2016 Postmortem

Jim Lane

(11,175 posts)

57. Every faithless elector helps undermine the EC, which is good.

Reply to La Lioness Priyanka (Original post)

Mon Dec 19, 2016, 01:43 PM

Dec 2016

The venom about this elector's choice is notably silent about the practical effect. A vote for Sanders won't increase Trump's percentage of the electoral vote. It won't hurt Clinton's chance of being elected because that chance is nonexistent.

It will, instead, call a small bit of attention to the flaws of the Electoral College as an institution, and thereby add a small bit of weight to the campaign to abolish it. That campaign won't succeed anytime soon, and maybe never, but I'll take any help I can get.

From this elector's statement, I think it's pretty clear that he'd vote for Clinton if she were the one with the putative majority in the Electoral College. Just because he wants to make a statement under current circumstances doesn't mean he'd do so if it meant throwing the election to the House and letting them pick Trump.

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So first faithless voter is voting for Sanders in Maine [View all] La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 OP

FYYFF musette_sf Dec 2016 #1

Are we not suggesting that electors vote their conscience? Apparently his conscience kelly1mm Dec 2016 #5

no, we are saying dont give a madman keys to the white house La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #7

Exactly. This was the bullshit logic some self-identified progressives used not to vote for Hillary still_one Dec 2016 #56

Thank you, it is disheartening that you have to explain this to anyone Eliot Rosewater Dec 2016 #92

People should vote their consciences as long as we agree with what their consciences tell them. The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2016 #21

if the issue is to stop trump, voting for anyone but HRC does not achieve the goal La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #34

Oh, I agree 100% that it was a dumb move. The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2016 #37

FWIW i have never said anyone should vote their conscience. they should vote for most good least La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #40

I agree. I've always considered conscience-based voting The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2016 #45

yeah, i think people think too often of their individuality as being more important than the common La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #47

I personally, would not have switched my vote. But i noticed something interesting. As mentioned, dionysus Dec 2016 #143

In all the news I've read gklagan Dec 2016 #118

It is pretty funny. So much whiplash. hellofromreddit Dec 2016 #61

His "conscience" tells him allow Trump to add one more vote to his small "majority"? George II Dec 2016 #108

Yeah pretty much. That is the risk you take when promoting unbinding electors. nt kelly1mm Dec 2016 #112

You seem to have completely missed the point. NCTraveler Dec 2016 #129

If that was the point then it seems to have failed spectacularly since the news is of Democratic kelly1mm Dec 2016 #132

Hm. Claims to be a Democratic Elector and casts his vote for an Independent. Yeah. BlueCaliDem Dec 2016 #2

Good for him! Joe941 Dec 2016 #3

LOL. he will lose the primary again. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #4

Just curious - which party? citood Dec 2016 #48

Which party would you prefer he run under? Joe941 Dec 2016 #50

A third party, as an independent citood Dec 2016 #72

Splitting the vote would guarantee they both lose. Joe941 Dec 2016 #79

All the more reason for Bernie to stay a permanent citood Dec 2016 #89

Third party, so we know exactly where he stands. He already got a shot at using Dem infrastructure Hekate Dec 2016 #114

Bernie lost the primaries on solid numbers. Hillary got 3 million more votes than Trump in the GE. Hekate Dec 2016 #113

Bernie's ME Caucus Director had something to say about it. seaglass Dec 2016 #6

good. glad there are still some adults in the room. nt La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #8

Good. Thanks for posting. emulatorloo Dec 2016 #54

How old MFM008 Dec 2016 #9

hillary won the popular vote by 3 million. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #12

nor... berksdem Dec 2016 #29

i said none of the THREE you mentioned. which includes HRC. i have nothing to get over La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #31

Quit being so disrespectful TO LP obamanut2012 Dec 2016 #122

I guess chivalry is not dead.... berksdem Dec 2016 #139

And yours reeks of an inability to read accurately La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #144

I strongly suspect that Sanders will run again. StevieM Dec 2016 #30

i think Democratic primary voters will La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #33

I think O'Malley had a lot of potential, under different circumstances, in 2016. StevieM Dec 2016 #36

whomever it will be, it won't be Bernie at 80 years old. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #39

I like those names crazycatlady Dec 2016 #65

honestly, if we have learnt one thing from this election, is that we need people without long track La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #67

Obama was our shining star to come out of 04 crazycatlady Dec 2016 #69

i think everything should be taken in context. in 2004 we were 4 years into a bush presidency La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #73

Excellent metaphor, Lioness Hekate Dec 2016 #116

I think the coming years will provide many opportunities for strong leadership in opposition bettyellen Dec 2016 #78

We can always remain optimistic True Dough Dec 2016 #88

A good group. I'd add A. Villaraigosa brush Dec 2016 #151

I don't think he'll get another shot at using Dem infrastructure and the Dem brand, tho Hekate Dec 2016 #121

Oh the dnc will accommodate him, but the primary voters won't La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #145

You really think they'd give him a second bite at that apple? Hekate Dec 2016 #147

The dnc is scared of its own shadow, so yes they will La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #150

Ageism! Joe941 Dec 2016 #20

I keep thinking this too bravenak Dec 2016 #125

Experience! IronLionZion Dec 2016 #146

How about electing thirteen year olds....? New blood. Fresh ideas. Idealistic. LanternWaste Dec 2016 #148

This kind of thinking and action is why we lose OKNancy Dec 2016 #10

Oh fuck him. nt Maven Dec 2016 #11

+1 La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #14

Everybody here has been saying that electors can choose. Well, he chose. hellofromreddit Dec 2016 #42

Yes and his choice shows him to be a self-important little brat Maven Dec 2016 #95

Welcome to democratic politics where people will do things you disagree with every single day. hellofromreddit Dec 2016 #105

They can do things I (and many others in the party) disagree with Maven Dec 2016 #109

Pretty much Hekate Dec 2016 #111

Anything to give Trump a larger margin. Right? NCTraveler Dec 2016 #130

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?comview_post&forum1251&pid2661366 hellofromreddit Dec 2016 #133

Exactly. Sanders fan club has always been his worst enemy. NCTraveler Dec 2016 #134

Plus 2 Hekate Dec 2016 #110

Shaking head.... The_Voice_of_Reason Dec 2016 #13

Their sense of entitlement knows no bounds. nt Maven Dec 2016 #15

Don't worry about it. There's no way 37 EC voters will flip. The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2016 #28

Mr. Bright is Not-So Zambero Dec 2016 #16

Looks like Bernie secured a super delegate... Joe941 Dec 2016 #17

you know the primary ended a while ago, right? where hillary won both super delegates and elected La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #18

Talk about missing the point. Bobbie Jo Dec 2016 #19

And people like him wonder why longtime Democrats fight them tooth and nail... SaschaHM Dec 2016 #22

In the rare event that some of the electors change their vote from Trump to Hillary mtnsnake Dec 2016 #23

this is one of several reasons we lost the election DrDan Dec 2016 #24

Yup La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #25

Bernie lost! Hillary deserves her votes. hrmjustin Dec 2016 #26

Yep. HRC gets faithless electors, but tRump won't. WTF! ffr Dec 2016 #32

Thereby expressing one of the reasons Hillary lost Nonhlanhla Dec 2016 #27

+1 (nt) LongtimeAZDem Dec 2016 #55

good mike_c Dec 2016 #35

Totally preposterous oberliner Dec 2016 #38

you remember-- he's the Democratic candidate who was filling stadiums... mike_c Dec 2016 #44

Trump filled stadiums oberliner Dec 2016 #51

But he didn't get the VOTES. Hillary beat him by four million votes lunamagica Dec 2016 #59

Right and HRC supporters like myself who switched from Bernie to support her.. JHan Dec 2016 #60

$5000 per plate would be a bargain compared to some of her fundraisers. aidbo Dec 2016 #120

single most ridic thing i have read today. she won cos she got 4 million more votes than sanders La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #41

OK, you're right, she won.... mike_c Dec 2016 #49

a man who couldn't even win the primary, was not about to win the election. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #52

Sanders would have CRUSHED Trump.... mike_c Dec 2016 #58

what amuses me is the glee in your post which tells me several things: JHan Dec 2016 #75

amazing post. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #86

glee? mike_c Dec 2016 #93

"Polls show?" JHan Dec 2016 #96

that's right-- it's all the left's fault.... mike_c Dec 2016 #99

It has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with loving HILLARY JHan Dec 2016 #102

Your bias is almost as obvious as your lack of evidence supporting your prophecies. LanternWaste Dec 2016 #149

Sanders loses primary: _HE_ lost! Clinton loses general: _THEY_ cheated! hellofromreddit Dec 2016 #62

Why are you fabricating quotes the poster did not say? emulatorloo Dec 2016 #64

Not quotes, hence no quote marks. hellofromreddit Dec 2016 #71

However, the post you were responding to did not make that "general argument" emulatorloo Dec 2016 #141

both can be true. Russians and Comey did not interfere with these primaries La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #66

Nope. Either all candidates are in charge of their fates, or they are not. hellofromreddit Dec 2016 #76

that is a non-sensical comment. Russia could have interfered in the primaries, but did not La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #80

No. Repeating it again won't change it either. hellofromreddit Dec 2016 #94

The DNC did not interfere, which is why it is not the same thing at all La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #101

Enough with the false Assange/Putin "DNC collusion" meme. emulatorloo Dec 2016 #63

+1 La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #68

"false Assange/Putin 'DNC collusion' meme...." mike_c Dec 2016 #70

i think she quit because the left bought into assange's conspiracies La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #74

What's ridiculous is that you fell for Putin's propaganda campaign. emulatorloo Dec 2016 #140

What utter unsupported bullshit mythology Dec 2016 #103

"...because more voters wanted Clinton." mike_c Dec 2016 #107

This is a steaming pile of barnyard byproduct. 3 million votes over Trump's total went to HRC. Hekate Dec 2016 #117

by the end of the day today Trump will officially be president elect.... mike_c Dec 2016 #127

The notion that those 3 million votes have no meaning is the fantasy kcr Dec 2016 #142

Preach it! n/t Devil Child Dec 2016 #126

Sanders was treated with kid gloves. NCTraveler Dec 2016 #137

The smell of irony in the morning ismnotwasm Dec 2016 #43

I'm so fucking sick of special snowflakes this year. Starry Messenger Dec 2016 #46

amen. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #53

Every faithless elector helps undermine the EC, which is good. Jim Lane Dec 2016 #57

So let me get this shit straight Jake Stern Dec 2016 #77

let me get this straight, i have only advocated for stopping Trump La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #81

Good. I'm glad someone remembered Bernie. Vinca Dec 2016 #82

interesting how the BLUEST states voted overwhelmingly for her, MA, CA, and NY La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #84

I'm not rehashing the primaries. In fact, I think it's time to shut this forum down. Vinca Dec 2016 #85

sure, but since you mentioned where you lived, i wanted to mention how blue states went La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #87

Many other blue states went for Bernie, but please . . . let's not torture ourselves anymore. Vinca Dec 2016 #90

I liked and supported Bernie in the primary KPN Dec 2016 #83

Agree. Not the time or place for a protest vote. This is the GE, not the primary. Wrong-headed! riversedge Dec 2016 #100

One from MN who was dismissed and replaced and another from HI. Bernie is dead to me. n/t seaglass Dec 2016 #91

+1 BainsBane Dec 2016 #97

Fuck you, asshole Not Very Bright duffyduff Dec 2016 #98

Oops nevermind. His vote was deemed improper and he switched to Hillary. Bernie still seaglass Dec 2016 #104

Since it doesn't matter, he can do it. HassleCat Dec 2016 #106

Washington went off the rails HoneyBadger Dec 2016 #115

The Faithless Elector from Maine was Listening to HRC aikoaiko Dec 2016 #119

And more... this is a trainwreck... LP2K12 Dec 2016 #123

I want to never let an indy in our primary again bravenak Dec 2016 #124

Bernie loses in a landslide again. Nt NCTraveler Dec 2016 #128

So the elector ignores the votes in November by the voters of Maine Fresh_Start Dec 2016 #131

lulz Rex Dec 2016 #135

But there's an UPdate and he ended up Changing it to Clinton.. Cha Dec 2016 #136

What really irks me is the blockhead getting the spotlight to spew oasis Dec 2016 #152

I know, oasis.. Check this out.. it made me feel a little better.. Cha Dec 2016 #153

Condemning and bringing shame upon his sorry ass. I like it. nt oasis Dec 2016 #154

By a fellow BS supporter. Cha Dec 2016 #155

The election in a nutshell mcar Dec 2016 #138