Erich McElroy in The Independent
On Monday 19 December, across America, the real votes will be cast that will make Donald J Trump the next president of the United States of America. That is the day that each state’s electors meet to reflect the view of the people in their state. In most US states, that means the winner takes all; in Michigan, where Trump won by only 10,700 votes, he takes all 16 electoral votes to the college.
It may sound confusing, complicated or boring, but it is actually very exciting – if your idea of super-exciting is a 226-year-old document. Talk dirty to me, Alexander Hamilton.
The President of the US is just that, the president of a bunch of states, not directly a president of the people. It is the voters representing those states, known as the electors, that make the person the president.
This year, for only the fifth time in history, the popular vote has been trumped by the electoral college because Donald won more of the smaller states. Even though Hillary Clinton has almost 3 million more votes in the national tally, it doesn’t matter.
The US is a generally successful marriage of independent states. As is often the case in a marriage, it is at its best when no one gets exactly what they want. Clearly, it is not the perfect system, but it isn’t an accident. The founders wanted the electoral college for a number of reasons. It was partly as a compromise between larger more populated states versus the smaller rural ones; back then, state identity was stronger, like it is in Europe now. In the EU, people are very clearly French first and then European. The founders also didn’t trust a direct popular vote. Partly because the founders were worried the people might be influenced by a foreign power.
There are 538 electors, awarded proportionally, meeting throughout the the US on 19 December. But they don't have to necessarily follow the way their state voted. They can, if they choose, vote with their conscience. They could decide to vote for anyone.
If they do go their own way, they are known as faithless electors. But if enough of them decide to dump Trump it could cost him the presidency.
Trump currently stands at 302 pledged votes. He can afford to lose only 36 and still be elected President. They could decide that, between Trump’s business conflicts, his failure to win the popular vote and the continuing revelations of potential interference in the popular-vote result from Moscow, they want to tell him he’s fired before he's even hired. Trump’s keeping a close eye on the vote to make sure no electors try to defect.
If Trump doesn't get the votes, the final decision gets tossed to the House of Representatives – which right now is controlled by Trump’s party. But the Representatives are old-school Republicans who would probably much rather have a more traditional president.
At that point who knows what could happen? It could be anyone. Just in case, probably best to stay by the phone.
If the electors are looking for guidance, they can always remember the words of the President-elect himself: “The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy.” If Trump does win, we might just get the disaster he warned us about.
Sunday, 18 December 2016
Saturday, 17 December 2016
Lucky Dip
by Girish Menon
Shiv is in a bind
Got no more options
Throws the ball to the leggie
Abdul save me from my plight
What should I do skip?
Flight or darts?
The game will be lost
In a jiff or in time
Do what you please
Take a risk if you wish
Take the field that you want
Save me from my fate
I will be deposed
My record exposed
Personally divorced
Abdul, take the risk
You don't have to worry
It is my flutter
Just get me a winner
Abdul flights the ball
Six runs to win
Twelve balls to play
Three wickets left
The ball slips from his grip
Dips and hits a divot on the pitch
Shoots along the mud
Hits the batter on his foot
The ump raises his finger
The crowd is happy
The experts begin to rave
At the great bowling change
I still have some hope
My record intact
My family safe
The match is won soon after
The experts sing my praise
The cup is saved
I will remain captain again
Many wins follow
Folks call me the greatest
Skipper and tactician
That ever played
But if it was not for Abdul
And the divot on the pitch
Daily I’d be walking to Tesco
To buy a lucky dip.
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