At times in the past, I have mentioned how leafing through my grandfather's stamp collection made me feel that people tended to be smarter and more responsible here in the United States in the past. This did not feel like mere romanticizing of the past. It feels like something which smacked of the truth then, and which feels even more relevant and true these days.
For example, it was through his stamp collection where I learned about what was called the "American Beautification" program during the Lyndon B. Johnson years. There was an effort to plant more, as well as to try and reduce the amounts of billboards. This seemed to me a good idea, with little to no downside for most citizens. Yet, it was already a product of a bygone age by the time I got familiar with my grandfather's stamp albums.
Well, there are times when I still get that feeling. And one of those times was on my way to work on Monday evening, on the eve of Election Day in the United States. I tuned into WNYC, which is the local NPR outlet. It was Radiolab, and they had a special about the American elections.
However, this was mercifully not still more exhausting reporting on the two major party candidates running for the White House. After all, I already mentioned that it feels like ever since 2016, polls seem to be notoriously unreliable, and many of them are contradictory. This election, it seemed like the election is a foregone conclusion for both candidates, depending on which outlet you pay attention to. Some have Trump with a decent lead in key swing states, and others show Harris with enough of an advantage in the swing states that she will secure victory.
Which one(s) should we pay attention to?
It feels impossible to tell.
So I stayed away from the news of the election, which feels to me designed to make people feel anxious on both sides. As if we need still more polarization in this country.
This particular program was about something far different, and not specific to any particular election. In fact, this story was about something that happened - or in this particular case, nearly happened - which was when we very nearly got rid of the Electoral College system for electing presidents.
As it turns out, we came very, very close to getting rid of this antiquated, unfair, and frankly undemocratic system. Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana led a nearly successful, serious attempt to abolish the Electoral College once and for all, and to replace it with a one person, one vote, majority vote gets the White House system. A direct democracy. Huh. Can you imagine that? You know, like they have all over the rest of the world?
How close did it get? Well, Birch Bayh introduced this bill to abolish the Electoral System, and he nearly got it eliminated and replaced. Polls showed that 80% of Americans supported abolishing the Electoral College system. It actually had the approval of then new President Richard Nixon, who urged Americans to scrap the Electoral College system. Everyone seemed to understand and agree that this was undemocratic, and would lead to trouble somewhere down the road. The concern was that Americans someday might not accept a president who failed to received a majority of votes someday. It had happened in the past, and come close to happening in a couple of then recent elections.
It was overwhelmingly passed by the House, and came within six votes of passing the Senate. It seemed even then like it might have still had a chance to get through with a little political arm twisting. For the most part, Southern Senators, as well as segregationists, wanted to retain the system, and they were able to stall it, at the very least. As it turns out, that stalling actually proved to be critical for why this attempt to get a direct democracy for our national election ultimately failed.
Something happened, however. Nixon had first one, then two Supreme Court nominees who were rejected by Congress. At the time, this was unprecedented, as no president in history before had seen two nominees rejected. So Nixon was more than a little angered, and he put Senator Birch Bayh on the top of his enemies list. And it seems like there is evidence that for this reason, he allowed the bill, and the same abolition of the Electoral College which he himself had not long before advocated now went by the wayside.
Yet it still had a chance a few years later. This time, a Democrat was in office. Jimmy Carter also favored getting rid of the Electoral College.
Political realities had changed, however. This time, the proposal was killed by a surprising group of people who Senator Bayh had once been sure were in his camp. It was a small group of Jewish leaders, and some black leaders in Southern states. Get this: they were worried that getting rid of the Electoral College might invite extremism, and that it was the last real protection that they could count on against extremism.
Ironic, eh?
Man, we came so close as a nation to finally getting rid of the Electoral College, and to have simple majority vote elections, with the winner of the election receiving a straight up majority in a one person, one vote system! Now, it seems like that window has closed, at least for the foreseeable future.
I would strongly recommend giving this aa listen, and understanding how decades ago, there was a sense of responsibility towards the country by people in both parties - this had real bipartisan support - to address this before it reached a crisis point.
Too bad that they never got it done.
Radiolab: The Unpopular Vote, Oct 25, 2024:
https://radiolab.org/podcast/the-unpopular-vote
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