Is the electoral College Outdated?

[Jackson]

Is the electoral College Outdated? Pros and Cons

Presently, we have the electoral college voting for the president of the US. These votes are determined by the popular vote of each state, but it’s a “winner take all” proposition whereby if one candidate gets 51% of the vote, the other 49% of the votes are basically ignored. Is that really fair?

Some things to consider when thinking about changing to the popular vote instead of using the electoral college the way it is used today, are these:

1. If we counted the popular vote, we would ensure that ever vote of citizens were counted.

2. So called swing states would not be as important in the grand scheme, because the electoral votes would not be counted and all states would get recognized as important to the candidates instead of the barrage of attention the swing states get now, ignoring the states that each candidate feels they have conquered for themselves.

3. A third party could emerge more easily if the popular votes were counted and it wasn’t winner take all basically for Democrat or Republican, leaving out the lesser known parties.

4. Cynics may feel uncomfortable that there would be one clearing house for votes in Washington DC when incumbents were running, thinking it may be likely there would be tampering with numbers. To avoid this, each district should collect their voting numbers, report to their state which would in turn report to Washington, with audits running simultaneously.

5. Absentee ballots should be turned in one week before the day of voting so they could be counted in the day of national voting. They should be allowed to only those in the military or those who are infirmed.

6. Voter turn out may improve. Confirmed red states or blue states may not have the people in the minority parties coming out to vote in a winner take all electoral college voting scheme. Republicans in California may feel their ballot is worthless because all of the state’s electoral votes will certainly be going out to the Democrat party and think that voting is a waste of time. The same thing follows in the confirmed red states for Democrat voters.


An alternative to “winner take all” electoral votes that the parties would receive the proportional electoral votes that they received in popular vote. If the Democrat received 60% of the popular vote, they should receive 60% of the electoral votes. The other parties then would receive their comparable percentage of electoral votes to popular votes.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Some Guy]

Outdated? How about "fucking stupid?" I'm probably giving too much credit to the voting populace on the whole, but if it was eliminated and every vote truly counted, i think you'd see better voter turnout. I know i would: i live in Illinois and it doesn't seem like there's a point to me voting. Thanks, Electoral College.

 

[SniperFire]

You would have about 10 big cities, all of which vote themselves the money of everyone else.

Never overestimate human nature.

 

[Liability]

Is the electoral College Outdated?

Yes.

Let's fucking KEEP it all the same.

 

[IHBF]

The famous unapologetic socialist Norman Thomas fought hard to rid America of the electoral college.

 

[Jackson]

Outdated? How about "fucking stupid?" I'm probably giving too much credit to the voting populace on the whole, but if it was eliminated and every vote truly counted, i think you'd see better voter turnout. I know i would: i live in Illinois and it doesn't seem like there's a point to me voting. Thanks, Electoral College.

That's precisely the problem.

 

[Jackson]

Is the electoral College Outdated?

Yes.

Let's fucking KEEP it all the same.

Can you tell me your reasons?

 

[Wiseacre]

If you went with the popular vote, wouldn't rural America be shit outta luck? The big cities would be where the voters are, and that's where the presidential candidatess will spend their time and money trying to win over the urban dwellers.

 

[SniperFire]

I know it seems like a distant memory, but we used to be a system of States that used a Federal government to provide a few common functions.

 

[Liability]

Is the electoral College Outdated?

Yes.

Let's fucking KEEP it all the same.

Can you tell me your reasons?

Sure.

In a nutshell, see: http://www.usmessageboard.com/5848675-post3.html

 

[there4eyeM]

It was a fairly good idea at the time.

It is unnecessary today.

A link to snipe?

 

[Jackson]

If you went with the popular vote, wouldn't rural America be shit outta luck? The big cities would be where the voters are, and that's where the presidential candidatess will spend their time and money trying to win over the urban dwellers.

We are in a time of technology. There would be more speeches and ads on tv. I don't live in a swing state and don't see much at all. They woul;d spread their message throughout the US instead of just the swing states. Just my thought.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Is the electoral College Outdated? Pros and Cons

Presently, we have the electoral college voting for the president of the US. These votes are determined by the popular vote of each state, but it’s a “winner take all” proposition whereby if one candidate gets 51% of the vote, the other 49% of the votes are basically ignored. Is that really fair?

Some things to consider when thinking about changing to the popular vote instead of using the electoral college the way it is used today, are these:

1. If we counted the popular vote, we would ensure that ever vote of citizens were counted.

2. So called swing states would not be as important in the grand scheme, because the electoral votes would not be counted and all states would get recognized as important to the candidates instead of the barrage of attention the swing states get now, ignoring the states that each candidate feels they have conquered for themselves.

3. A third party could emerge more easily if the popular votes were counted and it wasn’t winner take all basically for Democrat or Republican, leaving out the lesser known parties.

4. Cynics may feel uncomfortable that there would be one clearing house for votes in Washington DC when incumbents were running, thinking it may be likely there would be tampering with numbers. To avoid this, each district should collect their voting numbers, report to their state which would in turn report to Washington, with audits running simultaneously.

5. Absentee ballots should be turned in one week before the day of voting so they could be counted in the day of national voting. They should be allowed to only those in the military or those who are infirmed.

6. Voter turn out may improve. Confirmed red states or blue states may not have the people in the minority parties coming out to vote in a winner take all electoral college voting scheme. Republicans in California may feel their ballot is worthless because all of the state’s electoral votes will certainly be going out to the Democrat party and think that voting is a waste of time. The same thing follows in the confirmed red states for Democrat voters.


An alternative to “winner take all” electoral votes that the parties would receive the proportional electoral votes that they received in popular vote. If the Democrat received 60% of the popular vote, they should receive 60% of the electoral votes. The other parties then would receive their comparable percentage of electoral votes to popular votes.

Any thoughts on this?

First there was the seventeenth amendment.....

.....now you want to give up federalism altogether?????


How about we scrap the word 'states" and call 'em 'distant federal agencies.'

 

[Liability]

It was a fairly good idea at the time.

It is unnecessary today.

A link to snipe?

It was a link to SNIPER's post which did a fairly good job of succinctly stating the problem.

It is very necessary today.

 

[Shelzin]

2. So called swing states would not be as important in the grand scheme, because the electoral votes would not be counted and all states would get recognized as important to the candidates instead of the barrage of attention the swing states get now, ignoring the states that each candidate feels they have conquered for themselves.

I've ran through my head a couple ways to say this... But none of them comes out polite. I'm not going to work very hard at it, so I'm just going to say it.

The swing states are the only ones not stupid enough to drink the cool aid of the political system.

If you aren't insulted by that... Good. I'm happy for you, don't listen to my bullshit. If you are insulted by that... Good. It's a start.

 

[there4eyeM]

"It is very necessary today."

Respectfully, necessary to whom?

 

[Jackson]

Is the electoral College Outdated? Pros and Cons

Presently, we have the electoral college voting for the president of the US. These votes are determined by the popular vote of each state, but it’s a “winner take all” proposition whereby if one candidate gets 51% of the vote, the other 49% of the votes are basically ignored. Is that really fair?

Some things to consider when thinking about changing to the popular vote instead of using the electoral college the way it is used today, are these:

1. If we counted the popular vote, we would ensure that ever vote of citizens were counted.

2. So called swing states would not be as important in the grand scheme, because the electoral votes would not be counted and all states would get recognized as important to the candidates instead of the barrage of attention the swing states get now, ignoring the states that each candidate feels they have conquered for themselves.

3. A third party could emerge more easily if the popular votes were counted and it wasn’t winner take all basically for Democrat or Republican, leaving out the lesser known parties.

4. Cynics may feel uncomfortable that there would be one clearing house for votes in Washington DC when incumbents were running, thinking it may be likely there would be tampering with numbers. To avoid this, each district should collect their voting numbers, report to their state which would in turn report to Washington, with audits running simultaneously.

5. Absentee ballots should be turned in one week before the day of voting so they could be counted in the day of national voting. They should be allowed to only those in the military or those who are infirmed.

6. Voter turn out may improve. Confirmed red states or blue states may not have the people in the minority parties coming out to vote in a winner take all electoral college voting scheme. Republicans in California may feel their ballot is worthless because all of the state’s electoral votes will certainly be going out to the Democrat party and think that voting is a waste of time. The same thing follows in the confirmed red states for Democrat voters.


An alternative to “winner take all” electoral votes that the parties would receive the proportional electoral votes that they received in popular vote. If the Democrat received 60% of the popular vote, they should receive 60% of the electoral votes. The other parties then would receive their comparable percentage of electoral votes to popular votes.

Any thoughts on this?

First there was the seventeenth amendment.....

.....now you want to give up federalism altogether?????


How about we scrap the word 'states" and call 'em 'distant federal agencies.'

Did you mean the 12th amendment?

 

[Liability]

"It is very necessary today."

Respectfully, necessary to whom?

To all the folks who will not be bound by the dead hand of a tyranny of a rather small majority.

 

[there4eyeM]

What is the defense for the election of the president being such an exception?

 

[Liability]

What is the defense for the election of the president being such an exception?

Imma gonna have to ask you to translate that into English.