...The Electoral College: How Our System of Elections Needs to be Changed Richard Brookman Metropolitan State University of Denver Author Note This paper was prepared for ENG 1020, Section 031, taught by Professor Clark. Abstract Article two, section one of the Constitution details the creation and operation of the Electoral College. Each representative of each state, both senators and representatives, cast a vote for the President based on the wants of their constituents. This is the basis for the Electoral College; however our forefathers had little insight into the problems that can arise from crafting a quick solution to the problem of electing the commander-in-chief. Over the past 200 years, many changes have been made to the Electoral College when a problem has risen to give us the Electoral College of today. The people of the United States have seen what the Electoral College has become and want the election process to change into a popular vote system. The popular vote system isn’t the answer. Only a combination of the two systems will help to give fair representation to all of the states, while keeping the essence of majority rule that the people desire. This system includes a single vote for districts that are won by popular vote, getting rid of the human form of electors, and using today’s technology to make it easier to maneuver through the complexities of the voting process. The Electoral College: How Our System of Elections Needs...
Words: 4853 - Pages: 20
...Congress was given the legislative power. It "makes the laws" for the nation. a. What procedure does the Constitution require for Congress to make law? Article I of the Constitution "all legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives." The House and Senate are equal partners in the legislative process––legislation cannot be enacted without the consent of both chambers. First, any bill for raising money (such as by taxes or fees) must start out in the House. All bills must pass both houses of Congress in the exact same form. Bills that pass both houses are sent to the President. He can either sign the bill, in which case it becomes law, or he can veto it. In the case of a veto, the bill is sent back to Congress, and if both houses pass it by a two-thirds majority, the bill becomes law over the President's veto. b. Describe the legislative process utilized today, above and beyond the Constitutional requirements. The general process for making a bill into law is described in the Constitution. First, a bill needs to be drafted. You do not need to be a member of congress to draft a bill. For example lobbyists and other congressional staff can draft a bill, but only a member of congress can introduce legislation. Bills then get referred to standing committees. Once referred, the bill gets on the committee’s calendar for review by a subcommittee or by the full committee After staff...
Words: 2897 - Pages: 12
...ELECTIONS, ELECTORAL REFORMS AND POST- ELECTION VIOLENCE: PROBLEMS AND WAY FORWARD BY IRABOR PETER ODION DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, IGUEBEN, EDO STATE 07037830536. p24real2000@yahoo.com ABSTRACT In the contemporary world of today, elections have become the most accepted means of changing the government. Although history has shown that it is usually difficult to hold elections that are free and fair. But the importance of a good electoral act cannot be underestimated especially in a developing country like Nigeria where elections were reported to be marred by irregularities by foreign and local observers. It is on this basis that this paper critically observed, even with the electoral reforms carried out, the reasons why there were violence after the 2011 general election and recommended that adopting the basic part of the reforms, devolvement of power at the centre are other plausible way forward to true and sustainable democratic system in Nigeria. INTRODUCTION The electoral system of any given country plays a fundamental role in sustaining and moulding the political behaviour of its citizens (Okolo,2000). The way and manner election is conducted in a country goes a long way to determine the level of poltical culture, political participation and good governance in...
Words: 5044 - Pages: 21
...1. Introduction 3 I. PART 5 2. Electoral system 5 2.1. Types of electoral system 6 2.2. Proportional representation 6 2.3. Party-list proportional representation 7 II. PART 8 3. Structure of case studies 8 4. Benin 9 4.1. Historical introduction and the electoral system 9 4.2. Elections to National Assembly in years 1991-2007 10 4.3. Political parties in Benin: profile, electorate and interactions 11 4.4. Conclusion 12 5. Guinea-Bissau 13 5.1. Historical introduction and the electoral system 13 5.2. Elections to National People's Assembly in years 1994-2008 14 5.3. Political parties in Guinea-Bissau: profile, electorate and interactions 15 5.4. The electoral process in Guinea-Bissau 16 5.5. Conclusion 17 6. Namibia 18 6.1. Historical introduction and the electoral system 18 6.2. Elections to National Assembly in years 1989-2009 19 6.3. Political parties in Namibia: profile, electorate and interactions 20 6.4. The electoral process in Namibia 21 6.5. Conclusion 23 7. Final conclusion 24 8. Bibliography 26 1. Introduction Electoral systems are considered as an instrument, which can relatively quickly and effectively change the shape of the party and then the entire political system. This is the general consensus of political scientific community. Opinions about the best and most appropriate electoral system are, however, very diverse and discussion...
Words: 9889 - Pages: 40
... Marshall J. Goldsmith Who was my guest at the Literary Club, October 24, 2011 Some us recall a great 1986 film called “The Color of Money,” and no, cynics, it wasn’t about politics. That film earned Paul Newman the Oscar for Best Actor as a pool hustler and stakehorse, who enjoyed a glass or two of J.T.S. Brown Kentucky bourbon, my favorite beverage from college days. But, unless I’ve missed a documentary or foreign film along these lines, I haven’t yet seen a dramatization called “The Color of Politics.” Yes, there is such a thing as “The Politics of Color,” but as social commentary, not as a film title. “The Color of Politics” is equally real though, and has a long history. I first dabbled in the palette of politics on election eve, 2008, when I presented before the club on that occasion an essay I’d titled “One Collage Too Many,” painting a picture of the many problems inherent in the Electoral College system for electing American Presidents, an issue which still haunts us today. I began that essay by reflecting these thoughts, and I quote myself: “Light begets color. And colors fan emotions. Facts and emotions churn together, and the resulting political party leanings are reflected in a patchwork painting – a colored...
Words: 2285 - Pages: 10
...explanation for any crisis. Legitimacy There has been a decline in levels of trust in government and confidence in the political system. Thirty years ago, four in ten people in Britain trusted government to put the needs of the nation above those of their political party; today, just one in five do so. But much of this decline set in during the early 1990s, although trust and confidence have fallen further since 1997. Participation Turnout at all elections has declined since 1997, most noticeably at the 2001 general election, when the participation rate was the lowest since 1918. At the same time, levels of non-electoral participation have increased somewhat. Meanwhile, it is not the case that people engage outside the ballot box as an alternative to voting; rather, most people use non-electoral activities as a complement to participating at elections. One reason why non-electoral participation has not declined is because people generally feel as engaged with the...
Words: 7074 - Pages: 29
...Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING Introduction: With the development and transformation of Central Luzon College of Science and Technology (CELTECH COLLEGE) simultaneously the increasing number of students enrolling from different courses specially to Maritime Education that make the school became popular at the same time the expectations of students its radical changes in terms of facilities .At the end of the life cycle of an item of technology, the issue arises as to whether it is more economical to use or dispose of obsolete equipment. As improvement on CELTECH COLLEGE accelerates, this issue can arise within a year or two of purchase. In some cases, particularly where the technology will continue to perform satisfactorily to their students notwithstanding that it is obsolete, it may be worth retaining. In other cases, it may be desirable to upgrade technology quickly in order to gain some benefit from reselling the old equipment while it retains some value. The issue of when to upgrade obsolete equipment must be taking action, as it will impact on the likely cost of the school and increasing number of students will going to enroll. On the other hand, if the life of a piece of transformation can be extended so that it can be used over several times, the cost of those changes can be amortized over that time. This will serve to reduce the longer-term cost of implementing Navigational Equipments. This approach necessitates a deliberate decision to reuse equipments...
Words: 2211 - Pages: 9
... | | | | |JOB APPLIED FOR |ADMINISTRATION, PROJECT & PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, LOGISTIC, TRANSPORT AND OPERATIONAL RELATED ROLES | |POSITION | | |PREFERRED JOB | | |STUDIES APPLIED FOR |...
Words: 2277 - Pages: 10
...A DA PROJECT “Performance of BJP in Lok Sabha Election 2014” SUBMITTED TO Dr.Srilakshminarayana.G Assistant Professor – Quantitative Methods SUBMITTED bY Group 7 Naveen Pashikanti-15100 Nikhil Rai-15101 Rajavamsi Paruchuri-15102 Prabhakar Kumar-15103 Praneet Kumar-15104 Pratik Pattnaik-15105 A DA PROJECT “Performance of BJP in Lok Sabha Election 2014” SUBMITTED TO Dr.Srilakshminarayana.G Assistant Professor – Quantitative Methods SUBMITTED bY Group 7 Naveen Pashikanti-15100 Nikhil Rai-15101 Rajavamsi Paruchuri-15102 Prabhakar Kumar-15103 Praneet Kumar-15104 Pratik Pattnaik-15105 1. Sampling Methods The sample for the study is drawn using the multistage stratified random sampling technique. We personally believe that by using Stratified sampling, the sample selected is proportionally representative of all sections of society which are as follows;- * Male-female, * Dalit’s-upper castes, * Religious minority communities-majority communities, * Rural-urban population, * BPL-APL population, etc. Sampling Steps Stage I: Sampling of Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) In the first stage, 537 parliamentary constituencies in 29 states out of the total 543 PCs in India have been selected. Stage II: Sampling of Assembly Constituencies (ACs) In the second stage, sampling of assembly constituencies (ACs) within the 537...
Words: 1577 - Pages: 7
...give its approval if many of the appointment, by the president. This approval includes but is not limited to the appointment of cabinet officers, federal judges, department secretaries and US military and naval officers. Congress powers are limited to the enumerated powers on the specific right, given to it by the Constitution of the United States. Congress also has the power to impeach the president of the United States. Even though congress as a whole can impeach the president, both divisions have a different role in this process. Within congress there are congressional committee created to draft legislation and conduct congressional investigations. Each division has the power to name special/ select committee for the purpose to study specific problems....
Words: 2474 - Pages: 10
...Philosophy of Science (All Science, not just social science) During the time of the ancient Greeks—that is, Socrates and Plato, but before them and after them as well, the study of “philosophy” (Greek for “love of wisdom”) began. At that time, philosophy included both the natural and physical sciences as well what we know as philosophy today. The development of philosophy created a tension between philosophy, science, and religion. Remember that Socrates was put to death for allegedly questioning the existence of the official state-worshiped gods. This tension between philosophy, science and religion continued through the 1400’s and 1500’s when the European “Enlightenment” emphasized the concept that both “rational thought” and “science” was separate from religion. Today, they are still generally in tension. Whether these methods of gaining knowledge are consistent or not is constantly debated among scientists, theologians, and philosophers. Science=observation of the physical universe which includes (beginning in the late 1800’s) the study of human behavior using our five senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell); Religion=the study of the “divine” (i.e., god, however a person conceives of that notion, and it’s implications) Philosophy=the study of questions unanswerable by science through the use of “reason” (rational thought) alone. Thus, there are 4 different philosophical views on how humans can obtain knowledge: 1. mysticism/divine revelation—a...
Words: 8423 - Pages: 34
...Use the following as a guide for reviewing concepts which will be on the District Progress Monitoring Exam. The words in italics are suggested related concepts for your study. Fall 2013 DPM: End of Sem – AP Govt Blueprint of TEKS (1) History. The student understands how constitutional government, as developed in America and expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution, has been influenced by ideas, people, and historical documents. The student is expected to: (E) examine debates and compromises that impacted the creation of the founding documents; 3/5 Compromise, Great Compromise, voting qualifications, selection of president, bicameral legislature 2) History. The student understands the roles played by individuals, political parties, interest groups, and the media in the U.S. political system, past and present. The student is expected to: (A) give examples of the processes used by individuals, political parties, interest group or the media to affect public policy; voting, electioneering, lobbying, watchdog (B) analyze the impact of political changes brought about by individuals, political parties, interest groups, or the media, past and present. (3) Geography. The student understands how geography can influence U.S. political divisions and policies. The student is expected to: (C) explain how political divisions are crafted and how they are affected by Supreme Court decisions such as Baker v. Carr. (7) Government...
Words: 849 - Pages: 4
...Bayarchimeg Tsolmon POS 112 American Government Professor: Dr. Moon Park Term Paper 03/17/15 Is United States of America a Democratic country? Democracy has been defined as a government structure which people are involved in decision making about it either directly or through by the representatives whom they have chosen by open vote. In a perfect sensing world ideal of perfect democracy could be described as all citizens are well informed in every topics of issues occurring around them such as human abuse, employment issue, foreign politics, and economy. Everyone can voice their opinion strongly on the issues and not disregard them because it is not a personal problem to them. Media and politicians would work together to inform us on the current insights for a better change, political corruption can be found easily and corrected by the power of people, and everyone who is eligible for elect do so not because it is their duty but it is because they are well-versed and determined to choose right candidate for a representation. All of this would have been a beautiful picture to paint, however it is not the type of democracy currently appear to exist in the U.S. It is tough to say that U.S is fully democratic country since that few of the researchers and sources have been arguing that democracy has not been seem to be present for the last few decades, and in fact it has been slowly changing onto an oligarchy system. As of Fall 2014 “ Research conducted by Princeton and...
Words: 958 - Pages: 4
...Al-Qaeda making comeback in Iraq, officials say BAGHDAD (AP) — Al-Qaeda is rebuilding in Iraq and has set up training camps for insurgents in the nation's western deserts as the extremist group seizes on regional instability and government security failures to regain strength, officials say. / Iraq has seen a jump in al-Qaeda attacks over the last 10 weeks, and officials believe most of the fighters are former prisoners who have either escaped from jail or were released by Iraqi authorities for lack of evidence after the U.S. military withdrawal last December. Many are said to be Saudi or from Sunni-dominated Gulf states. Teenage School Activist Survives Attack by Taliban At the age of 11, Malala Yousafzai took on the Taliban by giving voice to her dreams. As turbaned fighters swept through her town in northwestern Pakistan in 2009, the tiny schoolgirl spoke out about her passion for education — she wanted to become a doctor, she said — and became a symbol of defiance against Taliban subjugation. / On Tuesday, masked Taliban gunmen answered Ms. Yousafzai’s courage with bullets, singling out the 14-year-old on a bus filled with terrified schoolchildren, then shooting her in the head and neck. Two other girls were also wounded in the attack. All three survived, but late on Tuesday doctors said that Ms. Yousafzai was in critical condition at a hospital in Peshawar, with a bullet possibly lodged close to her brain. Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu calls for early elections JERUSALEM...
Words: 2221 - Pages: 9
...and salient points of the SONA: President Aquino mentioned perks for GOCCs, PAGCOR ‘coffee scam’, and secondhand helicopters sold to PNP as brand-new. Aquino cited economic achievements, including the $1 billion loan the Philippines granted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Free education - 4.57 million students who could not go to school before due to poverty are now able to study. 85% of Filipinos are now Philhealth members. Government expanding health services; PhilHealth extends coverage to cancer and leukemia patients. More than 30,000 nurses deployed to over 36,000 barangays. DOST Secretary Mario Montejo and DOH Secretary Enrique Ona lauded for the success of mosquito traps in bringing down the number of dengue cases in the country. Congress urged to to pass sin tax reform bill to raise taxes on cigarettes and liquor. Backlog of over 2 million chairs to be addressed by 2012; backlog of over 66,000 classrooms to be addressed by 2013. The president received applause, standing ovation upon mention of responsible parenthood bill (or RH Bill). State universities and colleges will get a 43.61% budget increase in 2013. TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva commended for reforms and effective implementation of technical education scholarships and other vital programs. Inherited 8% unemployment rate has reduced to 6.9%. During Aquino’s term, 3.1 million jobs were created. Construction of Bohol airport in Panglao, Legaspi airport in Daraga, and Laguindingan airport...
Words: 688 - Pages: 3
