Electoral Coupe de Etat, Yes/No?

PJfanwillneverleave1

^^^
The electoral college doesn't exist in the politics that have crowned him President.

vaggar99

Yes

so why have electors? who pays for these people to go to their respective state capitols to rubber stamp the election? in other words, can't we still have the electoral college system without electors?

benjs

vaggar99 said:

so why have electors? who pays for these people to go to their respective state capitols to rubber stamp the election? in other words, can't we still have the electoral college system without electors?

Honest question: how do you propose that happens? What elements of the EC should be conserved, which should be modified, and which should be removed? Without those details in place for an alternative, I just don't see it being considered, and certainly not before later today when the Electors officially vote.

vaggar99

Yes

^^^might require an amendment. not sure, maybe the Constitution is written vaguely enough to where a simple bill from Congress could fix it. So basically, keep everything the same except eliminate the electors. Sounds simple enough?

My main point is, if electors are required by law to vote a certain way, what is their purpose?

benjs

vaggar99 said:

^^^might require an amendment. not sure, maybe the Constitution is written vaguely enough to where a simple bill from Congress could fix it. So basically, keep everything the same except eliminate the electors. Sounds simple enough?

My main point is, if electors are required by law to vote a certain way, what is their purpose?

Well, that law you're speaking about (in some states, not all) mandates electors to vote for the candidate chosen by the majority of their state. If you are asking to overrule that decision made by popular vote, it is hardly any different than the much-hated superdelegate system admission that officials should have the final word, populace be damned. And, by the way, that was the official decision which was at least largely responsible for Trump being pinned against Clinton instead of Sanders.

Next, you've literally outlined nothing in your changes to the EC that make the system feasible without electors. What if I told you I was going to make French fries, just that I was going to leave potatoes out of the equation? Sounds simple enough?

vaggar99

Yes

benjs said:

vaggar99 said:

^^^might require an amendment. not sure, maybe the Constitution is written vaguely enough to where a simple bill from Congress could fix it. So basically, keep everything the same except eliminate the electors. Sounds simple enough?

My main point is, if electors are required by law to vote a certain way, what is their purpose?

Well, that law you're speaking about (in some states, not all) mandates electors to vote for the candidate chosen by the majority of their state. If you are asking to overrule that decision made by popular vote, it is hardly any different than the much-hated superdelegate system admission that officials should have the final word, populace be damned. And, by the way, that was the official decision which was at least largely responsible for Trump being pinned against Clinton instead of Sanders.

Next, you've literally outlined nothing in your changes to the EC that make the system feasible without electors. What if I told you I was going to make French fries, just that I was going to leave potatoes out of the equation? Sounds simple enough?

it's been over 20 years since i took american history in high school, but i did have a good teacher and it was an AP class. as i remember, one reason for the electoral college was to provide a sort of buffer in the election process. and that's why there is a six week delay between the general election and the electoral college vote. again, what is the point of an elector if they are required to vote a certain way no matter what? what if we found out T. was a serial killer? what to do then?

Free

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/19/thousands-send-letters-death-threats-pressure-electoral-college/

Thousands send letters, death threats, to pressure Electoral College to avert outcome of

benjs

vaggar99 said:

benjs said:

vaggar99 said:

^^^might require an amendment. not sure, maybe the Constitution is written vaguely enough to where a simple bill from Congress could fix it. So basically, keep everything the same except eliminate the electors. Sounds simple enough?

My main point is, if electors are required by law to vote a certain way, what is their purpose?

Well, that law you're speaking about (in some states, not all) mandates electors to vote for the candidate chosen by the majority of their state. If you are asking to overrule that decision made by popular vote, it is hardly any different than the much-hated superdelegate system admission that officials should have the final word, populace be damned. And, by the way, that was the official decision which was at least largely responsible for Trump being pinned against Clinton instead of Sanders.

Next, you've literally outlined nothing in your changes to the EC that make the system feasible without electors. What if I told you I was going to make French fries, just that I was going to leave potatoes out of the equation? Sounds simple enough?

it's been over 20 years since i took american history in high school, but i did have a good teacher and it was an AP class. as i remember, one reason for the electoral college was to provide a sort of buffer in the election process. and that's why there is a six week delay between the general election and the electoral college vote. again, what is the point of an elector if they are required to vote a certain way no matter what? what if we found out T. was a serial killer? what to do then?

The "buffer" may be either incidental or a way of selling the public on the value of the Electoral College at its initial conception, but the Electoral College was much more a way to sell the isolated and independently governed States on a unified government which still allowed them to retain some state-level authority. The Electoral College is a major way that differentiates America the Federal Republic from the various democracies globally. I also feel that you owe your twenty-years-past-high-school-age mind another look at the origins/history/changes surrounding the American election process. You're asking what the point of an elector is, but neglecting its purpose: to ensure that no State's voice was given too little or much credence in federal affairs. You're also proposing a change of heart based on grave legal offences such as mass murder, of which Trump has not been proven guilty of any.