A long-time friend posted something on Facebook this morning that I think is worth sharing, so with his permission, I do so today.  His letter is well-thought and well-written, and I am seriously considering following his lead.  I do not know how much good it will do, because even if the electoral college votes in such a way that it reduces Trump’s electoral votes below the requisite 270, the matter then goes to the House of Representatives, who would almost certainly put Trump in office anyway.  But, it is a glimmer of hope, and I think it would send a message that needs to be heard far and wide. Unfortunately, with a postage stamp costing $0.47, the cost to send a letter to all 270 electors would be $127 not counting the cost of paper, ink and envelope. However, only those electors from states in which Trump won are necessary, reducing the cost somewhat. Even a few letters may help. Below is his post:

“Here’s the text I am sending to members of the Electoral College. Since I don’t have time or money to send to all of them, please consider editing the text as you see fit and doing the same.”

Dear Elector,

Despite losing the popular vote, Donald Trump is set to become the next President of the United States due to a provision of the Constitution known as the Electoral College. So now, it is up to the Electoral College to perform its actual function and save America from Trump!

In the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton explained that the Electoral College is designed to ensure “that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.” Trump is a man who is eminently unqualified to be President, not because of his lack of political experience, but because of his unstable temperament, his disregard for societal norms, and his disinterest in the truth. His unrestrained use of Twitter even after his election shows that Trump lacks the self-control necessary to be President of the United States. His unwillingness to release his tax returns, his unwillingness to divest himself from corporate holdings and positions, and his admission of being a serial sexual predator all show that Trump has no regard for social or political norms of appropriate behavior. Fact-checking websites agree that Trump has lied more often than he has told the truth during the Presidential campaign. Trump’s unwillingness to attend intelligence briefings shows that he is not interested in learning the truth. And his constant propaganda against the press, including recent criticism of American intelligence services, erodes Americans’ confidence that there is any truth to be found anywhere in America beyond what he says.

From the announcement of his nomination, Trump has made bigoted statements, repeated bigoted tweets, and surrounded himself with those who have amassed influence by catering to the fantasies of bigots. Consequently, Trump now has millions of Twitter followers, some of whom are more than willing to harass, stalk, and threaten anyone Trump declares to be his political opponent. We cannot allow a bigoted bully who casually utilizes intimidation to become President of the United States.

By all accounts Trump is a billionaire who has made few if any charitable contributions in the last decade. There are reported instances where he promised to make charitable contributions but reneged on those promises. There are other reported instances where he used his charitable foundation to pay off his personal debts. He seems unfazed by the prospect of using his newly acquired political power to enrich himself, his family, and his corporations. This supremely self-serving behavior is completely at odds with what we have a right to expect from the President of the United States.

Another of Hamilton’s crucial justifications for the Electoral College in the Federalist Papers is that it will be a bulwark against “the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils.” It has become clear in recent days that Trump’s election was aided (perhaps decisively) by Russian hacking and strategic leaks in conjunction with fake news posts on social media. We cannot permit this foreign influence in our elections to succeed.

For all of these reasons, it is your responsibility as an Elector to prevent Donald Trump from becoming President of the United States. In the name of all that we hold dear as Americans, I am begging you not to cast your Electoral College vote for Donald Trump!

Sincerely,

And here is the link he included:  How to write to the Electoral College