• SCB@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I learned in school that a principle of democracy is the equal vote.

    In a direct democracy, this is true. In a representative democracy, this is not.

    In the USA each vote counts for a random amount

    It isn’t random, and the amount is absolutely gamed in favor of a certain party, which is, again, why we need strong institutions.

    • Tavarin@lemmy.ca
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      11 months ago

      The president isn’t voted on as part of the representatives, the office of the president is a separate vote and is supposed to be a direct vote. But the number of electors for each state has not kept up with each state’s population, which has fucked up the power of presidential votes.

        • Tavarin@lemmy.ca
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          11 months ago

          The electors only exist because it made it possible to hold a vote across a large nation in a time when horses were the fastest mode of communication. And each elector was supposed to carry the results of the same number of voters.

          But the country has grown, with some states growing in population much faster than others. Yet the number of electors remains unchanged. Not to mention electors are now completely unnecessary as we have fast and reliable communication methods.

          • SCB@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            You can disagree with the electoral college and still recognize that electors are literally representatives.

            This is basic civics.

            • Tavarin@lemmy.ca
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              11 months ago

              But they aren’t really, they’re just vote messengers, they aren’t on capital hill making laws and advocating for their constituents.

              • SCB@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                All representatives are “vote messengers.” That’s why we call them representatives.

                • Tavarin@lemmy.ca
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                  11 months ago

                  I would disagree that senators and congressmen are just vote messengers. They run on active platforms, respond to changes in their constituencies (hopefully), deal with new issues as they arise.

                  Electors literally just ferry the states vote to Washington, that’s it and job done. Representatives continually represent the will of their constituents through multiple years, or at least that’s what they are supposed to do.

                  • SCB@lemmy.world
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                    11 months ago

                    respond to changes in their constituencies

                    Yes. This is being a representative.