Lifestyle > Train of Thought
Do Americans who are voting Kerry vote for him for any reason besides...
*Jamal*:
7even the Hairbinger, you obviously have no idea how the electoral college works or why it was implemented. If it didn't exist, then the smaller states wouldn't count for shit. Candidates would just spend their time and money in states like California and New York. The electoral college creates a balance of power (large vs. small states). Either you have no knowledge about the U.S. political system, or you don't live here and shouldn't even talk about shit you have no clue about.
M Dogg™:
No one knows shit about the electoral college... here's a quote from Alexander Hamilton, a founder member of the U.S.
It was equally desirable, that the immediate election should be made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice. A small number of persons, selected by their fellow-citizens from the general mass, will be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations. It was also peculiarly desirable to afford as little opportunity as possible to tumult and disorder. This evil was not least to be dreaded in the election of a magistrate, who was to have so important an agency in the administration of the government as the President of the United States. But the precautions which have been so happily concerted in the system under consideration, promise an effectual security against this mischief.
Originally, people elected the people to vote for president. So in your congress distract, you voted for the person to vote for president. No one back then knew who was running, they couldn't see him, hear him. Information was not as easy to come by now. Now we can turn on C-Span and look in on congress, C-Span 2 and watch the senate, turn on the TV and see our president, the people running, it was a different world back the. That's why we have the electoral college that's in the U.S. It was put in the constitution to keep the vote out of the people's hand, because the presidental election is too important to put into the regular person's hand. One aspect of the electoral system that is not mandated in the constitution is the fact that the winner takes all the votes in the state. Therefore it makes no difference if you win a state by 50.1% or by 80% of the vote you receive the same number of electoral votes. This can be a receipe for one individual to win some states by large pluralities and lose others by small number of votes, and thus this is an easy scenario for one candidate winning the popular vote while another winning the electoral vote. This winner take all methods used in picking electors has been decided by the states themselves. This trend took place over the course of the 19th century. This part I have issues with. I think our vote should all count equally, and we should each be people that have an equal say in our president. We should vote as a nation, not as seprate states. The time of the founding of this country is over, we need to move forward with our country and modernize.
*Jamal*:
If you want to talk about moving forward and modernizing, how about that "Spell Check" button? I don't know how the Congress "distracts" you.
By the way, each vote does count "equally" because my vote is counted as 1 vote, and so is yours. Nobody here casts a vote that is counted as more than 1 vote.
Did you know that the top 5 states (ranked by population) account for about 100 million people? 100 million people! That's about one-third of the nation's population. 10% of the states make up 33% of the population. You make the comparison, and do some elementary math, and tell me that smaller states wouldn't be fucked up the ass if we didn't have the electoral college. You think candidates would care about Wyoming? You think Bush would go and give speeches in Vermont or North Dakota about the economy? Fuck No. The candidates would focus on California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. With the electoral college, people living in states like Wyoming actually feel like their vote is important. Otherwise, we'd just have a bunch of people voting in guys whom they have no fuckin clue about, and that's exactly what you were arguing against.
7even:
--- Quote from: DaBoss on October 20, 2004, 05:30:21 PM ---7even the Hairbinger, you obviously have no idea how the electoral college works or why it was implemented. If it didn't exist, then the smaller states wouldn't count for shit. Candidates would just spend their time and money in states like California and New York. The electoral college creates a balance of power (large vs. small states). Either you have no knowledge about the U.S. political system, or you don't live here and shouldn't even talk about shit you have no clue about.
--- End quote ---
No, I know exactly how it works. At least as good as you, probably even better. And it sucks. The small states arent considered either way cause they always vote for republicans. New York isnt considered cause they always vote for the democrats. I have the knowledge I need, so shut up.
*Jamal*:
--- Quote from: 7even the Harbinger on October 21, 2004, 04:43:52 AM ---
--- Quote from: DaBoss on October 20, 2004, 05:30:21 PM ---7even the Hairbinger, you obviously have no idea how the electoral college works or why it was implemented. If it didn't exist, then the smaller states wouldn't count for shit. Candidates would just spend their time and money in states like California and New York. The electoral college creates a balance of power (large vs. small states). Either you have no knowledge about the U.S. political system, or you don't live here and shouldn't even talk about shit you have no clue about.
--- End quote ---
No, I know exactly how it works. At least as good as you, probably even better. And it sucks. The small states arent considered either way cause they always vote for republicans. New York isnt considered cause they always vote for the democrats. I have the knowledge I need, so shut up.
--- End quote ---
Small states aren't "considered" because they always vote for Republicans? Are you really dumb enough to make comments like that? Your last sentence contradicts the rest of your post.
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