The Electoral College

[Othello_ollehtO]

The Electoral College was a huge controversy in the elections of Bush, for example, in the first election of Bush Al Gore had more popular votes but it was swayed to Bush after the Electoral College took play, I believe the same thing had happened with John Kerry, did it not?
What do you think? Do you think the Electoral College is taking away our rights to have who WE want as president? Or do you think it is necessary to keep things in order?
According to our fore fathers, the Electoral College was necessary, but I believe we should be able to decide who we want for our president by vote and without this third party business.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

From a historical standpoint it was created so that way if everyone was an uneducated voter, the electorate could "override" the stupidity so to speak.

Since today everyone in the US is required to have an education... we're not as stupid as the people of the 1700s were... therefore, the majority is educated, and should have every vote equal one vote. Some states get overrepresented, and some underrepresented which I find shifts the equality of voting.  

[Othello_ollehtO]

Rainbowfied Mouse

From a historical standpoint it was created so that way if everyone was an uneducated voter, the electorate could "override" the stupidity so to speak.

Since today everyone in the US is required to have an education... we're not as stupid as the people of the 1700s were... therefore, the majority is educated, and should have every vote equal one vote. Some states get overrepresented, and some underrepresented which I find shifts the equality of voting.

Indeed, you are right my friend. We are more educated, so do you believe we should still keep it? Because, yes, there is the whole thing about underrepresentation and overrepresentation. There have been many people who say it should be no more.  

[Kira84]

Rainbowfied Mouse

From a historical standpoint it was created so that way if everyone was an uneducated voter, the electorate could "override" the stupidity so to speak.

Since today everyone in the US is required to have an education... we're not as stupid as the people of the 1700s were... therefore, the majority is educated, and should have every vote equal one vote. Some states get overrepresented, and some underrepresented which I find shifts the equality of voting.

People may be better educated in some respects, but in politics? A disappointing number of people believe what others tell them without bothering to do any research. They miss the 'small print,' if you will. And there is always small print in politics. Many people vote based on inaccurate propaganda ads they see on tv that are designed to elicit a certain response, and leave out critical facts in order to do so.

People are still stupid. Less ignorant in areas like algebra and cell biology maybe, but still stupid. And too many don't bother to do the research and educate themselves about issues and candidates, which is what really matters.

I have mixed feelings about the electoral college, but its original purpose is probably still valid today. A buffer against the gullibility and ignorance that persists despite availability of information.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

@Othello --- I am 100% for the abolition of the electoral college, and the replacement of the popular vote. I believe that the majority of people should decide on everything. I like Switzerlands system of "if a tie occurs, or enough people are close" on an issue, they use the direct democracy system, but only in those instances, which would on those fine print issues would cause the results to be much more accurate than one person representing MILLIONS of people's opinions. Then the thousands who do not support that specific person get eliminated by their representatives opinions, rather than everyone getting a good say on the highly controversial issues, such as abortion.

@Kira84 --- People may be ignorant... but even looking at today, a lot of the ignorant people are much much different from the ignorant people of the 1700s... today word travels fast... faster than lightning now. So even though it may be biased towards one side, and not all media is liberal,

in fact I think it's opposite, I notice it being more conservative... which makes me believe that it's just an issue of humanity. You hear something liberal over something conservative because you are against the liberal standpoints (for the most part I'm assuming)

Continuing... so that is my whole issue on the matter, we're not stupid anymore, we're required to take government in HS to learn about issues. Though some teenagers are absolutely retarded to give up such a class, this is my standpoint.  

[Othello_ollehtO]

Not to mention the Electoral College is composed of people who are forced to run for their party, so they are just regular people, are they not? Even so they sometimes vote for the other party and swing the vote so it would basically end up being an oligarchy or, "Ruled by the few"  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

Othello_ollehtO

Not to mention the Electoral College is composed of people who are forced to run for their party, so they are just regular people, are they not? Even so they sometimes vote for the other party and swing the vote so it would basically end up being an oligarchy or, "Ruled by the few"

Actually... oligarchy usually means "ruled by the rich" in most general terms.

Yeah, that is also true. It eliminates the possibility of any third party entering the political arena.  

[Othello_ollehtO]

Which, in turn would take away the even need to vote. Our "voting" really has no effect in the basis of the overpowering powers of the Electoral college. Our "voting" then is only a false sense of security, a false sense of democracy because it only ends up being overruled for the most part.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

Right... well sort of. Actually, the reason we get jipped in stores, the rich people have money to give to the campaign... from the campaign they spend money to mudsling the other, the one with the most discrete mudslinging, and deals for the rich... wins!  

[Nathan Galvan]

Correct me if I'm wrong: I believe I heard that the Electoral College was mostly created because of the difficulty of counting so many votes without any technology in the earlier America. The way I see it, with the technology we have today we don't really need it, do we? Aside from that, many states don't get the proper number of electorates, which decreases/increases your voice, making votes unequal, which is wrong. So if I could pick, I'd get rid of the electoral college altogether.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

[Kwest]

Correct me if I'm wrong: I believe I heard that the Electoral College was mostly created because of the difficulty of counting so many votes without any technology in the earlier America. The way I see it, with the technology we have today we don't really need it, do we? Aside from that, many states don't get the proper number of electorates, which decreases/increases your voice, making votes unequal, which is wrong. So if I could pick, I'd get rid of the electoral college altogether.

In government we were taught it was moreso for the ideal of overriding the unintelligent!  

[Othello_ollehtO]

Rainbowfied Mouse

[Kwest]

Correct me if I'm wrong: I believe I heard that the Electoral College was mostly created because of the difficulty of counting so many votes without any technology in the earlier America. The way I see it, with the technology we have today we don't really need it, do we? Aside from that, many states don't get the proper number of electorates, which decreases/increases your voice, making votes unequal, which is wrong. So if I could pick, I'd get rid of the electoral college altogether.

In government we were taught it was moreso for the ideal of overriding the unintelligent!

@Mouse-That's what we were taught too, except they had said it more discreet like "The Electoral College was created for the uninformed confused voters" or something on the lines of that.

@Kwest- I have never heard of the Electoral College being made into existence because of the difficulty or counting so many votes. Does that fall on the lines of the logic that they then only have to count ten or twenty votes instead of some number in the millions? (Which in sneaky terms then sounds like as I said before "Ruled By The Few")  

[Nathan Galvan]

Othello_ollehtO

Rainbowfied Mouse

[Kwest]

Correct me if I'm wrong: I believe I heard that the Electoral College was mostly created because of the difficulty of counting so many votes without any technology in the earlier America. The way I see it, with the technology we have today we don't really need it, do we? Aside from that, many states don't get the proper number of electorates, which decreases/increases your voice, making votes unequal, which is wrong. So if I could pick, I'd get rid of the electoral college altogether.

In government we were taught it was moreso for the ideal of overriding the unintelligent!

@Mouse-That's what we were taught too, except they had said it more discreet like "The Electoral College was created for the uninformed confused voters" or something on the lines of that.

@Kwest- I have never heard of the Electoral College being made into existence because of the difficulty or counting so many votes. Does that fall on the lines of the logic that they then only have to count ten or twenty votes instead of some number in the millions? (Which in sneaky terms then sounds like as I said before "Ruled By The Few")

I'm not completely sure lol, I just remember I heard it somewhere. I don't know a LOT on the subject (I'm only 16 lol), but I do think it's ridiculous to have something in placement that can override the vote of a citizen.  

[Rainbowfied Mouse]

@Kwest --- Well they have to count them all anyways then xD
Everyone who casts a ballot get's counted... the electoral college counts them... so in terms they all must be counted anyways... logically speaking, as Othello said.  

[Othello_ollehtO]

The overriding of our votes IS ridiculous. But, you notice that we never really HEAR about the Electoral College? It makes me worried. Here's my logic following this... we never really HEAR about Area 51 because everything is top secret and possibly dangerous. Have you noticed the most dangerous threats to our nation are the ones we never really hear about? You know what they say, "Watch out for the quiet one." Do you see my logic?