A professor from American University, speaking on CNN, clarified the 269 to 269 tie situation.
The newly elected House of Representatives vote and it takes 26 states to elect the President.If a state with equal Republican and Democrat House members don't reach a decision, then they don't get a vote. If say 24 states are Republican majority and 18 are Democrat majority and 8 are even, then it is highly probable that no one will get 26.
Now, get this...the Senate elects the VP, VOTING AS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. In all likelihood, that Senate would be still be a Republican Senate. (Don't ask me what happens in a 50-50 split, but I think the current VP(Gore) would get to break the tie) So, Cheney would probably get the VP position.
If the House has not reached the required majority of 26 states by Jan.20, the new VP will then serve as Acting President, just as if a disability to the President had occurred
Meanwhile, the House hasn't reached a decision. And then we look like Italy right? Some "coalition" government gets formed or somebody bribes House members in the undecided states to sway their vote(deja vu 1876 and old Rutherford B. Hayes all over again).
Can you imagine how the market, (you know, the stock market that knocks a third off the market cap of an INTC for a single quarter 3% shortfall in revenues) would react if the House couldn't reach a decision? Hell, for that matter, how will the market react to a "split decision" between the popular and electoral vote winner? You know how the market acts in the face of any uncertainty.
TG |
