I live in Arkansas, and the legislature has talked about passing a bill requiring that our representatives in the Electoral College vote for the person who has won the majority of the national vote, regardless of the number of Arkansas residents who voted for this person. I think this is a horrible idea, because to say the least, it is undemocratic.
2007-04-03 04:32:51 · 14 answers · asked by tangerine 7 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
hey tang.. I hadn't heard of this but my dad is a legislator here.. I'll ask him about it (I'm sure he'd be against such a measure) but I can find out how it stands if you want... also here's a link to the legislative website for our state.. you can look up any bill and get it's status here.. but session is supposed to end today.. so if it hasn't passed.. it probably won't.
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/default.asp
2007-04-03 04:49:43 · answer #1 · answered by pip 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes! It means that your vote truly does NOT count, or only counts for very little.
And there are practical problems. Who certifies the "nationwide popular vote?" No one; it's merely fifty vote totals. If there's a close race every precinct in the country will try to squeeze out a few more votes. The term will be half over before we know who won.
One of the advantages of the Electoral College is that it "compartmentalizes" any questions into a few close states. Plus, it makes sure a purely "regional" candidate does not win by racking up high totals in only a few areas.
I would like to see each state keep the "winner take all" system (two states - maind and Nebraska, I believe - have a proportional system), and mandate that the electors have no discretion but to vote for the winner in their state.
The Electoral College has worked for over 200 years. People need to focus on something truly important instead of this harmful nonsense.
PS Believe it or not, the Constitution says states may choose their electors as the legislature decides. So this scheme may not be unconstitutional, although it's again a horrible idea. As a matter of fact, the Constitution does NOT require that states choose presidential electors through a vote in that state at all!!! If the legislators decided to just pick them themselves, or through another method, it would not be unconstitutional. But the legislators who voted for this would be thrown out of office pretty fast, I suspect!!!
2007-04-03 04:43:07 · answer #2 · answered by American citizen and taxpayer 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
You Razorbacks better start knockin' some legislative heads! The Electoral College has outlived it's usefulness as it is. The key is in "the number of ARKANSAS RESIDENT VOTERS who voted for this person",.... as THAT is how Democracy works. If people would take the time to understand what the Electoral College is, and why it was implemented they would swiftly have it terminated as part of the present day voting system.
2007-04-03 04:47:06 · answer #3 · answered by twostories 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
HORRIBLE IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But, that saidd, the electoral college takes away democracy. It is supposed to be a vote of the people, by the people, for the people. I would like to see election results in the millions, that way I would know individual votes had been counted.
I personally believe the electoral college was enacted to keep a potential write-in candidate from sweeping the election in a 'grass roots' sort of movement.
2007-04-03 04:40:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
Yes, very bad. Obviously your State Government does not understand how the Electoral College works.
2007-04-03 04:39:19 · answer #5 · answered by az 4 · 5⤊ 2⤋
That's just crazy. The Electoral College and the State vote is what has made America great.
2007-04-03 04:40:06 · answer #6 · answered by Gustav 5 · 4⤊ 4⤋
This is just more Al Gore 2000 and a travesty. It isn't Democracy when American voters take their time to investigate the issues and then vote to find out they were the majority and lost. This is Fascism.
2007-04-03 04:42:57 · answer #7 · answered by leonard bruce 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
I hate to trounce on your state but many of the political ideas that come from there are far from the best. Clinton is from there after all.
I can not see why any state would willingly abandon its say in an election. I think you should vote with your feet and move.
2007-04-03 04:41:38 · answer #8 · answered by C B 6 · 2⤊ 4⤋
I'd prefer doing away with the EC entirely - but Arkansas can kiss my furry @ss on this one.
2007-04-03 04:41:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
That's unConstitutional. Even if they get it passed, it will go before the Supreme Court and be overturned.
They can't manipulate the vote like that.
2007-04-03 04:40:25 · answer #10 · answered by Bush Invented the Google 6 · 3⤊ 4⤋