I guess I should post again, despite the fact that no one reads this besides me and Brigham, but that's ok. Haven't done much but gush about the Presidents lately (and rightly so) but I think I will take on something a little more substantial. And that is my hatred of the electoral college. I hate it (just to clarify). While I agree that 200 years ago it was a pretty good idea, today it serves no useful purpose. All it does is disenfranchise people. For example, here in Utah there are too many people who (blindly and ignorantly, without ever even looking at the candidates) vote Republican no matter what which means that all of this state's electoral votes go to that party's candidate. Therefore, as someone who does not vote Republican, my vote does not count. As a country that supposedly is the "greatest democracy in the world" we certainly don't have a very democratic method for electing our president. In fact, in a true democracy, Gore would have won that election (which he kind of did anyway, but that's another story). The main argument I hear against abolishing the electoral college is that if we do that then the candidates will just focus on population centers and not visit smaller states/cities. Unfortunately for these people, there are two major flaws with that argument. 1-Candidates SHOULD focus on major population centers as that is where MOST PEOPLE LIVE! That is why they are population centers! If they are supposed to represent the populace, then they should try to get their message out to....the populace! Friggin duh! 2-Since when do candidates go to most small states anyway? Oh yeah, they don't! Mayhbe Bushler will throw in a token 5 minute appearance once during the campagin, but that's it, because he already knows he has gotten the state's votes in the bag! If my vote counted, he may be MORE apt to come to states like Utah (I know Kerry would) in order to pull in undecided voters, rather than already knowing that ALL of the state's influence will go to the repudlickan. Sigh, if only I was in charge.... On a somehwat related note, something needs to be done about the 2 party system that has been forced on us. It is ruining this country and stufling any real positive change. I just don't know what can be done at this point... Peaceness.
