After every election cycle (presidential or otherwise) post game analysis begins. Who were the winners and losers? What went wrong? What worked? Fox News seems to be analyzing a different election, asking whether or not his reelection should have taught him. They continue this narrative still. Back in Kansas, there are real lessons to be learned. This week the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case over the Voting Rights Act. Here's a quick primer: The Act was passed in 1965, requiring states with a history of discrimination at the polls to have any changes to voting procedures (change in early voting, change of polling stations) to be approved by the federal government. Not all states are subject to pre-clearance, and many are calling this part of the Act (the Act which enforces the 15th Amendment) unconstitutional and discriminatory. The case brings up a larger issue--voting procedure in the US. Leading up to every presidential election you hear over and over that Ohio will decide who wins, or Florida, or Wisconsin. This is because the election is not decided by popular vote (which is exactly as it sounds--the candidate with more votes wins) but by the electoral college--in other words, a candidate doesn't win votes, but states (hence the awkward pause caused Rove's refusal to admit that Obama had won Ohio). Among the many (and obvious) problems with this system is the fact that the members of the electoral college do not have to vote with the citizens (depending on the state). The electoral system is so dysfunctional that Florida can close its polls more than 40 hours after the winner is declared (which leads to the ridiculous circumstance of Romney conceding Florida more than 40 hours after he has lost the election). It seems that, while we say, "every vote counts", some votes count more than others. If there is one lesson to be learned from this election (sadly, we have not already learned this lesson: in 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000 the president elect lost the popular vote) it is that the system of voting, counting and weighing votes needs to be revised. Nevertheless, I think there are two major lessons, not one. The second is that Citizens United needs to overturned as unconstitutional. But more on that later.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Every vote counts, but some more than others.
After every election cycle (presidential or otherwise) post game analysis begins. Who were the winners and losers? What went wrong? What worked? Fox News seems to be analyzing a different election, asking whether or not his reelection should have taught him. They continue this narrative still. Back in Kansas, there are real lessons to be learned. This week the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case over the Voting Rights Act. Here's a quick primer: The Act was passed in 1965, requiring states with a history of discrimination at the polls to have any changes to voting procedures (change in early voting, change of polling stations) to be approved by the federal government. Not all states are subject to pre-clearance, and many are calling this part of the Act (the Act which enforces the 15th Amendment) unconstitutional and discriminatory. The case brings up a larger issue--voting procedure in the US. Leading up to every presidential election you hear over and over that Ohio will decide who wins, or Florida, or Wisconsin. This is because the election is not decided by popular vote (which is exactly as it sounds--the candidate with more votes wins) but by the electoral college--in other words, a candidate doesn't win votes, but states (hence the awkward pause caused Rove's refusal to admit that Obama had won Ohio). Among the many (and obvious) problems with this system is the fact that the members of the electoral college do not have to vote with the citizens (depending on the state). The electoral system is so dysfunctional that Florida can close its polls more than 40 hours after the winner is declared (which leads to the ridiculous circumstance of Romney conceding Florida more than 40 hours after he has lost the election). It seems that, while we say, "every vote counts", some votes count more than others. If there is one lesson to be learned from this election (sadly, we have not already learned this lesson: in 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000 the president elect lost the popular vote) it is that the system of voting, counting and weighing votes needs to be revised. Nevertheless, I think there are two major lessons, not one. The second is that Citizens United needs to overturned as unconstitutional. But more on that later.
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