Hi Graham. First, I am an atheist, so when I die, I will die. period, end of discussion. I am a scholar of he Constitution, meaning I read it almost daily and rely on it solely for political decisions. Therefor when Professor Robert Reich suggests we do not sit out the election I agree with him. No matter how much we bitch and complain the Electoral College will not go away. It is in the Constitution. Article 2 Section 1 paragraph 2. The only way to get rid of it is through an Amendment. To pass an Amendment, we need affirmative votes from 2/3 of each House (Senate and Representative) of Congress AND ratification of 3/4 of the United States. We have 50 States, that means 13 states holding out denies the Amendment. The Electoral College was put in the Constitution in order to prevent "tyranny of the majority" and it certainly works. Since 2000 we have have had 5 elections, in 2 of those the Presidency was won by the Electoral College and lost by the popular vote. George W Bush 2000, and Trump 2016. GWB won both in his second election. Barrack Obama won both his elections as did Joe Biden in 2020.
Given this and the fact that we have at least 2 well known 3rd party contenders, we the Democrats need every vote we can get. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr will be the Candidate for the Democratic ticket in 2024. Given this information can you blame us for wanting every Democrat to vote?
Typos aside, I've read and absorbed your contribution, for which I thank you.
You sketch out very clearly the difficulty of altering the constitutional provisions that tie your elections into the college. And, somewhat flippantly, I responded that I don't blame you for the tactic you propose: do not abstain even if you disagree with Mr Biden on certain policies.
When Mr Trump was defeated at the polls in 2020, there was great relief. It was over. And now it's not over any more. When Trump wins in November, there won't be riots. The riots will come on day two of his presidency, by when we'll know what he intended doing on day one.
The question then is not how would you engineer an amendment to the constitution, but what would happen if the prospect of such an amendment were to be lost for ever? Rather than inciting folk to vote against their consciences, that is the question that should be preoccupying people right now. Because I think Mr Trump intends winning, come what may.
Thank you, Graham, I agree. Trump will lose the election but he already plans to have his minions take to the streets, armed to the teeth. That is why I keep suggesting that we be prepared (yeah, like boys scouts (:-)) We need each State National Guard to be on alert. Constitutionally we are not allowed to use our Federally financed regular military against Americans. We do have the precedence of the Civil War, but in that case the rebellious States had seceded and formed a separate, if temporary nation.
Nothing in the Constitution prepares us for a loser in the Presidential election inciting insurrection. Even after January 6, 2021 which showed us how ill-prepared we were.
Even our Judicial Branch was not prepared for swift action - Oh, they acted quickly enough against the participants who actually invaded the Congress. I'm sorry the Secret Service didn't drive him to the Capitol as he requested. Those people would not have hurt him and we'd have had irrefutable evidence of his criminal behavior.
You're painted into a corner, and no one wants paint on their slippers.
In 1990 I travelled to a wedding in Geneva and the wedding party returned to Belgium in two cars, mine and the groom's. On the motorway rest stop, Fred chatted to me about Richard's driving style: "Everything, but everything comes as a surprise to him: Mais dis donc! Qu'est qu'il foute?!"
Leonard Leo has come as a surprise. Clarence Thomas. Donald Trump. Some are easily surprised.
I am genuinely curious: does an atheist ever feel guilty?
Hi Graham. First, I am an atheist, so when I die, I will die. period, end of discussion. I am a scholar of he Constitution, meaning I read it almost daily and rely on it solely for political decisions. Therefor when Professor Robert Reich suggests we do not sit out the election I agree with him. No matter how much we bitch and complain the Electoral College will not go away. It is in the Constitution. Article 2 Section 1 paragraph 2. The only way to get rid of it is through an Amendment. To pass an Amendment, we need affirmative votes from 2/3 of each House (Senate and Representative) of Congress AND ratification of 3/4 of the United States. We have 50 States, that means 13 states holding out denies the Amendment. The Electoral College was put in the Constitution in order to prevent "tyranny of the majority" and it certainly works. Since 2000 we have have had 5 elections, in 2 of those the Presidency was won by the Electoral College and lost by the popular vote. George W Bush 2000, and Trump 2016. GWB won both in his second election. Barrack Obama won both his elections as did Joe Biden in 2020.
Given this and the fact that we have at least 2 well known 3rd party contenders, we the Democrats need every vote we can get. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr will be the Candidate for the Democratic ticket in 2024. Given this information can you blame us for wanting every Democrat to vote?
Typos aside, I've read and absorbed your contribution, for which I thank you.
You sketch out very clearly the difficulty of altering the constitutional provisions that tie your elections into the college. And, somewhat flippantly, I responded that I don't blame you for the tactic you propose: do not abstain even if you disagree with Mr Biden on certain policies.
When Mr Trump was defeated at the polls in 2020, there was great relief. It was over. And now it's not over any more. When Trump wins in November, there won't be riots. The riots will come on day two of his presidency, by when we'll know what he intended doing on day one.
The question then is not how would you engineer an amendment to the constitution, but what would happen if the prospect of such an amendment were to be lost for ever? Rather than inciting folk to vote against their consciences, that is the question that should be preoccupying people right now. Because I think Mr Trump intends winning, come what may.
Thank you, Graham, I agree. Trump will lose the election but he already plans to have his minions take to the streets, armed to the teeth. That is why I keep suggesting that we be prepared (yeah, like boys scouts (:-)) We need each State National Guard to be on alert. Constitutionally we are not allowed to use our Federally financed regular military against Americans. We do have the precedence of the Civil War, but in that case the rebellious States had seceded and formed a separate, if temporary nation.
Nothing in the Constitution prepares us for a loser in the Presidential election inciting insurrection. Even after January 6, 2021 which showed us how ill-prepared we were.
Even our Judicial Branch was not prepared for swift action - Oh, they acted quickly enough against the participants who actually invaded the Congress. I'm sorry the Secret Service didn't drive him to the Capitol as he requested. Those people would not have hurt him and we'd have had irrefutable evidence of his criminal behavior.
No.
You're painted into a corner, and no one wants paint on their slippers.
In 1990 I travelled to a wedding in Geneva and the wedding party returned to Belgium in two cars, mine and the groom's. On the motorway rest stop, Fred chatted to me about Richard's driving style: "Everything, but everything comes as a surprise to him: Mais dis donc! Qu'est qu'il foute?!"
Leonard Leo has come as a surprise. Clarence Thomas. Donald Trump. Some are easily surprised.
I am genuinely curious: does an atheist ever feel guilty?
What does pa mean?
It means I hit enter before finishing!
LOL!!