The table above has these entries. Post entries with just one line for Reach were not boosted. Boosted posts have two lines for Reach and several other items. The upper line reflects all interactions, the bottom line just those resulting from paid ads.
========== Making an issue of voter suppression https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/11/opinion/wisconsin-michigan-democrats-hardball.html == topic democracy ===== impact 5 impactrate 0 likeimpress 1 negative 0 posted 2018-12-30 ratio 7 react 5 reactrate 0 shares 1 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 3 title Making an issue of voter suppression topic democracy wordrate 0 words 9 ID 779327685745086 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/779327685745086 audclicks 3 audreach 2 engaged 2 impress 64 likeclickusers 2 likeimpress 1 likeuimpress 40 likeusers 1 likeuusers 32 matchedotherclicks 3 oimpress 64 oreach 39 posted "12/30/2018 04:20:31 PM" postotherclicks 2 reach 39 sharesimpress 1 sharesusers 1 type Link ========== It's not just Putin who enjoys social media https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/climate/cafe-emissions-rollback-oil-industry.html == topic democracy 1 ===== impact 7 impactrate 0 likeimpress 4 negative 0 posted 2018-12-30 priority 1 ratio 10 react 6 reactrate 0 shares 1 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 1 title It's not just Putin who enjoys social media topic democracy wordrate 0 words 12 ID 779304492414072 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/779304492414072 audclicks 1 audreach 1 engaged 5 impress 94 likeclickusers 5 likeimpress 4 likeuimpress 53 likeusers 4 likeuusers 39 matchedotherclicks 1 oimpress 94 oreach 62 posted "12/30/2018 03:11:34 PM" postotherclicks 1 reach 62 sharesimpress 1 sharesusers 1 type Link ========== The end game of a do-nothing Congress If Congress can't act, then the executive over-reaches and the judiciary over-activates. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/us/politics/congress-trump-government-shutdown.html And with this executive and judiciary, that's bad news for everybody - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/upshot/the-economy-is-still-strong-the-risk-for-2019-is-that-leadership-turns-a-mild-shock-into-a-crisis.html == topic democracy ===== comments 1 impact 27 impactrate 0 likeimpress 2 negative 0 posted 2018-12-30 ratio 6 react 8 reactrate 0 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 5 title The end game of a do-nothing Congress topic democracy wordrate 0 words 34 ID 779295519081636 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/779295519081636 audclicks 5 audreach 5 commentsimpress 1 commentsusers 1 engaged 7 impress 78 likeclickusers 7 likeimpress 2 likeuimpress 62 likeusers 2 likeuusers 50 matchedotherclicks 5 oimpress 78 oreach 52 posted "12/30/2018 02:42:55 PM" postotherclicks 5 reach 52 type Link ========== The new social media battleground https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/12/29/neighbor-wars-how-nextdoor-is-changing-the-bay-areas-housing-debate/ == topic democracy 1 ===== impact 6 impactrate 0 likeimpress 1 negative 0 posted 2018-12-30 priority 1 ratio 8 react 7 reactrate 0 shares 1 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 5 title The new social media battleground topic democracy wordrate 0 words 9 ID 779076065770248 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/779076065770248 audclicks 5 audreach 5 engaged 5 impress 86 likeclickusers 5 likeimpress 1 likeuimpress 67 likeusers 1 likeuusers 52 matchedlinkclicks 5 oimpress 86 oreach 58 posted "12/30/2018 06:28:59 AM" postlinkclicks 5 reach 58 sharesimpress 1 sharesusers 1 type Link ========== Ranked-choice voting in the news https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-meyerson-primary-ranking-20181129-story.html https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/419533-a-simple-fix-for-gerrymandering == topic democracy ===== comments 1 impact 18 impactrate 0 likeimpress 8 negative 0 posted 2018-12-07 ratio 3 react 23 reactrate 0 shares 1 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 13 title Ranked-choice voting in the news topic democracy wordrate 0 words 8 ID 765135583830963 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/765135583830963 audclicks 13 audreach 6 commentsimpress 1 commentsusers 1 engaged 11 impress 98 likeclickusers 10 likeimpress 8 likeuimpress 68 likeusers 8 likeuusers 61 matchedlinkclicks 2 matchedotherclicks 11 oimpress 98 oreach 73 posted "12/07/2018 10:02:15 PM" postlinkclicks 2 postotherclicks 5 reach 73 sharesimpress 1 sharesusers 1 type Link ========== What happens with a do-nothing Congress? Do-nothing Congresses lead to over-reaching executives and activist judiciaries. Partisan gridlock kept Obama and Trump from making progress on their legislative priorities even when they had narrow margins in Congress. Issues with bipartisan centrist support can't make headway against uncompromising extremes. Not everybody is in favor of centrist bipartisan politics, but that's the way things get done. There's an intellectual disconnect - most voters favor European-style social safety nets but don't favor European-style tax structures to support it. So there's a learning curve. Social security and medicare were once considered extreme. Obamacare is gaining acceptance too - perhaps more voters are beginning to understand that it has to be paid for somehow. Nolabels has been advocating for structural reforms that permit bipartisan centrist solutions to at least be considered and voted up or down. And they've been resisted by those determined to deny any victory to the other party. You can read the back and forth - https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/420055-setting-the-record-straight-sbout-no-labels https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-no-labels-mark-pocan_us_5c06b110e4b0cd916fb0b042 https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/12/07/the_truth_about_no_labels_138856.html https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/no-labels-response-wisconsin-michigan-republican-power-grabs_us_5c096827e4b04046345a21a0 Like just many other poltiical advocacy organizations, Nolabels should be more forthcoming about its funding sources. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Labels But its critics should be more forthcoming about how they plan to get Congress functional again. == topic democracy 1 ===== impact 40 impactrate 0 negative 0 posted 2018-12-07 priority 1 ratio 9 react 2 reactrate 0 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 2 title What happens with a do-nothing Congress? topic democracy wordrate 0 words 199 ID 765134367164418 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/765134367164418 audclicks 2 audreach 1 engaged 1 impress 34 likeclickusers 1 likeuimpress 17 likeuusers 16 matchedotherclicks 2 oimpress 34 oreach 18 posted "12/07/2018 09:58:49 PM" postotherclicks 1 reach 18 type Link ========== Paul Ryan doesn't understand California election practices https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/12/07/opinion-berman-election-integrity/ Evidently Wisconsin Republicans don't think much of the idea of making it easier for every eligible voter to vote. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/paul-ryan-questions-californias-vote-counting-process-as-bizarre == topic democracy ===== comments 4 hide 1 impact 70 impactrate 0 likeimpress 5 negative 1 posted 2018-12-07 ratio 4 react 24 reactrate 0 shares 2 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 12 title Paul Ryan doesn't understand California election practices topic democracy wordrate 0 words 29 ID 765126363831885 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/765126363831885 audclicks 12 audreach 10 commentsimpress 4 commentsusers 4 engaged 15 hideclicks 1 hideclicksusers 1 impress 149 likeclickusers 12 likeimpress 5 likeuimpress 89 likeusers 5 likeuusers 73 matchedotherclicks 12 negclicks 1 negusers 1 oimpress 149 oreach 107 posted "12/07/2018 09:31:40 PM" postotherclicks 10 reach 107 sharesimpress 2 sharesusers 2 type Link ========== Want to make a tax-deductible donation toward democracy? Getting ready for tax season? Political contributions are not tax deductible. But if a tax deductible donation is important to you, consider these research and education organizations - * http://www.fairvote.org/ retire winner-take-all Congressional representation in favor of ranked-choice multi-district voting * https://itep.org/ Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy - ensure that policy makers, media, and advocates know the impact that tax changes have on people of different income levels * http://www.democracy21.org/ Democracy 21 Education Fund retire "one-dollar-one-vote" by legislation and judicial action * http://www.equalrightsnow.org/ Equally American - voting rights for residents of Federal territories * https://www.lwv.org/ League of Women Voters Education Fund == If a tax deduction is not important to you, consider these as well: * https://www.ctj.org/ Citizens for Tax Justice, affiliated with Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy * http://www.americanpromise.net/ retire "one-dollar-one-vote" and "human rights for corporations" by constitutional amendment * https://www.nolabels.org/ support centrist bipartisanship * http://www.uniteamerica.org/ support independent candidates * https://www.lwv.org/ League of Women Voters, not the Education Fund == topic democracy ===== impact 441 impactrate 0 likeimpress 2 negative 0 posted 2018-12-05 ratio 1 react 38 reactrate 0 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 36 title Want to make a tax-deductible donation toward democracy? topic democracy wordrate 0 words 116 ID 763720777305777 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/763720777305777 audclicks 36 audreach 4 engaged 4 impress 71 likeclickusers 4 likeimpress 2 likeuimpress 53 likeusers 2 likeuusers 42 matchedotherclicks 36 oimpress 71 oreach 44 posted "12/05/2018 01:53:50 PM" postotherclicks 4 reach 44 type Link ========== No Labels Unity Campaign https://www.unionleader.com/no-labels-group-unveils-its-unity-campaign/article_70a21801-5207-59a4-920d-ef2157a68057.html == More on these topics - https://www.nolabels.org/ http://www.political-scrapbook.net/theory.html#conservative http://www.liberty-and-justice.net/ == topic democracy 1 ===== impact 1 impactrate 0 negative 0 posted 2018-12-04 priority 1 ratio 24 react 1 reactrate 0 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 1 title No Labels Unity Campaign topic democracy wordrate 0 words 14 ID 763156550695533 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/763156550695533 audclicks 1 audreach 1 engaged 1 impress 45 likeclickusers 1 likeuimpress 30 likeuusers 22 matchedlinkclicks 1 oimpress 45 oreach 24 posted "12/04/2018 05:13:04 PM" postlinkclicks 1 reach 24 type Link ========== The art of gerrymandering https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/29/us/politics/north-carolina-gerrymandering.html Want to do something about it? https://democraticredistricting.com/ More - http://www.political-scrapbook.net/democracy.html#redistricting == topic democracy 1 ===== impact 42 impactrate 0 likeimpress 3 negative 0 posted 2018-11-29 priority 1 ratio 5 react 26 reactrate 0 shares 6 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 17 title The art of gerrymandering topic democracy wordrate 0 words 16 ID 760311160980072 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/760311160980072 audclicks 17 audreach 9 engaged 11 impress 175 likeclickusers 9 likeimpress 3 likeuimpress 77 likeusers 3 likeuusers 68 matchedlinkclicks 1 matchedotherclicks 16 oimpress 175 oreach 144 posted "11/29/2018 08:24:24 PM" postlinkclicks 1 postotherclicks 8 reach 144 sharesimpress 6 sharesusers 5 type Link ========== Deep dark money https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/secret-donors-gave-large-sums-to-conservative-nonprofit-that-funded-pro-trump-allies/2018/11/27/07667840-f266-11e8-80d0-f7e1948d55f4_story.html Another forgotten Trump promise. Instead, he relies on the Federalist Society for reactionary judicial nominees. Who's going to do something about it? http://www.americanpromise.net/ More - http://www.political-scrapbook.net/democracy.html#corporate%20donations == topic democracy 1 ===== hideall 1 impact 81 impactrate 0 likeimpress 7 negative 1 posted 2018-11-27 priority 1 ratio 3 react 26 reactrate 0 shares 5 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 13 title Deep dark money topic democracy wordrate 0 words 31 ID 758951334449388 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/758951334449388 audclicks 13 audreach 9 engaged 15 hideallclicks 1 hideallclicksusers 1 impress 117 likeclickusers 13 likeimpress 7 likeuimpress 88 likeusers 7 likeuusers 72 matchedotherclicks 13 negclicks 1 negusers 1 oimpress 117 oreach 91 posted "11/27/2018 03:23:01 PM" postotherclicks 9 reach 91 sharesimpress 5 sharesusers 5 type Link ========== Executive v Judicial - the inevitable result of a gridlocked do-nothing Congress. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/24/opinion/sunday/john-roberts-donald-trump.html == topic democracy 1 ===== hide 1 impact 22 impactrate 0 likeimpress 1 negative 1 posted 2018-11-25 priority 1 ratio 4 react 14 reactrate 0 shares 3 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 9 title Executive v Judicial - topic democracy wordrate 0 words 16 ID 757552374589284 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/757552374589284 audclicks 9 audreach 7 engaged 7 hideclicks 1 hideclicksusers 1 impress 84 likeclickusers 5 likeimpress 1 likeuimpress 54 likeusers 1 likeuusers 44 matchedlinkclicks 2 matchedotherclicks 7 negclicks 1 negusers 1 oimpress 84 oreach 56 posted "11/25/2018 12:40:08 PM" postlinkclicks 2 postotherclicks 5 reach 56 sharesimpress 3 sharesusers 3 type Link ========== Looking toward the middle for abundance and hope https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/opinion/politics-race-white-tribalism.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/22/opinion/populism-establishment-working-class.html http://opportunityamericaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/WCG-final_web.pdf == Who else is working toward these ends? https://www.nolabels.org/ https://www.uniteamerica.org/ == topic democracy 1 ===== comments 1 hide 1 impact 50 impactrate 0 likeimpress 3 negative 1 posted 2018-11-23 priority 1 ratio 8 react 25 reactrate 0 shares 7 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 13 title Looking toward the middle for abundance and hope topic democracy wordrate 0 words 20 ID 756204574724064 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/756204574724064 audclicks 13 audreach 12 commentsimpress 1 commentsusers 1 engaged 15 hideclicks 1 hideclicksusers 1 impress 274 likeclickusers 8 likeimpress 3 likeuimpress 90 likeusers 3 likeuusers 78 matchedlinkclicks 9 matchedotherclicks 4 negclicks 1 negusers 1 oimpress 274 oreach 218 posted "11/23/2018 12:33:09 PM" postlinkclicks 8 postotherclicks 4 reach 218 sharesimpress 7 sharesusers 4 type Link ========== The first conspiracy party and the first third party https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/10/21/how-an-abduction-by-mysterious-freemasons-led-third-political-party-nations-first All the men on your paper money - except possibly Jefferson - were Masons or intended to become Masons. But the anti-Masons held the first presidential nominating convention. Unfounded conspiracies eventually wear out their welcome in the mainstream, and third parties don't do much better. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Some people argue thatthe two major parties are too strong https://www.hbs.edu/competitiveness/Documents/why-competition-in-the-politics-industry-is-failing-america.pdf but others respond - not strong enough. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/our-political-parties-arent-too-powerful-theyre-not-powerful-enough/2018/10/02/fac1f36c-c673-11e8-9b1c-a90f1daae309_story.html == topic democracy ===== hide 1 impact 33 impactrate 0 negative 1 posted 2018-11-23 ratio 8 react 4 reactrate 0 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 3 title The first conspiracy party and the first third party topic democracy wordrate 0 words 83 ID 756159401395248 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/756159401395248 audclicks 3 audreach 3 engaged 3 hideclicks 1 hideclicksusers 1 impress 46 likeclickusers 3 likeuimpress 38 likeuusers 31 matchedlinkclicks 1 matchedotherclicks 2 negclicks 1 negusers 1 oimpress 46 oreach 32 posted "11/23/2018 11:16:26 AM" postlinkclicks 1 postotherclicks 2 reach 32 type Link ========== In every thing give thanks https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/11/20/we-celebrate-thanksgiving-because-this-poignant-proclamation-abraham-lincoln/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/thanksgiving-is-not-just-about-gratitude-its-about-setting-a-moral-example/2018/11/21/ebc58d12-ec32-11e8-baac-2a674e91502b_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-lessons-my-father-charles-krauthammer-taught-me-about-being-thankful/2018/11/21/c314bf34-ecee-11e8-8679-934a2b33be52_story.html == topic democracy ===== impact 18 impactrate 0 likeimpress 5 negative 0 posted 2018-11-21 ratio 3 react 22 reactrate 0 shares 3 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 14 title In every thing give thanks topic democracy wordrate 0 words 8 ID 755016911509497 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/755016911509497 audclicks 14 audreach 8 engaged 11 impress 112 likeclickusers 6 likeimpress 5 likeuimpress 62 likeusers 5 likeuusers 50 matchedlinkclicks 7 matchedotherclicks 7 oimpress 112 oreach 82 posted "11/21/2018 06:11:07 PM" postlinkclicks 6 postotherclicks 5 reach 82 sharesimpress 3 sharesusers 3 type Link ========== Big money in politics What it's done http://www.americanpromise.net/big_wins_for_big_money What should be done http://www.americanpromise.net/winning_back_our_democracy_a_q_a_with_hedrick_smith == topic democracy 1 ===== impact 6 impactrate 0 negative 0 posted 2018-11-20 priority 1 ratio 8 react 4 reactrate 0 shares 1 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 3 title Big money in politics topic democracy wordrate 0 words 15 ID 754471264897395 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/754471264897395 audclicks 3 audreach 1 engaged 1 impress 46 likeclickusers 1 likeuimpress 32 likeuusers 30 matchedotherclicks 3 oimpress 46 oreach 35 posted "11/20/2018 09:44:53 PM" postotherclicks 1 reach 35 sharesimpress 1 sharesusers 1 type Link ========== Ranked-choice-voting - a win for democracy in Maine https://bangordailynews.com/2018/11/15/politics/golden-defeats-poliquin-in-contested-2nd-district-ranked-choice-count/ Ranked-choice voting is unpopular with some career politicians because they count on vote splitting. Sometimes it's accidental, as with Jesse Ventura, https://archive.siam.org/news/news.php?id=674 and other times not - perhaps in this Maine case. Consider a common enough scenario - A Trumpist is polling at 48% and a Democrat at 49% - and a Green at 3%. (You can think of Bush-Gore-Nader if you prefer.) The Trumpist can see that no amount of clean or dirty campaigning will get him any Democrat or Green votes. So instead he surreptitiously donates his campaign money to the Green candidates in the hope of getting 2% to switch from Democrat to Green so the Trumpist wins. Plays like that have been detected, more so in primaries than in general elections. With ranked-choice voting, as many Democrats can vote for Greens as they like, as long as Democrats put the Green candidate as second choice, and Greens put the Democrat candidate as second choice. When the candidate comes in third, whether Democrat or Green, those votes go to the second choice and so the other one will be elected, not the Trumpist. And Greens and Libertarians and independents and others wondering whether to run in the first place don't have to worry about whether they are splitting the progressive or moderate or reactionary vote. == Fairvote is advocating for ranked-choice voting https://www.fairvote.org There's additional commentary here - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/10/opinion/house-representatives-size-multi-member.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/09/opinion/expanded-house-representatives-size.html == topic democracy 1 ===== impact 506 impactrate 0 likeimpress 7 negative 0 posted 2018-11-16 priority 1 ratio 4 react 21 reactrate 0 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 14 title Ranked-choice-voting - a win for democracy in Maine topic democracy wordrate 0 words 241 ID 751823328495522 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/751823328495522 audclicks 14 audreach 8 engaged 14 impress 112 likeclickusers 14 likeimpress 7 likeuimpress 93 likeusers 7 likeuusers 80 matchedlinkclicks 1 matchedotherclicks 13 oimpress 112 oreach 84 posted "11/16/2018 09:44:25 AM" postlinkclicks 1 postotherclicks 7 reach 84 type Link ========== What to do about the Electoral College? https://www.fairvote.org/why-james-madison-wanted-to-change-the-way-we-vote-for-president A study of projected electoral college results in 2020 based on 2018 Congressional results indicates a Democratic victory in the electoral college with 289-324 Democratic votes and 249-114 Republican votes. https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/746494049028450 That sounds good for Democrats, but a closer look at the daily variations as the last 2018 votes are counted and recounted is disturbing - very small variations in popular votes create very large changes in the electoral vote. Technically speaking, it's an unstable algorithm. Clinton would have won in 2016 if the right 40000 votes had switched from Trump to her, 22600 in Pennsylvania for 20 electoral votes, 5400 in Michigan for 16 electoral votes, 11400 in Wisconsin for 10 electoral votes. The final electoral vote tally 306-232 doesn't reflect that closeness very well, nor the lopsided popular vote. Is that really the best we can do? There are lots of ideas - https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/the-administration/307359-the-electoral-college-has-to-go-heres-how-we-do-it https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/385525-think-we-should-do-away-with-the-electoral-college-think-again https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/james-wilson-popular-sovereignty-and-the-electoral-college George Will explains how the Electoral College was intended to protect political minorities by insuring that presidents have to gain support across the whole country - https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/02/george-will-why-trump-wants-to-replace-the-electoral-college-with-popular-vote-in-presidential-elections/ After all, the essence of democracy is observing that minorities have rights and protecting them; simple majority rule is the essence of the mob, which the Founders rightly feared based on ancient and recent precedents. Will observes that the winner-take-all outcome prescribed in 48 of the 50 states is a critical part of the method even though it's not in the Federal Constitution or any Federal statute. This is the basis for our two-party system which has mostly provided an uncommon degree of political stability compared to most other countries. The necessity of gaining broad national majorities tends to push the parties toward the center, but this tendency has become undone in recent years by dark big money in politics and single-issue narrow-casting media. Popular election of the president is popular in some circles, starting with James Madison. But while popular wisdom generally gets things right in the long run, it can be fooled in the short run. And think about the task of recounting a very close national popular election, an enormous labor if we go back to paper ballots, or an enormous opportunity for fiddling the results if we don't. This task is increased if ranked-choice voting were adopted, which would otherwise be a big improvement. So let's consider some ideas that might be better than the current electoral college and might be more stable than direct election. == no constitutional amendment required These ideas can be implemented by state or Federal statutes - 1) Use the Maine/Nebraska method of allocating electoral votes rather than winner-take-all. This could be accomplished entirely at the state level. The Maine/Nebraska method elects one elector according to the results in each congressional district, and elects two electors according to the results for the whole state at large. How this would have affected - 2016 as reported - D 232 R 306 2016 by Maine - D 250 R 288 2020 as projected - D 324 R 214 2020 as projected by Maine - D 285 R 253 The ultimate result is the same, but the spread in votes is closer to the popular vote. 2) Allocate fractional votes to each district to avoid at-large - in a state with N congressional districts, each district gets 1+2/N electoral votes - so state totals per candidate might not be whole numbers. Assumes Congress would accept fractional votes. 3) To avoid fractional votes, add up a candidate's fractional district votes and discard the fractional parts of the sum ; if there are any discarded fractional parts, they will add up to 1. If so, decide the 1 vote by the at-large winner. No need to get Congress to deal with fractions. 4) Instead of voting by districts, consider the statewide vote. Each candidate gets a proportionate number of the state's total vote, rounded down to a whole number. The resulting deficit votes (might be more than 1 if there are lots of third parties) is decided by the at-large winner. == constitutional amendment required Constitutional amendments are almost impossible. 1) Get rid of the physical electors. There is no reason to have a bunch of party hacks gather in state capitols on a given date since they have no free will - as established by the RNC last time - https://www.salon.com/2016/12/13/report-donald-trumps-campaign-is-threatening-political-reprisal-for-defecting-republican-electors/ Nothing changes as far as the results. The secretarys of state report the final results to Congress anyway. 2) Get rid of the two extra votes. Each state has electoral votes equal to number of House representatives. There is plenty of rural bias in the Congress because all states get one representative regardless of population. No need to perpetuate additional rural bias originally inserted to favor slave states. How this would have affected - 2016 as reported - D 232 R 306 2016 no at large - D 190 R 246 2020 as projected - D 324 R 214 2020 no at large - D 270 R 166 The ultimate result is unchanged, but the margins better reflect the popular vote. 3) Eliminate by-state voting in the House. Currently if no candidate gets a majority of electoral votes, the decision goes to the House which decides by voting by state delegations. https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Electoral-College/ That is to say, if a state has 10 representatives, then it casts 1 vote for president. That vote is determined within the state delegation; if it follows partisan lines, the majority party in that delegation determines the vote; if the delegation is evenly split, it doesn't get a vote. This might be more important if states abandon winner-take-all and so electoral votes might be closer and third parties might be more likely to prevent a majority. So this is important to fix because it's an overwhelming rural bias. Note DC doesn't participate in the House. Compare electoral votes to state delegations (third column is tied delegations) 2016 electoral - D 232 R 306 ; D 14 R 32 T 3 2020 projected - D 324 R 214 ; D 20 R 26 T 4 4) Just replace the electoral college with the House. Let each new House, in January of odd years, elect the president by simple majority and ranked-choice voting; let the new president nominate a vice-president for confirmation by House and Senate. There would still be party conventions and presidential nominees and campaigns, and House candidates might make promises about how they'd vote. 5) And go one step further and allow the House to nominate a new president at any time by a 2/3 vote subject to veto in the Senate by majority vote within 72 hours. The difficulties surrounding impeachment and 25th amendment are replaced by the somewhat simpler problem of getting a 2/3 vote in the House; that's hard enough that it will be more of a threat than a routine occurrence. It's a way of getting rid of an incompetent president, without a specific finding of criminality or mental defect, and without automatically promoting a vice-president who might be no better. It could be called the Trump clause. == other reform ideas Before too much presidential power is bestowed on the House, it should become worthy of the honor, by mandating ranked-choice voting and multi-member districts, as advocated by Fairvote - https://www.fairvote.org/ and eliminating gerrymandering https://www.fairvote.org/how_proportional_representation_would_finally and unlimited dark money http://www.americanpromise.net/ The NY Times explores some of these ideas, and another one - increasing the size of the House - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/10/opinion/house-representatives-size-multi-member.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/09/opinion/expanded-house-representatives-size.html Expanding the House reduces rural bias and might diversify the overall expertise. But there's no point without rules changes that empower members and disempower the leadership - https://www.nolabels.org/ And while we are at it, how about biennial approve-or-expel votes for presidents and senators - it's a good way to increase voter participation in midterms, too. http://www.approve-or-expel.net == http://www.political-scrapbook.net/democracy.html#electoral%20college http://www.political-scrapbook.net/democracy.html#preferential http://www.political-scrapbook.net/democracy.html#amendments == topic democracy 1 ===== impact 1554 impactrate 0 likeimpress 2 negative 0 posted 2018-11-13 priority 1 ratio 4 react 12 reactrate 0 shares 3 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 7 title What to do about the Electoral College? topic democracy wordrate 0 words 1295 ID 750107845333737 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/750107845333737 audclicks 7 audreach 3 engaged 4 impress 88 likeclickusers 2 likeimpress 2 likeuimpress 45 likeusers 2 likeuusers 34 matchedlinkclicks 1 matchedotherclicks 6 oimpress 88 oreach 57 posted "11/13/2018 04:09:21 PM" postlinkclicks 1 postotherclicks 2 reach 57 sharesimpress 3 sharesusers 3 type Link ========== Ranked choice voting and multimember districts for better democracy https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/10/opinion/house-representatives-size-multi-member.html As advocated by Fairvote - https://www.fairvote.org/ Maybe a larger House would help too - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/09/opinion/expanded-house-representatives-size.html == topic democracy 1 ===== comments 3 impact 133 impactrate 0 likeimpress 3 negative 0 posted 2018-11-12 priority 1 ratio 6 react 51 reactrate 0 shares 4 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 41 title Ranked choice voting and multimember districts for better topic democracy wordrate 0 words 26 ID 749645785379943 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/749645785379943 audclicks 41 audreach 20 commentsimpress 3 commentsusers 2 engaged 20 impress 407 likeclickusers 9 likeimpress 3 likeuimpress 71 likeusers 3 likeuusers 60 matchedlinkclicks 2 matchedotherclicks 39 oimpress 407 oreach 307 posted "11/12/2018 09:42:32 PM" postlinkclicks 2 postotherclicks 19 reach 307 sharesimpress 4 sharesusers 4 type Link ========== Can the people's House rule by the power of the purse? https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/opinion/sunday/nancy-pelosi-congress-midterms.html Part of the problem for Congress is that modern society has become too complicated and technical. In 1787 most legislators had some understanding of most of the issues before them. Now it's a rare member of Congress who can do his own taxes, repair his own car, or re-install his own operating system. Much less manage money supply or get people to Mars and back safely. So all the real decisions get outsourced and the real test of a legislator is who he asks for technical advice. == topic democracy ===== impact 40 impactrate 0 likeimpress 2 negative 0 posted 2018-11-09 ratio 8 react 4 reactrate 0 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 2 title Can the people's House rule by the power of the purse? topic democracy wordrate 0 words 101 ID 747899965554525 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/747899965554525 audclicks 2 audreach 2 engaged 3 impress 50 likeclickusers 3 likeimpress 2 likeuimpress 38 likeusers 2 likeuusers 32 matchedotherclicks 2 oimpress 50 oreach 35 posted "11/09/2018 05:12:56 PM" postotherclicks 2 reach 35 type Link ========== Don't be like the Trumpists! Elections are decided by the persuadable people in the middle, not by zealots on the edges. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/08/opinion/midterm-results-2020-democrats.html But here's another point of view - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/opinion/democrats-midterms-progressives.html == topic democracy ===== comments 1 impact 65 impactrate 0 likeimpress 4 negative 0 posted 2018-11-08 ratio 4 react 21 reactrate 0 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 16 title Don't be like the Trumpists! topic democracy wordrate 0 words 31 ID 747343242276864 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/747343242276864 audclicks 16 audreach 10 commentsimpress 1 commentsusers 1 engaged 12 impress 111 likeclickusers 11 likeimpress 4 likeuimpress 93 likeusers 4 likeuusers 78 matchedlinkclicks 7 matchedotherclicks 9 oimpress 111 oreach 85 posted "11/08/2018 07:40:30 PM" postlinkclicks 7 postotherclicks 6 reach 85 type Link ========== Russians showed the way, and Americans followed, and social media can't keep up https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/11/06/forget-russians-this-election-day-its-americans-peddling-disinformation-hate-speech/ or maybe the Russians have just gotten harder to detect - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/06/opinion/midterm-elections-russia.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/live-updates/midterms/midterm-election-updates/facebook-ties-newly-suspended-accounts-to-the-kremlin-a-timely-reminder-of-election-meddling-threat/ and then there's Fox https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/06/why-trumps-unpopularity-may-not-be-handicap-youd-expect/ John Dean says Nixon might have survived if Fox had been there to protect him. == topic democracy ===== impact 115 impactrate 0 likeimpress 11 negative 0 posted 2018-11-06 ratio 3 react 25 reactrate 0 shares 3 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 11 title Russians showed the way, and Americans followed, and social topic democracy wordrate 0 words 46 ID 745969835747538 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/745969835747538 audclicks 11 audreach 4 engaged 12 impress 149 likeclickusers 9 likeimpress 11 likeuimpress 91 likeusers 10 likeuusers 59 matchedlinkclicks 1 matchedotherclicks 10 oimpress 149 oreach 88 posted "11/06/2018 12:22:55 PM" postlinkclicks 1 postotherclicks 3 reach 88 sharesimpress 3 sharesusers 3 type Link ========== How Congress evolved from do-nothing-much to do-nothing-at-all There's plenty of blame to go around - https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/politics/laws-and-disorder/ topic democracy ===== impact 87 impactrate 0 likeimpress 7 negative 0 posted 2018-11-05 ratio 2 react 51 reactrate 0 shares 3 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 41 title How Congress evolved from do-nothing-much to topic democracy wordrate 0 words 17 ID 745478572463331 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/745478572463331 audclicks 41 audreach 6 engaged 11 impress 171 likeclickusers 10 likeimpress 7 likeuimpress 118 likeusers 7 likeuusers 85 matchedlinkclicks 1 matchedotherclicks 40 oimpress 171 oreach 120 posted "11/05/2018 03:46:37 PM" postlinkclicks 1 postotherclicks 5 reach 120 sharesimpress 3 sharesusers 3 type Link ========== From Washington's Farewell Address - It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution, in those intrusted with its administration, to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart, is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position. The necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power, by dividing and distributing it into different depositories, and constituting each the Guardian of the Public Weal against invasions by the others, has been evinced by experiments ancient and modern; some of them in our country and under our own eyes. To preserve them must be as necessary as to institute them. If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way, which the constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for, though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed. The precedent must always greatly overbalance in permanent evil any partial or transient benefit, which the use can at any time yield. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Washington%27s_Farewell_Address Compare: https://www.axios.com/trump-birthright-citizenship-executive-order-0cf4285a-16c6-48f2-a933-bd71fd72ea82.html == There's more at https://www.facebook.com/pg/politicalscrapbooknet/posts http://www.political-scrapbook.net/facebook.html http://www.political-theses.net/ http://www.political-scrapbook.net == topic democracy 2 ===== comments 10 impact 6281 impactrate 0 likeimpress 58 negative 0 posted 2018-10-30 priority 2 ratio 37 react 237 reactrate 0 shares 48 sharesrate 0 sumclicks 121 title From Washington's Farewell Address - topic democracy wordrate 0 words 265 ID 742131286131393 URL https://www.facebook.com/politicalscrapbooknet/posts/742131286131393 audclicks 124 audreach 113 bimpress 8471 blikeimpress 14 blikeusers 13 breach 8094 commentsimpress 10 commentsusers 7 engaged 185 impress 9657 likeclickusers 2 likeimpress 58 likeuimpress 36 likeusers 58 likeuusers 29 matchedlinkclicks 82 matchedotherclicks 39 oimpress 1186 oreach 866 posted "10/30/2018 10:05:43 PM" postlinkclicks 80 postotherclicks 32 reach 8823 sharesimpress 48 sharesusers 47 type Link budget 100 budgettype Lifetime cadname "Post: ""From Washington's Farewell Address -""" ccleantitle From Washington's Farewell Address - cclicksall 625 cclickslink 82 ccpcall 0.16 ccpclink 1.2195122 cdelivery not_delivering cend 2018-12-31 cimpressions 8471 clicksunique 81 conversionrank - cost 1.219512195122 cpm 11.8049817 creach 8052 cstart 2018-10-01 ctrall 7.37811356 ctrlink 0.96800849958683 ecomments 6 ecpclink 1.2195122 ends 2018-11-06 engagedrank - ereact 40 eshares 37 frequency 1.0520367610532 indicator actions:link_click qualityrank - results 82 spent 100