One of the most repeated phrases of the rightwing is “elections have consequences” which they say any and every time that any non-Republican seems to point out how blatantly unfair something is.
Yet I can’t help but wonder “if elections have consequences, how do Republicans keep losing but still get to be in charge?”
—In the first 225 years of this nation, the popular vote for President was only not followed twice. Now it’s happened twice in the last 20 years, and could very well happen again this year.
—If Trump is allowed to appoint Ginsburg’s successor, that means 5 out of 9 SCOTUS judges were appointed by Presidents that did not win the popular vote.
—In 2016, Mitch McConnell said the “voters” should be allowed to decide Scalia’s replacement even though they clearly voted for Obama in 2012 and he had eight months left on his term, but was blocked by a Republican Senate the majority of the country did not vote for. BUT in 2020, Mitch is ready to rush through a vote on Ginsburg’s replacement even though Trump did not win the popular vote, has been impeached by a Democratically elected House of Representatives, and early voting has already started with less than 40 days until the actual election.
—Senate Democrats have had 15 million more votes cast for them than senate Republicans, yet Republicans control the senate. The Dakotas outvote California (where 15% of the nation lives) 2-to-1.
“Yeah, but the House follows population…” …Does it though?
—Since the Tea Party wave of 2010 coincided with the census, House Republicans were allowed to redraw congressional districts and gerrymander the hell out of them. In 2012, 2014, and 2016, the House Democrats received more votes than the House Republicans, but the Republicans still controlled the House handily.
—Several state legislatures are so badly gerrymandered (like North Carolina), the same rightwing Supreme Court that is so conservative it struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act told them to redraw the maps.
…This doesn’t really seem like “elections have consequences” so much as “we will do whatever the hell we want regardless of what the majority says about it.”
Great article and they keep getting to be in charge because they cheat, lie and would kill to be in charge. Bill Mauer needs to have you on his show instead of that country bumpkin Trae somebody.