Soldier dies while trying to vote during Civil War

[David Lockmiller]

(11-17-2018 06:10 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  This is my personal opinion on why the USA will probably never abandon the Electoral College system in favor of a nationwide popular vote for President.

Each state receives at least three electors (two plus its number of representatives). The fact that all states have these two electors means the small population states are able to cast significantly more per capita electoral votes than the large states. This gives the smaller states more power in a Presidential election than they would have if there were a simple nationwide popular vote. The small states may not even see a presidential candidate campaign in their state, but they still have this extra electoral power.

IMO, Congress and the states would never approve abandoning the Electoral College because many smaller states would not vote for it, and the 2/3 vote in Congress and 3/4 vote of the states (needed for an amendment) would be impossible to achieve. I just do not see enough of the smaller states abandoning their extra electoral power.

I believe that the counter argument would be that even the small states must realize the imminent danger of permitting what happened with the Florida situation in 2000 to happen once again in 2020. The midterm election in 2018 and the evenly-contested vote in Florida is positive proof that possibility (or, one might argue almost a "certainty") is a continuing reality.

E pluribus unum was considered a de facto motto of the United States until 1956 when the United States Congress passed an act (H. J. Resolution 396), adopting "In God We Trust" as the official motto. E pluribus unum is included in the Great Seal of the United States, being one of the nation's mottos at the time of the seal's creation. E pluribus unum —Latin for "Out of many, one" (alternatively translated as "One out of many" or "One from many").

Perhaps "E pluribus unum" should now be legislatively adopted as the official motto of the United States and all of the states should act individually in accordance with this motto in consideration of such a constitutional amendment. The disproportionate government representation weight given to small states in the make-up of the U. S. Congress (i.e., the Senate) should be enough for the small states. Consideration for the well-being of the whole nation should be their paramount concern at this time in our nation's history - "E pluribus unum."

Roger, would you please post an image of the Great Seal of the United States? There is such an image on Wikipedia at "E pluribus unum."