Was Our Electoral College Structure Divisive From The Start?
The landscape of America has changed drastically since our founders designed the electoral structure. Evidently, some of it can use a little updating. Would that tighten the divide between parties and politics? I think it might. At least, I feel certain that amendments are needed to make our elections more democratic. This article in the Smithsonian Magazine is well researched and raises a few interesting questions. I feel, a few amendments to our electoral college are overdue and without them, we are sure to repeat elections that don’t seem to express the true view of our population’s majority.
There is nothing complicated about ensuring that ALL elected high powered individuals, in the three parts of the U.S.Government. When all high powered officials, of all three parts, are elected by the American people, we will ensure a true democracy. A current and modern one that is inclusive of all our diversity. Why is it difficult to include names of all officials, every 4 years, on the ballot? In the meantime, when it comes to presidential elections, why is it so difficult to include on the ballot, whether or not, you’d cast your vote with the popular vote if different from the electoral college vote?
These days, we are more literate and less trusting of being fooled by powerful politicians. We ought to raise our voices and encourage the people, of all parties, who have been asking Congress to challenge the electoral college. An understanding of the whys are elementary. Understanding the structure, its origin and design will clarify, how and why, if amended, it will diminish the political divide. Once we feel that our elections express the views of most of us, we will feel less ‘unheard’ and truly part of a democracy. Even the nomination of our Supreme Court Justices, considering it’s a lifetime appointment, should really be amended to reflect the majority’s views instead of one person’s view. When one person, or a few elected officials, elect someone to power, it throws a power imbalance into the works, among the three branches of government. Currently such imbalances exist in our electoral college vote, i.e., president and our supreme court nominations. I wonder what would happen if most Americans vote? Would we then stop and take notice? What would an 80% vote say? Would such a ratio make us amend our elections? Well, I will be voting and hopefully one day, I will witness a few needed amendments to our election process.
What kind of vigorous debate that Thomas Jefferson so aptly said must be present, could ever go on, when so much comes from the power of the electoral college?
