YEA OR NAY!
I am currently occupied in my annual phase of evaluating the wisdom of either continuing the use of the Electoral College system in our presidential elections,or junking the antiquated system completely.
The subject comes up every November when many people reflect on what they consider to have been the “iffy” points of recent or ancient elections. Very often great effort goes into such studies concerning that which may happened had voters not been subject to the oppressive elements of the Electoral College system.
The arguments set forth seems violently revolutionary to some, but others see the suggested changes as logical improvements to the system. It is easy to show that we do not vote for the candidate, but rather for the elector who will,then,in turn, vote for a candidate of chosen according to hard, set rules of based on studies of the make up of the area concerned with such things as population. trade, wealth and stature among other places of like interests and nature. Tradition plays a prominent role in determining where the votes will go. The whole thing appears to be very un-democratic and citizens hearing of it for the first time sometimes do not believe that such a an archaic system exists -much less prevails. At times criticism gets as far as our Congress but the last time that happened the house junked it and the Senate restored it. So, it stayed about the same it has been for many, many years years.
We hear little about it save in actual election times when millions of citizens either discover or re-discover how critical Electoral College systems are when we chose president or vice-president. In years past,I tended to side with those who wish to eliminate the Electoral College system; but it now seems we had best pause and, at least,question our observing the same old rituals as if they have not been questioned at all. It is time we re-examine this process.
Can the subject be brought forward for some responsible body to study and evaluate to decide if we should leave as is - undisturbed and festering, or opened up and examined to see if it is in keeping with with modern conditions or uncertain traditions? Isn't it time for us to see if we need to exorcise our old election litany? How can we allow it to go on-and-on year after year; decade after decade and never questioned as to genuine value?
. But, the question remains: who will cast the first stone? The Electoral College system is a clumsy, corroded, creaky leftover from a former era of our rather curious political life in this country – an era long-since departed with all its other frills. But, who among us is ready and willing to throw the first stone... to destroy it?
A.L.M. January 25, 2005 [c487wds]
