Should we abolish the Electoral College?
By ravenmoe
@ravenmoe (7)
United States
May 17, 2007 3:49pm CST
The 2000 Presidential Election clearly showed that the Electoral College can "rob" someone of an election. I feel as though it is worthless because the reasons for its creation are no longer valid. So, my question is more along the lines of:
WHY do you think we SHOULD have an electoral college?
Feel free to express how you feel either way, but I'm truly looking for reasons why it is a good idea to keep it around. I know it'd be ridiculously difficult to amend it from the Constitution, but why is it still intact?
2 responses
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
18 May 07
Why was Bush the first reason someone complained about it? No one cared before and why should we care now, just because someone you disagree with ended up in office? Its been there forever, so get over the loss in 2000 and admit that there has always been an electoral college and its always been there for a reason.
@ravenmoe (7)
• United States
18 May 07
First of all, you didn't answer the question. You say "its always been there for a reason." What reason? What reason that still holds validity? The reason everyone (including myself) is making a stink about it is because our country has taken a turn for the worse. There's no need to delve into all the reasons--unless you want me to--but, since 2000, America has been hurt Bush's decisions domestically and globally. And, in my opinion, and that of 72% of Americans (see: approval rating) Bush is not doing a good job. He's barely even doing a bad job. This has exposed a glaring flaw in our democracy: the Electoral College. Had Gore been elected by the popular vote he won, would things have turned out so bad? The law of probabilities says NO. So please, don't just argue that "its always been there for a reason" without giving a reason.
But SURE, I'll admit that there has always been an Electoral College and that it's been there for a reason--but not a good one. So, how 'bout you say something a little more insightful. Thanks!
@silver_moon525 (282)
• United States
17 May 07
I don't understand why we need to have an electoral college either. I feel like it does not represent the U.S. equally. I mean it's like a barrier during election. I don't understand why people now can't just count votes by person. I mean I definitely believe that we have the technology to count votes from each person. Why must we go through the electoral college then? Right now voter turnouts are already quite low as compared to the voter turnouts from twenty years ago. People are feeling that they no longer really make a difference in elections and I frankly feel that way too. I mean I feel like one person won't make that much of a difference in the electoral college. However by abolishing the electoral college, one person does indeed make a big difference. Thus I believe that the electoral college should be abolished no matter how hard it is to amend it from the Constitution.
@ravenmoe (7)
• United States
18 May 07
I whole-heartedly agree. I live in North Carolina. Being in a Red State means that a vote for a Democratic President is pretty worthless. Wouldn't it be great if EVERY vote could have an effect on the outcome of the presidency rather than just the swing state votes? The Electoral College is outdated.
