Do you think the president should be elected by popular vote?

Question

An Arkansas legislator has filed a bill calling on other states to adopt a system of electing the president by popular vote. It is part of a nationwide campaign by a group trying to do away with the traditional role of the Electoral College. Do you think the president should be elected by popular vote?

Answer 1

Definitely not.
That would severely erode the power of the States, leaving the Federal Government with even more power. It would also hand total control of presidential elections to a handful of Urban Population Centers.

Answer 2

Yes, the president should be elected by direct popular vote. The electoral system is an unnecessary dinosaur that serves only to preserve the power of small states against larger states, protection that is unnecessary at the presidential level.

As it is, the president is already elected by popular vote, but filtered through the system of electoral constituencies. The distribution of the popular vote across the country, therefore, can dramatically affect the outcome, allowing a president to win the election without winning the popular vote (as in 2000).

Since the president represents the US at large, there should be no regional division behind his representation. He should represent the people as a whole.

For those people thinking we need the electoral vote to protect the interests of the smaller states, we already have that being done by the make-up of the Senate, where each state is represented equally in the body.

Answer 3

I never liked the Electoral College untill i did some research into it. Our Founding Fathers were quite adept at politics and the prevention of corruption. The Electoral college is set up to prevent a corrupt entity from securing the Presidency. It's reasons are TOO numerous for here,but look deeply into it and you will see why. With today's high speed access to ANYTHING and EVERYONE, and the way things happen at a moments notice, we NEED protection like this. You all saw how one state(Florida) bolluxed things up so badly before,can you imagine the other 49 getting in on it? It would take longer to elect a president, than his actual term would cover! The Electoral College is a complex safety device that should be protected, maybe updated, but definitely protected!

Answer 4

Absolutely. The Electoral College is not working as it was intended because of the two party system. James Madison even wrote that he thought the Electoral College would lead most presidential dterminations to the House. He intended this because most American citizens at that time were illiterate and couldn't keep up with the issues, candidates, platforms, etc. So, the original intention was to have 5 or more major sectional/national candidates run and when no one got a majority, the House would choose. However, with the two party system and it almost impossible for a 3rd party to get matching federal funds the intent is no longer valid. Nowdays, 99% of all Americans are literate and most understand (to varying degrees) politics, platforms, and issues.

So there is no reason to keep the Electoral College. It is outdated and not suitable to todays America. To think that one elector could take into their own hands the votes of approximately 50,000 constituants is a scary thought indeed.

Answer 5

The electoral college does a good job with keeping the say a single state has smaller than it would be otherwise. California has a lot of electoral votes but if it was a straight up public election they would have more say than they already do...bad idea. The Senate is fair for all states, the House gives the more populated an advantage, and the President is a combination.

Answer 6

Absolutely! I see no reason to have an Electoral College. Six years ago, if it had been by popular vote, Gore would have been our President! The Electoral College of Florida could not make a decision & let the Supreme Court make the decision, Not in our Constitution. When I vote in my state, it makes no difference who I vote for, the Electoral College is going to give it to a Republican! Only one exception, a Senator, one lone Senator! A Democrat!

Answer 7

No. Our way of government is working fine with the elections now. (And shut up libs, 2000 is over, and even if Gore won, he would have lost in 2004).

Also think about this. With the EC, every state has some say in the election. If it was popular vote, no one would campaign in areas such as Alaska or the Mid West because no one lives there. They would focus on major cities. With the EC it makes them go to every state, even the ones with just 3 votes.

Answer 8

Absolutely not. The United States is a Republic and NOT a Democracy. It is not and should not be "mob rule".

I do find it amusing how this has come up since (according to the Democrats) Bush lost the popular vote but won the Electorate.

You know that this wouldn't be an issue had it been the opposite. Hell, these are the same whack jobs that tried to buy votes with crack in Cleveland, and that tried to get absentee ballots by service men and women disqualified in PA while at the same time trying to make it legal for convicted fellons to vote there.

Answer 9

I just think it's odd how the Electoral College voted for Bush, while the country voted for Kerry in 2004. The Electoral College is chosen by the people to represent them, so technically the EC should make the same decision that the country would make. I really can't make up my mind on this one. I feel that the president should be chosen by the people, and not just a select group of people, however I also think that the people should do a better job at electing their EC members so that the EC will vote the same way the people would.

Answer 10

definite, trouble-free to deprave some than all. The Electoral college, pony convey, morris code, telephone, a verbal replace concern, coast to coast, Gulf to Lakes. prevalent Vote does no longer %. the President, the Electoral college does. should be tossed out by potential of national vote.

Answer 11

Here are two of my favorite H. L. Mencken quotes:

" Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard."

" As democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of this land will reach into their hearts' desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."