General Discussion

Agnosticsherbet

(11,619 posts)

21. I think doomed is a bit too strong a word.

Wed Nov 12, 2014, 05:18 PM

Nov 2014

Constitutional amendments are very difficult to push through. Thinks can be done at the state level. Also, the electoral college only effects the President. It is not an hopeless system.

Only four of 44 Presidents have failed to win the popular vote.
• John Quincy Adams who lost by 44,804 votes to Andrew Jackson in 1824
• Rutherford B. Hayes who lost by 264,292 votes to Samuel J. Tilden in 1876
• Benjamin Harrison who lost by 95,713 votes to Grover Cleveland in 1888
• George W. Bush who lost by 543,816 votes to Al Gore in the 2000 election.

It, fortunately, remains rare.

All other offices are by popular state wide or district wide votes.

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How to Scrap the Two-Party System in Three Steps [View all] NorthCarolina Nov 2014 OP

The only one of the three that is even possible by 2020 are ballot initiatives. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #1

Possibly, but he is at least attempting to offer solutions. NorthCarolina Nov 2014 #2

A solution is at least colorably realistic. The Constitutional amendments proposed are not. merrily Nov 2014 #11

Agreed. drm604 Nov 2014 #4

Every state has different rules for third parties. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #5

No constitutional amendment that is even a tiny bit controversial has been adopted since Ike. merrily Nov 2014 #10

Yes. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #23

And that happened in this election. People went out and voted for Progressive Ballot Issues. He is sabrina 1 Nov 2014 #29

Get rid of the electoral college AgingAmerican Nov 2014 #3

Requires a Constitutional amendment. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #6

Then we are doomed to the two party system for eternity AgingAmerican Nov 2014 #9

I think doomed is a bit too strong a word. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #21

Problem is AgingAmerican Nov 2014 #31

Yes and no. Quite a few states are agreeing to vote their electoral votes merrily Nov 2014 #12

Republicans tried in California to rapportion Electoral votes to Congressional districts. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #22

Yeah, they focus on California a lot since it, thank goodness, went Democratic. merrily Nov 2014 #32

If we can do it for booze, we can do it for votes... LanternWaste Nov 2014 #24

Progresives and women fought hard for prohibition. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #25

And prohibition didn't last long, either. merrily Nov 2014 #34

Far longer than it should have, from the stories told by my Grandparents. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #36

That was before the country got so divided. At this point, I don't know if there is a chance merrily Nov 2014 #33

The prolem is that it is not "we" that do that. Agnosticsherbet Nov 2014 #37

"Trading votes for gold is the new American way."? FrodosPet Nov 2014 #7

Everyone change their voter reg to independent ....hurry. L0oniX Nov 2014 #8

Will that help? merrily Nov 2014 #13

Wickit pissah! I'm a member of that group! Ampersand Unicode Nov 2014 #14

" EAT YOUR KIDS AND TAKE THEM OFF THE DOLE!" merrily Nov 2014 #15

Results of the inevitable alert: Tierra_y_Libertad Nov 2014 #16

they have been rolling back Dems' "permissible" field of action since the FL heist MisterP Nov 2014 #17

Yep. And, they'll tell you it's for your own good. Tierra_y_Libertad Nov 2014 #18

Heh, heh. Ykcutnek Nov 2014 #19

Latin America for over a century had the problem of feckless party duopolies MisterP Nov 2014 #20

A little help for a confused canuck... Fix The Stupid Nov 2014 #38

Thank you for posting that. I had no idea NorthCarolina Nov 2014 #27

Wow. merrily Nov 2014 #35

Someone actually alerted? Le Taz Hot Nov 2014 #40

Sigh. The "left" still doesn't understand that their dreams are even further away today than they.. Tarheel_Dem Nov 2014 #26

I get it unfortunately. I'm in VA, land of Cuch, Gov. Ultrasound, Brat the libertarian. appalachiablue Nov 2014 #28

Unfortunately for "the left", their Pied Pipers spend all their time preoccupied with what the WH... Tarheel_Dem Nov 2014 #30

Excellent article. Le Taz Hot Nov 2014 #39