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FergardStratoavis Stop Killing My Titles from And Locations (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Stop Killing My Titles
#288451: Aug 22nd 2019 at 10:45:23 AM

uh

A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.

The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.

"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor. [...]

But once the electors are chosen and report in December to cast their votes as members of the Electoral College, they are fulfilling a federal function, and a state's authority has ended. "The states' power to appoint electors does not include the power to remove them or nullify their votes," the court said.

Because the Constitution contains no requirement for electors to follow the wishes of a political party, "the electors, once appointed, are free to vote as they choose," assuming that they cast their vote for a legally qualified candidate. [...]

Legal scholars said Tuesday's ruling was the first from a federal appeals court on the issue of faithless electors. It applies immediately to the six states of the 10th Circuit: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

“This court decision takes power from Colorado voters and sets a dangerous precedent," said Jena Griswold, Colorado's secretary of state. "Our nation stands on the principle of one person, one vote. We are reviewing this decision with our attorneys, and will vigorously protect Colorado voters.”

The federal court ruling conflicts with a decision from Washington state's Supreme Court in May, which said electors must follow the results of the popular vote. "The power of electors to vote comes from the state, and the elector has no personal right to that role,” the court said.

How bad can this be for American politics?

grah
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#288452: Aug 22nd 2019 at 10:46:52 AM

A lot of electors already aren't actually required to follow the actual voting results and we haven't had a problem so far.

Oh really when?
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#288453: Aug 22nd 2019 at 10:47:57 AM

Though I wonder if it will create a Spanner in the Works if that compact to give electoral votes to the popular vote winner gets off the ground.

TobiasDrake Queen of Good Things, Honest (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
Queen of Good Things, Honest
#288454: Aug 22nd 2019 at 11:00:13 AM

Yeah, this doesn't mean anything.

On the surface level, "They can't be required to vote for X" might seem like it throws a wrench into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, but it doesn't. The Compact affects how states portions out their electors, Democrat or Republican.

This is something states already have the legal right to do. While most states operate on Winner-Take-All and assigns 100% of electors to whichever party's candidate wins their state's popular vote, there are some who portion them out by the state's vote percentage.

In any case, most states don't have any laws on the books prohibiting what is called "faithless" electing, where an assigned Republican elector suddenly votes Democrat or vice versa. Even for those that do, it's typically just a fine or something; it doesn't actually throw out their vote.

So all the commission's really doing here is reinforcing what was already a rare but existing flaw in the system: the Electoral College is under no obligation to vote faithfully (but nearly always does).

My Tumblr. Currently liveblogging Haruhi Suzumiya and revisiting Danganronpa V3.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#288455: Aug 22nd 2019 at 11:05:55 AM

Hickenlooper is officially running for the Senate.

TobiasDrake Queen of Good Things, Honest (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
Queen of Good Things, Honest
#288456: Aug 22nd 2019 at 11:11:38 AM

Hickenlooper is officially running for the Senate Colorado's next Senator.

Fixed that for you.

Death, taxes, and Hickenlooper.

My Tumblr. Currently liveblogging Haruhi Suzumiya and revisiting Danganronpa V3.
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#288457: Aug 22nd 2019 at 11:14:23 AM

[up][up][up]

The States can also promptly eject the Faithless Elector and install one that will vote as they were meant to.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#288458: Aug 22nd 2019 at 12:02:32 PM

[up][up]Not to insinuate that you don't know your own state, but is he that likely to win? I see how he has all the advantages, but is this Senate seat going blue as likely as say, any given seat in Hawaii for the Dems?

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#288459: Aug 22nd 2019 at 12:53:18 PM

SHS has joined Fox News as a contributor. Hoo boy...

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#288460: Aug 22nd 2019 at 12:57:20 PM

Took me a few moments to realize who you are talking about, its been so long since she was relevant.

Her new job barely changes anything. She was already on Fox spouting nonsense well before today.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#288461: Aug 22nd 2019 at 12:58:04 PM

Who?!

(a reminder acronyms aren't helpful)

New theme music also a box
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#288463: Aug 22nd 2019 at 1:00:14 PM

Oh,her,yeah,well not too surprising given how the president literally watches the show

New theme music also a box
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#288464: Aug 22nd 2019 at 1:07:17 PM

Hey at least I didn't just say "Sanders" like I've seen in this thread before. tongue

Edited by speedyboris on Aug 22nd 2019 at 1:08:24 AM

Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#288465: Aug 22nd 2019 at 1:25:53 PM

(jerk off motion) Honestly, who cares? I'm much more annoyed by Spicer's normalization than Suckabee Handers getting her inevitable happy ending.

... you know, I didn't intend on there being so many references to handjobs in this post. I honestly didn't.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#288466: Aug 22nd 2019 at 1:42:54 PM

The Democrats begged the electors to not actually vote Trump in, in what was pretty much a desperation play that was kind of despicable.

Or would be if Trump hadn't proven a literal evil monster.

I still don't put him as a worse President than GWB because that man legalized torture but they're both scum.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
TobiasDrake Queen of Good Things, Honest (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
Queen of Good Things, Honest
#288467: Aug 22nd 2019 at 1:52:40 PM

Not to insinuate that you don't know your own state, but is he that likely to win? I see how he has all the advantages, but is this Senate seat going blue as likely as say, any given seat in Hawaii for the Dems?

Not really Hawaii levels, no. But his opponent is already having a tough time even matching up to "Generic Democrat" in the polls, and Hickenlooper's a beloved governor that Colorado basically adored for his whole time in office.

It's like if Gilbert Gottfried was running unopposed in a popularity contest and somehow still struggling not to lose, and then suddenly Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson entered the competition. Hickenlooper is big enough here that the Republicans will need to either

  1. Just face facts and let the seat be taken.
  2. Pour a lot of time, energy, and resources into defending the seat from Governor Rockstar and still probably lose.

Frankly, either outcome is acceptable.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Aug 22nd 2019 at 2:55:27 AM

My Tumblr. Currently liveblogging Haruhi Suzumiya and revisiting Danganronpa V3.
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#288468: Aug 22nd 2019 at 2:10:51 PM

Where does "think that a businessman should run the country" factor in there?

This is from a while ago but I just wanted to highlight that even under this type of logic, voting for Trump is a horrible idea because he's a bad businessman who went bankrupt like 6 times.

3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#288470: Aug 22nd 2019 at 2:26:44 PM

I think he was joking..I think

He's lucky no one said "Well first you gotta earn it in combat"

New theme music also a box
danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#288471: Aug 22nd 2019 at 2:49:58 PM

Well first you gotta actually enlist. Not be a damn draft dodger, Cadet Bone Spurs.

TobiasDrake Queen of Good Things, Honest (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
Queen of Good Things, Honest
#288472: Aug 22nd 2019 at 2:50:46 PM

[up][up] Military vets generally don't mouth off to the Commander-in-Chief. At least, not to his face.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Aug 22nd 2019 at 3:50:59 AM

My Tumblr. Currently liveblogging Haruhi Suzumiya and revisiting Danganronpa V3.
Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#288473: Aug 22nd 2019 at 3:05:09 PM

And Trump would be like

"Then give me gun so I can shoot someone"

at which point a secret service agent drags their finger across their throat and makes exaggerated death sounds

"I can't sorry,not today"

"Why not?"

"Cos your the president and congress just said Presidents can't use loaded weapons of any time"

Edited by Ultimatum on Aug 22nd 2019 at 10:13:37 AM

New theme music also a box
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#288474: Aug 22nd 2019 at 3:34:28 PM

Evil Turtle has made a move: Mitch McConnell: The Filibuster Plays a Crucial Role in Our Constitutional Order

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#288475: Aug 22nd 2019 at 3:47:14 PM

Didn't stop him two years ago.


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