Author: J.P. Knowles

If all goes smoothly, Americans will know before the end of Election Day who our next president will be but the election process is not actually over that quickly.

Because major organizations like Fox News and The Associated Press have enough information to accurately project results the presidential winners are usually announced on the night of the election.

Each state, however, will continue counting the popular vote and certify the results after Election Day which could take days or even weeks. Each state has its own varying deadline on when they meet to verify the results.

For example, Delaware’s deadline is just two days after Election Day, whereas New York and California will not certify results until more than a month later on December 7 and 11, respectively.

After each state certifies their results, the electors of the Electoral College will convene on December 14 in their respective states to each cast one ballot for president and one ballot for vice president.

Then, those results will be delivered to the Capitol, where on January 6, 2020, the Senate will meet with the House of Representatives for a joint session in the House chamber to tally the electoral votes.

When those votes have been counted and one ticket has been determined to have received a majority of 270 or more electoral votes, the vice president, who presides as president of the Senate, will declare the results.

The results declared by the vice president “shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons, if any, elected President and Vice President.”

With that, the results will be deemed official and the winning ticket will be inaugurated as president and vice president of the United States of America on January 21, 2021.

In the early hours of Election Day Ohio’s most populous county, Franklin, experienced some technical issues with their check-in system and had to revert back to paper poll books resulting in long longs and even longer wait times.

Election officials and poll workers began using the old fashioned method to check in voters after learning that the electronic system had not been fully updated with new data.

A spokesperson for Secretary of State Frank LaRose wrote on Twitter, “It’s important to note that this does NOT impact voting machines in any way, and only modifies how voters are checked in.”

LaRose stated that the Franklin County Board of Elections was unable to upload all early in-person voting data into the electronic check-in system by Tuesday morning, but assured that poll workers are properly trained to use paper poll books as a backup method at every polling site.

“Secretary LaRose directed every board of elections to have paper poll books as a contingency plan to ensure the integrity of the system and so no voter may vote twice. It will not impact the security or accuracy of today’s vote,” said the spokesperson.

Besides this technical issue, voters will also have to deal with health regulations and logistical concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2016, President Trump flipped the crucial swing state of Ohio from blue to red and snatched the victory after then President Barack Obama barley held onto the state in 2008 and 2012.

This year both candidates are hoping to secure Ohio’s 18 electoral votes that will pave the way to the White House.

Over the past couple of months, there has been a rise in the number of Americans seeking professional help due to the stress and anxiety brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, many of which are concerned about how the presidential election will play a role in our country’s well-being. Doctors recommend several ways to calm those fears as we head into the final days before the election.

Dr. Barbara Nosal, Ph.D., LMFG, LADC, and chief clinical officer at Newport Institute, suggests practicing mindfulness during these hard times.

“Practicing mindfulness and connecting your mind and body through activities such as yoga, journaling, or going for a walk can be especially beneficial right now to alleviate stress. Exercise can also help alleviate stress because it releases endorphins which can make you feel more positive,” said the doctor.

Limiting or avoiding social media altogether is also a good idea if certain content tends to trigger these emotions.

“Social media use during high-stress events can often lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, insomnia, isolation, and fatigue,” Nosal pointed out. “‘Doomscrolling’ can often occur in scenarios like this when we are surrounded by and continuously reading or scrolling through bad news, even when it is disheartening or depressing.”

Try replacing the scrolling and never-ending unfiltered opinions of others with more positive activities, like listening to music that sparks joy or watching a lighthearted movie, or rereading a favorite book. Being creative can also help alleviate stress and feelings of anxiousness.

If you do decide to check in on the results, be sure to “consider the source of your information,” said Nosal.

“One key to your wellness is staying present and grounded in the moment by focusing on what you can control,” she said. “We can control our one vote, but the election results are out of our control.”

The doctor added that once you cast your vote “recognize the need to let it go and resist putting energy into the outcome given you cannot change it.”

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden took a shot at a group of Trump supporters in Minnesota who showed up at the former vice president’s campaign stop Friday night and honked their horns while he attempted to lay out his plan to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden tried to speak over the noise throughout his speech at the drive-in rally but was clearly bothered by it as he ripped the Trump administration for how they handled the pandemic. When the group’s horn-honking interrupted his explanation for his plan on supporting a nationwide mask mandate, he lost it.

“Dr. Fauci called for a mask mandate last week. This isn’t a political statement like those ugly folks over there beeping the horns. This is a patriotic duty, for God’s sake,” Biden yelled, pointing at the crowd.

Biden accused Trump of having “simply given up” on containing the virus and blamed the president for a rise in COVID-19 cases and growing death toll in Minnesota and other states.

The Democratic nominee claimed he would be able to bring “the country together around testing, tracing and masking” to contain the pandemic.

Biden grew even more irritated by the presence of Trump supporters while criticizing the president’s tax policies. If elected, Biden and his running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, have vowed to raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% as well as raising taxes for anyone earning more than $400,000 a year.

Both parties have amped up campaigning in battleground states in last minute efforts to rally in the couple of days until the election. Biden started the day with an event in Iowa and was scheduled to deliver another speech in Wisconsin later in the day. President Trump began in Michigan and ended up at the Rochester International Airport Friday evening.

Recent polls by Real Clear Politics show President Trump closing the point gap fast in Minnesota.

Michael Moore is a liberal filmmaker famous for several controversial documentaries that ofter touch on political and social issues. His most notable file is 2004’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” which uses humor and journalism to explore conspiracy theories surrounding the September 11 attacks.

After the conclusion of the Republican Convention, the filmmaker sent out a warning to Democrats referring to them as the “Resistance.” He said the level of excitement and enthusiasm from supporters for President Trump far exceeds that for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Moore wrote in a Facebook post, “Sorry to have to provide the reality check again, but when CNN polled registered voters in August in just the swing states, Biden and Trump were in a virtual tie. In Minnesota, it’s 47-47. In Michigan, where Biden had a big lead, Trump has closed the gap to 4 points.”

“Are you ready for a Trump victory? Are you mentally prepared to be outsmarted by Trump again? Do you find comfort in your certainty that there is no way Trump can win? Are you content with the trust you’ve placed in the DNC to pull this off?”

Moore criticized Joe Biden after he announced he would be visiting swing states following Labor Day but as the director pointed out the former vice president has yet to include his home state of Michigan in his itinerary.

“Sound familiar?” Moore asked referring to Hillary Clinton, who was accused by her own supporters of neglecting certain swing states before being defeated by Trump in 2016.

“I’m warning you almost 10 weeks in advance,” Moore continued. “The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trump’s base is OFF THE CHARTS! For Joe, not so much.”

This isn’t the first time Moore expressed concern over the lack of enthusiasm for Biden. Earlier this month he told MSNBC, “I worry because people do need to get excited.”

President Trump had a meeting on Thursday with 38-year-old Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., better known as Grammy award-winning rapper Lil’ Wayne.

According to a post on the rapper’s Twitter the unlikely friends “had a great meeting.”

“Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done,” Wayne wrote along with a picture of himself standing next to the president, both of them smiling and giving a thumbs up.

Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done. 🤙🏾 pic.twitter.com/Q9c5k1yMWf

— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) October 29, 2020

President Trump’s proposed “Platinum Plan” includes 3 million jobs that will be created in the Black community over the course of four years, increased access to capital by a whopping $500 billion, and building the strength of Trump’s immigration policies in order to protect jobs for Americans.

Another musician and actor, Ice Cube, has been working with Trump on his “Platinum Plan” for Black Americans. He made it clear on “Fox News Sunday” that he is “not playing politics with this.”

The actor told host Chris Wallace, “I’m willing to meet with anybody who could bring this to life and make it a reality.”

Named “Power Player of the Week,” Ice Cube has used his music for decades to call out the system only recently turning to politics to take action. This past summer, he released a “Contract with Black America,” calling for reforms to step up and close the opportunity gap in our country.

“Facts: I put out the [Contract with Black America],” said the rapper in a tweet. “Both parties contacted me. Dems said we’ll address the CWBA after the election,” Ice Cube tweeted. “Trump campaign made some adjustments to their plan after talking to us about the CWBA. They listened, heard what I had to say … and pumped up their plan and presented it to the people on September, I believe, 24.”

It took no time at all for the threats to start rolling in after Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the United States Supreme Court. Democrats vowed that Republicans would regret their decision to hold the vote so close to Election Day.

During a floor speech earlier this week Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer said, “The Republican majority is lighting its credibility on fire… The next time the American people give Democrats a majority in this chamber you will have forfeited the right to tell us how to run that majority.”

“My colleagues may regret this for a lot longer than they think,” he warned.

In the past nominees would need 60 votes to be confirmed but in 2017 Sen. Mitch McConnell changed the standard to allow for a simple majority. His change made it possible to confirm two of President Trump’s previous nominees, Justice Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Schumer’s comments sounded similar to those made by McConnell in 2013 when former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid first eliminated the 60-vote threshold to defeat GOP stonewalling of President Obama’s nominations to the executive branch and lower courts.

“You’ll regret this,” said McConnell, “and you may regret it a lot sooner than you think.”

Of corse House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had something negative to say in a statement released accusing President Trump and the GOP Senate for committing “an act of supreme desperation” with the election being so close.

Pelosi claims the confirmation was a manipulation made by Trump and Republicans to “achieve their years-long campaign to destroy Americans’ health care.”

“The President’s Supreme Court manipulation threatens the very values and rights that define and distinguish our nation: a woman’s constitutional right to make her own medical decisions, the rights of LGBTQ Americans, the right of workers to organize and collectively bargain for fair wages, the future of our planet and environmental protections, voting rights and the right of every American to have a voice in our democracy,” Pelosi argued in her statement.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s former business associate Tony Bobulinski appeared for an interview on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and claimed that the Biden family were not concerned that the former vice president’s alleged ties to Hunter’s shady business deals could put an end to any future presidential campaigns.

Bobulinski told host Carlson that in 2017 he raised his concerns to Joe Biden’s brother, Jim Biden, about the former vice president’s possible ties with a Chinese energy firm.

“I remember saying, ‘How are you guys getting away with this?’ ‘Aren’t you concerned?’” Bobulinski recalled.

He said Jim Biden laughed it off.

“‘Plausible Deniability,’ he said it directly to me in a cabana at the Peninsula Hotel,” said Bobulinski.

During the interview, he revealed how the alleged meeting with Joe Biden played out on May 2, 2017. Bobulinski insisted it was the Biden’s who wanted to have the meeting, not him.

“They were sort of wining and dining me and presenting the strength of the Biden family to get me engaged and to take on the CEO role to develop SinoHawk in the U.S. and around the world in partnership with CEFC,” Bobulinski said.

He described how Joe Biden arrived for a Milken conference, held partly at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, and how he was introduced to the former vice president by Jim and Hunter Biden.

Bobulinski stressed that he did not request the meeting with Joe Biden. He said, “They requested that I meet with Joe [Biden]. They were putting their entire family legacy on the line. They knew exactly what they were doing.”

He asked Hunter and his uncle why Joe Biden would want to meet him.

Bobulinski said, “Why on 10:38 on the night of May 2 would Joe Biden take time out of his schedule to take time with me, behind a column so people could not see us, to have a discussion with his family and my family and business at a very high level?”

That meeting took place just eleven days before a leaked email revealed a discussion of “remuneration packages” for six people in a business deal with a Chinese energy firm. The email suggests that Hunter Biden is the “Chair/ Vice Chair depending on agreement with CEFC,” referring to CEFC China Energy Co which has since gone bankrupt.

Included in the email is a note that “Hunter [Biden] has some office expectations he will elaborate.” An equity split of “20” for “H” and “10 held by H for the big guy?” is proposed but there are no further details. Bobulinski is adamant that “the big guy” is Joe Biden.

Joe Biden and his team have repeatedly denied any involvement with his son’s business dealings.

An unknown aircraft was intercepted by the United States Air Force after it was spotted flying to close for comfort over President Trump’s campaign rally in Arizona.

According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, several F-16s were dispatched and signal flares were launched before attempting to establish radio contact and escort the place out of restricted airspace “without further incident.”

NORAD reports the unidentified general aviation aircraft was not in communication with Air Traffic Controls and invaded the Temporary Flight Restriction area surrounding Bullhead City, Arizona, without authorized clearance around 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The aircraft did not initially respond to intercept procedures.

(2/2) The violating aircraft was non-responsive to initial intercept procedures, but established radio communications after NORAD aircraft deployed signal flares. The aircraft was escorted out of the restricted area by the NORAD aircraft without further incident. #WeHaveTheWatch

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) October 28, 2020

President Trump was speaking to the crowd in the battleground state just six days before Election Day when he heard the roar of the fighter jets overhead.

“I love that sound,” Trump said. “You don’t know what I went through to get those suckers up there. I had to get that money from the Democrats.”

The jets then launched the flares and the president pointed to the sky.

“Oh, look at that. Look, look, look,” he yelled. “Look at that. They gave the president a little display.” The crowd then chanted “USA, USA, USA!”

MUST WATCH: Fighter jet flies over @realDonaldTrump rally in #Arizona pic.twitter.com/36d9yunzEm

— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 28, 2020

Trump then used the incident as a segway to tell the crowd that the plane is a fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. He then jokingly said, “You know how hard it is to get Democrats to pay for that?”

It a federal ruling Tuesday the United States Postal Service has been ordered to revoke rules recently put in place by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and carry out extra trips needed to ensure the delivery of election mail.

Judge Emmet Sullivan, who made the order, determined that the USPS must notify staff members that guidelines from July 14th no longer apply and that “personnel are instructed to perform late and extra trips to the maximum extent necessary” equal to or greater than the rate before those guidelines were issued, in order to increase timely mail delivery, especially related to the election.

“Defendants shall issue a one-page notice to, or deliver a Stand-Up Talk to, all USPS personnel who may have job responsibilities related in any way to late and extra trips,” Sullivan added, “stating that: ‘Late and extra trips will be approved to the maximum extent necessary to increase on-time mail deliveries, particularly for Election Mail.”

“Any prior communication that is inconsistent with this should be disregarded,” he added. “To be clear, late and extra trips will be approved to the same or greater degree than they were performed prior to July 2020 when doing so would increase on-time mail deliveries.’”

In addition to the ruling, Sullivan also ordered USPS to distribute information to staff concerning each state’s deadlines for accepting ballots so that they can guarantee timely delivery.

In order to make certain that the Postal Service carries out its duties, Sullivan is ordering that the USPS provide the court with regular updates that include the number of extra and late trips that were needed the previous day, any available election mail data, as well as the rate of on-time deliveries.

Following the order, USPS made a statement saying that between now and November its number one priority is the secure, timely delivery of the United States Election Mail and that it is “deploying extraordinary measures” including “expedited handling, extra deliveries, and special pickups” as it has done for elections in the past.