JohnnyMarko 1 #1 November 7, 2012 I could give two s's who won, but someone please give me a good reason why the electoral college exists...in my young, simple, dumb brain I don't see how it's a true democracy if the popular vote doesn't win. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 November 7, 2012 1) Simmer down...you haven't seen the actual vote counts from the west coast yet. 2) See item 1.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #3 November 7, 2012 QuoteI could give two s's who won, but someone please give me a good reason why the electoral college exists...in my young, simple, dumb brain I don't see how it's a true democracy if the popular vote doesn't win. why do parliaments select the Prime Minister? That's not democracy! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #4 November 7, 2012 >someone please give me a good reason why the electoral college exists.. Because the country was founded as a loose collection of independent states, not a homogenous people under a single leader. The president initially had a very limited role outside of leading the country militarily and representing it to foreign countries; he was basically a glorified moderator that unified a bunch of potentially squabbling states and did their bidding. It's only been in the last 70 years or so that we've seen the president more as a king than an administrator. Thus it was more important that the states, not the people, had more say over who the president was - because administration between the various states was his primary role. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kawisixer01 0 #5 November 7, 2012 to start we aren't a "true democracy" form of govt..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kd5xb 1 #6 November 7, 2012 Quote to start we aren't a "true democracy" form of govt..... Absolutely correct -- but just try to find more than one or two people in a crowd who understand this!I'm a jumper. Even though I don't always have money for jumps, and may not ever own a rig again, I'll always be a jumper. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davjohns 1 #7 November 7, 2012 The Electoral College system was to make sure the uneducated masses didn't screw things up. If we voted for the wrong person, the elite would correct it in the Electoral College. On a side note, we might could have a true democracy today. With smart phones and such, it might be possible to create a system where people could have a voter registration ID and vote directly on items. I think it would be a catastrophe, but it is technically possible. And there would be the traditional cry of disenfranchisement of those who can't afford the technology or to travel to a polling place, walk upright, etc.I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet.. But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
devildog 0 #8 November 7, 2012 Quote to start we aren't a "true democracy" form of govt..... thank God.You stop breathing for a few minutes and everyone jumps to conclusions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,150 #9 November 7, 2012 Quote Quote to start we aren't a "true democracy" form of govt..... thank God. I don't think She had anything to do with it.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southern_Man 0 #10 November 7, 2012 Direct voting for president was not necessarily a part of the electoral system as designed by the founders. Why it hasn't been changed, well, that is a more complicated question."What if there were no hypothetical questions?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 210 #11 November 7, 2012 The EC insures that everyone is represented. WIthout it the candidates could simply concentrate on the large population areas and disregard the rest of the country.Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weekender 0 #12 November 7, 2012 QuoteI could give two s's who won, but someone please give me a good reason why the electoral college exists...in my young, simple, dumb brain I don't see how it's a true democracy if the popular vote doesn't win. One benefit of it is to prevent a Bavarian Cpl from being elected to high office and detroying the nation. That is how my dad explained it to me when i was a kid. there is more to it, i.e. reflecting state demographics as others have pointed out ,but since you said you are young and dumb i dont see any need to give a more complicated answer."The point is, I'm weird, but I never felt weird." John Frusciante Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,589 #13 November 7, 2012 Kind of how they now focus on the swing states and ignore everyone else? Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayneflorida 0 #14 November 7, 2012 A better question is why Sweden has bikinis. Not that I object. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,150 #15 November 7, 2012 QuoteThe EC insures that everyone is represented. WIthout it the candidates could simply concentrate on the large population areas and disregard the rest of the country. The Banzhaf analysis (aka doing the math correctly) shows that to be quite wrong. The EC ensures that candidates simply concentrate on a handful of swing states and that the overwhelming majority of citizens who live elsewhere are ignored.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 210 #16 November 7, 2012 QuoteQuoteThe EC insures that everyone is represented. WIthout it the candidates could simply concentrate on the large population areas and disregard the rest of the country. The Banzhaf analysis (aka doing the math correctly) shows that to be quite wrong. The EC ensures that candidates simply concentrate on a handful of swing states and that the overwhelming majority of citizens who live elsewhere are ignored. I'm moving from Ohio to elsewhere.Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #17 November 7, 2012 Quote A better question is why Sweden has bikinis. Not that I object. you have MY vote!My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 380 #18 November 7, 2012 QuoteI'm moving from Ohio to elsewhere.Maybe Ron has room for you in his North Georgia compound. Can you play the banjo? Don_____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
regulator 0 #19 November 7, 2012 I would move from Ohio too...not because I have anything against ohio. Its just that I dont like cold weather. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 2 #20 November 8, 2012 HQuoteQuoteI could give two s's who won, but someone please give me a good reason why the electoral college exists...in my young, simple, dumb brain I don't see how it's a true democracy if the popular vote doesn't win. One benefit of it is to prevent a Bavarian Cpl from being elected to high office and detroying the nation. That is how my dad explained it to me when i was a kid. there is more to it, i.e. reflecting state demographics as others have pointed out ,but since you said you are young and dumb i dont see any need to give a more complicated answer. Well, there we have it, folks. It's because of Hitler. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
