Time to scrap the Electoral College?

The EC: prudent system established by the founding fathers to prevent tyranny of the majority, or obsolete system that waters down the influence of voters in more populace states? Recent history, of course, would incline liberals to disfavor the EC, but what about the big picture? What’s your opinion, and what evidence is it based upon?

We’re hosting an experimental debate to investigate the Electoral College. The debate includes essays (which anyone is encouraged to write; we’ll add the links to the list) and a structured platform created at the neutral third-party site cruxlux that permits point-counterpoint debate. If you’re interested in hammering out the strengths and weaknesses of the EC, or arguing your case to an audience with diverse political viewpoints, check it out. (I have nothing to do with cruxlux and can’t moderate or otherwise control the debate there, it’s all user-driven.) Below the fold, I’ve reproduced the explanatory post from SC.  

Welcome to the first formal debate hosted by SC and open to multi-blog participation! We will be discussing the pros and cons of the Electoral College.  

Click here to join the debate at cruxlux on the Electoral College

Essays written for this debate:

** Electoral College 101

** Major flaws in the Electoral College

** Keep the Electoral College

** Third Parties and the Electoral College

You are invited to participate in the debate at the neutral third-party site cruxlux, which has a format specifically tailored to structured point-counterpoint debate and incorporates user feedback on specific arguments. We have created a skeleton framework for the debate and now you can add arguments, comment, and give points on any aspect of the topic of interest to you. We are also linking all essays written today on this topic here, so if you write something on your blog please comment below and it will be added to the list. Comments at the original post are encouraged, of course, but please feel free to incorporate that discussion into the large-scale cruxlux debate as well. Finally, we will have a live debate at 10:30 Eastern between advocates for and against the EC, featuring moderated questions (feel free to suggest below). This is somewhat experimental, so by all means let us know what you liked or didn’t like so we can adjust the format for future debates. Let the debate begin!

6 comments

Skip to comment form

    • pfiore8 on December 14, 2007 at 00:05

    !

    • pico on December 14, 2007 at 02:49

    the site has a nifty setup, and Brendan’s doing yeoman’s work pulling people from across the blogs (and across political boundaries).   Worth a look at the very least.

  1. and any feedback for future debates is appreciated.  

Comments have been disabled.