Thursday 26 March 2020

The "Joe-Exit" Strategy

The last primary state is Kentucky on 23 June.

The Democratic Convention starts on 13 July. 

I expect on 26 June (Friday) an announcement to occur that Joe Biden is withdrawing his name because of 'health' reasons.  The entire weekend will be maximum turbo power discussion over the replacement candidate and how the open convention will be run.  Nothing else will occur that weekend.....otherwise, it'd kill off the whole 'hype' necessary.

The likely list?  Hillary, Warren, Stacey Abrams of Georgia,  and Governor Cuomo of NY. 

So all that money and time, with the debates.....totally wasted?  Yeah.  That's really the part that Democrats should talk about. 

Poll Tax Story

Yesterday, the topic of 'poll taxes' popped into my head, and I was curious....what exactly did they amount to?

Well....after review....in the state of Alabama (from 1877 to 1966), the tax that you paid at the polling station as you voted was $1.50.

The most costly states?  Main and Massachusetts, at $3.00.

Most southern states had a tax that varied from $1 to $1.50 at the station.

What'd it pay for?  Mostly clerk cost to maintain the voter rolls and vote 'forms'.

What happened after it was outlawed in 1965?  Well....the cost of the clerks, and the maintenance of the voter rolls simply went to regular taxation.  So one tax disappeared and made folks happy, and the other tax came to replace it (via sales taxes in your local country or city).  If you asked people about this....they wouldn't really grasp that there is a cost factor and someone is paying for that maintenance. 

So, how many states still had voter taxes existing into the 1960s?  Oddly....just seven.  Yes, the bulk of them had already dumped it in the 1930s and 1940s.  California dumped it in 1914.  Louisiana dumped it in the Huey Long era (1934).

Confusing?  I think a lot of people have been told grand stories, and if you lay out the whole landscape.....the bulk of the emphasis is marginal. 

Biden's Newest Claim: College Professor

In the last day or two....Joe Biden has spoken of his past again....over something that may or may not be true.....that he was a college professor after being VP.  Over the coming weeks, I expect other backgrounds to be mentioned by Joe:

1.  Amazon River explorer

2.  Rodeo rider

3.  Worked on the wrestling circuit as 'Doctor Evil' after VP years

4.  Spent one year with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a Shortstop in the 1960s

5.  Did long-haul trucking for six weeks in the 1980s

6.  Tried his hand as a Baptist minister for five days in 1980

7.  Asked the History Channel to do a reality show over politicians-turned-shrimp fishermen

8.  Wrote a bawdy tale about alien women landing on Earth and having affairs with drywall guys

9.  Was a part-time gourmet chef in New Orleans for three days

10.  Wrote some poetry under an anonymous name....mostly over cats and dogs