Defending the Truth - View Single Post

hevusa · 08-11-2006, 02:02 PM

Jaxian

I disagree with your assessment of the electoral college. I don't believe it was started because they thought the average man was so uninformed or to protect smaller states (the two most common misconceptions), but rather came about because of slavery.

Quote:

Madison argued that "the people at large" were "the fittest" to choose the president. But "one difficulty...of a serious nature" made election by the people impossible. Madison noted that the "right of suffrage was much more diffusive in the Northern than the Southern States; and the latter could have no influence in the election on the score of the Negroes." In order to guarantee that the nonvoting slaves could nevertheless influence the presidential election, Madison favored the creation of the electoral college. Hugh Williamson of North Carolina was more open about the reasons for southern opposition to election by popular vote. He noted that under a direct election of the president, Virginia would not be able to elect her leaders president because "her slaves will have no suffrage." The same of course would be true for the rest of the South.

By this time the Convention had already agreed to count slaves for representation under the three-fifths compromise (counting five slaves as equal to three free people in order to increase the south's proportional representation in congress). Thus, in electing the president the political power of slaveowners (although obviously not the votes of slaves) would be factored into the electoral votes of each state.

http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/election/electionfink.htm

That aside I think the main reason we should implement IRV is to eliminate the "spoiler" vote. People could vote their hearts at the same time they prevent candidates they absolutely don't want to see in office. It is a more fair system for everyone involved, gives 3rd parties a chance, and saves our taxpayers money. A win, win for everyone involved.