Community > Politics and Government
Mr. Trump Goes to Washington
Cloud3514:
--- Quote from: niam2023 on November 18, 2016, 01:25:58 am ---Yes, but because she could not win the votes of a group of testaments to the devastating mental effects of inbreeding, she lost.
--- End quote ---
Which is why Clinton winning the popular vote is only a demonstration of how the Electoral College is massively flawed. I'm curious what the numbers would have looked like if the votes were distributed proportionately to the popular vote as opposed to the all or nothing system that I think I'm safe in saying has proven itself to advantage the Republicans after two Republican presidential victories in my lifetime that lost the popular vote.
Of course, my point was that saying it was close isn't as much of an argument as it was for Bush and Gore. Now, granted, I am not saying that the Electoral College is the only factor in Trumps victory (of which I give the most blame to the media for treating him with kid gloves while constantly harping on the fucking e-mails), but I do think it is a factor.
EDIT: Also, low voter turnout is not why Trump won, by the way. Turnout was down from 2012, but by only 1.3%.
dpareja:
--- Quote from: Cloud3514 on November 18, 2016, 01:40:25 am ---Which is why Clinton winning the popular vote is only a demonstration of how the Electoral College is massively flawed. I'm curious what the numbers would have looked like if the votes were distributed proportionately to the popular vote as opposed to the all or nothing system that I think I'm safe in saying has proven itself to advantage the Republicans after two Republican presidential victories in my lifetime that lost the popular vote.
--- End quote ---
I'm already planning to do this on another forum as soon as all the results are certified. I'll definitely post it here, as well.
Tolpuddle Martyr:
Question to the Americans here, is it true that the electoral college was devised as a way of giving more votes to the slave-owning states? Is there anything in that?
Cloud3514:
Generally speaking, I usually see people claim it's to prevent the tyranny of the majority (ironic how they're so concerned with that when it benefits them, but happily cite the majority opinion on things like gay marriage), but I would be more likely to wager that it's an efficiency measure due to difficulty in counting ballots in the 18th century.
dpareja:
Keep in mind that states have an exclusive and plenary power to decide how to allocate their votes in the Electoral College--even today, Maine and Nebraska allocate by congressional seat (hence 2 votes to the statewide winner for the Senate seats, and 1 to the winner in each House district--and Obama won Nebraska's 2nd district in 2008 and Trump won Maine's 2nd district this year). The winner-take-all system was not in common use early on; congressional district apportionment was used, or having the state Governor choose, or what have you.
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