Thread: Electoral College

Eliminating the electoral college would be fine...provided that there were balanced budget amendments in place and all federal social programs and nonessential spending was returned to the states. The electoral college balances election representation...where you have country that is dominantly 'red' vs a much smaller number of 'blue' states with high population centers (and much higher debt and social ills) then all states require some form of equal representation in the national election.

Many states have mandated balanced budget amendments and are fiscally responsible. Many others are bankrupt and a train wreck with no end in sight. Beyond the fact they pretty much have demonstrated from their own fiscal irresponsibility they SHOULD be trusted with a greater vote, removing the electoral college puts smaller (and responsible) states at risk of having to carry more of their burden.

Originally Posted by American

What state do you live in?

Sent from my blasted phone.

Georgia


fkjdkjdkjdfs

Originally Posted by Arbo

Part of the electoral college is states representation. Do you not get that, or more likely do not care because you don't care about states rights?

The surpremecy of the federal government since the civil war makes your point moot.

Originally Posted by Arbo

Ah, complain, but do nothing. Got it.

I wasn't complaining but point out that we have access to a better system. You took it as a complaint because of your reactionary nature.

Originally Posted by Arbo

No worshipping. They just appear to have a better sense of limited government, states rights, and balance of power than you or any other "progressive" that I have ever run across. They based what they did, for the most part, on logic and reason, and thinking things through, rather than emotion and feelings.

The simple fact is that I do not share the same priorities as those you worship, so its not a matter of emotion, but logic when it comes to my own personal beliefs of what is best. Its amazing you can't logic your way to this simple fact but instead use boiler plate arguments which shows your intellectual inferiority.

Originally Posted by Arbo

This is a representative republic, not a democracy. Real democracy does not work (except in the old days on pirate ships). It turns into mob rule, which is exactly what the founders were trying to avoid.

Communications has zero to do with it.

Yes - we are a representative democracy and not a direct democracy. And abolishing the EC changes nothing about that fact since it is still part of the same representative democracy concept.

Did you miss the part about mob rule?

Why do extremists on the right refer to the people exercising their vote in a peaceful and orderly manner according to the law as MOB RULE?

Originally Posted by haymarket

Yes - we are a representative democracy and not a direct democracy. And abolishing the EC changes nothing about that fact since it is still part of the same representative democracy concept.

No, he seems to think we will go directly to mob rule and is resistant to any arguments to the contrary, then accuses OTHERS of being illogical.

Originally Posted by beerftw

considering only 2 presidents i know of have won by electoral college and lost by popular vote,those two being kennedy in 1960 who won by .016% of the vote and bush2 in 2000.

the 2000 election was contested heavily,while the 1960 election of nixon vs kennedy,nixon conceded despite the very high odds a recount could have landed him victory.nixon conceded that the country didnt need to go through that turmoil,however he ran again and won,which was probably his plan anyways.

the electoral college was designed because our country has state and federal control,and it was felt that a popular vote undermined the states authority,the electoral vote also recognized rural areas,a chunk of the population that would be ignored under popular vote.

Are you aware of the results of the 1824 election in which Jackson led in both areas but lost the election?

Are you aware of the results of the 1876 election?

Are you aware of the results of the 1888 election?



Kennedy won the popular vote in 1960 as well as the Electoral Vote. Your suspicions being your suspicions and not historical facts.

Originally Posted by Excon

When a candidate wins the popular vote but loses the electoral vote, our form of Government, a Republic of States, is upheld.

and the will of The People, is denied.

Originally Posted by Thunder

and the will of The People, is denied.

I believe that this is an intended consequence of the Connecticut Compromise. The less populous states would never have agreed to join the federal compact if representation was based solely upon each state's population.

Originally Posted by Thunder

and the will of The People, is denied.

Which 'people'? Bush won...what...32 to 18 states? Gore won the majority welfare states. WHAT a SHOCKER. And no surprise who it is that clamors for the end of the electoral college either. But hey...again...all for it...PROVIDED that we eliminate all federal social spending and make every state pay for their own citizens. Fire away.

Originally Posted by Cyrillic

How the Electoral College Works - YouTube
The Trouble with the Electoral College - YouTube

So your thoughts?
I apologize if there was this subject here.

We should keep it. I do not like the idea of New-york and California dictating the president for the rest of the country. Our founders wanted that power spread throughout the states, not just a handful of densely populated states.