An Olive Branch

"Richard Hertz" no one@no one.com wrote in message
et...

"Cecil Chapman" wrote in message
. com...
Yeah,, okay. Gracefully accept the things one cannot change :0). I do
want to point out (despite the political 'clap-trap' you will hear) that
the United States is a Republic and NOT a democracy - the president
(through concerns by our founding fathers that the general populace
wasn't
bright enough to make an informed vote ((they could still be right on
this
one grin)) and also a concern by the less populous states that they
would not have an adequate voice ((even though more populous states get
more electors - go figure)) is determined by the members of the
electoral
college, not by popular vote (which would make us a democracy).


Unless you know something most if us don't, they did not leave a
definitive
reason why the electoral vote system was put in place. There are a a few
reasons it could have been done.

I wonder if your opinion on that would be different if the last two
elections had gone the other way but with the same electoral/popular vote
margin...

I can't believe that the existing government (and by this I mean the huge
size of the federal government, not whom is in power) would be tolerated
by
the "founding fathers." I suspect they would be revoled by it and by the
idealogies of the two main parties - for example the governments
interference in our daily lives, the huge pillaging of paychecks, the
social
programs, the interference of poeple's choice to control their bodies,
"War
on drugs", gun control, etc.

Actually some of the founding fathers were for big government and having the
public play almost no part in government decisions.

Jefferson would have been a staunch libertarian.

Jefferson would have been a staunch libertarian

Read his opinions regarding the potential electorate of the people/comman
man,,,, VERY interesting.

I would guess that he was probably right about the people of his time
(education level - rather lack thereof among the 'common folk').

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL-IA
Student - CP-ASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

"Cecil Chapman" wrote in message
. com...
Jefferson would have been a staunch libertarian

Read his opinions regarding the potential electorate of the people/comman
man,,,, VERY interesting.

I would guess that he was probably right about the people of his time
(education level - rather lack thereof among the 'common folk').

People may be more literate today, but frankly I don't see how they are
significantly better educated. Most people view school as a chore to get
through (and thus retain very little of whatever they "learn"), and our
educational system doesn't really teach very much in the way of useful
critical thinking skills anyway.

Other than being able to read and write, and perhaps knowing a few more
facts about historical dates, how to conjugate a verb, and how to calculate
a tip, I don't really see how the current "common folk" are much different
from those that were around 200+ years ago.

Pete

Unless you know something most if us don't, they did not leave a
definitive
reason why the electoral vote system was put in place. There are a a few
reasons it could have been done.

I wonder if your opinion on that would be different if the last two
elections had gone the other way but with the same electoral/popular vote
margin...


http://www.usatoday.com/news/politic.../countymap.htm

This is why the electoral college is in place. If it were not for the
electoral college the U.S. would be governed by the residents of large
cities and the rural population (who tend to be more conservative) would
have no say in the law-making process.

Allen

"Allen" wrote:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politic.../countymap.htm

This is why the electoral college is in place. If it were not for the
electoral college the U.S. would be governed by the residents of large
cities and the rural population (who tend to be more conservative)
would have no say in the law-making process.

Indeed, the current elector counts in U.S. presidential elections provide a
bias towards the more rural, low-population states. Given the political
preferences you described, the existing voting system unfortunately (or
fortunately, depending on opinion) always appears to favor Republican
candidates and puts an artificial drag on Democratic candidates.

Greetings,
Markus

Markus Voget wrote:

"Allen" wrote:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politic.../countymap.htm

This is why the electoral college is in place. If it were not for the
electoral college the U.S. would be governed by the residents of large
cities and the rural population (who tend to be more conservative)
would have no say in the law-making process.

Indeed, the current elector counts in U.S. presidential elections provide a
bias towards the more rural, low-population states.
If by "current", you mean "since the founding of the United States",
then I agree. If you mean to imply that it is some kind of recent
phenomenon, you might want to check your facts.

Given the political
preferences you described, the existing voting system unfortunately (or
fortunately, depending on opinion) always appears to favor Republican
candidates and puts an artificial drag on Democratic candidates.
Only if Republicans better meet the needs (or wants) of rural America,
and Democrats better meet the needs (or wants) of major population
centers.
Either can change that "preference" at any time by their policies.

--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

Unless you know something most if us don't, they did not leave a definitive
reason why the electoral vote system was put in place. There are a a few
reasons it could have been done

Read, Thomas Jefferson and I think one of the reasons will become clear.

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL-IA
Student - CP-ASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

Jay,

!#%$ you!

Oops, sorry, it just slipped out. Must use less left rudder. :-)

W, the one who was supposed to be great at consensus building and bringing
us all together, but who managed to polarize us more than ever, gets a
second chance it would seem. I'm willing to listen, but I suspect he will
now feel that he has a mandate to ram a lot of Christian Right crap down our
throats. Just my expectation. I will reserve final judgement while I wait
to see some sign of compromise on his part.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:ke7id.350687$MQ5.178085@attbi_s52...
Now that it appears that George Bush has been re-elected with a true
majority of the popular vote (the first president to do so in 16 years),
let
me be the first to extend an olive branch to those here who may be
disappointed in the results.

What has made America strong, and allowed our democracy to thrive for over
200 years, is our ability to embrace the loyal opposition on election day.
We, as pilots, may be just as divided politically as the rest of the
country, but where we differ from the common electorate is in our shared
love of aviation.

This bond, in my opinion, transcends any fleeting election disagreements,
and I, for one, will be more than happy to see all this animosity
evaporate,
so that we can get back to the fun of talking about flying!

Blue skies, all!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Now that it appears that George Bush has been re-elected with a true
majority of the popular vote (the first president to do so in 16 years),

Jimmuh Carter was the last one to get more than 50%.

"Newps" wrote in message
...


Jay Honeck wrote:

Now that it appears that George Bush has been re-elected with a true
majority of the popular vote (the first president to do so in 16 years),


Jimmuh Carter was the last one to get more than 50%.


George H. W. Bush received 53.4% of the popular vote in 1988. Jimmy Carter
received 50.1% of the popular vote in 1976.