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actually, I knew all that mierin sedai - 18/01/2003 08:39:39 AM

I don't think you understand how members of electoral group are chosen. There isn't just a group of people for each state that is told how to vote based on the popular vote. The popular vote determines who is chosen to be a part of the electoral college -- if a state votes Republican, then Republican politicians with a known history of support for Republicans are chosen to represent the state. Yes, these electors could vote against their party, but this almost never happens. More on that below.

I have learnt all that several times over (Norwegian educational system is very strick on telling us about the US). That they could do it should be enough to show you that there is then nothing which sets the USA on a high horse when it comes to talking about democracy.

Yes, it does happen, but almost never. Still, there are a total of two-hundred-twenty-something electors, if I remember correctly. One swing vote won't change much, and the electors know that if they change votes, their political career is over.

But even so, there are hughe possibilities, and that is my point.

While Bush did not win the popular vote, he was elected under a system that has been known and accepted by the American people since the founding of our nation. Notice how even after the election, there wasn't a large movement to have the election system changed. That's because it has its flaws, but it is still seen as preferable to simply using the popular vote. Why? You saw what happened in Florida when the votes were close. Think of what would happen if the popular votes in an election were close enough for a recount under an election system based solely on popular vote. The entire U.S. would be paralyzed by a flurry of recount after recount because the few extra votes that the losing candidate needs might be found anywhere in the nation. We don't need that kind of problem. Besides, the U.S. is populous enough that accurately counting all votes is virtually impossible. It may not be a perfect system, but it works.

So if Saddam said that the way he fixed elections was accepted by his people, it would be ok? It is how they do it in Iraq: why make such a big fuss over it?

To summarize, the American people accept the current election system, so anyone elected properly by that system has been democratically chosen.

A hughe amount of Americans are not even aware how the election system works: how can they then accept it?


Magnus Alexander corpore parvus erat
Dissenting voice of wotmania
Frightfully stubborn pacifist

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent




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To all peace-loving Americans - 15/01/2003 02:21:45 PM 465 Views
A Norwegian replies: - 15/01/2003 02:30:52 PM 112 Views
I know I must have misunderstood that message..... - 15/01/2003 02:33:11 PM 56 Views
Re: To all peace-loving Americans - 15/01/2003 02:39:49 PM 40 Views
Good Link, aero. *NM* - 15/01/2003 02:47:19 PM 1 Views
That was excellent! Thanks AC - 15/01/2003 02:52:10 PM 1 Views
I have a theory, aero, and that is - 15/01/2003 03:01:58 PM 1 Views
lol - 15/01/2003 03:03:59 PM 1 Views
- 15/01/2003 03:08:35 PM 1 Views
Am so human - 15/01/2003 03:16:05 PM 1 Views
Thx ac nice article *NM* - 15/01/2003 03:16:48 PM 1 Views
I shall treasure those three words forever... *NM* - 15/01/2003 03:16:51 PM 1 Views
I've been thinking that same thought for ages. - 15/01/2003 03:33:54 PM 1 Views
simple.... - 15/01/2003 03:37:50 PM 1 Views
Because the first time... - 15/01/2003 03:55:47 PM 1 Views
Re: I have a theory, aero, and that is - 15/01/2003 03:55:58 PM 1 Views
Theories, reality. - 15/01/2003 03:57:24 PM 1 Views
That was the most patronising piece of #$%^ I've read in a long time - 15/01/2003 04:32:38 PM 41 Views
Once upon a time there was a mad dictator - 15/01/2003 04:42:04 PM 49 Views
The message is devoid of sincerity (not saying you are, tho, Mierin) - 15/01/2003 04:57:21 PM 34 Views
Who would flame you? You speak the truth! *NM* - 15/01/2003 05:00:11 PM 1 Views
A point that do-gooders seem to forget - 15/01/2003 05:13:30 PM 1 Views
Do people really misunderstand the electoral college? - 15/01/2003 05:24:50 PM 30 Views
A little tongue-in-cheek, but a good statement: - 15/01/2003 05:39:07 PM 15 Views
I thought you were talking about Bush! *NM* - 15/01/2003 05:46:21 PM 1 Views
One flaw here - 15/01/2003 06:11:24 PM 1 Views
I don't think that's entirely fair, but it's too late for me to expl y *NM* - 15/01/2003 06:14:18 PM 5 Views
my answer to you.. - 15/01/2003 06:25:52 PM 1 Views
Oh, please! - 15/01/2003 06:34:49 PM 21 Views
My answer to your answer - 15/01/2003 06:48:42 PM 1 Views
No - they ignore it altogether; it's how they make us a dictatorship *NM* - 15/01/2003 06:50:05 PM 1 Views
True... - 15/01/2003 07:01:11 PM 1 Views
of course not... we all know what it is meant for - 15/01/2003 07:04:10 PM 1 Views
Re: True... - 15/01/2003 07:10:16 PM 1 Views
Re: To all peace-loving Americans - 15/01/2003 07:14:09 PM 15 Views
No - 15/01/2003 07:19:01 PM 1 Views
Their President likes it, but not many others - 15/01/2003 08:02:49 PM 1 Views
thank you meirin, some one speaks the truth *NM* - 15/01/2003 08:08:26 PM 6 Views
There's no perfect solution to the problem. - 15/01/2003 08:13:25 PM 1 Views
Sorry, double-post. *NM* - 15/01/2003 08:50:03 PM 1 Views
Hmmm . . . - 15/01/2003 09:01:26 PM 13 Views
Hmm *NM* - 15/01/2003 09:50:18 PM 1 Views
Oops *NM* - 15/01/2003 10:27:01 PM 1 Views
What no Links? *NM* - 15/01/2003 10:31:02 PM 1 Views
Re: A wonderful letter. - 15/01/2003 10:33:04 PM 30 Views
Small points. - 15/01/2003 11:35:26 PM 1 Views
Re: - 15/01/2003 11:50:15 PM 1 Views
oh, so you say... - 16/01/2003 12:46:13 AM 1 Views
you see? we cannot both be wrong... *NM* - 16/01/2003 12:47:08 AM 1 Views
huh? - 16/01/2003 12:57:32 AM 1 Views
thank you *NM* - 16/01/2003 12:58:58 AM 1 Views
when was the first time it happened? *NM* - 16/01/2003 01:00:21 AM 1 Views
who are you to... - 16/01/2003 01:02:02 AM 1 Views
though we should learn from history - 16/01/2003 01:03:41 AM 1 Views
let me see... - 16/01/2003 01:38:21 AM 1 Views
no, and that is just the point - 16/01/2003 01:45:10 AM 1 Views
allow me to repeat myself - 16/01/2003 01:48:12 AM 1 Views
lol - 16/01/2003 01:50:22 AM 1 Views
- 16/01/2003 01:54:32 AM 1 Views
*NM* - 16/01/2003 01:56:36 AM 1 Views
Re: Hmmm . . . - 16/01/2003 01:57:58 AM 1 Views
who is Spiro Agnew? - 16/01/2003 01:59:54 AM 1 Views
I stopped at that myself - 16/01/2003 02:00:45 AM 1 Views
Small points - 16/01/2003 08:47:17 AM 1 Views
UN Security Council resolutions... What a joke - 16/01/2003 09:24:18 AM 1 Views
Re: Small points. - 16/01/2003 09:49:58 AM 1 Views
Re: huh? - 16/01/2003 09:59:40 AM 1 Views
Technicalities aside... - 16/01/2003 10:13:25 AM 1 Views
Re: who is Spiro Agnew? - 16/01/2003 10:18:42 AM 1 Views
Yes. And Mierin seems to think... - 16/01/2003 10:22:52 AM 1 Views
Re: Bush V. Gore - 16/01/2003 10:26:11 AM 1 Views
I am TRYING! Next voting he will lose. *NM* - 16/01/2003 08:07:35 PM 4 Views
I guess we do. *NM* - 17/01/2003 04:56:00 AM 1 Views
arab league biased? - 17/01/2003 05:01:12 AM 1 Views
difference is - 17/01/2003 05:04:00 AM 1 Views
thanks *NM* - 17/01/2003 05:05:47 AM 1 Views
finally! - 17/01/2003 05:07:02 AM 1 Views
No, you're wrong - 17/01/2003 12:34:48 PM 1 Views
I did not know that - 17/01/2003 02:17:36 PM 1 Views
Despite the fact that the United Nations is impotent... - 17/01/2003 02:30:46 PM 1 Views
that is very kind of you - 17/01/2003 03:06:16 PM 1 Views
Maybe this will clear things up - 17/01/2003 04:33:04 PM 1 Views
a couple of small details - 17/01/2003 06:17:27 PM 1 Views
True enough. But, um, the comparison is to Bush.. - 17/01/2003 07:03:47 PM 1 Views
actually, I knew all that - 18/01/2003 08:39:39 AM 1 Views
Re: a couple of small details - 18/01/2003 08:45:15 AM 1 Views
lol - 18/01/2003 08:46:21 AM 1 Views
what ethnic minority was blamed? - 18/01/2003 08:53:27 AM 1 Views
Ok... - 18/01/2003 06:18:31 PM 1 Views
Re: Hey mierin. - 19/01/2003 12:08:27 AM 1 Views
Re: The vote: - 19/01/2003 12:15:24 AM 1 Views
The most recent number I heard... - 19/01/2003 01:33:41 AM 1 Views
*starts at sig* oh, well... that will have to wait - 19/01/2003 08:02:53 AM 1 Views
can you deny it? - 19/01/2003 08:04:24 AM 1 Views
oh. sorry - 19/01/2003 08:06:32 AM 1 Views
Last I heard - 19/01/2003 08:07:22 AM 1 Views
Re: LOL!! - 19/01/2003 10:24:39 AM 1 Views
Re: - 19/01/2003 10:41:58 AM 1 Views
sorry, I have been learning from the president lately - 19/01/2003 11:05:44 AM 1 Views
Re: Re: - 19/01/2003 11:18:07 AM 1 Views
They seem conflicted to me - 19/01/2003 12:45:59 PM 1 Views
We were both wrong - 19/01/2003 05:11:42 PM 1 Views
something in between then... - 19/01/2003 05:18:39 PM 1 Views
Let me get this straight... - 19/01/2003 05:33:29 PM 1 Views
Wasn't it already straight? - 19/01/2003 05:47:13 PM 1 Views
What I'm confused about - 19/01/2003 09:42:36 PM 1 Views
You are mixing up two things - 20/01/2003 02:09:28 AM 1 Views
Ok. It looks like I agree with you on most points. - 20/01/2003 02:22:29 PM 1 Views
good - 20/01/2003 03:49:14 PM 1 Views
The other controversial elections - 21/01/2003 12:57:13 AM 1 Views
I see. thanks. *NM* - 21/01/2003 01:51:10 AM 1 Views