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The direct democracy aspect of our electoral system was supposed to be for the electors. Thereafter, it fell to the republic aspect, where our representatives would vote for whoever they believed was best for the task. Really, our current system defies the constitution.
You're absolutely right. The electoral college isn't bound by public votes, wasn't intended to be, and so, they could technically vote however they want..... but should they?
Since the late 1800's, that's not how we've elected presidents. Voters go to the polls and vote on ballots that have presidential candidates names on them. They cast their vote thinking that they are making a choice for a presidential candidate known, not their preference for an elector. I'd wager 99% of the population doesn't even know the name of the elector who'll represent them. And they have a reasonable expectation ( given how we've done it for 200 years ) that electors will affirm the popular vote in their state. So given the norms of the past 2 centuries, and given how the public have come to expect the electoral college to conduct itself, it would be pretty crappy for the electors to all of a sudden decide to upend it.
If we want to go back to the original plan and let electors make the decision for us, fine, but if we're going to do that, let's start by removing the names of presidential candidates from ballots and replace them with the names of electors, who would then run their own campaigns in their state.
Would they? The house would elect Trump? I dont hold any illusion of anything happening, but if something does happen and it goes to the house unless there some technicality that I am missing I dont think Trump gets the nod, Pence would be favorite which IMO is probably worse, so Go trump! at least with him it will be equal parts deplorable and entertaining like imagining Kanye asking Trump if he likes fish sticks, Pence will be too heavy on the deplorable for my taste.
In contingent election the (new) House would pick from the top three candidates from the Electoral College vote. They can't pull Pence or any other name out of a hat. It looks like there will probably be more than two candidates getting votes -- maybe Kasich or Romney and maybe Bernie. If enough GOP electors defect from Trump to drop his total to 269 and give support to Romney or Kasich (for example) then the House would have a third choice. I don't expect that to happen. The Senate would pick the Vice President from the top two VP names -- Pence or Kaine.
I hope that just the possibility of this massive Constitutional crisis is enough to get all 50 states to enact tougher limits on electors. At this point, we'd be better off with a virtual elector system. You can't issue death threats against a virtual elector and they don't turn faithless either. All electors are currently pledged, so any of them refusing to vote for the candidate they were assigned is a liar and shouldn't be an elector to begin with. But the only sure-fire way to prevent this is to eliminate the human factor in it.
It'll probably take a faithless elector crisis going against the Dems to get the most blue states to do anything about it. Now that this can o' worms has been opened by the Dems, you can bet that the GOP will try the same thing a some point in the future -- so that may not be too long in coming.
I hope that just the possibility of this massive Constitutional crisis is enough to get all 50 states to enact tougher limits on electors. At this point, we'd be better off with a virtual elector system. You can't issue death threats against a virtual elector and they don't turn faithless either. All electors are currently pledged, so any of them refusing to vote for the candidate they were assigned is a liar and shouldn't be an elector to begin with. But the only sure-fire way to prevent this is to eliminate the human factor in it.
How is this a "Constitutional Crisis".....? Show me where in the Constitution it says anything about electors being "pledged" or "bound" to vote a certain way....
ProTip: you can't.
Do people even think about things before they say them? Or do they just throw big terms around that they don't fully understand because they think it makes them sound smarter than they actually are???
It's ok to be upset by the possibility of the electors upending the vote. It's ok to make arguments for why they shouldn't do it, but DON"T call it something that it isn't.
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It'll probably take a faithless elector crisis going against the Dems to get the most blue states to do anything about it. Now that this can o' worms has been opened by the Dems, you can bet that the GOP will try the same thing a some point in the future -- so that may not be too long in coming.
You realize that these are REPUBLICAN electors considering this, right? And that for this to work, it would REQUIRE Republican electors to flip?
Wow, wow.....I think you're making some mighty, mighty big leaps here.
#1) Trump isn't incredibly popular. While his ratings have improved since the election, they're still terrible,
#2) That he's "likeable"...Before the elections he was the least liked presidential candidate in American history.
#3) That he has the "love" of over 60,000,0000 voters. I voted for him, but I sure don't love him and think he was literally the WORST candidate out of all the Republicans that ran. And it would appear that a staggering majority of Republicans would agree with me, seeing as 65% of them voted for someone OTHER than Trump in the primaries.
You really though foam boi Rubio and guac bowl huckster Jeb were better? Delete yourself.
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Originally Posted by Speleothem
They have one Republican elector willing to flip.
A guy who lied about being a 911 first responder
And he's a Jew...who was caught using ashleymadison.com. What an honorable fellow.
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