rethinking some of what i said

I have been rethinking some of what I said in the post immediately prior to this.

I expressed some sympathy for the view that Electors should go rogue in order to prevent Donald Trump's ascension to the Presidency. I didn't endorse it, mind you, but I expressed sympathy for the view that that is the electors' job (if they find Trump to be uniquely unqualified). But I also said that using the electoral college in this way would do tremendous harm.

Upon rethinking, I have become less sympathetic to that view.

Notwithstanding the original purpose of the electors, this politicization of the EC is unprecendented. And worse, with Republican electors receiving death threats, this goes beyond "politicization." If, somehow, the effort succeeds, it will have, effectively, been a coup, overturning our democratic norms. It will be tremendously harmful to our republic, undermining the confidence our citizens have in our election process.

Arguably, it has already done harm, as we have now entered a new frontier. The idea is out there that the results from election day are still negotiable, and can be overturned via a barrage of letters and emails, and a few well-placed threats. It is imperative that the electors do their jobs. For the 306 Republican electors, that means voting for Trump. Anything short of that is a step on a road that is very dangerous for our country, its norms and its institutions.

Look, I didn't vote for Trump. I don't like him, and I am doubtful that he will be a good president. But he won the election. To deny him his win would be worse than he will be.