Do we need a new way of electing our President?
456871
I think this is an interesting idea and creative. It just might work.
1076443
No... \n\nYou get to "vote" between two very closely related sides of the business party.  Basically tweedledee and tweedledum.  \n\nWe cannot elect a President from our own class, or even close.  \n\nWe have no say in State Department decisons or the CIA actions which affect most of the global situations that our so-called"democracy" engages in.  \n\nOur politicians reply to us with form letters.  Will not take questions.  There are no town meetings and people are apathetic.\n\nThis is why politics from above, the concerns of the Government are not the concerns of the People.  We need to look below, issues like health care, child care, wages, environmental protections, human rights... are all politics form below, tha tis what people care about... we need to look at these issues outside of the politically corrupt system, make decisions for ourselves, create alternatives and force the Government (as we always have had to) to do what we want.  \n\nWe need to take the power back. \n\nPeople in the USA seem to be far from this realizaion, because politicians always co-opt any form of progressive change with their lies and slogans, and people here go for it time and again.  In a few months we will see it happen... then again before the election in 08, Hillary will throw a bone to the anti-war people, or the immigrants rights people then she will be seen as a leftist candidate, when she is no more left than Jeb Bush or the current King George II\n\nInternational politics can teach all Americans a lesson, but we may be too brainwashed to learn them... \n\nwho knows.
896234
Mister this is the most sensible question I have found here in quite a while, you are a true American, and what you propose is what should have bee en done years ago , we don't have statesmen any more just crooked greedy politicians who have sold out the American people and our country by selling their votes and not caring what happens to our country, please consider the tax payer paying for their campaign , and keep the lobbyist big interest etc from controlling who runs for office and who wins , the people should be the ones who elect our officials
1055488
I'm not sure. Let me ask my mommy.   ....................(5 minute temporary pause)............\nShe says it's a temporary system where temporary people cast temporary votes in temporary ballot boxes with temporary 'hanging tabs' in a temporary election to temporarily elect a temporary President for a temporary period. \nOooh, isn´t my mommy smart?
108874
I think it is completely outdated for an era in which information spreads so quickly and easily. THe Electoral College was envisioned for an agrarian society in which the masses were not "trustworthy" enough to select a president. The electors were supposed to actually select the president. Nowadays, the electoral college is a rubberstamp that could go awry. See also: Bush/Gore 2000 election
696112
We don't vote for a new president until 2008.  We do this every four years.\n\nThis election is a mid-term election (meaning half-way through a president's term of office, each term being for two years, also limited to two terms).\n\nIn my state we are also choosing a new congressman, new governor, etc.  Also state representatives.  We have several initiatives and referendums as well.  It is pretty heated here in Colorado.\n\nI don't watch any tv, but I suspect that runs in my favour as I have to search out information for myself.  ; )
205882
When will people realize the differences between having a Republican President and a Democrat President are nil?? \n\nNothing changes...the machine drives itself.  Peoples' perceptions of how good or bad things are currently going is too easily determined by a D or R on a voting card.  \n\nIf you switched the guy at the head, the country would be in the same place, you'd just have the democrats happy, and the republicans freaking out at every "decision" made by the administration.  But nothing would be different. Your day to day existance would not be changed.
937421
yes, so we can get a new stronger president who will bring the fight to the terrorists and win.\nunlike bush.\na2a
358270
We already had a woman president, Hillary. lol\nMickey Mouse could win the presidency next term on the Democratic ticket after these last few years with W.\nIf a woman becomes president, what do they call her husband? The first gentleman?\nIt's not a matter of "should a woman be president." It's not important that we elect a woman, so that we can finally say we did it. What needs to happen is to elect the most effective leader, whether it is a man or a woman. That's not so easy to do. Usually, instead of a leader, we get a politician. A politician is someone who cuts deals, trades influence, and always if it will benefit him or her. That makes politicians self-serving. A leader is someone who does the right thing for the country, whether it is good for him or her personally or not. We haven't had one of those in a long time. Harry Truman 60 years ago. Or maybe John Kennedy 45 years ago. \n\n\nThere are several women out there right now with the nads to be president. Many other nations have female heads of state so why no the U.S.? One way to look at it is being a good mother. To do this you have to be a good leader requiring strength, making tough decisions even if those you lead (your kids) hate you for a while, being flexible with what new information comes your way, and so forth. \nNot saying a president has to be a mom, just saying women have the ability and strength of character to do the job.\n\nThanks for a great question.
1036354
It would be more about policy and less of a popularity contest. Decisions would become less political and more about getting the job done.\n\nUnfortunately it would still leave the agenda of securing another term in power; this is one of the main factors influencing government today. Read in my answer to your other Q about my thoughts on solving this.\n\nBetter yet, why not put desicions to vote on Y!A?
804054
remodel (no just kidding?)\n\nI would, if I could, reform our voting/election system. (I realize I'd need congress so I'd go to someone aware of the problems we had in Ohio 2004 like Kucinich, Conyers, or Tubb-Jones and ask them to draft a bill, etc)\n\n1. no more electoral college\n\n2. public funding of elections\n\n3. No advertising..each candidate gets a block of free time on TV to say whatever they want about their platform etc and that is it.\n\n4. For debate, there would be no preselecting questions, questions off the table etc.  It would be open to citizens by random drawing or something. People could ask whatever they wanted, and there would not be allowed any media discussion or who won the debate projections,,just they do debate, it ends and go to the regular program.\n\n5. A bigger state than New Hampshire with a diverse population starts primaries, litle or no media input on it as they have too much power to pick the candidate while making us think we pick them by what they say (unless there were no corporate owned media conglomerates but a lot of diverse stations not all owned by the same guy.) No polls or projections of who will get the nominations in a horse race fashion that really influnences people's votes.  More rules for the media and time limit on how long they report on it to lesson their influence on elections.  I would rather give the time of all their chattering and influencing to the candidates to give voters a real idea of who the person is, what they believe,how they would handle problems directly from them, instead of all the media chattering and influencing.  Let the people decide on their own gut feelings and what the candidate says.  Rarely do we ever get to hear what the candidate says is important to them when all we get is rebuttal attack ads and preprogrammed question and time limits at debate.   A limit on and accounting of all spending by candidates for extras not publicly funding.  It really should be possible for anyone to run for president without being millionairres and raising tons of money and all the political favors that obligates politicians,  \n\n6. There would be instant runoff voting to allow third parties a chance (for instance, take Nader, Bush, and Kerry..if you like Nader, then Kerry, but not Bush.  If you vote your first choice (Nader) and he doesn't have enough votes, your vote then goes to your 2nd choice (Kerry) and not to help Bush.\n\n7. Election day as a holiday. Separate ballots or elections for president (and possibly high offices and statewide issues to speed counting time).\n\n8. Paper Ballots hand-counted at the ballots, using these steps.\n\na. paper ballots with a number that are available in various languages and braille that you can get in advance in places like libraries..prefill in and bring to the polls\n\nb. All voting will be done at the high school building where a child living at your address will go. that way there is no confusion on where to go..just ask some of your neighbors.  No sending people to different locations and frustrating them so they don't vote.  Here it is always the same.\n\nc. Appoint each county with a citizen run , nonpartisan board that oversees all pre, during, and after elections proceedings and files public reports.  so people are aware if they are doing things like Blackwell, Ohio's secretary of state, did like throwing new registrations away if they were on the wrong weight of paper or if they put the wrong number from the 2 on the driver's licence or if they short the machines or harass people at the polls etc.  All is publicly observed and recorded and reported.\nd.  when the voter gets to the high school, a greeter tells them which classroom is their precinct (no more than 100 or 200 voters per precinct.  In here, you have food, drink, shelter from inclement weather, and chairs for elderly and disabled in case of lines.  The greeter also has a locked, transparent box near entrance if it is not
1047437
You're going to do it?  Good luck!  The last 12 President's haven't been able to do it; maybe it's time for a new type of President.  Someone who's not a career politician.
935265
Yes "One man -- One Vote" it is the way our forefathers wanted.  But they create also the electoral college to decide the president that isn't prefect.
939105
I think what there needs to be is test for voters.  You should have to prove that you know the issues and what the candidates stand for.  If we had educated voters, instead of 'rock the voters' we wouldn't have to be so concerned about sub-par people becoming president.  Elected officials are just a reflection of the population as a whole.
1140586
i like the US, you just need a new president
771970
No, not as long as we are using Diebold voting machines.  (Diebold gives money to Republicans).  Democracy is dead.  Wake up and smell the coffee of the kingdom of George W. Bush...and his gay, merry, pranksters.
584066
yah sure... but the thing is the president should not from the regular politician. he should be an youth. a fresher or 2 to 3 yrs work experience is prefersble. they knew the problems. the old ppl only drain us...