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I think if we were going to get a republican president, that Kasich might perhaps be the best option. I don't know him well, but he came across as more of a right-democrat than a full fledged republican when compared to Trump, Paul Ryan, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, etc. I would (based on what I know at this point) much rather have Kasich than Trump.
But I don't think it really portends hope, unfortunately, if by hope you mean that the EC will vote for Hillary because she won the popular vote. This elector wants to find and vote for a different Republican.
I don't think they have the right to vote for Hillary. From what I understand, they have to honor the party that won. I'm not sure if they choose an alternate person, or if the process gets thrown to Congress to choose a President, if the EC fails to confirm the election results.
I don't think it would be a catastrophe for democracy, because this is how our system was designed from the start. The purpose of the EC, in part, is to protect the public from itself, so to speak, in case of a mob vote for an unqualified candidate. The Founding Fathers didn't trust an uneducated public to always make wise choices.
However, I agree that some people would be hopping mad. But they're already running amok, to some extent; there have been assaults on African Americans, and probably Hispanics, though I haven't heard specifically; schoolgirls have been assaulted by male classmates grabbing their crotch and saying "if a President can do it, I can too!", and just 2 days ago, a Native American teen in my town got beaten to the ground on his way home from his job in the evening. (This never happens here, and there's a significant Native population here.) The wrong elements in society have become emboldened by Trump's victory, and he hasn't addressed that, in spite of having it drawn to his attention.
Anyway, I'd thought that the whole EC rejection of the election results was just wishful thinking, until that Elector wrote a major piece calling for exactly that. Now I'm being cautiously optimistic. We'll see in a couple of weeks what happens.
From the gov archives page:
If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most Electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote.
@karasti said:
From the gov archives page:
If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most Electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote.
Interesting. I'm not sure what it means, exactly. The EC could vote for anyone they deemed fit? And the House would confirm one of the two or three top choices of the EC?
Well, we may find out. Or not. It could get interesting. Thank you, @Karasti. I see you're knowledgeable about Kasich, whom the linked opinion piece mentioned. I'll look him up.
My understanding is that the EC is mixed. Some can vote for whoever they want. Others (the majority of states I believe, but not sure how many) are bound by state law to vote for whoever won their state. I think that there are enough who are not bound to their state to throw the results so that there isn't a winner.
If that were to happen, then the House would vote between Trump, Clinton and Johnson (he was 3rd in the election). I do not know if they just need a majority or 2/3rds or what. I assume just a majority. Since they are republican controlled, it's pretty unlikely they would do anything but vote in Trump even though they hate him. It would be career suicide for a lot of them. So they don't have to vote republican, I don't think? But would have to choose between those 3 choices and could not just vote in Pence or Kasich or someone else. If something disqualified Trump suddenly, then I believe Pence would take his place. (yikes)
@Dakini Gary Johnson, ran on the Libertarian ticket. Jill Stein with the Green party was in 4th. I wonder where Bernie fell, lol, considering none of his write ins were counted in most states.
Comments
I think if we were going to get a republican president, that Kasich might perhaps be the best option. I don't know him well, but he came across as more of a right-democrat than a full fledged republican when compared to Trump, Paul Ryan, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, etc. I would (based on what I know at this point) much rather have Kasich than Trump.
I don't think they have the right to vote for Hillary. From what I understand, they have to honor the party that won. I'm not sure if they choose an alternate person, or if the process gets thrown to Congress to choose a President, if the EC fails to confirm the election results.
I don't think it would be a catastrophe for democracy, because this is how our system was designed from the start. The purpose of the EC, in part, is to protect the public from itself, so to speak, in case of a mob vote for an unqualified candidate. The Founding Fathers didn't trust an uneducated public to always make wise choices.
However, I agree that some people would be hopping mad. But they're already running amok, to some extent; there have been assaults on African Americans, and probably Hispanics, though I haven't heard specifically; schoolgirls have been assaulted by male classmates grabbing their crotch and saying "if a President can do it, I can too!", and just 2 days ago, a Native American teen in my town got beaten to the ground on his way home from his job in the evening. (This never happens here, and there's a significant Native population here.) The wrong elements in society have become emboldened by Trump's victory, and he hasn't addressed that, in spite of having it drawn to his attention.
Anyway, I'd thought that the whole EC rejection of the election results was just wishful thinking, until that Elector wrote a major piece calling for exactly that. Now I'm being cautiously optimistic. We'll see in a couple of weeks what happens.
From the gov archives page:
If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most Electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote.
Interesting. I'm not sure what it means, exactly. The EC could vote for anyone they deemed fit? And the House would confirm one of the two or three top choices of the EC?
Well, we may find out. Or not. It could get interesting. Thank you, @Karasti. I see you're knowledgeable about Kasich, whom the linked opinion piece mentioned. I'll look him up.
My understanding is that the EC is mixed. Some can vote for whoever they want. Others (the majority of states I believe, but not sure how many) are bound by state law to vote for whoever won their state. I think that there are enough who are not bound to their state to throw the results so that there isn't a winner.
If that were to happen, then the House would vote between Trump, Clinton and Johnson (he was 3rd in the election). I do not know if they just need a majority or 2/3rds or what. I assume just a majority. Since they are republican controlled, it's pretty unlikely they would do anything but vote in Trump even though they hate him. It would be career suicide for a lot of them. So they don't have to vote republican, I don't think? But would have to choose between those 3 choices and could not just vote in Pence or Kasich or someone else. If something disqualified Trump suddenly, then I believe Pence would take his place. (yikes)
Well, if it happens, it will be historic, and we'll have front-row seats to the show, and will learn all about how it works. BTW, who's Johnson?
@Dakini Gary Johnson, ran on the Libertarian ticket. Jill Stein with the Green party was in 4th. I wonder where Bernie fell, lol, considering none of his write ins were counted in most states.