By The Way. About That Electoral College Thing...

[TrollBuster9090]

Ironically, if 38 of the GOP Electors change their votes tomorrow, and save the nation from Donald Trump...

A) They will have done one of the things the Electoral College was actually created to do for the first time in history, and

B) they will have sealed their own doom.

I'd call that a win-win situation!

Once a precedent has been set for electors voting contrary to the popular vote from their state, they'll be less reluctant to do it again. Possibly leading to chaos. Every election the States would vote one way, but who knows how the electors will actually vote? It might become a THING for Electors to start second guessing the voters. I don't think ANYBODY would be comfortable with that, so there would be a significant political movement to abolish it. (No bad thing, in my opinion.)

So, this could actually kill two birds with one stone. Stop the Siberian Candidate from taking office, while simultaneously setting the process of getting rid of the Electoral College in motion.

The irony is mind boggling.

On the one hand, if there was no Electoral College, Clinton would be President right now.

On the other hand, if there was no Electoral College, there would be no way to stop the Trump train wreck.

I'm going to remain a foolish optimist, and assume that 38 Electors will change their votes tomorrow, and simultaneously save us from both a Trump Presidency, and an anti-democratic institution.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. It won't happen. A few may flip, but not 38.

Anyhow, even if Trump didn't get 270 votes, the whole mess goes to the House of Representatives. Guess who they'll choose?

[TrollBuster9090]

3. They wouldn't HAVE to choose Trump. They get to choose from the top three people

The House gets to choose from the top three people that the College voted for. That means that if somebody like Mitt Romney gets three write-in votes, the House would choose between Trump, Clinton, and Romney. I wouldn't put it past them to choose Romney.

In any case, even if a FEW of the Electors change their votes, it will put force behind the movement to abolish the College. Ironically, even from Trump himself!

I can imagine the tweets already.

"15 traitors in the Electoral College changed their votes! Very unfair! Must abolish this crooked organization! Sad!"

[Girard442]

4. If even a few electors flip, it'll piss Trump off. There's that. NT

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. I'm not holding my breath.

Reading the tweets would be fun, though.

[brooklynite]

8. Why do you imagine that a Tea Party-drive House would pick Romney over Trump?

There seems to be is illusion that Republicans don't REALLY like Trump and would dump him in an instant if they could. I haven't seen any evidence that's the case.

[Jim Lane]

18. They'd be happy to "pick" Pence

I don't expect it to go to the House, but if it did, the Republicans could arrange to split their votes between Trump and the third-place finisher in such a way that no one had the support of 26 states. On January 20, Pence is inaugurated as VP and immediately becomes Acting President, to serve until the House picks a President, which would happen roughly never. The Tea Partiers would prefer a hard-core rightist to Trump. The establishment Republicans would prefer a party regular to Trump. As icing on the cake, Pence used to serve in the House and has personal ties there.

You want evidence that this would happen? Sorry, this whole line of inquiry is in the category of pointless speculation indulged in only for entertainment value. We can all spin scenarios that will never be tested in the real world.

[eppur_se_muova]

10. A write-in vote for Romney would split the Repugs ...

... and HRC would get the most votes, not Romney.

[MrPurple]

7. Yeah, but it would be nice to stick responsibility for Trump on the House Republicans

You're right, no more than 2 or 3 of them will flip/abstain. They get to be electors as a perk for being connected/loyal party people and Reince Priebus has been canvassing them to make sure.

I'd love to see the electoral college implode, but unfortunately this isn't going to happen, even though Trump is precisely the person Hamilton wrote about that the electors were supposed to protect the country from.

[roamer65]

2. I hope you are right.

[skylucy]

6. You present an interesting scenario/analysis regarding the Electors.

I enjoyed reading it. I wish I was as optimistic as you.

[world wide wally]

9. I hate to be a Debbie Downwer, but forget your fantasy about the EC acting with a noble

conscience

[iluvtennis]

11. Pic of March in DC for EC to be briefed on Russian interference in our elections

[img][/img]

https://twitter.com/BlackCatUnloads/status/810245557818167297

[humbled_opinion]

12. There is also an alternate scenario

If it works, the Trumpers will call it a coup, they will try and seize power with armed insurrection. Civil War II.

[C Moon]

13. Not trying to be mean, but I'm tired of the "I hope..." I've been doing that since 2000.

It never happens.
It's just been getting worse and worse.
President Obama helped us stay afloat for a while, but now were heading into some stormy waters and I think we're going to hit an iceberg.

[Abu Pepe]

15. Obama was a kinda Prague Spring

Next comes the boot.

[kentuck]

14. I'm not sure if Trump is the King of Diamonds for the Republicans that they might think?

His parents had to send him to military school for a reason.

He's not going to pivot and become a saint.

They have finally stumbled upon a responsibility that they must do themselves. There is no one else to blame. The country is watching.

[Tiggeroshii]

16. It would create bipartisan support for abolishing it.

One reason many republican electors on the fence might vote for trump anyways.

[colorado_ufo]

17. Yes, you are probably correct, but consider this analogy:

Many buildings are equipped with alarms that read, "In case of fire, break glass and pull alarm." Sometimes there is even a hose behind the glass, for immediate aid. Obviously, when the glass is broken, the alarm is no longer usable and must be replaced. This is accepted and understood, but no one questions that the glass must be broken. It is meant for dire emergencies only - not for any casual or frivolous use. On a regular basis, it is only inspected once a year and signed off by the fire inspector. But the power to summon help, to override the routine, to protect the building and do the job for which it was created remains there.

The Electoral College is our safety net, for our protection. In a regular election, every four years, it is taken out and dusted off, and the electors sign off on the inspection of the election. But the power to protect our Nation remains there.

This is no false alarm. It is time to use that power, to summon help to the defense of our country.

Electors, do the job that is entrusted to you. USE the power of the Electoral College. Protect and preserve the United States of America!

For God's sake, break the glass!