Please somebody explain to me how the US voting system works because this one really left me with sickening feeling in my gut last night. I was watching the live CNN news feed at approximatly 11 PM EST. I watched the count down for the closing of polls of the western states, Hawaii, Washignton, etc... The news caster that had just said there was a computerized projection of victory in Virginia for Obama, he was no sooner finished saying this that he immediatly declared at the stroke of midnight a projected victory overall for Obama. (As a matter of fact I think he may have been interrupted cause he looked a little surprised.) Followed by scenes of partying and victory all over the country like out of a movie or something. Just what the hell kind of Mickey Mouse democracy is this? In what kind of system can a president to be have 207 electoral votes one second and then some computer shoot that number up by 90? !?!?!?!?! Sighs
Because its a projection, and California almost always votes democratic. I agree, that there are most likely people behind the scenes, manipulating the results. Cough cough... florida 2000. Thats one reason why I think we should get rid of the electoral college completely, and just count the popular vote.
Had they used the popular vote in 2000 we would have missed out on waching the worst prez rule the US for the past 8 years. Seriously in the past Canadian Election the Media declared a minority Conservitive government at the same time the last polls in the west closed. Not much difference between predictions and fact in either country.
It is a historic moment in this country's relatively short history, and I hope that we can all work together to make this proposed system of change actually work. Because as they say, you can't help somebody that doesn't want to help themselves! It's almost as if many people want to see Obama succeed to fail, and that's such a counterproductive mindset, but realistic nonetheless. Everybody knock that chip off your shoulders and lets try our hand at democracy for once.
right... thanks for clearing this up guys... i knew i wasn't completly losing it. I knew nothing of this electoral college or popular vote... :S:S:S all i knew is that one second there was an election going then oh we have a winner. It looked like such bullshit.
Yeah they can get the votes in really quickly, for the most part. I was poll-watching with my mom yesterday, and got to see the optical scanner that they scan the ballots with. The scanner prints out a ribbon, saves it to a memory card, which can then be shot over to the county seat to be counted. Also, you have all the paper ballots themselves, which IMO kicks the shit out of any diebold electronic voting system. I would recommend watching Hacking Democracy. That movie explains just exactly how vulnerable electronic voting machines are.
Why don't y'all use the popular vote? What's the reason for the winner takes all within a state electoral college thing?
because when the country was founded, the writers of our constitution were afraid of the population...most of them were inbred, illiterate fucks (some of em still are! )
I find that sad. How could illiterate people produce such a magnificent document as our Constitution? And, I really dont know why we use the Electoral College. It certainly doesnt make sense to me, and I would definitely like to see it abolished.
