Electoral College = Minority Rule: Difference between revisions
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|keywords= | |keywords=electoral college voter suppression electoral system climate change SCOTUS systemic racism biden trump president scotus electoral Vote red states blue states southern strategy us constitution democracy | ||
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''' | '''Question'''- ''What is the largest difference in voter margin possible when the winner of the Electoral College loses the popular vote.'' | ||
''' | '''Answer'''- '''116,999,963''' or 117,000,000 loser vs 37 winner | ||
<poem> | <poem> | ||
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who received nearly 4 million more votes than | who received nearly 4 million more votes than | ||
the other candidate can win by just the narrowest | the other candidate can win by just the narrowest | ||
in the Electoral College. | of margins in the Electoral College. | ||
The answer is rather simple if one looks at the mathematical foundation | The answer is rather simple if one looks at the mathematical foundation | ||
of the system used to elect our president. | of the system used to elect our president. (Talk about a bug in the system! | ||
or is it an intentional means of keeping the powerful in control?) | |||
It could be a whole lot worse. | It could be a whole lot worse. | ||
'''Is it easier to get the support of | '''Is it easier to get the support of 37 people or 117 million people? | ||
''' | ''' | ||
The mathematical structure of the Electoral College makes this a reality; | The mathematical structure of the Electoral College makes this a reality; | ||
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The above scenario is based on the following set of assumptions: | The above scenario is based on the following set of assumptions: | ||
The winning candidate gets the support of 1 voter from each of the | The winning candidate gets the support of 1 voter from each of the | ||
37 smallest states, minus 4 of the 3EV states. Putting them at 270 | |||
The losing candidate gets the support of 100% of registered voters | Electoral Votes. The losing candidate gets the support of 100% of registered voters | ||
from the 10 largest states putting them at 256 Electoral Votes. | from the 10 largest states (4 3EV states) putting them at 256 Electoral Votes. | ||
Seems outrageous? That is a emotional value judgement, it wouldn't | Seems outrageous? That is a emotional value judgement, it wouldn't | ||
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Remember: | Remember: | ||
1. '''The SCOTUS is dominated by " | 1. '''The SCOTUS is dominated by "Originalists" who claim to stick''' | ||
'''to the text of the Constitution''' vaguely tempered in some way | '''narrowly to the text of the Constitution''', vaguely tempered in some way | ||
by their own individual interpretation of the mores during the | by their own individual interpretation of the mores during the | ||
time the Constitution was written. | time the Constitution was written. | ||
2. '''The Constitution does not dictate that Electors are selected''' | 2. '''The Constitution does not dictate that Electors are selected''' | ||
'''by means of the popular vote.''' So in theory a state could assign | '''by means of the popular vote.''' | ||
one person to decide who their Electoral votes will go to or simply | "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct" | ||
So in [https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2020-10-01/could-a-few-state-legislatures-choose-the-next-president theory a state could assign one person] | |||
to decide who their Electoral votes will go to or simply | |||
have such extreme voter suppression that only one person is qualified | have such extreme voter suppression that only one person is qualified | ||
to vote. | to vote. | ||
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If I wanted to game the system; my bedrock policy would be to tax the | If I wanted to game the system; my bedrock policy would be to tax the | ||
10 largest states and give that money to the | 10 largest states (+4) and give that money to the 37 smallest states (there | ||
(or alternatively you could do the opposite). | is enough cushion in the EC to leave out the 4 smallest states, | ||
like DC, Vermont or Hawaii) (or alternatively you could do the opposite). | |||
But before that, I'd make sure I belonged to the party that controlled the | But before that, I'd make sure I belonged to the party that controlled the | ||
majority of small states. That party would then get the legislatures of each | majority of small states.That party would then get the legislatures | ||
state to decide where its Electoral Votes would go rather than the popular vote | of each state to decide where its Electoral Votes would go rather than | ||
or practice extreme voter suppression. '''If you think about it the Republican party | the popular vote or practice extreme voter suppression. Alternative | ||
is well on its way to achieving this goal.''' | I could just try to form a coalition of states willing to go along with | ||
my scheme in hopes it will add up to | |||
270 EC votes. '''If you think about it, the Republican party is well on its way to achieving this goal.''' | |||
</poem> | </poem> | ||
