Electoral College - Affirmative
The Constitution of the United States of America reads:
“Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector."
The Electoral College is a simple and basic component of our Constitution. It was contemplated for long periods of time by our founding fathers. It is designed, as all democracy should be, to protect the rights of the minority while expressing the will of the majority. It is perhaps the most effective and efficient institution of our government. It is simply a scapegoat because it has no opportunity to protect itself.
Our constitution is the law of our land and the legacy of our founding fathers. The moment we start to dissect when there is no need is disrespectful and detrimental to our society as a whole.
Many will argue that the idea is outdated. It has been reformed three times! - and as recently as 1961. It is not outdated, but effective and historical. People might argue that since it has been reformed before, it should be again. This is not the case. As the organization now stands, it is the best for the country and it’s people.
States’ Rights are upheld by the electoral college.
In a formal federal structure, important political powers are reserved to the component States. The highest official elected by popular vote is the State’s Governor. This protects the rights of the state, which a direct vote would undermine.
Proposition is futile. The Electoral College is a constitutional aspect and would have to be changed by the senate. Since the senate is run by the small states, which the Electoral College represents, the proposition would be shot down. Minority interests are thence protected.
The electoral college is Effective and Efficient as stands.
The Electoral College meets once every four years, at their own capitals. No travel expenses. Many states don’t even pay for lunch.
They cast two votes in an office and send these to Washington.
Contributes to the cohesiveness of the country by requiring a distribution of a popular support to be elected president.
Thus I stand in the affirmative for keeping and not changing the Electoral College.
Electoral College - Negative
“Bush Sr. was a jerk, Quayle an idiot, Clinton was atrocious and disgusting, most of those who persecuted him were hypocritical, Gore is shallow and weak, Bradley is an idealist, Bush Jr. a fool, and all of the independent candidates act like they’re on drugs.” This is in result of the Electoral College being inadequate.
The Electoral College Denies Representation!
Electors or Elector candidates are chosen because of their loyalty to the predominant party, any third or independent
party has no chance at winning, if even the popular vote swayed in that direction.
If one candidates support were heavily concentrated in one geographic region, then even if they had a majority, theoretically, the rest of the (less populace) states could have enough electoral votes to NOT elect that candidate.
The system is not proportioned to voters, but to population. Those who don’t care enough to cast a vote should not have the vote of the reigning party forced upon their heads. — California has 54 votes, Utah has 5, and the District of Columbia has 3.
The Electoral College is failing to accurately reflect the national popular will.
The result in 1998, for example, the combined voting age population of the seven least populous jurisdictions (Alaska, Delaware, D.C., North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming) carried the same voting strength in the Electoral College (21 Electoral votes) as the 9.6 million voters in Florida. Each Florida voter’s vote carried 1/3rd the weight a vote in those other states in deciding the president.
In the 1876 election of Tilden vs. Hayes there was a dispute over the electors in four states. The situation emerged where due to the popular vote Tilden needed on of 22 votes to win, and Hayes needed all 22. The house was split upon this decision and created a new form of electoral election, the Electoral Commission. The commission choose Hayes to be the new Vice President. — In the 1876 election Grover Cleveland received the majority of the popular voted, but Harrison won the electoral votes and was the president of the entire U.S. population, not just the electors who voted him into office.
The Electoral College is Outdated.
The major difference between now and when this institution was invented is the media and communication availability. The average U.S. household has at least one television set.
The way the system works completely monopolizes a two party government. No independent party could ever win the election, even if the got the popular vote.
The policy was instated because of an uneducated and incompetent new citizenship. This is no longer the case. Now citizenship is simply competence. It is your infringed rights, even if politicians don’t think you deserve them. You do. Everyone who isn’t in prison or not being punished does. It’s the basis of our country.
Thus I stand Negative for the Electoral College. It should be updated, changed, and enhanced.