- Posted October 13, 2012 by
Watertown, New York
This iReport is part of an assignment:
- $15 an Hour in NY? Where's the Outrage Over Corporate America's Continuous 'Raises'? Fast Food's Raise Will Leverage Hike for All Workers in America
- Still Not Lovin' It - McDonald's Profits Fall for Seventh Straight Quarter-The 'Golden Rule' May Help the Golden Arches
- The "White Flag of Surrender" is the Only Confederate Flag that Should Matter- Years of Continued Racism in America
- Main Stream Media Defends GOP Hopefuls from Trump - Exposing the Two Party System for What It Is- Corrupt and Bought
- Lazy Workers? Entry Level Jobs? The Great American Jobs Scam: Corporate Tax Dodging and the Myth of Job Creation
Electoral College- Swing States Shouldn't Determine The U.S. Presidency
- Jareen, CNN iReport producer
"One can hardly expect the state legislatures to take enlightened views on national affairs", James Madison stated in a pre-convention memorandum to delegates.
That's why we adopted the U.S. Constitution and moved toward more central government at the Federal level.
Stronger central government was necessary. Many don't agree.
Is this 1860 or 2012?
The same can be said of the electoral college.
Do you live in a swing state?
If you do, you get to see the candidates for President.
If you don't live in a swing state, your vote for president doesn't count, much.
"The Electoral College is an example of an indirect election, consisting of 538 electors who officially elect the President and Vice President of the United States.
The number of electors is equal to the total voting membership of the United States Congress, 435 Representatives and 100 Senators, plus three electors from the District of Columbia.
Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution specifies the number of electors to which each state is entitled and state legislatures decide how they are chosen.
Voters in each state and the District of Columbia cast ballots selecting electors pledged to presidential and vice presidential candidates.
In nearly all states, electors are awarded on a winner-take-all basis to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state.
Although electors are not required by federal law to honor a pledge, in the overwhelming majority of cases they vote for the candidate to whom they are pledged."
"Critics argue that the Electoral College is inherently undemocratic and gives swing states disproportionate influence in electing the President and Vice President.
Proponents argue that the Electoral College is an important, distinguishing feature of federalism in the United States and that it protects the rights of smaller states.
(Federalism in the United States is the evolving relationship between U.S. state governments and the federal government of the United States.
Since the founding of the country, and particularly with the end of the American Civil War, power shifted away from the states and towards the national government)
Should the 'state's rights' take precedent over the 'people's rights'?
Are States and corporations 'people'? No. People have rights not states.
"Numerous constitutional amendments have been introduced in the Congress seeking to alter the Electoral College or replace it with a direct popular vote."
But they've never been passed.
In 2000, George W. Bush lost the popular vote but went on to become president. This is wrong. All Presidents should be elected by popular vote.
To do otherwise, shows us to be hypocritical in the eyes of the rest of the World.
No one should become president because they win the needed electoral votes but not the popular vote.
Final vote count for 2000- Bush vs Gore:
Gore - 50,999,897
The Electoral College should be dissolved. The popular vote should determine the Presidency.
States that oppose this? One guess.
The Confederate States of the United States
The Civil War was never resolved for some people.
It's time to make this change.
Wouldn't you like to see the candidates in all states and feel like your vote really mattered?