The latest form of anti-woman messaging has shown up in especially un-welcomed place. Kasich- Biden? Huh?
We all want the Electoral College to dump Donald Trump. But Kasich-Biden is not my ticket, nor do I think it should be yours.
Let's review where we are and how we got here.
Trump, who lost the popular vote by almost 3,000,000 votes, claims he is President Elect based on "Winner Take All" electoral votes, notably in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Trump's erratic behavior (some would say crazy) and the interference by the Russian government in our Election have called into question whether the Electors, who have responsibilities defined by the Constitution and the Federalist papers, should give the Presidency to him.
As you likely recall, the CIA has issued a report on Russian interference in our Election. That report inspired a bi-partisan call by Senators McCain, Graham, Schumer and Reid. The White House itself said yesterday, Trump knew that Russian hacking, led by Putin himself, was serving his campaign.
Is Trump a Traitor? Should Trump be tried for Treason, the penalty for which is death?
These are serious questions. But how will this affect the current Electors, who have the responsibility either to confirm Trump's election or reject him by their vote on Monday?
The many issues surrounding this Election have requested Electors not rubber stamp the election. Many are asking them instead to actively fulfill their responsibility to pick the next President, in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution and the Federalist papers, which ask specifically 2 things that the Electors 1) rise above petty politics and 2) stop the intrusion of a foreign power in our Election.
Now, to pursuade them to do so, in a special appeal to the Electors, comes an anti-woman alternate slate.
The logic of this slate is this - Republican Electors can't be expected to be real patriots and rise above petty politics (their Constitutional proclaimed responsibility) to stop the intrusion of a foreign power (their second proclaimed responsibility according to Federal paper 68) unless we hand them the Presidency which they didn't win.
More logic which went into the formation of this slate- Democrats, who we know are pussy cats, will, of course, accept second place and jettison their candidate so let's give them someone who is not the Election winner and never won more than 7% of the Democratic voters in any of his three times running for the top office.
Yup, the move is on to persuade the Electors of both parties to vote for Kasich-Biden, as a so-called "compromise" slate.
Huh? Why this?
Kasich has somehow gotten a reputation as the "normal Republican." Think back to the Republican primaries. That means he didn't talk about the size of his penis, said it was "nuts" to send "11 million immigrants back to Mexico" and claimed an undeserved mantel of playing nice in the sandbox with Democrats.
Huh?
Here are sample Kasich real life policies - He is a Tea Party member who opposes gun restrictions ("Better parenting is better than more gun laws"), and is opposed to raising minimum wage, and did not give Ohians ObamaCare. Yes, he voted to defund Planned Parenthood when he was a congressman, and as if to stick his finger in our eye, this week signed an Unconstitutional bill, restricting a woman's right to abortion.
Kasich a moderate? not to workers, not to any women.
As for Biden, he may have stopped other women from speaking during the Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas hearings, but we have moved on.
He now fights to stop violence against women, and is lovable "ole Uncle Joe" (ah -- that good ole patriarchal friend to women -- really?). But again, he has never won more than 7% of the Democratic voters in any of his three times running for the top office.
A woman named Hillary Clinton won this election.
Joe, do you really want to stop her from taking office? Has anyone in this alternate ticket campaign even asked him?
Early on in this Republican plan to hold onto the Presidency, even when their current candidate is illegal and dangerous as well as treasonous, Kasich was asked if he would accept the votes of the so-called Hamilton electors. He said no.
My guess? He is probably guiding this effort.
But Joe, I doubt he was asked. That doesn't mean he wouldn't agree if it happened.
Stubborn me. Why do we need a "compromise" slate?
Yes, some feel Republican electors can't be asked to get behind Hillary, who (let us remember) had a majority of Americans voters voting for her, and some may expect that a woman will be willing to step aside.
But do you really expect the rest of us to get "behind another white dude who wants to restrict women's rights"? (The awesome phrase belongs to Theresa Rebeck).
I stick with Hillary for President and ask the Electors to do so too.
The American electorate supported her and her policies. She won more than 65,000,000 votes, beating Trump by almost 3,000,000 votes, and would have won the Election in a landslide if the Election had not beentampered with, by Trump's Russian friends (and their FBI helpers. But that is another matter.)
For now, I give you the letter I wrote to the Electors, with modifications that reflect new information.
I emailed and posted through http://www.asktheelectors.org
I urge you to do the same. Feel free to cut and paste any parts of this letter or the whole thing. RememberThe Electors, each in their own state capital, vote on Monday, December 19th.
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Dear (the site fills it in by state):
I have now spent several weeks, reading the Constitution, the Federalist Papers and SCOTUS cases connected to the role of the electors.The electoral college's function is to select statesmen who rise above petty politics, who safeguard the enduring interests of the republic.
Your job is clear -- to rise above petty politics.
Are the requirements made by most states with regard to pledged electors Constitutional? First, there is no mention of pledges or requirements with regard to "winner take all" in the Constitution. The Supreme Court has not ruled on whether pledges or penalties for failure of an elector to vote as pledged may be enforced by the Constitution. No Elector has every been prosecuted for failing to vote as pledged.
There is one further role that the founders envisioned for the Electors - to prevent "the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils. How could they better gratify this, than by raising a creature of their own to the chief magistracy of the Union?" (Alexander Hamilton, March 14, 1778 -- Federalist #68).
The CIA has spoken and there is now bi-partisan recognition of the fact that the Russia Leadership has interfered with our Elections. This issue of whether the vote was manipulated also connects to questions of the relationship between Russia and the Republican candidate, and Russia and members of his inner circle. Trump Russian connections leap at us. The Republican candidate knew about and supported Russian interference. Treason is outlined as a punishable offense in the Constitution.
Here are some Russian connections of the Trump circle. Paul Manafort, then Trump's campaign manager, was forced to resign because he was a paid lobbyist for Russian leaning groups in the Ukraine, Mike Flynn, proposed to head National Security, has close ties to Russia, has appeared on the Kremlin's RT network and has visited with Putin several times in prominent Russian events. In August, in the heart of the Trump's campaign's busiest hours, Ivanka Trump flew to Croatia to visit with Wendy Deng Murdoch (Rupert Murdoch's ex-wife who is now Putin's girlfriend). Now, Rex Tillerson is the head of Exxon, and Trump's choice for Secretary of State. Tillerson has a long-documented relationship with Putin and received the Order of Friendship medal from Putin himself this year." Friends and associates have said few U.S. citizens are closer to Mr. Putin than Mr. Tillerson," the Wall Street Journal reported. Exxon will benefit if the sanctions against Russia are dropped, and drilling resumes in the Russian Artic.
Trump himself has basked in Putin's praise, praised the Russian former KGB operative as "more of a leader than Obama," and supported Russian foreign policy with regard to Syria and NATO. He shocked the world when he urged Russia to hack into Hillary's emails- "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing." He has further said he would be :looking at ...recognizing Crimea as a "Russian territory."
As the White House said, Trump knew that Russian hacking, led by Putin himself, was serving his campaign. Is Trump a traitor? If so, please remember that Treason is detailed in the Constitution, as punishable by death. But that will be for others to determine.
Your job is to rise above politics. Your job is to stop foreign interference. Your job is, in short, to stop Trump.
Had the Russians not interfered, and if FBI chief Comey also acting for the Kremlin and Trump had not interred, Hillary Clinton who won the popular vote by almost 3 million votes (2,1%) would now be our President, having won the Electoral College too.
It is your job to right a wrong and let freedom ring. Vote for Hillary. Serve your role as a defender of Democracy. We count on you.
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December 15, 2016
Addendum. Here are some key documented moments between Russia, Trump himself, and members of his inner circle.
Paul Manafort, then Trump's campaign manager, was forced to resign because he was a paid lobbyist for Russian leaning groups in the Ukraine, Mike Flynn, proposed to head National Security, has close ties to Russia, has appeared on the Kremlin's RT network and has visited with Putin several times in prominent Russian events. In August, in the heart of the Trump's campaign's busiest hours, Ivanka Trump flew to Croatia to visit with Wendy Deng Murdoch (Rupert Murdoch's ex-wife who is now Putin's girlfriend). Now, Rex Tillerson is suddently the head of Exxon, and Trump's choice for Secretary of State. Tillerson has a long-documented relationship with Putin and received the Order of Friendship medal from Putin himself this year." Friends and associates have said few U.S. citizens are closer to Mr. Putin than Mr. Tillerson," the Wall Street Journal reported.
Trump himself has basked in Putin's praise, praised the Russian former KGB operative as "more of a leader than Obama," and supported Russian foreign policy with regard to Syria and NATO. He shocked the world when he urged Russia to hack into Hillary's emails- "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing." He has further said he would be :looking at ...recongnizing Crimea as a "Russian territory."
This discussion about Trump and Russian interference with the Election brings us to a critical role that the Founding Fathers envisioned for the Electors - to prevent "the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils. How could they better gratify this, than by raising a creature of their own to the chief magistracy of the Union?" (Alexander Hamilton, March 14, 1778 - Federalist paper #68).
Other legal issues which may affect the Electoral College have also been raised with regard to this Election as well.
As noted above, Trump's claim to victory comes from his "Winner Take All" claims with regard to very narrow victories in 3 states, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Leaving aside questions of irregularities in the voting in those states (and in North Carolina and Florida), "Winner take all" Electoral Votes in a state is a practice, not part of the Constitution. There are two states, Nebraska and Maine, which grant candidates Electors proportionally.
The validity of Winner take all Electors may be challenged by a lawsuit on an emergency basis to the Supreme Court by Democratic Attorney Generals. The lawsuit, if entered, will seek to invalidate "Winner Take All" on the basis of 14th Amendment rights, arguing the citizens of their states are deprived of their Constitutionally guaranteed right to "one person one vote" because of this practice. Write or call your AG and Governor.
Further, state or Part pledges holding the Electors to support the popular vote in any state may be challenged as beingof dubious legal authority since such pledges are not in the Constitution.
And there is that troubling fact of whether Trump is crazy and perhaps treasonous.
