22 Times The 2016 Presidential Election Was A Dumpster Fire

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8. If I Don’t Win, You Cheated

Because the Constitution describes the role of the president in such vague terms, a lot of expectations are set by tradition. One of the most established traditions of presidential elections is accepting the outcome and moving on. But Trump has strongly implied that he will not do so, a controversial stance for many. The parties are supposed to be loyal to one thing besides themselves, and that’s the will of the public.

Repeatedly, Trump has claimed that the system is rigged. Where and how exactly he believes this is taking place is dubious. Voter fraud in the way he describes it is a rarity. However, it’s a view he’s reiterated, and it’s worying when it comes to the peaceful transition of power. The candidate’s only clear view seems to be that he will accept the presidency should he win. But if he doesn’t, the political fall-out could be, well, tremendous. On the side of government, it makes the transition that much harder and on the side of the public it is almost a call to arms.

If the electoral college system wasn’t changed after the 2000 election, it probably never will be. So rather than actually causing change to this flawed system, all Trump would accomplish is causing civil unrest. People don’t accept election outcomes just because it’s tradition to do so. They do it because they have respect for their country’s people.