Posted on 04/02/2012 11:25:48 AM PDT by WPaCon
Close your eyes for a moment, and imagine how we might elect the next president without seeing a single TV commercial, without a single Political Action Committee, without a single debate, without a single dollar changing hands, without a single "support me and I'll appoint you Secretary of State," without months of endless, meaningless promises that try the soul of the most patient patriots.
Can't be done? It can be done. It has been done. It is the system designed by the Framers of the Constitution. It is the system that elected President George Washington.
By 1795, however, when it came time to elect Washington's successor, the Federalists, represented by John Adams, and the Democratic-Republicans, represented by Thomas Jefferson, were far more concerned about gaining power and control of government than about electing the best person to be president.
The original system required each state to select the same number of Electors as the number of Senators and Representatives to which the state was entitled, "but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector" (Article II Section 1 Clause 2). This group of non-government employees had but one task: "The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves" (Article II Section 1 Clause 3). These names were compiled and sent to the President of the Senate. The Electors job was done; when they adjourned from their one-day meeting, there were no more Electors.
(Excerpt) Read more at renewamerica.com ...
Any comments?
Yeah. That Electoral College must be a pretty fancy place. Odd how their students only work once every four years, and they never graduate.
For all of Alexander Hamilton's faults, he was still a hero in my eyes for giving his vote and even his life to prevent that disaster.
The states cut their own throats by allowing direct election of electors on a winner take all basis. But the firewall is still available if states wish to use it. South Carolina had the state legislature pick electors until 1860. Maine introduced the congressional district selection system in time for the 1972 election and Nebraska did so in time for the 1992 election.
Pennsylvania could have done the same this year. We had solid GOP majorities in both houses and a GOP governor pledged to sign it into law. The only thing which stopped it was hissy fit opposition from our asshat GOP chairman who was afraid that it would dilute his power on the national scene.
Really?
That's especially interesting to me since I am from Pennsylvania and have lived there for most of my life, but did not know about this.
There is a lot of news on the topic (before Gleason made it vanish), ranging from the hyperbolic hissy fits of the left to a more rational newsclip from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
At this point, I'm thinking the National GOP Committee should be pressured to reform delegate allocation to put a lot more emphasis on the state's potential and performance in delivering actual electoral votes to the GOP than on their population.
Then asshats like Gleason would have to way the potential for slightly diminished influence in GOP blow-out sized presidential elections versus the certainly of greatly diminished influence in close elections.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.