The Presidential Election process                                                    Ch-ch-ch-changes; Time may change me;
But I can’t trace time

There have been Amendments to the Constitution that have affected the Presidential selection process. Most of the Amendments have focused on voter eligibility and the right to vote. The 12th Amendment changed the process of selecting the Vice President. The 17th Amendment changed the selection of US Senators from being selected by the State Legislature to a popular vote.

The real changes that have affected the Presidential election process has been the process itself. With the emergence and domination, of a two party system, the nomination process has expanded. In the early 1800’s, elected representitives nominated the Presidential candidates. The selection of candidates was not party based, it was merit based.

Today the candidate selection is dominated by the two “major” parties with their Party Primaries and Conventions. Party Primaries and Party Conventions are now the road to the Presidency. Has this journey corrupted the founders’ intent?

Partisan politics –  The Two Horse Race

George Washington was nominated and selected (appointed) President without a popular vote. In his farewell address, Washington warned us about the danger of party partisanship. In Federalist Paper Number 9 and 10, Madison and Hamilton also warned us about the dangers of “factions”. It appears that these warnings fell upon deaf ears. All three of these founding fathers viewed partisan politics as dishonest, self interested and dangerous.

The 1796 “election” was our country’s first contested Presidential Campaign. There were as many as 10 candidates. It should be noted, only two states held a popular election to “help” the State Legislatures and Electoral College members decide their candidate. The two leading candidates were candidates of different political thought, John Adams, the Federalists, and Thomas Jefferson the Democratic-Republican.

Adams won the first bout but in 1800 Jefferson won a rematch. The results of these elections gave us the 12th Amendment. In 1804, the 12th Amendment was ratified it changed the selection process of the Vice President. It also clarified which Congress, the outgoing or the incoming, would be involved in the confirmation process. A significant outcome of these elections was the birth of bipartisan politics, the two party system and a winner-take-all trends began.

At this point, the Presidential Election process was a lot simpler than it is today. Each state’s contingent of  US Congressmen would caucus to select it’s candidates for President. The results of this caucus would be sent back home to their State Legislature.

The State Legislatures would received the results from their Congressmen to evaluate and discussed the proposed candidates. The State Legislature would then pass their selection on to the Electoral College members.

The Electoral College members would go to Washington DC to cast their vote. The majority winner of the total number of electoral college votes would become President.

The Electoral College (EC) Vote – They really do select the President! 

1800 – 1820: State Legislators controlled the EC vote. Several states began experimenting with a district based selections and a popular vote or a combination of all three methods to determine how the EC should vote.

By 1820: This is the last election in which state legislatures played a dominant role. Political parties were becoming the dominating power influencing the EC vote. This marks the end of an independent EC.

1824: The majority of states used the winner-take-all statewide method to determine EC vote. All the EC vote from the state would go to one candidate. (as opposed to proportional votes).

1836: All but one state, South Carolina, uses the winner-take-all method based on the statewide popular vote to choose its electors.

1872: For the first time, every state holds an election that determine it’s EC vote. The EC vote was winner-take-all rule based upon the popular vote. This marks the first real modern day National Presidential Election.

1876: Colorado is the last state to conform to a popular vote to determine its EC.

Present: All but 2 state, Maine & Nebraska, have a winner-take-all outcome based upon the states popular vote.

The early nomination and selection process did not include primaries and conventions. They would come later. Most of us view the primaries and conventions as a necessary stage for a Presidential candidate to master. They aren’t!  The primaries are only a stage for the”major” parties.  Both “Major” and “Minor” parties do hold conventions but they are not required.

The Democrat and Republican Parties use the primary as a “beauty” contest to expose, to the public, it’s candidates. The results of the primary supply the Party with the national popularity of the candidates. They also serve to gain delegates for the convention. The convention is the political bosses show to actually choose their Party’s candidate. The media compliantly goes along for the ride.

The reality is that the Democrat and Republican Party are not the only parties. However, they appear to be the only “viable” choice. There are many parties. The Libertarian Party, the Constitutional,  the Green Party and the list goes on. Does the main steam media cover or promote* any of the “minor” party?  Who covers primary elections or conventions for the Libertarian and Green Party?

The Duopoly

Political parties are private corporations. Most corporations sell a product(s). The Party’s product is an ideology represented by a person, it’s candidate. The Party’s ideal are called the planks and the complete package of ideals is the Party’s platform. The difference in ideals or platform usually helps to distinguish one party from another.

History has shown us that the popularity of a party change over time. The Federalist Party disappeared, so did the Whig Party, the Bull Moose Party as well as the Know Nothing Party. Parties disappear because their platforms become irrelevant or their platform does not represent a large enough faction of the population.

Are the Democrat and Republican platforms distinguishable?  Does the voting public have a real choice? Is voting for a “minor” party candidate “throwing your vote away”?

Next –  The conventions and the primary system of a duopoly. (a monopoly of two) 

*John Stossel, of Fox,  moderated and televised Libertarian Party debates. For the most part the minor parties are ignored.

 

Electoral College – the strongest fear, is the fear of the unknown 

Would our founding fathers recognize the present day Presidential election? Is a party based, primary laden, conventions, media promoted process what the founders had in mind? Or has it morphed into a bastardization version of the intended process?

Every four years the voters of United States go to the polls to “elect” it’s President. The Electoral College process has been under scrutiny. Many feel the process is archaic and should be changed.

“Not so fast!” Who really understands the Electoral College? Our founding fathers were brilliant men. Would they have created a flawed system? In order to have a discussion on the Electoral College we first need to review the rules and understand the intent of the founders.

“What the hells going on out there?”

The United States is a republic, a constitutional, confederate republic. A republic differs from a democracy in that the voters elect representative to serve as their voice.

A republic usually includes a charter. The charter of the United States is the Constitution. The Constitution describes our representative governmental procedures and the balance of powers.

A confederacy is an organization by which several smaller states agree to become a members of a larger one. Our confederacy is some times called a union. Our union of fifty states is the bases of our name, the United States of America.

The Intent – Failures Are Errors in Justice, Not of Intent

The founding fathers developed a unique process to elect the President of the United State. They had several issues that they wanted to addressed. The four most common were as follows;

1. Majority rule or popular vote. They believed this was not the best way to determine a leader. They felt that majorityism (majority rule) could be too reactionary, too emotionally and could be overly influenced by current events and populist movements.
2. Distrust of central authority. They wanted to insure against the executive branch becoming a monarchy. The felt that the process should be diverse.
3. Independent. They felt that the president should be beholden to no one. They wanted to insulated the selection process from the influence of individual, group or organizations.
4. States sovereignty. They wanted the states to be the most powerful broker in the selection process. The sanctity of the state was paramount.

Their intent was to create a selection process that was decentralize and promoted discussion and discourse. This process would be insulated from the influence of special interest groups while being controlled by the elected representatives of the sovereign states. The result was the Electoral College System.

The Process – Is the road to hell paved with good intentions? 

• Voters elect representatives
• The elected representatives, represent the voter at different levels of government. These levels can be local, state or national.
• Representatives at the state level become part of the State Legislature.
• State Legislature is a generic term, some state have different names for it (General Court, General Assembly, Legislative Assembly)
• Representative at the national level become part of Congress either in the House of Representatives (Congressmen) or in the Senate (US Senator)
• The State Legislature select the Electoral College Members.
• The Electoral Members vote to elect the President of the United States.

* If, in the Electoral College procedure, no candidate receives the majority of the total Electoral votes, the the House of Representative will then select the President

The Electoral College –  It’s a State Institute

The Electoral Process satisfies the founder’s four concerns.

1) Majority rule or popular vote. The process is as close to the voter as possible without the voter directly selecting the President.

2) Distrust of central authority. It is a decentralized process. Each state, all fifty state , hold elections on voting day to “elect” the President.

3) Independent. The Electoral College Member are, in theory, independant citizens selected from the state’s community.

4) States sovereignty. The Electoral College process is controlled by the states citizens, State Legislatures and state selected Electoral College Members.

Graduate Studies – More About the College

The number of Electoral Members is determined by the number of representatives that the states has in Congress (the number of US Senators plus the number of US Representative). The more populated states  would have more votes, they represented more people, but the less populated state would be proportionately represented.

The Electoral College would be selected every four years. The members could not include “Senator or Representative persons holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States”

The intent being that the Electoral members would be non-partisian, well respected citizens from their state’s community having the state best interests in mind.

Voting – Who wins a popular vote for dinner between 2 wolves and 1 chicken? 

Congress will determine the time of chusing the Electors. Each state will hold their state’s elections on the same day.

Upon receiving the election results, the Electors will meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President. The Electoral Members will make a list of all persons receiving votes.  The results are delivered to the President of the United States Senate.

In front of Congress, the President of the Senate will open and count the votes. The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President.

If the top vote getter does not receive a majority of all the Electoral cast the process is moved to the House of Representatives along with the names of the top three vote getters.

 House of Representatives – Where Overtime Sudden Victory Happens

Every state will receive one vote.  However, the one vote is determined by the contingent of that state’s US Representatives. The State will conduct a quorum. The quorum will only commense when two-thirds of the US Representative are present. Each US Representative will vote for their choice.

The winner of this vote will be that state’s one vote.  Each states will then cast it’s one vote. The President would be determined by the majority.

Do Votes Count? – Add Your Voice to the Choir of Opinions and Action

Yes! Kinda! We delegate our voice to the representatives we elect . The State Legislature, is the closest voice of we the people. The State Legislature selects the Electoral College members.These members technically select the President.

On voting day, the citizen cast their vote for a Presidential candidate. The votes are counted. The results “determine” how the Electoral College member will vote. Ultimately, the President is “elected” by the 50 states’ Electoral College members. It’s a process consistent for a constitutional, confederate republic.  

Part 2 will attempt to answer the question, “Has the intent of the process been compromised?” 

Global War – That means worldwide

The Brussels bombing was a tragedy. Innocent people killed for what? Civilians are always the most numerous victims of war. Make no mistake, the dead in Brussels are victims of the war on terrorism. These unfortunate souls were caught in a crossfire on a global war battlefield. To prevent the killing of more civilians they have to be removed from the battlefields. Here is the dilemma. If we have a global war on terrorism then the entire globe is the battlefield. Since the removal of civilians, from the battleground is impossible, then the only other solution is to eliminate the battleground. This is achieved through peace. When war is eliminated battleground disappear.

If two roads diverged in a wood, why not take the one less traveled?

Peace is the only solution to eliminate the carnage taking place on battlefields such as Paris, Brussels and other place where innocent people are slaughtered.  How can this be achieved? Walk away! Critics might call this a cowardly policy but even a neocon hero like Ronald Reagan understood that wars must end to protect the vulnerable.  click here (When Reagan Cut and Run)  

Political sound bites become policy 

When George Bush ll declared a war on terrorism the battlefield became global.  NATO endorsed this declaration and so did most of our other allies. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libia, Syria are not local wars, they are the battlefield for our global war on terrorism. This declaration of war has put the United States on the wrong side of history. A global war on terrorism has justified an interventionist policy that rivals the Great Roman Empire’s actions. Does this War on Terrorism justify our invasion of Iraq? Does it justify our reason for still maintaining a military force  in Afghanistan?  Our regime change promotions in Libia or Syria? The list goes on.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

Blowback is a term, coined by the CIA,  used to explain a retaliatory action taken by a group, an organization or people. Just as Bush’s declaration of war was a reaction to 9/11, Paris and Brussels are more recent examples of blowback. Support and participation in bellicose behavior kills the innocent. I am not justifying these two events all I am doing is pointing out the logical connection to illogical actions.

“If I catch any of you guys in my stuff I’ll kill ya!” Lighten up Francis

As painful as it may be I would like to revisit 9/11.  Contrary to popular belief it was not a random act of terrorism. It was blowback. From what? From the 1st Gulf War. The terrorist on those planes were a who’s who of the Saudi’s  “Most Likely to be Beheaded” list. Their atrocities were predicated in the retaliation for land occupation by the United States.  More specific the United States building military bases and maintaining an active military presence in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait prior, during and after the 1st Gulf War. The Wahabi takes “infidel” occupation of their sacred land very serious.

War what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!

We are spiraling, out of control, heading towards World War lll. Can we pull out of this death spiral before it is too late? Killing is wrong, more killing is more wrong. The neocons will call for more troops, more bombs, more wars, more killings and the annihilation of ISIS. Every time we intervene in local issues to “fix it” we make it worse. Assess our most recent endeavors: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Vietnam. Any civil minded person grading these “fixes” would conclude that we have failed. Our “fixes” have often produced worse conditions. ISIS was hatched in the aftermath of the Iraqi  “fix”.

Pete and Repete  What happens if Repete falls?

My first car was a 1966 Chevy Bel-air. By 1980 it was burning a massive amount of oil, it got terrible gas mileage and the costs to maintain it were increasing daily. Every repair that I paid for I would justify it by saying “this fix will be the last fix”. However, the fixes were becoming more frequent and the safety of the car more suspect. I had a choice, cut and run or continue to be a slave to my glorious machine. Rather than spending money that I did not have I decided to sell my hazardous car.  It just made sense. Cut and run. Was that cowardly?