Category Archives: Blog

How is the presidential election in the United States organized?

In American elections, it doesn’t matter who is the favorite in the race. Even with a majority in the pocket, both Donald Trump and his rival Joe Biden could lose. So, for example, it happened in 2016, when 48% of voters voted for the Democrat Hillary Clinton, and only 46% for the current American president.

This is because, unlike most other countries, the outcome of the US presidential election does not depend on who gets the most votes. The winner is determined by the so-called “electoral college”.

What is an electoral college and how does it work?

The Electoral College is a group of representatives from each of the 50 US states who vote for the president. Each state is assigned a certain number of electors, depending on how many people live in it. California, for example, has 55, and Wyoming has three.

Typically, electors support the candidate with the most votes in a given state. It turns out that whoever wins the California popular vote will receive another 55 votes from the electoral college.

To win, a presidential candidate must receive at least 270 votes from the electoral college. There are 538 electors in the United States: 435 state representatives, 100 senators, and three additional voters from Washington.

How did the electoral college system come about?

When the founding fathers of the United States – the group of politicians who developed the foundations of American statehood – wrote the Constitution in 1787, they wondered how to choose the right president and vice president of the country.

After the end of the war with the British monarchy, politicians were concerned that the executive branch might be too powerful. Historians argue that some of the founders of the United States did not trust direct democracy, while others were worried about balancing the interests of individual states.

“Some wanted the president to be elected by Congress, and some wanted him to be independent from him. The constitutional convention was drawing to a close, the delegates were tired. In the end, they came to a compromise and decided that the states should choose the president. not Congress, “said David Redlavsk, professor of political science at the University of Delaware.

Many historians argue that the slave trade also influenced the American electoral system. The compromise found during the convention allowed the southern states to get more votes in the elections at the expense of the slaves living in these territories. Historians call this a three-fifths compromise.

Each state now elected a certain number of electors, each of whom had two votes. An elector could not cast both of these votes for people living with him in the same state. This limitation eliminated the possibility that electors would vote only for representatives of their state. The person with the most votes became president, and the runner-up became vice president.

The electoral college system was changed after the 1800 elections, in which the House of Representatives was forced to determine the winner after a draw between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr.

The 12th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1804, created a system that is still in use today. Voters vote for the president and vice president separately, which is why multiple candidates cannot win the majority of the vote in a presidential election.

“The system was not thought out carefully, it was created before there were political parties, so no one could know how it would work with the existence of political parties and the electoral college,” said Redlavsk.

Fluctuating states

In the United States of America, the two main political parties are the left-wing Democratic Party and the conservative Republican. Most states predictably vote either Democrats or Republicans over and over again. In several states, the results are often less obvious. As a rule, candidates work hard there during the election campaign.

These states in 2020 include, inter alia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, Iowa, and Ohio. States that used to vote Republicans like Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia are also considered potential swing states this year.

What are the contradictions?

The electoral college gives “small states much more power in choosing the president than their populations require, compared to large states,” says Redlawsk.

For example, California has 55 votes and Wyoming has three, despite the fact that California’s population is about 68 times that of Wyoming.

In addition, the collegia in all but two states distribute votes on a “winner-take-all” principle. “This means that those who vote for the candidate who did not win in the state, in fact, are not reflected in the results,” – explained Redlavsk.

This is why you can win the popular vote but lose the election. However, despite the criticism, the system is unlikely to change, as changing the system requires amending the Constitution.

U.S. Congress Committee to review impeachment report

The organization held open hearings for two weeks. To begin, let’s recall the scandalous events that preceded this high-profile process.

Bloomberg reporters conducted an investigation into the relationship of the lawyer of US President Rudi Giuliani with Ukrainian businessmen and officials. The agency described how Donald Trump’s personal lawyer could get information that the American leader can use against his political opponents.

The investigation revealed that Giuliani is the honorable mayor of the small town Anatevka (suburb of Kiev, Ukraine).

The town was created as part of a project to help members of the Jewish community who, because of the war, were forced to leave Donbass. The town consists of several dozen houses. It is guarded by armed forces. Also, there are several schools where the children of businessmen study. Teachers of these schools are selected based on the results of the paraprofessional resume competition, in which teachers from common public schools do not participate. A preliminary assessment of candidates is carried out using a similar American system, so without ats friendly resume examples it is impossible to pass this selection. Thus, only specialists with American roots or relevant work experience can teach at these school.

US accuses Ukraine of interfering in elections

According to the agency, Lev Parnassus and Igor Fruman, Giuliani’s business partners, recently accused of violating US election laws, invested in the construction of the town. They were detained by US authorities on October 9 at Dulles, Virginia International Airport.

They are suspected of illegal financial assistance to various structures associated with the Republican Party and the election headquarters of Donald Trump. We are talking about the allocation of 325 thousand dollars to the Republicans, as well as an attempt to exert political influence. A lawyer who will unravel this should serve as a model and inspiration for future generations, this is an ideal candidate for an iconic portfolio: https://resumesbot.com/criminal-justice-cover-letter-example/ worth adding to the Legal citation guides.

Entrepreneurs also participated as intermediaries in organizing negotiations between American representatives and Ukrainian officials, seeking to transfer control over Naftogaz to them.

Donald Trump

Azman and Giuliani have known each other for about 15 years. This was told by Bloomberg source. Before the foundation of the town, the charity organization “American Friends of Anatovka” was created. It was there that Fruman and the “partners” stored about 500 thousand dollars. However, the company has not filed any financial reports over the past two years.

The organization was founded in 2017, and its accounting department is located in Brooklyn (New York). They declined to comment on this information. Giuliani also did not answer questions about this town.

Journalists claim Trump’s lawyer launched a campaign against former vice president Joe Biden before his trip to Paris. There, a ceremony was held to greet Giuliani as a mayor of the town.

In the capital of France, he also met with the chairman of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Nazar Holodnitsky. An American lawyer tried to get an investigation into Ukraine’s interference in the 2016 US election.

Impeachment of the president – is it possible?

On Tuesday, December 3, the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee will vote on the investigation report of the impeachment case against US President Donald Trump. This is reported by the newspaper Politico.

For two weeks, the organization held open hearings with 10 witnesses in the “Ukrainian case”. Earlier, the investigation was conducted in a closed format.

The newspaper writes that lawmakers will have 24 hours to discuss the report. It starts on Monday, December 2, after which it will be put to the vote.

It is expected that most representatives of the Democratic Party will support the document and it will eventually be approved, and then submitted to the Legal Committee of the House of Representatives.

Earlier reports appeared that on December 4, the US House of Representatives Legal Committee will discuss the constitutional grounds for impeachment to Donald Trump and decide whether to move the matter further to the vote of the chamber.

In the event that the House of Representatives declares impeachment to the American leader, the Senate will have to conduct a trial of Trump. To remove the head of state from his post, it is necessary that two-thirds of senators recognize him guilty of an offense.

Meanwhile, Republicans control the majority in the Senate. Currently, none of them spoke in support of impeachment.

Recall that the Democrats began the process of impeachment against Trump, putting forward suspicions that he had delayed military assistance to Ukraine, demanding in exchange for help an investigation against his own political opponent Joe Biden.

Democrats, in turn, control the House of Representatives, which allows them to impeach Trump in that House. However, in the Senate, the republican majority does not intend to impeach the head of state.

How Much Is The National Debt?

How Much Is The National Debt?

Did you know that, when corporate-style accounting standards are used, the federal government recorded a $1.3 trillion loss last year? I recommend that everyone read this analysis from Dennis Cauchon of USA Today. Thank you Dennis for your permission to link to your article.

In the spirit of igniting a national dialogue on this issue, I am most grateful to Steve Conover – The Skeptical Optimist – for his permission to publish his counterpoint to Mr. Cauchon’s analysis. Make sure you allow Steve’s page to fully load and check out his Best Debt Clock in the USA on the right side of the page. Thanks Steve!

I personally believe all government entities should be forbidden from deficit spending because deficit spending and associated debt create obligations for future generations that might not have the fiscal capability to retire them. Fiscal responsibility to me means that one should set financial priorities and then budget accordingly to satisfy those priorities. What do you believe? Click on the “Frank’s Five for the Folks” tab, read onward and share your thoughts with me.

Response to U2’s Bono

I applaud U2’s Bono and others for personally investing $30 million in the ONE Vote ’08 anti-poverty campaign; however, as a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, I cannot support the concept of our federal government spending our citizen’s hard-earned money abroad without first having our domestic house in order.

As Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic and its first president, once said, “Peace at home, peace in the world.” There are over 2,000 homeless each night in Brevard County, Florida where I reside.

Helping the poor is indeed a national security issue, so let’s start the effort right here at home. Passage of HR 25, the Fair Tax Bill, will afford each of us the opportunity to use our own money to fund charitable organizations who assist the less fortunate.

We will be able to “give from the heart” instead of giving for the benefit of a chartible deduction that the federal government uses to improperly manipulate us. Let’s set an example for other nations to follow.

Of course, any U.S. citizen who has been blessed with private wealth and who voluntarily shares it abroad in a charitable manner should be applauded for doing so.

Three More Nails in the Coffin of a Tyrannical Coronation! Two to Go!

MOTION FOR RULE 11 SANCTIONS OR OTHER DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR, ALTERNATIVELY, TO DISMISS THIS CORONATION AS FRIVOLOUS

It is amazing that, after less than two weeks in the race, Representative Stan Mayfield appears to have succumbed to the pressure of Florida’s Republican boss, [Jim] Greer, and District 24 neighbor, Congressman Tom Feeney, to join them in the coronation of my most probable Republican opponent. I pray now that Senator Mel Martinez and President George W. Bush make guest appearances for photo ops with the new king of the District 15 Republican Party. Please, Senator and Mr. President, make my day. Come on down and pay homage to the chosen one; the one who has been ordered to promote the continuation of your legacy of: 1) turning a blind eye toward true economic reform that can be experienced by passage of the Fair Tax; 2) attempting to run up the national debt to infinity and beyond; and 3) continuing to fail to secure our borders and pander illegal aliens.

To the residents of District 15, it is time to think . . . Zilaitis for Congress – No Party Affiliation, No Strings Attached; for Freedom from Tyranny at Home, Peace through Strength without Police Actions and Prosperity through Industry. I ask those with no party affiliation, resentful Republicans and disgruntled Democrats to invite me to your places of work, your businesses, your chambers of commerce meetings and your homes to discuss the issues so you can vote for a person, not a party, on November 4th, 2008.

Frankly,

Frank

P.S. To the Democratic Party Leadership: Do not jump for joy over my focus on the Republican Party Leadership’s blatant disrespect for the voters. There are plenty of issues to discuss with her majesty, the queen of District 15, with whom I seek an audience. It is apparent her coronation is also a done deed – without the pomp and circumstance.

The Queen Steps Down

To the Anonymous Posters at Florida Today On-Line, NPAs, Disgruntled Democrats and Resentful Republicans,

I am absolutely stunned that Ms. Higgs has suddenly chosen to bow out of the race according to Florida Today On-line. I wish her well; however, does this mean there might be another coronation around the corner? I hope not, but an insider told me a week ago that he thought the Democratic Leadership was looking for a much stronger candidate to enter the race on their behalf. So, maybe this news isn’t so stunning afterall.

In the meantime, I again respectfully request that all of you consider my application for employment as your U.S. Representative in Washington, D.C. I will never pledge allegiance to a political party because I believe each one of us is intelligent enough to study the issues and make our own choice as to who we want to represent all of us in Washington.

Take care for now and stay in touch using the “Post a new comment” feature at the bottom of these posts.

Frankly,

Frank

National Engineers Week

Melbourne, Wednesday, February 20, 2007

Frank Salutes the Engineering Community During National Engineers Week – February 17-23, 2008

To the Engineers in District 15 and Across Our United States of America,

Thank you for your application of scientific and mathematical principles in defense of our nation and in support of our citizens who strive daily to provide the best goods and services for our mutual use and enjoyment.

Frank

MSEE, University of Southern California, 1985

BSEE, Drexel University, 1983