The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolition

Coito ergo sum
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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by Coito ergo sum » Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:52 pm

Mysturji wrote:
Woodbutcher wrote:The best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.
Like a benign tumour.
Woodbutcher wrote:Things get done.
That;s exactly what we DON'T want from government. Left to their own devices, the vast majority of people govern themselves far better than anyone else ever could. What we need government for is that tiny minority who can't - or won't - govern themselves responsibly, and to provide the infrastructure necessary for a functioning civilisation.
.
Indeed...

From a great Brit -- “The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” ― Thomas Paine

And, as aptly stated by P.J. O'Rourke --"Giving money and power to the government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

MrJonno
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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by MrJonno » Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:16 pm

That;s exactly what we DON'T want from government. Left to their own devices, the vast majority of people govern themselves far better than anyone else ever could. What we need government for is that tiny minority who can't - or won't - govern themselves responsibly, and to provide the infrastructure necessary for a functioning civilisation.
Disagree left to their own devices people form governments, they either want others to run things or they want to be the government themselves but few are neutral
When only criminals carry guns the police know exactly who to shoot!

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Mysturji
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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by Mysturji » Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:35 pm

Coito ergo sum wrote:
Mysturji wrote:
Woodbutcher wrote:The best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.
Like a benign tumour.
Woodbutcher wrote:Things get done.
That;s exactly what we DON'T want from government. Left to their own devices, the vast majority of people govern themselves far better than anyone else ever could. What we need government for is that tiny minority who can't - or won't - govern themselves responsibly, and to provide the infrastructure necessary for a functioning civilisation.
.
Indeed...

From a great Brit -- “The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” ― Thomas Paine

And, as aptly stated by P.J. O'Rourke --"Giving money and power to the government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."
See? I knew you were a Liberal at heart. :flowers:
Sir Figg Newton wrote:If I have seen further than others, it is only because I am surrounded by midgets.
Cormac wrote:Doom predictors have been with humans right through our history. They are like the proverbial stopped clock - right twice a day, but not due to the efficacy of their prescience.
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Mysturji
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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by Mysturji » Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:39 pm

MrJonno wrote:
That;s exactly what we DON'T want from government. Left to their own devices, the vast majority of people govern themselves far better than anyone else ever could. What we need government for is that tiny minority who can't - or won't - govern themselves responsibly, and to provide the infrastructure necessary for a functioning civilisation.
Disagree left to their own devices people form governments, they either want others to run things or they want to be the government themselves but few are neutral
Disagree. Those that want others to run things govern themselves by submitting to others. If they want to be sheep, that's their choice. By themselves, they're Mostly Harmless.
It's the minority who want to be in charge (of others) you need to watch out for.
Sir Figg Newton wrote:If I have seen further than others, it is only because I am surrounded by midgets.
Cormac wrote:Doom predictors have been with humans right through our history. They are like the proverbial stopped clock - right twice a day, but not due to the efficacy of their prescience.
IDMD2
I am a twit.

Coito ergo sum
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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by Coito ergo sum » Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:46 pm

Mysturji wrote:
Coito ergo sum wrote:
Mysturji wrote:
Woodbutcher wrote:The best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.
Like a benign tumour.
Woodbutcher wrote:Things get done.
That;s exactly what we DON'T want from government. Left to their own devices, the vast majority of people govern themselves far better than anyone else ever could. What we need government for is that tiny minority who can't - or won't - govern themselves responsibly, and to provide the infrastructure necessary for a functioning civilisation.
.
Indeed...

From a great Brit -- “The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” ― Thomas Paine

And, as aptly stated by P.J. O'Rourke --"Giving money and power to the government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."
See? I knew you were a Liberal at heart. :flowers:
Always have been -- it's just that today's Liberals aren't very liberal.

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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by MrJonno » Wed Nov 07, 2012 6:48 pm

Disagree. Those that want others to run things govern themselves by submitting to others. If they want to be sheep, that's their choice. By themselves, they're Mostly Harmless.
It's the minority who want to be in charge (of others) you need to watch out for.
You have a minority in charge who are choosen by the majority

I think the country needs running but I don't want to do it, I have other interests. I'm not a sheep because I don't do my own electrical wiring or because I go to the doctor I just prefer to leave those things to the experts who want to specialise in those areas. I strong disagree with the concept of referendums which is why I elect people to make decisions for the good of the country and hopefully me. If I don't like those decisions I along with everyone else sacks them
When only criminals carry guns the police know exactly who to shoot!

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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by Ian » Wed Nov 07, 2012 6:52 pm

Here's an illustration of where political ads were spent on the national election this year:
ec2012.png
ec2012.png (313.57 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Obviously this looks nothing like a population map of the US. And a population map of the US is distorted enough by the Electoral College as it is: one person voting in one of the smallest states is three times more likely to influence his state's electors than one person voting in a big state. There are roughly 600,000 people per elector in California, but only 200,000 people per elector in Wyoming.

Instead of outright abolishing the Electoral College (though I'd be happy with that), a Congressman recently floated a hybrid solution: allow the states to keep their electors, but create 29 "at large" electoral votes to be awarded to whichever candidate won the national popular vote. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing- ... oral-votes
29 may be an arbitrary number, but a bloc that big would mean that campaigning would expand from a dozen battleground states to the whole country. Candidates would actually look at issues in California and Texas almost as much as local problems in Ohio and Florida. People living in deep red or deep blue states would increasingly get involved in campaigning instead of writing off their states as a sure win or loss. Conversations about politics that might not otherwise exist would be had between friends even if the state they reside in is guaranteed to go blue or red. Voter turnout would increase dramatically. Democracy would win.

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Tyrannical
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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by Tyrannical » Wed Nov 07, 2012 7:22 pm

An Electoral College limits voter fraud.
A rational skeptic should be able to discuss and debate anything, no matter how much they may personally disagree with that point of view. Discussing a subject is not agreeing with it, but understanding it.

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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Thu Nov 08, 2012 12:42 am

Image
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Mysturji
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Re: The American Electoral College System - Changes/Abolitio

Post by Mysturji » Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:50 am

Coito ergo sum wrote:
Mysturji wrote:
Coito ergo sum wrote:
Mysturji wrote:
Woodbutcher wrote:The best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.
Like a benign tumour.
Woodbutcher wrote:Things get done.
That;s exactly what we DON'T want from government. Left to their own devices, the vast majority of people govern themselves far better than anyone else ever could. What we need government for is that tiny minority who can't - or won't - govern themselves responsibly, and to provide the infrastructure necessary for a functioning civilisation.
.
Indeed...

From a great Brit -- “The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” ― Thomas Paine

And, as aptly stated by P.J. O'Rourke --"Giving money and power to the government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."
See? I knew you were a Liberal at heart. :flowers:
Always have been -- it's just that today's Liberals aren't very liberal.
I think you're in the wrong sock. CES is supposed to be the diehard Republican :whisper:
I do that too, sometimes, and think I'm Jesus Christ. :console:
Sir Figg Newton wrote:If I have seen further than others, it is only because I am surrounded by midgets.
Cormac wrote:Doom predictors have been with humans right through our history. They are like the proverbial stopped clock - right twice a day, but not due to the efficacy of their prescience.
IDMD2
I am a twit.

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