See https://www.change.org/p/electoral-college-make-hillary-clinton-president-on-december-19-4a78160a-023c-4ff0-9069-53cee2a095a8
According to this article, in 14 of states where the voters that showed up favored Trump, the electors can vote for someone else without penalty.
I wonder if any of these petitions are limited to the people who actually showed up, or can those who didn’t bother to vote also sign the petitions?
Do I jest? Not quite, the de facto winner of the 2016 election was “none of the above”. Over 40% of eligible voters stayed home. See Voter Turnout Data - United States Elections Project.
231,556,622 voting eligible population (VEP)
137,297,086 ballots counted
59.3% turnout
94,259,536 didn’t cast a counted ballot
40.7% of VEP
65,476,535 votes (48.1%) Clinton
28.3% of VEP
62,821,935 votes (46.1%) Trump
27.1% of VEP
8,998,616 votes (6.6%) Others
3.9% of VEP
Over half of those who showed up voted for someone else than Donald Trump. That certainly is not “the people” deciding for Trump.
But when you consider that over two-thirds of the eligible voters did not cast a vote for Trump, you would think Trump would have a bit more humility. Don’t hold your breath.
If you were one of the no-shows, remember,
The only way
To throw your vote away
Is to stay away!
Showing posts with label no-shows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no-shows. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2016
Thursday, April 21, 2016
A Political Ad Not Paid For By A Billionaire
This ad was paid for by nobody on behalf of everybody.
If you vote for nobody, everybody loses.
If you stay away, you throw your vote away.
Whether you vote for Jane or Wayne, Harry or Mary, be sure to vote.
Here are some simple rules for intelligent voting.
You can be a somebody by helping this ad go viral. Please pass on this link:
http://magree.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-political-ad-not-paid-for-by.html.
If you vote for nobody, everybody loses.
If you stay away, you throw your vote away.
Whether you vote for Jane or Wayne, Harry or Mary, be sure to vote.
Here are some simple rules for intelligent voting.
Don’t watch TV.Nobody thanks you but everybody wins.
Read lots of newspapers.
Always vote.
You can be a somebody by helping this ad go viral. Please pass on this link:
http://magree.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-political-ad-not-paid-for-by.html.
Monday, July 07, 2014
Political speech or bribery?
If I give money to a politician or a bureaucrat to get him or her to do something for me, it is called bribery. Said bribery can result in a fine or a prison term, for both me and the politician or bureaucrat.
However, if I give money to the political campaign of a politician, in the expectation that he will act in my interests, it is now called "political speech".
A real Republican's Senate career was ended when it was revealed that he was given a Minneapolis condo at discount rates. I don't remember the details, but I think it was a shame that real Republicans like David Durenberger, Bob Packwood, and Edward Brookes went down in flames because they did things that were small misdeeds compared to the shenanigans that go on now in both parties.
Remember that those who throw millions at elections so far have just as many votes as you do – one!
Please also pass on to all your friends:
Always vote because all votes count. The only votes that don't count are those not cast.
However, if I give money to the political campaign of a politician, in the expectation that he will act in my interests, it is now called "political speech".
A real Republican's Senate career was ended when it was revealed that he was given a Minneapolis condo at discount rates. I don't remember the details, but I think it was a shame that real Republicans like David Durenberger, Bob Packwood, and Edward Brookes went down in flames because they did things that were small misdeeds compared to the shenanigans that go on now in both parties.
Remember that those who throw millions at elections so far have just as many votes as you do – one!
Please also pass on to all your friends:
Always vote because all votes count. The only votes that don't count are those not cast.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Must reading for those who believe in democracy
"The time for complaining is at an end. Action must be taken. Accountability must be demanded. Muscle must be flexed. Power must be exercised.
"Ballots must be cast."
–”Lions to the Ballot Box”, Charles Blow, NYT, 2014-04-24
My email to Blow:
"I hope your column on voter turnout is reprinted in every paper across the country. And I hope it is reprinted just before the 2014 elections.
"Big turnout trumps big money every time. Think Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina.
"I have been cajoling people to vote in my little obscure blog and in my column in Duluth weekly for going on fifteen years.
"I hope your bigger platform has many orders of magnitude of influence than my little Don Quixote tilting at political windbags."
My favorite comment:
I have a bumper sticker : "If the 47% vote the 1% won't matter".
"Ballots must be cast."
–”Lions to the Ballot Box”, Charles Blow, NYT, 2014-04-24
My email to Blow:
"I hope your column on voter turnout is reprinted in every paper across the country. And I hope it is reprinted just before the 2014 elections.
"Big turnout trumps big money every time. Think Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina.
"I have been cajoling people to vote in my little obscure blog and in my column in Duluth weekly for going on fifteen years.
"I hope your bigger platform has many orders of magnitude of influence than my little Don Quixote tilting at political windbags."
My favorite comment:
I have a bumper sticker : "If the 47% vote the 1% won't matter".
Monday, April 07, 2014
Politicians kiss what?
Once upon a time, the running gag about political campaigning was that vote seekers were out kissing babies. Now it seems that politicians are out kissing rich old men and not on their foreheads.
The latest kowtowing was the parade of Republican hopefuls to visit Sherman Adelson to seek his blessing on their quest. The worst groveling was when Gov. Chris Christie apologized to Adelson for a remark about Israel.
This obscene parade is a sign of how much we have moved from a “democracy” to a definite plutocracy.
Have we become like Iran where the ayatollahs have to approve the candidates?
I can’t say it too much. The best way to stop this trend is to be sure to always vote in every election. We have too many elections where the “winner” comes in a distant second to a de facto “none of the above”. A majority of the registered voters don’t show up for the primaries. More people don’t vote in the regular elections than vote for the supposed winner.
The latest kowtowing was the parade of Republican hopefuls to visit Sherman Adelson to seek his blessing on their quest. The worst groveling was when Gov. Chris Christie apologized to Adelson for a remark about Israel.
This obscene parade is a sign of how much we have moved from a “democracy” to a definite plutocracy.
Have we become like Iran where the ayatollahs have to approve the candidates?
I can’t say it too much. The best way to stop this trend is to be sure to always vote in every election. We have too many elections where the “winner” comes in a distant second to a de facto “none of the above”. A majority of the registered voters don’t show up for the primaries. More people don’t vote in the regular elections than vote for the supposed winner.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Which set of no-shows will give the election away?
I started this entry as a Quote of the Day entitled "Something very disgusting". It was from hearing a radio interview with a man who called himself a Democrat. He wouldn't vote for any Republican but he was unhappy with Obama. He said, "I think I'll sit this election out." Effectively, he's helping the party he doesn't want elected. It's happened over and over again with Democratic voters, even when in a large majority, staying home on election day and "giving" the election to the Republicans. I've never heard of major no-shows by Republicans.
With Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate, there may be many Republicans who stay home on election day. These would be some of the mainline Republicans who consider the Tea Party as too doctrinaire. These would also be the RINOs who have been unhappy with the Republican move to more uncompromising stances on many issues.
I think the Democrats will "win" the no-show battle thus losing the election to the Republicans.
Why? Because the Republicans have more "true believers" who feel the issues personally. They "don't want our guns taken away", they "want government off our backs", they "know better how to spend our own money", and on and on.
The "true believers" among the Democrats are more empathetic to other people. Their issues are helping the poor, protecting wetlands, reducing emissions, and so on. They might not even experience any of these problems directly. Because many people who lean Democratic don't feel as strongly on these issues, they are more likely to not show up at elections than the "true believers"
In other words, lukewarm Democrats far outnumber lukewarm Republicans, putting Democrats at a disadvantage when voters stay home.
Whatever your political leanings are, don't give elections away. Show up and vote!
With Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate, there may be many Republicans who stay home on election day. These would be some of the mainline Republicans who consider the Tea Party as too doctrinaire. These would also be the RINOs who have been unhappy with the Republican move to more uncompromising stances on many issues.
I think the Democrats will "win" the no-show battle thus losing the election to the Republicans.
Why? Because the Republicans have more "true believers" who feel the issues personally. They "don't want our guns taken away", they "want government off our backs", they "know better how to spend our own money", and on and on.
The "true believers" among the Democrats are more empathetic to other people. Their issues are helping the poor, protecting wetlands, reducing emissions, and so on. They might not even experience any of these problems directly. Because many people who lean Democratic don't feel as strongly on these issues, they are more likely to not show up at elections than the "true believers"
In other words, lukewarm Democrats far outnumber lukewarm Republicans, putting Democrats at a disadvantage when voters stay home.
Whatever your political leanings are, don't give elections away. Show up and vote!
Monday, August 06, 2012
How to stop political ads
Well, not quite stop them, but here are two ways to avoid them.
1) Don't watch TV. Read lots of newspapers and magazines instead.
2) OK, you don't want to give up sports, reality shows, and Comedy Central. Then try these simple steps each time a political ad comes on the screen.
a) Close your eyes
b) Put your hands over your ears
c) Count to 60
With these three simple steps you won't have missed anything meaningful.
Remember also that political ads are designed not to get you to vote for a candidate, but to get you discouraged about the other candidate and not even vote. It seemed to work very well in New York's Ninth Congressional District in 2011. The Republican candidate won despite a 3 to 1 Democratic registration.
So, get even yourself and be sure to vote. Remember that the biggest spender is not always the winner. Think Meg Whitman who outspent Jerry Brown by a wide margin for governor of California and lost by a wide margin.
1) Don't watch TV. Read lots of newspapers and magazines instead.
2) OK, you don't want to give up sports, reality shows, and Comedy Central. Then try these simple steps each time a political ad comes on the screen.
a) Close your eyes
b) Put your hands over your ears
c) Count to 60
With these three simple steps you won't have missed anything meaningful.
Remember also that political ads are designed not to get you to vote for a candidate, but to get you discouraged about the other candidate and not even vote. It seemed to work very well in New York's Ninth Congressional District in 2011. The Republican candidate won despite a 3 to 1 Democratic registration.
So, get even yourself and be sure to vote. Remember that the biggest spender is not always the winner. Think Meg Whitman who outspent Jerry Brown by a wide margin for governor of California and lost by a wide margin.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
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