Why do we have the Electoral College that has the final vote to confirm the President? Anyone want to wager a guess? Read below:
From my perspective, the system was devised in an attempt to create equality between states of different population sizes. And as our country had grown from those 13 original colony/states to 50, it has become more important that the less-populated states from Pennsylavnia to Utah have an equal say in who is elected President as much as our elite, urban coastal states. And never has it been so important as when those elite, urban coastal states are so hyperventilating over losing the 2016 election cycle they want to scrap that mean, ol' Electoral College! If only because they forgot that there are actually real, honest-to-God citizens in all of those fly-over states who they think don't matter because they live in those cities, towns, and rural areas that urbanites would never deign to visit. I can relate somewhat because I just don't see the need to leave the island of Manhattan to explore Queens either, but...then I am an elite, urbanite.
Anyway, let's discuss.
Article II
Section 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
From my perspective, the system was devised in an attempt to create equality between states of different population sizes. And as our country had grown from those 13 original colony/states to 50, it has become more important that the less-populated states from Pennsylavnia to Utah have an equal say in who is elected President as much as our elite, urban coastal states. And never has it been so important as when those elite, urban coastal states are so hyperventilating over losing the 2016 election cycle they want to scrap that mean, ol' Electoral College! If only because they forgot that there are actually real, honest-to-God citizens in all of those fly-over states who they think don't matter because they live in those cities, towns, and rural areas that urbanites would never deign to visit. I can relate somewhat because I just don't see the need to leave the island of Manhattan to explore Queens either, but...then I am an elite, urbanite.
Anyway, let's discuss.
14 comments:
Whether one agrees or disagrees with the Electoral College, it is the system we have. All candidates understood this going in and understood what it took to win the presidency. Trump was brilliant in attacking the fabled blue wall and was far more successful than he probably expected. I could see him winning Pennsylvania and Ohio but Michigan and Wisconsin? He came pretty close in Minnesota as well. Make one wonder if he spent less time and money in Colorado and focused more on Minnesota he could have won it too.
No system is perfect but it is the one we have. Want to change it? There is a process of constitutional amendments outlined in the same constitution.
I personally think the EC is a damned good system for balancing rural interests against urban interests. The rural/urban divide is probably the oldest point of contention in human history. Urbanites and countryfolk alike tend to forget their interdependence of one another. They need a system to keep their mutual forgetfulness from escalating into physical hostility.
I think the EC did a particularly good job of it this year, in terms of which regions determined the election outcome. Hidden in the numbers of the recovery is the fact that the recession pummeled the heartland but all the "recovery" went to the coasts. If ever there was a time for the sparsely populated states to stick it to the coastal hives, this was it.
Bev, The left is losing their mind over this. Though, ironically, as late as a few months ago, they loved it because they thought they had an electoral lock.
I agree with you that the system is meant to balance the regions and it does a good job. Without it, a handful of big cities would control the country. Imagine if politicians only needed to campaign in 10 cities. Talk about "disenfranchisement"... another word the left only uses as a weapon.
sorry, I have been really busy today! It seems that Jill Stein, who made $7.4M to run a sca...er...donations to pay for the recounts in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Says that they spent it all, but just in case there might be some left over ('cause the money must be used for the recount only), they will be asking their donors to choose which non-political organization that it should go to...like the Stein Home For For Broke 3rd Party Green Candidates.
Just read a tweet from Allahpundit about who may run for President on Dem ticket in 2020!! Dear God in Heaven! Seriously, why are pundits contemplating who is going to run for President in 2020? Can we, at the very least, inaugurate our currend President-elect before having to contemplate 2020??? Give us a break!!!!
//end of rant//
I agree Bev - to me the electoral college was installed because we had 13 independent states and to get them to agree to join, it was necessary to make sure more populous states did not dominate. They recognized the need to make it difficult for the majority to be tyrants. Who ws it who described democracy as two wolves and a sheep deciding on ht to have for dinner
OT: Just heard that Alan Thicke passed away. Heart attack at 69. RIP.
Bev,
This year sucks. Period.
This is the first celebrity death to actually make me feel old. I watched growing pains pretty much every day when I was a kid.
Of course when you're 69 in today's world, especially in the shape you figured Thicke was in, you'd think the guy had a few more years in him, but at least he left us while playing hockey, something I'm pretty confident a Canadian would be ok happening.
RIP, Mr. Thicke. You entertained us longer than any of your critics gave you credit.
Tryanmax - Yeah, I get it.
Bev, It makes me wonder how anyone can trust leftists? She has $7.3 million. She claims her costs are $7.4 million (a figure we know is untrue). And she's asking people where she should "donate" the leftovers? Basic math calls BS on that one.
tryanmax, My childhood has been dying for years. It's shocking at first and then just sad. A lot of the people I grew up "knowing" are now gone.
Jed, I don't think the left cares about reasons. They just know that it cost them so it must die. They have no principles.
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