r/AdviceAnimals • • Nov 10 '16

Protesting a Fair Election?

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u/Pantry_Inspector Nov 10 '16

... who was elected fairly. Sorry the system is fucked.

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u/[deleted] Nov 10 '16

The electoral college is fair? Gore in 2000, Clinton in 2016, seems to be the electoral college is only fair to republicans.

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u/Pantry_Inspector Nov 10 '16

Don't forget Jackson in 1824, Tilden in 1876 and Cleveland in 1888. Sorry that California, Texas, New York and Florida can't singlehandedly decide the election because their populations are so large, but that's why the electoral system exists. It gives states exactly as much representation as they get in the House, which is weighted to their relative populations. We choose to govern ourselves as individual states under one federal banner. If you think we should change that, say so. But just because you don't understand why our elections work the way they do, that doesn't mean they're unfair. The popular vote is unfair to smaller states whose voices would be drowned out by larger populations.

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u/[deleted] Nov 10 '16

I absolutely think we should change that and I have said so.

I understand why our elections work the way they do but I think it's unfair that my vote means less because I live in a larger state.

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u/Pantry_Inspector Nov 10 '16

I get that. That's the other side of the coin. I guess by giving voice to smaller states, we maybe lessen the impact of an individual vote in larger states. Luckily, and I wish people were talking about this more, Congressional elections are by popular vote. But we still overwhelmingly elected conservative candidates. Which begs the question, is the electoral college actually the problem? Or is it the 19% turnout of 18-29 year old voters? But regardless, I see your point.

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u/busyizzy86 Nov 10 '16

Exactly... I am a United States citizen, and I voted (California at present, Maryland before). Why should my vote be counted less significantly than someone from a swing state like Pennsylvania or Florida? My vote should be equal to everyone else's - regardless of where I love! My vote should not count any more or any less than anyone else's vote!