However, despite the American ethos of democracy the Presidential election is not democratic. ... The source of this degradation is the Electoral College, a perversion of federalism (the division of power between State and National government). The Electoral College nullifies the value of the democratic popular vote by conferring the power of the presidency to the candidate who accumulates 270 of the State apportioned Electoral College votes. ... Thus encouraging them to abstain from voting based on the premise that their vote does not receive its due apportionment of Electoral College votes a...

• Word Count: 901
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This was a time of considerable rivalry and distrust among the states, a lack of a national communication system, and bad memories of abuse of executive power. ... The Electoral College stands in the way of a democratic presidential election. ... Finally, if the Electoral College was to deadlock, and no presidential candidate held a majority, then the election would pass to the House of Representatives. ... Thus, it would be near impossible to pass an amendment to take away power from the smaller states and give that power to a direct popular election, but this is not the only way to change...

• Word Count: 906
• Approx Pages: 4

The democratic principle, however, stipulates that the people are the source of the power, not political parties, benefactors, patrons, or even their representatives, who could simply go unelected once their terms end and the dissatisfied people are ready for change. ... Even when the popular vote, where the citizens of the nation directly express their preferences for candidates to hold presidential office, indicates one thing (the democratic principle), the Electoral College could easily prove to support federalism more than democracy. One of the avenues of expression and attempts at policy ...

• Word Count: 1088
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Graduate

Presidential campaign laws should be reformed so that representatives can only use funding that originates from public money. ... The Federal Election Commission reported that Presidential and congressional candidates running in the 2012 election cycle received more than $7.1 billion in funding for their campaigns. ... Officials take advantage of the profits they generate whilst in power and combining this with the support of their party, contributing organizations and special interest groups that provides them with a high chance of them getting re-elected. ...

• Word Count: 976
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Jacksonian Democrats during 1824 to 1840 succeeded in attacking and seeking out special privilege in American life, and much political power was given to the people. The Populists during 1890 to 1896 also attempted to attain power, but were not successful, due in part to ideas such as the "free silver" platform and racial controversy. ... They built on this idea and felt that the common people should have the power to directly govern themselves. ... Unfortunately, in the 1892 presidential election, the Populist nominee, General Weaver, failed to receive a large electoral majority. ......

• Word Count: 474
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The popularity vote seems to not play any factor in our presidential election. ... Many people feel that the "popular election of presidents would work a diminution of the political power of racial and other minority groups in the nation's urban centers." ... Produces great inequalities in voting power among the national electorate contain a contingency election provision that is not only unrepresentative. ... Strangely enough, "the presidential nominees tend to come from big states and tend to run on platforms likely to appeal to interest groups that cluster there." ...

• Word Count: 1158
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

There have been as many as four presidential candidates who won the popular votes [as recent as 2000], but lost the election because they received fewer electoral votes. ... However, when one particular candidate appears to have huge lead in some states, then none of the competitive candidates has much power nor can afford to campaign much in those states. ...

• Word Count: 530
• Approx Pages: 2

Regardless of what you were taught to believe, you have no vote. Nor does any other person in this country except for the bureaucratic collective elite (called the electoral college.) Isn't it the ultimate right of the people to choose the leader of the free world, and not the duty of an out-of-tou...

• Word Count: 534
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

The Populist won more than a million votes in the presidential election of 1892 but their representative died on the eve of the convention. ... They were successful in "passing two important reforms to break the power of the political machines: the direct primary and at large voting". The at large voting added seats to the council, and put an end to the all ethnic neighborhood voting power. ...

• Word Count: 913
• Approx Pages: 4

The second was part of the structure of the government that gave extra power to the smaller states. ... They feared a tyrant could manipulate public opinion and come to power. ... Basically the Electoral College was created because of the lack in confidence in the American people and small states refusal to any plan that would not give them comparable power with the large states. ... If no president wins the majority of the electoral votes, the 12th Amendment to the Constitution states the presidential election is to be decided by the House of Representatives. ...

• Word Count: 1014
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School