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Properly requested and verified ABSENTEE voting is not new. But this new Dem-contrived blanket mail out, like those Burger King coupons that come as junk mail, is new. That's right, if you're a Dem, you can vote several times AND get two Whoppers for $5! Quite a bargain.
The amount of money that both sides have spent on this is disgusting. That's true of all of the 2020 elections actually, but man - the money just poured down the drain in Georgia is crazy.
I saw an interesting critique of the money spent in Maine recently. Democrats spent millions to invite in outside consultants (who got paid regardless of the results, naturally). Democrats were highly critical about what they got for their money (I have no idea of the details, but the general thought was that the consultants had no concept of what would work in that context, meaning that all that money pouring in was essentially wasted).
If it works (and I guess it must work sometimes if done "well") it won't ever end, but given my disdain for politics - these constant stories about record-breaking amounts being spent on campaigns just really grosses me out. It just feels like we could use that money for something else, you know?
I think it's probably just a tiny piece of the base, but there were republicans literally calling for this. At big rallies. I doubt they're indicative of most republicans voters there, and it's finally started to get tamped down - but this was a theme early on. And a dangerous one.
I am reading a 1,000-page+ book(s) on Napoleon. Absolutely fascinating!
But, I found this interesting in keeping with this thread. To ratify the 1800 proposed French Constitution, Napoleon, the "consulate general" i.e. "president (ruler)" of France called for a nationwide vote. It was to take place from January 1 thru February 28, 1800. Given how tough travel was back then they allowed two months for all French males, over the age of 16, time to travel to a polling location. Napoleon wanted an overwhelming landslide victory in the vote, since he and and his inner-circle had written the new Constitution. In December, 1799, he appointed his brother, Lucien, as "head of elections" to assure a "fair" vote. Well... the measure passed with a 99.5% yes vote. Over 3 million yeses to a mere few thousand no's. Today in a museum in Paris, over 400 of those original ballots exist...each in the handwriting of Lucien himself, all "yes" votes, LOL! Historians say the measure would have passed easily, even without the voter fraud, by an estimated 1.5 million YES to about 300K NO votes, and Napoleon knew that, but he wanted an even bigger victory for his Constitution.
BTW, how Napoleon came to power, in the coup that overthrew the existing French government of the late 1790's is also very interesting. The architects of the coup were two politicians, Seiyes and Ducos, who did not like, nor trust Napoleon (and with good reason). They knew the populace would only rise up in support of a coup if a popular general was seen to be leading it. They asked three other French generals to serve as the figurehead of the coup...all three, including Massena, one of Napoleon's most loyal and trusted generals right to the end, had refused. It was Massena who forced Napoleon into the carriage to escape as the French army collapsed at Waterloo. Anyway, reluctantly Seiyes and Ducos approached Napoleon and offered him the opportunity. They envisioned Seiyes becoming Consulate, Ducos Minister of the Interior (domestic affairs) and Napoleon Minister of Foreign Affairs...but Napoleon had other ideas.