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Posts Made By: Maurice Clark

September 24, 2020 11:42 PM Forum: Politics

Covid-19 data and graphs

Posted By Maurice Clark

Here is Alabama, about a quarter of my students have either contracted the virus or are in quarantine because they have been associating with someone who has contracted the virus.

Playing all hell with trying to schedule labs, tests, etc!

September 25, 2020 09:03 PM Forum: Politics

Covid-19 data and graphs

Posted By Maurice Clark

Originally Posted by James Brown

Hi Maurice:

Hopefully you remain well.  Stay away from those illegal frat parties! 

Jim
Hi Jim,

Unfortunately frat parties are a loonnnggg way in the rear view mirror.  Much too old for that.  cwy

One thing I have heard from other faculty is that apparently quite a number of students are deliberately hanging out with other who have covid, so that they go into quarantine to avoid taking a test!

The other thing I have seen is that this idea of hybrid classes where half the class attends in person while the other half watches online is a disaster.  All across the department test results have been abysmal.

Cheers,

Maurice

September 30, 2020 11:08 PM Forum: Politics

Debate

Posted By Maurice Clark

What the rest of the world thought about the debate.

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54354405

In summary:- humiliating for the US

October 1, 2020 04:52 AM Forum: Politics

Covid-19 data and graphs

Posted By Maurice Clark

The only worthwhile response.

October 2, 2020 04:42 AM Forum: Politics

More republican voter suppression

Posted By Maurice Clark

This time in Texas. The governor has ordered the closure of all but one voter drop-off points in each county.

"The proclamation by Mr Abbott will cause "widespread confusion and voter suppression", said Harris County clerk Chris Hollins in a statement. Harris County, which encompasses Houston, is the most populous county in the state.

"Multiple drop-off locations have been advertised for weeks," he said. "To force hundreds of thousands of seniors and voters with disabilities to use a single drop-off location...is prejudicial and dangerous."


https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54380684

October 3, 2020 02:41 AM Forum: Politics

More republican voter suppression

Posted By Maurice Clark

Thanks for the input James.  Been a few years since I lived in Texas so I am not up with how the governor is faring.

Cheers,

Maurice

October 17, 2020 06:06 AM Forum: Politics

Court packing

Posted By Maurice Clark

Hi Jim,

With respect to packing the court, I agree that it would not be in the democrats best interests, if for no other reason than it would give the republicans excuse to do the same next time they were in power. That being said there is nothing in the constitution that specifies the number of judges on the court. Also, is not packing the court exactly what the republicans are doing now? Blocking an appointment by Obama many months prior to an election and then ramming through one by trump just a couple of weeks prior? One can only hope that the senate republicans pay a high price for the hypocrisy!

Be that as it may, the republicans have been repeatedly doing this at state level for quite some time. A few examples:-

Arizona: In 2016, Arizona Republicans successfully expanded the Arizona Supreme Court from five to seven justices over the objections of the chief justice. The state's Republican governor picked the new justices. The bill's (Republican) sponsor let the cat out of the bag when he said: "If there were a different person appointing [the justices], I might feel less comfortable." 

Georgia: In 2016, Republicans in the state legislature pushed through a bill allowing then-governor Nathan Deal (R) to add two more justices to the seven-member state Supreme Court. Deal's lawyer said that he hoped the new court would make more decisions favorable to businesses.

Florida: In 2007, the Republican-controlled Florida legislature attempted to increase the state Supreme Court from seven to 15 justices because they were upset about a ruling it had made on school vouchers. It failed. In 2011, the legislature tried again and failed again.

Iowa: After the state Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage in 2009, Republicans in the legislature attempted to pack the court by adding two more justices. That didn't work because Democrats controlled the legislature at the time.

Montana: In 2011, Republicans in the state legislature attempted to unpack the state's top court by removing the two most liberal justices. They were completely open about their motives. Nevertheless, the bill died in committee.

Oklahoma: Same story in Oklahoma, only this time the unpacking would have reduced the number of justices from nine to five, eliminating four Democratic appointees. The effort failed.

Pennsylvania: In 2014, the Republicans in the state legislature introduced a bill to shrink government, including eliminating the office of the lieutenant governor, reducing the size of the general assembly, and also the size of the state Supreme Court. Just by chance, all of these changes would have benefited the Republicans. It didn't make it.

South Carolina: From 1995 to 2010, Democratic state senator Robert Ford kept introducing a bill to expand the top court from five to seven justices. It kept failing. Since 2013, Republicans have been trying to pack the court and have kept failing.

Washington: In 2013, Republicans attempted to get rid of four Democratic appointees on the nine-member Supreme Court after the court shot down a Republican-imposed restriction on tax hikes. The Brennan Center for Justice characterized the move as a threat to judicial independence. It failed.


Maurice

October 20, 2020 06:26 AM Forum: Politics

Christians for Trump?

Posted By Maurice Clark

I came across this one recently.

November 4, 2020 02:09 AM Forum: Politics

Without PA, Biden is an underdog

Posted By Maurice Clark

Hi Jim,

From what I read in the polls, for Trump to win, he has to win all of Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. The other states look out of reach. In all of these he is behind in the polls, although within the margin of error.

While it is entirely possible that he could win all these, it is a stiff asking. All Biden has to do is win one of these.

Could be an "interesting" night! cwy

Maurice

November 4, 2020 03:18 AM Forum: Politics

Without PA, Biden is an underdog

Posted By Maurice Clark

Originally Posted by James Brown

Yep.  Trump almost certainly needs all of those states.  Here is a map with Biden winning just Arizona - Biden victory by 1 EC vote.   Do you really think Trump is going to lose FL, OH, NC or GA?  That would be something.  If he does lose one of those, Trump probably loses several of those and Biden wins easily.

Jim
Hi Jim,

I doubt that Biden could win Georgia or Ohio. However it looks like Florida and North Carolina could be real nail-biters.

From what I have read over the past few months, North Carolina is becoming very much like Colorado, with a lot of "northerners" moving into the state, turning it more purple.  With Florida, I think it really depends on the senior vote and how they think Trump has done with the virus.

Of course I could be totally wrong, but that is how I see it at this point.

Will have to pick up some popcorn on the way home tonight.  smile

Cheers,

Maurice