What's next? Saturday's election verdict isn't last step
By: DEB RIECHMANN (AP NEWS)
How can a nation that extravagantly expends time, money, and resources on sports demand contestants concede? When did sports announcers begin declaring winners and calling for the losing side to concede before the game is over? The glee club gladiators in the press vigorously shaking their pom poms doesn't mean they're in the game.
A lot of people in the press and in government have been attacking President Trump for not following the process and not following the rules. Trump was impeached for not following the process and not following the rules. In the case of the 2020 Presidential election the process isn't over until Jan. 6, 2021. That's when the final buzzer sounds. Donald Trump can use the rules for his own political purposes, too.
Joe Biden cannot win the election until Jan. 6, 2021. That's when the final buzzer sounds and the game is over.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Saturday's election verdict isn't the last step in selecting an American president. Under a system that's been tweaked over two centuries, there is still a weekslong timeline during which the 538-member Electoral College picks the president.
A look at the key steps:
— When American citizens vote for a presidential candidate, they really are voting for electors in their state. Those electors in most cases are committed to support the voters' candidate of choice. The number of electors is equal to the number of electoral votes held by each state. State laws vary on how electors are selected but, generally, a slate of electors for each party's candidate is chosen at state party conventions or by a vote of a party's central committee.
— After Election Day, states count and certify the results of the popular vote. When completed, each governor is required by law to prepare "as soon as practicable" documents known as "Certificates of Ascertainment" of the vote. The certificates list the electors' names and the number of votes cast for the winner and loser. The certificate, carrying the seal of each state, is sent to the archivist of the United States.
— Dec. 8 is the deadline for resolving election disputes at the state level. All state recounts and court contests over presidential election results are to be completed by this date.
— Dec. 14: Electors vote by paper ballot in their respective states and the District of Columbia. Thirty-three states and D.C. have laws or party regulations requiring electors to vote the same way the popular vote goes in the state, and in some states, electors can even be replaced or subjected to penalties, according to the Congressional Research Service. The votes for president and vice president are counted and the electors sign six "Certificates of the Vote." The certificates, along with other official papers, are sent by registered mail to various officials, including the president of the Senate.
— Dec. 23: The certificates must be delivered to the designated officials. If they are not delivered, the law provides alternative avenues for getting the results to Washington.
— Jan. 6, 2021: The House and Senate hold a joint session to count the electoral votes. If one ticket has received 270 or more electoral votes, the president of the Senate, currently Vice President Mike Pence, announces the results.
Members of Congress may object to returns from any state as they are announced. Objections must be made in writing by at least one member of the House and one in the Senate. If the objection meets certain requirements, each chamber meets separately to debate the objection for a maximum of two hours. Afterward, each chamber votes to accept or reject the objection. Back in joint session, the results of the respective votes are announced. Any objection to a state's electoral vote has to be approved by both houses in order for any contested votes to be excluded.
If neither presidential candidate wins at least 270 electoral votes, the House decides the election, based on the 12th Amendment to the Constitution. If required, the House would elect the president. Each state delegation has one vote and it takes 26 votes to win.
— Jan. 20: The president-elect is sworn into office on Inauguration Day.
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Donald Trump doesn't have to concede. And Trump can run out the clock until Jan. 6, 2021, when the final buzzer sounds and the game is over.
So much for the smooth transition of power.
Poking the bear can be fun. But the bear is gonna eat at the end.
although trump will probably escape from DC before his no show on inauguration day, it would be fun to watch the secret service escort the trespassers from the grounds of the white house on 1/20/21.
He doesn't have to concede. He's not going to be President after January 20 though. He can wait until he gets perp walked out of the White House if he thinks that makes for a good photo op.
The game ain't over until it's over. I expect Trump has grown accustomed to being perp walked. What does Trump have to lose?
I won't be sorry to see Trump go. It's too bad Trump if being replaced by a piece of political deadwood like Joe Biden.
But not all cases.
Yes, that's true. But the situation is that Trump is not going to prevail.
What people don't seem to understand is that losing isn't the same as being defeated. We should all understand that from the nation's sports fetish. Trump has lost the contest but Trump isn't defeated. And Trump won't concede defeat, either. Trump has made quite clear that is not in his nature.
Bashing Trump won't change the rules. And bashing Trump will only make things worse.
Agreed. I never quite understood conceding by anyone. Maybe that's my "tenacity" (aka stubborn ass) showing.
Are you insinuating something about me?
Conceding defeat doesn't seem very American, does it? Even Joe Biden has acknowledged that Americans don't give up.
Donald Trump has been an American President. And that really is different than just being the President of the United States.
Let's not start a slap fight. As usual, true blue Democrats aren't contributing anything other than hatred and division. Please, don't behave like a Democrat.
No, it doesn't to me.
Agreed.
I was asking if she insinuated something, because I wasn't replying to her when she made that comment. I'm not looking for any kind of slap fight. I am not someone that seeks out that type of activity.
Agreed.
Now I shall go eat some lunch.
Ahem. While my comment was directed toward you, it wasn't about you. See how that works?
I was a life long Democrat until 2016. Democrats have taught me how to use passive aggressive politics.
Maybe because you directly replied to my comment.
Understood.
Your quote ("Whiny bitch losers like tRump never concede because they're whiny bitch losers.") followed me saying,
Isn’t that the truth. Some of the comments make you think you traveled back to middle school. IMO, it comes mostly from hate filled people that are very unhappy in their own lives. I sometimes feel pity for them.
I can only describe your behavior with your own quote posted on my profile page shortly after joining NT. These are your words applied to your behavior:
"Boy you're an arrogant and pompous so and so. Think you know it all."
The stock market will set records today based on the presumed election of Joe Biden
and Pfizers noise about an 90% effective vaccine
and all of the credit will go to Trump.
That's the way it works.
Ironic but true.
the conspiracy nuts are already claiming that pfizer withheld the news until after election day.
The stock market expects the election will end the impasse over more stimulus. Pelosi doesn't have an excuse for dragging her feet any longer.
A Biden win has been priced in since September, at least. The idea that traders are the least informed people on earth and just figured out this morning that Biden was going to win is laughable.
Pfizers noise about an 90% effective vacci
Now you are onto something. And democrats like the apparently Pro-Covid Cuomo are already bemoaning it's existence, continuing the anti-vax momentum of the Biden campaign.
The process subsequent to the vote is simply a formality unless the votes are very tight or some evidence of irregularity exists that would be of a scale sufficient to change the results of the election.
The statistical and empirical methods used by the MSM to call races are very sound. It is perfectly reasonable for the world to hold that Biden is the president-elect. He will not be the official PotUS until he is sworn in, and that will not happen until the certified electoral college results from the states are certified by Congress. But that will all happen and Biden will be the next PotUS.
What is the point of noting that the clear results of this election are not official? Yeah, we know. But we also know that Biden clearly won and will be sworn in as the 46th PotUS.
Yeah, he will no doubt play this asshole game.
Yeah, it's quite clear that Donald Trump will not prevail. But I don't recall the Lakers, Yankees, Packers, or St. Louis Blues ever conceding a game before the final buzzer.
“It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over” - Yogi Berra
Your analogy is flawed. The final buzzer rang when the states provided their results and Biden surpassed 270. You would have the Dodgers hold off on declaring a WS win until the official results are certified by MLB.
The final buzzer is on Jan. 6, 2021. The election isn't over until the House and Senate accept the electoral votes and declare the winner. Those are the rules of the contest.
There isn't any requirement that a President concede defeat. Candidates either win or lose when the final buzzer sounds. And that final buzzer is on Jan. 6, 2021.
Irrelevant. We know the outcome; the formalities are simply perfunctory acts of process.
Did I suggest there was a requirement?
We often know the outcome in sporting contests, too. But we still must wait for the final buzzer.