It's time to do away with the Electoral College system

[A4K]

I think we should toss the electoral college, have proportional representation, and instant run-off voting like the rest of the developed world.

Republicans got one (with an assist from the SCOTUS) in '08, now it seems the democrats may have gotten one.

So can we call it even and end this archaic institution?

What do you think the electoral college is based on? I believe it's based upon the U.S. census, which would make it a proportional representation of the population.

I think Obama wins the popular vote by a slim margin come tomorrow morning.

[CallMeChip]

I think we should put the two candidates in the woods with a knife and crossbow. Whoever takes the other guy out first wins. Surviving the Game style ala Ice-T.

[ChalkyDog]

I think we should toss the electoral college, have proportional representation, and instant run-off voting like the rest of the developed world.

Republicans got one (with an assist from the SCOTUS) in '08, now it seems the democrats may have gotten one.

So can we call it even and end this archaic institution?

That is the reason the electoral college was set up. The problem is over-representation in the south, which benefits the republicans slightly.

[jetsjets1028]

no kidding we should do away as EVERY VOTE should count as 1

[Merella]

I think we should put the two candidates in the woods with a knife and crossbow. Whoever takes the other guy out first wins. Surviving the Game style ala Ice-T.

[icancount2one]

That is the reason the electoral college was set up. The problem is over-representation in the south, which benefits the republicans slightly.

Well, really the states that are the most overrepresented are the nearly empty ones like Wyoming and Montana. Of course, the most under-represented are the most populous states. So the idea is that the entities that are the independent states choose the president, not the population. That made sense back in the early 1800's, but I think the notion is archaic today.

Of course, I just looked at some numbers, and something like 15% of California is in. So yeah, Obama could still win the popular vote by a pretty solid margin.

[greenhippo]

a few states (too tired to look-up the #) have already changed it... proportional EC

2 states, I think Maine is one of them.

[InTheDrink]

oh look....obammer is ahead

so 2000 is the only time it's happened in over 100 years

good thread!

[Jimmy0607]

Obama is winning the popular vote as well.... so STFU

[EmpireMaker]

and eliminate redistricting too.... oh yeah Romney is getting his ass waxed in the west too and will lose the popular vote by an increasingly larger number

[LVHerbie]

Chilidog does it really matter? In the end the results are the same...

[Dutch]

The Democrat voting hispanic population will grow in Fla. and Virginia. Those states will turn permanently blue, maybe not for awhile, but they will.

Eventually the math won't add up for Republican candidates to win the electoral vote..That's when we'll see the Republicans push for popular vote to become law.

We're seeing the slow death of the Republican party as we know it. Look for them to put young, brown party members everywhere you look.

[EmpireMaker]

The douche finally conceded

[boeing power]

Republicans need to only allow white males to vote if they ever expect to win again.

[icancount2one]

What do you think the electoral college is based on? I believe it's based upon the U.S. census, which would make it a proportional representation of the population.

I think Obama wins the popular vote by a slim margin come tomorrow morning.

Proportional representation is a system in which the legislature is made up based upon how many people vote for each party. So, if people were voting their conscience, with no worries about "throwing their vote away", if it went:
40% dem
35% republican
15% libertarian
10% green

Then you would have the congress made up the same way. Dems would have to please the greens, and maybe a libertarian or republican to get anything done. The winning coalition would elect a Prime Minister as head of the legislative branch (in some cases the PM appoints cabinet as well)

Then, since dem and republican had the two highest totals, if nobody pulled over 50%, the D and R would run off, and people would get to make a "lesser of two evils" decision. I think it makes far more sense than our crazy bicameral legislature. How a system so biased towards the small states would end up with the Senate having more democrats is a mystery to me.

[A4K]

Proportional representation is a system in which the legislature is made up based upon how many people vote for each party. So, if people were voting their conscience, with no worries about "throwing their vote away", if it went:
40% dem
35% republican
15% libertarian
10% green

Then you would have the congress made up the same way. Dems would have to please the greens, and maybe a libertarian or republican to get anything done. The winning coalition would elect a Prime Minister as head of the legislative branch (in some cases the PM appoints cabinet as well)

Then, since dem and republican had the two highest totals, if nobody pulled over 50%, the D and R would run off, and people would get to make a "lesser of two evils" decision. I think it makes far more sense than our crazy bicameral legislature. How a system so biased towards the small states would end up with the Senate having more democrats is a mystery to me.

Okay, I understand your definition. That would be an ideal system, but I doubt it will happen in our lifetime.

[icancount2one]

Okay, I understand your definition. That would be an ideal system, but I doubt it will happen in our lifetime.

The system as I described it is how they do it in France. In Britain, they don't bother electing a President, since the Queen is technically still head of State. I agree that it will likely never happen, however this is why our system falls invariably towards the "center", since those who would identify more as Green or Libertarian end up with virtually no say in the legislature.

[A4K]

The system as I described it is how they do it in France. In Britain, they don't bother electing a President, since the Queen is technically still head of State. I agree that it will likely never happen, however this is why our system falls invariably towards the "center", since those who would identify more as Green or Libertarian end up with virtually no say in the legislature.

Yeah, my father is from England. The more the merrier in my mind. I mean, does anyone solely identify with the ideals of either the Republicans or the Democrats?

[Big Bear]

Yeah thats why i dont vote. Just a waste of time.
what the people doesnt matter

[CDMKMP]

No excuse....just a fact...majority of Americans wanted Romney.

lol so what's your excuse now that it's 50-49? And only increasing because you obviously can't fathom that the West coast, which tends to favor Obama, reports their numbers later ... as if they operate on a different time or something.

Weird.

[CallMeChip]

lol so what's your excuse now that it's 50-49? And only increasing because you obviously can't fathom that the West coast, which tends to favor Obama, reports their numbers later ... as if they operate on a different time or something.

Weird.

He can't answer that one. No Republican can. Just wait for the coming week and all the accusations of voter fraud.

[d2bets]

Obama will win popular vote anyway. But if the election was straight national popular vote, what would happen if the margin truly was razor thin? 50 state recount. There would be legal skirmishes everywhere instead of just battlegrounds. Just not a feasible solution.

[daimoshokage]

Obama is now leading in the popular votes

[neverstoppers23]

The Democrat voting hispanic population will grow in Fla. and Virginia. Those states will turn permanently blue, maybe not for awhile, but they will.

Eventually the math won't add up for Republican candidates to win the electoral vote..That's when we'll see the Republicans push for popular vote to become law.

We're seeing the slow death of the Republican party as we know it. Look for them to put young, brown party members everywhere you look.

exactly the gop needs to change its message on social issues such as gay marriage, immigration and womens issues. unless its looking very unlikely they can win anther election.