this post was submitted on 31 Jan 2024
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An Arizona lawmaker who signed on to be a “fake elector” for Donald Trump after the former president lost his bid for a second term has introduced a bill that would allow members of the statehouse to overturn future election results that they don’t like.

The bill, formally known as Senate Concurrent Resolution 1014 and sponsored by state Sen. Anthony Kern, seeks to bypass the popular vote altogether.

“[I]t is the responsibility of the Arizona Secretary of State to certify elections, including elections for President of the United States, but the sole authority to appoint presidential electors is granted to the Legislature,” the four-line bill reads. Therefore, it concludes, “[T]he Legislature, and no other official, shall appoint presidential electors in accordance with the United States Constitution.”

Giving the legislature absolute power to control Arizona’s electoral college votes, regardless of who won the popular vote, would disenfranchise millions of Arizonans.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Why even have an election then?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

So we can pretend that they represent the will of the people rather than the will of those in power who know how to game the system. A worse version of what it already is now.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

This is part of the ISL theory that is wackier than your average Trump ad lib.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago

As a non American late at night, wondering who is Bill and who the hell is disturbing them.. Took me a sec

[–] [email protected] 29 points 9 months ago (1 children)

"If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy,"

We are here.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

We have been here for many years now.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago

Republicans will never stop trying to steal elections

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (2 children)

The Supreme Court would be all over this. No way this could actually become law. Not even remotely.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

The Supreme Court would be all over this. No way this could actually become law. Not even remotely.

The Constitution has already left it to the states to pick their own elector by whatever means that state chooses. I wrote a much more detailed comment in a prior discussion if you're interested, but put simply, Article 2 of the US Constitution is what governs the election of the executive branch (the president). Specifically, Clause 2:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress

Individual voters do not elect the President. The Electoral College does. The states use the votes of individual voters to appoint its Electors, and then the Electors go to Congress and have their votes counted.

Incidentally, this is why Trump was desperate to get Pence out of the way on January 6, as the Vice President is the President of the Senate and without him, there is no constitutional transfer of power. See Clause 3:

The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted.

There's really nothing for the Supreme Court to decide here, because constitutionally Arizona gets to pick its own electors however it wants, UNLESS someone challenges Arizona and makes it the Supreme Court's business to offer a ruling.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Well Texas has set a precedent that states can now ignore their rulings, so...

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago

I mean, fine. I live in Arizona and I have a crowbar that does let me shatter kneecaps.¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[–] [email protected] 22 points 9 months ago

Fucking fascists are downright enemies of democracy

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

What does the state constitution say about this?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

deleted by creator

[–] [email protected] 12 points 9 months ago
[–] [email protected] 40 points 9 months ago (4 children)

So that's the most un-American crap I've read all day... The power belongs to the people damn it!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

As vile as it is, it's in line with the US Constitution. The state legislature have the authority to select electors in the manner they see fit. All currently use some kind of popular vote to select the electors, but they don't have to do it that way. In fact, in Bush v Gore the Court hinted that the method to determine the electors could even be changed after the November election.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 9 months ago

If it comes between abandoning conservatism, or abandoning democracy, republicans will 100% of the time abandon democracy.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It goes to show how much of the US electoral system is based on essentially good faith and convention.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 9 months ago

Trump has shown that our entire system is based on nothing more than good faith and convention. Not only does the Constitution not provide any guidance whatsoever about what to do when those in charge refuse to exercise that good faith and convention, but the past few years have shown that even the slightest deviation from that good faith and convention can cause the entire system to come crashing down.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 9 months ago

Lemme guess, they're calling it the "Every Vote Counts!" bill, yes?

[–] [email protected] -1 points 9 months ago

But think of the savings!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago

He just misses the days when state legislatures chose senators

[–] [email protected] 16 points 9 months ago

Forever grateful that the cold of MN kicks out the crazies, even if they grew up here. Kern can shove this bill right back up his kernhole

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