Fishing expedition by 1/6 commission

[Pat Hartman]

It seems you can have less votes and still win.

That is the difference between a simple Democracy and a Republic. In a Republic, the people elect the electors. States are assigned one elector for each member of Congress. Every state has precisely two Senators. The members of the House are apportioned proportionally so more populous states get more electors. The smallest possible number of electors for a state is 3. Two senators + one House member.

That system was determined because it was a way to give states with small populations at least some say in the election of a president. Otherwise, California and the next 11 largest states by population would totally control the presidency.

Total: 538. Majority needed to elect the president and vice president: 270.

Electoral votes by state

state	number of votes	state	number of votes
*Although not a state, the District of Columbia is allotted electors.
Alabama	9	Montana	4
Alaska	3	Nebraska	5
Arizona	11	Nevada	6
Arkansas	6	New Hampshire	4
California	54	New Jersey	14
Colorado	10	New Mexico	5
Connecticut	7	New York	28
Delaware	3	North Carolina	16
District of Columbia*	3	North Dakota	3
Florida	30	Ohio	17
Georgia	16	Oklahoma	7
Hawaii	4	Oregon	8
Idaho	4	Pennsylvania	19
Illinois	19	Rhode Island	4
Indiana	11	South Carolina	9
Iowa	6	South Dakota	3
Kansas	6	Tennessee	11
Kentucky	8	Texas	40
Louisiana	8	Utah	6
Maine	4	Vermont	3
Maryland	10	Virginia	13
Massachusetts	11	Washington	12
Michigan	15	West Virginia	4
Minnesota	10	Wisconsin	10
Mississippi	6	Wyoming	3
Missouri	10

 

[ColinEssex]

Just an aside, I read a survey held in the UK of about 1000 people. One question of people on the street was 'who or what is Elon Musk?'. The highest percentage thought it was a scented candle, next was mens aftershave lotion, next was the president elect, lowest percentage was owning twitter- nobody knew about electric cars.
Col

 

[Pat Hartman]

Just goes to show you how uninformed the public is.

 

[ColinEssex]

Or are totally uninterested in anything American. We don't get much American on British television news unless it's a mass shooting or a hurricane.
We learn more from Grand Theft Auto or repeats of American TV like Columbo or Dallas or Starsky and Hutch.
Col

 

[Pat Hartman]

That's why you all think we walk around packing 6-shooters on our hips or wrecking cars.

 

[ColinEssex]

That's why you all think we walk around packing 6-shooters on our hips or wrecking cars.

Well, it's what you Yanks distribute as being in America is like. How do we know its not true?
Then there are all the mass shootings, I suppose you're going to say they don't happen. You admit yourself you are quite happy to murder someone. I can imagine you sat polishing your guns just waiting for a person to accidentally step on your front lawn so you can have the joy of killing a human being.
Col

 

[Pat Hartman]

I can imagine you sat polishing your guns just waiting for a person to accidentally step on your front lawn so you can have the joy of killing a human being.

Only a jerk looking to start a fight would accuse me of something like that. You are showing your stripes again.

 

[ColinEssex]

Only a jerk looking to start a fight would accuse me of something like that. You are showing your stripes again.

Don't Americans do banter? That's where you take the piss and all have a laugh about it. You Yanks are always so serious. The British take the piss out of everyone, like if you introduce your mate to someone, you can say ' this is my made Dave, he's a knob', then all have a laugh.
That's what I was doing, picturing you with the Brasso out polishing the Magnum waiting every night for an intruder - just a laugh - lighten up a bit girl, try a smile if you remember how to do it.
Col

 

[Pat Hartman]

Your banter isn't funny. Or perhaps you have pushed it too far too many times for me to no longer find you amusing.

 

[AngelSpeaks]

Your banter isn't funny. Or perhaps you have pushed it too far too many times for me to no longer find you amusing.

What he said was despicable.

 

[ColinEssex]

What he said was despicable.

Yes, i agree, I was wrong. Some Americans do have a sense of humour, out of 300 odd million, there must be some who have a laugh.
Col

 

[Pat Hartman]

Should I add a poll here? I'm pretty sure that you will find that you are not as amusing as you think you are.

 

[ColinEssex]

Should I add a poll here? I'm pretty sure that you will find that you are not as amusing as you think you are.

You can if you like, but as with most American polls, it'll be biased and probably fixed. You seem to have the result in your mind anyway, so all you need to do is phrase the question so that you get the answer you have in mind.
Anyway, what I think is immaterial. People have different views on amusing people, its like music, each to their own.
Col

 

[Isaac]

I'm not. I have no idea if it's fixed or not. I only read the British press and hear what Trump says and those on this forum

Oh, sorry, it sounded like you assumed Trump was bribing the election, which is sort of the reverse equivalent of what a lot of Republicans feel the Democrats did in 2020. Anyway.

Personally I couldn't care less who gets in, we never understand that system anyway

That's how I feel about Parliament vs. the Prime Minister too! But one thing I admire about england and EU too, is they seem to move faster on issues.
for example, it seems some Euro countries are already so worried about AI they have started to pass major regulations about it - or they are close to doing so. I like that, I suppose, if most people are in agreement.

I think you should vote in Elvis Presley as president, he'll be more animated than the current incumbent.

Definitely.

 

[Isaac]

Just an aside, I read a survey held in the UK of about 1000 people. One question of people on the street was 'who or what is Elon Musk?'. The highest percentage thought it was a scented candle, next was mens aftershave lotion, next was the president elect, lowest percentage was owning twitter- nobody knew about electric cars.
Col

I would have to agree with Pat on this one.

I'd say the knowledge of those 1000 people had very little to do with "American" or "non-American". Elon Musk isn't just an electric car and twitter person. He's one of the top richest men in the world - the world of which the UK is a part.

When I was younger, I bought into this idea that Americans are ignorant and close minded, and think only of fellow Americans.

When I got to other countries, and I saw the way THEY looked at Americans ... like people from another planet, and then I juxtaposed that with the diversity I see in the average American city, where we have a massive mixture of Asian, Indian, Mexican, Caucasion, Indigenous, and nobody looks at them like anything at all different - I realized that not everything I was told was correct.

For example, Carlos Slim is one of the richest men in the world, and I've known his name for many years, despite him being Mexican.

I'd have to say on this survey, the issue wasn't not caring about American things, it was deliberately trying to avoid knowing about global things that happened to involve America. Big difference.

Brits tend to be full of themselves. Frankly if anyone lives in that glass house, then on the subject of narcissistic worldview, they probably shouldn't throw stones. At least that was my strong impression when I went there.

 

[Isaac]

Well, it's what you Yanks distribute as being in America is like. How do we know its not true?
Then there are all the mass shootings, I suppose you're going to say they don't happen. You admit yourself you are quite happy to murder someone. I can imagine you sat polishing your guns just waiting for a person to accidentally step on your front lawn so you can have the joy of killing a human being.
Col

Honestly Col I would recommend you re-consider your method of learning about other countries based on their TV shows. I disagree with the implication that that is the normal way people learn about the world.

I enjoyed the Netflix show Bodyguard, but that's not where I form my conclusions about British life.
I have enjoyed some Bollywood movies, but I most definitely do not get my understanding of India life from that!

You need to venture outside Hollywood for learning about other countries, it may actually be a relief to you, as some of the things you've believed up until now might come out a little bit better that way - and less irritating.

 

[Isaac]

Don't Americans do banter? That's where you take the piss and all have a laugh about it. You Yanks are always so serious. The British take the piss out of everyone, like if you introduce your mate to someone, you can say ' this is my made Dave, he's a knob', then all have a laugh

Strange, I have the exact opposite impression. The people in England came across to me quite serious and seemingly quite taken, almost fallen-in-love with themselves. I suppose you could consider that some kind of bizarre sense of humor, but it didn't seem that way to me.

I guess we all have the opposite impression of each other!

 

[Pat Hartman]

but I most definitely do not get my understanding of India life from that!

You mean to tell me that Indians don't regularly burst into song and dance in the streets of Mumbai? Bummer. Scratch India off my must visit list

 

[ColinEssex]

Strange, I have the exact opposite impression. The people in England came across to me quite serious and seemingly quite taken, almost fallen-in-love with themselves. I suppose you could consider that some kind of bizarre sense of humor, but it didn't seem that way to me.

I guess we all have the opposite impression of each other!

I think I would describe us as reserved rather than serious. We are wary of strangers, but loosen up when we get to know you. Obviously Americans are brash, loud and have strange accent. This tends to be opposite to what us Brits are. Americans are never quiet, their speaking volume is always many decibels above British normal volume, you can see it any day in London Oxford Street or in restaurants, hotels or café's.
That's not a TV or film opinion, but is actually true. I don't mean anything in a nasty way, that's the way Americans act in London and i guess in America too, its just different from the British way.
I will say, I have noticed American tourists are always extremely polite, they say 'sir' or 'ma'am' alot, very nice. I quite like chatting with American tourists as long as there is about 50 yards between us which makes their speaking volume normal.
Col

 

[Isaac]

Humor is subjective, of course - kind of like beauty.
Your Brash might be my humor, and your humor is definitely my conceited to the point of caricature.

It's in the eye of the beholder - or Ear, in that case, wherein I agree that Americans talk a bit loud for my personal taste, I don't do that myself.

Then again, even there though, you have to check yourself by pondering something like this: I have noticed Asian tourists are way louder (to my perception) when in public groups than I would prefer. They all crowd in wearing their typical hats and sunglasses and talking quite loudly.

After a while of thinking about this subject, something dawned on me; A tourist necessarily has to do a bit more verbalizing than someone who already knows the city and lives there. They are constantly having to communicate, "this way?" "did you buy it?" "do you want to go left?" "do you know how much that costs" ? "are you hot/thirsty?" etc. etc. So the residents of the city, well certainly they are going to go about their business while capable of doing it 100% quietly - but of course.