On Mon, Aug 29, 2005 at 05:23:24PM -0700, Steve Lamb wrote: > > Because the original intent of the Electoral College was for the people to > elect representatives who would then look into and considered all candidates > for the Presidency and cast votes in accordance with whom they felt was the > best person for the job. This was in the time when mass media didn't exist > and it was felt that the general population couldn't really gather enough > information on any candidates outside a small radius of where they lived > geographically. They could, however, learn about the people they were to > elect to the EC. This would alleviate the rule of mob because, in the end, > the mob had no say in who the President was. None. They had a say in who > elected the President but said electorate could vote in any matter of their > own chosing after considering all the facts. This includes voting against any > candidate the mob may wish to see in office. > > Of course today's mass media makes some of the points moot. However, > given the abysmal interest many people take in their own governance outside of > what handouts they can receive from whom I think the points are still valid, > just not for the same reasons. ;) > When I read your initial statement, I thought to myself, "In the past people could not easily gather sufficient information; today they choose not to." I think it is rather indicting. Parents do a piss poor job of raising their children to be concerned citizens because they are too busy working their two jobs so they can live in the nice neighborhood in a 5 bedroom house and drive a new Escalade and new Mercedes convertible. So the kids are stuck being raised by public education officials and "after school programs." Don't get me wrong, I know plenty of dedicated public school teachers. However, public education is not designed to function as an institution at the level above that of baby sitter. The dedicated individuals in public education are the exception, not the rule. -Roberto -- Roberto C. Sanchez http://familiasanchez.net/~roberto
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