Mandates, Clowns, Oh My

We don’t need to make American politics any more chaotic than they already are.

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Dear Reader (Including those of you who skip this Dear Reader gag),

Joe Biden won a modest victory this week.

If the current map holds, he’ll have won 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232. This, as you probably heard, is an exact inversion of Trump’s 2016 showing, when he garnered 306 electoral votes to Hillary Clinton’s 232.

I feel very comfortable calling this “modest,” because that’s what I’ve called Trump’s 2016 victory for four years. He claimed a “massive landslide victory” from the get-go and his fans have either parroted this nonsense or simply let it stand uncorrected. Trump’s electoral margin (for those counting) ranked 46th out of 58. If Biden’s position holds he’ll tie Trump. If he gets fewer Electoral College votes, he’ll be 47th. Of course, Biden doesn’t need to brag about Electoral College votes given that he will be able to say he received more votes for president than anyone in American history (even if he ends up losing).

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  1. Avatar photo
    Jeanne A

    Thank you Jonah! I lost it myself a little earlier when I ranted very much like your rant on how the eff elections are done. I’m working hard not to get too wrapped up in this election insanity, but there can be only one explanation for all the hangers-on and enablers. They’re hanging on for future monies from the super pak the orange guy is currently cobbling together.

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  2. Charles Heard

    Jonah, I've been meaning to write this for some weeks, so here 'tis; I love your pod casts and your writing. I always learn things and gain insights from them both. So you know, I hope you will NOT change anything about your solo pods.

    I am appalled at the conduct of The Man From WrastleMania and those who have subverted themselves to supporting him. I have for long years now observed that Americans worthy of the name do not join in any cult of personality. I am deeply saddened to see men and women I have long held in some esteem throw away their reputations in service to a thug. That may be the worst of many, many toxic residues of these last long few years. I mourn their loss.

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    Adam

    "But if you can’t see the incredible shame of this series of events by now, you’re part of the problem."

    Thank you, Jonah. History won't look back kindly on this.

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    Bill B

    Sorry Jonah. The "mandate"bit makes sense. But the "worst trends in American life is the steady transformation of the peacetime government into the State... All of that “government is just the word for what we do together” nonsense was an attempt to turn government into the State. The cult of unity.." is clever but seems wrong-headed.

    "If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.
    We are now far into the fifth year, since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to slavery agitation.
    Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented.
    In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.
    "A house divided against itself cannot stand.""

    It is cut from the same cloth as "a divided government is the best government". Having lived now through three decades of divided government that resolved not a single serious problem this country faces I prefer, not a one-party government, but a government that works. Not a government one can "drown in a bathtub" but a government equal to the tasks required of a great nation. Another term for "divided government" might be "civil war".

    The polis, the "city-state" and it's citizen(polites, terms from which we derive the term "political" enmbraces the idea of the body of citizens coming together to govern. If that is not "... what we do together" then what is?

    We are a single organized republic -whose scope is a territory and landmass - a state. Governments do exist to accomplish things - the most essential is to guarantee the integrity of the State.

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  5. Scroop Moth

    One has to beclown oneself to care about the size of an Electoral College victory. It's illogical to argue that the magnitude of that vote matters while claiming that a popular majority doesn't matter.

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    Brett Myers

    Enjoyed your commentary. I offer one dissent in that I found the argument of the motivations of the Obama admin to have a more inclusive message about participation in government to be fairly trope-y (trope-ish?) and cynical. It seems to more fit a certain perspective and narrative than to include the fact that they probably had genuine intentions to motivate people that have previously felt hopelessly excluded from the often fat cat club of their local government. I would even submit that they helped expedite much of the diversity and transformation we are seeing in participation at all levels. Be well.

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  7. Ardath Blauvelt

    As I say this, I know it's dreadful or more to the point, non logic, but as you flay Trump supporters for suspecting left wing electoral shenanigans, please at least remind your readers that it began with Al Gore and his cadre ready to go to court, for weeks and weeks, claiming fraud and recounts ad nauseam, until even SCOTUS had had it. Dems are not the only ones allowed to scream foul, are they?

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      Jess

      In 2000, the electoral vote count, without Florida, was:

      Al Gore 267

      George W. Bush 246

      Florida, with its 29 EC votes was extremely close. Initial reports placed Bush ahead by 1,784. The automatic recount cut Bush's lead to 327. Then, a manual recount showed that Gore gained 567 votes. Do you honestly think it was "shenanigans" for Al Gore to go to the courts? Bush also went to the courts.

      Please take a look at Al Gore's incredibly gracious and patriotic concession speech:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5YdkYSyEE
      Or read the transcript:
      https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/algore2000concessionspeech.html

      For another model, I highly recommend George H.W. Bush's concession speech. Hillary Clinton also conceded. This is not a partisan issue. It matters if Trump not only does not concede, but continues to undermine faith in our elections which are run by the states in a bipartisan way.

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      Cornelius O’Brien

      I don't recall Al Gore making any broad allegations of fraud, nor initiating litigation based on that sort of claim. As I recall, the main issue was about the counting or non-counting of certain ballots. There is potential for similar litigation in this election, in particular in Pennsylvania. However, in the Gore case, the issue was one implicating the accuracy of the count within the margin of victory. In this case, Trump and his surrogates are making broad, wild allegations of fraud based on things like "Trump was winning on election night in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia, now he's not" as if that is proof of anything but that the count is taking longer this year and races are tight. But, on Lou Dobbs, this fact entitles Trump to assert a "presumption of corruption" in court. By all means, count the votes and count them twice. But, don't act like Gore pushing for Florida to count more votes is the same thing as fomenting widespread distrust in the outcome of an election by appealing to people's emotions instead of the facts.

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  8. Richard Greydanus

    I came here for the good stuff, and Jonah delivered.

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  9. Eklees

    I think your "Conspiracies All the Way Down" podcast and this G-File should be sent to everyone we know who gets swept up in the Election Was Stolen nonsense. I cannot see how supporting Trump's chaos is patriotic or consitutional.

    The Trump supporters determined to see election fraud would rather be right than alive. They are every bit as stupid and destructive as the far left fringe that continues to tear Portland apart. Ultimately, what they do is evil.

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  10. Joe1776

    I agree with you the most part on all these issues Jonah but you still seem so negative on Trump you seem a bit blinded.

    "As I’ve been saying to my Trumpy friends throughout the Trump era, think about your answer to the question: “What can the next Democratic president do that you won’t be a hypocrite for criticizing?”"

    I'm not sure if you are serious and I do not consider myself "Trumpy" but I would assume you would get these answers:

    1)Not raise taxes
    2) Not expand government beyond recognition
    3) not use executive power to over regulate private business
    4) not cozy up to Iran
    5) not cozy up to China
    6) not cozy up to the terrorists elected in Palestine
    7) keep a strong backing of Israel which has lead to a huge break through of Muslim countries finally recognizing its right to exist.
    8) Not push for crazy environmental reforms
    9) Not use the FBI for political purposes
    10) Not use the IRS for political purposes
    11) Not sell promises of influence to foreign powers through his son
    12) Not have the press cover for everything he does
    13) Not try to erase all due process of people accused of sexual misconduct
    14) Not endorse a repeal of the Hyde amendment
    15) not appoint judges to the supreme court that ignore what the constitution says

    I mean I can go on. But I wonder if that is what you mean because it seems like such a softball question presented as some sort of zinger might lead someone to be stunned with surprise that the multiple answers are not obvious to you.

    I don't like Trump at all. I really don't. But I am objective enough to see he did many good things while he was in office.

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