What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Valmy]

It still baffles me how a person like this could have been democratically elected to anything, let alone POTUS.

It paints an incredibly bad picture of American society, really.

Our country is filled with idiots. But, to be fair, so is yours.

[celedhring]

So is mine. There seems to be a trend here. 

[Malthus]

America always has to have the biggest of everything ... 

[Sophie Scholl]

It still baffles me how a person like this could have been democratically elected to anything, let alone POTUS.

It's because we are dumb enough to allow the people to directly elect our leader.  That's a pretty terrible idea and most of Europe knows better than that.

Except... we don't.  We have the magical Electoral College model!  You know, so if the electorate ever does something truly stupid and foolish, we have a nice group of elites to prevent America from electing a disaster.  Oh.  Whoops.

[Valmy]

Except... we don't.  We have the magical Electoral College model!  You know, so if the electorate ever does something truly stupid and foolish, we have a nice group of elites to prevent America from electing a disaster.  Oh.  Whoops.

That is what I thought the Electoral College was supposed to do. But sometimes I hear that it was designed to give more power to the smaller states. I thought the Senate was supposed to do that.

Granted the Electoral College has never done what it was supposed to do. I mean even basing the election on a popular vote was the exception rather than the rule for the first couple Presidential elections anyway.

[11B4V]

If Jones wins today, Trumpenfuhrer will say the election was rigged.

[11B4V]

2 minutes till the bug eyed cow spews shirt.

[Sophie Scholl]

Except... we don't.  We have the magical Electoral College model!  You know, so if the electorate ever does something truly stupid and foolish, we have a nice group of elites to prevent America from electing a disaster.  Oh.  Whoops.

That is what I thought the Electoral College was supposed to do. But sometimes I hear that it was designed to give more power to the smaller states. I thought the Senate was supposed to do that.

Granted the Electoral College has never done what it was supposed to do. I mean even basing the election on a popular vote was the exception rather than the rule for the first couple Presidential elections anyway.

Exactly.  Every reason it was created for it has either now failed or is redundant somewhere in the federal setup we have.  Direct democracy has its pitfalls, but I think it's a better option than the system we have in place with the EC.

[CountDeMoney]

Except... we don't.  We have the magical Electoral College model!  You know, so if the electorate ever does something truly stupid and foolish, we have a nice group of elites to prevent America from electing a disaster.  Oh.  Whoops.

That is what I thought the Electoral College was supposed to do. But sometimes I hear that it was designed to give more power to the smaller states. I thought the Senate was supposed to do that.

Granted the Electoral College has never done what it was supposed to do. I mean even basing the election on a popular vote was the exception rather than the rule for the first couple Presidential elections anyway.

Sure it has;  it provided a population counterbalance for slave states.  It should've been dumped when 3/5s was dumped.

[Caliga]

Except... we don't.  We have the magical Electoral College model!  You know, so if the electorate ever does something truly stupid and foolish, we have a nice group of elites to prevent America from electing a disaster.  Oh.  Whoops.

Actually, excellent point.  If we had gone by the popular vote we would have had President Hillary.  Oh wait, I'm sorry, IT WAS RIGGED!!!!!!!!!

But really, I was trying to say I wish we had the party in power pick the leader internally.  I'm not particularly fond of Mitch McConnell, but compared to Trump?  Mitch please.

[CountDeMoney]

But really, I was trying to say I wish we had the party in power pick the leader internally.  I'm not particularly fond of Mitch McConnell, but compared to Trump?  Mitch please.

I forget my Constitutional History classes, but I think that was the New York Plan?  The Senate elects the POTUS?

[Caliga]

Not exactly.  I may be mistaken but in British-style systems the party has a leader elected internally by the MPs and if that party assumes power that leader automatically becomes PM.  The party not in power has a 'shadow' cabinet at all times with preselected members for cabinet positions including PM, so if power flips, those dudes automatically assume their respective offices.

Isn't that how it works?  If so, I like that system and wish to subscribe to its newsletter.

[crazy canuck]

Not exactly.  I may be mistaken but in British-style systems the party has a leader elected internally by the MPs and if that party assumes power that leader automatically becomes PM.  The party not in power has a 'shadow' cabinet at all times with preselected members for cabinet positions including PM, so if power flips, those dudes automatically assume their respective offices.

Isn't that how it works?  If so, I like that system and wish to subscribe to its newsletter.

Sort of.  the leader is elected by the party members not by the MPs alone.  The most significant difference is that if a sitting Prime Minister resigns any sitting MP, if elected leader, would become the PM.  As a result there is a lot more incentive for elected members of Parliament to oust a poor leader.  No only do they safeguard their own electoral prospects, but they might get the top job. In the US, no sitting senator has a chance to become president during the four year term of the President.  That honour falls to the VP then on down the cabinet iirc.

[CountDeMoney]

Not exactly.  I may be mistaken but in British-style systems the party has a leader elected internally by the MPs and if that party assumes power that leader automatically becomes PM.  The party not in power has a 'shadow' cabinet at all times with preselected members for cabinet positions including PM, so if power flips, those dudes automatically assume their respective offices.

Isn't that how it works?  If so, I like that system and wish to subscribe to its newsletter.

I'm not talking Eurotrash nonsense, but the various plans of the Constitutional Convention.  The Virginia Plan, Congress selects the Executive.

[dps]

But really, I was trying to say I wish we had the party in power pick the leader internally.  I'm not particularly fond of Mitch McConnell, but compared to Trump?  Mitch please.

That's kind of how it worked up until about 1820--Presidential candidates were selected by their party's Congressional caucus.