This Quadrennial Swing State Fixation Has Got To Go

[Smarmie Doofus]

Can we all commit ourselves to at least getting rid of the electoral college, beginning w. the new congress in January?

Aside from the most obvious flaw ( the candidate who is favored by a majority of the electorate can.... and sometime DOES.... lose the election to a candidate w. fewer votes), the candidates by necessity have to spend 90% of their campaigning trying to persuade citizens in just a handful of our 50 (fifty) states.

In this election it's down to three... maybe four. Why should the votes of people who live in Ohio, NC, Va. and Fla count for so much more than the votes of people in the other 46 states?

And... aside from the unfairness of it, it's getting a little friggin' *boring*.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Constitutional Amendment.

Good luck.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. It's been done. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Still good luck

There are far more amendment ideas that get started that even make it out to the States, let alone get ratified.

I also suspect both major national parties will say no to any major reform, this is it, will put a kibosh on it even before it gets to the floor.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

4. Wouldn't it be more beneficial to commit to

getting rid of the money in campaigns. Or to electing Democratic legislatures in states that desperately need them?

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. Can't we chew gum and breathe at the same time?

How does getting rid of money ( no citizen of the PLANET is more in favor of that than this one) get in the way of ditching this absurd and ridiculous electoral college.

The EC is more dysfunctional than we realize. The vast majority of the population is not even appealed to by the candidates. Why bother having campaigns at all on the West Coast, NE Coast, Texas?

But isn't that where most people live? Shouldn't the vast majority of the population be part of the "jury"?

[Sekhmets Daughter]

6. It doesn't appear so.

It seems that the main gripe about the EC is that the candidates don't visit solid red or blue states during campaigns....Is there ANYTHING either of these candidates has said, in any personal appearance, that you haven't seen or heard either on the internet, television or radio? It is a straw man argument to say that the vast part of the population is not part of the jury...a vote in NY or CA is worth exactly what a vote in OH or FL is worth..one vote. In the 56 presidential elections we've held in this nation only 4 have seen the EC go against the popular vote...3 were in the 19th century.

Now, if you want to make the argument that what is wrong with the EC is that because of the importance of a few swing states, the ability of one party to steal an election is vastly increased, I will gladly join the battle. However, I think the EC is not as important an issue as campaign finance or getting republicans out of State Houses and State Legislatures. All the problems with elections in FL began when the Republicans took over the State House and Legislature...I imagine the same is true about Ohio. If you consider how hard it is to amend the constitution, I think prioritizing the EC is a strategic mistake. Of course, Democrats never think of strategy, which is why the party has been pushed right over the past 35 years.

[hack89]

7. The smaller states will never support a Constitutional amendment.

it is hard to see how it is in their best interests.