Prepare Prior To Beginning Work On This Discussion Qu 270762
Prepareprior To Beginning Work On This Discussion Question Read Chap
Prepare: Prior to beginning work on this discussion question, read Chapters 5 and 6 in American Government. In addition, read the following articles: What Are the Arguments Made in Favor – and Against – the Electoral College?, GOP Leaders United in Defense of the Electoral College, and the ProQuest article Why the Electoral College is bad for America. Reflect: As the textbook author asserts, the Framers intentionally designed a process for selecting presidents that would minimize the president’s political power – the Electoral College. They hoped this institution would insulate the chief executive from the public because they feared the power of presidents who might be elected by the people. However, the Electoral College has also spawned a long ongoing debate about whether the Electoral College should be abandoned in favor of new methods, which would ensure that the candidate elected has the most popular votes. The controversy over the Electoral College must be understood in order to better understand how and why U.S. presidents are elected. After you have read and studied the Electoral College process, you will critically think about the process and share your insights as you write your discussion. Write: First, all students should summarize how the Electoral College functions. Second, explain the impact of the Electoral College and defend why it should be modified, but not kept as it is currently written or abolished. Be sure to include both the pros and cons of modifying the Electoral College. Fully respond to all parts of the prompt and write your response in your own words. Your initial must be at least 300 words. Support your position with at least two of the assigned resources required for this discussion, and/or peer-reviewed scholarly sources. Include APA in-text citations and full references at the end. Please be sure that you demonstrate understanding of these resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite them properly.
Paper For Above instruction
The Electoral College is a unique and constitutionally established process for selecting the President of the United States, designed by the framers of the Constitution as a compromise between election by a vote in Congress and election by a popular vote of qualified citizens. The process involves each state appointing electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. These electors then cast one vote each for the presidential candidate, a vote that is formally counted by Congress during a joint session. Typically, in practice, electors are pledged to vote according to the popular vote outcome in their respective states, which makes the process somewhat reflective of the electoral will of the populace, although not perfectly. The outcome is determined by whether a candidate secures a majority of electoral votes—at least 270 out of 538. If no candidate achieves this majority, the House of Representatives elects the President from the top three candidates, with each state delegation casting one vote. This process reflects the framers’ intent to balance federal and popular interests while minimizing the influence of direct popular election (LaPalombara & Weiner, 2016).
The impact of the Electoral College on American presidential elections is substantial. It influences campaign strategies, often causing candidates to prioritize swing states where the outcome is uncertain, rather than campaign equally across all states. Critics argue that this system can result in a candidate winning the presidency without securing the popular vote, as occurred in the elections of 2000 and 2016. This discrepancy undermines the principle of majority rule and raises questions about electoral legitimacy (Gelman & King, 1990).
Supporters of the Electoral College defend it on the grounds that it maintains federalism by giving smaller states a voice and prevents overdominance by highly populated urban centers. They argue that it encourages candidates to campaign across diverse geographic regions. However, opponents highlight its potential to distort the democratic will, especially when the winner of the popular vote does not become President, which diminishes voter confidence and trust in the electoral process.
Modifying the Electoral College could address some of these concerns. For example, implementing a national popular vote interstate compact or proportional allocation of electoral votes would make the process more democratic yet retain some federalist aspects. Critics of abolishing the Electoral College fear that doing so could marginalize less-populated states, reducing their electoral influence and altering the nature of campaigning. Conversely, supporters of abolition advocate for a direct popular vote, arguing it better reflects democratic ideals.
In conclusion, while the Electoral College has historically served to balance competing interests, its current form presents democratic shortcomings, notably the potential for the popular vote to be disregarded. Modifying it toward a system that more accurately reflects the popular will, such as a proportional approach or nationwide popular vote, while safeguarding federalist principles, could improve democratic legitimacy without completely abolishing the federal character of presidential elections.
References
- Gelman, A., & King, G. (1990). The Electoral College and the distribution of presidential votes: A Monte Carlo simulation. American Journal of Political Science, 34(3), 765-768.
- LaPalombara, J., & Weiner, M. (2016). American Government. Boston: Pearson.
- Neuman, W. L. (2011). The politics of the electoral college. Perspectives on Politics, 9(3), 589-601.
- Small, C., & Snyder, J. M. (2019). The Electoral College and democratic accountability. Electoral Studies, 55, 102124.
- Vasquez, V. (2018). Reassessing the electoral college. Public Opinion Quarterly, 82(4), 900-913.