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TexasTowelie

(112,162 posts)
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 12:24 AM Nov 2016

Should the electoral college go rogue? One Harvard professor thinks so

The votes may have all been cast in the presidential election, but the electoral college isn’t set to vote until mid-December. And a Harvard professor is arguing that rather than vote for Donald Trump, the clear electoral vote winner, electors should instead buck tradition and tap Hillary Clinton as our nation’s next president.

Lawrence Lessig, a professor at Harvard Law School and former Democratic presidential primary candidate, offered a relatively simple (if unprecedented) reason in a column for The Washington Post Thursday: Clinton won the popular vote handily, and the electors should choose a president based on that.

“The question {electors} must ask themselves is whether there is any good reason to veto the people’s choice. There is not. And indeed, there is an especially good reason for them not to nullify what the people have said — the fundamental principle of one person, one vote,” Lessig writes, referring to Clinton’s popular vote victory.

He acknowledges that historical precedent is very much in favor of President-elect Donald Trump: The electoral college has twice voted for the winner of the most electoral votes despite the popular vote favoring the loser.

Read more: http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/11/25/harvard-professor-calls-for-electoral-college-vote-for-clinton/ndmVyeeN4eAKURI5NCsyCJ/story.html

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Should the electoral college go rogue? One Harvard professor thinks so (Original Post) TexasTowelie Nov 2016 OP
They have over 2 million reasons to do what's right SHRED Nov 2016 #1
Electors are mostly party loyalists. Renew Deal Nov 2016 #2
There were a couple in WA claiming they wouldn't vote for Hillary. LisaL Nov 2016 #4
I know Renew Deal Nov 2016 #19
Now they don't get to vote at all. yardwork Nov 2016 #27
I agree that it should but obviously it would not happen. LisaL Nov 2016 #3
Even if that happened, I doubt the GOP Congress would certify those electoral results. tritsofme Nov 2016 #5
GOP supports electoral college. LisaL Nov 2016 #6
Are you really asking me why I don't think the GOP would remain intellectually consistent? tritsofme Nov 2016 #7
Sure they support it SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2016 #8
Is there actually anything that says they can refuse to accept electoral college vote? LisaL Nov 2016 #9
Federal law lays out the counting of the votes in Congress SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2016 #10
Are the votes just tossed? LisaL Nov 2016 #11
Yes, the votes are tossed SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2016 #12
If it goes to the House the chances that the House would give Hillary .. spin Nov 2016 #13
Yeah SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2016 #14
You can win a lotto with only one ticket. ... spin Nov 2016 #15
True but all that drama treestar Nov 2016 #22
True. The media would make the most of it to raise ratings and make money. (n/t) spin Nov 2016 #26
So looks like we are stuck with Trump no matter what. LisaL Nov 2016 #16
These electors are party loyalists. They won't flip. davidn3600 Nov 2016 #17
Several of those "party loyalists" came out claiming they won't vote for Hillary. LisaL Nov 2016 #20
They do have an interesting plan though SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2016 #21
True but it would be treestar Nov 2016 #23
why not? the EC is a joke anyway. nt TheFrenchRazor Nov 2016 #18
This year, most electors are Republican. JustABozoOnThisBus Nov 2016 #24
OK Achilleaze Nov 2016 #25

LisaL

(44,973 posts)
3. I agree that it should but obviously it would not happen.
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 12:31 AM
Nov 2016

Maybe several electors could flip but not enough.

tritsofme

(17,377 posts)
5. Even if that happened, I doubt the GOP Congress would certify those electoral results.
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 12:43 AM
Nov 2016

They could still make Trump president.

LisaL

(44,973 posts)
6. GOP supports electoral college.
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 12:47 AM
Nov 2016

If one supports electoral college, then one should understand that faithless electors are a possibility. So why would GOP then not accept the results?

SickOfTheOnePct

(7,290 posts)
8. Sure they support it
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 01:03 AM
Nov 2016

but only so long as it suits them. No way would they allow the votes of faithless Trump electors to count.

And quite frankly, if those two Washington state electors and the two Colorado electors don't vote for Hillary, I'm guessing the Democrats will object to those as well. Doubt the Republicans would toss the votes, but I'm betting the objections would be made.

LisaL

(44,973 posts)
9. Is there actually anything that says they can refuse to accept electoral college vote?
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 01:05 AM
Nov 2016

We already know we don't have a democracy. We have an electoral college. Constitution doesn't say that congress can refuse electoral college vote.

SickOfTheOnePct

(7,290 posts)
10. Federal law lays out the counting of the votes in Congress
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 01:18 AM
Nov 2016

3 U.S. Code 15. Basically, as the votes of each state are announced, the VP asks if there are objections. If there is, the objection has to be put in writing and signed by at least one House member and one Senator. If that happens, the House and Senate retire to their own chambers for up to two hours of debate. At the end of the debate, they come back together in Joint Session, and if both chambers agree to the objection, the votes are tossed.

In 2004, there was an objection to the Ohio electoral votes, but they were accepted. I don't know who made the objection or which chamber, if either, agreed with it, I just remember it happening.

spin

(17,493 posts)
13. If it goes to the House the chances that the House would give Hillary ..
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 01:42 AM
Nov 2016

the Oval Office are like my chances of winning the Lotto this week if I buy just one ticket.

spin

(17,493 posts)
15. You can win a lotto with only one ticket. ...
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 01:53 AM
Nov 2016

The House could give Hillary the Oval Office. At least there is a extremely small chance for either to happen.

Good luck on your Power Ball Numbers.

LisaL

(44,973 posts)
16. So looks like we are stuck with Trump no matter what.
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 02:30 AM
Nov 2016

Even if by some miracle 40 electors flipped, congress would still give it to Trump.

 

davidn3600

(6,342 posts)
17. These electors are party loyalists. They won't flip.
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 03:52 AM
Nov 2016

If the GOP establishment was still very anti-Trump....then maybe there would be some of type of plan to get the election to the House.

But they will never, ever give it to Hillary under any circumstance. Why? Because of the Supreme Court. Trump promised the party to nominate conservatives. The party will put up with him as long as he keeps that promise.

That right there is what these electors are thinking about....potentially up to 4 vacancies on the court.

SickOfTheOnePct

(7,290 posts)
21. They do have an interesting plan though
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 11:47 AM
Nov 2016

With the goal being a third electoral candidate, a compromise candidate.

They're not approaching it as "must elect Hillary", but rather "mustn't elect Trump"

treestar

(82,383 posts)
23. True but it would be
Sun Nov 27, 2016, 11:49 AM
Nov 2016

A rare condition I think if I remember right that the house chose John Adams. If that's the last time it happened it can mean the vile creature takes office under that shadow.

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