• 

The debate about the Electoral College boils down to one question; do you believe everyone’s vote should count? In most states the Electoral College negates the votes of nearly one-half of each state’s voters.

Recently freshman Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became involved in a twitter debate about the issue with a Republican freshman Congressman, Dan Crenshaw.

AOC, a Democrat, argued that the institution amounts to “electoral affirmative action” for rural voters. Crenshaw, who is a Republican, defended the body, stating that “we live in a republic, which means 51% of the population doesn’t get to boss around the other 49%.”

Let’s take a close look at Crenshaw’s argument. He’s a Republican, so we know he’s wrong, and by analyzing his argument we understand how out of touch with reality he is.

Crenshaw either doesn’t believe in facts, or he knows nothing about history. This is a democracy, and the majority decides who controls our government and sets policy for an entire nation. The fact is that if the Electoral College did not exist, a Democrat would have lived in the White House since 1993. There would not have been a Bush 43 or a Trump 45.

The fact is that in the 2000, 2004, and 2016 elections my vote did not count. If you voted for John McCain in 2008 or Mitt Romney in 2012, your votes had no effect on the outcome of the presidential election. Republicans are aware that if the people elected the president, they would lose nearly every election.

Republican politicians attempt to claim that the Presidential election involves state’s rights. When the issue is selecting the man or woman who will lead our nation for the next four years, the people should make that decision. There are no red or blue states when we are choosing the leader of the free world.

Crenshaw must tell us if he believes in a democracy or fascism. Trump is a perfect example of why the Electoral College is unconstitutional. His gift from the Electoral College voided the will of the people.

A final fact. If the Electoral College did not exist, red and blue states would cease to be an issue. Candidates would be forced to campaign in all 50 states; every vote would be important; every vote would count. We would return to being the “United States of America.”

Tell everyone, “the truth lives here.”

Op-ed by James Turnage

SOURCE

Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey

My seven novels, including my latest, “DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR GOD AND COUNTRY,” are now available on Amazon’s free Kindle app; CLICK HERE