A lot of people are asking a lot of questions about the US presidential election and what it means for the future of the US and the world. No matter who you supported, there are always a lot of questions when a new president is elected. Below, I will post videos and articles that try to explain how the US government works, how the voting system worked, and what we might be able to expect. I will keep updating this through January when Donald Trump becomes president officially. If you happen to have a resource on your own that you think is helpful, please let me know and I will add it here!
As you can see in the video above, it is possible to win the popular vote but still lose the election. HERE is an article how that happened to Hillary. Below you can the (almost) final electoral map of which states voted for which candidate.
What is the "First 100 Days?" The first 100 days a new president's term in office always get a lot of attention. This is where they lay out their policies, start making changes, and determine what their administration will be like. All candidates put forward a 100 day plan before the election. You can see Donald Trump's HERE and below, and you can also see some fact-checking HERE. Many presidents are not able to do everything they want to or said they would (see the checks and balances video above to explain in more detail), but the first 100 days is considered an important part of their leadership.
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Why did Trump win when the predictions said Hillary would?There has been a lot of talk nabout how this happened. Many of the polls said Hillary would win the election - they were obviously inaccurate. There will be a lot more discussion in the future weeks and months about this, but for now, we can look at some of the basic ideas. HERE is an article explaining the fact that polling is not always exact, and that the people who did the polls may have not considered some different factors. This has happened before in US history (see the picture and story below), and is why it is always important to vote, no matter how strong you think your candidate is. Surprises happen!
In 1948, Democratic president Harry Truman won (in a shocking victory) against Republican challenger Thomas Dewey. However, the Chicago Tribune newspaper had already printed headlines saying Dewey had won. Why? They used an innaccurate poll to determine the winner. They used early exit polls (a survey of people who just voted) and a phone poll. The problem is, back then not everyone had a phone. And if you did have a telephone, you were more likely to support the Republican party. This skewed their results, and led to the picture of President Truman holding up the incorrect headline. HERE is an article the modern lessons we can learn from this.
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Now What?
There are a lot of questions about what Donald Trump being president means. Some of these we won't have answers for a while. But, whether you support Trump or were hoping Clinton would win, there are things you can do as an individual to support or fight against the policies of the new president and congress. These steps are true for any country and any election, and we will be looking at them in more detail as we enter our service learning unit and try to make the world we live in a better place (however you may see that).
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1. Advocate - get involved with an organization you support by donating money, time, or your skills to help them
2. Write to your elected officials - whether they are local or national, get in touch with the people who will be making decisions about the future of your country. Explain who you are, what you think they should do, and, as always, support your reasons! 3. Join a group that supports your causes - even if it is just your friends. Talk, plan, and act to create the world you want to live in 4. Remember that the next round of elections can change a lot of things, and don't want until the last minute to get involved or become aware of the issues. 5. Remember ANYONE ANYWHERE can have a huge impact! Look at the trailer for #chicagogirl to see how a teenage girl in Chicago, US helps the Syrian Revolution halfway around the world. |