WE CONTINUE OUR 360
PERSPECTIVE COVERAGE OF THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE..
AND NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE
BILL...
THAT WILL SOON BE HEADED TO
GOVERNOR POLIS DESK...
WE'VE GONE OVER THE HISTORY
OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
NOW: AFTER MANY OF YOU
ASKED...
WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT WHY IT
MATTERS -- AND HOW THE UNITED
STATES IS A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
-- NOT A DIRECT DEMOCRACY.
IT'S ALL LAID OUT IN
ARTICLE ONE OF THE CONSTITUTION.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
DIVING INTO IN TONIGHT'S 360
PERSPECTIVE.
LET'S START WITH THE
BASICS--- A DEFINITION OF
EACH...
ACCORDING TO DICTIONARY DOT COM
A DEMOCRACY IS: .....
"GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE....
A FORM OF GOVERNMENT IN WHICH
THE SUPREME POWER IS VESTED IN
THE PEOPLE....
AND EXERCISED DIRECTLY BY THEM
OR BY THEIR ELECTED AGENTS....
UNDER A FREE ELECTORAL SYSTEM."
.AND A REPUBLIC: ...
"A STATE IN WHICH THE SUPREME
POWER RESTS IN THE BODY OF
CITIZENS ENTITLED TO VOTE....
AND IS EXERCISED BY
REPRESENTATIVES CHOSEN DIRECTLY
OR INDIRECTLY BY THEM." TO DIG
DEEPER--- LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
SOME OF THE KEY DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE TWO THAT KATE BROOME
BROKE DOWN ON SCIENCE TRENDS..
WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THESE
GOVERNMENTS? IN A DEMOCRACY ---
THE MAJORITY IS IN CHARGE...
THE MINORITY HAS NO VOICE...
IN A REPUBLIC---THE MAJORITY
IS ALSO IN CHARGE--- BUT THE
MINORITY HAS A
VOICE..
WHO RULES THE GOVERNMENT...
IN A DEMOCRACY---ITS THE
MAJORITY..
IN A REPUBLIC--- IT'S A
MAJORITY--- WITH PROTECTIONS
PROVIDED BY THE CONSTITUTION.
WHEN IT COMES TO IMPORTANT
ELEMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT.....
A DEMOCRACY IS CALLED THE
PEOPLE'S SYSTEM---IT HAS FREE
ELECTIONS WHERE PEOPLE DECIDE
WHO TO PUT IN OFFICE--- AND HAS
FREE ELECTIONS WHERE EVERYONE
CAN VOTE--IN A PURE OR DIRECT
DEMOCRACY.....
POWER IS EXERCISED DIRECTLY BY
THE PEOPLE RATHER THAN THROUGH
REPRESENTATIVES.
IN A REPUBLIC---THE PEOPLE
STILL VOTE AND HAVE
ELECTIONS.THE ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES ARE THEN
EXPECTED TO EXERCISE THE WILL OF
THE PEOPLE...
--- BUT THE MINOIRTY IS
PROTECTED BY RULES, OR
INALIENABLE RIGHTS-- IN THE
UNITED STATES THESE ARE
GURANTEED BY OUR CONSTITUTION.
THE FOUNDING FATHERS DIDN'T
TRUST A DIRECT DEMOCRACY...
THAT'S WHY THEY CREATED THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE...
IT'S REFERENCED IN "THE
FEDERALIST PAPERS"--- THEY
WANTED AN EXTRA LAYER OF
PROTECTION FROM MAJORITY RULE..
IN THE CASE OF THE ELECTORAL
COLLEGE...
NOT JUST HAVING THE POPULAR VOTE
ELECT THE PRESIDENT.,..
JAMES MADISON WORRIED A
GROUP OF PEOPLE COULD GROW TO
MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE
POPULATION...
AND WOULD VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF
OTHER CITIZENS...
OR HARM THE NATION AS A WHOLE.
IF YOU HAVE A STORY YOU'D LIKE
US TO COVER IN OUR 360
PERSPECTIVE SEND AN EMAIL 360 AT
KOAA DOT COM
THERE YOU CAN ALSO FIND OUR
OTHER STORIE
