Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Turning off the electoral vote.

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
Home » Discuss » Topic Forums » Congress Donate to DU
 
vicarofrevelwood Donating Member (190 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-26-11 09:57 AM
Original message
Turning off the electoral vote.
This is part of a letter to the editor of the Trenton Times, of Trenton NJ.It was in response to eliminating the Electoral collage.


The fact that the Electoral College vote is based upon the numbers of representatives in the house plus 2 senators from each state is correct. However this is based on the number of people being represented by each House member, currently at 700,000 Per. Let me explain why this is so important.
At the time of the constitution’s signing, we had one House member for every 30,000 citizens, this was the constitutional mandate. By the time the house capped itself in 1911 it was almost at 200,000 per House member, Due to population growth from the census before in 1900 to 1910. What did our esteemed House do? Well Instead of voting on a ratio of how many citizens per House member, after the 1910 census as directed by the constitution, the federalist papers and the house rules at the time. These self important thieves chose the low road and robbed the people of their representation, capping the House at 435 members. As a result of the expanding House districts, there has been an insidious and substantial disenfranchisement of the voter. We are today the second worst represented republic in the world. Do you, or did you ever wonder why your voice doesn’t seem to count? Well wonder no more my friends.
Today we have one house member for every 700,000 people. I’d like to make another relevant point here. This is an average; the numbers for each representative varies so much the congressional district rule* has all but been abandoned. SO THIS QUESTION STANDS AND DEMANDS TO BE ANSWERED, Why are the 525,000 citizens in Rode Island politically equal to 745,000 in Utah?
Since the House Cap in 1911 we have added 4 states to the Union, and 200,000,000 people. What are some of the net results? We now have 5 states with only 1 representative each and the voting of the Electoral College now no longer reflects the will of the people as it has done in the past. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
To do away with the Electoral College is a folly! From the citizens point of view it’s just another way the individual House members retain His/Her powerful little fiefdoms, with benefits to make us working folk scream in rage. What should we the people do? Well if we enlarged the House, lower the ratio of people to representatives this will diminish their power base, their by make them more responsive to the newer smaller districts. House members will be harder to corrupt, and will much less likely be able to pander to various demographics in each of the newer smaller districts. Unlike the over sized districts we have today. ( not my Words But G. Washington’s at the constitutional debate.) Then to reflect the new enlarged size of the House we would have a new enlarged Electoral College, more likely to reflect the view of the general population. This would End the Electoral College problem constitutionally without going through 37 states to do so.
For More information on this and other problems dealing with a constricted House size, Please see the web pamphlet at, Http//www.thirty-thousand.org. Explore this and other reasons why the House of Representatives does not represent you! Then write your House member!

* THE “CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RULE” REQUIRES STRICT EQUALITY OF POPULATION FOR EACH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. THIS RULE COMES FROM ARTICLE I OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION, AND IT REQUIRES CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS TO BE “AS MATHEMATICALLY EQUAL AS REASONABLY POSSIBLE.” The purpose of this principle is to prevent politicians from unfairly dividing political power among districts of different sizes as UNEQUAL REPRESENTATION EXAGGERATES THE VOTING POWER OF THOSE IN SMALLER DISTRICTS AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE IN LARGER DISTRICTS.
Refresh | +2 Recommendations Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
Warren Stupidity Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-26-11 10:49 AM
Response to Original message
1. "To do away with the Electoral College is a folly!"
No it isn't. I agree that the HR needs to return to the 30,000-1 ratio. At the same time, and for similar reasons, we should elect the president by direct popular vote with a requirement for a majority rather than a plurality and an instant run-off ballot system to accomplish that.
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
just55650 Donating Member (46 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-14-11 08:37 PM
Response to Reply #1
5. agreed
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
WAFS Donating Member (83 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Aug-24-11 09:08 PM
Response to Reply #1
6. Good post. n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
tnlurker Donating Member (698 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-26-11 10:52 AM
Response to Original message
2. K&R
Nicely done

Do you mind if I steal this?
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
roberto IS beto Donating Member (55 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-27-11 09:57 AM
Response to Original message
3. my math shows 10,000
Maybe I did the math wrong, but if we have 300,000,000 citizens, and there is one congressional representative for every 30,000 citizens, that equals 10,000 members in the House of Representatives.
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
Cereal Kyller Donating Member (400 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jul-03-11 10:29 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. Yeah
You're right
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-30-11 10:10 AM
Response to Original message
7. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
GESICC Donating Member (17 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Oct-31-11 06:02 AM
Response to Original message
8. No one even knows what the EC is
I say we establish some criteria for what we want in our
candidates, (good work history, no criminal record, ...) and
draw candidates by lottery, then let the competition for votes
begin.  (OK, not so seriously:o)
But how about we insist all campaign contributions be
anonymous?  This is a little off topic, or is it?
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Sat Dec 21st 2024, 11:22 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Topic Forums » Congress Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC