Do you think that Americans need the Electoral College to elect their president? (Possible follow up question for students against the electoral college process) What would be your suggestion(s) for change regarding this process? No, because the only purpose it serves is including those who didn't vote just by being a resident of the state that voted for one candidate or another. I think we should do it purely by popular vote because that way it could try to get those who aren't involved motivation to get involved because that way it makes all states seem important and not just the ones that have the biggest electoral college. Compare how the media has evolved over time from the 1800’s until now in regards to political communication.
When evaluating the arguments raised on both sides it I believe that the Electoral College should be replaced by a national popular vote. An argument that exposes the weakness of the Electoral College and why it should be replaced by a national popular vote is because the ‘winner takes all’ system distorts the results of the elections. There have been various results in which the popular vote did not reflect the results of the Presidential election. A notorious example of how distorted results can be under the Electoral College is that of Bush and Al Gore in 2000. Though Al Gore won the popular vote by 48.4% Bush won the votes of the Electoral College which resulted in him winning the Presidential election.
Jeffersonian Democracy – Women were not eligible for office holding, for Jefferson often questioned their intelligence. The educated elite males should be the ones in office. Jacksonian Democracy – Jackson used the spoils system for decisions for positions in office. All white males were believed to be qualified and positions should be alternated over time. How were candidates for president chosen?
This is a great pathway for individuals, joined by others, who are looking for change. Originally under the Constitution, only white male citizens over the age of 21 were eligible to vote. This shameful injustice has been corrected and voting rights have been extended several times over the course of our history. Today, citizens over the age of 18 cannot be denied the right to vote, regardless of race, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation. The election pathway supports some steps for voting, for example, the election of president.
DBQ: 5 – Growth of political parties In present-day times, the American political system is most frequently associated with the ongoing issues between political parties. The two main political parties that strive for control of the American vote and carry an ongoing debate are the Democrats and the Republicans. But several years ago these political parties did not exist and many of the leaders were pleased they didn’t. Many of them feared that it would weaken the support of the Constitution as well as split the country. Even though many tried to oppose them the political parties began.
‘Referenda and other forms of direct democracy, represent a more democratic form of participation than the opportunity to vote in elections’ Discuss. 25 mark past paper question Referenda require the electorate to answer a specific ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question and are held on specific issues. They can only be initiated by the government and are a form of direct democracy in an overall representative democracy. Other forms of direct democracy are; initiatives, recall elections and e-petitions. Initiatives are a form of direct democracy which allows referenda to be initiated by the citizens of a state (through a petition of registered voters where in California e.g.
‘If it isn’t broken don’t fix it.’ Discuss with reference to the electoral systems used for national elections in the UK and USA. The first past the post systems used in both the USA and the UK unquestionably have the potential to produce election results that are not representative of the break down of total votes in an election, providing results that don’t reflect voter wishes. One may argue that the electoral systems used in both the USA and UK marginalize minorities, causes wasted, insignificant votes and promote voter apathy. However despite the numerous criticisms of first past the post it has continued to be the system in place to decide the President in the USA and dictate which party forms government, and thus which party leader becomes Prime Minister in the UK, suggesting the system has its advantages. Proponents of the UK and US voting methods also often cite the lack of a credible alternative as a reason for the retention of the current systems.
Voting for Our Future “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union,” must vote. Americans have more power than they think they have, but only if each and every individual exercises his or her right to vote. The problem is that on an important day such as Election Day, only about 58 percent of the population votes. Why is that? Citizens bicker, complain, and protest; yet do not vote.
It wasn’t their fault for not being allowed to vote, not understanding the language, or even understanding the way politics work. With the evolution of time and policies government has progressed. Minorities have expressed interest and are now voting. Douglass R. Hess states, “More than 5.4 million more votes were cast in 2008 than in 2004, and 4.9 million—or 91 percent of the additional votes—were from people of color.” Blacks can now vote, Latinos and Asians are now more involved in voting and are making a difference in politics. They are making a difference in politics by speaking up for their beliefs, concerns, voting more than ever and by holding positions in government.
By voting for one of the candidates you are supporting their efforts on making the USA a better place. Also you would let lawmakers know how you feel about social security, education, and other important topics. Majority of non-voters have the “One vote doesn’t matter” type of attitude toward voting. No matter how much someone may believe that their vote doesn’t matter it actually does! For example in 1960 one vote per precinct made John F. Kennedy the President over contender Richard Nixon.