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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Raddishes Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
#153251: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:40:57 AM

Took a bit to get my head around how the Electoral College works, but that's still unfair.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#153252: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:41:11 AM

He'll be fine, but Canada's going to revert to its typical approach of "Define ourselves by being different than America". Only this time it not lazy or a sign of an inferiority complex, but the defense of Canadian values in the face of a bordering fascist (if still friendly) superpower on our border.

If Trump does cut off trade, we'll have to realign towards the EU (if it survives...) and China. And hope that Trump makes investing up north appealing when he ruins the US economy.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#153253: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:43:06 AM

@Dragin: but if the Democrats win the midterm elections, maybe just maybe something good can come of Trump's presidency.

[up] I'm mostly kidding.

edited 10th Nov '16 9:43:38 AM by CaptainCapsase

megarockman from The Sixth Borough (Experienced Trainee)
#153254: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:43:29 AM

[up][up][up]Born of compromise of a very different American political world in the late 18th Century, when individual states were a lot more important, electors were initially selected by state legislatures and not popular vote, and the small states were afraid of being drowned out.

edited 10th Nov '16 9:43:38 AM by megarockman

The damned queen and the relentless knight.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#153255: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:45:10 AM

I just hope the Democrats don't succumb to voter apathy again in the midterms. Voter turnout for the Dems was at an all time low this election.

edited 10th Nov '16 9:45:37 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#153256: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:46:40 AM

The worst pick on that list is Sheriff David Clarke. The guy is fucking frightening. And a hypocrite too, considering he said "torches and pitchforks" if Hillary were to win, but said the anti-Trump protests need to be quelled.

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#153257: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:47:30 AM

That was when they were in power, we should see a rerun of 2006, 2002 only happened because of 9/11, so assuming Trump's government isn't incompetent enough to allow another 9/11 we should be okay electorally and if they are that incompetent we have other things to worry about.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Pseudopartition Screaming Into The Void from The Cretaeceous Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Screaming Into The Void
#153258: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:47:59 AM

I just hope the Democrats don't succumb to voter apathy again in the midterms. Voter turnout for the Dems was at an all time low this election.
How much was apathy, how much was removing the protections of the Voter's Rights Act?

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#153259: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:48:46 AM

I just hope the Democrats don't succumb to voter apathy again in the midterms. Voter turnout for the Dems was at an all time low this election.

That's what I'm afraid will happen. This election result was extremely demoralizing, and who knows what else Trump and the GOP will do in terms of voter suppression in the 2 years until then.

I'm trying to brace myself mentally for that outcome, but I think we owe it to ourselves to motivate everyone we know to vote in those to begin taking back the country.

edited 10th Nov '16 9:49:54 AM by Draghinazzo

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#153260: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:50:42 AM

[up][up] Voter turnout was a lot lower this year.

https://twitter.com/jonathanwebber/status/796448989931417600/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Even voter suppression couldn't account for all of it.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Pseudopartition Screaming Into The Void from The Cretaeceous Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Screaming Into The Void
#153261: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:52:15 AM

Because both sides are just as bad, right?

RedRob Since: Feb, 2016 Relationship Status: One Is The Loneliest Number
#153262: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:53:09 AM

You know, I'm going to college next school year, and many of them have a study abroad thing. I was hesitant on doing it, since I figure I be too freaked out at being in a totally new environment, but maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if Trump going to be president. Here's hoping the country hasn't gone to shit by the time I'm out of college.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet Unless I grew it. In that case, throw it in the trash.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#153263: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:53:11 AM

[up][up] Two years of Trump will hurt that idea pretty bad.

edited 10th Nov '16 9:53:42 AM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#153264: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:53:17 AM

[up][up][up] That was the narrative the media sold to the public. Horseshit to fuel a horserace.

edited 10th Nov '16 9:53:31 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#153265: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:53:23 AM

Took a bit to get my head around how the Electoral College works, but that's still unfair.
The problem with the electoral college isn't the electoral college itself, it's winner-take-all states. Which is, unfortunately, like all but two of them.

The electoral college is an attempt to balance power between states and individuals, as both are subject to federal law. The point is to keep someone from becoming president by proposing policies that benefit larger states at the expense of smaller states, without making the reverse true and allowing the more numerous less populous states to dictate policy to the handful of more populous states. So population counts for a lot, but it's slightly weighted by state, too.

That's fine. The problem is when states award all their electoral college votes in a single block. That's what causes "swing states". If the electoral college vote of a state was proportional to the popular vote of that state, then it would be worth campaigning there on the chance of picking up one or two more electoral college votes, even if the state as the whole is reliably red or reliably blue. It would also still be possible for the popular and electoral college votes to disagree, but it would be much harder.

Problem is, I don't actually know why states use winner-take-all systems. I believe it's determined by state law (and there are a handful of states that do split their electoral college votes), but I'm not sure what the advantage of doing things that way is. I mean, in reliable states, presumably the party in charge wants to make sure that their entire state goes for their party, but in swing states it's a gamble.

It'd be interesting to see a federal law requiring states to assign their electoral college votes proportionally. I'm not actually sure if that would require a constitutional amendment or not.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#153266: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:57:05 AM

And interesting opinion piece came out of the Washington Post of all places that Sanders was probably better equipped to defeat Trump than Clinton, not an uncommon opinion, but quite shocking considering the venue.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/11/10/hillary-clinton-lost-bernie-sanders-could-have-won/

edited 10th Nov '16 9:57:49 AM by CaptainCapsase

blkwhtrbbt The Dragon of the Eastern Sea from Doesn't take orders from Vladimir Putin Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Dragon of the Eastern Sea
#153267: Nov 10th 2016 at 9:58:56 AM

I don't think so. The process of election itself isn't a constitutional provision. All that is required is that there be one.

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
megarockman from The Sixth Borough (Experienced Trainee)
#153268: Nov 10th 2016 at 10:00:15 AM

[up][up][up]1. The two states are Nebraska and Maine.

2. Re winner-take-all, my impression is that this is just inertia from when the electors in most if not all states were voted on by state legislatures, not popular vote. I believe it is state-law-determined, ultimately.

3. Federal law alone may or may not be enough l since I think the election is technically all the states running their own elections, with those for president electing this given slate of electors that will go to the Electoral College and vote for this candidate. Though I do know that single-seat election districts for the House of Reps is mandated via federal law (was passed in the late 60's, IIRC).

edited 10th Nov '16 10:00:30 AM by megarockman

The damned queen and the relentless knight.
Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#153269: Nov 10th 2016 at 10:04:00 AM

Yeah, you accused me of firing up the circular firing squad when I said it, but it bears saying again: Focus on the proposed policies that may have worked and the policies that should be proposed instead of wondering about Sanders. He's not going to get any younger in 2020.

Better to study what can be made to appeal to the demographics the Democrats lost out in this time. Better to focus on finding similarly charismatic talent.

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#153270: Nov 10th 2016 at 10:07:23 AM

So, come 2020, who do you think the Dems will push forward to take down Trump? I can't imagine he'll get a second turn after four years of hell for the country, but I'm wondering who would go against him.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#153271: Nov 10th 2016 at 10:08:54 AM

[up][up] whether or not Sanders would've been able to win over the pivotal demographics in the rustbelt is an extremely important question considering there were similar looking upsets in the primary in those states what we saw on the general election. if the answer is yes or maybe leaning towards probably we need to identify what it was that enabled him to do that, and seek a candidate that shares that quality/those qualities in 2020.

edited 10th Nov '16 10:10:53 AM by CaptainCapsase

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#153272: Nov 10th 2016 at 10:09:00 AM

Look for Senators and Governors who put up early opposition to him. The 2020 election will be a referendum on Trump, and everyone knows it.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#153273: Nov 10th 2016 at 10:12:30 AM

Right now Elizabeth Warren is looking like one of the favorites, though she'll be 71 when the next election rolls around. There's also Corey Booker supposedly, but he's got little substance for all his flash and has a lot of ties to the big banks. I do wonder if in 2020 the Republicans will boot Trump at the primaries out of lack of faith or if they'll try to keep him because they can manipulate him.

megarockman from The Sixth Borough (Experienced Trainee)
#153274: Nov 10th 2016 at 10:13:57 AM

Kaine? Or is the fact that he ran as VP pick too much baggage?

edited 10th Nov '16 10:14:22 AM by megarockman

The damned queen and the relentless knight.
Demonic_Braeburn Yankee Doodle Dandy from Defective California Since: Jan, 2016
Yankee Doodle Dandy
#153275: Nov 10th 2016 at 10:14:10 AM

Bernie Sanders doesn't rule out a 2020 White House run.

People on social media want Michelle Obama to run in 2020.

Fans call on Kanye West to run for president in 2020.

Yeezus 2020.

Any group who acts like morons ironically will eventually find itself swamped by morons who think themselves to be in good company.

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