Parish
Harping on the Electoral College
RECEIVED Wed., Oct. 1, 2008
Dear Editor,
Every four years I harp on the electoral college. It is the major part of the Constitution that needs amending, because it is blatantly undemocratic, makes my vote meaningless, and contributes to fraud.
If we had a direct election of president and vice president, my vote would count the same as someone from Florida or Ohio. As it is, since Texas will for the foreseeable future be a one-party state, my vote does not add one to the count of my candidates. This is true of the vast majority of states, and it means that the president and vice president are ultimately elected by voters in a handful of states.
That being the case, the candidates only have to woo voters in those "battleground" states. Has McCain or Obama bothered to campaign even once in Texas? Why should they? Well, I think Texas voters should count as much as Colorado voters.
With so few voters actually deciding the presidency, it is much simpler to rig the election since you only have to move a few votes around, deny a few folks the right to vote, or "lose" a few ballot boxes.
How blatant will the corruption of our electoral process have to get before something is done? From the looks of the corruption on Wall Street and in Washington, it will have to go all the way to the bottom.
Every four years I harp on the electoral college. It is the major part of the Constitution that needs amending, because it is blatantly undemocratic, makes my vote meaningless, and contributes to fraud.
If we had a direct election of president and vice president, my vote would count the same as someone from Florida or Ohio. As it is, since Texas will for the foreseeable future be a one-party state, my vote does not add one to the count of my candidates. This is true of the vast majority of states, and it means that the president and vice president are ultimately elected by voters in a handful of states.
That being the case, the candidates only have to woo voters in those "battleground" states. Has McCain or Obama bothered to campaign even once in Texas? Why should they? Well, I think Texas voters should count as much as Colorado voters.
With so few voters actually deciding the presidency, it is much simpler to rig the election since you only have to move a few votes around, deny a few folks the right to vote, or "lose" a few ballot boxes.
How blatant will the corruption of our electoral process have to get before something is done? From the looks of the corruption on Wall Street and in Washington, it will have to go all the way to the bottom.
Ben Hogue
