The Electrol College

Esmeralda Gonzalez

AP English, 2nd period

Persuasive Essay

23 November 2015

A Useless Suggestion

Introduction

How many times has presidential campaigns lead the voters to believe that every vote counts? Common Americans have been fooled to believe every vote counts, a handful of times. But does any vote really count? Many would argue it's common knowledge to know how the electoral college comes into play during the presidential elections. Shockingly many citizen have very little knowledge about the truth about the electoral college system. For many years citizens have complained about the electoral college and its unfairness and injustices towards the people's rights and foul play on votes. It’s true, the presidential election system needs to stay up to date to modern society. The same rules that helped create the government do not necessarily work, or help the nation progress. Proving that the popular vote should be more important than the electoral college voting system , because the electoral college was created for a less developed society, the electoral college can easily be manipulated, and because the government should not have more power on who is president then the citizens themself.

To recognize the injustice one has to see how and way the electoral college was set up. Seeing the reasonings for its rules and guidelines. After understanding the basics of government it’s easier to see the flaws in the system. Such as how the common citizen vote is muted by the voting system. Lastly the nation can come together and find a solution. By creating new system to bring equality and fairness to the nation's people.

History and Background

History is the foundation to any well organized system. The foundation to the electoral college is the founding father of America. The difficulties the founding fathers first faced when challenged with the decision of choosing a president in nation which was still settling itself was a different task. Taking some factors into consideration such as it “A -was composed of thirteen large and small States jealous of their own rights and powers and suspicious of any central national government, B- contained only 4,000,000 people spread up and down a thousand miles of Atlantic seaboard barely connected by transportation or communication (so that national campaigns were impractical even if they had been thought desirable)believed, C- under the influence of such British political thinkers as Henry St. John Bolingbroke, that political parties were mischievous if not downright evil, and felt that gentlemen should not campaign for public office (The saying was "The office should seek the man, the man should not seek the office.")” (David Leip, Origin and History). Many citizens believe the reason for having an electoral college started because the government had no faith in the common people. Such as farmers, who were thought to be unable to make a reasonable choice on their future president. Which is a contributing factor but not the main reason needed to establish an electoral college. “The system was originally set up with the intention to elect a president based on their merit without regarding their state of origin or political party” ( David Leip, Pros and Cons). Like any good project there was a few test trials to get the electoral college to where it is now. Also described in the articles of the constitution; the first draft was a huge stepping stone, the blueprints on how to fairly choose a president started in 1787. After only being in action through four presidential election. Some flaws appeared, such as how the runner up become the vice president. This rule was changed in 1804 after a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The second draft followed with small tweaks in the 4th and 12th amendment. In any well argued debate that facts hold their own weight, the reasoning behind having an electoral college is in its history. Also having been set up for a certain crowd, a crowd that has changed and evolved. With it the system of how a president is elected should to making the popular vote be the deciding factor.

System Manipulation

Tara Ross (Author of Enlightened Democracy) answered “The electoral college ensures all voices are heard”, when asked if the United States should get rid of the electoral college? in a argument set up by the U.S news (U.S News). With two thirds or a 62% (Condon) of the population saying otherwise. System like winner-takes -all, swing states, faithless electors and the