Civics (part 1) - The Electoral College

wikipedia/electoral college

Lately, there's been a lot talk about college. 

The electoral college, that is. And for good reason. As they cast the votes that really count when electing the President of the United States.

Nothing new about this. It's been in the US Constitution from the get-go.  Article II, Section I, Clause 3 to be exact. [reference: Electoral College ]

And below is an elementary lesson on civics on how our government works:

(reference:  https://youtu.be/oyIFqf3XH24 )

Why the electoral college?

After one of the first  Brexits, 240 years ago in 1776, the American colonies had their suspicions of rulers holding absolute power over them. Such as monarchs like King George III.

And rightly so.  As historian and moralist, Lord Acton, is credited to offer his opinion:

Power corrupts;

absolute power 
corrupts absolutely.

[reference: The Phrase Finder]

So the Constitution was designed with checks and balances for our leaders. And that included a check for the chief executive. That is evident as the founders did not trust a popular vote to elect the president.

For 230 years, there has been many debates on this system as it has its flaws as seen below:

(reference: https://youtu.be/90RajY2nrgk )

What's the solution? 

A popular vote seems to remedy the downside of the electoral college. But the system does have an upside in protecting the interests of the country as a whole.

Consider a popular vote for president.

The candidates would concentrate only on the big cities.  New York City. Los Angeles. Denver. Seattle. Atlanta. Houston, Chicago. ... Those populations will largely will determine the elections.

Screw fly-over country. And the needs and concerns of the more rural areas will be overlooked for the denizens of big cities. And those differences can be poles apart.

Consider the electoral college.

As it is, fly-over country has more weight than the more populated states.  Such as pointed out in Adam Ruins Everything, an electoral vote per capita in Wyoming is worth three times more than an electoral vote in California.

Having lived in California, I understand the feeling that my vote didn't count much. At least for president. We were totally written off as in the tank for the Democrats. And seen a waste of time and money to court our votes. Except candidates saw California as their cash cow and stopped by regularly to milk the billionaire donors for their campaigns...in swing states.

Currently, I reside in Wyoming. More muscle for my vote, right? But we're mostly written off as in the tank for the Republicans. And we are ignored anyway. Only 3 electoral votes at stake. Who cares about us?

Time for a change?

That would require amending the Constitution. It's been done before.  Some 27 times (the first 10 being the Bill of Rights).  But the process is not easy to do. [reference: The Constitutional Amendment Process]

But that's the way it is. Under this Constitution. And it's worked remarkably well since 1787.

So begins another thread.

Civics. 

And this election cycle, vote your conscious. For there is more at stake than the electors we elect at the Electoral College.

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Similar posts on this topic:

ZAMM (part 7) - Yes or No - Gotcha! (2012)

PC Watch (part 2) - The South Park Offense (2013)

Timeless Truths (part 6) - Magna Carta - 800 years and still going strong (2015)

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Photo: wikipedia/electoral college

Pray4American (part 7) - For such a time as this

Man wearing a mask on the Jewish holiday of Purim

Providence

It's not just the capital of Rhode Island.

Providence means that the hand of God is in the glove of human events  (reference: Dr. McGee quote)

Speaking of Providence, there is a feast to commemorate such an event. In 2013, the Jewish holiday of Purim is celebrated from sundown, February 23 to sundown, February 24.

The story behind this holiday is a good yarn, found in the Old Testament Book of Esther.  It's fraught with racial hatred and political intrigue, yet through Providence good ultimately triumphs over evil .

Many sites write about it, such as About.com which has The Story of Purim.  And for a good summary of the Book of Esther, check out the  Esther Study Guide.

Through Providence, Esther won a beauty contest to become the next queen of Persia.  Later, her guardian Mordecai revealed wicked Haman's final solution to exterminate the Jews in the Empire and spoke of her Providential position -

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. 
And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:14
NIV

Most likely there were several million Jews living in the Empire at that time.  So Esther - by her wits - delivered more of her people, if you go by the numbers, than did the great names of Moses, Joshua, Gideon, or David.

Below is a musical summary of Esther's story.




The story speaks to me today.  Like the pagan court described in the Book of Esther, it seems our leaders govern as if God does not exist.  The challenges we face today seem like there are no solutions or at least ones that we are willing to undertake.  Many "prophets" and "doomsayers" point to America's decline and economic collapse which will consign us to the dustbin of history.  They could be right.

Yet in Esther's story, though God or prayer are not specifically mentioned, both are so evident in the background as God is in the shadows, working behind the scenes, protecting His own.  And throughout any age, the greatest stealth weapon we have is prayer.

And in our day as we need an "Esther" who has the ear of the king, I was quite heartened by Dr. Benjamin Carson's speech at the recent Prayer Breakfast with the President and Vice President.



For such a time as this ...  please join in prayer for our nation.

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Heavenly Father

We confess as a nation we have turned from You and have been so ungrateful for Your bountiful blessings.  Yet, even for a people out of Your will, You are ever faithful to keep watch over Your own.

The Book of Esther encourages us as it demonstrates Your care even when Your people are out our Your expressed will.  During such godless times, though the wicked Haman had plotted to exterminate Your people, You were abiding in the shadows watching over Your own.  Through Your Providence, You raised up Esther "for such a time as this” to thwart the plans of the enemy and give victory to Your people.

With the example of Esther, we take heart for our nation.  Many, it seems, in high places have risen against You and Your people, calling good evil, and evil good, (Isaiah 5:20).  Through Your Providence, Heavenly Father, we ask that You raise up men and women filled with Your Spirit – for such a time as this.  Give us a heart of repentance so we may we turn to You, the only Savior and the only Source of Wisdom to overcome the daunting challenges we face in our nation and in this world.

In Jesus Name
Amen

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Bonus:

Here is the song written by the  Liberated Walling Wall - For Such a Time as This - put to dance celebrating not only God's deliverance of His people in Esther's day but other times in the Old and New Testament.

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Keep praying for America.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.

Psalm 33:12

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Previous post on this topic:

Lots - Lady, Luck, Lessons (2011)

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Previous posts in this series:

Pray4America (part 1) - National Day of Prayer (2012)

Pray4America (part 2) - FDR's prayer on D-Day (2012)

Pray4America (part 3) - FDR's Flag Day prayer - June 14, 1942 (2012)

Pray4America (part 4) - It's a Wonderful Life, America (2012)

Pray4America (part 5) - United we stand? (2012)

Pray4America (part 6) - Christmas in Iran 1980 (2012)

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Photo:  Wikimedia - Purim Mask