This outcome outraged many Americans who conceded that the Electoral College does not uphold democracy. Aptly named, The People's Choice also provokes thoughts about this apparent blasphemy of American ideals. Block even goes on to state, "We got to fix this Electoral College system. Let's get an amendment through fast: maybe pick the President by direct popular vote; at the least, get rid of the electors, make the votes automatic" (Greenfield 302). Perhaps by lending this remark to one of the novel's less intelligent characters, the system's underlying importance is asserted. Although a direct vote may truly be the "people's choice," the founding fathers of the Constitution included this safety net for reasons they deemed highly important. They felt as though the states, not the people, should elect the president in order to further federalism and the American way (Longley). .
In opposition, Thomas Jefferson shared feelings with many of the characters in the book and the voters of 2000 when he proclaimed the Electoral College to be "the most dangerous blot on our Constitution, and one which some unlucky chance will one day hit." (Greenfield 183). During both election processes, talk shifted toward changing the rules rather than dealing with the situation at hand. The novel's Speaker Higgins announces the consideration of the "Emergency Presidential Voting Rights Protection Act" (Greenfield 233), while real-life voters pondered whether the votes of Florida's elderly should even be considered (C-SPAN: Election Before the Court). Ted Block and Al Gore were both present that "unlucky" day. Their situations enable people to see the Constitution at work, but the acceptance of its decree is up to the citizens.
Further similarities are also apparent between the novel and the 2000 election. For instance, in both situations, the popular vote winner did not become the president. Bush, winning 271 electoral votes, took office instead of popular vote winner, Gore.