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Absurdity of the Electoral College:
Here's one nice thing we can now say about the Electoral College: it's slightly less harmful to our democracy than it was just days ago. In a 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that states have the right to "bind" their electors, requiring them to support whichever presidential candidate wins the popular vote in their state. Justice Elena Kagan's opinion was a blow to so-called "faithless electors," but a win for self-government. "Here," she wrote, "the People rule."
Yet while we can all breathe a sigh of relief that rogue electors won't choose (or be coerced) into derailing the 2020 presidential contest, the Court's unanimous ruling is a helpful reminder that our two-step electoral process provides America with no tangible benefits and near-limitless possibilities for disaster. To put it more bluntly, the Electoral College is a terrible idea. And thanks to the Justices' decision, getting rid of it has never been easier.
[...] The Electoral College, in other words, serves no useful purpose, other than to intermittently and randomly override the people's will. It's the appendix of our body politic. Most of the time we don't notice it, and then every so often it flares up and nearly kills us.
[...] Justice Kagan's words – "Here, the People rule" – are stirring. But today, they are still more aspiration than declaration. By declining to make the Electoral College an even great threat to our democracy, the Court did its job. Now it's up to us. If you live in a state that hasn't joined the interstate compact, you can urge your state legislators and your governor to sign on. And no matter where you're from, you can dispel the myths about the Electoral College and who it really helps, myths that still lead some people to support it despite its total lack of redeeming qualities.
More than 215 years after the Electoral College was last reformed with the 12th Amendment, we once again have the opportunity to protect our presidential-election process and reassert the people's will. Regardless of who wins the White House in 2020, it's a chance we should take.
Would you get rid of the Electoral College? Why or why not?
Also at:
Supremes Signal a Brave New World of Popular Presidential Elections
Supreme Court Rules State 'Faithless Elector' Laws Constitutional
U.S. Supreme Court curbs 'faithless electors' in presidential voting
Supreme Court rules states can remove 'faithless electors'
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 13 2020, @06:51PM (1 child)
i never said, or even hinted at forcing anyone to vote. Funny you chose to interpret my post this way.
But when a free, democratic (republic) nation has more than half its population not even bother to vote, there's definately something wrong. Maybe 60% of the population is illegal aliens, but more seriously, maybe they believe their vote doesn't make a difference, maybe they approve none of the candidates, maybe they take freedom for granted because they have never experienced tyranny, war and bloodshed, maybe they're uneducated and fail to learn the lessons of a history they know too little about.
Whatever the reason, it's a sign that something is wrong socially, culturally, and/or economically with that society. There will always be anarchists and libertarians who will question the very principle of democracy and governement, or sociopaths who just don't give a shit. But those can't possibly explain a voting participation of only 40%, especially since participation is well above 50% in every developped democratic nation except the U.S.
(Score: 2) by SpockLogic on Monday July 13 2020, @11:26PM
But, but, but .... The US has more guns.
Overreacting is one thing, sticking your head up your ass hoping the problem goes away is another - edIII