Electoral College Good or Bad for America

[bu247]

In this day before the election why is there so much passion when the popular does not count?  Is it time to push for Change and remove the electoral College?

"The Real Clear Politics site, which analyses 10 major opinion polls, concludes that the Electoral College – and not popular vote – will decide the Nov 6 presidential race.
 
The Electoral College, set up to create parity between large and small states, can go against the popular mandate. In 2000, former President George W, Bush, a Republican, narrowly won the election against Democrat Al Gore, with 271 to 266 elector votes, with one elector abstaining.
 
This marked only the fourth election in US History in which the winner received fewer popular votes than the runner-up. The same happened in 1824, 1876, and 1888.Although large states, such as California, 55, Texas 38 and New York 29 – have more votes than others, in close elections the Electoral College gives smaller states a greater say."

[heroftimes]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_representation

The electoral college is an old dog that needs to be taken out back and shot.  Even popular vote wouldn't be ideal considering it would only serve to reward the current two party system (which in itself, is another problem).

Direct representation is the best, in my opinion.  No politician would dare vote for it though because it would threaten their "job"

[bu247]

I like your opinion, money talks and everything else doesn't matter until the public starts to care.

[jcribb16]

Great post!  I agree with all of you.  This is what concerns me about this election - what the voter's ultimately want, as opposed to who the Electoral College would decide to go for, especially if against what the voters are saying.

[tuscarorarain]

You know thats a good question. It really got me thinking. I really can't say. It leaves me feeling unsure because I do not know what the opinion is of the electorial college votes. What largely motivates them? I think yahoo news reporter that President Obama could win the presidency even if he loses the popular vote. That is just bad for America. I also feel like Obama seems to have a nice advantage because he probably has more funding resources. I hope that Romney wins. Overall he would make a better president. He against the murder of before and after birth abortion, he has a better financial plan, and he wants to create a way for so many in poverty to get out of the food stamp cycle by providing jobs.

[nhendrickson]

Just curious as to how many of those expressing dismay about the electoral college system were equally upset when Al Gore won the popular vote in the 2004 election, but lost to George W. Bush based upon the electoral college.

[heroftimes]

I though Obama would win the electoral college and lose the popular vote.  That didn't happen, but I still remain steadfast in my beliefs that the electoral college is a bad system.

Just curious as to how many of those expressing dismay about the electoral college system were equally upset when Al Gore won the popular vote in the 2004 election, but lost to George W. Bush based upon the electoral college.

[southernhorizons]

It is a very bad system. It would be OK if the electoral votes were based on percentages, instead of just a majority in a state getting all the electoral votes. For example, here in NY, our votes upstate have no bearing on the election, since NY city outnumbers us. But if the system were fair, then at least some of the electoral votes would have gone to Romney, since upstate is predominately republican. It was even more apparent in states like Virginia, where a few counties determine the whole electoral vote.

[tinajacksonville]

If the electoral vote goes the same way as the popular vote then it is doing its job unfortunately.   

[momoney555]

Just curious as to how many of those expressing dismay about the electoral college system were equally upset when Al Gore won the popular vote in the 2004 election, but lost to George W. Bush based upon the electoral college.

Repubs never holler about things being unfair when the F__ Up is in their favor.

[visvern]

  the electoral college allows a few states to decide the out come of the prsidential election. it really is not fair for the most populous states to have all the say so

[heroftimes]

Changing demographics in Texas show that within a few election cycles this may not be the case.

I don't like how if you vote Democrat in states like Texas, your vote is basically a throwaway vote...

[southernhorizons]

the electoral college allows a few states to decide the out come of the prsidential election. it really is not fair for the most populous states to have all the say so

Tha'ts waht I don't like about it. Supposedly the electoral college was set up to make a level playing field between large and small states, but it actually does the exact opposite. All the states should get the same number of electoral votes, and they should go to each candidate according to percentages of popular vote. So if my state is 60% Obama and 40% Romney, then Obama would get 6 and Romney would get 4. that is the only way an electoral vote would be fair.

[nhendrickson]

I though Obama would win the electoral college and lose the popular vote.  That didn't happen, but I still remain steadfast in my beliefs that the electoral college is a bad system.

Just curious as to how many of those expressing dismay about the electoral college system were equally upset when Al Gore won the popular vote in the 2004 election, but lost to George W. Bush based upon the electoral college.

I'm actually of the same view myself.  I just think if the president had lost the popular vote, there would have been a collective cry of "Cheat" from the same demographic who was fine with the system back in 2004 when it enabled their candidate to win.

[heroftimes]

So a state with 3 million people should have the same say as a state with 30 million people?  This would be far worse than the current system.

the electoral college allows a few states to decide the out come of the prsidential election. it really is not fair for the most populous states to have all the say so

Tha'ts waht I don't like about it. Supposedly the electoral college was set up to make a level playing field between large and small states, but it actually does the exact opposite. All the states should get the same number of electoral votes, and they should go to each candidate according to percentages of popular vote. So if my state is 60% Obama and 40% Romney, then Obama would get 6 and Romney would get 4. that is the only way an electoral vote would be fair.