Northton

Yes! Every vote counts. I remember hearing that English was chosen to be our language over German by one vote. There are countless stories of such incidents. Whether your candidate won or not...if you voted, good for you.

And if you didn't vote, I don't think you should say anything. Everyone has a right to vote if they are a US citizen.

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It always amuses me to read that "if you didn't vote, you shouldn't complain" mantra, Photography. I voted by not voting, because that was my conscience. Had any of the candidates been worthy of my vote, I would have cast a ballot. But I agree with Dirk, they're all crooks.

Bayou, you probably know I’m not the sharpest tack in the box; so I know what your saying is correct. But how does this work? Why do we vote at all if it doesn’t count?

I believe my vote counted but sadly so did all those extra ACORN votes also :(

"Why shouldn't the populace (the mob, as we are referred to) decide who becomes president?"

Today’s presidential election is likely to be relatively close, at least in terms of popular vote totals. Should either candidate win the election but lose the overall popular vote, we will be bombarded with calls to abolish the Electoral College, just as we were after the contested 2000 presidential election. After all, the pundits will argue, it would be “undemocratic” to deny the presidency to the man who received the most votes.

This argument is hostile to the Constitution, however, which expressly established the United States as a constitutionally limited republic and not a direct democracy. The Founding Fathers sought to protect certain fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of speech, against the changing whims of popular opinion. Similarly, they created the Electoral College to guard against majority tyranny in federal elections. The president was to be elected by the 50 states rather than the American people directly, to ensure that less populated states had a voice in national elections. This is why they blended Electoral College votes between U.S. House seats, which are based on population, and U.S. Senate seats, which are accorded equally to each state. The goal was to balance the inherent tension between majority will and majority tyranny. Those who wish to abolish the Electoral College because it’s not purely democratic should also argue that less populated states like Rhode Island or Wyoming don’t deserve two senators.

The Electoral College threatens the imperial aims of these elites because it allows the individual states to elect the president, and in many states the majority of voters still believe in limited government and the Constitution. Voters in southern, midwestern, and western states – derided as “flyover” country – tend to value family, religion, individual liberty, property rights, and gun rights. Washington elites abhor these values, and they hate that middle and rural America hold any political power whatsoever. Their efforts to discredit the Electoral College system are an open attack on the voting power of the pro-liberty states.

Sadly, we have forgotten that states created the federal government, not the other way around. The Electoral College system represents an attempt, however effective, to limit federal power and preserve states’ rights. It is an essential part of our federalist balance. It also represents a reminder that pure democracy, mob rule, is incompatible with liberty.

LOL Thank you Righty. Very nice. I enjoy listening to Ron Paul speak, however this is pretty much what I'm talking about. If Paul runs as an indepenent, he has no chance of winning in our electoral system, and he won't win as a Dem or Rep because he doesn't fit their mold. So how, in the current system, could Ron Paul get elected?

After 1872 almost every independent candidate was given zero electoral votes. Is that really a good thing, that no one can get out from under the rule of Democrats and Republicans? I mean, instead of furthering freedom, doesn't that just make us slaves to a select few and their way of doing things, as they keep passing the baton back and forth without regard for anyone else?

"So how, in the current system, could Ron Paul get elected? "

Ron is unelectable in ANY system. Brains isn't enough, you've got to have a personality.

"After 1872 almost every independent candidate was given zero electoral votes."

There have really never been any independents with a chance. None have ever received more than a few percentage points in any national election. It would be remiss of an elector to vote for a guy who can only garner 2-3% of his peers support. This is a democracy dimnit! ;-)

" I mean, instead of furthering freedom, doesn't that just make us slaves to a select few and their way of doing things, as they keep passing the baton back and forth without regard for anyone else?"

I feel you bra. Let's put it this way, it took the Filthy Left almost 100 years to infiltrate America's democratic machine and take over one major political party in total and the other one by default. If they don't kill us all we can turn it around again the same way they took it, with time, perseverance, dirty tricks and attrition. We (conservatives) can take back the media, academia, big business and the government beaurocracies but it will take a long time, and the attitude of the People (50%) will have to want the change. But even if they finally do there's no guarantee that the Constitution will have held up that long and peaceful change still be an option. I think you get my drift. If you do then you understand why the Second Amendment will be a top priority for the Obama Gang.