Monday, October 17, 2016

Rigged election

Trump’s right.  It’s rigged.

It is gerrymandered.  In Pennsylvania the Democratic congressional candidates will receive far more votes than the Republican candidates, but they will probably net fewer than half the congressional seats.  This is one of the main reasons the Republicans maintain control of the House of Representatives.  Republican state legislators have gerrymandering down to a science.

It is money-based.  Trump does not have as much money as he claims, but he did have enough to fund his initial primary race.  PACs funnel enormous amounts to campaigns, the Koch brothers fund races down to the state legislative level, and political contributions affect all aspects of American politics, from the Pentagon to Rep. Heffley’s “opioid” bill.

It relies partially on voter suppression.  In state after state Republicans undertook efforts to depress turnout by Democrats, instituting onerous ID laws, an end to early voting, and requirements that American citizens must produce proof that they are citizens.  Courts have recently overturned a number of these voter suppression laws, but Republicans are not giving up.  

It is a state by state election.  In 2000 Gore had a million and a half more votes than Bush, but Bush won the electoral college.  If Trump wins, it won’t be because he has the most popular votes, but because he won the most Electoral College votes.  

Yeah, it’s rigged.


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