Thing I don´t get about the US electoral system

[Vlad]

Ok, with the electoral college and the "winner takes it all" system, all of them votes go to the winning candidate in that particular state. So, what´s the point of voting for the GOP in Massachussets or for the Dems in Idaho? It´s like throwing your ballot into the garbage can. Wouldn´t be more realistic to give electoral votes in proportion to the actual ballots for each candidate in a state? This only leads to both parties campaigning heavily in the swing states and forgeting about the rest, because their electoral votes are granted for each one.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[BoriquaSNK]

Ok, with the electoral college and the "winner takes it all" system, all of them votes go to the winning candidate in that particular state. So, what´s the point of voting for the GOP in Massachussets or for the Dems in Idaho? It´s like throwing your ballot into the garbage can. Wouldn´t be more realistic to give electoral votes in proportion to the actual ballots for each candidate in a state? This only leads to both parties campaigning heavily in the swing states and forgeting about the rest, because their electoral votes are granted for each one.

Just my 2 cents.

You're absolutely right...

But changing the system would mean that candidates would only go to New York, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and California.

Those six states would choose the president.

Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others.

 

[kobylka68]

Well you could keep the electoral college but instead of all the votes going to the winning party in the state they could be split by percentage of the vote. Like if a state had 10 votes and the democrats got 60% of the vote then the votes could be split 6 to democrats and 4 to the republicans. I suppose that system might work a little better.

 

[Zenimus]

In a democratic republic like ours (and how the EU is shaping up to be), it's just natural that some states are more important than others when it comes to voting. The more populous places will always have more weight over the more rural zones.

The electoral college system is an attempt to make it a little more fair for every state in the union. It's an odd system that certainly has it's flaws, but it's probably the best one we could get.

 

[Zero Satori]

The points you're raisin' have been around since the dawn of the system, my Spanish friend, and even we here in the United States don't get it. A million reasons why it exists could be brought-up, but the way I see it, it's mainly continuing to exist because Americans don't seem to like change very much. The majority of 'em still think that this is indubitably the best country in the world, and if the country changed their election system, for some reason, it'd be risking the very greatness of this country.

I wish there were more to the joke, but that's the punch line, pretty much.

 

[lithy]

Splitting the votes proportionally by number of districts won would create the potential for gerrymandering on a national scale. Splitting the votes popularly would give votes to smaller candidates, creating the potential for a tie, thus having the House and Senate choose the Pres/VP.

Meh just read this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College

I happen to like the system, most Dems hate it only because Gore would have won the 2000 election by the popular vote, but Clinton could have lost the 1996 election if the system was different.

 

[abasuto]

What ever happend to good old dictatorships ?

Overthrowing a government is much more fun than voting.

 

[neobuyer]

What ever happend to good old dictatorships ?

Overthrowing a government is much more fun than voting.

Truer words have never been spoken, although stridently shouting said words at the top of your lungs in a heated 'rally' type environment is even better.

Elections? Punch your ballot and go home to watch the news.

Revolutions? Punch your enemies and go home to procure weapons.

 

[Fighter123]

Truer words have never been spoken, although stridently shouting said words at the top of your lungs in a heated 'rally' type environment is even better.

Elections? Punch your ballot and go home to watch the news.

Revolutions? Punch your enemies and go home to procure weapons.

I prefer having Elections than Revolutions.


Communism will never work because we are greedy bastards.

Same for military governments, they didn't last for the most time.

Socialism, doesn't work all the time.

Dictatorship, well they don't last that long (not even for 100 years).

 

[lithy]

Elections are peaceful revolutions.

 

[Zero Satori]

Elections are peaceful revolutions.

That's only true when a country is willing to change. When it's not, then all an election serves is to change a little, and in countries where a lot of things are wrong, all elections do is repress the want for much-needed revolution.

 

[abasuto]

That's only true when a country is willing to change. When it's not, then all an election serves is to change a little, and in countries where a lot of things are wrong, all elections do is repress the want for much-needed revolution.

All a revolution will do is bring about change that others will want to overthrough in the next generations. It's not some and all, be all answer.

What it does do is keep things fresh. Progression. It keeps up with the times, something old schoolers don't want to do. Ever try to change your grandparent's opinion on a subject ? It's often impossible, they're set in their ways and refuse to see their ways don't work with the times. Our senators and Presidents are often old as fuck and we wonder why the youth doesn't agree with them.

Revolution is the duty of every generation.

 

[Cylotron]

lol i'm a US citizen & i haven't even bothered voting in years.

f the government here. i'm waiting for armageddon!

 

[Fighter123]

lol i'm a US citizen & i haven't even bothered voting in years.

f the government here. i'm waiting for armageddon!

I think you need to be attacked.

Many American soldiers died over the years (lets talk about important wars, War of 1812, both World Wars, etc.) and you don't even brother voting?

 

[abasuto]

Many American soldiers died over the years (lets talk about important wars, War of 1812, both World Wars, etc.) and you don't even brother voting?

Many spa workers have died tackling your eyebrows.

God bless then all.

 

[Fighter123]

Many spa workers have died tackling your eyebrows.

God bless then all.

God bless then all?

 

[abasuto]

God bless then all?

 

[Piratero]

Many spa workers have died tackling your eyebrows.

God bless them all.

 

[FAT$TACKS]

I used to be political once upon a time. After I got out of highschool I was all about going to vote and trying to make a change. Then one day after I went on this march on the capital, our bus stopped off at a KFC and we all ordered these 2peice chicken meals. Well the other busses seem to have gotten the same idea and there were like 3k of us at the KFC. The place was over run with political activists. The chicken folks did not know what to do an just started making chicken in a hurry. When I got mine and got on the bus I noticed that it was the most greasy chicken I had ever seen like they just scooped the box into the fryer to get the chicken. Then I had no spork or napkin... and had to eat my mashed potatos with my chicken leg bone.

.... it was a nightmare.. everyone on the bus was like.. this chicken is greasy an I only got one piece, or my gravy, where is it, What no biscuit.


So after I got home I vowed never to be political again. That was like 15 years ago.

 

[Fighter123]

I used to be political once upon a time. After I got out of highschool I was all about going to vote and trying to make a change. Then one day after I went on this march on the capital, our bus stopped off at a KFC and we all ordered these 2peice chicken meals. Well the other busses seem to have gotten the same idea and there were like 3k of us at the KFC. The place was over run with political activists. The chicken folks did not know what to do an just started making chicken in a hurry. When I got mine and got on the bus I noticed that it was the most greasy chicken I had ever seen like they just scooped the box into the fryer to get the chicken. Then I had no spork or napkin... and had to eat my mashed potatos with my chicken leg bone.

.... it was a nightmare.. everyone on the bus was like.. this chicken is greasy an I only got one piece, or my gravy, where is it, What no biscuit.


So after I got home I vowed never to be political again. That was like 15 years ago.

What the fuck you were expected from Fast Food?

 

[Cylotron]

I think you need to be attacked.

Many American soldiers died over the years (lets talk about important wars, War of 1812, both World Wars, etc.) and you don't even brother voting?

i'm sorry but this government is bullshit & needs to be overthrown. the president/politicians/lawyers/etc only give a rat's ass about themselves & $$$. the CIA, FBI, etc are all corrupt. the health care system is utter trash. the rich keep getting richer & the poor keep getting poorer... and on top of all this "we"(but leave me out of it) think we're so high & mighty & above all these other countries and try and act as a global police system.

this government is going to be sorry one of these days & there will be a change for a better.

 

[Fighter123]

i'm sorry but this government is bullshit & needs to be overthrown. the president/politicians/lawyers/etc only give a rat's ass about themselves & $$$. the CIA, FBI, etc are all corrupt. the health care system is utter trash. the rich keep getting richer & the poor keep getting poorer... and on top of all this "we"(but leave me out of it) think we're so high & mighty & above all these other countries and try and act as a global police system.

this government is going to be sorry one of these days & there will be a change for a better.

Keep this in mind: If the US government is overthrowned they'll be utter chaos in the world. "Hey, the last superpower is gone, lets kill them."

If America is even overthrow once it'll be the end of America and it'll be more wars in the world.

But hey I'm saying my opinion.

Oh, and not voting means no ones gives a shit about your opinion.

 

[Zero Satori]

Keep this in mind: If the US government is overthrowned they'll be utter chaos in the world. "Hey, the last superpower is gone, lets kill them." If America is even overthrow once it'll be the end of America and it'll be more wars in the world. But hey I'm saying my opinion.

I think if the US went down, someone would at least attempt to step into it's place, and I fail to see how that would be a bad thing. Ever since World War II, the United States has been this "big brother" for little countries, going-over and beating the shit out of other little kids when they mess with their "little brothers." Problem is that USA ain't a big brother who does what's right; it's a big brother who does what's in it's best interest and only defends little brothers who have extra lunch money, or something. Extended metaphors aside, "if the US government is overthrowned" then it'll open a lot of windows. Some bad, some good. Call me a cautious optimist, I'm one of the people who'd be willing to take a chance just to see what turns-out.

 

[Piratero]

I think if the US went down, someone would at least attempt to step into it's place, and I fail to see how that would be a bad thing. Ever since World War II, the United States has been this "big brother" for little countries, going-over and beating the shit out of other little kids when they mess with their "little brothers." Problem is that USA ain't a big brother who does what's right; it's a big brother who does what's in it's best interest and only defends little brothers who have extra lunch money, or something. Extended metaphors aside, "if the US government is overthrowned" then it'll open a lot of windows. Some bad, some good. Call me a cautious optimist, I'm one of the people who'd be willing to take a chance just to see what turns-out.

You're totally right. Unfortunately, all governments of any kind don't last forever and from the looks of it, the way the United States is heading, it's going downhill, unfortunately. You can certainly expect chaos and a sudden requirement to learn Russian. If that were the case, I'd leave the country ASAP.

Could the government be reading this thread? Who knows. They probably use regular expressions to weed out the `key words.'

 

[Metal Slugnuts]

I prefer having Erections than Revolutions.

Fix'd.