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With 11 days to Election Day 2020, here's the news that you'll want to know: (1) in the final debate, Biden revealed a progressive agenda on healthcare, energy, and the economy
(2) lawsuits shape voting in key battleground states ... and meanwhile, the Biden campaign is fundraising to "pre-fund a legal strategy"
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In final debate, Biden reveals progressive agenda on healthcare, energy, and the economy. "In the final presidential debate Thursday night, after taking fire from President Donald Trump about the Democrat’s health care goals, former Vice President Biden repeated President Barack Obama’s most famous lie, and made a promise that goes almost directly against his current proposed health care plan." (The Federalist) • What's happening: Last night was the final presidential debate between President Trump and Joe Biden. In the 90-minute exchange, Biden revealed some of what his presidential policies may be. Among the highlights:
-- Biden said he wants to "close down the oil industry." As President Trump pointed out, that would undermine America's energy independence.
-- Biden "repeated what the left-leaning fact-checker PolitiFact rated its 2013 'Lie of the Year'": that no one lost their insurance under Obamacare.
-- Biden said he would create a $15 minimum wage, even though one study found that it would "eliminate millions of jobs."
• What's at stake: Biden seemed to make the case that President Trump and Republicans have outlined: although he has presented himself as a moderate, his policies match the goals of the progressive left.
But given the unusual characteristics of the 2020 election -- including that more than 50 million Americans have voted already! -- the question remains of whether this will have a significant impact on Election Day, November 3rd.
This is likely why President Trump and his campaign asked for an early, additional debate to be added to the schedule. In the end, though, the debate commission passed.
Lawsuits shape election rules in battleground states. Meanwhile, Biden campaign wants to "pre-fund" its post-election legal strategy. "Hundreds of lawsuits about voting have been filed before the Nov. 3 election. The cases concern the fundamentals of the American democratic process, including how ballots are cast and counted. Some of the challenges are being fronted by legal teams working for President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden." (AP News) • What's happening: As we've shared with you before, the 2020 election is perhaps the most litigated in history, as lawsuits have been filed for nearly every imaginable element of the voting process.
• What's at stake: First, some lawsuits filed earlier in the fall substantially changed rules and procedures for voting, including the length of time that states will accept mail-in ballots.
But now, in our opinion, the listed lawsuits show the potential for future lawsuits after November 3rd. Put another way: in battleground states where the margin of victory is narrow -- and there's been a legal challenge affecting how ballots are counted and which ballots are valid -- we would not be surprised to see re-counts or legal battles like Florida in 2000.
As the Daily Wire noted, with the bolding our own emphasis: "But now, fundraisers affiliated with the campaign tell The Daily Beast, the campaign has moved from soliciting checks to fund the campaign’s coffers and pad out its advertising budget to asking donors to 'pre-fund' a legal strategy that includes teams ready to handle challenges arising from November’s election results, regardless of whether Biden or President Donald Trump wins."
More than 50 million Americans have voted already. "The high level of early voting has led Michael McDonald, the University of Florida professor who administers the U.S. Elections Project, to predict a record turnout of about 150 million, representing 65% of eligible voters, the highest rate since 1908.'" (Reuters) • What's happening: More than 50 million Americans have voted already in the 2020 election. (For context, approximately 138 million Americans voted in 2016.)
As a result of this strong early turnout, one expert has predicted we'll see the highest voter turnout rate in a century -- going back to 1908.
• What's at stake: First, the focus this year on early and absentee voting -- both in public education campaigns, changed rules and procedures, and increased resources -- has likely led to this massive increase in early voting.
Second, the high amount of early voting will likely change campaign strategies, as so many votes have been cast with 11 days still to go to November 3rd.
Bottom line: as everyone says, 2020 is truly an unprecedented year!
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