Casadee Christensen
Short Essay #1 (revised)
Choice 1
Voting for our senators and presidents is a valued and important right trusted to Americans. However, fairness in doing so is hard to achieve when voting directly for our leaders is not something all Americans have equal part in. The constitution has set forth different parameters negating any equal influence voters should have based on most definitions of democracy.
Alexander Hamilton argued and defended in Federalist 68 that the Electoral College was important for the people as a whole to have power in choosing the president, but still allowed the immediate election to be “made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the situation...” That kind of knowledge is important, …show more content…
Hamilton also states that the electors are “free from any sinister bias,” however, these 538 people are selected by the political parties and expected to vote along the lines of the party whether they share the same opinions or not. Though just because they are expected to vote in line with their respected party, the electors still have the option to vote for whomever they chose. This kind of power has been unequally distributed.
The Electoral College gives too much power and attention to swing or “battleground” states. The two main political parties can guarantee on winning the electoral votes in some states, allowing presidential candidates to focus their time and resources on said states. This process does not encourage the candidates to visit every state and in doing so it neglects the small states with single digit electoral votes, even the ones they are sure to win.
When the Electoral College was instituted, the US was not nearly as far long as it is today, and people weren’t as well informed or opinionated as they are in regards to present elections. It’s an 18th century system in the 21st century. Majority rule or popular vote would be simpler, more democratic, and most importantly,
Short Essay #1 (revised)
Choice 1
Voting for our senators and presidents is a valued and important right trusted to Americans. However, fairness in doing so is hard to achieve when voting directly for our leaders is not something all Americans have equal part in. The constitution has set forth different parameters negating any equal influence voters should have based on most definitions of democracy.
Alexander Hamilton argued and defended in Federalist 68 that the Electoral College was important for the people as a whole to have power in choosing the president, but still allowed the immediate election to be “made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the situation...” That kind of knowledge is important, …show more content…
Hamilton also states that the electors are “free from any sinister bias,” however, these 538 people are selected by the political parties and expected to vote along the lines of the party whether they share the same opinions or not. Though just because they are expected to vote in line with their respected party, the electors still have the option to vote for whomever they chose. This kind of power has been unequally distributed.
The Electoral College gives too much power and attention to swing or “battleground” states. The two main political parties can guarantee on winning the electoral votes in some states, allowing presidential candidates to focus their time and resources on said states. This process does not encourage the candidates to visit every state and in doing so it neglects the small states with single digit electoral votes, even the ones they are sure to win.
When the Electoral College was instituted, the US was not nearly as far long as it is today, and people weren’t as well informed or opinionated as they are in regards to present elections. It’s an 18th century system in the 21st century. Majority rule or popular vote would be simpler, more democratic, and most importantly,