US electoral system is broken machine

[Figaro]

The Electoral College is the main problem of our electoral system, I suppose. It is outrageous that a small group of individuals chooses the head of state, and to the detriment and contrary to the opinion of the majority of citizens sometimes. Such a system considered as archaism by many political experts. According to sociological research by Gallup company, 63% of Americans believe that the Electoral College should be abolished. These are very important elections ahead. But with these problems in the current electoral system we can get the result as in the elections in 2000, when a candidate who was not elected by the people won

 

[jasonnfree]

The Electoral College is the main problem of our electoral system, I suppose. It is outrageous that a small group of individuals chooses the head of state, and to the detriment and contrary to the opinion of the majority of citizens sometimes. Such a system considered as archaism by many political experts. According to sociological research by Gallup company, 63% of Americans believe that the Electoral College should be abolished. These are very important elections ahead. But with these problems in the current electoral system we can get the result as in the elections in 2000, when a candidate who was not elected by the people won

I'm surprised that 63% of Americans even know about the electoral system.

 

[Moonglow]

I graduated from the electoral college in 1988..

 

[Figaro]

The Electoral College is the main problem of our electoral system, I suppose. It is outrageous that a small group of individuals chooses the head of state, and to the detriment and contrary to the opinion of the majority of citizens sometimes. Such a system considered as archaism by many political experts. According to sociological research by Gallup company, 63% of Americans believe that the Electoral College should be abolished. These are very important elections ahead. But with these problems in the current electoral system we can get the result as in the elections in 2000, when a candidate who was not elected by the people won

I'm surprised that 63% of Americans even know about the electoral system.

You know, sometimes I'm surprised, that some of Americans even have a brains. New trends in fashion and politics make me doubt in that more and more. To my great regret, of course

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Dunno if it's broken, but it's absolutely antithetical to the democracy our founding fathers started us with.

 

[JakeStarkey]

the EC is the heart and soul of republican constitutionalism, distancing the people while incorporating the geography and demography of districts in the election process.

The Dems won the presidency and the senate, for the individual states and the country as a whole, and the GOP won the House based on the districts, reflecting the GOP strength.

If the election had been a straight %, the Dems would have won; if it had been straight district and state, the GOP would have won 279 - 256.

You all need to go back to your calculators to understand why the EC works so well: it is balanced by demography, geography, and population.

 

[Missourian]

What part of United States is unclear to you.

We are a federalist system, the States get a say in elections.

That is the purpose of the Electoral College.

Sometimes a candidate with less popular votes but more broad based support from the populations of the several states wins the election...and that victory is not an error, it is by design.

If you are looking for a centralized democracy, this isn't the place for you.

 

[peach174]

The Electoral College is the main problem of our electoral system, I suppose. It is outrageous that a small group of individuals chooses the head of state, and to the detriment and contrary to the opinion of the majority of citizens sometimes. Such a system considered as archaism by many political experts. According to sociological research by Gallup company, 63% of Americans believe that the Electoral College should be abolished. These are very important elections ahead. But with these problems in the current electoral system we can get the result as in the elections in 2000, when a candidate who was not elected by the people won

That's how it works with a Constitutional Republic.
What you are stating is a pure democracy (mob rule) which we are not.
The Electoral College gives the minorities a voice also, not just the majority. It helps to keep things balanced, so that the majority can't rule over the minority.
Every single American voter needs to read and study up on the history as to why we have the Electoral College.

 

[peach174]

Dunno if it's broken, but it's absolutely antithetical to the democracy our founding fathers started us with.

Our Founders gave us a Republic not a Democracy.
Our Constitution guarantees us a Republic.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

If we no longer need states, then we are no longer the United States

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Good article here,
Why do we still let the Electoral College pick our president?

"The President of the United States is not chosen through a national popular vote because the framers of the Constitution adopted the Electoral College, which gives each state as many votes as it has members of Congress.

The system was created as a middle ground in the debate over whether Congress or voters would have the power to elect the president..."


I'm a 'by popular vote' guy. That's actual democracy. 1 citizen, 1 vote.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Good article here,
Why do we still let the Electoral College pick our president?

"The President of the United States is not chosen through a national popular vote because the framers of the Constitution adopted the Electoral College, which gives each state as many votes as it has members of Congress.

The system was created as a middle ground in the debate over whether Congress or voters would have the power to elect the president..."


I'm a 'by popular vote' guy. That's actual democracy. 1 citizen, 1 vote.

We're a Republic

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Good article here,
Why do we still let the Electoral College pick our president?

"The President of the United States is not chosen through a national popular vote because the framers of the Constitution adopted the Electoral College, which gives each state as many votes as it has members of Congress.

The system was created as a middle ground in the debate over whether Congress or voters would have the power to elect the president..."


I'm a 'by popular vote' guy. That's actual democracy. 1 citizen, 1 vote.

We're a Republic

Federal Republic with Constitutional elements or however CIA Factbook put it.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

It's ironic though when we conqueored Iraq and gave them democracy we gave them actual democracy, not an electoral system. So real democracy's good for other people but not us?

 

[CrusaderFrank]

It's ironic though when we conqueored Iraq and gave them democracy we gave them actual democracy, not an electoral system. So real democracy's good for other people but not us?

Which is why no one rates Dubya up with Franklin, Washington, Adams or Jefferson

 

[JakeStarkey]

It's ironic though when we conqueored Iraq and gave them democracy we gave them actual democracy, not an electoral system. So real democracy's good for other people but not us?

The difference is this and think about it carefully: the Iraqis would not accept the concept of minority rights as we have with the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.

Iraq is an excellent example of what happens with a straight democratic state.

 

[whitehall]

Only the losers complain about the system.

 

[candycorn]

The Electoral College is the main problem of our electoral system, I suppose. It is outrageous that a small group of individuals chooses the head of state, and to the detriment and contrary to the opinion of the majority of citizens sometimes. Such a system considered as archaism by many political experts. According to sociological research by Gallup company, 63% of Americans believe that the Electoral College should be abolished. These are very important elections ahead. But with these problems in the current electoral system we can get the result as in the elections in 2000, when a candidate who was not elected by the people won

Thanks for the good post. Welcome if you're new.

I agree that the current usage of the Electoral College is flawed. I am of the opinion that we should insist that a candidate win both the electoral vote AS WELL AS the popular vote to take office. If not, the rules and provisions under the 12th Amendment take over.

The Founders had a lot of great ideas. The Electoral College (without the popular vote provision) and the 2nd Amendment were two duds.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

Good article here,
Why do we still let the Electoral College pick our president?

"The President of the United States is not chosen through a national popular vote because the framers of the Constitution adopted the Electoral College, which gives each state as many votes as it has members of Congress.

The system was created as a middle ground in the debate over whether Congress or voters would have the power to elect the president..."


I'm a 'by popular vote' guy. That's actual democracy. 1 citizen, 1 vote.

We're a Republic

Federal Republic with Constitutional elements or however CIA Factbook put it.

 

[JakeStarkey]

The EC is groovy the way it is now, but Peach has a good idea about electoral and popular majorities being required. If that fails, elect the president by the number of senatorial and house districts carried by the majority. If that happened in 2012, MR would have easily been elected president.