TRUE DEMOCRACY (WAY OFF TOPIC)

[Dan Shane]

----- Original Message -----
From: mark doukakis
To: dcml at stp.ling.uu.se
Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2000 3:00 AM
Subject: TRUE DEMOCRACY (WAY OFF TOPIC)

Why, the U.S. citizen is even directly, yes I did say directly (and I don't
know how much more directly than casting a vote on a ballot) is able to
express preference for his/her "national president"!
Mark Doukakis

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AND I REPLY:

A little closer study of the US electoral process will reveal that
inidviduals do not vote directly for most legislation or even for many
public officers.  The president is a good example.  Americans can cast their
individual public ballots.  Those ballots are counted in each state.
Whichever candidate "wins" in each state is supposed to be voted for by the
state's representative in the Electoral College.  But the representative
COULD conceivably vote for the other candidate, if he so desires.  Of
course, that means his constituents will probably vot HIM out of office next
election day.

This has actually happened.  When Rutherford B. Hayes was elected president,
it was by one vote.  Not one popular vote -- not by an individual voter.
But, by an ELECTORAL vote in the college.  And someone in the college had
apparently voted the wrong way.  So the People's Choice did not get chosen
that time.

Dan