Reorganizing the electoral college

[logamus]

Well, the reason that the electoral college was started was because Thomas Jefferson believed the average man not smart enough to govern himself.

and he was right. ol tj was a pretty fart smeller.

[Albinonewt]

I'm kind of crunched for time, so i didn't read the whole thread, but let me make these few points.

1) Porportioning the electoral votes of a state is not a good idea. For Colorado it will mimmize the importance of the state. Since the choices are to get 9 votes, 4 votes, or 5 votes (in the event of a landslide or a slight victory by either candidate) its not really worth winning the state. Except in exceptional circumstances you're going to get some of the votes, at least 4. Putting a lot of money into the state is probably not going to accomplish much.

2) The elcectoral college prevents (or minimizes) fraud. The last election was won by only 500,000 votes, which is not a lot when you consider 100,000,000 were cast. In that vain there could have been recounts everywhere in the country forever. The Florida recount sucked, but it could have been a LOT worse if it had to be done nationally. At least now we only have to worry about the possibility of litagation in the swing states (11 of them). There's no point to spending weeks investigating fraud in California because we know that their votes are going to Kerry. But, if it was a simple popular vote then there would be a good reason to scrutinize California.

[bleachit]

the average man still isnt smart enough to govern himself.

agreed. I was reading the newspaper one day, an individual wrote in saying they were going to change their vote based soley on what they saw in Fahrenheit 911... this, to me, is proof the electoral college is NOT out of date. If one clearly overly biased film is the only reason someone would change their vote, then people still are not smart enough to govern themselves.

[Hasty8]

the average man still isnt smart enough to govern himself.

Which is exactly why he doesn't. He elects a representative to be their voce in the government.

[-Carnifex-]

Fortunately, it sounds like this will be passed and we can hope it catches on in other states. This way we'll have a much truer representation of the people.

It's too bad this was instituted earlier.

[Kevmaster]

Fortunately, it sounds like this will be passed and we can hope it catches on in other states. This way we'll have a much truer representation of the people.

It's too bad this was instituted earlier.

while your business is your business and i don't give a damn what you colorado folks do, heres the problem: its retroactive!! That means THIS election's electoral votes will be determined according to how you vote on that proposition. That will likely be overturned in court when someone (whoever loses votes because of it) sues in a tight election.

Plus, you think this is good for you and your state, but it just renders your state politically (on a national scale) worthless. Pres cantidates won't bother with it at all as their electoral outcome will change by at most 1 or 2 votes by working their tails off in colorado. Its suicide for Colorado.

[-Carnifex-]

while your business is your business and i don't give a damn what you colorado folks do, heres the problem: its retroactive!! That means THIS election's electoral votes will be determined according to how you vote on that proposition. That will likely be overturned in court when someone (whoever loses votes because of it) sues in a tight election.

Plus, you think this is good for you and your state, but it just renders your state politically (on a national scale) worthless. Pres cantidates won't bother with it at all as their electoral outcome will change by at most 1 or 2 votes by working their tails off in colorado. Its suicide for Colorado.

We're already useless. 9 electoral votes means nothing.

The point is that there will be better representation in the US if this goes through.

[RoadDawg]

I don't think it's a bad idea. All the E.C votes are still there, just split amongst the final standings in that particular state.

on another note. Anyone else think touch screen or E-voting is a bad idea?

[Kevmaster]

I don't think it's a bad idea. All the E.C votes are still there, just split amongst the final standings in that particular state.

on another note. Anyone else think touch screen or E-voting is a bad idea?

i think touch screen and e-voting are great ideas...when done properly. the reports i've heard from florida are that they are done VERY poorly. But, thats just my two cents. Mydesign as a computer scientist would be vastly better than how they are doing it now.

[FactsOfLife]

My, what a typical knee-jerk reaction. Communism is not evil. How it has been used by Stalin, Mao and Castro certainly is evil but Communism was never meant to be anything more than a way for the working class, who has forever had nothing of their own to sell other than their labor, to find common standing among the land owners and middle classes.

Knee jerk? How about decades of actual evidence?

Spare me your "oh communism is so misunderstood" BS. It is the single most evil form of government EVER perpetrated on the human species.

My favorite defense of communism slogan so far: "True Communism has never been tried yet".

And I thank God and Ronald Reagan every day for that.

There's a reason he called it the Evil Empire...

[FactsOfLife]

Electoral college is old and outdated. It should be axed. You have to remember in the old days we didn't have this nifty thing like radio, television, and the internet.

Hey while we're at it, let's just get rid of the Constitution, It's old and outdated too.

[-Carnifex-]

Knee jerk? How about decades of actual evidence?

Spare me your "oh communism is so misunderstood" BS. It is the single most evil form of government EVER perpetrated on the human species.

My favorite defense of communism slogan so far: "True Communism has never been tried yet".

And I thank God and Ronald Reagan every day for that.

There's a reason he called it the Evil Empire...

Reagan >>>>>>> Communists.

[-Carnifex-]

Hey while we're at it, let's just get rid of the Constitution, It's old and outdated too.

Your analogy is faulty.

Electoral college != the same level as the constitution.

[Kevmaster]

Your analogy is faulty.

Electoral college != the same level as the constitution.

considering its the Constitution that created the Electoral College, I'd say they very much so are on the same level....

[-Carnifex-]

considering its the Constitution that created the Electoral College, I'd say they very much so are on the same level....

And you would be incorrect.