This is the page where I will place my writings that may help one's understanding of the issue discussed.

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Electoral College

     Some say the Electoral College is not fair.  The founding fathers devised the Electoral College to make fairer the power of the individual states.  We are a nation of many states, or rather a nation of many nations united.  If America were simply one Nation not consisting of individual sovereign states then the Electoral College would not make much sense.  (Grant it, "State Sovereignty" is today questionable.)
     Our founding fathers debated the issue of how the President would be selected.  A simple popular vote was rejected as it would give greater power to the more populated states. Each state "having one electorate" was rejected also because it would give an undeserved level of power to the less populated states. Thus the current electoral College was devised to more evenly distribute the power among the States yet determined by population.
     Our Congress consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives also were devised to give a greater weight to the smaller states.  The population of each state determines the number of Representatives, giving more power to the larger states.  The Senate membership is two for each state giving equal power to each, regardless of size.  The Electoral College consists of two votes for each Congressional District plus two for each state, the same formula as for the Congress.
     Each State determines how the Electoral College divides the Electoral votes between the candidates. Most states provide for a “winner take all,” giving all the electoral votes to the candidate that wins the state.  Other states will allow a dividing of the electoral votes.  In those states each District’s electorates are won by the votes cast within the district.  The two statewide electorates are decided by the votes for the candidates that carries the state.  The States in their sovereignty allow how the electoral votes are divided or not.
     The individual parties prior to an election decide the individuals who cast the electoral votes.  It is necessary for the parties to have ready those chosen should their candidate win the electoral votes.  When a Presidential Candidate wins the electoral vote the individuals selected cast their vote at the capital of their state.
     With the diminished power of the states it may well be time for a change, however, the Electoral College is the system we currently use to select our president.  Like it or not that is what we have.  The individual vote together has the power within the state to carry that state. But it is the individual states, together with a compromised power base that elects our President.       

 - Roger W Hancock  ©  June 2, 2004                Index

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Primary Election

Washington's primary fight and subsequent change provides an opportunity to define the purpose of a primary.

Washington State Primary           
     Those who do not like having to declare their party affiliation in a primary election do not understand the primary.
     A primary is to narrow the field of candidates to a few that represent the various political parties.  It is for the parties to decide who their candidates will be for the actual election (General Election).  
     Grant it one can and maybe should argue that the primary selection process should not be a public election at public expense.  I believe it probable that the primary began as a means to fund the process from the government coffers.
     Each Party should be able to certify that candidates follow the tenets of that party.
     Some say, "Do away with parties."  It would not happen for coalitions would form to build power and effectively act as the party system does now.  Conservatives would draw together and Liberals would draw together with the others becoming the ineffectual third parties.  Thus no parties are still parties.
     It is the Freedom we enjoy that caters to a two party system.  We do not tolerate parties that hold power by weapons as sects of the third world nations do.  Those who wish to change our foundations band together for change and those who wish to embrace and maintain America’s foundations band together.  Thus America’s greatness facilitates the two party system that we know today.
     Come September participate to select the candidate of your party then vote for the best candidate in November.       

 - Roger W Hancock  ©  June 30, 2004 

     Update #1: 
     In the November General Election of 2004 the citizens of Washington State voted in a Top Two Primary.  in a Top Two Primary only the two candidates with the most votes will move on to the general election.  This will inhibit the third parties from having any candidates in the General Election. The Top Two Primary restricts the voter's selections in the General Election. to only two candidates.  Those two candidates may be of the same party excluding all others in the General Election.
     If I understand it correctly the Top Two Primary is open to vote for any party. Not keeping the primary closed, requiring selection of party, is contrary to the court's decision that the blanket primary is unconstitutional due to its restricting the right of association. I expect the court battles to continue.

    Update #2: Early in 2005 the court overturned the Top Two Primary for just the reason I stated above.  I expect we will return to a primary where the voter will select the ballot for the party they wish to help choose the candidates for.

- Roger W Hancock   ©  December 24, 2004                 Index

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     The subtleness of the cold war has allowed the advances of socialism into American society and law. America has moved left towards a more socialized society taking from those who have to give to those who have not. The distribution is allowing the “dumbing down” of the citizenry. Those who do not have and do not wish to work are enabled a lifestyle greater than many of those with the dignity to adhere to the Judeo-Christian values of the work ethic that made America Great.
     America becoming a blend of Socialism and Capitalism provides a working model that is more successful than any other models of purer Socialism or Communism. America has the greatest distribution of wealth than any other Country. I dare say any other country ever or at least any country that has had any longevity. The “taking away from those who have to give to those who have not” will only be tolerated by the working class and capital class people before they retaliate.  When there are fewer workers willing to work and there is less wealthy to invest capital the system begins to be weakened by a lack of financing.
     America was made great by entrepreneurial spirit of those willing to work hard and risk investing their capital. The free enterprise system within the Republic form of government has allowed advances in technology, agriculture, and service industries.  The means to move from the poor class to the middle class then to the richer class has made America the desire of the world's poor.
     America is shifting towards a philosophy that in working models has failed. But then, those who see the existence of a class of poor as wrong taint the understanding of that failure.  America's poor is far richer than the poor of the world. There is inherently nothing wrong with a class of poor as long as government does not oppress them by physical means or by over taxation. The poor is taxed no matter whom you direct the taxes to.  Tax the corporation and the tax trickles down to the consumer.  Tax the rich and they then require more return on their investment to make the risk of capital worthwhile.
     America has become the greatest nation the world has ever known.  America has created the greatest distribution of wealth the world has ever known. Will we learn from the successes or will we keep trying to re-invent the wheel?  Diversion from the proven weakens the spokes of the American Dream. The dream will become elusive as the chuckholes of change break the weakened spokes of a previously proven wheel.
     When there are no rich there will be no industry. No industry, no jobs. No jobs, no hope. In the lack of investment and the ability to better oneself the system will not sustain itself. When the government controls all industry and assigns all jobs the monetary system becomes a system of credits. All may become equal but at the expense of suppressing the competitive human spirit.  Man excels best when his efforts overcome adversity. Man excels best in a competitive environment.  Socialism suppresses excellence.

  - Roger W Hancock   ©  November 11, 2004                Index

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Fascism 101 - The deceit

      Fascism gains ground by the uninformed masses believing all that tickles their fancy.  Whether truth or not when proclaimed by those in government and in the media the message will be believed by many.  Adolf Hitler gained his power by proclaiming that which he felt the people wanted to hear.  Once Hitler gained power he then could push his agenda of ethnic and genetic cleansing.   
     The gaining of power is the goal of fascism, by what ever means to obtain that end.  Truth has no value.  History is an enemy.  The voice of the opposition must not be allowed.  The opposition must be demeaned to such an extent as to destroy its credibility in the minds of the public.  Religion must not be tolerated.  Those with a devout faith will stand on truth even to their own death.  Call them religious zealots so their message is not listened to.  Those who stand on principle are enemies to the quest of power by progressives.
     America is under siege by those who would deny the truth of America ’s founding documents.  They demean the words of the founding fathers saying they were anti-religion when in fact many were devout in their religious beliefs.  Christmas is an American tradition, and is under assault by progressives that claim they do not want to offend. Those same are all so willing to offend the majority who hold to the American tradition of Christmas.
     Fascism is victorious when the majority keeps quiet.  Liberty becomes its own enemy when it is not defended by those who hold dear its principles, that liberty does not oppress.

 - Roger W Hancock   ©  December 24, 2004                Index

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