Let the People Pick the President

Let the People Pick the President

Author: Jesse Wegman

Publisher: Macmillan + ORM

Published: 2020-03-17

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 1250221986

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“Wegman combines in-depth historical analysis and insight into contemporary politics to present a cogent argument that the Electoral College violates America’s ‘core democratic principles’ and should be done away with..." —Publishers Weekly The framers of the Constitution battled over it. Lawmakers have tried to amend or abolish it more than 700 times. To this day, millions of voters, and even members of Congress, misunderstand how it works. It deepens our national divide and distorts the core democratic principles of political equality and majority rule. How can we tolerate the Electoral College when every vote does not count the same, and the candidate who gets the most votes can lose? Twice in the last five elections, the Electoral College has overridden the popular vote, calling the integrity of the entire system into question—and creating a false picture of a country divided into bright red and blue blocks when in fact we are purple from coast to coast. Even when the popular-vote winner becomes president, tens of millions of Americans—Republicans and Democrats alike—find that their votes didn't matter. And, with statewide winner-take-all rules, only a handful of battleground states ultimately decide who will become president. Now, as political passions reach a boiling point at the dawn of the 2020 race, the message from the American people is clear: The way we vote for the only official whose job it is to represent all Americans is neither fair nor just. Major reform is needed—now. Isn't it time to let the people pick the president? In this thoroughly researched and engaging call to arms, Supreme Court journalist and New York Times editorial board member Jesse Wegman draws upon the history of the founding era, as well as information gleaned from campaign managers, field directors, and other officials from twenty-first-century Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns, to make a powerful case for abolishing the antiquated and antidemocratic Electoral College. In Let the People Pick the President he shows how we can at long last make every vote in the United States count—and restore belief in our democratic system.


The Fight to Vote

The Fight to Vote

Author: Michael Waldman

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2022-01-18

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 1982198931

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On cover, the word "right" has an x drawn over the letter "r" with the letter "f" above it.


The Right to Vote

The Right to Vote

Author: Alexander Keyssar

Publisher: Basic Books

Published: 2009-06-30

Total Pages: 496

ISBN-13: 0465010148

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Originally published in 2000, The Right to Vote was widely hailed as a magisterial account of the evolution of suffrage from the American Revolution to the end of the twentieth century. In this revised and updated edition, Keyssar carries the story forward, from the disputed presidential contest of 2000 through the 2008 campaign and the election of Barack Obama. The Right to Vote is a sweeping reinterpretation of American political history as well as a meditation on the meaning of democracy in contemporary American life.


Granddaddy's Turn

Granddaddy's Turn

Author: Michael S. Bandy

Publisher: Candlewick

Published: 2015-07-14

Total Pages: 33

ISBN-13: 0763665932

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Based on the true story of one family’s struggle for voting rights in the civil rights–era South, this moving tale shines an emotional spotlight on a dark facet of U.S. history. Life on the farm with Granddaddy is full of hard work, but despite all the chores, Granddaddy always makes time for play, especially fishing trips. Even when there isn’t a bite to catch, he reminds young Michael that it takes patience to get what’s coming to you. One morning, when Granddaddy heads into town in his fancy suit, Michael knows that something very special must be happening—and sure enough, everyone is lined up at the town hall! For the very first time, Granddaddy is allowed to vote, and he couldn’t be more proud. But can Michael be patient when it seems that justice just can’t come soon enough? This powerful and touching true-life story shares one boy’s perspective of growing up in the segregated South, while beautiful illustrations depict the rural setting in tender detail.


Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?

Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?

Author: Alexander Keyssar

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2020-07-31

Total Pages: 545

ISBN-13: 067497414X

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A New Statesman Book of the Year “America’s greatest historian of democracy now offers an extraordinary history of the most bizarre aspect of our representative democracy—the electoral college...A brilliant contribution to a critical current debate.” —Lawrence Lessig, author of They Don’t Represent Us Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why they choose their presidents through an arcane institution that permits the loser of the popular vote to become president and narrows campaigns to swing states. Congress has tried on many occasions to alter or scuttle the Electoral College, and in this master class in American political history, a renowned Harvard professor explains its confounding persistence. After tracing the tangled origins of the Electoral College back to the Constitutional Convention, Alexander Keyssar outlines the constant stream of efforts since then to abolish or reform it. Why have they all failed? The complexity of the design and partisan one-upmanship have a lot to do with it, as do the difficulty of passing constitutional amendments and the South’s long history of restrictive voting laws. By revealing the reasons for past failures and showing how close we’ve come to abolishing the Electoral College, Keyssar offers encouragement to those hoping for change. “Conclusively demonstrates the absurdity of preserving an institution that has been so contentious throughout U.S. history and has not infrequently produced results that defied the popular will.” —Michael Kazin, The Nation “Rigorous and highly readable...shows how the electoral college has endured despite being reviled by statesmen from James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson to Edward Kennedy, Bob Dole, and Gerald Ford.” —Lawrence Douglas, Times Literary Supplement


Every Vote Matters

Every Vote Matters

Author: Thomas A. Jacobs

Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing

Published: 2016-08-10

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 163198070X

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Encourage teens to recognize the importance of voting and making their voices heard in the democratic process with this timely book focused on Supreme Court decisions that came down to a single vote. Chapters examine key Supreme Court rulings and explore how these cases have affected the lives and rights of U.S. citizens—especially teens. Using a straightforward, impartial tone, the authors take a close look at often controversial cases and at the history of voting in the United States. The emphasis is involvement in local and national elections as well as other ways to be an engaged citizen. With an accompanying digital discussion guide, the book is a perfect choice for teachers and youth leaders to offer teens in the upcoming 2016 presidential election cycle.


Electoral College Reform

Electoral College Reform

Author: Thomas H. Neale

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2010-11

Total Pages: 34

ISBN-13: 1437925693

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Contents: (1) Intro.; (2) Competing Approaches: Direct Popular Election v. Electoral College Reform; (3) Direct Popular Election: Pro and Con; (4) Electoral College Reform: Pro and Con; (5) Electoral College Amendments Proposed in the 111th Congress; (6) Contemporary Activity in the States; (7) 2004: Colorado Amendment 36; (8) 2007-2008: The Presidential Reform Act (California Counts); (9) 2006-Present: National Popular Vote -- Direct Popular Election Through an Interstate Compact; Origins; The Plan; National Popular Vote, Inc.; Action in the State Legislatures; States That Have Approved NPV; National Popular Vote; (10) Prospects for Change -- An Analysis; (11) State Action -- A Viable Reform Alternative?; (12) Concluding Observations.


Presidential Swing States

Presidential Swing States

Author: David A Schultz

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2018-06-20

Total Pages: 439

ISBN-13: 1498565875

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In this new and updated volume, the contributors examine the phenomena of presidential swing states in the 2016 presidential election. They explore the reasons why some states and, now counties are the focus of candidate attention, are capable of voting for either of the major candidates, and are decisive in determining who wins the presidency.


Vote Her In

Vote Her In

Author: Rebecca Sive

Publisher: Agate Publishing

Published: 2018-10-16

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 1572848235

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A seasoned political analyst and strategist argues why the U.S. must elect a woman president now and lays out a plan of action to make it happen. Yes. She. Can. Vote Her In addresses the unrealized dream of millions of American women: electing our first woman president. It makes the case for the urgency of women attaining equal executive power at all levels, including the presidency, and offers a comprehensive strategy for every woman to be a part of this campaign—the most important of our lifetimes. Women are wildly underrepresented at every level of the U.S. government: federal, state, and local. Research has shown that women in executive government positions are far more likely than men to commit to policies that benefit women, girls, and other marginalized groups. So, after centuries of underrepresentation, it’s clear: our best bet for creating a system that is more fair, balanced, and just for everyone is electing our first Madam President—as soon as we can. Vote Her In is organized around the inspirational messages seen on protest signs carried at the record-breaking 2017 Chicago Women’s March. Part One outlines the case for why we need to mobilize now, and Part Two provides a clear strategy for how to do it. Each chapter in Part Two includes an action plan that women can complete to help each other (or themselves) attain political power and work toward electing our first woman president. Author Rebecca Sive draws on her decades of political experience to create this crucial book, which empowers every American man, woman, and child who cares about our nation’s democratic future to harness their collective power in the run-up to 2020 and, at last, form a more perfect union. Praise for Rebecca Sive’s Vote Her In “Rebecca astutely explores a critical question: If we believe in justice for every American, will we work to elect women to public offices across the country, including the presidency? We must!” —Lisa Madigan, former attorney general, Illinois “Sive takes her years of dedication to advancing women’s political careers and causes and turns them into a call to action?along with some of the practical tools needed for real and rapid progress.” —Katherine Baicker, dean, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy “Far too few women, especially women of color, have the opportunity to become political leaders. Let’s #VoteHerIn, as Sive’s inspirational guide so powerfully argues.” —Kimberly M. Foxx, state’s attorney, Cook County, Illinois