Is the Electoral College racist & outdated?

Question

http://www.blackcommentator.com/111/111_electoral_college_pf.html

Answer 1

Yes.

With technology today, there is no reason for the electoral college any longer. It was designed during the days of lack of transportation, etc...

And yes it is incredibly racist. That started with the redistricting of during the Jim Crow era and has been revamped recently with the Republican party redesigning some districts creating additional Republican seats.

They use race as the largest factor in this 'restructuring'.

Answer 2

Yes to outdated, but there is a solution without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Instead of winner take all, the electors go to each candidate based on the percentage of the vote cast. For example , Michigan has 17 electors. The election in michigan with Kerry getting 51% of the vote while Bush had 48%. If you multiply these percentages by the number of electors, Kerry would get 9 while Bush gets 8 . Instead, with the winner take all, Michigan gave Kerry all 17.

This winner take all distorts the election by pitting red vs blue states but for many in key states, like
Michigan or Ohio, the margin of victory was 0-2% of the total vote. Thus, it is unfair to call Ohio a red state and Michigan a blue state. It ignores everyone that voted for the losing candidate.

Answer 3

I could see one making an argument that the electoral college is outdated...but racist? What's that about? The electoral college has worked, that's the bottom line.

Answer 4

Outdated, yes. Racist? No...That doesn't make any sense. Of all the arguments against the Electoral College, I don't think you can say it's racist.

Answer 5

Outdated? Yes. Racist? Huh?

Answer 6

Racist, no. Outdated and stupid, yes. I have never heard a good excuse for the electoral college to still exist in this time period.

Answer 7

"Racist"?????

No. Our state, California, just decided to cast our votes according to whatever the popular vote is instead of the electoral college. In no way did they involve the electorate in that discussion, and the press hardly mentioned it was being done. The Democrats in power apparently felt it would benefit their own party and decided the state should put it into effect.

Watch out for yourselves and your own states, although I think many of you live in places with less of a runaway state government than has California.

Answer 8

By "racist" I have to assume you mean "didn't give me the race result I wanted," right?

Regarding your link: the gist of the article is that the black vote doesn't count in the electoral college because it is overwhelmed by larger numbers of white votes. Well, duh; that would happen if the president were elected by popular vote too, because blacks are a numerical minority. See my original comment.

The electoral college will be with us until one of the parties sees a long-term advantage to getting rid of it. This won't happen any time soon, because the concentration of electoral votes make it easier for both parties to do spot campaigning.

Answer 9

Racist? Of course not! Outdated? Probably so; it's time for a change.

Answer 10

the electroral college is needed today more then ever. if we went to a striaght popular count elections all presidental canidates would spend all their time in a few states. states with small populations would never have any attention paid to them. then a incumbent president would then make sure that states lake Ca,NY, Flordia Texas and Ohio would get most of the federal money.all big cities would have ton and tons of federal money would be thrown at them. smaller communities would get nothing. so to insure each person vote is equally represtented you need electroral college.

Answer 11

Don't know.

But you sound like you know the reality of Pres. elections...

when we vote, it doesn't matter. The people don't choose the President- the electoral college does. For this reason and others, I don't vote.