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Proud Liberal Dem

(24,409 posts)
30. Unfortunately
Fri Jan 1, 2021, 12:25 PM
Jan 2021

Trump has really gotten all of us to really think and possibly re-think a LOT of the stuff we have always taken for granted as being symbolic and automatic democratic traditions. There never has really been a problem with a lot of this stuff because our leaders have always been (mostly) honorable people whom have implicitly agreed to maintain the norms and traditions that have existed in our country over the years but with people like Trump and, to a lesser extent, George W. Bush, whom are either ignorant or corrupt or uncaring about our political traditions and norms, we have had to re-examine and re-think or assumptions whether or not just having these traditions and norms are sufficient in and of themselves to safeguard our democratic system of government. After the last 4 years, I was genuinely terrified of the possibility that another 4 years of Trump taking a chainsaw to our democracy with the ongoing tacit/implicit support/neglect by a major political party (Republicans) would destroy what we had left of our form of government, which had already been weakened by years and years of Republican destruction of norms in other branches of government, most notably the Senate under Mitch McConnell and SCOTUS by conservative ideologues. It may really be time to start making some major changes to how things like Elections are conducted and/or put into place some actual legal/ethical mechanisms into the functioning of our government to ensure that we don't have another President like Trump come in and exploit all of those loopholes ever again. In that way, we can at least salvage *something* positive from our experience of the past 4 years with Trump and, hopefully, prevent another clusterf**k and threat to our democracy for all time.

IMO portions of the election system are totally obsolete and should be dumped. n/t RKP5637 Dec 2020 #1
In Case There Is Real Fraud DanieRains Dec 2020 #2
Didn't work in 2016 SheltieLover Dec 2020 #8
No one challenged it in 2016 former9thward Dec 2020 #20
Didn't work in 2000 davekriss Dec 2020 #22
Republicans held the majority in both houses pimpbot Jan 2021 #45
This message was self-deleted by its author dware Dec 2020 #3
I have no clue BUT if it is just ceremonial why are we worried about it? Doreen Dec 2020 #4
I don't understand either. MoonRiver Dec 2020 #5
Yes, it's possible davekriss Dec 2020 #23
Ditto: Yes, it's possible... Septua Dec 2020 #24
It's in the Constitution. Article II, Section 1... Wounded Bear Dec 2020 #6
No, it was an issue in 2000. former9thward Dec 2020 #21
And if one Senator had supported the objection onenote Jan 2021 #28
It's intended to be a method of resolving conflicts, not a method for creating them struggle4progress Dec 2020 #7
It's just a formality to count and verify the EC votes. brush Dec 2020 #9
What happens if a Congress doesn't verify them? MoonRiver Dec 2020 #10
A rep. backed by a senator can lodge a written protest... brush Dec 2020 #13
Thank you! MoonRiver Dec 2020 #16
Please keep in mind melm00se Dec 2020 #11
"to counteract the worst of human impulses" -- Yet, trump and a McConnell-controlled Senate. Hermit-The-Prog Dec 2020 #15
The Founding Fathers melm00se Dec 2020 #19
If Republicans controlled the House right now, this would be the end of the experiment. Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2021 #26
If we had a Democratic House and Democratic Senate and the election had gone the other way StarfishSaver Jan 2021 #31
That's a whole lot of what-ifs Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2021 #40
Not really. It's a hypothetical in response to your "what if" hypo. StarfishSaver Jan 2021 #41
I didn't present such a hypothesis. Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2021 #43
Answer: they COULD not approve the results, but they will. gop will try (are trying) for the coup, wiggs Dec 2020 #12
This is nothing but grandstanding by this one prick who wants... brush Dec 2020 #18
There is no chance that Trump will remain president...Both the House and the Senate Demsrule86 Jan 2021 #38
Why do we have elections if congress feels they can just nullify the results? BlueNProud Dec 2020 #14
In the elections of 1864 and 1868, Congress nullified the results of a few states Kaleva Dec 2020 #17
And they may chicken out... Septua Dec 2020 #25
They can overturn Tarc Jan 2021 #27
But it won't happen... Septua Jan 2021 #29
Both houses have to agree...and that won't happen because we have the House. Demsrule86 Jan 2021 #37
Unfortunately Proud Liberal Dem Jan 2021 #30
Among other things, we've learned how important it is for us to take our system seriously StarfishSaver Jan 2021 #32
Vote blue not matter who...always. Demsrule86 Jan 2021 #36
And the next fascist might be smart! MoonRiver Jan 2021 #33
Exactly! peggysue2 Jan 2021 #34
If in fact they had the house...the could overturn the results...it would head to the house if Demsrule86 Jan 2021 #35
Thank you! That's what I've been talking about! MoonRiver Jan 2021 #39
It only goes to the House with one vote per state in the event that neither candidate has a majority StarfishSaver Jan 2021 #42
right. And what happens if, on the day of the vote in the House, two or three dems are absent? nt wiggs Jan 2021 #44
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