Prof shares his plan for an election do-over via constitutional amendment, but it would be 'far from easy'

Here’s where we insert the bit about being so old, we remember when President-elect Donald Trump’s very suggestion that the presidential election was rigged was a threat to democracy itself. Planting that idea inside voters’ minds was practically guaranteeing an outbreak of post-election violence, remember?

If there is unrest and violence after election day, I think we now know why. https://t.co/P6WNdG36f5

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 13, 2016

Truth. Trump has been stoking his fans' hatred and violence from day 1 and he's amping it up now that he's losing.

— C E R (@TheRealMrsRome) October 13, 2016

Lo and behold, rioting did break out after the election, but smashing car windows can accomplish only so much. The Resistance decided it had to work smarter; instead, Jill Stein pushed for crowdfunded recounts in three states after a science ninja team of computer scientists and election lawyers floated some B.S. story suggesting the vote might have been “manipulated or hacked.”

Okay, whoa. When you get Halderman saying something might have happened, I start paying attention. https://t.co/15Dxukjcjl pic.twitter.com/vMrun8wpaE

— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) November 22, 2016

Plant the idea of hacked election results, mix in the Russians, and it wasn’t long before sites like the Daily Kos and the fringes of the #ImWithHer crowd were on social media demanding not a recount, but a revote.

https://twitter.com/MtnMD/status/818512504536125441

We’re to the point now where Rosie “Queen of Nice” O’Donnell is calling for martial law if that’s what it takes to delay the inauguration, which is just a week away. That doesn’t leave much time, but an assistant professor of government in American University’s School of Public Affairs published this week in The Hill his outline for how a revote could happen, even now that the Electoral College’s vote has been certified, and without the unsightly mess of imposing martial law.

Really, it can be boiled down to two steps. Chris Edelson explains that first, an independent commission must be created to answer the question: did Russian hacking affect the U.S. election results? (Details — who’s on the commission, and how do they determine anyone changed his or her vote due to hacking that hasn’t even been proved — are thin at this point.)

Following closely would be Step 2, which would be to ” … pass a constitutional amendment requiring a one-time special election to be held as soon as possible.” And there you go; everyone gets to head back to the polls and vote with clear heads this time, as they would have if Russia hadn’t hacked into their minds, and everyone will feel better knowing the second election was legitimate.

Edelson says executing his plan “would be far from easy,” but “well worth trying.” So, let’s get to it, huh?

@Depasquallers Good grief! Now the liberals want a constitutional amendment to reverse the election? Through the looking glass?

— Bob (@Bobsquestions) January 12, 2017

good.luck with that. ZERO chance of it happening

— Patriotic Anti-Corruption Dem Hence Anti-Trump (@mo_lazarus) January 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/mediacritik/status/819378233686695936

.@thehill you guys are soooooooo desperate. Give it up already. That genie is out of the bottle.

— The Life Explorer (@LoveOireachtas) January 12, 2017

Never going 2 happen my friend!! It's a done deal. move on! Stop continuing to give the liberals false hope, IT'S NOT HELPING THEM

— ?Cindi1Shorty? (@Cindi1Shorty) January 12, 2017

Russia did not keep people away from the polls nor did it make people vote one way or the other. We had an election, we have a 45th

— A.J. Brookmyer (@ajbrooky68) January 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/quannaho/status/819405348331261952

enough with the fake news! There is no evidence at all for this story. Accusations do not equal fact. Facts are facts.

— Tim Or TMI (@Tim_Or_TMI) January 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/temudjin1155/status/819391377331146752

how did we guess this was coming. Aren't you getting tired of this yet? You've already made fools of yourself repeatedly ?

— drew25 (@rkwjk) January 12, 2017

OK. Stop the crazy shit! I don't like trump but I'm not about to destroy my country over this. He's the Pres and that's that. Jesus

— David Ludwig (@DavidLudwig8) January 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/George16938/status/819379852985896961

Remedy for ignorant professor should be him retaking his comprehensive exams in US history/politics.

— Ming the Austere (@_Emperor_Ming_) January 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/zaid_muhajir/status/819380538045644800

Move on? Why, when there’s still time, and possibly videotape?

here's another reason why it is dangerous if Congress does not set up independent nonpartisan commission to investigate Russia/election (1)

— Chris Edelson (@ChrisEdelson) January 12, 2017

if Putin does indeed have tapes, other compromising info, he can release at a time of his choosing to cause max damage to US system

— Chris Edelson (@ChrisEdelson) January 12, 2017

or he could keep holding them as leverage over Trump if he doesn't have compromising info, trump should want that cleared up, pronto (3)

— Chris Edelson (@ChrisEdelson) January 12, 2017

either way, independent nonpartisan commission is the answer, it can either confirm reports about compromising info or clear this up (4)

— Chris Edelson (@ChrisEdelson) January 12, 2017

I know many people are feeling down. I feel energized. trump is in dangerous water. it is not at all easy, but we must keep at this.

— Chris Edelson (@ChrisEdelson) January 12, 2017

it's not too late. need independent investigation, and if reports of Russian interference confirmed, new election: https://t.co/PnHZ3UAEuk https://t.co/bbgyvUoSQl

— Chris Edelson (@ChrisEdelson) January 14, 2017

he is vulnerable. we have to keep at it–don't assume we're stuck with trump. constitutional means available to stop him https://t.co/1ppE4uQ3Gf

— Chris Edelson (@ChrisEdelson) January 14, 2017

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Related:

'Breaking' news: White House did nothing about alleged hacking because Hillary was going to win anyway https://t.co/OC7JcYwjpu

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 16, 2016