You see, the whole Electoral College system has gotten on people’s nerves over the years [citation needed/s], and some states have opted to allocate their Electoral votes to whoever wins the popular national vote, no matter what. The map of states that have signed that compact looks something like this:
All the green states are the ones have adopted the compact, and all the yellow states currently have the compact under review.
Furthermore, all the yellow states are states that Trump won. Turning those electoral votes over to Hillary, the winner of the popular vote, would give her the presidency.
Now the Electoral College apparently doesn’t actually cast their votes until December 19th, which means that if the compact is passed before then in those four states–Missouri, Arizona, Michigan, and (most importantly, as it has the largest number of Electoral votes) Pennsylvania–then those states’ Electoral votes will go over to Hillary and she will win the presidency.
Of course, that leaves just over a month to get four state governments to pass an agreement into law. In any normal situation, that would be nigh-impossible. But the nation is essentially in crisis mode right now, and with enough attention maybe this can get fast-tracked through. Or even if it doesn’t, drawing attention to the mere fact that this compact exists may help motivate Electorates to vote against their state and towards the overall will of the country.
Either way, share this information. There’s still time.
On December 19, the Electors of the Electoral College will cast their ballots. If they all vote the way their states voted, Donald Trump will win. However, they can vote for Hillary Clinton if they choose. Even in states where that is not allowed, their vote would still be counted, they would simply pay a small fine – which we can be sure Clinton supporters will be glad to pay!
We are calling on the Electors to ignore their states’ votes and cast their ballots for Secretary Clinton. Why?
Mr. Trump is unfit to serve. His scapegoating of so many Americans, and his impulsivity, bullying, lying, admitted history of sexual assault, and utter lack of experience make him a danger to the Republic.
Secretary Clinton WON THE POPULAR VOTE and should be President.
Hillary won the popular vote. The only reason Trump “won” is because of the Electoral College.
But the Electoral College can actually give the White House to either candidate. So why not use this most undemocratic of our institutions to ensure a democratic result?
SHE WON THE POPULAR VOTE.
There is no reason Trump should be President.
“It’s the ‘People’s Will’”
No. She won the popular vote.
“Our system of government under our Constitution says he wins”
No. Our Constitution says the Electors choose.
“Too many states prohibit ‘Faithless Electors’”
24 states bind electors. If electors vote against their party, they usually pay a fine. And people get mad. But they can vote however they want and there is no legal means to stop them in most states.
Hi, I’m a heterosexual white male, and I’m frightened for the safety and well-being of everyone I know who isn’t.
The fact is that Trump’s election is a green light on people who don’t look like him. “Take our country back” has been their slogan, and now that they’ve achieved a victory, the worst ones aren’t going to stop there. It’s open season.
Look for the helpers, Mr. Rogers tells us. But where are they? How can you ever feel safe in a country which has told you, in no uncertain terms, that you’re not welcome, even if you were born here?
If you’re like me– a straight, white, able-bodied male– you need to be one of the helpers, and you need to be visible.
This is the Green Rings.
I’m releasing this simple image into the public domain. One neon green ring, overlapped by one forest green ring. You can copy them, redraw them, recreate it any way you want as long as it’s recognizable.
Wear the Green Rings on your person to show that you are a helper.
The Green Rings are not intended to be used on the Internet, where your ideas are seen before your person. The symbol is for wearing: on a shirt, badge, button, armband, earring, a patch on your backpack or purse, a tattoo, anything you can attach it to that will be readily visible. Wear it somewhere that it can be seen. With the Green Rings, a book can make its contents more easily judged by its cover.
Wear the Green Rings to send this message:
Solidarity: Although I’m a (white or other) majority member, I support and care for minorities– and I vote.
One thing that every President-elect always says is that it’s “time to pull together”, and that’s never been more true than it is now. We DO need to pull together, in resistance to this new world order. A wearer of the Green Rings is making it public that they’re opposed to the new way of things, and the many ways it can harm others.
Accessibility: I can be approached if you’re in trouble or danger.
This symbol means you’re open and ready to help when someone, even a stranger, needs you– especially minorities who have lost their security in this dark time. This can mean something simple like volunteering a ride in your car, carrying groceries, or simply offering friendship to someone who needs it more than ever; most likely, you do too.
Conviction: I will not put my privilege before your safety.
This means that if someone trusts you enough to come to you for help, you’re not going to brush them off for fear of being judged by other majorities. You’re putting their health ahead of your privilege, regardless of what others of your social group may think.
Vigilance: I will not put my safety before yours.
This means you’re not just a shoulder to cry on, or someone who can provide valuable tax advice: a wearer of the Green Rings is someone who will call the police on your behalf, defend you in court if called to witness, and yes, even defend you bodily and physically.
This is where the line is drawn; don’t put them on if you’re not willing to fight.
Wear the Green Rings and you will have to fight.
This is why it’s important that it be worn by able-bodied people who can defend themselves. You don’t have to land an attacker with a punch or return gunfire– but if someone is being attacked and calls for help, then the fourth promise, the promise of vigilance, requires you to help. Even if just with a distraction; a loud whistle, a thrown rock. If that gets their attention and they come after you, then you may need to brace for a fight, but as soon as the original attack victim gets away, you’ve won– no need to fight more than you have to. (If the victim doesn’t look like they can get away, you may want to start with something stronger than just getting the attacker’s attention.)
Yes, this is scary! This is what’s happening now!
There is also the possibility that, if the Green Rings experiment becomes a success and gains notoriety, you may become a target yourself for wearing them. If you starts seeing more people who wear the Green Rings in your area, get to know each other– and watch each other’s backs.
Finally, one way we’ll REALLY know this is taking off, is when you start seeing fraudulent Green Rings bearers. This is a concern that we can’t fully predict the outcome of, but in the event someone who wears the Rings doesn’t keep their four promises– solidarity, accessibility, conviction, and vigilance– then spread the word, in the neighborhood. Use social media. Tattle. Maybe they’re someone otherwise devoted to the cause who fell down on the job and need some social pressure– but maybe they’re just scumbags who need to be exposed.
Look for the Green Rings when you need help.
Who needs helpers in this new era?
Women, of all races.
Muslims, of all races.
LGBTQ+ of all races, with special emphasis on the T.
Blacks of all genders and faiths.
Latinos and Latinas.
American Indians.
Immigrants from anywhere, and their children.
Jews. (I’m so sorry this keeps happening, friends.)
Disabled people of all genders, races, and faiths.
Sufferers of mental illness.
Children who fall into any of the above groups.
If you’re a member of the above groups, or another minority group that I thoughtlessly excluded (my apologies), look for anyone wearing the Green Rings– especially white males, who can do an especial amount of good by playing “plainclothes” among dangerous members of their groups. Greet them and point to their symbol. It’s okay to ask what areas they live and work in, so you’ll know where your allies are.
If you are in physical danger, call for your Green Rings allies by name: knowing someone specific might be listening is more of a deterrent to attackers than a call for the police– especially if the attackers are the police.
If you’re in danger and in an unfamiliar area, call GREEN RINGS! as loudly as you can. This may be unlikely to help, especially as we’re only barely beginning to organize, but if you show confidence that someone will arrive to help, that can be a deterrent as well.
How can I help?
Share this. I want this to be more than just my short-sighted, rambling little way of making myself feel better about the country I always thought I loved before. If you’re someone who could benefit from having Green Rings in your area, share it and spread it around. If you’re not able to wear the Rings but you know someone cool that might be interested, share it with them. The initial idea was for Green Rings to mark white males who were safe to approach, but it’s still OK to wear them if you’re not one yourself. Spreading the word will help it gain traction, and alert people who might need it someday.
There are people in this country who are direly, violently opposed to there being such things as “safe spaces”– but no one can stop you from being a safe person. We need the helpers, now more than ever; I hope you’ll be one too.
This is an excellent initiative, and I support it wholeheartedly. I’m gonna go buy something to paint my clothes with first thing tomorrow.
I’m trans, but I pass all too well as a potential racist asshole. This design will make its way onto my wardrobe.
As a disabled woman, I’m likely to be a target, myself, but if you see me, and need an ally against the bullshit we’re facing, I’m here. They won’t know the training I do in my spare time, until it’s too late.
can we get patches and pins of this made by someone with craft abilities? as a cis woman i already ordered a #IllGoWithYou patch for my bag and i’d like to add this as well.
shoutout to everyone who got up this morning and went to work or class, or got their kid up, or had to do the grocery shopping while everything was falling to pieces.
you all did great. whatever you did to get through the day, even if you broke down, you did great. everyone who couldn’t is no less for it, but to every service worker with no sick days and every employee trying to pretend like customer service or routine meant a thing–you did great.
you are very brave, and so strong, and you deserve whatever rest you can find.
The worst part of this is going out on the street and suddenly wondering if everyone you see is a trump voter. 59 million people out there, including my state that swung red, subscribed to his hateful, racist, xenophobic rhetoric, to pence’s violent and anti-lgbt policies. Random white people on the street, in the store, next door, everywhere- all I can think is, “Was it you? Do you hate me and everyone like me?”
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin has a great new interview with President Obama in Vanity Fair. In the wide-ranging interview, they discuss Abraham Lincoln, Obama’s biggest regrets from his time in office, and how a visit to the pyramids reminded Obama that cable news doesn’t really matter.
But perhaps the most intriguing bit was when, in a brief discussion of Obama’s plans for his post-presidency, Obama hinted that he planned to start speaking out more like an activist than a president.
There are “things,” he told Goodwin, “that in some ways I suspect I’m able to do better out of this office.” He elaborated that because of the “institutional constraints” of the presidency, “there are things I cannot say.”
He went on to essentially say he wanted to use his post-presidential bully pulpit more like an activist than a venerable elder statesman. “There are institutional obligations I have to carry out that are important for a president of the United States to carry out, but may not always align with what I think would move the ball down the field on the issues that I care most deeply about,” he said.
And while vague, this is an intriguing hint that Obama is thinking about being a very different ex-president than we’ve been used to.
Ok Folks, listen up. The electoral college doesn’t vote officially until December 19th. It is extremely rare and almost unheard of for them to vote against the majority of their district BUT IT CAN HAPPEN. The Electoral College was made for exactly this purpose!
Remember, prior to December 19th, we have:
Court Case against Trump University Court Case Against Trump for accusations for rape and sexual assault
If we pull together, we can swing this. We will have to be tireless. We will have to be unyielding. We will have to write, call, and march on every swing state that can have their electoral vote differently. We have to make our voices heard. Hillary WON the popular vote which means more of America wants her to be President than Trump. There is precedence for this to happen. There is cause. There is hope. With no state law against Pennsylvania voting against their popular vote, that’s 20 to go to Hillary. If Florida or any three other states swing, SHE WINS.
If we get them to vote different, we don’t have to worry about Trump or Pence because Hillary will have won. Until she hands over the nomination, she is still saying she is waiting for the official electoral votes to be made.
We can do this. We can win. LET’S SPREAD THIS LIKE WILD FIRE ON HERE AND FACEBOOK!
Dear god, someone tell me what to do
Find out the swing vote state’s Electoral College Representatives and phone, mail, email, share, and march on their offices. We have just over a month to get this together. If the Electoral College decides to change their votes for Hillary on December 19th, we will have Hillary as our President. The reason why so many people aren’t talking about this is because it’s very rare for the Electoral College to vote differently than the districts. Some states even have laws preventing that, such as Ohio and North Carolina. But, Pennsylvania does NOT have that law. Florida is tricky, but it can be done. NH is also another one that can swing it as well. If we get just a few of them to switch, we will have won.
EDIT:
Adding additional information to this post as no one is reblogging the updated one: The Lawsuit against Trump for Rape has been dropped for the moment but the Trump University suite still stands.
Important Information:
Who selects the Electors? Choosing each state’s Electors is a two-part process. First, the political parties in each state choose slates of potential Electors sometime before the general election. Second, on Election Day, the voters in each state select their state’s Electors by casting their ballots for President.The first part of the process is controlled by the political parties in each state and varies from state to state. Generally, the parties either nominate slates of potential Electors at their state party conventions or they chose them by a vote of the party’s central committee. This happens in each state for each party by whatever rules the state party and (sometimes) the national party have for the process. This first part of the process results in each Presidential candidate having their own unique slate of potential Electors.Political parties often choose Electors for the slate to recognize their service and dedication to that political party. They may be state elected officials, state party leaders, or people in the state who have a personal or political affiliation with their party’s Presidential candidate. (For specific information about how slates of potential Electors are chosen, contact the political parties in each state.)The second part of the process happens on Election Day. When the voters in each state cast votes for the Presidential candidate of their choice they are voting to select their state’s Electors. The potential Electors’ names may or may not appear on the ballot below the name of the Presidential candidates, depending on election procedures and ballot formats in each state.The winning Presidential candidate’s slate of potential Electors are appointed as the state’s Electors—except in Nebraska and Maine, which have proportional distribution of the Electors. In Nebraska and Maine, the state winner receives two Electors and the winner of each congressional district (who may be the same as the overall winner or a different candidate) receives one Elector. This system permits the Electors from Nebraska and Maine to be awarded to more than one candidate.
Are there restrictions on who the Electors can vote for?
There is no Constitutional provision or Federal law that requires Electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote in their states. Some states, however, require Electors to cast their votes according to the popular vote. These pledges fall into two categories—Electors bound by state law and those bound by pledges to political parties.The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the Constitution does not require that Electors be completely free to act as they choose and therefore, political parties may extract pledges from electors to vote for the parties’ nominees. Some state laws provide that so-called “faithless Electors” may be subject to fines or may be disqualified for casting an invalid vote and be replaced by a substitute elector. The Supreme Court has not specifically ruled on the question of whether pledges and penalties for failure to vote as pledged may be enforced under the Constitution. No Elector has ever been prosecuted for failing to vote as pledged.Today, it is rare for Electors to disregard the popular vote by casting their electoral vote for someone other than their party’s candidate. Electors generally hold a leadership position in their party or were chosen to recognize years of loyal service to the party. Throughout our history as a nation, more than 99 percent of Electors have voted as pledged.
VERY IMPORTANT DATES: November 8, 2016—Election DayRegistered voters cast their votes for President and Vice President. By doing so, they also help choose the electors who will represent their state in the Electoral College.
Mid-November through December 19, 2016 After the presidential election, the governor of your state prepares seven Certificates of Ascertainment. “As soon as practicable,” after the election results in your state are certified, the governor sends one of the Certificates of Ascertainment to the Archivist.Certificates of Ascertainment should be sent to the Archivist no later than the meeting of the electors in December. However, federal law sets no penalty for missing the deadline.The remaining six Certificates of Ascertainment are held for use at the meeting of the Electors in December.
December 13, 2016- States must make final decisions in any controversies over the appointment of their electors at least six days before the meeting of the Electors. This is so their electoral votes will be presumed valid when presented to Congress.Decisions by states’ courts are conclusive, if decided under laws enacted before Election Day.
December 19, 2016- The Electors meet in their state and vote for President and Vice President on separate ballots. The electors record their votes on six “Certificates of Vote,” which are paired with the six remaining Certificates of Ascertainment.The electors sign, seal, and certify six sets of electoral votes. A set of electoral votes consists of one Certificate of Ascertainment and one Certificate of Vote. These are distributed immediately as follows:one set to the President of the Senate (the Vice President) for the official count of the electoral votes in January;two packages to the Secretary of State in the state where the electors met—one is an archival set that becomes part of the public record of the Secretary of State’s office and the other is a reserve set that is subject to the call of the President of the Senate to replace missing or incomplete electoral votes;two packages to the Archivist—one is an archival set that becomes part of the permanent collection at the National Archives and Records Administration and the other is a reserve set that is subject to the call of the President of the Senate to replace missing or incomplete electoral votes; and one set to the presiding judge in the district where the Electors met—this is also a reserve set that is subject to the call of the President of the Senate to replace missing or incomplete electoral votes.
I am so glad people are protesting, even if the protests don’t “do” anything to intercede on the election results.
It just makes me feel better to see so many Americans visibly demonstrating their rejection of Trump as a political figure and the ideologies he stands for.
Meg's Mumbles 