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Trump Makes Case for Electoral College
Townhall.com ^ | November 15, 2016 | Jason Hopkins

Posted on 11/15/2016 9:58:25 AM PST by Kaslin

Trump took to Twitter this morning to refer to the Electoral College as “genius” because it forces candidates to pay attention to all states, even ones that would presumably be ignored in a popular vote-based campaign.

The Electoral College is actually genius in that it brings all states, including the smaller ones, into play. Campaigning is much different!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2016

Some critics are arguing this is an about-face from a 60 Minutes interview that aired Sunday night where Trump said, despite winning, he had issues with the Electoral College.

“I’m not going to change my mind just because I won,” said Trump during the interview. “But I would rather see it where you went with simple votes. You know, you get 100 million votes and somebody else gets 90 million votes and you win.”

The president-elect made an even more important point in the preceding tweet.

If the election were based on total popular vote I would have campaigned in N.Y. Florida and California and won even bigger and more easily— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2016

A lot of Trump-haters are criticizing Trump for winning the Electoral College, but not the popular vote. Some are even saying his victory is illegitimate because he did not win over the majority of voters.

However, this is an accusation based on assumptions. We don’t know if Trump would have won the popular vote because the campaign was not based with that objective in mind. Neither Trump nor Clinton ran the 2016 election with the goal of winning the majority of voters. They ran to win the Electoral College. Trump prevailed in that pursuit.

If we lived in another universe and the 2016 election began with all candidates vying for the popular vote – the campaign would have been run entirely differently. Clinton would have made many more stops in Texas. We would have seen Trump camping out in highly populated states (and dark blue) states such as California and New York. These are two states that have no chance of going red statewide, but still contain a bountiful amount of red voters. In a popular vote-based election, it would make total sense to campaign in those places. In an Electoral College-based election, that would be a complete waste of campaign resources.

Understanding this concept explains why criticism of Trump being awarded the White House should be considered unfair. The objective of the game was to win 270 Electoral College votes or more. Trump did this. Fair and square.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: donaldtrump; electoralcollege; trump2016; trumptransition
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To: All

If it’s true that they don’t count all the votes once a state is declared, that’s not a good thing, count all the votes. Whatever the impact on the popular vote, I don’t really care about that aspect, just count all the votes.

It’s important that everyone would know the actual outcome of the election rather than making assumptions.

Also, it’s just an invitation to voter fraud to have large stacks of uncounted votes, what’s to stop dishonest officials from sending off presumed unwanted opposition votes to that never-counted room?


21 posted on 11/15/2016 10:35:12 AM PST by Peter ODonnell (Listen for my radio call-in program on channel A in your brain, yes caller ... I'm listening)
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To: Yulee
If the Electoral College was made up of members, who vote how their individual Congressional Districts voted, we would really see the Presidency reflect the wishes of American Voters at the time of the Presidential Election.

I believe this is what the Founding Fathers intended prior to the development of political parties.


I agree with you. And I don't think there's anything stopping any state from adopting this. 48 out of 50 states adopt the "winner take all" approach, but I believe it is up to them ultimately to determine their electors and there is nothing a federal mandate constitutionally can or should do to change that.

IIRC, a state could even forgo a popular vote entirely and decide to choose their electors based on a different method, for example a state legislature vote.
22 posted on 11/15/2016 10:36:47 AM PST by mmichaels1970 (Hillary lied over four coffins.)
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To: Az Joe

“In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse [sic] from them by Ballot the Vice President.”


Seems the intent was that the person receiving the second highest number of Electoral College votes, would be Vice-President. Of course this was prior to the development of political parties and running a candidate for both President and Vice-President on the same ticket.

Is there a law establishing that both the Presidential Candidate and Vice-Presidential Candidate be on the same ticket?


23 posted on 11/15/2016 10:37:40 AM PST by Yulee (Village of Albion)
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To: Kaslin
Prager University has an excellent video on the Electoral College. Watch
24 posted on 11/15/2016 10:40:01 AM PST by mc5cents (Pray for America)
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To: Kaslin
Some are even saying his victory is illegitimate because he did not win over the majority of voters

Neither did Bill Clinton - twice.
25 posted on 11/15/2016 10:41:07 AM PST by stylin19a (obama = Fredo smart)
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To: Kaslin

Too many folks in influence continue to ignore the millions of illegal votes cast by noncitizens each election. Trump won the popular vote of legally cast votes by CITIZENS!!!

The sole reason Clinton “won” the popular vote was due to massive noncitizen voter fraud!

Thank God for the Electoral College!!

http://dennismichaellynch.com/obama-tells-illegal-dreamer-ok-vote/


26 posted on 11/15/2016 10:41:18 AM PST by dsm69 (Boycott News Media/Hollywood Advertisers)
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To: Yulee
Is there a law establishing that both the Presidential Candidate and Vice-Presidential Candidate be on the same ticket?

I'm no expert. But my guess is that there can be no FEDERAL law requiring this. I believe the method by which electors are selected in a presidential election is left entirely up to the states. However we live in a time where all 50 of the states have determined that every electoral vote cast for president is required to cast the same party vote for vice president.

However, I'm not aware of anything that would prevent a state from changing its mind. For example, I believe a state could choose to have separate popular votes to determine a slate of electors for president and vp, thereby making it possible that the its electors might go with one party for president and another for vp.

Don't take my word on that though, I just think its a fun conversation to have.
27 posted on 11/15/2016 10:46:38 AM PST by mmichaels1970 (Hillary lied over four coffins.)
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To: Kaslin

I was worried about his criticism of the Electoral College in the 60 Minutes interview, but this clarification shows that he is listening to good people and is still willing to learn.


28 posted on 11/15/2016 10:52:50 AM PST by Ronaldus Magnus
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To: bigbob

Staten Island and Suffolk counties, New York went red. So ratio is worse than depicted.


29 posted on 11/15/2016 10:56:30 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: mmichaels1970

“IIRC, a state could even forgo a popular vote entirely and decide to choose their electors based on a different method, for example a state legislature vote.”

Very true.

Site below lets you see how different suggestions for reform would effect the 2012 election. Can’t wait to see the 2016 models.

http://www.270towin.com/alternative-electoral-college-allocation-methods/


30 posted on 11/15/2016 10:57:25 AM PST by Yulee (Village of Albion)
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To: Ronaldus Magnus
I was worried about his criticism of the Electoral College in the 60 Minutes interview, but this clarification shows that he is listening to good people and is still willing to learn.

Quite the pleasant opposite from that arrogant pos who currently occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, isn't it?

31 posted on 11/15/2016 11:04:55 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: bigbob

The face of urban squalor!


32 posted on 11/15/2016 11:06:45 AM PST by crusty old prospector
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To: Sacajaweau

Because he wants to be president of All Americans. Unlike 0bama who made it clear many times that he wanted to be president only to the democrats regardless of color.


33 posted on 11/15/2016 11:11:04 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: bigbob

I sure hope some of those idiots did not talk her into changing her mind.


34 posted on 11/15/2016 11:15:45 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Travis McGee

Ive never heard of Chesterton’s fence. But understand the principal implicitly. It under a personal Axiom “things have a reason”and “what are you trying to accomplish”

In any groupe there will be policies and procedures that you don’t understand or people have forgotten why they’re doing it.

but you cannot remove it willy-nilly

Examine the policy and see what it was put in place for what was it trying to accomplish what was its reason

Once you understand what its intent was then you can make modifications.or not if needed

it’s like disassembling and putting back together a car you don’t leave out of parts of because you don’t understand exactly what the part does... what was its reasons what was it there to accomplish?

you have to understand what it does so you can properly put it back together when you repairing it


35 posted on 11/15/2016 11:22:37 AM PST by tophat9000 (Tophat9000)
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To: mc5cents

Thanks for the link. The video is excellent and very encouraging.


36 posted on 11/15/2016 11:24:16 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: bigbob

The left is all about fairness, isn’t it?


No


37 posted on 11/15/2016 11:40:11 AM PST by outpostinmass2
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To: Kaslin
A lot of Trump-haters are criticizing Trump for winning the Electoral College, but not the popular vote. Some are even saying his victory is illegitimate because he did not win over the majority of voters.

but, 3 million votes were cast by illegal aliens and absentee ballots were never tabulated by most states. The real fact is, Trump won the majority of legitimate votes, whether those crybabies like it or not.


38 posted on 11/15/2016 12:20:34 PM PST by Brown Deer (Pray for 0bama. Psalm 109:8)
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To: Brown Deer

Great graphic. And those numbers are IN SPITE OF the cheating Hillary’s side did.


39 posted on 11/15/2016 12:35:00 PM PST by simpson96
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To: bigbob

People have accused me of excessive optimism at times in my life so my new goal is to have Los Angeles county go Red in 2020. Wish me luck, I figure I need to start knocking on doors tomorrow. :)


40 posted on 11/15/2016 12:44:14 PM PST by Shark24 (.)
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