Thoughts on the Presidential Election
Don Pettygrove
December 30, 2016
I think it is well past time that we stop any reference to
national vote totals for the presidential vote. It is a meaningless number. In
each state we vote for electors to be our representatives to the Electoral
College. Those electors are required to vote as we direct them. Those votes are
worthless beyond the borders of each state. Each state does this in a similar
manner. It is important to realize that we are responsible only each of our
states to elect our representatives. Any reference to a national vote total is
erroneous and misleading.
I believe that the media are doing a disservice in making
reference to a national vote total since it, in reality, gives a false
impression and leads to all manner of misinterpretation.
We should start placing electors on the ballot, not the
presidential candidate’s name unless they are noted as electors committed to a
certain candidate. We should vote for electors only. They will be selected by
the state parties at their state conventions but they are our representatives
and, if a candidate should not be able to fulfill the duties through sickness
or death, the electors are able to vote their conscience at the Electoral College.
The caucus system is the closest to what was intended in
the Constitution. I say that because we elect representatives in each caucus to
go to the county assemblies and at those various county assembly’s delegates
are elected to the state convention. The state convention is where our electors
are elected by our designated representatives.
In fact, it was allowed that the state legislature could
select our electors if that were the desire of the people in that state. There is
NO provision for an election by the people to determine the president.
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