Never give an inch

Donald Trump says he has always liked to fight. Very well: He's in for one hell of a battle -- day after day, on every conceivable front.

For all of his macho bluster, how much fight does he have in him? He's a man in his 70s hated by most of the country, including many within his party, and the people are starting to realize that he is associated with a host of unpopular policies, ideas and organizations.

Evidence is mounting that he has betrayed his nation. Just today, we learn that Trump's SoS pic -- Rex Tillerson -- headed a secretive US-Russian oil concern nominally based in the Bahamas. Exxon stopped being an American company a long, long time ago. Why on earth do we suppose that an internationalist exploiter like Tillerson still feels any loyalty to the United States of America?

We can ask the same question of Donald Trump.

One way or the other -- but always legally -- we're going to bring down this bastard. We will treat the Republicans as contemptuously as they have treated us; they obviously will have it no other way.

The Tangerine Nightmare will probably win the electoral college vote today, although I suspect that one or two surprises will annoy him. But that's not the end. Then comes the ratification by Congress on January 6, the feast of the Epiphany. On that day, need but two congressmen -- one senator and one House member -- to have an epiphanic moment and register objections to the voting results in any given state.

What happens then? This:

An objection must be declared in writing and signed by at least one Representative and one Senator. In the case of an objection, the Joint Session recesses and each chamber considers the objection separately in a session which cannot last more than two hours with each Member speaking for no more than five minutes. After each house votes on whether or not to accept the objection, the Joint Session reconvenes and both chambers disclose their decisions. If they agree to the objection, the votes in question are not counted. If either chamber does not agree with the objection, the votes are counted.

Objections to the Electoral College votes were recorded in 1969 and 2005. In both cases, the House and Senate rejected the objections and the votes in question were counted.

Barbara Boxer led the way in 2005; here is what I said at that time. She was inundated with "I love yous" from grateful Democrats. Contrary to my prediction, she won re-election.

We will treat as we have been treated, but with this difference: We will have facts on our side. The Pizzagators, the Breitbarters and the George Noory Bigfoot Brigadiers will continue to bamboozle their lunkheaded minions with whatever new calumnies pop into their diseased little craniums. We will speak truths.

You've heard the phrase "damned lies"? We will speak damned truths. The truth shall damn them.

I'm not a blinkered Michael Moore fan -- not by any stretch (as longtime readers can attest). But his recent plea to the electoral college contains much goodness, and deserves republication far and wide:

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A Personal Appeal to the Republican Members of the Electoral College from Michael Moore

Dear Republican Electors:

Ok, if you've read this far, knowing that it's me, Michael Moore, writing to you -- well, thank you for having an open mind and the willingness to listen to someone you don't agree with.

I am writing you not as a card-carrying Democrat (I'm not) who voted for Hillary (I did), but simply because I am an American who, like you, deeply loves this country and its people.

Tomorrow is the day you are supposed to gather with your fellow electors and choose the next President of the United States. I am not going to ask you to vote for the person who got the most votes (although I will not be upset should you chose to side with the majority of your fellow Americans and do so!).

No, I'm simply asking you to vote your conscience and PLEASE do not put our nation in danger by choosing Donald J. Trump.

I know you HAVE to be full of worry and consternation over the way Russia hacked into our election in order to help Trump. Shouldn't we all wait until the investigation ordered by the president is finished before the Electoral College votes? If Trump did know or was involved in this unprecedented assault on our electoral process, wouldn't that be enough for you to exercise your constitutional power to stop a man like this from taking office?

Or just the fact that he has refused to attend nearly all the daily national security briefings -- doesn't this give you some pause? Do we want a Commander-in-Chief who is too busy or too disinterested to protect us on a daily basis?

Or how about the fact that Donald Trump bragged and admitted during the campaign that his people were in touch with the Russians? How much more do you need before you get a sick feeling about all of this?

I think you know something is wrong with this man. He just doesn't seem "right." One crazy comment or action after another. He may not be well. Don't you have a responsibility to protect us from someone who might be mentally unstable?

I want you to know what the law says about what you can do tomorrow. Please check out these links: https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/0f431828-b0f7-11e6-8616-52… and http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed68.asp

You have more power than you realize -- and you have an American conscience I hope you will follow. Please consider there four points:

1. Although it may ultimately have to be decided by the courts, right now you have the duty to do what you feel is right. One reason the founders set up the Electoral College was to make sure there was one final protection should someone who is a danger to the country slip through. We've established the national security danger that is Donald Trump and the possibility he had knowledge of the Russians hacking our election while it was taking place. If I were an elector for Hillary and learned she MIGHT have received helped from the Russians or the North Koreans or the Saudis, how do you think I'd be voting tomorrow? I assure you, it would not be for Hillary. You need to do the same thing.

2. But some states have made it "illegal" for you to vote any other way than for Trump. If you don't vote for him, your state will fine you $1,000. So here's my offer to you: I obviously can't and won't give you money to vote tomorrow, but if you do vote your conscience and you are punished for it, I will personally step up pay your fine which is my legal right to do.

3. If you are still worried about the legality of you voting your conscience and would like free legal advice and help, Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig has offered to be your lawyer. Contact him at: http://www.electorstrust.org/

4. Trump, as I'm sure deep down in your heart you know, is never going to last the four years. He doesn't care about the law or following the rules and this will eventually trip him up. You know how dangerous it is when any politician, Democrat or Republican, who's a super narcissist is elected to office, they start making decisions that personally benefit themselves -- and before you know it, they're being hauled off to jail. Why not vote tomorrow for someone who's going to finish her/his term? Why risk the volatile presence of Donald Trump in the White House -- and help to guarantee another generation of Dems in the Oval Office?!

Republican electors, you have a chance tomorrow to fix this, to make it right, for yourselves as Republicans and for the country. Please find the courage to seize this historic moment where you put country over party. Set an example to our young people that conscience supersedes politics, and that morality -- yes, answering the quite legitimate question, "what would Jesus do?" -- is still the most important consideration. You are bound to God and not to Vladimir Putin. Your loyalty is to your fellow Americans, the vast majority of whom didn't vote for Donald J. Trump. But you won the Electoral College and so you get to decide. You can vote for the actual winner as decided by the American people, or you can pick another Republican who isn't Trump.

Why not choose a president who won't try to please Moscow, someone who believes the threat of terrorism is real and demands to be briefed on it daily? Why not let history record your moment of true courage and patriotism? Only 38 of you have to stand up and say, "I love my country and I cannot in good conscience vote for a man who, whether he means to or not, may put our nation in jeopardy. I love my country more than I love this job as an elector."

Thank you for listening to my plea. I promise to return the favor someday. A lot more listening to each other, regardless of our political positions, could go a long way to truly making America great again.

Most sincerely,
Michael Moore

P.S. Tonight, in front of most State Capitols, thousands of Americans will be participating in candlelight vigils hoping you will vote your conscience. www.vigilsforamerica.com Stop by and chat with them if you get the chance.

The Constitution lets the electoral college choose the winner. They should choose Clinton.
The electors should not veto the people’s choice, which was Hillary Clinton.