When will bookies pay out? Surely not when Trump has exhausted his legal options?
Bookmakers by and large have paid out on Biden and the Democrats. I've collected from three or four already. Betfair has not paid out yet and uncertainty as to when it will is why you can still get 1.03 (and falling).
But markets like ECV handicaps, vote percentages, or (with bookmakers) multiples on states probably will take longer to settle because states are still counting votes, even without Trump's legal shenanigans.
And I wonder what kind of restrictions would be invented if you tried to put serious money in.
None. It is an exchange. There is £1.5 million at 1.03 available.
I think the layers at 1.03 are punters who want to get their money out now and move on to other opportunities rather than wait until Betfair settles. Not an estimate of the probability that Biden doesn't get the Presidency.
I think Team Trump have underestimated just how quickly the narrative would move on once the media call the election after a long period of deliberation.
Unsurprisingly the liberals are already forgetting that 70m people just voted for Trump. Hopefully Biden and his staff aren't so stupid.
Did the Trumptons pay any attention to that fact that Trump didn't even win the popular vote?
Just because Trump behaved appallingly (and he did behave appallingly) is no reason for Biden and the Democrats to do likewise. Indeed, I would hope that Biden (and Harris) will work tirelessly to make it clear they are the President (and VP) for all Americans, and not just the ones who voted for them.
Simultaneously, we need to understand why people believe things like Frazzledrip. Because bringing the US together also means understanding and tackling the fact that 20 million Americans believe stuff that is obviously (and ridiculously) bat shit crazy.
I think Biden will definitely try to be a healer but he won't succeed because, as you say, 20m Americans believe bat-shit crazy stuff. Why do you think Americans are so much prone to believing this QAnon type stuff than Europeans? Same with religion - in Europe religious people are, in the main, decent normal people. In the US much of the Christian evangelical right seems bonkers.
I'm sure someone has written a good book about it somewhere but I simply can't get my head around it, millions seem to believe stuff that no intelligent person would give house room and yet they can't all be that thick can they?
Natural selection? How many white Americans are descended from people who fled Europe to be able to follow their strongly held religious views freely?
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
And I wonder what kind of restrictions would be invented if you tried to put serious money in.
None. It is an exchange. There is £1.5 million at 1.03 available.
I think the layers at 1.03 are punters who want to get their money out now and move on to other opportunities rather than wait until Betfair settles. Not an estimate of the probability that Biden doesn't get the Presidency.
I did a bit myself, to take advantage of the better offers on states and handicaps etc. that were still available, without having to trouble my bank account. The difference it makes to the winnings on Biden was in the margins.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
And I wonder what kind of restrictions would be invented if you tried to put serious money in.
None. It is an exchange. There is £1.5 million at 1.03 available.
I think the layers at 1.03 are punters who want to get their money out now and move on to other opportunities rather than wait until Betfair settles. Not an estimate of the probability that Biden doesn't get the Presidency.
Yes, I think that is right. It is about time, uncertainty and opportunity cost. Remeber also that at 1.03, paying 2% commission can make a fair dent. I'm not a big player by any means but might bail out early if I see anything interesting at the Breeders Cup tonight.
Unsurprisingly the liberals are already forgetting that 70m people just voted for Trump. Hopefully Biden and his staff aren't so stupid.
Did the Trumptons pay any attention to that fact that Trump didn't even win the popular vote?
Just because Trump behaved appallingly (and he did behave appallingly) is no reason for Biden and the Democrats to do likewise. Indeed, I would hope that Biden (and Harris) will work tirelessly to make it clear they are the President (and VP) for all Americans, and not just the ones who voted for them.
Simultaneously, we need to understand why people believe things like Frazzledrip. Because bringing the US together also means understanding and tackling the fact that 20 million Americans believe stuff that is obviously (and ridiculously) bat shit crazy.
I think Biden will definitely try to be a healer but he won't succeed because, as you say, 20m Americans believe bat-shit crazy stuff. Why do you think Americans are so much prone to believing this QAnon type stuff than Europeans? Same with religion - in Europe religious people are, in the main, decent normal people. In the US much of the Christian evangelical right seems bonkers.
I'm sure someone has written a good book about it somewhere but I simply can't get my head around it, millions seem to believe stuff that no intelligent person would give house room and yet they can't all be that thick can they?
Natural selection? How many white Americans are descended from people who fled Europe to be able to follow their strongly held religious views freely?
Could be. Does the ability to fervently and unquestioningly believe in a religion pre-dispose someone to believe in other things that are unprovable and just based on a sort of blind faith? I am genuinely intrigued and will have a read of the book that Charles suggested at the end of the last thread.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
So was Biden -- two previous failed attempts at the White House -- but he got there in the end. Just being VP is a great asset.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
Yes, that's why I called it a naive probability.
Notable, though, that three of those vice-Presidents (Truman, LBJ, Ford) took the top-job because their superior was not able to complete their term - so regardless of whether the vice-President was a useful enough politician to win an election in their own right.
With Biden being the oldest ever President that is a stronger than average possibility for vice-President elect Harris too.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
Not so useless that she cannot beat Republicans.
Do I detect a sore loser?
No, you detect someone who has had Harris as a Senator for several years and is massively unimpressed. She’s wooden and uninspiring.
Also - traditionally - the job of the Presidential candidate is to win the White House while the VP candidate is focused on supporting senatorial and house candidates. How did she do on that measure?
Edit: FWIW this is the perfect outcome in my view. Trump is gone, and the manner of his going will condemn him to irrelevance. The Republicans have done well enough in the house and senate to rein in the worst excesses of the nuttier democrats
Unsurprisingly the liberals are already forgetting that 70m people just voted for Trump. Hopefully Biden and his staff aren't so stupid.
Did the Trumptons pay any attention to that fact that Trump didn't even win the popular vote?
Just because Trump behaved appallingly (and he did behave appallingly) is no reason for Biden and the Democrats to do likewise. Indeed, I would hope that Biden (and Harris) will work tirelessly to make it clear they are the President (and VP) for all Americans, and not just the ones who voted for them.
Simultaneously, we need to understand why people believe things like Frazzledrip. Because bringing the US together also means understanding and tackling the fact that 20 million Americans believe stuff that is obviously (and ridiculously) bat shit crazy.
I think Biden will definitely try to be a healer but he won't succeed because, as you say, 20m Americans believe bat-shit crazy stuff. Why do you think Americans are so much prone to believing this QAnon type stuff than Europeans? Same with religion - in Europe religious people are, in the main, decent normal people. In the US much of the Christian evangelical right seems bonkers.
I'm sure someone has written a good book about it somewhere but I simply can't get my head around it, millions seem to believe stuff that no intelligent person would give house room and yet they can't all be that thick can they?
Natural selection? How many white Americans are descended from people who fled Europe to be able to follow their strongly held religious views freely?
Could be. Does the ability to fervently and unquestioningly believe in a religion pre-dispose someone to believe in other things that are unprovable and just based on a sort of blind faith? I am genuinely intrigued and will have a read of the book that Charles suggested at the end of the last thread.
Degler in his classic cultural history of the US makes the point that religiosity in the States has come and gone; during much of the 19th century the US was a pretty irreligious place with firm adherents being a minority. Things started to change in the 20th century into the prohibition era. US religions have also been adept at exploiting new technology to build their brand.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
Didn’t stop the Bushes.
Bush Snr was actually a capable VP and President as was Jeb Bush as Florida Governor
Cue "hand in hand" memes being crowbarred? No, thought not
"And what exactly are those shared values?" will they rage? Nah, doubt that too
I must have missed "go home" van advertising, or a "hostile environment" in Biden's election platform.
Of course, everyone wants to claim some of the glory of an election winner, but I think this is mainly Trump's defeat. His second popular vote defeat in a row. A distinction he shares with Adlai Stevenson, at least.
As a point of comparison, I've just bet in a photo finish in the 8.30 race at Chelmsford. I got 1.04 and it was settled 30 seconds later. Now, against that, Biden's win is more certain but the delay does matter.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
The picture is incomplete. There have been 48 Vice Presidents, that shows 36. I thought it was suspicious that it only showed two from Teddy Roosevelt to Truman.
Your figures are still correct if you include Truman himself.
You might also have mentioned three incumbent or former Vice Presidents have made unsuccessful election bids (discounting Nixon in 1960) - Humphrey in 1968, Mondale in 1984 and Gore in 2000.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
Didn’t stop the Bushes.
Bush Snr was actually a capable VP and President as was Jeb Bush as Florida Governor
Jonathan Sacks, the former chief rabbi who reached beyond the UK Jewish community to the wider public, has died of cancer at the age of 72.
I liked him, and Lionel Blue, on Thought for the Day. There was something pleasantly vague but well meaning about whatever they had to say, and it usually stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all the serious grim news.
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
Smaller states are already well represented in the Senate.
Electoral College votes are supposed to scale with population. So, I think there's a good case to say that Wyoming has too many relative to Texas or California (or even Kansas or Utah).
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
Smaller states are already well represented in the Senate.
Electoral College votes are supposed to scale with population. So, I think there's a good case to say that Wyoming has too many relative to Texas or California (or even Kansas or Utah).
Wyoming has roughly 600,000 people - so 3 EVs mean it has 1 EV per 200,000
California has 40,000,000 people with 55 EVs, so roughly 1 EV per 700,000.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
Didn’t stop the Bushes.
Bush Snr was actually a capable VP and President as was Jeb Bush as Florida Governor
I note you say nothing about Dubya.
Dubya was good at winning elections, less so at governing, in 1994 it was expected Jeb would win the Florida governorship and George would lose to Ann Richards in Texas, in the end it was the reverse and George then ended up winning the presidency in 2000 while Jeb had to wait another 4 years to become governor
And I wonder what kind of restrictions would be invented if you tried to put serious money in.
None. It is an exchange. There is £1.5 million at 1.03 available.
I think the layers at 1.03 are punters who want to get their money out now and move on to other opportunities rather than wait until Betfair settles. Not an estimate of the probability that Biden doesn't get the Presidency.
Yes, I think that is right. It is about time, uncertainty and opportunity cost. Remeber also that at 1.03, paying 2% commission can make a fair dent. I'm not a big player by any means but might bail out early if I see anything interesting at the Breeders Cup tonight.
Why would it make a fair dent? The 2% is only charged on the net winnings. So this brings 1.03 down to 1.0294.
On topic, the better bets are Joe Biden -48.5 (absolute certainty) at 1.12, Joe Biden electoral college votes 300-329 at 1.14, Democrats winning Arizona at 1.18, and Joe Biden at 52.00-54.99% at 4.1 on Betfair.
I also think it might be worth a tenner on the Dems to take North Carolina at 8.00 (yes, really).
All of these bets are better than the Republicans winning Alaska at 1.02, which some people are still getting excited about flipping (it won't; I ditched this fantasy yesterday).
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
If you want to understand why the United States is different, a good starting point is to ponder upon the meaning "United States" - what do those two words mean individually, and what do they mean juxtaposed? Each State getting a say in the electoral process makes sense from this perspective.
Someone in the last thread was decrying the Senate's composition, two from each State, as unfair. Fair or not, it reflects the entire purpose of the Senate! If it were to be more proportionate, you might as well just scrap it and have a unicameral system. A knock-on effect of either abandoning the Senate or reforming so its makeup almost always shadows the House of Representatives, is that change would come much easier. Generally this favours progressives over conservatives, of course, but wouldn't be costless for someone who generally dislikes conservatism, since it means progressive actions can be more easily overturned later, and you might not like the changes a more conservative administration would be empowered to pursue.
The number of mandates per constituency is determined every eight years by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, using a formula established in the Constitution (Article 57), which gives weight both to the population and to the geographic size of each county. The factor of county geographic size in mandate allocation is a historical consideration intended to balance the perceived uneven distribution of power between rural and urban citizens in national politics. The result is that the country’s rural constituencies, which are significantly larger in geographic size than the urban constituencies, are allocated a greater number of seats than would be the case if based strictly on population.
The discrepancy is particularly notable in Finnmark County where there are 7,409 registered voters per mandate, while in Vestfold, there are 18,464 per mandate. The Finnmark quotient is a 50 per cent deviation from the average quotient in the country (14,954 votes per mandate). Four other counties have a deviation of approximately 20 per cent, and a total of seven counties deviate from the norm by more than 15 percent.
While some OSCE/ODIHR EAM interlocutors accepted this structural inequality of the vote based on a constitutional formula, others advocated for a stricter or strict equality of the vote noting that the historical rationale is no longer relevant and that the deviation is an infringement of the right to equal suffrage. The Council of Europe’s Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) recommends for equal suffrage that “the permissible departure from the norm should not be more than 10 per cent, and should certainly not exceed 15 per cent except in special circumstances (protection of a concentrated minority, sparsely populated administrative entity).”
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
Smaller states are already well represented in the Senate.
Electoral College votes are supposed to scale with population. So, I think there's a good case to say that Wyoming has too many relative to Texas or California (or even Kansas or Utah).
Wyoming has roughly 600,000 people - so 3 EVs mean it has 1 EV per 200,000
California has 40,000,000 people with 55 EVs, so roughly 1 EV per 700,000.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
Not so useless that she cannot beat Republicans.
Do I detect a sore loser?
No, you detect someone who has had Harris as a Senator for several years and is massively unimpressed. She’s wooden and uninspiring.
Also - traditionally - the job of the Presidential candidate is to win the White House while the VP candidate is focused on supporting senatorial and house candidates. How did she do on that measure?
Edit: FWIW this is the perfect outcome in my view. Trump is gone, and the manner of his going will condemn him to irrelevance. The Republicans have done well enough in the house and senate to rein in the worst excesses of the nuttier democrats
Trump landed a whole demographic to the Republicans. They'd better repair their nets so those fish don't slip away. Who they get to follow the Donald will be crucial.
There are some odds-on opportunities available on Betfair I`m sure - but I`m holding back because I`m struggling to get up to date positions on Arizona and Georgia. Does anyone think Biden WONT win either of those states?
Also, keep an eye on North Carolina - I haven`t written off my Dem bet quite yet. There are a lot of votes still out there.
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
On topic, the better bets are Joe Biden -48.5 (absolute certainty) at 1.12, Joe Biden electoral college votes 300-329 at 1.14, Democrats winning Arizona at 1.18, and Joe Biden at 52.00-54.99% at 4.1 on Betfair.
I also think it might be worth a tenner on the Dems to take North Carolina at 8.00 (yes, really).
All of these bets are better than the Republicans winning Alaska at 1.02, which some people are still getting excited about flipping (it won't; I ditched this fantasy yesterday).
Blimey - we`re reading each other`s minds. I`ve just posted similar, then found yours. I`ve had a tenner on dems in N Carolina too at 8.2 to top up my previous position.
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
Smaller states are already well represented in the Senate.
Electoral College votes are supposed to scale with population. So, I think there's a good case to say that Wyoming has too many relative to Texas or California (or even Kansas or Utah).
They do don’t there? I thought it was no of representatives plus 2?
I make that fifteen vice-Presidents from Truman, of which six became President, giving Harris a naive probability of 2/5 to subsequently become President herself.
That’s before factoring in that she’s a useless politician
Not so useless that she cannot beat Republicans.
Do I detect a sore loser?
No, you detect someone who has had Harris as a Senator for several years and is massively unimpressed. She’s wooden and uninspiring.
Also - traditionally - the job of the Presidential candidate is to win the White House while the VP candidate is focused on supporting senatorial and house candidates. How did she do on that measure?
Edit: FWIW this is the perfect outcome in my view. Trump is gone, and the manner of his going will condemn him to irrelevance. The Republicans have done well enough in the house and senate to rein in the worst excesses of the nuttier democrats
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
Smaller states are already well represented in the Senate.
Electoral College votes are supposed to scale with population. So, I think there's a good case to say that Wyoming has too many relative to Texas or California (or even Kansas or Utah).
Wyoming has roughly 600,000 people - so 3 EVs mean it has 1 EV per 200,000
California has 40,000,000 people with 55 EVs, so roughly 1 EV per 700,000.
Isn't there a requirement of a minimum of 3 for any state? Montana, the Dakotas and Delaware all provide 3 EC votes.
The question therefore is why California doesn't have more EC delegates but based on Wyoming it would have 200 and I suspect the GOP would have some issues with that.
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
If Democrat candidates for President were winning through the electoral college, but narrowly losing the national popular vote at the same time, we'd hear far less of this argument.
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
Smaller states are already well represented in the Senate.
Electoral College votes are supposed to scale with population. So, I think there's a good case to say that Wyoming has too many relative to Texas or California (or even Kansas or Utah).
They do don’t there? I thought it was no of representatives plus 2?
Given that some states are so small they only get one representative, that plus two makes a big difference.
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
If Democrat candidates for President were winning through the electoral college, but narrowly losing the national popular vote at the same time, we'd hear far less of this argument.
True.
There was a sudden re-discovery of States Rights when opposing Trump's shit.
Yet previously, under Obama, States Rights were a terrible infringement on the rights of the Federal Government.....
Rather like Blair rediscovering the value of FPTP in 1997....
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
There are other ways of ensuring small states are treated equally without permanently biasing presidential and Senate elections in the direction of conservative small state rural voters.
I could probably just about accept keeping the Senate composition as it is if the Presidential election were switched to be being elected by a plurality of voters.
What justification is there for giving voters in a small state additional weight in Presidential elections? The President ought to e elected on a straight forward one person one vote basis.
Blimey @rcs1000 I thought you would have got the joke! Unless I have missed a subtle joke in your reply?
Especially as I'd made the same joke about an hour earlier...
(Soz if you didn't see it)
Oh I didn't see that, sorry. Good joke yesterday about Computer Magazine Readers Wives, I was going to crack it until I saw you had already
Great minds, etc...
Now all we need is a joke about WW2 naval battles.
That would be a Pearl, if you Harbour such ideas.
Point of pedantry - that wasn't a naval battle!
Carrier launched planes attack battleships.
That sounds like a naval battle to me.
(I'm currently reading Ian Toll's Pacific Crucible, and it's excellent.)
Indeed. If you're going to disallow attacks on ships at harbour as a naval battles wouldn't you have to exclude one of the greatest: the Battle of the Nile?
Although I'm delighted that Biden has won, I'm not persuaded that he will make a good President - he's well past his best. He will be well-intentioned, seek to heal divisions, and restore pride in decent values, I have no doubt. But on the virus, the economy, foreign policy etc. I don't have much confidence that he'll be decisive enough to tackle the huge issues he's faced with.
So, much will depend on the team around him. He should be a figurehead, delegating as much as possible, and saving himself for set-piece occasions. Who he appoints to key roles will matter immensely, because they will run government; he should be bringing on the next generation of Democrat leaders. I think he'll get this right. And despite what some think, I reckon Kamala is a very smart cookie.
Biden's function was to get rid of Trump - well done on that. What happens next will largely be up to others, I think.
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
Surely it is more important for the system to be fair to individual voters than states. If the popular vote determined the presidency we would have (by necessity) a very different Republican Party than the one that currently exists today, one in which a Trumpian figure could not succeed.
But it's college football, not the count. AZU went into the last three minutes with a 13pt lead but gave away two touchdowns, two EPs and fumbled a return to let USC win 28-27. A van de Velde level choke.
Biden still by 20,514, unless anyone has newer info.
Comments
Blimey @rcs1000 I thought you would have got the joke! Unless I have missed a subtle joke in your reply?
And I wonder what kind of restrictions would be invented if you tried to put serious money in.
But markets like ECV handicaps, vote percentages, or (with bookmakers) multiples on states probably will take longer to settle because states are still counting votes, even without Trump's legal shenanigans.
Here’s the book you were asking about on the last thread re: why Americans are different
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chosen-People-shaped-England-America/dp/0340786574
Separately I don’t think you can just state the EC is “unfair” because it overweighted small states.
It is absolutely fair to states because it treats them all equally. You just think that another metric is more appropriate
(Soz if you didn't see it)
https://twitter.com/theresa_may/status/1325172217668272131?s=21
"And what exactly are those shared values?" will they rage? Nah, doubt that too
Do I detect a sore loser?
Notable, though, that three of those vice-Presidents (Truman, LBJ, Ford) took the top-job because their superior was not able to complete their term - so regardless of whether the vice-President was a useful enough politician to win an election in their own right.
With Biden being the oldest ever President that is a stronger than average possibility for vice-President elect Harris too.
Now all we need is a joke about WW2 naval battles.
Also - traditionally - the job of the Presidential candidate is to win the White House while the VP candidate is focused on supporting senatorial and house candidates. How did she do on that measure?
Edit: FWIW this is the perfect outcome in my view. Trump is gone, and the manner of his going will condemn him to irrelevance. The Republicans have done well enough in the house and senate to rein in the worst excesses of the nuttier democrats
Of course, everyone wants to claim some of the glory of an election winner, but I think this is mainly Trump's defeat. His second popular vote defeat in a row. A distinction he shares with Adlai Stevenson, at least.
The US needed a ‘hard cop’ on China, Nato and immigration but his crude populism makes conservatism hard to sell
Matthew Parris" (£)
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/lets-face-it-trump-got-many-things-right-bfvf5kk02
Your figures are still correct if you include Truman himself.
You might also have mentioned three incumbent or former Vice Presidents have made unsuccessful election bids (discounting Nixon in 1960) - Humphrey in 1968, Mondale in 1984 and Gore in 2000.
Trump's failure is because he revelled in chaos rather than competence.
Electoral College votes are supposed to scale with population. So, I think there's a good case to say that Wyoming has too many relative to Texas or California (or even Kansas or Utah).
California has 40,000,000 people with 55 EVs, so roughly 1 EV per 700,000.
Good night.
That sounds like a naval battle to me.
(I'm currently reading Ian Toll's Pacific Crucible, and it's excellent.)
I also think it might be worth a tenner on the Dems to take North Carolina at 8.00 (yes, really).
All of these bets are better than the Republicans winning Alaska at 1.02, which some people are still getting excited about flipping (it won't; I ditched this fantasy yesterday).
Someone in the last thread was decrying the Senate's composition, two from each State, as unfair. Fair or not, it reflects the entire purpose of the Senate! If it were to be more proportionate, you might as well just scrap it and have a unicameral system. A knock-on effect of either abandoning the Senate or reforming so its makeup almost always shadows the House of Representatives, is that change would come much easier. Generally this favours progressives over conservatives, of course, but wouldn't be costless for someone who generally dislikes conservatism, since it means progressive actions can be more easily overturned later, and you might not like the changes a more conservative administration would be empowered to pursue.
USA isn't alone in a deliberately non-proportional set-up. Here's an extract from the OSCE report on the 2009 Norwegian election:
The number of mandates per constituency is determined every eight years by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, using a formula established in the Constitution (Article 57), which gives weight both to the population and to the geographic size of each county. The factor of county geographic size in mandate allocation is a historical consideration intended to balance the perceived uneven
distribution of power between rural and urban citizens in national politics. The result is that the country’s rural constituencies, which are significantly larger in geographic size than the urban constituencies, are allocated a greater number of seats than would be the case if based strictly on population.
The discrepancy is particularly notable in Finnmark County where there are 7,409 registered voters per mandate, while in Vestfold, there are 18,464 per mandate. The Finnmark quotient is a 50 per cent deviation from the average quotient in the country (14,954 votes per mandate). Four other counties have a deviation of approximately 20
per cent, and a total of seven counties deviate from the norm by more than 15 percent.
While some OSCE/ODIHR EAM interlocutors accepted this structural inequality of the vote based on a constitutional formula, others advocated for a stricter or strict equality of the vote noting that the historical rationale is no longer relevant and that the deviation is an infringement of the right to equal suffrage. The Council of Europe’s Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) recommends for equal suffrage that “the permissible departure from the norm should not be more than 10 per cent, and should certainly not exceed 15 per cent except in special circumstances (protection of a concentrated minority, sparsely populated administrative entity).”
Also, keep an eye on North Carolina - I haven`t written off my Dem bet quite yet. There are a lot of votes still out there.
Off to watch now.
The question therefore is why California doesn't have more EC delegates but based on Wyoming it would have 200 and I suspect the GOP would have some issues with that.
Like many of Trump's actions.
There was a sudden re-discovery of States Rights when opposing Trump's shit.
Yet previously, under Obama, States Rights were a terrible infringement on the rights of the Federal Government.....
Rather like Blair rediscovering the value of FPTP in 1997....
I could probably just about accept keeping the Senate composition as it is if the Presidential election were switched to be being elected by a plurality of voters.
What justification is there for giving voters in a small state additional weight in Presidential elections? The President ought to e elected on a straight forward one person one vote basis.
So, much will depend on the team around him. He should be a figurehead, delegating as much as possible, and saving himself for set-piece occasions. Who he appoints to key roles will matter immensely, because they will run government; he should be bringing on the next generation of Democrat leaders. I think he'll get this right. And despite what some think, I reckon Kamala is a very smart cookie.
Biden's function was to get rid of Trump - well done on that. What happens next will largely be up to others, I think.
But it's college football, not the count. AZU went into the last three minutes with a 13pt lead but gave away two touchdowns, two EPs and fumbled a return to let USC win 28-27. A van de Velde level choke.
Biden still by 20,514, unless anyone has newer info.