Some Behind-the-Scenes "Nudging" of the 2020 Election

The usual suspects, plus a few lesser known Democratic supporters, are working hard to take over the 2020 Election planning, organizing, and vote-manufacturing.

The New Billionaires are far more hands-on involved in the process. As most of them are Tech Billionaires, they naturally feel as though their technical expertise is superior to the political experts. They have been working to set up 'Shadow' election machinery - GOTV campaigns, voter registration, databases with their own mining experts, and even media outlets.

...the funding of ideological news sites is another battlefield where Democratic megadonors are mimicking Republicans. Democratic donors outside of tech tend to fund television ads. But the Silicon Valley set is uniquely seeking to build a digital world optimized for 2020, drawing lessons from the right-wing media ecosystem that conservatives built and Trump capitalized upon in 2016.

“For far too long right-wing media has dominated our discourse and Facebook news feeds,” said Tara McGowan, the founder of Acronym, a political group backed by Powell Jobs and Hoffman. “We can’t sit by another cycle and watch a one-sided battle play out online.”

Behind this, more than anyone else, has been Hoffman, whose team has funded projects that defenders say are a savvy way to take advantage of how information is distributed in the 21st century. Critics say they exacerbate political divides and sometimes push misinformation.

But that hasn’t deterred Hoffman: His aides have indicated that setting up partisan news sites that masquerade as journalism is one of the priorities of its group of allied donors.

 This is one of the most misunderstood facets of the Left/Right Media Divide. The Left truly believes that non-Left bloggers and other media creators are being set up by nefarious Right-Wing Rich Guys, and told what to do.

As if.

And, for that matter, if folks like me are being paid big bucks to promote the non-Left (Normal, as Kurt Schlichter terms us) point of view, all I can say is:

Just Kidding - my opinions aren't for sale.

Or, even for rent.

'Course, some small token of appreciation WOULD be nice.

What can we take from all of this?

• The Rich Left is scared - petrified that their unfair advantages in business will no longer be supported by government. Their use of the H1-B visas to cut costs and discourage unionization, their sweetheart deals that steer government contracts their way, their flouting of the anti-trust laws and pirahna-like attacks on smaller competitors, and favorable tax treatment for their estates, to name just a few, would be in jeopardy. As we know from history, desperate people do stupid things.
• The Rich Left is just about out of patience with a corrupt machinery that refuses to take advice from people who believe they understand technology's potential better than the Democratic machine. They have set up competing businesses and organizations, funded them, and will likely expand their use in the 2020 election. All of which is likely to muddle the process more than help. Kind of like trying to take the advice of both your wife and mistress - their interests are opposed to each other's success.
• This will bleed off money that previously was directed towards Saving the World. A lot of NGOs are going to be laying off people. Some of those dumped may have interesting stories to tell (Particularly women - that old thing about a rejected woman spilling her guts, even if it ultimately hurts her? Completely true - they WILL cut off their nose to spite their face, yelling all the time about how it's YOUR fault they had to do it.).
• Companies/organizations/media outlets left hanging in the wind by the Left's Tech Wars? Well, let's just say that some job interviews might unearth some Very Interesting Information in the process of talking to them. Those who've been tossed to the street will be angry, and in the mood for payback. If you find someone in that position, listen empathically, and leave the recorder on.

A last concern - widespread mail-in voting. While absentee ballots for shut-ins and others who cannot be physically present at voting time are reasonable, the Left's use of fraudulent ballots, multiple casting of ballots by the same person, and 'stuffing the ballot box' are legendary - AND not just an urban legend.

It's time to shut down that liberalization of the process that facilitates fraud.

• Start with a "No" on ballot harvesting - the potential for taking advantage of the elderly and mentally disabled is huge. There are no checks on the practice.
• A person living away from home - such as a college student - should have to PROVE that they are not signed up to vote simultaneously in another state. In fact, anyone living in temporary housing should have to show proof before being registered to vote.
• Same with changes of address. A standard part of that process should be verification of disenrollment in the previous place. In writing. Signed by an official of the Board of Elections in the disenrollment state/location.
• At SOME time before voting, a person should have to present proof of identity. If they have no photo ID, they should have their picture/thumbprint taken by the registering authority before allowing them to vote. They can have that data expunged if they return with photo ID (verifiable photo ID - real ID or similar).
• Those opposed to photos for religious reasons need to have their identity verified by a government official/church official who will swear, in writing, under penalty of criminal felony, that the person is who they claim to be. Their address/residency still needs to be verified.