Re: the fat lady refused to sing

["John S. Quarterman" <jsq@matrix.net>]

>labehotierre wrote:
>> 
>> The American people have spoken.  
>
>Well...... yes....... but........ in Americas "democratic" system they
>are not taken seriously....    Even though more than 50 % of the
>population actually said they wanted Gore they will probably end up with
>Bush...... what kind of democracy is that!?
>
>I don't want to offend anyone but it makes one think. And for a
>European/Swede it doesn't make sense.

While the electoral college is an amusingly baroque anachronism,
it does serve a purpose.  Namely that without it small states would
be ignored by presidential candidates because they could fight over
plurality margins in the big states for better advantage.  Same reason
the Senate is composed per state, while the House is composed by population.

This may seem senseless to Europeans familiar with parliamentary forms
of government, but it may also be one reason that the U.S. federal government
has lasted in a form similar to the original for longer than that of any
government with a written constitution.

>Regards
>Lena

John S. Quarterman <jsq@matrix.net>
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