Let’s say that Obama runs a great race and gets a great number of people to vote for him. Let’s also say he wins the popular vote but loses the election based on the way we vote in this country. I can see angry people with fist of rage rioting in the streets and marching on DC demanding answers. I can see pointless blood shed over the evilness of the rules. I know that it can happen and that people will scream CONSPIRACY. I know people will feel let down and hurt but we do not need to get violent about it so put down you pitchforks and torches, you will not need them… yet. So let me ask you again.
What would happen if Obama wins the popular vote but loses the race for the presidency? Can this happen? YES, it happened in the 2000 election when Al Gore had popular vote with 50,999,897 votes and Bush only had 50,456,002 and yet Bush won. How is that possible? Well, no need too riot; let me tell you how that occurred. It is called the Electoral College. What is the Electoral College and how does it work?
It is simple; you have 538 Electoral votes available during an election. These votes are divided into each stated according to the number of seats that you have in congress. The number of seats a state has in congress is based on the population. To win the Electoral College, all you need in order to be the president is 270 of the Electoral votes. Some states have a large population and a large amount of Electoral power. Basically you can win the presidency by winning Electoral College in as few as 11 states without having the popular vote or spending millions going to each state. These are the 12 states you need 11 of them to win in order to win become the next president of the USA: California-55
New York-31
Texas-34
Florida-27
Pennsylvania-21
Illinois-21
Ohio-20
Michigan-10
New Jersey-15
North Carolina-15
Georgia-15
Virginia-13 Notice that California has a whopping 55 votes, which is 1/5 of all the Electoral votes. That is a lot of power for just one state. So now you can see there is no need to riot. Our system is a little bit screwy but it works, sometimes not perfectly and sometimes it can be cheated but for the most part no one cheats to win an election. Now that you have a better idea how the system works, if this happens to poor young Obama you can be upset, a little mad, but not riotous. What if it happens to McCain, what if Obama only wins those 11 states he needs to win, and McCain has the popular vote will you be upset then? Think about it, why would it upset you one way and not the other? Are you evil? Do you have ice flowing though your veins? If the system is going to upset you, it should upset you no matter which way the results go. We need to create our own change or accept what we have as good, not play favorites.
I never understood this system, even after my husband has explained it several time. I do have one question: Do all states give all electoral votes to the same candidate or can they split them?
I am not sure if I like this way or why it was set up to pyramid like this. DO you suggest we should accept this way or do you have a better plan/ idea how to make the voting system/ pattern better?
~T
All truths are easy to understand once discovered; The point is to discover them ~Galileo
I would suggest that the two candidates fight to the death and the winner be put into office...Okay I am joking I would like to see the american vote count, every vote, not this disection of of poeple and the winner take all the votes. As for can the state split I am not sure but I know the person who does the Electoral vote does not have to listen to his area and can vote anyway he/she chooses.
I am not telling you to read my blog but if you want you can access it at http://www.progressiveu.org/223749-unfairness-doctrine
In response to whispers awnesty's question, we practice the "winner take all" rule when divvying up the electoral votes. If a presidential candidate wins the popular vote in a state (that is, gets 50% plus 1 vote), then that candidate gets ALL of that state's electoral votes. Consider, then, California: perhaps Obama will only win this state's popular vote by a few percentage points, but he will get all 55 of its electoral votes. (Note that this is different than the way the primary election works in most states, where delegates are awarded proportionally based upon the popular vote).
Still, I like the idea of the electoral college. I think it was originally set up because the Founding Fathers thought that many Americans would not be very informed about their presidential candidates (not because they were stupid, but because of the lack of communication technology).
The advantage of the electoral college is that it requires a candidate to do TWO things in order to win an election: win almost all of the popular vote, and have widespread support throughout the entire country.
I have not had time to find the information for whispers awnesty question. I am sure that the founding fathers made the best choose and as far as I know the Electoral College has never failed us.
I am not telling you to read my blog but if you want you can access it at http://www.progressiveu.org/152630-let-s-not-riot-electoral-college
If it happens to McCain, will you say it's unfair?
I sincerely doubt there will be any rioting. People do not feel as strongly bout politics here as they do in Europe, and Americans certainly do not feel as strongly about politics as they feel about sporting events. If McCain were to beat Obama at basketball or hockey because of lousy refs, then yes, there would be car-burning riots.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
:))
:bows:
~T
All truths are easy to understand once discovered; The point is to discover them ~Galileo
I would not be upset I would be worried about having Obama as the president but I would not be upset if McCain lost in the Electoral College.
Also I would like for Americans to take more pride in politics or at least half of what they have in their sports team. But that would also scary me I am a Nebraska fan and needless to say but Husker (the college sports team of Nebraska) fan refer to themselves as fanatic for a good reason and that level of commitment from one state in politics I am not sure that Congress would like that or be able to handle it at all. I thank you for your post it made me laugh
I am not telling you to read my blog but if you want you can access it at http://www.progressiveu.org/152630-let-s-not-riot-electoral-college
They have a nice campus. I ran on their track a couple of times. Wouldn't it be amazing if people in every state knew as much about their government as they do about their sports heroes? Dare to dream......
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I can honestly say I know as mush about sports as I do about politics.... Unfortunately that is nothing.
Were did all the passion go anyways.
~T
All truths are easy to understand once discovered; The point is to discover them ~Galileo
I sold it for food.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
YOur not talking about prostitution are you?
~T
All truths are easy to understand once discovered; The point is to discover them ~Galileo
I'm just saying that it gets pretty easy to be distracted by the price of this and that and working extra hours to make ends meet...it doesn't leave much room for things like grassroots organizing, volunteering, and researching solutions. People are too busy working, and will accept what the media feeds them because its quicker. I sold my passion for the ability to pay for groceries.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I never really thought that Europeans took their politics more seriously than we do. The one example that stands out in my mind are the Spanish exchange students I met two semesters ago. They were amazed that we had a class called American Government, whose sole purpose was to study American politics. No such class exists in the Spanish classroom.
Plus, you don't see energizing political campaigns in Europe (that I know of). In fact, our Democratic primary election continually made top headlines in Europe. I think the only exception regarding Europeans taking their politics more seriously than us is in countries where poverty and inequality abound. In these countries, people are angry and desperate for change, so they get very involved (and often riotous) about their politics.
Good point about our sports though. Still, those Europeans get really rowdy about their sports (especially soccer). When Greece won the European Cup in 2004, Athens literally burned as frenzied (probably drunk) fans swept into the streets in celebration. Maybe it's not an American or European phenomenon, but a human phenomenon.
One time during student congress I was trying to pass a bill (the bill I wrote) to create a constitutional ammendment to get rid of the EC and a girl said "yeah but how long do you think it would take to count every vote in the united states"
>.<
I am pretty sure they still count every vote in the united state.... they might not matter but they are still counted.
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Full full writings and ideas see TravisMcCrea.com
You can be a liberal republican, you can be a conservative democrat... just letting you know.
I do not know how I would have handled that. I think after I stopped laughing I would have tried to say something. Thank you for your comment.
I am not telling you to read my blog but if you want you can access it at http://www.progressiveu.org/152630-let-s-not-riot-electoral-college