And this time it's a good goddam thing otherwise Jim Mattis would not be SECDEF and the liberals would have another four years to social-engineer the military right down the crapper.
The Trump Presidency
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And this time it's a good goddam thing otherwise Jim Mattis would not be SECDEF and the liberals would have another four years to social-engineer the military right down the crapper.
Just spitballing, but with your background, how could the current complexity be simplified?
It's amazing that our forefathers had the foresight to come up with the system at that time.
Devildoc
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I think given today's climate, the current group couldn't do it. It was one of those moments in time, probably could have been done before, and certain can't be done now.
There are several good articles about just how much negotiation the forefathers had to do, how much compromise, to get what we got.
I am not sure it can be. I think if we were to tweak anything, it would be a train wreck. I think getting rid of the electoral college guarantees a democrat president for, oh, forever. I think the singular best thing we could do to "improve" our system is to have term limits.
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That would be simple and effective, though I'm not sure I follow why it would mean a Democrat hold on the trophy. @Admin above mentioned the thought in coming up with the constitution, which given the time was amazing. When our Australian model was created there was a copy in our legislators back pocket of yours.
I think because most of the big population centers are heavily democratic because of demographics. Minorities, alternative life-style types, LGBTs, the young, the pseudo sophisticates, academics, tend to gravitate toward urban environments, primarily for jobs, art, culture etc. People out in the country, like me, are a bit more conservative and generally have country roots.
Devildoc
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Maybe. Something akin to proportional representation or even regional representation. Tweaking, yes. Wholesale abandonment, no.
Personally, I think that this is the best near-term solution for the EC. And really, it would benefit rural/conservative voters moreso than urban/liberal voters. It would mean that you couldn't win, say, Nevada just by carrying the Las Vegas vote. Or New York just with votes from the city. I think that that factor along would make the vote truly proportional and representational. However, one side effect that I can see is that it could potentially extend the campaign season even further back, as potential candidates would basically need to campaign everywhere. I'm not sure if I'd be up for that.
One thing I think gets forgotten in this sentiment is how much has evolved and changed from the county's founding. The role of the EC, how we select the president and vice president, the role of the states, definitely the role of the supreme court - all of those things shifted massively from what the framers enshrined. To me one of the great/amazing things about our democracy is it's ability to evolve.
It's something that really sticks out to me when I see glowing revisionist imaginings of different times in our history.
Do you know that they call a candidate who loses the popular vote but wins the Electoral College?
President.
It's not that the popular vote isn't important; it's a good metric to measure the will of the people and establish how much of a mandate the incoming administration might have. But if you want to live in the White House, better make sure you win those electoral votes.
Our system isn't designed to be efficient. Speed in government contributes to rash decisions or to tyranny of the majority, both of which have disastrous long-term consequences. I'm OK with the EC the way it is.
Sorry, I was responding to earlier posts without realizing they weren't the most recent ones in this thread.
President.
It's not that the popular vote isn't important; it's a good metric to measure the will of the people and establish how much of a mandate the incoming administration might have. But if you want to live in the White House, better make sure you win those electoral votes.
Our system isn't designed to be efficient. Speed in government contributes to rash decisions or to tyranny of the majority, both of which have disastrous long-term consequences. I'm OK with the EC the way it is.
Sorry, I was responding to earlier posts without realizing they weren't the most recent ones in this thread.
Where were you when I was trying to learn how to teach American Politics? #GuestLecturer
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Then it would mirror the popular vote, which is what the electoral college is intended to not do.
TLDR20
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Not exactly. It would certainly help even it out in the big states, and would help make people feel like their votes matter.
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Yeah, I put a bit more thought into it- you are right.
That's ok, Obama will pardon you.
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0630am and sitting here at my favorite breakfast haunt. It happens to be located in the hub of the most liberal area of Minneapolis. There are people sitting at the bar watching the TV's (all preset on FOX and CNN) and obviously VERY unamused with what is about to happen. There is never anyone here this early, so obviously this was a planned gathering.
Considering I threw on a pair of Kuhl pants that look way too much like 5.11 and wore my Marine Corps cap today, I get a "Fail" for situational awareness.
I'm waiting for 'them" to start yelling at me. LOL
To add -
They have the volume up on MSNBC and the TV people keep calling him president elect Trump.
It's going to be like Fonzi trying to say "I'm Sorry" when they have to call him President Trump.
Considering I threw on a pair of Kuhl pants that look way too much like 5.11 and wore my Marine Corps cap today, I get a "Fail" for situational awareness.
I'm waiting for 'them" to start yelling at me. LOL
To add -
They have the volume up on MSNBC and the TV people keep calling him president elect Trump.
It's going to be like Fonzi trying to say "I'm Sorry" when they have to call him President Trump.
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Devildoc
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I wonder if the whole TDS/SJW is a small fraction of the overall DNC that's getting overplayed and overblown a la the Tea Party. Every democrat I work with, although they are bummed, are resigned to the result and ready to just press on. A couple even said that were they not working today they would watch the inauguration.
TLDR20
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Do you have to wonder? More than half the people who voted voted the other way. That doesn't make them all whiner bitch-boys who identify as Mx.xxxx. People can be liberal or democrats and still do working class jobs. You don't have to be some effete elite to be a liberal.
Devildoc
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When all you see on TV, regardless of the network, is demonstrations regarding the illegitimacy of the presidency, all the democrat congressmen and senators "boycotting," then yeah, I do wonder. Equal blame shared by the media and the DNC.
Maybe the more mainstream, non-whiner bitch-boys should tell their ideological colleagues to grow a pair, stop their bitching, and move on; much like a lot of us did to the Tea Party folks who were going off the deep end four and eight years ago.
Glad to know you're not one of them; the rational democrats seem few and far between.
TLDR20
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Everyone protesting isn't protesting the "illegitimacy of the presidency".
I have a hard time with your second paragraph, because honestly people have the freedom to protest the President. Many conservatives protested Obama, many are going to protest Trump. It is their right. I don't get telling them to stop.
I am actually going to D.C. tomorrow with my wife for the women's march. So I guess I am some wacko SJW.
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