the time, but it would have given Trump a powerful boost pre-election and she wasn’t going to do it. Don’t know how this runoff is going to go, but I can say for certain that if the Dems will it will be a repeat of 2009 where the Democrats controlled all 3 branches of government and just the first 2 years alone they only focused on raising taxes and the ACA and not much of anything else and even that they couldn’t roll out correctly, which all the shenanigans cost them the House in 2010 and 2014 subsequently the Senate, so if that scenario would easily play out again were that to happen.

The oligarchs have placed all of their bets on Biden’s support for big business. If money buys elections - it’s a done deal.

It’s not fair! Just can’t catch a break huh?

Democrats lowered taxes under Obama. Let’s try to keep our posts grounded in reality.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2012/07/19/obama-promised-he-wouldnt-raise-taxes-on-the-middle-class-he-lied/?sh=5725d2a43a79

https://www.americancommitment.org/the-largest-tax-increase-in-history-on-the-middle-class

Obama has imposed the largest tax increase in history on the middle class. Individuals who don't buy insurance will have to pay several hundred dollars, depending on income. The Congressional Budget Office says that 76% of those who pay the mandate tax will make less than 500% of the federal poverty level, estimated to be $24,000 for a family of four in 2016. That means 76% of the payers will earn less than $120,000 a year.

Just heard that the two Dems, Ossoff and Warnock, raised the most money for a Senate race in American history. The oligarchs have placed all of their bets on Biden’s support for big business. If money buys elections - it’s a done deal.

Please get your facts straight:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/25/us/politics/georgia-senate-record-fundraising.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

"The Democrats’ haul was powered in large part by a flurry of smaller donations collected from across the country, filings show, with nearly half of the funds coming from people who donated less than $200.

For Mr. Perdue and Ms. Loeffler, the smaller donations accounted for less than 30 percent of what they raised."

So basically, the democrats money mostly comes from common people. If you're looking for the "oligarchs'" candidate, they are Perdue and Loeffler. Loeffler herself, one of the richest members of Congress, is pretty much an oligarch.

(this is an obvious point, because, of course, oligarch aren't exactly known for liking liberal ideas, unless in alt-right complete-inversal-of-values fever dreams, where democrats are racist, war-mongering wannabe monarchs, and republicans are... Democrats.)

This is very true. 

No, it isn't true at all. And it would be wise to refrain from trying to change history, especially when we're talking about a few months ago, because you can and will be proven wrong at every turn.

Pelosi and the democrats in Congress held off negociations because they wanted a 2 trillion aid package for failing businesses and people in need from the start. The republicans in Congress refused to even discuss this number, because they do not care about people in general. They only care about their power and their money. The negocitations only restarted when the democrats made concessions and accepted a 908$ million stimulus package, so less than half of what they wanted.

One of the two morons running for the 'Pub spots got an insider briefing on coronavirus and proceeded to sell off a bunch of her stock.

Traitor to America.

Obama has imposed the largest tax increase in history on the middle class. Individuals who don't buy insurance

Would you prefer a plan where insurance and health care cost nothing?

Trump and the GOP have had four years to replace the ACA. They've offered nothing. Give them the boot.

Praying for a Warnock and Ossoff win!

Pelosi sat on her hands for eight months refusing to deal because she didn’t want to give Trump a win. 

This is very true.

Some folks have been off-world for a year - don't you know, Trump and Nancy are BFFs and soulmates - both wanted the $2K amount over that mean, miserly Mitch who won't budge off his $600. Even you admitted that was a pittance.

So, you're on Team Trump/Nancy/AOC vs Mitch/McCarthy/Paul...

Welcome to The Squad ver 2.0....

Wrong figures there somewhere?

The source of the figures is "https://www.americancommitment.org", which is a shameless right-wing non-profit with close ties to the Koch brothers. So basically, it's not a news source, but propaganda.

Should be close, but the GOP will probably win which means they will have to tell us the election system in Georgia magically fixed itself. If the Dems win then expect the GOP to continue to erode confidence in our democracy.

I read a refreshingly honest article today from a GOP rep who basically said Trump is crazy for eroding confidence in the EC. Wish I would have kept the link. The point was that the GOP can't win elections without it since they'll continue to lose the popular vote. The EC is the only thing that keeps them in power as a minority, so any kind of talk of the system not working or needing a change could backfire on the GOP if Republicans suddenly stop supporting it.

Federal taxes are monies paid directly to the government. Health insurance is not a tax.

That wasn’t the point, the point is, no one has the money to pay for anything right now, healthcare included.

So that would be one fifth or about $5,000 pa. Wrong figures there somewhere?

So why why aren’t liberals addressing the poverty issue? Been waiting in California for 60 years....

Federal taxes were lower during the Obama term, and higher during the Trump term.

https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/2017/7/how-obamacare-tax-hikes-hurt-low-and-middle-income-americans

Obamacare levied other taxes on insurance that have raised costs for consumers. A reinsurance tax ranged from $27 to $63 for each person covered by private insurance and finally expired at the end of last year, with final payments due this year. Another tax that finances a trust fund for comparative effectiveness research is currently $2.26 per person (affecting both private insurance and some Medicare supplemental plans) and will grow with inflation until it expires, with final payments due in 2020. The institute financed by this fund has been criticized by a left-leaning organization for not focusing enough on its core mission.

Hmm....

the Big Tech monopoly blackout of negative information about Biden - particularly the evidence that Biden’s son was being investigated by the FBI for possible money laundering. 

That’s just evidence that some people don’t read enough.

True and for most of last year. All under Trump's watch!

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-27/the-trump-tax-cut-wasn-t-just-for-the-rich

Yup.

Ossof and Warnock both still have a comfortable lead with over half votes counted. Could still be anyone’s.

Looking good for the Democratic candidates. Fingers crossed they pull off a win.

Poles getting real tight.

66% of precincts reporting ... swapping back and forth. Less than 1% separation.

Found this tidbit about counting verses doing everything, including scanning, except counting early/absentee votes -

No ballots, including absentee ballots received in advance of Election Day, can be counted until the polls close. But a state election board rule requires county election officials to begin processing absentee ballots — verifying signatures on the outer envelope, opening the envelopes and scanning the ballots — before Election Day.

Basically, they do everything except read the final counts for absentee ballots before election day.

Ref: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-johnny-isakson-georgia-general-elections-elections-eea3b662d4470c6f02ffd500d8aaaff8

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to whine about it.

Yeah interesting dilemma. If Republicans win how do they explain it being fair when it is the same system as last time?

I know what will happen if they lose.

I hope the Republicans win. They're far from perfect, but America needs a roadblock in the Senate to minimise the damage the Democrats' hubris and incompetence would otherwise do.

And if the Dem candidates lose, with they blame Russia?

After 4 long years of blaming Russia for interference in the 2016 election, they then turn around and say fraud on their own behalf was simply impossible! But if they lose the Georgia race, expect them to claim fraud again. These people are delightfully consistently inconsistent.

After 4 long years of blaming Russia for interference in the 2016 election

All intelligence agencies in the US agree that there was indeed a massive operation of interference and influence in the 2016 election orchestrated by Russia. Denying that fact would simply be insane.

It does not mean that Russia did anything fraudulent to the actual election process. Nobody ever claimed that. But Russia did try its best to influence opinions and sway the results of the vote.

Have any of you ever been to Georgia? I lived in Atlanta for a two years. NW Georgia (where Trump held a YMCA rally) is the KKK capital and rural GA is like something out of a sci-fi movie and a scary place.

As long as Trump is gone and we never hear about him again in a few weeks,I'm happy. If the that creepy lizard woman is defeated, that's a bonus.

She was the same woman who after being in a confidential briefing about the coming danger of Covid in January, 2020, sold stocks and bought stock in Clorox and other companies that have profited immensely. She used her position to enrich herself. She was never elected, she was appointed to the senate in a typical political scam.

if GOP wins, Trump will credit himself for a « tremendous » victory, forgetting that the vote system he accuses of fraud is now working.

He's not going to stop saying the presidential election was rigged regardless of who wins.

Not a single vote had been counted yet in GA and Trump was screaming on Twitter about voting fraud. It's all about showing off and stirring the pot to get more people to send him money. How much has he skimmed off so far, $190 million?

@ Bass4Funk -

Poles getting real tight.

Dont know what Poland has to do with the vote?

With 91 percent counted, its looking very likely now that the Dems sweep the race and get the 50 seats needed. Trump will have another dummy-spit, claim fraud and cry.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/05/us/elections/forecast-georgia-senate-runoff.html?

Elections have consequences.

Dekalb mic drop coming in hot.

Well, some news sources are calling it a Democrat sweep in GA and that will change the Senate balance to the Democrats. They'll have both House and Senate.

McConnell ("Americans don't deserve $2,000") will be gone as Senate leader and Trump will be gone on January 20th.

Actually if the democrats win tonight, because they are runoff special elections, they could be sworn in as soon as possible, no need to wait to Jan 20, you could see a tied Senate 50-50 *with Mike Pence being the tie breaker, but at noon the 20th VP Harris would be the tie-breaker giving Democrats the majority in the Senate.

Far from conclusive, but Dems have taken the lead in GA:

https://www.nbcnews.com

I know it's way too early, but I'm predicting the Dems get both seats. So then it looks like the Dems will gain control of the Senate. Good riddance Mitch who has never ever acted for the American people. There is hope for the US finally.

WolfpackToday  08:04 am JST

Anything for power. She has zero integrity.

Aren't you always saying that Republicans should just copy the Democrats' dirty tricks in order to get power? Where's the integrity in that?

After 4 long years of blaming Russia for interference in the 2016 election, they

What do you have against the intelligence agencies? Deep state? NeverTrumpers?

The Black vote does it again.

Looks like the Democrats will win. I'm a bit confused about how the US system works now, but does this trigger the process that leads to Rudy Giuliani appearing in the parking lot of a lawn maintenance business next door to a porn shop that the vote was rigged? Or are there some special rules in Georgia about when that happens?

Yep, Trump's Twitter feed is already putting out tweets and retweets claiming election fraud in Georgia.