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by otterley 2057 days ago
At this point, it is practically impossible at a statistical level that the outcome would change even if every legal avenue on Trump's wish list were granted. There is such a thing as a reasonable degree of statistical certainty, and the media have been extremely conservative this time around (compared to, say, 2000) to ensure they don't get egg on their face and retract calls.

Also, there's this whole thing about "freedom of speech" that conservatives like to crow about, too.
1 comments
ceilingcorner 2057 days ago
It is not practically impossible. Highly unlikely, absolutely, but so is pretty much everything these days.

The quip about freedom of speech is really unnecessary. One can criticize the media while recognizing the importance of individual free speech. I don’t see this as the same issue, even if they are legally.

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otterley 2057 days ago
Can you describe a set of facts that are within the realm of reasonable possibility under the current set of circumstances that would substantially change the outcome?

> The quip about freedom of speech is really unnecessary. One can criticize the media while recognizing the importance of individual free speech

Live by the sword, die by the sword. How about Citizen's United, instead?

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ceilingcorner 2057 days ago
A plausible, but again, highly unlikely scenario:

- Supreme Court gets involved with PA and some votes are thrown out, or a recount is done.

- Recount in Georgia gives it to Trump.

- Arizona is still not declared and could go to Trump.

- North Carolina seems to be going to Trump.

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otterley 2057 days ago
I don't know what the word "plausible" means to you, but to most (and in the dictionary), plausible means "reasonable or probable." If something is unlikely, it is also implausible. It is imaginable, of course, but anything is imaginable.
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ceilingcorner 2057 days ago
Do you have anything to contribute to this conversation other than quibbling with definitions?
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otterley 2057 days ago
As an attorney and technologist, words and code are my stock in trade. So, accuracy in vocabulary and expression is important. If you are here, presumably you are a technologist, and so correctness should be important to you, too.

If we find that the scenario you have described has come to pass, you are more than welcome to come back and hit me over the head with it. However, you should also be able to stand by your own claims, especially when there are mathematical probabilities attached to them.

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