“the Electoral College System Is in Urgent Need of Reform.” Why Has This Been Difficult to Achieve and to What Extent Is It Needed.
- Submitted by: ocjt2007
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- Category: Politics
- Date Submitted: 02/28/2011 01:20 AM
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The Electoral College can be defined as a body of electors chosen by the voters in each state to elect the president and vice-president of America. Under the Electoral College system, it is possible for a candidate to loose the nationwide popular vote, yet to be elected by winning in only 11 key states. As a result of this, the Electoral College system effectively removes the power to select the American president form the hands of the American people.
When writing the constitution the founding fathers intended that the state not the people, select the president. The feared that placing unlimited power to select the president into the politically naive hands of the people could lead to a “tyranny of the majority.” However, recent arguments from critics state that by taking the selection of the president out of the hands of the public at large, the Electoral College system defies the ideologies of democracy and is in need of urgent reform.
For this to happen first a presidential candidate must lose the nationwide popular vote, but be elected in the Electoral College. This has only happened twice in the last 213 years: In 1876, republican Rutherford B. Hayes, with 4,036,298 popular votes won 185 electoral votes. His main opponent, Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, won the popular vote with 4,300,590 votes, but only won 184 electoral votes. Hayes was elected president.
Similarly, in 1888 Republican Benjamin Harrison, with 5,439,853 popular votes won 233 electoral votes. His main opponent, Democrat Grover Cleveland, won the popular vote with 5,540,309 votes, but won only 168 electoral votes. Harrison was elected president.
Secondly, the constitutional amendment must gain a two-thirds vote from both houses of congress and be ratified by three-fourths of the states. It is unlikely that either the Republicans or the Democrats would hold a strong majority of seats in Congress. As the constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote from both houses, it must...
When writing the constitution the founding fathers intended that the state not the people, select the president. The feared that placing unlimited power to select the president into the politically naive hands of the people could lead to a “tyranny of the majority.” However, recent arguments from critics state that by taking the selection of the president out of the hands of the public at large, the Electoral College system defies the ideologies of democracy and is in need of urgent reform.
For this to happen first a presidential candidate must lose the nationwide popular vote, but be elected in the Electoral College. This has only happened twice in the last 213 years: In 1876, republican Rutherford B. Hayes, with 4,036,298 popular votes won 185 electoral votes. His main opponent, Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, won the popular vote with 4,300,590 votes, but only won 184 electoral votes. Hayes was elected president.
Similarly, in 1888 Republican Benjamin Harrison, with 5,439,853 popular votes won 233 electoral votes. His main opponent, Democrat Grover Cleveland, won the popular vote with 5,540,309 votes, but won only 168 electoral votes. Harrison was elected president.
Secondly, the constitutional amendment must gain a two-thirds vote from both houses of congress and be ratified by three-fourths of the states. It is unlikely that either the Republicans or the Democrats would hold a strong majority of seats in Congress. As the constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote from both houses, it must...