Electoral College and Your Vote

OK, I am on my political soap box again. I am not going to get into how many years ago it was, but government was something that I had to take in high school. So, it was so dull and boring and now that I am older (much older) I wish I had asked more questions. Maybe I would have changed my path in life.

Did you know that the President can win by popular vote, but lose the election because they did not carry the Electoral College majority? Well, that is true and it can happen. In our history (check it out) we have had three Presidents that have been placed into office because the won by electoral votes and not by popular votes! I will go from the most current to the oldest:

1. George W. Bush beat out Gore, but it was Gore who had the most popular votes, but Bush carried the most electoral votes. Gore had almost 500,000 plus more votes

2. Grover Cleveland beat out Benjamin Harrison, but Harrison has the most popular votes.

3. Rutheford B Hayes beat out Samuel J. Tilden, but Tilden had the most popular votes.

Why do we have the Electoral College? It was put in place by our founding fathers so that no one part of the country would have control of our government. It is good and has a sound basis and for its time it served its needs.

What makes me nervous today about Article II, section 1 of the Constitution. That there are those that serve in the Electoral College may not vote the way their people vote and vote the opposite. This has happened in our history. There is no federal law that requires an elector to vote according to their pledge (to their respective party) More than a few electors have cast their votes without following the popular vote or their party. These electors are called "faithless electors." There are some states that have placed into law making this action a misdemeanor and charging $10,000 fine. But legal laws being what they are if challenged the guilty party would get off because it would not survive a constitutional challenge.

So, what is my point, we are betting on the good character of those in the electoral College to support and vote the way of the party in their area. So, those with money who spend millions to make billions may just say hey vote for this person and we will get you this. So, can someone by say 280 personnel with some getting maybe a million and others more, just to vote in favor of this person or that? What are the required qualifications for an elector? Hey guess what? There are none!

Here are some of the people that can be electors: people who are politically active in their party, or connected to the political circle, like: activists, party leaders, elected officials of the state and even people who have ties (political and/or personal) to the Presidential candidates, themselves.

Now given today’s climate, tell me if the government can be bought if there is enough money floating around? I am less scared by one part of the country having more influence that I am about the greedy few that will buy what they want in order to further their own gains.

We are at a very important point in our country where we need to be focused, ask questions, challenge the process, be open minded, but check and cross check our sources of information. The President can only be in office for two four year terms, well maybe that needs to flow down. Having professional politicians in this day and age may not be the answer. I do not have the answer, but I know there are a lot of people out there far smarter than me and I think we are at a point where we need to ensure that the common man is back in position to understand the real feelings of our country.

Sorry for this long soap box ranting, but we need to be involved in the process before we are taken completely out of it.