Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

[Weitz]

His bits are entertaining.

By mired with too many off topic comments and comparisons to trick people to really take seriously.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I'm just gonna leave this here.

NSFW!

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Yet another brilliant episode tonight. The research and writing is top notch every week. I'm gonna miss this show for a month.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

#### you 2016.

[Locke]

That was a solid episode. Basically an American Civics lesson.

Although if you're going to comment on American Politics Professionally you should know how the Electoral College works.

Its kind of important.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Locke

That was a solid episode. Basically an American Civics lesson.

Although if you're going to comment on American Politics Professionally you should know how the Electoral College works.

Its kind of important.

I watched the episode during my morning routine so I might have to re-watch it...but how so?

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Yamer

I watched the episode during my morning routine so I might have to re-watch it...but how so?

I think he mentions that; no matter how many times the electoral college is explained to him, he still doesn't understand it. I watched this morning too, I could be mistaken.

[jayswin]

Wasn't that just him joking about how complicated it is? I'm sure he has enough understanding to talk about it and was being self deprecating to make a point.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Pretty sure he was commenting on it being stupid, not that he doesn't understand it.

[Yamer]

Yep, it's complicated even without figuring in the intricacies of Maine and Nebraska.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Pretty sure he was commenting on it being stupid, not that he doesn't understand it.

Well, obviously, but if you're going to engage in a Civics lesson you should mention the Government vehicle that got Trump elected over Hillary.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by Locke

Well, obviously, but if you're going to engage in a Civics lesson you should mention the Government vehicle that got Trump elected over Hillary.

technically, not yet

[Maritime Q-Scout]

The electoral college is actually quite simplistic.

For 48 states and DC, if you win the popular vote of that state you carry all the electoral votes.

Each states gets one electoral vote per congressman and one per senator.

For Maine and Nebraska, the electoral votes that represent the senators are the popular vote of the state, and the popular vote of each congressional district carries that electoral vote.

In order to be elected president you need to have 50%+1 of the votes of the electoral college. If no one has 50%+1 of the votes of the electoral college then the top three vote getters are on a ballot which is voted on by the House of Representatives.

Everyone goes on about how complicated it is. It really isn't.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

The electoral college is actually quite simplistic.

For 48 states and DC, if you win the popular vote of that state you carry all the electoral votes.

Each states gets one electoral vote per congressman and one per senator.

For Maine and Nebraska, the electoral votes that represent the senators are the popular vote of the state, and the popular vote of each congressional district carries that electoral vote.

In order to be elected president you need to have 50%+1 of the votes of the electoral college. If no one has 50%+1 of the votes of the electoral college then the top three vote getters are on a ballot which is voted on by the House of Representatives.

Everyone goes on about how complicated it is. It really isn't.

Also, only certain states legislate that the electoral voters must vote for the party candidate that wins the popular vote in that state. And of course the whole thing about them actually voting for a President on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.

I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but it's actually so simplistic that it makes it complicated. A popular vote can sweep in all the representatives, regardless, for a particular party. And then these representatives are expected *wink* *wink* to vote the candidate of their party. It's supposed to a contingency plan for the country, but the electoral college vote has become a formality rooted in nothing more than tradition.

If the electoral college were really looking out for the best interests of the United States, they would vote Trump out or enact some measure to stop this farce of an election.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Yamer

Also, only certain states legislate that the electoral voters must vote for the party candidate that wins the popular vote in that state. And of course the whole thing about them actually voting for a President on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.

I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but it's actually so simplistic that it makes it complicated. A popular vote can sweep in all the representatives, regardless, for a particular party. And then these representatives are expected *wink* *wink* to vote the candidate of their party. It's supposed to a contingency plan for the country, but the electoral college vote has become a formality rooted in nothing more than tradition.

If the electoral college were really looking out for the best interests of the United States, they would vote Trump out or enact some measure to stop this farce of an election.

And throw the country into civil unrest? I don't think thats the best interests of the country.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Weitz

And throw the country into civil unrest? I don't think thats the best interests of the country.

It's already there.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Yamer

It's already there.

I don't think the protests going on now would be even close to what would happen if the Electoral College changed the result.

I wouldn't consider there to be "Civil unrest" right now.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I don't think the protests going on now would be even close to what would happen if the Electoral College changed the result.

I wouldn't consider there to be "Civil unrest" right now.

Fair, but it's hard to argue that things are better there since Tuesday night, and with the growing divide I don't understand how things are going to get better.

IMO, Trump's campaign has put him in the impossible place of failing either the people who voted for him, or those vehemently opposed to him...even if he takes all the right steps for the country.

That's going to piss a large segment of the people off on either side.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Yamer

Fair, but it's hard to argue that things are better there since Tuesday night, and with the growing divide I don't understand how things are going to get better.

IMO, Trump's campaign has put him in the impossible place of failing either the people who voted for him, or those vehemently opposed to him...even if he takes all the right steps for the country.

That's going to piss a large segment of the people off on either side.

But you listen to interviews of people who voted Trump and a lot of them don't expect Trump to do what he promised. So if he goes back on what he said to get elected I don't expect a huge blow back except for the Far Right supporters.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by Weitz

But you listen to interviews of people who voted Trump and a lot of them don't expect Trump to do what he promised. So if he goes back on what he said to get elected I don't expect a huge blow back except for the Far Right supporters.

Which, incidentally, are the segment most likely to make noise and act violently.

I'll leave the rest of this thread for the brilliance that is John Oliver and LWT, but it troubles me that people would vote for someone they know is lying and pandering over someone they think might be doing the same.