Why should
Democrats fight for this? Because any conceivable choice on the part of
the Electoral College and the House, however extreme, would be
preferable to Trump.
This would not
be an abuse of the Constitution. Quite the opposite, as I say: it would
be the proper use of the Constitution to prevent the abuse of a general
election. The Founding Fathers would have approved. More: they would
have been distressed to see this not happen, given the
circumstances. They chose to found a republic that was not a direct
democracy, and this is why: a simple binding majority vote provides no
check upon the election of a tyrant. (This election was an exception,
ironically: Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, and direct democracy
would have spared the world the terrifying promise of a Trump
presidency.)
If you honor
the Founding Fathers — and the Constitution — then you will insist upon
employing the emergency measures coded into the very definition of the
republic.
So, how do you
accomplish this? The process is simple: write to Republican electors
in states that went red, and beg them to vote their conscience. You can
download a template for a short petition — a joint letter from you and
your colleagues — on this site. The complete list of relevant electors can be found here, with contact information: United States presidential electors, 2016.
I’m urging
everyone to do this: not simply Democrats, but responsible Republicans.
Modern history has witnessed few events more admirable than bipartisan
efforts to thwart racist demagoguery: most recently in France, when
decent people on the left and the right combined — despite their mutual
loathing — to prevent the election of Marine Le Pen.
So, embrace decency. It’s not just a civic duty; it’s a moral duty. It is a categorical imperative.
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