ELECTIONS/THEMATIC- Eval the view that the process for electing the President is no longer fit for purpose Flashcards
IS FIT FOR PURPOSE
Maintaining Federalism
The Electoral College is sufficient in maintaining federalist principles and in allowing smaller states to have equal political say.
Each state is given a minimum of 3 ECVs to begin with – Wyoming has a population of only 500,000 and they have ECVs of 3.
This means that the Electoral College fulfils the functions that the Founding Fathers in 1787 had for the E.C – the entire process prevents a mobocracy which would diminish the votes of the smaller states.
IS FIT FOR PURPOSE
Upholding Democracy
The primaries and caucuses provide sufficient strength for democracy, as they offer multiple different choices.
Choices facilitate democracy.
In 2020, the Democrats had 7 candidates in the primaries and caucuses, all with varying political views.
An example is Biden and Sanders:
A poll done in March 2020, highlighted how 31% of voters see Biden as liberal, whilst 70% see Sanders as liberal.
This wide selection prevents people from selection ‘one or the other’, and actually encourages them to find candidates with similar political views
IS FIT FOR PURPOSE
Uniting the Country
National Convention Biden speech -
‘We the people, will come together’
‘An ally for the light rather than the darkness’
Masks and patriotic flags and fireworks highlight the positive tone while highlighting how Biden wants to unite people.
IS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE
Maintaining Federalism
This argument suggests that the Electoral College is good at what it does but may not necessarily have to be in our current political environment.
Federalist principles are creating disproportionate outcomes, inadvertently favouring the Republicans.
California has a population of 3.9 million and 55 ECVs. Biden has to win at least 300,000 + votes to win California. Further, there is only one ECV per 195,000 people in California.
Wyoming, a Republican state, only has a population of 500,000 – Trump needed less than 120,000 votes to win.
IS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE
Upholding Democracy
The entire Electoral College process is a burden to democracy.
The popular vote has been disregarded two times – Al Gore in 2000, but more recently with Hilary Clinton in 2016, where she had 3 million votes more than Trump yet didn’t win the Electoral College.
Kamala Harris, a Democratic candidate and now V.P, repeatedly criticised Biden for his views in the 1970s on busing and other transport measures which would prevent segregation between those on school transport.
At the Convention however, she praised him (she was selected as running mate a few days prior), claiming that ‘Biden spent decades promoting American values and interests around the world’.
IS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE
Uniting the nation
Unite America and other similar grassroots organisations aim to reform the political system and bridge the partisan divide. They are a movement of Democrats, Republicans, and independents who are trying to bridge the growing partisan divide.
Trump wholly encouraged significant disunity and disruption as he refused to concede after he lost.
The Capitol Riots on January 6th were a product of Trump’s encouragements –
… peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.
In the evening of the riot, he stated on Twitter, we had an election stolen from us.
5 people died, highlighting just how divisive this election was, facilitated by the fact that a populist was refused victory – a failure of the Electoral College.
