Elections are killing our country

RudyGarmisch

Active member
Staff member
And heres why.

First, the Electoral College is a joke. Yes, it was a valid thing to have at our countries inception, but it’s outdated and wasteful in our modern day.

Second, campaign fund raising has got to stop. The amounts of money that go into our elections are ridiculous. And the sad thing is, the person who can raise the most usually gets elected. Fund raising and endorsements are more about the company or individual getting the promise of a cutback when their nominee gets elected. The millions of dollars that candidates raise could be put to many better uses. I'd love to see the system revamped, with LOW limits of donations and highly regulated so that outside funds cannot enter the system and go to advertising. No one candidate will ever willingly do so, so the government needs to step in here and stop the ridiculous cycle of nominee/corporation prostitution.

Third, fuck primaries. They've become platforms for states to get the spotlight for a few short days, and the race to be the first to have one has put the first primary nearly a year before the actual election. They needlessly spend extraordinary amounts of money and run states budgets dry, all for a brief appearance by the state governor on all the news networks.

Fourth, stop with the pre-election bullshit. The hardest and most stressful part of the presidency has become the election. Candidates are now announcing their run to the white house three years before an election, and immediately, the touring, fund raising and press coverage begins. If these people worked that hard once they got into office, we might actually see some good change in our government. We don’t need our leaders burning themselves out on the campaign trail, we need them proactive and ready to face challenges and change when they take the oath, not exhausted by the run.

Lastly, the media is not helping. Scrutinization and informed debate is one thing, but as soon as someone announces their bid, the press starts watching them like a hawk. This only contributes to the fourth point. Stay the fuck off their backs and go find worthy news – the presidential election should not be a two year long top story.



I’m done with this election already. The political system in our country is sickening, and I find myself, like many other people I’ve talked to, completely disgusted with the way its run. You cannot have a fair election without a working system, and ours is clearly broken.
 
I disagree with your electoral college thoughts. It prevents regionalism. Just because California randomly has a high voter turnout doesn't mean a democratic president should be elected.

You're right about campaign money being better spent though. I'd like to see someone raise money for their campaign and then donate it to the poor or use it to do something helpful. They'd get my vote.
 
If California has a high voter turnout, more power to them. I dont see why we should weigh some votes more or less than others, it seems... wrong?

I do agree with you on the second point, though it would be political suicide for any candidate. Think of how much is spent on elections, and think of all the better causes that money could go to.
 
Well lets say its a beautiful day in California and in Texas there is unseasonably cold weather and rain. Who's gonna show up to vote? The weather shouldn't decide elections. I do agree that the electoral college could be revised a little though. 98% of the time the person that wins the electoral college wins the popular vote too. Its only happened the other way twice hasn't it?
 
Weather doesnt effect an absentee vote. While I understand that there are other factors that can influence people to vote, I think these are decidedly minute enough to not change the outcome of an election. But hey, a third close election is probably on its way, so watch me eat my words.

And yes, popular vote surpassing the electoral vote has happened twice in our nations history. That being said, why not just use the popular vote and cut the waste that the electoral system?
 
You make some good points; but, the elections aren't single handedly killing our country. Take a step back and look at the big picture. Our government system is the culprit. It has strayed from the values it was created in. It has been warped and twisted by those in power. Think- Halli Burton. The system is so fucked up, that I don't see a new "leader" fixing anything. All he or she will do is play in to the system. The only solution I see is a full blown revolution. I don't see that happening anytime soon, so I'm gonna search for a better place. Who wants to go to mexico? australia? new zealand? europe? There has got to be better shit out there.

What happened to consent of the governed? I never gave my fucking consent.
 
Al Gore won the popular vote in 04... I don't think it's the system, it's the fucking corruption of the political system and media.
 
This is what we're discussing in one of my classes Three Democracies. We study Athens, Rome then the US democracies. Its very informing to see how Athens turned to an empire then fell kind of like what the US has done, its all parallel. The most democratic way to elect people would be by picking from lot, but people wouldn't do that, because everyones not actually equal. But yeah I agree with the thread creator.
 
yeh i agree with the campagining issues. Because if someone who owns a said company gives you a million so you can run for president, well why do they do it? Do they just think your really cool guy or somethin, i can only think there looking for something in return if you win, like an investment. There needs to be a cap on spending and well a lot more shit done
 
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