With the fate of the presidency hanging on the outcome of Florida's 25 electoral votes, professors and students are weighing in on the debate over the Electoral College.
If Texas Gov. George W. Bush takes Florida and its 25 Electoral College votes, he will win the presidency, even though current counts show him behind Vice President Al Gore '69 in the popular vote.
This has led many, including newly elected New York Senator-elect Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) to call for abolishing the Constitutionally created body.
But there are powerful arguments for retaining the Electoral College, even though it may elect a president against the nation's popular will, note several professors of government.
"Without the Electoral College, candidates would be inclined to spend most of their time in heavily-populated urban areas trying to pile up a huge number of votes," said Mickey Edwards, John Quincy Adams lecturer of legislative politics at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG).
"Smaller states with very important issues wouldn't get any attention," he said.
"Our system is not based on majority rule, and it never has been. It's based on protecting minority rights," Edwards added.
But these days, it seems that the Electoral College has ceased to serve its purpose.
Read more in News
Crimson Turns Over 117th to YaleRecommended Articles
-
Deadlock: Recount OrderedThe presidency of the United States hinged on perhaps as few as 200 Florida votes early this morning, as the
-
The Electoral QuagmireScholars of the Twelfth Amendment have never had it so good. With the elemental chaos in Florida showing no sign
-
Ex-Presidential Hopeful Debuts As KGS ProfessorTennessee native and ex-presidential candidate Lamar Alexander began teaching at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG) yesterday as the Goodman
-
Spare That SystemThruston Morton to the contrary, the election is really over, and Kennedy has won by a comfortable, if not comforting,
-
Herring Sees Roosevelt in White House if Forecasts Indicate Political Sentiment--Democrats Must Secure Floating Votes"Democrate in the coming campaign seem to have an unusually favorable chance for putting their candidate in the White House,"
-
TRUMAN IS AHEADPresident Truman seemed headed for outright election, or at least a deadlocked race, at 3:45 a. m. this morning. He
