One thing the anti-EC crowd seems to ignore is that we’d almost certainly end up with something like the EC if the US were being forged today from 50 autonomous states. This can’t be proven, of course, but just look at what is going on with the EU. As those countries integrate themselves more and more politically, you can bet your bottom Euro that there won’t be a popularly elected head of the EU.
Hmm, lots of things have been abolished and adjusted since the drafting of the Constitution. Nothing new in your case.
The individuality of states argument is a faulty one. The people of the United States of America vote not the states. It doesn’t matter if 99% of America’s population are situated in Kansas, Baltimore, or even that place called Hell, Michigan.
This is a government that is supposedly by the people and for the people. What bothered me about last election is that Gore should have won.
The American people voted for Gore.
The States votes for Bush.
States > American people.
Bush Wins
What is going on here? If States are supposed to mirror the desire of the American people then why is there such an inconsistency? Why even bother showing the American people the popular vote? It’s such a slap in the face to everyone who took time to take part of the election.
The Electoral College is an antiquated system, but I don’t believe in throwing it out. I feel that Presidents that win the EC but not the popular vote should have a big star by their name that indicates that the American people did not want this person as a President.
- Honesty
To supplement my previous post.
When I say astrik, I mean everytime the President’s name is seen in text it would say:
“George W. Bush* is a great man”
Little Girl: Why does this President have a little star by his name?
Mother: Because the American people did not vote for him sweetie - the States did.
Little Girl: ooooh!
I know something like this would never happen, but something needs to be said about Presidents who really did not “win” the vote of the American people. The problem, of course, is that most people can represent themselves - or at least want to - and have no desire to have their State represent for them.
Whew!
- Honesty
No argument. Get a constitutional amendment passed to eliminate the EC and I’ll be on board. I won’t think it’s a good idea, but I won’t come back and say “Well he won the popular vote, but he wouldn’t have won the EC vote and therefore he’s not a valid president”. I’d recognize that the rules had changes, per the will of the people, and that’s that.
I’m not sure what your point is. Have you read the consitution? If you did you would realize that the American people most emphatically do not elect the president directly. You may wish they did, but that doesn’t make it so.
Gore won the popular vote. That and $3.00 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. I could say that I think a completed pass on the 1 yard line with 0 seconds left in the game should count as a touchdown, and therefore the Raiders’ game should’ve gone into overtime tonight. But that’s not the rule, and so it didn’t. The Raiders lost tonight according to the rules in place just as Gore lost according to the rules in place. If you ignore the rules, you can get any outcome you want.
States are not supposed to mirror the desire of the popular vote. Why do you make that assumption? The EC was put in place specifically to allow the States (as political entities) to elect the president.
Everyone who took part in the election should know the rules. The rules are that the Electoral Vote determines the president. Nothing tricky about it.
Funny, but the rest of your post is based on the assumption that the EC is not a valid method to determine the president. Whatever. Go ahead and put 3 stars by Bush’s name if it makes you feel better. At the end of the day, though, he’s the duly elected president per the method used in the US for electing presidents.
Correction:
Little Girl: But mommy, we learned in our civics class today that our country was set up so that the States elected the president. He’s the president of The United States. You’re silly! Now tell me about the Senate…
Little Girl, the star means he was elected by the Supreme Court.
Yeah, and the Cubs should’ve gone to the World Series this year and the Raiders should’ve gone to the Super Bowl last year.:rolleyes: But they didn’t.
That was a bit jerkish of you. I was not commenting on what should have happened, but on what did happen. You’d do well to face it too.
I beg to differ. Bush was not “elected by the Supreme Court”. The Supreme Court ruled that Bush was duly elected by the American people thru the electoral college. Perhaps you would be wise to discern the difference between those two statements.
alternatively:
Little Girl: Mommy, can you help me with my homework? I need to write an essay on “What it means to be a sore loser”.