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SpectacledReprobate t1_j2iuwrs wrote

Reply to comment by stahleo in You can make a difference in promoting democracy in Pennsylvania by hashtagbob60

> The Electoral College is in place to force presidential candidates to broad their appeal to different parts of the country and not just rack up votes in one region or a handful of cities

Said with complete confidence, about a society that was >95% rural and farming-based when the electoral college was formed.

Also ignores that the EC was originally intended to be proportional, which fundamentally altered how it functioned.

Crazy how little certain people understand anything at all about US history.

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stahleo t1_j2j64z8 wrote

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>Said with complete confidence, about a society that was >95% rural and farming-based when the electoral college was formed.

Yes, said with confidence because it is true. Regardless of our country's composition in the late 1700's, present day, our country is largely concentrated in a handful of cities. Your rebuttal is like arguing to maintain a max limit of 50 states because our country started with 13 colonies.

>Also ignores that the EC was originally intended to be proportional, which fundamentally altered how it functioned.

The Electoral College was created during a tumultuous time in our nation's history. There isn't one reason or intent as to why the Founders adopted the Electoral College. Did you know that Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers that he and the Founders shared a collective opinion that state viewpoints were actually more important than political minority viewpoints, and that individual state populations were more important than the opinion of the national population taken as a whole? Believe it.

And as you probably know, Mr. History Buff, in those same Papers, Hamilton wrote that he feared of a tyrant being able to manipulate public opinion and rise to power, so I find it entirely ironic that OP said, "...if we act now we won't be under another authoritarian threat in the near future." Made me laugh out loud.

>Crazy how little certain people understand anything at all about US history.

I'm well aware of my history, but thanks for your concern.

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susinpgh t1_j2k92ne wrote

You're talking about the writings of one individual. As you pointed out, things have changed. The present system minimizes the will of the majority and it is time to reconsider how the populace is represented. I find it especially egregious that the religious right holds so much sway over our society, legislating with a single focus.

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stahleo t1_j2khqxg wrote

>The present system minimizes the will of the majority and it is time to reconsider how the populace is represented.

The present system actually does the opposite and protects minority interests.

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susinpgh t1_j2n7a6x wrote

That's what I said? Read my comment again.

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stahleo t1_j2nbdxs wrote

Yes, that is what you said. I copy and pasted your text.

I'll reiterate what I said:

The present system does not minimize the will of the majority. The present system actually protects minority interests.

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susinpgh t1_j2nd3i9 wrote

Fine, couch it in those terms, because it protects your priorities while the majority has to bow to what benefits only you.

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stahleo t1_j2ndxpi wrote

Translation - No tyranny by majority; the majority cannot unilaterally create and promulgate law without considering the interests of the minority.

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susinpgh t1_j2ne2vh wrote

This is why we need a new system. As it stands, we have minority rule.

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stahleo t1_j2nfa13 wrote

Our executive branch is (D), and presently Congress is majority (D). Arguing that we have "minority rule" would be like conservatives using that as an excuse when Trump was POTUS and Republicans had a majority in Congress, and yet Democrats were able to stand firm on their commitments to their voter base with a few bills that never passed.

It ebbs and flows throughout history. Always have and always will.

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susinpgh t1_j2nhgso wrote

The Republicans have held majorities in state houses for decades. They have done everything to stay in power, including gerrymandering. Look at what Republicans are trying to do with SB8 here in PA, or what they attempted with this last election and trying to steal the majority back from democrats.

Mastriano and several other lawmakers tried to submit an alternate slate of electors for the 2020 election. Republican in PA have held power for decades on one level or another in PA for decades.

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