4 ms·

> It's that if someone wins a popular vote by 2 million fucking votes, then they should probably win the election. Except that in a universe where the Presiden

by mzw_mzw 10y ago

> It's that if someone wins a popular vote by 2 million fucking votes, then they should probably win the election. Except that in a universe where the President was selected by popular vote, the candidates would have campaigned differently anyway, so your point is completely moot.

noobermin 10y ago
That they would try to appeal to all Americans and not just a handful in a few states? I think that is a better system.
- mzw_mzw 10y ago
  No, they would try to run up the numbers in big cities and large media markets, and ignore the rest.
  - mhurron 10y ago
    > run up the numbers in big cities and large media markets You mean they would campaign where the people are.
  - Gaelan 10y ago
    But why? Besides from actual rallies, appearances, etc, which I doubt have a very significant effect on people's votes (people only go to the rallies of their preferred candidates), there is no reason to target people in big cities. Given that most campaigning happens online or through the media at this point, there is no reason to restrict yourself to geographical areas.
  - magicalist 10y ago
    > No, they would try to run up the numbers in big cities and large media markets, and ignore the rest. But they do ignore the rest. How much campaigning was done in rural Texas or California? Or Wyoming or Montana for that matter? It's silly to pretend that Michigan and Florida somehow represent the country folk of America.
    - mzw_mzw 10y ago
      The proposed changes to using the popular vote would not increase the campaigning in Wyoming or Montana either.
- throwaway729 10y ago
  Incidentally, this was an original motivation for the electoral college: "Talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single State; but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to establish him in the esteem and confidence of the whole Union, or of so considerable a portion of it as would be necessary to make him a successful candidate for the distinguished office of President of the United States" It's almost like the very people who came up with the electoral college would be absolutely appalled at the idea that a small handful of states would determine the result of the presidential election...

by mzw_mzw 10y ago

noobermin 10y ago

That they would try to appeal to all Americans and not just a handful in a few states? I think that is a better system.

mzw_mzw 10y ago
No, they would try to run up the numbers in big cities and large media markets, and ignore the rest.
- mhurron 10y ago
  > run up the numbers in big cities and large media markets You mean they would campaign where the people are.
- Gaelan 10y ago
  But why? Besides from actual rallies, appearances, etc, which I doubt have a very significant effect on people's votes (people only go to the rallies of their preferred candidates), there is no reason to target people in big cities. Given that most campaigning happens online or through the media at this point, there is no reason to restrict yourself to geographical areas.
- magicalist 10y ago
  > No, they would try to run up the numbers in big cities and large media markets, and ignore the rest. But they do ignore the rest. How much campaigning was done in rural Texas or California? Or Wyoming or Montana for that matter? It's silly to pretend that Michigan and Florida somehow represent the country folk of America.
  - mzw_mzw 10y ago
    The proposed changes to using the popular vote would not increase the campaigning in Wyoming or Montana either.
throwaway729 10y ago
Incidentally, this was an original motivation for the electoral college: "Talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single State; but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to establish him in the esteem and confidence of the whole Union, or of so considerable a portion of it as would be necessary to make him a successful candidate for the distinguished office of President of the United States" It's almost like the very people who came up with the electoral college would be absolutely appalled at the idea that a small handful of states would determine the result of the presidential election...