Thread by @xtrabiggg

A thread on what may be...

Amidst all this chaos, uncertainty & bitter partisanship, my fear is that the votes in several states will be screwed up so bad that no winner can be determined in several states.

A reading of American history doesn't provide much comfort...

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In the election of 1876, the election produced no winner. Worse, there was no guidance in the Constitution as to exactly what to do. Neither Republican Rutherford B. Hayes or Democrat Samuel Tilden reached a majority of Electoral votes.

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Both parties claimed victory in three southern states: Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina. Meanwhile, Oregon's electors for Tilden were disputed by Republicans. Even in states where the votes were clear tensions were high, as this wasn't too long after the Civil War.

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The three southern states' State Houses elected EC Delegates, but with no regard for the popular vote. In many cases there were TWO competing slates of Electors sent to Washington representing the same district. Temperatures were reaching a boiling point.

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Congress was deadlocked, as it was as dysfunctional then as it is now. There was even talk of a second Civil War. Finally, at the end of January 1877, an Electoral Commission' was formed by Congress to break the impasse.

5/

This Comission was supposed to be comprised of seven Democrats, seven Republicans, and one independent, as well as Supreme Court justice David Davis.

Supposed to.

But, The DC Swamp being then what it is now...

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The big problem was Justice Davis refused to serve, as Republicans in Illinois had engineered him to fill the State's vacant Senate Seat. So the other four Justices named another Republican in his place.

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At that point, the House, Senate and SCOTUS agreed that the commission was to have five members from the House of Representatives, five from the Senate, and five from the Supreme Court.

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The horse-trading, back-room dealing and lobbyist 'influencing' between Democrats and Republicans dragged on until only three days before the inauguration, which was at that time on March 5th.

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Americans weren't told, however that Hayes had secretly agreed to withdraw Federal troops from the South in exchange for those state's Electoral College votes and thus, the Presidency. When these & other 'secret' deals were exposed, the rancor & bitterness only increased.

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Combined with other concessions to moderate southern Democrats, Hayes became referred to as 'His Fraudulency' by many Northern Democrats, who felt betrayed. Meanwhile, Southern Democrats began rolling back much of Reconstruction and regaining control over their states.

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The lesson to be learned? Don't expect anything quick, easy or... anything for some time- though the #CorruptNews corporate MSM & Democrats (diff?) ate already trying to 'call' the election- as many did in 1876. And 1948. And 2000.

12/

What yo expect? The most nasty, dirty political fight in the history of this country since... 1876.

Buckle up, buttercups- 'cause it's gonna get REAL bumpy!

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