>>>>>>A subtler but IMO more important change is that it really would become one man, one vote. Under the electoral college system only a dozen or so states, the so-called battleground states, really matter. It's rare when the candidates even visit the other states. What motivation do residents of those states have to go out and vote other than a commitment to the democratic process? They know their votes don't matter.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>It's time for a change in the name of fairness and equality.
>>>>>
>>>>>Last time I remember there (or here?) was a suggestion to remove electoral college but keep the electoral votes - and assign them automatically in the proportion of the popular vote in each state. Not the "winner takes the whole state". So if one state has 6 votes, and one candidate has, say, 61%, he gets 4, the opponent gets 2. In case of 51%, it would be 3:3, not 6:0 as it is now.
>>>>>
>>>>>Which would be an interesting exercise if it was applied to the numbers for the last century or two. It would be closer to popular vote, for sure, and the swing states wouldn't carry more than one vote this way or the other. And a third candidate would have more chance to spoil the big guys' game.
>>>>
>>>>Why just come close? Why tinker around the margins with a broken model?
>>>
>>>Because you can change the way states allocate electoral votes without a Constitutional amendment. Each state gets to determine how to allocate its EVs.
>>>
>>
>>I have heard about that and still consider it tinkering around the margins. IMO the Electoral College should be as dead as lamplights and roadsters. One "man," one vote. If we really are the united states let's at least try to act like it.
>
>But you cannot trust the vote of the individual. What does the individual know? Individuals are guided all to often my emotion. We need a computer to settle such matters. Now who will program it? :)
You've got the contract ;-)
I do have faith in the wisdom of the common citizen, which is part of the reason I am a Democrat. Written off for dead, we were loud and proud yesterday. This is our beloved country. Don't anyone try to hijack it from us.
Personally I have noticed the oddest thing lately. I am listening to country music more than occasionally for the first time in a long time. Maybe it stems from my father's death six months ago. Country was the music of my childhood. Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, the Sons of the Pioneers, Patsy Cline, George Jones, on and on. Now the show has moved down the road and has big shoulders. I watched the Country Music Awards for the first time in eons and enjoyed it. My sister Rachel said it made her ache to watch it because it reminded her so much of watching it with him every year. There were some acts I really liked and I now have a few unneeded CDs to prove it.
The one who really knocks me out is Taylor Swift. For someone who has taken lots of knocks for not being country enough she sure is tearing it up. And it's not just her success. It's her. She was on the David Letterman show not long ago and was both charming and wise. Like Bruce. Yes, I really said that. Don't let her innocent look fool you. She was writing her own songs and connecting with a young audience at a scarily young age. It is not usual for young pop acts to write their own songs and connect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPogCF2WHw4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzb1fGT8TSg
