Electoral College Safeguards

In my last post I tried to show how the Electoral College protects minorities, such as rural residents, from the tyranny of the majority. When all is determined by popular vote, rural residents get the shaft.

The following is somewhat long and is Colorado specific but makes my point, I believe.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19tw3EQ1P2YmNqD3u2J8G77nLzQqv6xZf/view?fbclid=IwAR0xdovyfepIrHtuJ37Q6BX2OZtx3ydREK0k2MSwITs7WDNAvZWMk3GhtkY

Our (P)regressive Governor on the campaign trail once drew an audience of less than thirty in Craig, CO. His support was from the urban areas and the trust funder infested mountain towns. One would hope he would rise above pettiness and try to serve the whole state.

Another possibility is rewarding supporters with an appointment to a no work involved commission with a potential for under the table earnings. No mistake, water is Colorado’s biggest asset.

Readers outside of Colorado may just shrug and say so what. You might rethink that if you live downstream along the many rivers that originate in Colorado.

Why We Have the Electoral College

Short  answer;  to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority.

The climate change boondoggle is an example of the population centers, using their majority, to fuck over the rural areas. Coal is an example. Only the Electoral College prevents this happening in politics.

Please indulge me as I try to draw parallels.

Northwest Colorado, along the Yampa River, has coal deposits in the thousands of feet deep. Much is near the surface allowing for easy, relative inexpensive, strip mining. This has led to the construction of two large electrical generating plants. The resulting jobs have allowed three generations to form families and raise children in relative comfort. Many are my relatives including, for a time, my late father.

https://www.craigdailypress.com/news/the-life-blood/

The efficiency of the power plants is high and their contribution to pollution extremely low.

For decades Colorado has required strip mines to reclaim the mines after they are closed. People passing through the area will be hard pressed to identify areas that have been mined.

Now under the pressure of the eco freaks the mines and power plants will be closing. The economic impact will create a huge depression for the area.

The Congressman representing that area summed it up well, IMO.

https://www.craigdailypress.com/news/congressman-scott-tipton-not-much-for-craig-to-celebrate-in-denver-controlled-energy-requirements/

This isn’t just a Colorado problem but is occurring all over the country. Wyoming around Gillette and West Virginia come to mind.

And the tyranny of the majority?  In Colorado the four most populous counties are home to the governor, and every other state office except one, at that one is arguable. He didn’t receive a majority in his home county.

The ripples spread. The Union Pacific railroad, a major coal hauler, forecasts cutting 1,000 jobs and closing various operation centers. The BNSF is facing the same obstacles.

People may say, “so what?”  Well snowflake, since much of what you consume arrives by rail, and transportation costs are passed along, your living costs will go up. And your light bill? Prepare for sticker shock.

In theory, since each state has two United States Senators, rural areas have protection. Doesn’t seem to work out that well as most are oriented to their political party and that agenda. Said agenda isn’t favorable to the rural areas, IMO.

So Shillary won the “popular” vote but was soundly defeated because the majority of states elected their Electors in support of President Trump. That isn’t the first time, or only time, that has happened in Presidential elections. Maybe that is why our country survives. As always, YMMV.

Speaker of The House

Swiped off Facebook.

Grief

Seems the muse is AWOL again, or, my life is boring and mundane.  That said, this morning while listening to the, Ladies of The Round Table, aka The Coven, one member said something that stirred something inside me.

She is 82, her husband ran the service department of the oldest car dealership in town, and this morning she said, “I am NOT a widow. My husband has wings”.

I like that.  She isn’t letting grief control her, she is kicking grief’s ass.

Dumb Shits

A story in the local rag caught my eye. The individual involved is a person with whom I’ve had (very minor) business dealing. Can’t say I’m surprised.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgxwGCtLGjwtgszfrJBhdpdXHkcpg

Am I the only one who thinks, if you are going to engage in criminal activities, you shouldn’t have your head up your ass?

https://www.greeleytribune.com/news/colorado-couple-who-announced-engagement-before-bank-robbery-spree-sentenced-to-federal-prison/

Evidently, no.

Daughter-In-Law

Sent her two texts. The first was the change on the place of prominence on my apartment wall. Had a picture she sent me printed on canvas. The second was the picture it replaced (DrJim might recognize it).

Her reply text.

“Love it followed by three hearts. Even more impressed with your ability to take AND send pictures with your phone!!!”

She makes sure, along with my sister and niece, I stay humble. Strong women!

Memory Lane

Saw this old relic today and it started a trip down memory lane, riding in the bed of my maternal grandfather’s yellow Studebaker pickup.

He had a ranch east of Saratoga, WY and the summer I turned eight I spent a month there.

WATER IS FOR FIGHTING

Granddad Burtis had the oldest water right on the ditch that served several ranches. He was also the last one on the ditch. We would go out to irrigate and he wouldn’t have all his water. Cursing, he would jump in the pickup with my Uncle Ray and go tearing off to the headqate across fields and along rutted county roads. Riding in the pickup bed were spools of barbed wire, long shovels, pry bars, fence stretchers, dogs and grandsons all being churned as the load bounced up and down.

Grandad was a big man and Uncle Ray about 6’5” with shoulders so wide he went through doors sideways. Hence, there were rarely physical confrontations with the other ranchers. There were rich vocabulary lessons in words and phrases not to be used in polite company as the topic of; “water thieves”, was given a through airing.

When I first arrived, I was given a rusty irrigating shovel (a long handled pointed spade). I was made to understand rust on a shovel was nearly a mortal sin. Message, work that rust off. Granddad wasn’t real pleased to find me in the shop using the pedal powered sharpening wheel to do a little rust removal.

WHAT IS A MAN?

I last saw him Christmas 1962. They were visiting my parents in Steamboat Springs, CO and I came up from Denver in my red sports car wearing “city clothes”. He was distant with me. My Dad had a pickup loaded with stoker coal backed up to the coal shed and asked me to unload it.  After changing clothes, I was shoveling about a ton of coal when Granddad came out and watched me.

“Now, by God, you look like a man”, he said.