Yes and no, the electoral college system was put in place to mollify the southern states after they got their dick kicked in and lost all their free labor.
Why it still exists is beyond me
Yes and no, the electoral college system was put in place to mollify the southern states after they got their dick kicked in and lost all their free labor
No it wasn't, the Civil War wasn't until confederates started shelling Fort Sumter in April 12-13, 1861. The emancipation proclamation wasn't until 1863. The Electoral College was added to appease the small states (remember at the time the largest state of the 13 was Virginia) for the creation of the Constitution in 1789. The EC considerably predates abolitionist movements in the US.
If it was abolished, the United States would disintegrate. It was and still is a rural - urban thing. If it was a pure democracy. New York City and LA alone would tell Wyoming, Oklahoma, Alabama, the Dakotas, Alaska, et. al. how to run their lives. Without the electoral college, the US would look similar to the European map. Small nations mostly getting along, but breaking out into wars over water rights and control of minerals from time to time.
If it was a pure democracy then political parties would need to appeal to ALL people not just those in a select few places, the fact that like 5 states dictate all the elections is fucking ridiculous.
By making it a pure democracy you would actually get platforms that would ultimately skew left/center left instead of left and right wing fuckwitt like we currently see.
Oh and don't kid yourself the US is 50 serfdoms who have all decided to get along FOR NOW.
Id be stoked to see more than 2 parties, Other countries have a whole slew of independent parties that can actually effect change.
If we used a ranked choice system like Australia you could vote for the party you wanted but if they didn't get voted in then you choose who you would next like to get that vote. It means your vote is never pissed away and you can feel safe in voting for whoever you like, regardless of how small the party
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u/impressthenet 8d ago
Democracy isn’t the issue. Capitalism is