Decision 2004

[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by bmxmon :

Umm, two things.

1: Cupcake, i believe, it says you live in North Carolina.

Umm, 'Cupcake' stated in earlier posts that she is a native of Ecuador. She is a fairly recent immigrant to America, thus her comments and observations give us another, interesting perspective on our country.

2: I think that the electoral college is kinda BS

Your history teacher was giving you 'BS'.

As you correctly noted; if we elected presidents by a pure popular vote only the six or seven largest-population states would determine the winner, leaving the voters of some 40+ states with no say in who was president. That is simply untenable in a democratic society. Hence: the Electoral College and no, it's not 'perfect' but it has worked very well for 200 years.

Informationally: the Founding Fathers wanted to restrict voting rights to those who owned property and it was a tough fight to keep that provision out of the constitution...but they did. The Founders also wanted to elect presidents by having congressional Representatives and Senators do the voting, not a popular eelection. That idea died, too. The feeling was that only educated, responsible people should be allowed to vote. I agree - but in reality that is a somewhat elitist concept and clearly less than democratic so all U.S. citizens who meet minimal qualifications of residence, age and no felony record can now vote.

Your turn will come next year. I trust that you'll appreciate and avail yourself of that privilege so many have fought and died to protect. I know that 'CupCake', when she becomes legally eligible, will be eager to vote and she sets a fine example for all of us in her appreciation of the freedom and rights in America that we take so casually as our due.