The Keys to the 2012 Election/Is the Electoral College an Obsolete Notion?

[kensmind]

In previous journal entry in this community, I wrote about Professor Alan J. Lichtman of Harvard University and his book called The Keys to the White House in which he theorizes that there are 13 "keys" or conditions which serve as predictors of every presidential election. If 5 or fewer of these keys are false, the incumbent party wins the next

Comments

[seaivy]

I disagree with making #11 & 12 False
#11 - The death of Bin Laden was a foreign policy success. It has not been the cause of the current mid east problems which have less to do with U S policy and more to do with struggle for power in emerging political systems. The unfortunate video has been used to manipulate demonstrations. The video has nothing to do with U S policy.

#12 - While Obama can be "professorial" when speaking from the white house he is a dynamic speaker on the campaign trail. His personality is such that he has two different styles. While we might like a "full time charisma" the president is not a "rock star" and need not be elected on the power of his personality.

[kensmind]

That's what I don't like about the Keys, they're too subjective.

So what about the electoral college, do you think it should be scrapped, with the president elected purely on popular vote? The more I think about it, the more that has merit. Then politicians would campaign in every state to raise their numbers, not just in the states they want to sway into the win column. I suspect that Al Gore, Samuel Tilden and Grover Cleveland would agree. Am I missing something? Do we need the electoral college now that slavery has been abolished?

[direcorrector]

Yes the electoral college should go. It was just one more way for some of the snootier founding fathers to try and have more control and keep the true vote away from the masses. It's ridiculous that the focus just becomes on the undecided voters in swing states. Without the electoral college if you're a Democrat in Mississippi or a Republican in Vermont....suddenly your vote means something again.

[kensmind]

I keep thinking that I'm overlooking some great argument in favour of its retention, but really, what could be fairer than one person one vote?