I'm sure people have heard of this, but Stein has now gotten something like $3.2 million in her effort to fund a recount in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Last night when I first looked at it, I think her goal was around $2m, which has now been raised to $4.5m.
Personally, I doubt that even if it does happen, it will change anything. But if it does - wouldn't this be kind of dangerous? There's also the movement to block the President-Elect through the Electoral College - but that strikes me as both naive and alarming. I didn't vote for Trump, but this makes me cringe a little. Maybe it shouldn't.
Most people have really visceral reactions to stuff like this. Friends and family I've spoken to get riled up easily. What does Hubski think of this?
Total waste of time and money and effort that is needed in the Louisiana Senate Runoff election. The Democrats win that election, the balance becomes 51-49. Make that happen and then you can push hard for one of the non-Trump Republicans to switch sides and then you have the power to really block the crazy nonsense that the Trump administration and the House Republicans try to pull. This also forces Trump to not appoint ultra right wing nuts to the courts.
Hmm. I don't know how far either will go without the courts getting involved. Bush vs. Gore was a bit of a mess, and if I recall that was just Florida. Involving three states this time around, or the electoral collage going rogue, will probably be an even bigger mess. At the same time, this election season has already been divisive as hell and emotionally exhausting for so many people. Chances are, there aren't a lot of people left with room in their stomach for more drama and controversy.
My understanding of why this recount was pushed for in the first place is that people who feel that the security on the machines is abysmally low actually want to set a precedent and do it every election. They figure if it's not done then that sends a message of " go for it" to anybody who would be considering an attempt in the future.
Apparently now it is a moot point. Wisconsin refused her petition to recount, Michigan doesn't think it's going to change things, so that leaves Pennsylvania, which isn't enough electors to make a difference. This is over. Trump won: http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2016/11/28/stein-to-sue-over-wi-recount-rejection.html
On the recount push, I'm fine with it. Transparency is never a bad thing, and given all the fears of the Rooskies attempting to influence the election, all the better. Either nothing abnormal is found, in which good, and if something shady did happen, I for one would prefer to know about it. As for the electoral college, I doubt that'll go anywhere. To be fair, though, the U.S. was never intended to follow the will of the masses, and the electoral college was specifically there because a majority of the Founders concluded that power should be left in the hands of the elite.