On the Electoral College... and an endorsement

My fellow Illinoisans!

Regardless of your preference in the upcoming presidential elections it is imperative that you cast a ballot regardless of whether you think it will effect the outcome in the Electoral College.

If we are lucky, the result in the Electoral College will reflect the will of the people as expressed through the popular vote. Which is, of course, the way the system is supposed to work. However, the very real possibility exists (& this is a scenario that could strike either party) that the popular vote and the electoral college will not match. My friends, we can not count on luck, the time for electoral college reform is upon us! The electoral college is a historical remnant that no longer matches the needs of our American democracy.

Just as every American citizen is equal in the eyes of the law, so should our votes ought to carry equal weight in the ballot box. The Electoral College systems gives preferential treatment to the populations of smaller states by giving them a disproportionate weight on election day. Even more alarming is the "winner take all" system of allocating electoral votes which can effectively render moot the voices of 49% of the electorate in any state regardless of its population!

My fellow Illinoisans! We must bring the issue of electoral college reform to the table regardless of the outcome of this particular election. If the American people cannot be convinced of the virtues of scrapping it entirely, then we must make a concerted effort to advocate for a proportional allocation electoral votes to the candidates earning votes in those states. In the "winner take all" Electoral College, 49% of a state's voting voices can be left unheard. That's not the America we want our children to live in!

Finally, the time has come to make an official endorsement:

I endorse Senator John Kerry for the office of President of the United States.

Bearing in mind that I do not believe that either candidate can quickly right the economy or dramatically improve the security situation in Iraq, the driving force in my decision is that I believe John Kerry is more likely to nominate candidates for the Supreme Court that will strive to protect civil liberties and personal freedoms (while President Bush is more likely to appoint Justices who will curtail individual choice and allow more centralization of power in government). Also, that John Kerry is more likely to look for lasting long-term solutions to the plight of America's middle class and the poor in contrast with the short-term approach of the current administration (small tax rebates to the masses to hide little progress on reducing their long-term tax burden or increasing their job opportunities).

All that said, the most important thing is that you vote. Let us band together to make this year's voter turnout the highest in the history of Illinois!

I am Rasml and I approve of this message.