Electoral College has outlived its usefulness

Opinion

Discussion

The Salem News has a real-name policy for commenting. Users may sign in using the Facebook Connect tool above the comments field. Once your first comment is posted by a moderator, all future comments will post automatically. If you prefer not to use Facebook, send an e-mail with your comments user name (which must be the same as your real name), city or town, street address and daytime phone number to comments@salemnews.com. A staff member will contact you directly to confirm your identity. It may take a day or two before you can post comments. Only your user name will be public. All users are required to follow our rules for commenting, which can be found here.

comments powered by Disqus

August 6, 2008

Anonymous The Salem News Wed Aug 06, 2008, 12:06 AM EDT

To the editor:

There were articles written recently in The Salem News about the Electoral College and I wholeheartedly agree with some of our local representatives that the Electoral College has outlived its usefulness and is a flawed system.

Many people in our nation have fought very hard for the "right to vote," but the Electoral College no longer really affords us that wonderful privilege.

I am a registered independent voter, and believe that I should have the right to choose "the highest leader in our land" by popular vote. Why should the Electoral College choose for me and leave me to have to pick whomever they choose? Many people whom I have spoken to feel the very same way.

Where is our "right to choose" if they have already done so. Whatever happened to 'We, the people of the U.S.'"?

IRENE CONNELL

Salem

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Opinion

Our View: New police HQ should be top Beverly priority

Beverly Mayor Bill Scanlon's continuing focus on improving the city's infrastructure deserves praise, and was likely a major factor in his winning reelection last November. But it is disappointing to hear that what is perhaps the city's most pressing, but least appreciated, need in terms of capital improvements — a new police station — has once again been put on the back burner.

Feb 8, 2012 4:46 am
Our View: Requests for road restrictions deserve careful scrutiny

As the number of vehicles using our roadways continues to grow, so too does pressure to make certain streets off-limits, at least during peak commuting hours.
You've seen it in almost every community: A road that used to be a convenient short-cut is posted as one-way during certain times of the day. Other tactics include prohibiting left-hand turns onto certain streets or posting them as dead-end when they're really not.

Feb 8, 2012 4:45 am
My View: Unified community college system could help close 'skills gap'

We have 240,000 people looking for work and nearly 120,000 open jobs today in Massachusetts. How can we have so much opportunity available and so many people still looking for a chance?
Business leaders tell me over and over again that it is because the people looking for jobs don't have the skills required. Many of these openings are for "middle skills" jobs that require more than a high-school diploma, but not necessarily a four-year degree. Jobs in medical device manufacturing or as lab technicians or solar installers, for example. And a lot of those forced by the economic downturn to make a change in their careers — people in their 30s or 40s or 50s — don't have the proper training for those jobs. We have a "skills gap."

Feb 8, 2012 4:44 am
Barbara Anderson: Speedy Registry visit leaves less time for reading, more for thinking

So there I was, sitting on a comfortable bench at the Registry of Motor Vehicles office at the Liberty Tree Mall and reading Robert Kelly's 2011 book on "the closest presidential elections," which I'd been saving for election year 2012.

Feb 8, 2012 4:43 am 1 Photo
Letter: Public streets are for the public's use

To the editor:
Regarding your Feb. 1 article about traffic on Raymond Road in Salem ("Solving traffic problems on street a work in progress"):
Residents of Raymond Road are understandably frustrated with the volume of traffic flowing on their street.

Feb 8, 2012 4:42 am
Letter: Public transportation vital to Boston-area communities Feb 8, 2012 4:41 am
Letter: Obama-Clinton ticket no solution to nation's problems Feb 8, 2012 4:40 am
Letter: Friends of Peabody COA seeks new members Feb 8, 2012 4:39 am
Letter: Blames Brady for Pats' loss Feb 8, 2012 4:38 am
Running club provides lots of benefits to members and community Feb 8, 2012 4:37 am
Letter: Lapse of judgment can occur at any age Feb 8, 2012 4:36 am
Letter: Late physician was dear family friend Feb 8, 2012 4:35 am
Our View: Regional projects still must prove themselves Feb 7, 2012 4:34 am
Our View: Giants New England's latest New York-area nemesis Feb 7, 2012 4:32 am 1 Photo
My View: Dickens bicentennial: 'Inimitable' British author still has worldwide fan base Feb 7, 2012 4:30 am 1 Photo
Learn more about Dickens Feb 7, 2012 4:29 am
Our view: STOCK Act a win for Brown Feb 6, 2012 5:00 am
Our view: PEM's big footprint adds to its responsibilities Feb 6, 2012 5:00 am
Ann McFeatters: Romney gaffes may be beyond fixing Feb 6, 2012 4:30 am
My View: Ambitious goal: Ending homelessness on the North Shore Feb 6, 2012 4:30 am
Essays: Students reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Feb 4, 2012 4:40 am
David M. Shribman: Shades of 1912 in this year's presidential skirmishes Feb 4, 2012 4:38 am
Our View: Nothing to fear from a winter like this one Feb 3, 2012 5:00 am
Our View: Plan for power-plant site deserves encouragement Feb 3, 2012 5:00 am
Nelson Benton: Dems at odds over college plan Feb 3, 2012 4:45 am
Thanks: Nice save of old Salem home Feb 3, 2012 4:30 am
Thanks: Many helped motivate Peabody girls soccer team Feb 3, 2012 4:30 am
Thanks: Volunteers helped immunize hundreds in Swampscott Feb 3, 2012 4:30 am
Thanks: Coaches helped him overcome fear of the water Feb 3, 2012 4:30 am
Thanks: Clinic took good care of feline friend Feb 3, 2012 4:30 am

Click here for more Opinion stories

Nelson Benton Twitter Updates

Follow me on Twitter

Salem News Opinion Poll

AP Video

Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout

Video of Ga. Man Who Killed Girl Released

Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service

Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart

Comments Tracker

Roll Call

Brown bucks GOP, votes to appoint Cordray as Consumer Protection chief: Roll Call for week of Dec. 5
WASHINGTON - Here’s how members of the Massachusetts delegation in Congress voted on major issues the week of Dec. 5:

December 12, 2011
Kerry, Brown split on payroll tax cut: Roll Call for week of Nov. 28, 2011
WASHINGTON -- Here’s how members of the Massachusetts delegation in Congress voted on major issues the week of Nov. 28:

December 5, 2011
Congressional roll call for weeks of Sept. 19 and 26, 2011
WASHINGTON - Here’s how members of the Massachusetts delegation in Congress voted on major issues the weeks of Sept. 19 and 26:

September 29, 2011
Congressional roll call for week of Sept. 16, 2011
WASHINGTON - Here’s how members of the Massachusetts delegation in Congress voted on major issues the week of Sept. 12.

September 21, 2011
Here's how N. Shore House members voted on casino bill
BOSTON -- The Massachusetts House of Representatives voted 123-32 Wednesday for final passage of a bill authorizing three casinos and one slots parlor in the state. Here's how members of the North Shore delegation were recorded.

September 15, 2011

Helium debate