In the United States, presidential elections are typically decided by the candidate who wins the most electoral votes. However, two states, Maine and Nebraska, have a unique system known as the “congressional district method” for allocating their electoral votes.

How the Congressional District Method Works

Under the congressional district method, each state’s electoral votes are divided into two groups: two votes for the statewide winner and one vote for the winner of each congressional district. This means that a candidate can potentially win some electoral votes even if they lose the statewide popular vote.

Maine’s History with Split Electoral Votes

Maine has a long history of splitting its electoral votes. The state first adopted the congressional district method in 1820, but switched to the winner-take-all system in 1828. In 1969, Maine returned to the split-vote method, primarily due to concerns that a candidate could win the state’s electoral votes with only a small percentage of the popular vote.

Nebraska’s Split Electoral Vote System

Nebraska adopted the congressional district method in 1992, hoping to attract presidential candidates to a state that was typically ignored due to its conservative leanings. The system has been controversial, with Republicans repeatedly attempting to overturn it in favor of a winner-take-all approach.

The Role of Ernie Chambers

Ernie Chambers, a state senator from Nebraska, has been a staunch defender of the split electoral vote system. In 2016, he played a key role in defeating a bill that would have eliminated the system.

The Potential Impact of Split Electoral Votes in 2020

In the 2020 presidential election, Maine and Nebraska’s electoral votes could potentially play a decisive role. With the race expected to be close, even a single electoral vote from a split state could tip the balance in favor of one candidate.

Notable Electoral Vote Splits in Maine and Nebraska

Prior to 2020, Maine and Nebraska had only split their electoral votes once. In 2008, Barack Obama won Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, earning the Democrats their first electoral vote in the state since 1964. In 2016, Donald Trump won Maine’s Second Congressional District, giving the Republicans their first electoral vote in the state since 1988.

The Significance of Split Electoral Votes

Split electoral votes can have a significant impact on presidential elections, especially in close races. The congressional district method allows for the possibility of a candidate winning the presidency even if they lose the popular vote, as was the case with George W. Bush in 2000.

The Mutability of Moral Principles

New research suggests that our political beliefs may not be as set in stone as we think. A study by Swedish researchers found that people’s responses to moral issues can change dramatically when they are presented with the opposite viewpoint.

The Study

Participants in the study were asked to take a survey on moral issues such as government surveillance and immigration. They then turned to a second page of the survey, which contained the same statements but with the opposite viewpoint.

Surprisingly, almost 70% of participants did not realize that the statements had changed. Even more shockingly, over 50% of participants offered arguments in favor of the opposite viewpoint that they had just opposed.

The Implications

This study suggests that our political beliefs may be more flexible than we realize. We may not be as locked into our beliefs as we like to think.

The Balancer Plug-In

If you want to see how flexible your political beliefs are, you can download a plug-in called The Balancer. This plug-in tracks your online reading habits and calculates your political bias.

The Balancer will show you how unbalanced your news consumption is. It will also suggest websites to visit if you want to broaden your perspective.

Other Factors that Shape Political Beliefs

In addition to our own experiences and biases, there are a number of other factors that can shape our political beliefs, including:

• Social media: Social networking sites can expose us to a wider range of political viewpoints. However, they can also lead to echo chambers, where we are only exposed to views that reinforce our own.
• Genetics: Twin studies have shown that genetics can influence our stance on certain issues, such as abortion and the death penalty.
• Party affiliation: In recent years, the “belief gap” has replaced the “education gap” in American politics. This means that our political beliefs are now more closely aligned with our party affiliation than with our level of education.
• Late-night comedy shows: Late-night comedy shows can actually spur political discussions among friends. This can help to break down partisan barriers and promote understanding.

The Undecided Voter Phenomenon

In any election, there is a small percentage of voters who remain undecided until the very end. These voters are often courted by both major parties.

There are a number of factors that can contribute to voter indecision, including:

• Lack of information: Undecided voters may not be well-informed about the candidates or the issues.
• Cross-pressures: Undecided voters may feel pressure from friends, family, or colleagues to support a particular candidate.
• Negative campaigning: Negative campaigning can turn off undecided voters and make them less likely to vote.

The Impact of Political Advertising

Political advertising is a major force in American elections. Millions of dollars are spent each election cycle on TV, radio, and online ads.

Political advertising can have a significant impact on voters’ perceptions of the candidates and the issues. However, it can also be misleading or deceptive.

The Whitewater of the Campaign

The final weeks of a presidential campaign are often referred to as the “whitewater of the campaign.” This is a time when any slip-up can turn the race upside down.

The whitewater of the campaign is a time of intense scrutiny and pressure. Candidates must be careful not to make any mistakes that could cost them the election.

Debating on Television: Then and Now

Presidential debates have been a staple of American politics for decades. However, the debates have changed significantly over the years.

In the past, debates were more focused on substance and policy. Today, debates are often more focused on personality and style.

Kennedy After Dark: A Dinner Party About Politics and Power

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy hosted a dinner party for a group of intellectuals and journalists. The dinner was intended to be a frank discussion about the challenges facing the country.

The dinner party was a success, and it helped to foster a better understanding between Kennedy and the intellectuals.

Background

In 2010, the Library of Congress (LOC) entered into an agreement with Twitter to archive every public tweet ever sent. This ambitious project aimed to preserve a vast repository of social commentary and communication for future generations.

Challenges of Archiving Twitter Data

Over the years, several challenges have emerged in managing the Twitter archive.

• Volume and Size of Tweets: The sheer volume of tweets has grown exponentially, making it increasingly difficult to store and process the data. In 2010, Twitter users sent approximately 50 million tweets per day. Today, that number has skyrocketed to over 500 million tweets per day.

• Changing Nature of Tweets: Tweets have evolved significantly since their inception. Initially, tweets were limited to 140 characters and primarily consisted of text. However, the character limit has since been expanded to 280, and tweets now often include images, videos, and animated GIFs. The LOC only archives the text of tweets, which means that a significant amount of context is lost.

• Limited Resources: The LOC did not have the necessary resources or expertise to effectively manage the Twitter archive. The library lacked full-time engineers to process the massive influx of tweets, and this resulted in significant delays and challenges in making the archive accessible to researchers.

Decision to Prioritize Historic Tweets

In light of these challenges, the LOC has decided to prioritize the archiving of tweets that are deemed to be of historic importance. This decision was announced in a white paper published by the LOC, which outlined the reasons for the change in policy.

The LOC acknowledges that Twitter is a constantly evolving platform, and it is impossible to predict how it will continue to change in the future. The library’s goal is to collect and preserve a representative sample of tweets that can provide insights into the social, political, and cultural landscape of our time.

Current Status of the Archive

The current 12-year archive of tweets is not publicly accessible, and the LOC has not yet announced a timeline for when it might become available. The library intends for the archive to serve as a snapshot of the early years of social media communication, similar to the way the LOC preserves telegraphs from the early days of that technology.

Potential Value of the Archive

Researchers in various fields, including sociology, psychology, political science, and communication, have expressed interest in accessing the Twitter archive. They believe that the data could provide valuable insights into human behavior, social trends, and political discourse.

Conclusion

The LOC’s decision to prioritize the archiving of historic tweets is a recognition of the challenges involved in managing and preserving social media data. While the full archive is not yet publicly accessible, it is hoped that the LOC will eventually find a way to make it available to researchers and the public, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of our digital past and present.