THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE (Your vote DOES count!)

(Electoral College Map as of August 16, 2012)

Every four years the issue of ELECTORAL COLLEGE vs. POPULAR VOTE comes up during election time. Folks always ask what is the point of voting if the EC is the body that actually cast the deciding votes. It’s basic civics…they are connected. Citizens in each state vote for a ticket of candidates that includes a candidate for president and a candidate for vice president. The outcome of the vote in each state determines a slate of electors who then, in turn, make the actual choice of president and vice president.

Technically electors can thwart the popular will and vote for a candidate not supported by the voters of their state. In practice, however, electors are pledged to cast their votes in accordance with the popular vote, and "faithless electors" who go against the popular vote are extremely rare.

There is a negativity that persists in the minds of many when it comes to anything associated with a government or a so-called "system". There are facts. There are rumors. There are conspiracy theories. There are lies. There are truths. I GET IT! Believe what you want.

However, there will NEVER be consistent forward progress if all people do is complain and bitch and moan and attempt to force on others that UFO’s live in the White House. You can express your negative perceptions and mistrust and Illuminati stories all day long, but how will that change this country…the world…your individual existence???

Those who put forth ideas such as these literally assume that if we ALL just agree on the conspiracies, then we can destroy contemporary government in its evolved form, and revert to living a COMPLETELY loving and natural existence with no discord ever…that’s how it always comes across. NOT gonna happen! We are not created to think alike…

You can choose to live and think and perceive the world as you so desire. What I choose to do, however, is exhibit the courage to understand not the controversial conspiracies (many of which have no merit), but to confront and comprehend the human dimension effects of government/systems on our behavior. Without that level of understanding, the conspiracies mean nothing.

I’m sick of hearing about the GOVERNMENT and the EMPIRE and the SYSTEM and the MAN and WHATEVA…those are intangible manifestations of the actual HUMAN BEHAVIOR that is the underlying driving force of EVERYTHING here on Earth.

I’m not going to tell anyone to accept what I say or try and force you to think the way that I do…not possible anyway. I’m simply giving you food for thought to do with it what you will. I understand the anger of so many, but I cannot live my life running away from everything and holding contempt within for something that I cannot individually change. I choose to understand the world around me and live my life in ways that do not support those behaviors that are in contradiction to my beliefs…while realizing that there are some things we must do regardless in the meantime…like paying taxes and shit (ask Lauren Hill about that, though her goals are to be commended).

Regardless of the specific ‘weights’ in each state, popular votes are not a waste of time…unless that’s is one chooses to believe. AND…you can choose not to vote because you somehow "know" that it means nothing – your prerogative – just don’t bitch when the opposition’s electoral college picks a President that ruins the state of this country and our individual lives even further.

Your vote DOES count!

(D. Guidry)