Bottom Of The Barrel

Why we need to eliminate the electoral college

The US electoral college consists of 538 elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice President based on state by state popular vote. The election method is an example of an indirect election which have been used all over the world in countries with complex regional geography, however the United States in the last one to employ such election methods.

Looking more locally, Massachusetts has been a historically a democratic state. Here are the election results of the past 10 Massachusetts federal elections:

2004: Kerry (D)
2000: Gore (D)
1996: Clinton (D)
1992: Clinton (D)
1988: Michael Dukakis (D)
1984: Ronald Reagan (R)
1980: Ronald Reagan (R)
1976: Jimmy Carter (D)
1972: George McGovern (D)
1968: Hubert Humphrey (D)

Reagan, a republican, won Massachusetts both times he ran but he was one of the most popular president ever winning 44 out of 51 states in 84 and 49 of 51 in 88. McGovern only carried two states in his bid to be president in 72 - Massachusetts and Washington DC. Are we ultra smart or ultra stubborn? Looking back even further, the great state of Massachusetts voted for only one other republican candidate since 1924 and that was Dwight D. Eisenhower in 52 and 56, another wildly popular candidate.

So in the coming election, Obama will win the state of Massachusetts and receive our 12 electoral votes, regardless if I vote for him or McCain [or Baldwin, Barr, McKinney or Nader]. So in that respect my vote doesn't really count. Let's not even think about cities and towns that only count absentee ballots if the difference in the voting results is less than the total number of absentee votes cast.

While the electoral college vote has normally followed the popular vote there have been 3 occasions, 1876, 1888, and 2000, where the candidate who won the nationwide popular vote did not become President. Sure in the late 1800's it made sense to have this kind of electoral system but in the 21st century? With all of our modern technology?

I recommend that not only do we eliminate the electoral college system and simply count all of the votes in a true populous manner but we should also have a results show to announce the winner. Dancing With the Stars and American Idol get great ratings on result night so why shouldn't the Presidential Election? I would plan it for a week after the election, in prime time, so that families can watch our democratic process in action. I would even have the network's bid on it and sell advertising. All that money could go right back into the Federal system to help pay for social security or off set income tax.

So for 2012, I say Go Popular or Go Home!

Labels: Politics

posted by TheWino @ 7:27 AM