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DONALD TRUMP HAS cruised to victory in the US Electoral College, despite thousands of anti-Trump protesters who converged in cities across the country.
Today’s vote ensures that the billionaire will become America’s 45th president.
Texas put the Republican president-elect over the 270-vote threshold.
Electors had been deluged with emails, phone calls and letters urging them not to support Trump.
Two Texas electors cast protest votes against Trump, but in the end he had more than he needed.
What is the Electoral College?
When US voters cast their ballots on 8 November, they did not directly elect the next president but rather 538 ‘electors’ charged with translating their wishes into reality.
Trump won a clear majority of those electors – 306, with 270 needed for election – despite losing the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton by nearly three million votes.
The number of electors allocated to each state is based on how many representatives it has in the House plus one for each senator.
The District of Columbia gets three, despite the fact that the home to Congress has no vote in Congress.
Earlier today documentary filmmaker Michael Moore issued a personal appeal to Republican electors not to elect Trump.
In a post widely shared on social media, Moore promised to pay any fines incurred by electoral members by voting against Trump.
He called on the electoral college members to “vote with their conscience”.
- With reporting from AFP
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The system worked as designed by the Founding Fathers. Time for the liberal elite to get over it and move on
@peter
You are wrong, liberals should not just give up and move on. Now more then ever the voice of sensible liberalism should be louder than ever.
The centre should be louder than ever. Liberalism and conservatism have made world politics a game of ping-pong.
@hog
Good point, the levels of bipartisanship in the states has reached the point where it threatens the functionality of the whole system. My initial point was that we are going to hear a lot of far right rhetoric over the next few years. And opposition to the politics of Trump and his ilk should be loud and proud.
@peter neo liberalism I guess… liberalism without democracy,
Liberals are history. Thank God!!
@jason Murphy
No Jason, nothing as fanciful as that.
Don’t you have a great imagination though. You get a gold star for that effort.
@sinead,
You must have a very poor understanding of history. The liberal conservative dynamic has been cyclical for the past few decades.
@Peedur Dante:
Neoliberalism is the fundamental issue that has delivered us to where we are today. Broke, a fracturing EU, countries with a poor outlook, austerity politics. Indeed, thanks to the conservative parties many countries are royally screwed.
I find it hard to believe the founding fathers anticipated a system allowing a candidate with zero experience or qualifications to rise to fame via reality TV, manipulate the ignorant voters of middle America with the assistance of Russia and bully other candidates in secession via twitter.
If they did they had incredible foresight and I haven’t given them enough credit.
@paidraig
Examples of neo liberal governments who have brought the world to its knees ( in your eyes) would be much appreciated. Thanks
@drew
You’re right, no one could have predicted Trump. Perhaps the U.S needs to modernise its protective measures to ensure unqualified candidates don’t make it all the way to the top post. A minimum of 1 year in public service before running for president would be a good start to ensure candidates have the basic understanding of how the government works before we hand someone as unqualified as Trump the keys to the castle ( and nuke codes) again
@Peedur Dante:
Did you manage to write that with a straight face?
Just go to Amazon, the rest is up to you
The City: London and the Global Power of Finance – Tony Norfield
Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea by Mark Blyth
The Future of the Euro by Matthias Matthijs & Mark Blyth
Ages of Discord: A Structural-Demographic Analysis of America by Peter Turchin
How Will Capitalism End?: Essays on a Failing System by Wolfgang Streeck
The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone by Kate Pickett & Richard Wilkinson
If you manage to get through and still think neoliberalism is not the fundamental instigator of our broken world, well, I will not know what to say.
@padraig
I’m not reading all that tripe, can you give me an example of a neo liberal government who are guilty of the things you stated in your above post or not?
It’s a pretty weak minded defence of your argument if all you can do is spew off your alt right reading list at me. I’m sure you’re more comfortable letting your favourite right wing authors do your thinking for you, but not me.
@Peedur Dante:
You are a profound idiot.
Mark Blyth is the head of economics at Brown University – Wolfgang Streeck is a world-renowned political economics analyst, Peter Turchin is a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut; Research Associate in the School of Anthropology, University of Oxford; and Vice-President of the Evolution Institute. He conducts research on the cultural evolution and historical dynamics of past and present
If you cannot educate yourself you are not worth the interaction.
If you do not even understand why privatisation, austerity politics, oppressed labour markets, the disintegration of local markets is bad, then really what education do you even have.
@padraig
You descended into name calling very quickly didn’t you? That’s not a very common trait amongst intellectuals and you come across as desperate to be perceived as such. Listen Padraig, of course I’m not going to run off and read all of the books you mentioned because that would take weeks and our argument would be long over by then, if you care to use your own thoughts to describe what these books mean to you then I’m happy to discuss that, but just spewing reading lists at people is an obvious deflection technique used by people on the losing side of an argument. So I’ll put it to you again, you said ” neo liberalism is the fundamental issue that has delivered us to where we are today, Broke, a fracturing EU etc….. now do you have an example of a neo liberal government guilty of these crimes or not?
@Peedur Dante:
It is very common amongst intellectuals, which, clearly you are not, or you would have recognised at least one of the names mentioned at the bare minimum.
If you had even a working understanding of what neoliberalism is, you would not be asking inane questions. I take it you are one of the set; that did not see the Trump win coming.
The consequences of neoliberalism, in the U.K. for example, have seen things like the abolishment of subsidies and tariffs, the corporatisation and privatisation of state trading departments, a sustained attack on unions, and the individualization of health, welfare, and education. It has caused intense competition at the top of the pyramid, the elites, which in turn creates more inequality in populations via corporate leaning policy. Neoliberalism delivered society to the likes of Trump, Le Pen, and the rise of the fringe. I suggest you take the time to maybe read some of those books, as it is obvious you are confused about what neoliberalism and liberalism are to each other.
And thanks for playing ….
Oh, and regarding your other tidbit displaying your monumental lack of knowledge.
“Broke, a fracturing EU etc….. now do you have an example of a neo liberal government guilty of these crimes or not?”
Just ask the Greeks or the Italians, or heaven forbid, the Irish. All would be quite open in how their neoliberal governments failed them. Or just read “Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea by Mark Blyth” (That Professor from Brown University ‘who is not alt-right’)
@padraig
Not recognising the names of your favourite authors is hardly a worthy test to establish intelligence. And yes I am one of the set( as you put it) who failed to predict the Trump win. But it must be said that majority of observers did not foresee the Trump win or Brexit for that matter. Now on to your consequences of neo liberalism in the U.K, who implemented this neo liberal agenda? Was it Cameron’s government, or Tony Blairs, or John Majors or Thatchers?
You speak about this neo liberalism as if Europe has been in the grips of this boogie man for the past decades. But this just doesn’t correspond with reality. Your assertion that Neo Liberalism delivered society to the likes of Trump( as you phrased it) is so childishly simplistic in its logic that it’s laughable. Trump is here because of a multitude or reasons including the globalisation of social media and smart tech, the cult of celebrity, backlash against Obama. And many many other reasons. And on a personal note, people of intellect learn and grow through debate, try not to be so deflective when dealing with people of differing views as yourself, regardless of whether you think your opponents are ” educated” to your preferred standard or not.
@ padraig
HA The Greek, Italian or irish government are hardly responsible for Trump and” the fractured EU, (and) countries with a poor outlook and as you put it. Have any better, less desperate examples?
@Peedur Dante:
It started in the 1970′s after Keynesian policies began to fail – and I am sorry but your understanding is so ‘simplistic’ that you overlook the largest driver of societies pressures, inequality. (Maybe that is why I wrote and predicted Brexit and Trump, like many of my set, did, so hate to burst that bubble son) You highlight your lack of understanding by not knowing that neoliberalism has been a slow death to capitalism since those roots in the 70′s that have intensified over the last 15 years. After Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan took power, the rest of the package soon followed: massive tax cuts for the rich, the crushing of trade unions, deregulation, privatisation, outsourcing and competition in public services. Through the IMF, the World Bank, the Maastricht treaty and the World Trade Organisation, neoliberal policies were imposed – often without democratic consent, and on much of the world.
Economic globalisation is inherent to neoliberal ideology, again, you would know that if you knew what you were talking about. Trump’s win had feck all to do with modern tech, even though, your party like to think it did, but alas, you believe fairytales.
Tell you what, here is a nice video that is easier than a book.
Mark Blyth ─ Global Trumpism
https://youtu.be/Bkm2Vfj42FY
Oh and if you want respect and not be spoken to like the scraping off of the bottom of my shoe, then don’t go around calling people “alt-right” when presented with opposing thought. As I have seen you calling people all kinds of names in this and other threads. You deserve the same lack of respect, or if you cannot take it, don’t give it.
@padraig
Aaaaaand thanks for playing. LOL
@Peedur Dante:
Do yourself a favour, know what you are talking about before opening your gob, lad.
Good night.
@ padraig
The very term neo liberalism is a deceptive in that it refers not to the type of sensible moderate liberalism that I would adhere to but instead is more closely related to a capitalist world view. Let’s examine some causalities of neo liberalism according to your post. ” massive tax cuts for the rich” this is exactly one of the things Trump means to implement, “the crushing of trade unions, deregulation, privatisation, out sourcing and completion in public services” these are all very common actions amongst right leaning governments. Right leaning governments like the one trump means to implement. So my question to you padraig is? How can you claim to be for and against this type of government at the same time. Or do you just say whatever it takes to win an argument over the Internet. Is besting someone in an internet thread really worth contradicting yourself so profoundly.
Lad, LOL
@ padraig
” maybe that’s why I wrote and predicted Trump like many of my set did” care to provide a link to back up your credits as a fortune teller? LOL
@padraig
“Trumps win had nothing to do with modern tech”, LOL ever heard of twitter?
Padraig, you’d be a joke if only you were funny
@Peedur Dante: “massive tax cuts for the rich” Oh dear! Who will Trumps tax policies be benefiting again ? This is like dealing with a lad in 3rd grade ,Pádraig ;)
“Trump’s win had feck all to do with modern tech, even though, your party like to think it did, but alas, you believe fairytales.”
Modern technology did indeed help Trump.It also help to spread his ‘make believe’ hogwash.If you actually took a look at the people who voted for Trump,you will find that a lot were earning over the $50,000 a year.This tells me that one of the biggest concerns for the people was Obamacare, and it’s costs.Now,Pádraig,I’m going to make a prediction to you.Trump will have a lot of angry people that voted for him on this very issue soon.Maybe in a year or two’s time.These people that will be yugely angry will be the ones coming up to retirement & in retirement ..WATCH THIS SPACE
@Peedur Dante:
Did I at any stage say Trump is not part of a neoliberalism based party? Or indeed, right wing? The statement was that neoliberalism has landed us to where we are today.
Do try and keep up old chap.
@Francis Mc Carthy:
Twitter, is not the defining reason or even close, as to why Trump won. more clutching at straws. It may have contributed to a degree, however, far from the core reason. I would suggest you take the time to watch global Trumpism as you seem to think it is a swing unique to the US.
@Pádraig Ó Raghaill:
too*
@Pádraig Ó Raghaill: Never said that it was the ‘defining’ reason or even close to it.I said that it helped to spread his hogwash.Do you agree ?
Millions upon millions of Americans believed his hogwash regards : Obamacare-Muslims-Mexicans-Wall-Draining the Swamp-Tarrifs on Companies- Bringing Jobs back to America- Overturning Roe v Wade etc etc . The one ‘promise’ that he will be able to make is putting a judge in the Supreme Court.That one he can keep,why? Because he actually can do that one.
He had a cult following that would vote for him no matter what he did.Well,we’ll see their loyalty being put to the test when Trump will hurt them where it hurts the most -their pockets.
Have a great day!
@Francis Mc Carthy:
Yes, I would agree he took full advantage of Twitter, he also used the media quite well, represented by comparing the campaign budgets. However, we could see it coming quite some time back. “Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right – by Arlie Russell Hochschild” She is a sociologist that travelled through what would become Trumpland, it is well worth the read and highlights how left out of the loop so many people felt. There is no denying Trump sold an idea; he also did not have strong competition. The Presidency in effect was handed to him the moment Hillary became the opponent, she, in so many ways, amplified the feeling so many felt.
@Peedur Dante: There in no suuh thing are right and left, just right and daft.
@Peedur Dante: I am working on defining these neos. I believe the problem is that the political spectrum is not a straight bar, but a circle like the face of a clock. Extreme state control meets at 12 o’clock and complete democratic freedom is at 6 o’clock. Left is on the left (9) and right on the right (3 o’clock).
Ireland would be at 8 and Trump’s America would be at 4. Mugabe is at 1 o’clock. China at 10 o’clock. North Korea is not in any way socialist because none of socialism’s benefits are available to the people. So its a severe right wing dictatorship at 3 minutes after 12. Humans evolved to live in groups of 150 but due to the effect of military might, so a leader with enough mussel can rule a lot of people using terror. Where terror is not an option other means are tried. Mass hysteria being one way
“Liberals are history. Thank God!!”
Can you provide a credible source that ‘liberals are history’ in America ?
Poor pet has lost the run of herself :)
I wonder what will be done now to try stop him becoming president.. scary thought
@Thevigilantone: They will try to kill him, I hope they don’t, just takes on security guard to flip
Long may he reign ;-)
@Conor Jugh: here, here
Where, where?
Despite all the left wing protests, democracy has prevailed.
I’d prefer Trump over Killary, but you can’t say democracy prevailed. The plurality voted for Hillary and not Trump. By 3,000,000 votes!
@Superfiends: Clinton won more nearly 3 million more votes. Yet she isn’t president. How is that democratic?
I can say democracy prevailed, because that’s exactly what happened. If the electoral college was such a problem, why is it only now the left give a sh!t
Its done per state… so yes its democratic otherwise calidornia and co would be over represented
US is federal system not one country
@Eamonn , it’s called the electoral college that’s how. A federal system set up so the bigger states couldn’t dictate to the smaller states.
Yeah, but it’s not democratic… Democracy means, literally, rule by the people. Trump got less votes than Hillary. He is to be president. That’s not democratic. You can argue and red-thumb all you like. It doesn’t change things. Both are idiots, btw.
Pay attention – Trump complained about the electoral college when Obama last won.
No democracy did not win at all. She won the popular vote
Not a democracy. US is a constitutional republic…
Hillary won the popular vote ostensibly because of her big margin in California. That’s why we have an electoral college…so that states can’t dominate elections due to sheer size of populace.
The American system is democratic, no amount of whinging about the popular vote can change that. Every state in the US has independent votes because the US is a federal union, not a singular nation. Trump won more states, get over it.
How long can people call her killary with a straight face when trump is busy stirring up a war with China???
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan: So it’s ok for Wyoming and other small states can be over represented?
So is that it? Is it really over now?
No. It’s only just begun. Read earlier that Sylvester Stallone turned down an offer to be secretary of arts. I’m surprised Clint Eastwood didn’t get first dibs
Hillary calls for a recount of Electoral Votes! Gofundme page set up! Putin not happy. Wikileaks explodes. Trump’s tweets the key to market success and failure. He misspells Well Done Team as “We’ll down Time” Time magazine wiped out. Most influential no more. Time stops also. Doesn’t know what to do. End of days. Apocalypse.
Arnie would’ve been a better candidate. Maybe they are keeping the NSA or CIA for him. Ron Howard gets NASA. Michael Bay gets Defence.
Thought about arnie, but he’s a foreigner – albeit a very Aryan looking one.
@Anne Marie Devlin: I read Stallone was delighted with the offer and wants the job
Whinging libtards get over it.
@Gooner Sean: WTF are you on about? The Republicans didn’t want him either. He”s not left or right – he’s a dangerous, arrogant, childish, moron.
@Congress Tart: “he’s a dangerous, arrogant, childish, moron.”
This always intrigues me? How does George Bush Jr. get a pass? He stole an election, he was dangerous, arrogant, childish, moron, who thought god to spoke to him directly and he actually had financial links to the Nazi’s through grandpappy Prescott.
@ congress
Bush didn’t get a free pass. The man barely knew how to talk and his presidency was a disaster. I thought he’d be the worst president I’d see in my lifetime. I hope to God that turns out to be the case.
Oops that was for @ Les bean
How many times has Trump compared to Hitler so far? George Bush is a war criminal, just like Tony Blair, Trump hasn’t even taken office yet but he’s Satan? It just doesn’t make any sense.
Trump grabbed Satan by the pussy. True story.
Could’ve stretched that to a Bush joke. Too tired.
That’s complete bullshit, none of us on the journal were around when Prescott bush was alive, back it up your statement on how bushes grandfather had links to the nazis, your just Annoyed that trump won the election over crook Clinton, while I don’t agree with some things trump has said or done, he’s way more presidential then phoney Clinton
He’s a member of the Republican Party (trump)
@alan
Here you go Alan, since you’re too effing lazy to do it yourself
George Bush’s grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany
https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar?client=safari
@peedur thing with you and I have read your comments, you dish anybody that disagrees with you. Clinton lost because people in the us are fed with left wing politicians,
Rumour has it Democrats/Liberals are desperately organizing a mass protest blockade around the White House to prevent Obama leaving.
Hilarious.
Absolutely hilarious.
@alex
That’s sounds like bull s#|t to me alex
@Peedur Dante:
Is it any wonder Merriam Webster dictionary has chosen ‘Surreal’ as their word of the year.
@alex
I thought it was post-truth
@Peedur Dante:
That was the Oxford dictionary’s choice.
@alex
Both apt I suppose. By comparison Oxfords 2012 word of the year was GIF.
Simpler times
@Alex Falcone: First thing Trump will do is take a shit in the transgender toilets Obama had installed in the white House.
He needed them installed for Michelle (Michael).
@Mr Snuffleupagus:
Well that should cause a frisson of excitement among the coprophiliacs who study these things.
@Peedur Dante:
I’m afraid she let herself down badly in promoting Beyonce as a role model for her teenage daughters.
And that James Corden thing was truly awful. Very undignified for a First Lady.
But then again, fraternising with lawless rappers on the White House lawn was de rigueur during Obama’s tenure as president so what can one expect under the circumstances.
The best first man, her name is Michael
@alex
Not a Beyoncé fan myself but lawless rappers? What are you talking about?
@jason
You either are a immature teenager or even sadder you’re an adult acting like one. Either way, sucks to be you. I’d be embarrassed to know anyone as stupid as you’re coming across. Hope Santa brings you that x box you asked for on Sunday. Better hope he’s not checking these threads.
Should be a laugh – looking forward to it
Nice knowing you, Planet Earth.
@Congress Tart: do not understand….. It was the well educated and mild mannered people destroying it…..
@Congress Tart:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxCUyy_aVzA
Moscow likes this ;-)
Micheal Moore you are pooh
A rather delicious irony in the fact that as of this afternoon. more electors tried to defect from Hillary Clinton today than from Trump, by a count of seven to two, Three Democratic electors tried to vote for Bernie Sanders instead of Clinton One in Maine, one in Minnesota and one in Colorado.
Any other outcome would have been an unthinkable affront to their elective process. Having said that, I doubt this fool will last the 4 years. He’ll be impeached for corruption or incompetence or both long before his term finishes.
Hopefully, the American system of checks and balances will inhibit Trump from indulging in the extremes which he adores to talk about.
Putin will be a guiding hand for Trump.
@Micheal OLainn: well, they did not for the democrats, so why start now?
@William Kavanagh: even with Executive Orders, Obama was severely hamstrung. It created a lot of political stalemate.
Michael…help me understand this. The liberals are upset that the Russians may have interfered in an election by releasing documents and emails proving that Democratic National Committee and the Clinton team were interfering in the same election? So, the liberals are upset that they lost an election that was rigged in their favor? Yup…let’s blame the Russians. Oh…and why is it that all these liberals were silent when Obama interfered in the recent elections in Israel?
Nice to see them right wingers made swallow democracy.
Welcome to the United States of Trussia. The US is getting it backwards with a chainsaw. Voted in by a bunch of fools, selfish racists and xenophobes.
@WJ Dunphy:
The liberal dystopia is over.
Enjoy the liberty of freedom of speech.
(feel free to vent)
@ Alex
I wasn’t aware of any limitations on the freedom of speech during the Obama administration. Do you have any examples?
Canada soon to overtake China as the most populous country on the planet.
You grossly underestimate…
All of Europe’s 738 million people and all of americas 325 million people could move to Canada (population 35 million) and they’d still be short of China’s almost 1.4 billion…
If you hate the idea of a Presidential Trump, you’re either a Bush or a Clinton, a Welfare cheat, an illegal alien, a drug dealer, a person who takes bribes and back-handers or an ardent ‘controlling’ Zionist. This is where all that changes. Go Trump, and root the problems out, once and for all.
@Paul Culligan
That was pure nonsense Paul, clap clap. Didn’t make a lick of sense, well done. Was it Chardonnay or Stella that was the influence for that last pearl of wisdom. Go Trump. LOL
@Peedur Dante: He is a Trump supporter after all.Bless his cotton socks.
Saw an amazing survey done by Qualtrics yesterday where 17% of the people who voted for Trump think that he is not qualified for the job. Goes to show how terrible a candidate that Clinton was. Also 52% of Republican voters think that Trump won the popular vote, which gives an incite into how uninformed and ignorant of basic facts that his supporters are.
@ Martin
Those are mad statistics, perhaps this should be known as the post- thinking era instead of post- truth.
Marvin,
So many believe that Trump won the popular vote because states like California, New York and Illinois don’t require any form of identification in order to vote. These are the states with the largest amount of illegal aliens as well. They’re not dumb or uninformed, they simply believe that illegals voted their interests. There are roughly 25M to 30M illegals in this country so how far fetched is it to believe that 3M of them voted? Hell, the current President made it clear that they SHOULD vote!
@Brian Hicks: Again another example of fact-free rubbish that Trump supporters like to come out with. Firstly, the DHS says there’s about 11 million illegal immigrants in the US. Right wingers love to double or in some cases treble that number based on a hunch. Also, you say that Trump supporters believe that 3 million illegals voted in the election, but there is evidence or facts to back that up. And I presume your reference to the current president telling illegals to vote is based on an interview he gave just before the election. This is another fairytale put out by right wing media who chopped up his interview to make it look like he said this. Here’s the facts http://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-business-deceptively-edits-obama-interview-to-falsely-claim-he-told-illegal-immigrants-to-vote/
It doesn’t assure it – he could die before January 20th. He’s 70 after all.
Look on the bright side. It’ll be entertaining, won’t go full-term, it’s not another Clinton.
MAGA
Mark my words. D Trump will be impeached with in 2017
I would hope that the two Texas electors who didn’t vote for Trump have secret service protection and addresses that are not publicly available.
Oh my God()
Well spending a trillion dollars on infrastructure and erecting a tarrif wall to protect lower skilled US jobs Really sounds like old fashioned socialism Policy of DeValera
Cutting millionaires tax by a third, appointing cabinet positions and heads of agencies that have an agenda of destroying them. Appointing nutters to key security positions. All headed by a president who is an international laughing stock.
@John003: “Spending a trillion dollars on infrastructure and erecting a tarrif wall to protect lower skilled US jobs..”
You could call it ‘Corporate welfare’ that gives YUGE tax breaks to the large companies and the billionaires in Wall Street..but in saying all of that, it would be great to see Toll Roads being built..KA-CHING !
You mean those jobs like the ones in Carrier ? Those ones ? Where that company is now going to invest $16m in automation after Trump gave them $7,5m to stay .Hilarious.
Im sure orange is the new black will shoot up in ratings!
TanOrganic sponsors Trump’s White House Apprentice. See who gets the Secretary of State live on Fox.
Right.
Time to catch up with the Walking Dead as Negan’s comeuppance draws ever nearer.
John Brennan is toast!
Its just not America that will be in trouble, but the whole world, if Trump and his BFF Putin could start world war 3 & no body wants that
have your say