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MESSAGE BOARD Is it time to get rid of the Electoral College?
In "Peculiar institution," Alexander Keyssar describes the nearly successful effort to get rid of the Electoral College in 1969-70 and suggests that its survival may owe more to the legacy of slavery, and the political power of the South, than to efforts by small states to preserve any mathematical advantage. After the experience of the 2000 election, and the prospect of a repeat this November, has the time finally come to abolish the Electoral College? Who stands to gain? Who to lose?
Page 10 Abolishing the electoral college will encourage voter participation in the country as a whole. And as long as people are participating at similar rates nationwide, their influence will still be comparable to electoral college vote ratios. (One way to do that might be with mandatory voting--requiring employers to make allowances, and requiring eligible voters to show up at the polls, even if they choose to abstain.) Let's make an American an American, and make a vote a vote. Sara, Cambridge It is as old and outdated as most of Howard Dean's suits. The idea was born out of the theory (and reality) that most US residents 200 years ago were either illiterate or undesirables (consider the anti-Catholic sentiment in this country in mid to late 1800's). It was a way to keep power in the hands of the few. Abolish it now. Forget about the 2000 election; Gore might still have lost if that factor wasn't present, jackass that he is. Popular vote works everywhere else; make it the rule for the highest office in the land. Peter, Mt. Prospect, IL It is time to get rid of the Electoral College. For purposes of representation in Congress, the Constitution provides a mechanism for each person to be "equally" represented. That's why states with larger populations have more representatives in the House. But for President, I don't believe my vote should count any more or less than any other US citizen's vote. It should not matter where one lives. The Electoral College system acts to discourage many voters - so many Bush supporters won't vote in Massachusetts because they belive their vote won't count. And so many Kerry supporters won't vote in Texas, for example, for the same reason. Now THAT is undemocratic. Everyone's vote should count the same when we pick our Chief Executive. Kevin, Las Vegas, NV Eliminate the electoral college and the major metropolitan centers control every election. And you know what that means, a steady diet of Hillary Clintons, Ted Kennedys, and Al Sharptons. Also, can the dems please stop this sillyness of blaming Bush's victory over Gore on the electoral college? As you know, and as Bush and Gore knew, they were playing by the same rules and campaigning in the same states (to maximize electoral votes, not popular). So if the game were based on the popular vote, the two would have campaigned under those rules. Kevin, Mansfield Keep the Electoral College. The idea of the Electoral college like many other aspects of the American political system needs to be reviewed and redefined based on current society/political beliefs. It seems that only the Big Two political parties care about ending the Electoral College. American democracy is suppose to be a system not run by politcal parties who really only focus on the party issues. The big poluation centers do not understand every person wants just as the small population areas are not completly out of touch. Yes, the electrol college stinks if your party/candidate loses, but it also seems like a god-send when your party/candidate. If you care about social issues, foreign policy issues, etc, then think about what gets a candidate to the Electral College, and make sure that your candidate gets the votes/delegates to win the College votes. Concluding, the Electral College needs reform just like all the two-party system needs reform. Michael, South Boston Yes definitely, the electoral college dilutes democracy and shifts the focus from people to a few marginal states. Time to change with the times. The Constitution is a living document, not one carved into stone. The electoral college came into being due to our nation handing most of the countries decisions over to each respective state. Since this practice no longer exists at the broad level, the electoral college is no longer a true representation of the needs and wishes of 'the people'! Risa, Norton Keep the Electoral College. Without it the candidates would only concentrate on high-population states. Does anyone honestly believe Bush or Kerry would be campaigning in states like New Hampshire, West Virginia, Wisconsin if there wasn't the E.C.? Sure, I'm not thrilled that my vote for George W. Bush won't amount to a hill of beans on Election Day, but if I was really that concerned, I'd live in one of the battleground states. No thanks!(except for maybe Florida) Tom, Revere I feel that it is well past the time when the electoral college should have been abolished. As the "leader of the free world," America should elect its President based on the popular vote. Otherwise, sadly, in many states your vote really does not matter. A.J.B. , Wayland The Electoral College is an anachronism that fifty years ago people though was about to be tossed out. At that time we were told that it was of no use and "Thank God it has not yet conflicted with the 'one man one vote' Constitutional intention of our founders." That is what they said 50 years ago and then came 2000 and the Supreme Court joke and Bush to the White House. Our system is broke and unfair and we all know it!!!!! Pascal, Worcester Some say keeping the electoral system is necessary or else large metro areas (primarily on the coasts) will control the election. But how fair is that in many of those areas votes don't count because of the winner-take-all nature of the electoral system. Think of all the Republican votes that are don't count in this state, for instance. It's a given that Kerry will win here, so every Republican vote is wasted, and as a result Democratic votes are given a disproportionate weight. It's the same everywhere -- EXCEPT the battleground states. Personally, I'm sick of being ignored because both parties already concede the outcome in Massachusetts (and many other states). Only if every vote counts will candidates and their parties pay proper attention and respect to every state and every voter. Greg, Newton
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