An electoral college 'doomsday'?

**bluffmanxx** · 09-23-2008, 02:32 AM

An electoral college 'doomsday'?

Scholars speculate on havoc of 269 tie

Sound impossible? It's not. There are at least a half-dozen plausible ways the election can end in a tie, and at least one very plausible possibility - giving each candidate the states in which they now lead in the polls, only New Hampshire - which went Republican in 2000 and Democratic in 2004, each time by just 1.5 percent - needs to swap to the Republican column to wind up with a 269-269 tie.

It took 36 ballots in the House to select Thomas Jefferson as the third president after the 1800 election ended in a 73-73 tie. There was so much animosity after that election that Aaron Burr, elected vice president, faced off in a duel with Alexander Hamilton, who had thrown his support behind Jefferson. Burr shot Hamilton dead in a duel.

**spaceboy761** · 09-23-2008, 05:20 AM

Joe Biden shooting Henry Paulson would thus resolve the issue.

**spaceboy761** · 09-23-2008, 05:24 AM

Really interesting article, though. It's amazing how parts of our Constitution suck so badly!

**DJQ** · 09-23-2008, 07:37 AM

I am by far no expert on the electoral college, and I'll never claim to be. However, I don't see why we can't just go by the popular vote. Oh wait, that would be way to easy and logical. 2 things the government knows nothing about.

**spaceboy761** · 09-23-2008, 09:20 AM

I'm not sure why we still have 50 states, but that's beside the point.

**LadyWrestler** · 09-23-2008, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by spaceboy761

I'm not sure why we still have 50 states, but that's beside the point.

How many do you think we should have? (I typed that with eyes looking out the window at Canada. Hmmm!)

**DJQ** · 09-23-2008, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by LadyWrestler

How many do you think we should have? (I typed that with eyes looking out the window at Canada. Hmmm!)

That would make you an expert on foreign policy.

**bluffmanxx** · 09-23-2008, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by DJQ

I am by far no expert on the electoral college, and I'll never claim to be. However, I don't see why we can't just go by the popular vote. Oh wait, that would be way to easy and logical. 2 things the government knows nothing about.

may the best ballot box stuffer win!!!

how about showing ID to vote, followup on every absentee ballot AND THEN using the popular vote??

that would at least make cheating more difficult.