Blog
I mean, the randomness has to go somewhere.
Voting By Mail Is Secure
If this looks like a Twitter thread, it’s because it is. But it’s important enough to keep around, so here you go. Ignore the Attorney General behind the curtain. Voting by mail does not create an opportunity for foreign entities to print ballots and stuff the ballot box. Drawn from how it works here in Washington state, here’s why not. 1/10 Every ballot issued is sent to a registered voter already in the system.
Jun 29, 2020
But, But, The Bull Moose Party!
What about the Bull Moose party? Didn’t Teddy Roosevelt run with them? I seem to remember him being President. Yes, he was President before running Bull Moose (Progressive). Roosevelt had more brand recognition and support than every third party candidate since 2000 combined. Welp, Roosevelt and Taft got 50.6% of the vote combined, but the split votes meant Wilson won with his 41.8%: One main result was that conservative elements took control of the Republican Party for decades.
Jul 30, 2016
More thoughts on third parties (I'm a masochist)
Aside from the Establishment (Red and Blue), we currently have two meaningful (>1% support) parties in the US: Green and Gold. Their positions vis-à-vis the Establishment imply very different paths to success. Let’s start with Gold, the party of laissez-faire. The pitch here is that social freedom should appeal to liberals and economic freedom should appeal to conservatives. So here’s the strategy: Recruit 34% of the Blue team on the social stuff.
Jul 24, 2016
Electoral College Pluralities Do Not Work Like You Think
Here’s an interesting feature of third parties in American politics. If a third party actually wins some states, and that results in no candidate getting the 270 Electoral votes required to clinch the Presidency, guess what happens? The House of Representatives picks the winner, and they have no obligation to go with the candidate with the most votes or Electors. Splitting the votes 3 ways is literally voting for Paul Ryan to pick the next President.
Jul 23, 2016