Ok, I am back on the Electoral College as my tenative topic.
What I Already Know
- The basics of how The Electoral College works.
- The Electoral College needs to be capitalized like I have done, but for the rest of this blog I am going to refer to it as the EC.
- The EC was first started because of transportation issues and the general lack of intelligence of the American People.
- CA is currently in the process of a reform attempt of the EC.
- The majority of the controversy is based on equal voting rights and unconstitutionality
- Most people do not appreciate the EC.
- The EC is somewhat outdated.
- When the Electors vote, they do not have to go with the general public vote, it's which ever way they want to vote.
- The EC is based on the Roman Republic, and we all know how that ended.
Possible Questions About My Topic
- Do most Americans know how the EC works?
- Do they have an opinion on the EC?/How do they feel?
- Does the EC create a biased vote?
- Is the EC Fair?
- Does the EC fit into the catergory of a Democratic Republic?
- Why do we need it now?
- Why are people for the EC?
- What do politicians/presidential candidates think about the EC?
- Why is the EC still around?
- Who are the electors?
- Who chooses the electors?
- Why isn't this subject talked about more?
- Why isn't there more information widespread?
- Why don't people care about the EC?
- Are there more areas of controversy for the EC?
- Do presidential candidates pay/wine and dine the Electors?
- Are the Electors deeply involved in the EC
- What is a Swing Vote?
- Why do we even hold a popular vote if it doesn't count for anything?
- How come people don't care about their right to vote?
- Why is voting considered boring?
- Why hasn't the subject of change come up more bluntly?
Anyone have any more questions to add???
4 comments:
The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).
Every vote, everywhere, would be politically relevant and equal in presidential elections.
The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes--that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill comes into effect, all the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).
The Constitution gives every state the power to allocate its electoral votes for president, as well as to change state law on how those votes are awarded.
The bill is currently endorsed by over 1,659 state legislators (in 48 states) who have sponsored and/or cast recorded votes in favor of the bill.
In Gallup polls since 1944, only about 20% of the public has supported the current system of awarding all of a state's electoral votes to the presidential candidate who receives the most votes in each separate state (with about 70% opposed and about 10% undecided). The recent Washington Post, Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard University poll shows 72% support for direct nationwide election of the President. This national result is similar to recent polls in closely divided battleground states: Colorado-- 68%, Iowa --75%, Michigan-- 73%, Missouri-- 70%, New Hampshire-- 69%, Nevada-- 72%, New Mexico-- 76%, North Carolina-- 74%, Ohio-- 70%, Pennsylvania -- 78%, Virginia -- 74%, and Wisconsin -- 71%; in smaller states (3 to 5 electoral votes): Delaware --75%, Maine -- 77%, Nebraska -- 74%, New Hampshire --69%, Nevada -- 72%, New Mexico -- 76%, Rhode Island -- 74%, and Vermont -- 75%; in Southern and border states: Arkansas --80%, Kentucky -- 80%, Mississippi --77%, Missouri -- 70%, North Carolina -- 74%, and Virginia -- 74%; and in other states polled: California -- 70%, Connecticut -- 74% , Massachusetts -- 73%, New York -- 79%, Washington -- 77%, and West Virginia- 81%. Support is strong in every partisan and demographic group surveyed.
The National Popular Vote bill has passed 29 state legislative chambers, in 19 small, medium-small, medium, and large states, including one house in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Oregon, and both houses in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The bill has been enacted by Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, and Washington. These five states possess 61 electoral votes -- 23% of the 270 necessary to bring the law into effect.
See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com
There have been 22,000 electoral votes cast since presidential elections became competitive (in 1796), and only 10 have been cast for someone other than the candidate nominated by the elector's own political party. The electors are dedicated party activists of the winning party who meet briefly in mid-December to cast their totally predictable votes in accordance with their pre-announced pledges.
Jen,
The question I find most interesting is "Do most Americans know how the EC works?". My personal guess would be no they don't!
My question for you is: Do the two different parties (Democrat and Republican) still believe there is a need for the Electoral College?
I would like to comment also on the fact that much of your post, and pretty much all of your questions you would like to answer seem very biased. I don't know if for you personally it will effect your writing and research, or if it even will matter for the style of research paper you are planning to write... But it is something you should be very aware of as you go through this process.
Good Luck,
Courtney
Jen
It looks like you have had some passionate responses to your postings. Im excited for you. Looks like you have picked a topic that will get some reaction and hopefully it means it will be easy to find information on it.
The one thing I would want to know as I read your paper is about voting. I know sometimes it is hard for me to vote because I never feel I have the correct information. I know I want my taxes to go down, but at what cost. I know who I may like for Governor but what is said about the other guy that isnt true. It just seems its hard to get the truth, and it makes it hard for some like me to make such an important decision. I wonder how many feel like I do about voting?
The question I most liked is ..
" What do politicians/presidential candidates think about the EC?". I would like to know what past and current leaders think about the EC.
Good luck,
Ginny
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