Trump won by 1.5% and the media acts like it was a Reagan-esque 1980 sweep. They had to gerrymander for decades and launch a massive misinformation campaign to get this outcome too. Plus Biden had to be one step into dementia and punt to unpopular Kamala (who lost her 2020 primary attempt) last minute to help this small victory. Yet everyone is acting like this is some massive referendum and America fully swung to the right. These sycophantic tech bros are showing their bellies awful quick.
Gerrymandering isn’t possible with presidential races. And he won by 86 electoral college votes, including all of the states people were looking at as possible swing states. That’s why everyone is saying he won a landslide.
The fact that he won despite being a literal convicted criminal and despite having previously shown himself to be one of, if not the worst president in history, says a huge amount about Americans’ willingness to accept fascism. People are right to be troubled by this.
Gerrymandering doesn’t directly affect presidential races, but it does affect them. States that were gerrymandered to Republican super majorities created rules to make voting harder for lots of democratic areas. They limited ballot access and purged voter roles in blue areas. It also affects the electoral college. As part of all the other tactics, it all made a difference.
Interesting in theory, so thanks for sharing. But in practice, not going to matter. It would require a third party to win in at least one state before the EC can fail to reach a majority.
Edit: actually on second thought, I suppose a tie is also possible without a third party winning. But still, a tiny edge case, really.
Trump won by 1.5% and the media acts like it was a Reagan-esque 1980 sweep.
Agreed. Every president tries to pretend that they have a mandate. But consider:
Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes. If 14,699 people in Wisconsin had voted differently, Trump would have lost Wisconsin. Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee will fit that many people.
Michigan has 15 electoral votes. If 40,052 people in Michigan had voted differently, Trump would have lost Michigan. Comerica Park in Detroit will fit that many people.
Pennsylvania has 19 electoral votes. If 60,134 people in Pennsylvania had voted differently, Trump would have lost Pennsylvania. Beaver Stadium in University Park will fit that many people.
Without those electoral votes, Trump would have lost the election. That was the size of his victory: 2 stadiums and an arena.
Trump won by 1.5% and the media acts like it was a Reagan-esque 1980 sweep. They had to gerrymander for decades and launch a massive misinformation campaign to get this outcome too. Plus Biden had to be one step into dementia and punt to unpopular Kamala (who lost her 2020 primary attempt) last minute to help this small victory. Yet everyone is acting like this is some massive referendum and America fully swung to the right. These sycophantic tech bros are showing their bellies awful quick.
Gerrymandering isn’t possible with presidential races. And he won by 86 electoral college votes, including all of the states people were looking at as possible swing states. That’s why everyone is saying he won a landslide.
The fact that he won despite being a literal convicted criminal and despite having previously shown himself to be one of, if not the worst president in history, says a huge amount about Americans’ willingness to accept fascism. People are right to be troubled by this.
Gerrymandering doesn’t directly affect presidential races, but it does affect them. States that were gerrymandered to Republican super majorities created rules to make voting harder for lots of democratic areas. They limited ballot access and purged voter roles in blue areas. It also affects the electoral college. As part of all the other tactics, it all made a difference.
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2024/11/04/how-gerrymandering-could-help-deliver-the-presidency-to-donald-trump/
Technically you can. But there’s more to it than simply drawing up districts to influence the Electoral College.
Interesting in theory, so thanks for sharing. But in practice, not going to matter. It would require a third party to win in at least one state before the EC can fail to reach a majority.
Edit: actually on second thought, I suppose a tie is also possible without a third party winning. But still, a tiny edge case, really.
To drive home that point even further
Source: NY Times
Agreed. Every president tries to pretend that they have a mandate. But consider:
Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes. If 14,699 people in Wisconsin had voted differently, Trump would have lost Wisconsin. Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee will fit that many people.
Michigan has 15 electoral votes. If 40,052 people in Michigan had voted differently, Trump would have lost Michigan. Comerica Park in Detroit will fit that many people.
Pennsylvania has 19 electoral votes. If 60,134 people in Pennsylvania had voted differently, Trump would have lost Pennsylvania. Beaver Stadium in University Park will fit that many people.
Without those electoral votes, Trump would have lost the election. That was the size of his victory: 2 stadiums and an arena.
Source:
The media is owned by guys that could be called right wing. No surprise they want to hype him.