Robert Regan is a typical Republican (so an extremely far right nutjob who says that BLM is Marxist, there's no such thing as climate change, abortions should be outlawed, etc. Typical Republican) running for District 73 of the Michigan State House (Grand Rapids area).
If you live there, do as his own daughter asks and don't vote for him.
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lwt1973King of ThievesSyndicationRegistered Userregular
So we are in Phase 4 even though the GR area is in Risk 3. We can go back to school but it's still in the Med-High risk? What a mess. I know they need to open the schools but this is just asking for trouble. There is no way my teenage son is going to wear a mask in school. He will take it off unless there are huge consequences besides the "you might get it" as he's a stupid teen. And being that I'm in an area that thinks masks are dumb, there won't be any consequence for not wearing a mask as it'll cause too much parent revolt.
I already see travel soccer teams having games around here and people watching and not social distancing. It's a ticking time-bomb.
"He's sulking in his tent like Achilles! It's the Iliad?...from Homer?! READ A BOOK!!" -Handy
It's basically unheard of for a church to actually lose tax exempt status for playing politics. When I was in college a Baptist church in Saginaw got a warning for asking it's seniors to bring their absentee ballots in to be filled out for them.
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lwt1973King of ThievesSyndicationRegistered Userregular
The good news is the parent isn’t going to send their kids to school.
The bad news is that they don’t want their kids to wear a mask because it infringes on their rights and the school is mandating that.
Well, our school board finally met to make a decision last night. Apparently the plan was circulated to teachers the day before, and for some reason the board moved public comments to the beginning of the meeting (before actually revealing the plan to anyone else). So there were a lot of teachers protesting the plan, which the rest of us had to work out from their comments. 2 in person days plus 3 virtual days, half the students in person on M/W, other half on Tu/Th, everyone virtual on Friday and their off days.
I see some of the reasoning behind it and realize there are some students that really need to be in school, but I feel like this is a halfway option that ends up being the worst of both worlds. 3 virtual lesson days needed per week, so the teachers still need to be learning to handle online learning. 2 in person days, so everyone is still getting potential exposure, but 3 days off so working parents still need to figure out how to have their kid home most of the week.
Based on the school board meeting two weeks ago and the results of the parent and staff survey that went out, I was pretty sure they were going to start fully virtual and delay a decision until more data was in about how school starting was going elsewhere, but apparently they changed their minds.
At a recent public meeting, a Leelanau County road commissioner used a racial slur and blamed the COVID-19 crisis in Michigan on Detroit residents, a Leelanau newspaper is reporting.
Road Commissioner Tom Eckerle was asked by another road commissioner at the meeting on Tuesday why he wasn’t wearing a mask. Eckerle responded by saying, “Well this whole thing is because of them (racial epithet) down in Detroit," according to an article posted to the Leelanau Enterprise's website.
“I'm not a racist,” Eckerle said. “Black Lives Matter is racist. If I believed in Black Lives Matter, I would be racist. ... Black Lives Matter has no heart. And that is as offensive to me as the N-word,” he added, then used the full racist slur.
Well, our school board finally met to make a decision last night. Apparently the plan was circulated to teachers the day before, and for some reason the board moved public comments to the beginning of the meeting (before actually revealing the plan to anyone else). So there were a lot of teachers protesting the plan, which the rest of us had to work out from their comments. 2 in person days plus 3 virtual days, half the students in person on M/W, other half on Tu/Th, everyone virtual on Friday and their off days.
I see some of the reasoning behind it and realize there are some students that really need to be in school, but I feel like this is a halfway option that ends up being the worst of both worlds. 3 virtual lesson days needed per week, so the teachers still need to be learning to handle online learning. 2 in person days, so everyone is still getting potential exposure, but 3 days off so working parents still need to figure out how to have their kid home most of the week.
Based on the school board meeting two weeks ago and the results of the parent and staff survey that went out, I was pretty sure they were going to start fully virtual and delay a decision until more data was in about how school starting was going elsewhere, but apparently they changed their minds.
We're doing you can pick online only or you can pick in-person. You have can switch once but after that you need permission to switch. They were nebulous on what would happen if someone has it in school though.
"He's sulking in his tent like Achilles! It's the Iliad?...from Homer?! READ A BOOK!!" -Handy
Well, our school board finally met to make a decision last night. Apparently the plan was circulated to teachers the day before, and for some reason the board moved public comments to the beginning of the meeting (before actually revealing the plan to anyone else). So there were a lot of teachers protesting the plan, which the rest of us had to work out from their comments. 2 in person days plus 3 virtual days, half the students in person on M/W, other half on Tu/Th, everyone virtual on Friday and their off days.
I see some of the reasoning behind it and realize there are some students that really need to be in school, but I feel like this is a halfway option that ends up being the worst of both worlds. 3 virtual lesson days needed per week, so the teachers still need to be learning to handle online learning. 2 in person days, so everyone is still getting potential exposure, but 3 days off so working parents still need to figure out how to have their kid home most of the week.
Based on the school board meeting two weeks ago and the results of the parent and staff survey that went out, I was pretty sure they were going to start fully virtual and delay a decision until more data was in about how school starting was going elsewhere, but apparently they changed their minds.
We're doing you can pick online only or you can pick in-person. You have can switch once but after that you need permission to switch. They were nebulous on what would happen if someone has it in school though.
Several other districts in our county are starting fully online to see how things go. One at least has a plan laid out for a phased reopening based on having at least 2 weeks of declining numbers, and then slowly bringing in a few grades at a time on reduced schedules and working up to full in person.
The superintendent definitely presented the results of the parent survey in a skewed way to make it look like more people wanted in person. Now, even with the forced choice between hybrid and fully online, at least 30% of families have selected the fully virtual option, even knowing they're locked into that for at least 6 months, and possibly the whole year.
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lwt1973King of ThievesSyndicationRegistered Userregular
Another school district around us is doing the half one day and half the other day attending with the second option being fully online. It'll be alphabetical how they split them all up which will bite for some friends. And another private school is deciding that the mandatory mask doesn't apply to private schools so is telling their students it is optional.
The Catholic schools are calling BS on that but Tri-Unity is not answering any questions from the press and waiting to see if the state calls their bluff.
It's okay Michigan, all those other schools having Covid outbreaks and showing pictures of packed school hallways are in other states, it totally won't be a problem here.
I believe the last known lead pipe is scheduled to be removed this Fall as well. Hopefully it kills the false meme that Flint doesn't have safe drinking water, because it has had for years and those folks have already suffered enough.
Apparently the settlement involves admission of fault. Which symbolically is huge but has other implications (there are almost 80 other lawsuits ongoing).
I still don't like that said admission of fault is from the bullshit state investigation Snyder commissioned, that put primary blame on whistleblowers for not overstepping their authority far enough to actually stop it. There's been enough outside investigations that out the blame where it belongs, but I suppose it doesn't actually matter and this way is a specific middle finger to Snyder.
State appeals court told the GOP to get fucked on pulling back the governor's powers that have helped manage this crisis. Predictably, the Republicans are busy throwing a massive, massive tantrum over this and already screaming on how they want to take this to the state supreme court.
Let’s check in and see how things are going in Ann Arbor...
...damn it.
And classes start Monday.
This is gonna be a shitshow for sure, I plan on hunkering down for a few weeks when I get back to Michigan and I figure the chances of them staying in-person past Labor Day is fairly small.
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MayabirdPecking at the keyboardRegistered Userregular
Every single college opening so far has been a shitshow. The University of Michigan will be no different.
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daveNYCWhy universe hate Waspinator?Registered Userregular
Every single college opening so far has been a shitshow. The University of Michigan will be no different.
It's like the old (old) SNL skit where Tom Hanks takes a swig from a carton of sour milk, exclaims how horrible it is, and then everyone else in the skit takes turns drinking from the carton while shouting how horrible it is. It wasn't particularly funny then, and shifting it to the real world with a pandemic has not improved things.
Yet another area where the threadbare nature of American institutions (in this case, constant cuts to university budgets by the states causing them to become more dependent on non-resident tuition and room and board fees) is becoming painfully clear.
Shut up, Mr. Burton! You were not brought upon this world to get it!
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SummaryJudgmentGrab the hottest iron you can find, stride in the Tower’s front doorRegistered Userregular
edited August 2020
I'm local to MSU, I'm downtown every night and it's been pretty chill so far. Not a lot of foot traffic, and the majority is masked. Some outdoor gatherings that just look like 10 or fewer housemates using their porch.
It's still ??? whether MSU is officially turning refusing people access to dorms or not; I've heard it's just freshman and sophomores who are excluded, but who can petition to be let in, and they're using the attrition to give everyone dorm rooms without roommates.
SummaryJudgment on
Some days Blue wonders why anyone ever bothered making numbers so small; other days she supposes even infinity needs to start somewhere.
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lwt1973King of ThievesSyndicationRegistered Userregular
I'm running into the petition to remove the Emergency Powers from Whitmer at places. One was actually in a parking lot by stores so I have no idea how they got permission to put up a pavilion and a huge sign of "Remove Whitler Now!"
"He's sulking in his tent like Achilles! It's the Iliad?...from Homer?! READ A BOOK!!" -Handy
The EPA is stripping topsoil in flood areas along the Tittabawasee river through my father-in-law's area (Shields, though sounds like some parts of Freeland might be involved, too) because (surprise!) those pools at Dow may have been slightly less unused than previously advertised.
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OrcaAlso known as EspressosaurusWrexRegistered Userregular
The EPA is stripping topsoil in flood areas along the Tittabawasee river through my father-in-law's area (Shields, though sounds like some parts of Freeland might be involved, too) because (surprise!) those pools at Dow may have been slightly less unused than previously advertised.
:bigfrown:
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lwt1973King of ThievesSyndicationRegistered Userregular
Seems that the drive to repeal the 75 year old law in Michigan is going to succeed.
But she may be unable to stop a Republican maneuver that would rescind a 75-year-old law that has enabled her to issue and lift COVID-19 restrictions unilaterally. A ballot drive said Friday it was in the "home stretch" after collecting more than 400,000 signatures in just two months. Its goal is 500,000.
And then the legislature can just adopt it and the Governor can't veto it. All because people are mad that they couldn't get haircuts or watch a movie.
"He's sulking in his tent like Achilles! It's the Iliad?...from Homer?! READ A BOOK!!" -Handy
Goddamned fucking imbeciles. Fucking coffee and dog-grooming and bars are more important to them than keeping people safe. And of course, when the stupid fuckheads all catch it, they’ll blame Whitmer for it.
It’s fucking shameful, but par for the course with Michigan Republicans- who cares who you hurt as long as you give Whitmer the finger? They would burn the state to the ground if it meant catching this administration in the firestorm.
Goddamned fucking imbeciles. Fucking coffee and dog-grooming and bars are more important to them than keeping people safe. And of course, when the stupid fuckheads all catch it, they’ll blame Whitmer for it.
It’s fucking shameful, but par for the course with Michigan Republicans- who cares who you hurt as long as you give Whitmer the finger? They would burn the state to the ground if it meant catching this administration in the firestorm.
The right is all about owning the libs, even if it involves owning yourself in the process.
Goddamned fucking imbeciles. Fucking coffee and dog-grooming and bars are more important to them than keeping people safe. And of course, when the stupid fuckheads all catch it, they’ll blame Whitmer for it.
It’s fucking shameful, but par for the course with Michigan Republicans- who cares who you hurt as long as you give Whitmer the finger? They would burn the state to the ground if it meant catching this administration in the firestorm.
The right is all about owning the libs, even if it involves owning yourself in the process.
Yep. Some of these fuckers would want "I owned the libs" engraved on their tombstones.
It's all the people that they come into contact with, who aren't assholes, that I empathize with.
MDP did not nominate Joel Ferguson back to MSU's Board of Trustees, so that's good news. They did renominate Brian Mosallum, which presents a bit of a dilemma. He was the least shitty of the trustees in the whole Nassar mess, but he was still on the board that fucked that all up. Not sure what to do about that one.
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
Another week, another three-day weekend for our legislators in Lansing. Not that they wanted one, mind you, but they're getting a three-day weekend because the assholes are at it again:
The militias and the Proud Boys were out in force just outside the Capitol building waving their guns around and generally trying to compare Gov. Whitmer to Hitler again and generally whining and crying about how they can't take their guns inside the Capitol building, because that's exactly what we need right now- a government building full of armed terrorists militia types and alt-righters one Trump tweet away from slaughtering every Democrat in the place. There was, of course, lots of "four more years" chants from the MAGA chuds and plenty of pissing and moaning about Whitmer and the lockdowns and the masks and how they can't go to their favorite bar and get shitfaced drunk watching football or something just as fucking stupid.
God, I hate the stupid parts of this state. "But muh freedumz!" they say. "But our right to not have to worry about catching COVID from your stupid asses, or to not get shot simply because you disagree with my political affiliation!" I say.
Oh, but it gets better. There are constant motions to ban all guns from the Capitol and grounds. But the problem is, the panel to enact this stuff is made of three Dems and three chuds Republicans, and therefore it always ends up split right down the middle, when you need a simple majority.
Oh, and of course the cops were nowhere in sight- I imagine they were in the crowd somewhere, waving their tiny little dicks around along with the rest of them.
Another week, another three-day weekend for our legislators in Lansing. Not that they wanted one, mind you, but they're getting a three-day weekend because the assholes are at it again:
The militias and the Proud Boys were out in force just outside the Capitol building waving their guns around and generally trying to compare Gov. Whitmer to Hitler again and generally whining and crying about how they can't take their guns inside the Capitol building, because that's exactly what we need right now- a government building full of armed terrorists militia types and alt-righters one Trump tweet away from slaughtering every Democrat in the place. There was, of course, lots of "four more years" chants from the MAGA chuds and plenty of pissing and moaning about Whitmer and the lockdowns and the masks and how they can't go to their favorite bar and get shitfaced drunk watching football or something just as fucking stupid.
God, I hate the stupid parts of this state. "But muh freedumz!" they say. "But our right to not have to worry about catching COVID from your stupid asses, or to not get shot simply because you disagree with my political affiliation!" I say.
Oh, but it gets better. There are constant motions to ban all guns from the Capitol and grounds. But the problem is, the panel to enact this stuff is made of three Dems and three chuds Republicans, and therefore it always ends up split right down the middle, when you need a simple majority.
Oh, and of course the cops were nowhere in sight- I imagine they were in the crowd somewhere, waving their tiny little dicks around along with the rest of them.
Funny how the cops seem to mysteriously vanish when white people with guns show up and protest something. 🤔
I was going to say something more but lost my draft.
These fuckers deserve the Lions.
Eh, I've always been a Chicago, Green Bay, or Miami fan, myself. I don't think I have the stomach for getting let down every week to be a Lions fan.
In other news... it looks like the main reason the petition for the recall of the act granting the governor her powers to keep us all safe from the legions of stupid jackasses are getting so many signatures is that the people getting signatures are misrepresenting what the petition is for. People sign it thinking it's about something else.
...yeah, I agree with zagdrob. These fuckers deserve the Lions, and for the Tigers to collapse right before the playoffs for a decade straight for this stuff.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
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lwt1973King of ThievesSyndicationRegistered Userregular
coached paid petition circulators on giving voters false information, illegally collecting signatures without witnessing them, trespassing on private property, and even lying under oath.
It's all on a secret recording that someone made.
"He's sulking in his tent like Achilles! It's the Iliad?...from Homer?! READ A BOOK!!" -Handy
coached paid petition circulators on giving voters false information, illegally collecting signatures without witnessing them, trespassing on private property, and even lying under oath.
It's all on a secret recording that someone made.
I hope that can lead to a court case challenging the legitimacy of all the signatures on that petition, then- and that it can be tied up for months or years. But yeah, should have seen this one coming a mile away: Republicans lying and cheating as usual because they don't have the signatures otherwise.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
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lwt1973King of ThievesSyndicationRegistered Userregular
"The unrefuted affidavits and documents compel the conclusion that, in light of delays attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, mail delivery has become significantly compromised, and the risk for disenfranchisement when a voter returns an absent voter ballot by mail is very real," Stephens said in her ruling.
The Republican stance:
"The harvesting ban is in harmony with the Legislature's constitutional obligations to protect the right to vote absentee from fraud and corruption and preserve the purity of elections, represents a common sense restriction in limiting the individuals permitted to deliver someone's (absentee) ballot, and provides reasonable safeguards from potential abuses of voters exercising their right to vote absentee," the lawsuit states.
Also the ruling allows ballots to arrive late to be counted if they are postmarked before election day due to Covid. Republicans hate that part too.
Trying to win at all costs under the guise of safeguarding the election. It's sad that the Republicans don't want more people to vote as they know that those who have issues voting are the ones who would not vote for them.
"He's sulking in his tent like Achilles! It's the Iliad?...from Homer?! READ A BOOK!!" -Handy
Posts
The weather sucked those weeks they were protesting anyway
Robert Regan is a typical Republican (so an extremely far right nutjob who says that BLM is Marxist, there's no such thing as climate change, abortions should be outlawed, etc. Typical Republican) running for District 73 of the Michigan State House (Grand Rapids area).
If you live there, do as his own daughter asks and don't vote for him.
I already see travel soccer teams having games around here and people watching and not social distancing. It's a ticking time-bomb.
I have 549 Rock Band Drum and 305 Pro Drum FC's
REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS
I would think they would lose their Tax Exempt status but it's 2020 so who the fuck knows.
The bad news is that they don’t want their kids to wear a mask because it infringes on their rights and the school is mandating that.
https://www.woodtv.com/health/coronavirus/parents-split-on-sending-kids-back-to-school-this-fall/
I see some of the reasoning behind it and realize there are some students that really need to be in school, but I feel like this is a halfway option that ends up being the worst of both worlds. 3 virtual lesson days needed per week, so the teachers still need to be learning to handle online learning. 2 in person days, so everyone is still getting potential exposure, but 3 days off so working parents still need to figure out how to have their kid home most of the week.
Based on the school board meeting two weeks ago and the results of the parent and staff survey that went out, I was pretty sure they were going to start fully virtual and delay a decision until more data was in about how school starting was going elsewhere, but apparently they changed their minds.
Is that the voice from the Hunger Games
Spoilered for allusion to very bad words
He is stepping down from his position though. However this obvious racist assured us he in fact not a racist by doing something incredibly racist.
Once again, spoilered for naughty words
I have 549 Rock Band Drum and 305 Pro Drum FC's
REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS
We're doing you can pick online only or you can pick in-person. You have can switch once but after that you need permission to switch. They were nebulous on what would happen if someone has it in school though.
Several other districts in our county are starting fully online to see how things go. One at least has a plan laid out for a phased reopening based on having at least 2 weeks of declining numbers, and then slowly bringing in a few grades at a time on reduced schedules and working up to full in person.
The superintendent definitely presented the results of the parent survey in a skewed way to make it look like more people wanted in person. Now, even with the forced choice between hybrid and fully online, at least 30% of families have selected the fully virtual option, even knowing they're locked into that for at least 6 months, and possibly the whole year.
The Catholic schools are calling BS on that but Tri-Unity is not answering any questions from the press and waiting to see if the state calls their bluff.
Finally on a depressing front, here's an opinion article on the status of absentee balloting in the primary election over in Detroit.
...
https://www.whmi.com/news/article/howell-students-crowd-hallway-first-day-back-to-school?fbclid=IwAR0CNWQzTCJgpkomPK61vv8M4iREbWo6hmJ4_K3WJXnpx07ehnzENmGPMOk
oops.
I believe the last known lead pipe is scheduled to be removed this Fall as well. Hopefully it kills the false meme that Flint doesn't have safe drinking water, because it has had for years and those folks have already suffered enough.
I still don't like that said admission of fault is from the bullshit state investigation Snyder commissioned, that put primary blame on whistleblowers for not overstepping their authority far enough to actually stop it. There's been enough outside investigations that out the blame where it belongs, but I suppose it doesn't actually matter and this way is a specific middle finger to Snyder.
State appeals court told the GOP to get fucked on pulling back the governor's powers that have helped manage this crisis. Predictably, the Republicans are busy throwing a massive, massive tantrum over this and already screaming on how they want to take this to the state supreme court.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
...damn it.
And classes start Monday.
This is gonna be a shitshow for sure, I plan on hunkering down for a few weeks when I get back to Michigan and I figure the chances of them staying in-person past Labor Day is fairly small.
It's like the old (old) SNL skit where Tom Hanks takes a swig from a carton of sour milk, exclaims how horrible it is, and then everyone else in the skit takes turns drinking from the carton while shouting how horrible it is. It wasn't particularly funny then, and shifting it to the real world with a pandemic has not improved things.
Yet another area where the threadbare nature of American institutions (in this case, constant cuts to university budgets by the states causing them to become more dependent on non-resident tuition and room and board fees) is becoming painfully clear.
It's still ??? whether MSU is officially turning refusing people access to dorms or not; I've heard it's just freshman and sophomores who are excluded, but who can petition to be let in, and they're using the attrition to give everyone dorm rooms without roommates.
:bigfrown:
And then the legislature can just adopt it and the Governor can't veto it. All because people are mad that they couldn't get haircuts or watch a movie.
Goddamned fucking imbeciles. Fucking coffee and dog-grooming and bars are more important to them than keeping people safe. And of course, when the stupid fuckheads all catch it, they’ll blame Whitmer for it.
It’s fucking shameful, but par for the course with Michigan Republicans- who cares who you hurt as long as you give Whitmer the finger? They would burn the state to the ground if it meant catching this administration in the firestorm.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
The right is all about owning the libs, even if it involves owning yourself in the process.
Yep. Some of these fuckers would want "I owned the libs" engraved on their tombstones.
It's all the people that they come into contact with, who aren't assholes, that I empathize with.
https://wwmt.com/news/state/dozens-rally-for-gun-rights-outside-michigan-capitol
The militias and the Proud Boys were out in force just outside the Capitol building waving their guns around and generally trying to compare Gov. Whitmer to Hitler again and generally whining and crying about how they can't take their guns inside the Capitol building, because that's exactly what we need right now- a government building full of armed terrorists militia types and alt-righters one Trump tweet away from slaughtering every Democrat in the place. There was, of course, lots of "four more years" chants from the MAGA chuds and plenty of pissing and moaning about Whitmer and the lockdowns and the masks and how they can't go to their favorite bar and get shitfaced drunk watching football or something just as fucking stupid.
God, I hate the stupid parts of this state. "But muh freedumz!" they say. "But our right to not have to worry about catching COVID from your stupid asses, or to not get shot simply because you disagree with my political affiliation!" I say.
Oh, but it gets better. There are constant motions to ban all guns from the Capitol and grounds. But the problem is, the panel to enact this stuff is made of three Dems and three chuds Republicans, and therefore it always ends up split right down the middle, when you need a simple majority.
Oh, and of course the cops were nowhere in sight- I imagine they were in the crowd somewhere, waving their tiny little dicks around along with the rest of them.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
3DS: 0473-8507-2652
Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
PSN: AbEntropy
Funny how the cops seem to mysteriously vanish when white people with guns show up and protest something. 🤔
These fuckers deserve the Lions.
Eh, I've always been a Chicago, Green Bay, or Miami fan, myself. I don't think I have the stomach for getting let down every week to be a Lions fan.
In other news... it looks like the main reason the petition for the recall of the act granting the governor her powers to keep us all safe from the legions of stupid jackasses are getting so many signatures is that the people getting signatures are misrepresenting what the petition is for. People sign it thinking it's about something else.
...yeah, I agree with zagdrob. These fuckers deserve the Lions, and for the Tigers to collapse right before the playoffs for a decade straight for this stuff.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
It's all on a secret recording that someone made.
I hope that can lead to a court case challenging the legitimacy of all the signatures on that petition, then- and that it can be tied up for months or years. But yeah, should have seen this one coming a mile away: Republicans lying and cheating as usual because they don't have the signatures otherwise.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
The current ruling:
The Republican stance:
Also the ruling allows ballots to arrive late to be counted if they are postmarked before election day due to Covid. Republicans hate that part too.
Trying to win at all costs under the guise of safeguarding the election. It's sad that the Republicans don't want more people to vote as they know that those who have issues voting are the ones who would not vote for them.