Bill Me Later

Let me start by say that I'm no political genius. My interest in politics is purely superficial, serving only to give fodder to my arguments when discussing various important issues over a breakfast casserole and bagels with my uncle at easter. As for my political stance, I would consider myself independent due to the simply fact that neither party has things right. I agree with democrats on some issues and republicans on others. Having said that, the moronic Maryland democratic party, which now has a death grip on the state's political landscape, has presented a bill that seems so incomprehensibly idiotic it demands to be commented on.

The bill's key proposal, interlaced with many other more frivolous issues, is to give the states electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote. Primarily, law makers in this God forsaken land feel this will help raise Maryland's importance on a national level. The idea sounds nice in theory, though if all the other states adopted a similar policy we'd be relegated back to political obscurity, and it would solve the problem that cropped up during the Gore vs. Bush election where Gore won the popular vote by 1/2%. If you consider that to be a problem.

However, I think a sane person who looks at this bill for more than a minute would come to realize how dumb of an idea this really is. For one, it would turn the electoral college into a retirement home for rich old white men. They would be left unattended to wander the halls of the capital with nothing to do, stripped of their power and will to live. As much as I'd like to torture rich old white guys, I feel like our forefathers put them in charge of presidential vote casting for a reason. They are the fail-safe. They are the safety factor. As a nation, I do believe we've progressed in education and culture. But to the point where this safety valve is useless? I think not. Just go outside and look around for a day. Make note of all the people in who's hands you'd put the future of our nation. That crazy guy on the corner, the women with all the cats or how about the hundreds of thousands of people in your city you've never met and don't know exist. Do you want them deciding what direction America takes? Sure, they get their say, but they don't have the final say. Personally, I'm not ready to turn that over to the masses. And thus, the old white man retains his job.

Another pit-fall of the proposal is a recount. We all remember the Florida recount. How much of a pain in the ass was that? Didn't it seem like it took forever? That's cause it was and it did. The electoral college serves to break the votes into their respective states, making it easy to narrow down the one or two states that were tight on voting and allow for individual recounts. If every state cast their electoral votes with the popular vote and it was a close race, like Gore vs. Bush, then the entire country would have to be recounted. It would be the first time in US history that we wouldn't have a president because it took so long to recount votes that one presidential term ended before the other began. I'm sure that wouldn't make us look incompetent to the international community.

How about this MD. Instead of trying to raise your image nationally through gimmicks and ploys, we concentrate on things within Maryland that need attention. Lets help people go to school and learn, get a job and become self-sufficient, feel safe walking down a city street. Maybe the government could even improve public services, protect the environment and pay down the state debt (something I'm convinced the Maryland democratic party will never accomplish) while they're at it. I bet if they do all those things, they'll improve Maryland enough that the national recognition will come freely. It's a win win that no one wants to be part of. Forget feebleminded bills and do something real for once MD.