A lot of people have recently suggested that the "winner-take-all" system
of electoral college votes is somehow unfair or unjust. Unfortuantely,
this meme is a very devious one, whose logical extension undermines our
entire basis of government.
The United States operates on a "winner-take-all" system of government.
One person is elected President, and that person gets to execute the Office
of the President for four years. There is no co-Presidency, no rotating
Presidency, no sharing of power.
Thus, in every vote there will be a winner and a loser. To listen to some
of you talk, anybody who votes for a loser has "wasted their vote."
Likewise, anybody who casts their vote for the victor when the margin of
victory is >1 has cast a "meaningless vote."
I hope you all can understand just how dangerous these memes are. Casting
a vote is all about participating in the process. Win or lose, it is the
casting of a vote and active participation in the political life of the
nation that helps give legitimacy to the process.
So, consider again, no matter how you construct it - there are still
winners and losers. If all states go to the Maine/Nebraska system, there
will still be "safe" Democratic and Republican districts, just like states.
All the purported "problems" that have been described will still very
much exist.
JDG
_______________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685
"Now is not the Time for Third Chances,
It is a Time for New Beginnings."
- George W. Bush 8/3/00
******************VOTE BUSH / CHENEY 2000 *******************
