After the narrow margins of victory in crucial swing states, third party candidate Jill Stein advocates to raise and allocate funds for a recount in Wisconsin, followed by Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Although Clinton conceded the race on Nov. 9th, the Clinton campaign is potentially participating in order to rule out and reassure supporters that hacking by Russia and other factors did not play a role in influencing the election. On the other hand, president-elect Trump defends his victory by saying that the outcome of the election should be respected, and views the recount as "ridiculous," and "a scam by the Green Party." Regardless, since the day after the election, analysts, lawyers, and data scientists are already in the process of extensively examining the results.
Connection: The recount involves the debate regarding the efficacy of the Electoral College and the popular vote system.
Questions:
1. Do you believe that the recount will merit any change in the circumstances?
2. Have the results of a presidential election been challenged in the past?
3. Do you believe that Jill Stein and Clinton are rightfully responding to the results?
I believe that Clinton and Stein are not responding to the results in the correct manor. If the candidates were going to challenge the results, by demanding for a recount, they should have requested it sooner. When Gore contested the results in Florida he did so immediately after the election, but asking nearly a month after the election is a little late. The transition process has already taken place so it is kind of late to suddenly reverse course.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with you, Andrew. As unhappy as many people are with the result of the election, it's hard to conceive that a recount will amount to any real change. If by some bizarre circumstance the recount yielded some sort of unexpected result, Trump would obviously challenge the recount, creating even more chaos in a country that is already so divided. It seems that Stein and Clinton seem to be pushing for a recount for more sentimental reasons.
DeleteI agree with your points Andrew. I think that waiting a month to file a recount is not only a bad move but it also looks a bit suspicious. It seems as if the Democratic/Green Party is grasping at straws to change this election which is ultimately hypocritical as Clinton and other democrats denounced Trump when he stated he might not except the results of the election. I think results have definitely been challenged but as Andrew mentioned this was right after the election so it is a completely different circumstance.
DeleteI do not believe that the recount in crucial swing states led by Jill Stein will produce any change in results of the election. I think that we just need to accept the fact that Trump is president even though it hurts. However, I think Jill Stein and the Green Party has a right to request a recount and should be able to do so without criticism. In addition, Trump's response to this recount is very hypocritical, as he himself claimed that he would not accept the election result if Hillary had won.
ReplyDeleteI would agree. The vote counts in these states are not close enough for a recount to overturn the results in one, let alone two states (she would need to overturn the results in at least two states to win). The only real way anything could come out of these recounts is if voter fraud or vote manipulation was found, which is highly unlikely as the demographics Trump won in all of these states do not stray from his national average. Essentially, he outperformed expectations in the states he won and lost, so it is highly unlikely that voter fraud was present. Still, she has the right to protest.
DeleteI personally believe that Clinton and Stein are acting in a correct manor. Hillary has been working towards this position for countless years and has no desire of losing it without using all her power. Furthermore, Stein is simply acting in her own interests, as a citizen, to keep democracy fair and even. Although this recount should of been demanded sooner, it still is within reason to have it. Whether or not the results will change anything is up in the air.
ReplyDeleteI believe that both Clinton and Stein are practicing their rights to call for a recount. Though there will likely be no change in the results, they are able to ask for a recount. However, I do not think that a recount is necessary. The votes in these states were not very close, and I think Clinton and Stein responded poorly to the results of this election.
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DeleteI agree with Gray that Stein and Clinton are justified for demanding a recount since it is before the deadline (though they are cutting it close). However, I think that we should just accept that Trump won. I believe that there will be no significant change on the election results as seen in the past.
DeleteIn my opinion Stein and Clinton are justifies for demanding recounts, especially since its before the deadline. I also agree with what Dione is saying though and think that everyone needs to accept that Trump will be our next president. Also, I agree with Julia in that I think that Clinton and Stein responded poorly to the results of the recent election.
DeleteThe results of presidential elections have been challenged in the past. Most recently, Al Gore challenged H.W. Bush after he won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote. However, the recount in Florida amounted to nothing essentially, and nothing was changed. We should expect the same outcome if there is a recount in this current election because change is not very likely at this point.
ReplyDeleteI agree that after a recount, very little is subject to change. Furthermore, asking for a recount shows great distrust within our system and country. However, it is understandable with so much party polarization as of now, that Clinton and Stein express some passion or hope for their own party. On the other had, they requested a recount a month after the decision was made, unlike Gore, who demanded a recount immediately after the election.
DeletePersonally, I find pettiness in demanding a recount. Not only does it show distrust in the country's election process, but it also would have no significant effect on the election results. Naturally the results of the President have been challenged in the past. As Kaeley mentioned in the comment above, Gore and Bush had a minute marginal discrepancy between the popular vote. What Baker v. Carr decided was that the Supreme Court could make a decision regarding voter count. So I think if it were to come down to it, it would be the Supreme Court making the decisions (and not Jill Stein).
ReplyDeleteI agree with Melissa's statement. By asking for a recount, we are basically expressing our disbelief in Trump's winning in addition to our distrust in the government's system. Trump won by a landslide, so there is no doubt in my mind that he didn't win. I think that the recount will do more harm than good in this situation. In addition, I believe it will get people's hope's up for a change, when in reality that is not going to happen. Instead of a recount, I believe people should voice their opinions in other ways and begin to accept that Trump will be our next president. We should voice our opinions in hope that Trump will hear us and change some of his policies to benefit what the people want.
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DeleteI also agree with you, Melissa. Not only is demanding a recount embarrassing, but it is also a waste of time and money. The inability to accept loss and deal with the outcome and make the best of it shows weakness to me. While, as Julia mentioned, Stein and Clinton are both exercising their right to a recount, it's really just not necessary and will yield even more division by reminding the democrats that they lost, when we should be trying to unite to solve our country's issues.
DeleteI believe that a recount will not change/affect the outcome at all, Donald Trump won states such as PA and Michigan by a vast majority and unless there was a major voting scandal. Results have been challenged in the past, specifically in the AlGore Bush controversy. I believe Hillary and Jill should just accept the results and let people still have faith in the democratic process.
ReplyDeleteI certainly find it interesting that Donald Trump demands the election results be respected and the re-count abandoned following his suggestion that he would not accept a loss in the election. On the other hand, I do not believe that a re-count is justified after Hilary Clinton has conceded. Like Sydney, I believe that it is most important to unify a country following the election. Approximately half of the population will always be dissatisfied with the results, and it is time for people to unite behind the president-elect.
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ReplyDeleteWhile their efforts are obviously going to amount to nothing, it is acceptable for Jill Stein and Clinton to hold the view of being suspicious about the election results. According to the article, Hillary Clinton seems to only be backing Jill Stein's push for a re-vote to assure supporters that they do no need to worry about the possibility of Russian hacking. So in reality, Hillary Clinton isn't expected any difference in result and is simply backing this re-vote to satisfy the anger of her campaign's supporters.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that Jill stein's efforts for a recount will amount to anything because the election was already called log before such efforts even started. There is also a low chance of massive fraud happening especially in different states. I think that Clinton has rightfully responded to the results by contending the election on november 9th. And I don't personally agree with Jill stein's efforts for a recount.
ReplyDeleteAndre, Hillary was shown to have a majority in the popular vote, so that is why Jill Stein called for a recount. I do agree, though, that the election was fairly called because the popular vote essentially has no real strong bearing on the electoral college. So, even though Hillary got more votes, just as Gore did in 2000, Trump did win truly through the outlined electoral process.
DeleteWhile there is no way this recount will change the results of the election, I do believe that it is an appropriate course of action. Whether or not anything changes, we need to have an accurate understanding of how citizens voted and if there has been a misrepresentation of the events. Particularly with the potential tampering by Russia, there should certainly be efforts to recount and investigate. It is simply making a statement that we need to be confident in our results and that no quick assumptions or incorrect counting will be allowed in a decision as important as the presidency.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that a recount will change the circumstances, or at least enough to change who the next president of the United States is. Stein's call for a recount in 3 states (even if all 3 voted hillary) would not change the overall winner of the electoral college, even though Hillary now leads Trump in the popular vote by almost 2 million votes. This represents a major flaw in the political system, as millions of citizens are now misrepresented by the system designed to give them a voice. While I think it's too late for a recount this election, I see a future for how the electoral college can be changed to benefit all US citizens.
ReplyDeleteThe recount may not change the circumstance, but it will send a message to the government that the American people are fed up with the electoral college system. Clinton won the popular vote, but the electoral college allowed Trump to win the presidential election. The same thing happened in 2000 with Gore and Bush. It is evident that Stein's actions have a lot of support because she has raised $5 million to recount. I believe that her actions are clear that people are increasingly losing faith in the system, and this is detrimental to how our society functions.
ReplyDeleteTrump won by such a large margin that it is unlikely that the recount will yield different results. It is more likely that Stein's call was a politically motivated public relations move for the Green Party's interests.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this as the electoral difference alone was overwhelming. Stein's move seems to be completely calculated as Clinton herself is not asking for a recount.
DeleteAlthough Trump won by so much that it is unlikely that the recount will say anything different, I do respect both Stein and Clinton's reactions. I think that so many people, along with Stein are in so much shock that Trump won that, that is why she wants a recount. She is in disbelief. And I think that Clinton wants to be respectful about the process of electing a new president, whether she likes the outcome or not. So, I think both candidates are doing what is best for them.
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