Ben Carson: Gid Rid of Electoral College

newsmax ^ | 4/16/16 | t beamon

[doldrumsforgop]

Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson said Saturday that "we need to make some changes" to the nation's political system — possibly even abolishing the Electoral College — because it's a process "that's disregarding the will of the people."

"One of the reasons that this is the year of the outsiders because people were so tired of the status quo and the rules that were arbitrary, created to advantage one group or another group," Carson, the retired pediatric neurosurgeon, told Uma Pemmaraju on Fox News. "Whatever happened to 'We are the people, the American people?'

"The power has been served," added Carson, who quit the 2016 race last month and has since endorsed Donald Trump. "That's what people are irritated about.

"This makes it extraordinarily clear: It is not about Donald Trump or Ted Cruz or anybody else. It is about the system."

The Electoral College, established by the Founding Fathers via the U.S. Constitution, has long been targeted as an example of circumventing the will of the American people.

[napscoordinator]

If Cruz would stop cheating, we could keep the current election system. Both parties want a change to American corruption in elections. I hope it happens.

[PLMerite]

More evidence that Ben Carson is not ready for prime time.

[MD Expat in PA]

I’ve got an even better idea. Let’s completely do away with state primaries, delegates, conventions, even political parties AND the Electoral College.

Let’s replace it with a televised elimination competition.

There could be a couple of weeks of auditions where we could get big laugh out of the really bad auditions and no doubt these would be the Libertarians and Green Party candidates. But anyone who gets one of the 12 golden tickets, they go on to Hollywood DC. We could call it “American POTUS”.

Then for the next 13 weeks all the competitors for POTUS get to perform by giving a brief speech on a pre-defined topic. Following their speech, a panel of judges would critique them and I’d really love to see what Simon Cowell would have to say … then Ryan Seacrest comes out, asks a few questions and then asks viewers to text a vote for their favorite. (Yea, I know - How do you prevent someone from voting multiple times or keep illegals from voting? But I think that could be figured out. Maybe Apple could develop an app for that.)

We could also have filmed “backstories” in between the speeches replacing all campaign ads. We might even have one or more nights where say the remaining 6 have to perform tasks as would the real POTUS (how would you handle the 3 AM phone call, etc.) sort of like on The Apprentice and would be judged on how well they did with Arnold Schwarzenegger telling the one with the fewest votes “You’re faured” or “Hasta La Vista Baby”. One night there could be a dance off – a handy test of their skills at those State Dinners or maybe a First Lady (or First Dude) fashion show competition.

Whoever gets the fewest votes is eliminated the following night, and so on and so on until it gets down to the final 3. On the night of the big finale, the one with the most votes is the winner gets to be POTUS and the runner up gets to be VP and the loser is sent off to Naked and Afraid or maybe becomes Secretary of State.

I agree, who needs a Constitutional Republic or that pesky old document called the Constitution and the Electoral College? College? That just reeks of elitism by its very name anyway and white privilege too no doubt.

WHAT DO WE WANT? TO END THE REPUBLIC! WHEN DO WE WANT TO END IT? NOW!

And just think of the Inaugural Parade.

[TheNext]

Trump & Carson are correct, the Electoral College is a disaster. No commenter here defines terms, so the conclusions become nonsense. The US Constitution is deeply flawed, written by lawyers. “Electoral College” has different meanings.

If EC means States rights, then EC is good.

If EC means Govt selects it’s own Govt officers, then EC is an authoritarian disaster.

Democracy and populism does not create socialism, Govt self selection brings socialism because it’s self survival.

Trump & Carson are correct, Electoral College is NOT Republic-ism, EC creates socialism.

[mtrott]

“If Cruz would stop cheating, we could keep the current election system. Both parties want a change to American corruption in elections. I hope it happens.”

Be careful what you wish for. Things can get much, much worse if we lose our republican form of government.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Bingo...you said it all. He clearly doesn’t understand the concept of a constitutional republic and how it protects people. He’d convert us to a full democracy with that miserable 47% stealing everything until the human spirit is thoroughly debased and corroded. Then nobody would work. He has shown time and time again he’s very liberal and knows little about the human soul.

[freedomjusticeruleoflaw]

The foundation of the INTENDED DISCONNECT between the PEOPLE within the States and the federal government is the electoral college.

[napscoordinator]

We don’t have to go drastic. Just require states to have primaries during promptly season. And 1 state primary a week for 50 weeks. The campaigns last two years anyway.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Who cares if it is Lyin’ Ted, Lyin’ Trump or Lyin’ Kasich. It is not about the candidate. It is about the issue. I want each of them on record with no wiggle room.

[don-o]

We don’t have to go drastic. Just require states to have primaries during promptly season.

And how do you propose to compel the states this time? Go ahead, let your inner tyrant out for all to see.

[servantboy777]

If we’d thrown away the EC....Gore would have won the presidency. Yikes!

[doldrumsforgop]

“For once the Trump supporters are strangely silent on this thread....”

Oh, they do slip in to contribute nothing meaningful, but just attacks.

JUst like DT

[Chgogal]

Give your Cruz bias a rest. Ben Carson is very wrong about this. I am going to vote for Trump.

[Chgogal]

I totally agree. Ben Carson is very wrong about this.

Vote Trump!

[doldrumsforgop]

that is taking true authority from the states.

the current EC mirrors what the Founders intended as to electors in same proportion as Congress.

Your solution would simply throw all the energy onto the gerrymandering of congressional districts.

[doldrumsforgop]

“Give your Cruz bias a rest. Ben Carson is very wrong about this. I am going to vote for Trump. “

? And that is your contribution on the content of this thread?

Adding nothing but attacking, very Trumpesque.

[fooman]

So your position is to get rid of the Electoral College and let the people decide?

[fooman]

Trump AND Carson agree on this issue...

[SoFloFreeper]

My bad. it was a 2012 tweet. thanks, MD

[Jacquerie]

Repeal of the 17A wouldn't help the internal situation of Illinois.

The people sent by Illinois legislators to the senate may well be dirtbags.

However, in the aggregate, the return to a senate of the states would soon serve to limit Washington's intrusion into state affairs reserved by the 9A/10A.