How Sustainable Policies Can Help Preserve Our Environment

August 26, 2022

We all know that our environment is in trouble. The Earth is warming up, the ice caps are melting, and sea levels are rising. If we don’t take steps to preserve our environment, it may be too late. Thankfully, there are many policies that can help us reduce our impact on the environment and preserve it for future generations! In this article, we will discuss some of the most effective sustainable policies and how they can help us protect our planet.

One of the most important sustainable policies is reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap heat and cause the Earth to warm up. This is one of the main drivers of climate change, and it is having devastating effects on our planet. By switching to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, we can greatly reduce our emissions and slow down climate change.

Another important sustainable policy is protecting our forests. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help regulate the Earth’s temperature. Deforestation is a major problem, as it releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. By preserving our forests, we can help mitigate climate change and protect our environment.

There are many other sustainable policies that can help us preserve our environment. For example, we can reduce our water consumption, recycle more, and use less energy. By making small changes in our daily lives, we can make a big difference for the planet. It’s time to start working towards a sustainable future!

The way we eat also has a profound impact on the environment. The meat industry is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, as it requires a lot of energy and resources to produce meat. If we reduce our meat consumption or switch to plant-based diets, we can help lower our emissions and protect the environment. For our pets, we can also look into organic, sustainable pet foods that don’t have such a large environmental impact.

Do you have any sustainable policies in place where you live? What are some other ways we can preserve our environment? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Electoral College: Let’s Define It

September 17, 2021

In an earlier article I suggested that one of the problems with the way in which we elect Presidents and Vice Presidents is the fact that we are not at all using the same system for voting our leaders into office. In essence, our leaders get “electoral” experience through their parties, but without having the actual ability to alter the makeup of state governments. For instance, what is the meaning of “popular vote” if no one actually votes for the person that was party to the winning ticket? In this article, I will show you the definition of “Electoral College,” how it came to be (and why it continues to be), and how the system we currently use actually creates less accountability and integrity for our elected leaders.

The first question we must answer is what is an “Electoral College?” In the United States, each State legislature appends its own list of Electors to the applicable voting list of each State. In many States, the legislature simply refers to themselves as Electors, while in other States the legislature uses the term “Electors” to denote individuals chosen by the voters at a general election. In many States, the term “Electors” is actually a term used only at the time of an election, but not by the general populace at large. The list of Electors is manipulated by the state legislature in order to ensure that an election is conducted in a proper and correct way.

The “electoral college” is a hybrid entity consisting of three distinct entities; the national popular vote, a list of Electors agreed upon by the legislature of each state, and the “people” who choose the Electors by voting at the general election. Each of these entities has an entirely different purpose. The national popular vote gives every citizen one vote, regardless of how many Electors are present in the state. The list of Electors ensures that each person chosen by the voters at the general election have an opportunity to be seated in the House and Senate and to vote on bills and other legislative measures. Finally, the Electors are accountable to the public for their decision and are subject to accountability to the voters for their decisions.

The trivia question posed above might have a simple answer; however the answer is more complex. For starters, the list of Electors is not generated by the legislature until after the general election. Once the general election occurs, each state’s Electors are requested to vote in their respective districts and each Elector is required to fill in the necessary declaration page with their name, district, and seat. Thus, even if a state with a low turnout rate (due to an unusually high number of spoiled ballots) elects an unusually high number of Electors, that state’s list of Electors will still have a few people who are not entitled to vote because they are not residents of that particular district. Because of this, most states use “college voting system,” which involves awarding a primary vote to the candidate who receives the largest number of votes in each congressional district.

The actual process for choosing the Electors starts at the state House and moves through the various statehouses until it reaches the U.S. House of Representatives and eventually reaches the U.S. Senate. In any case, the process can be a lengthy one. Electors are usually chosen from a list of names submitted by the candidates themselves. This list is forwarded to the Electors by the candidates or their representatives in the state.

Beyond the actual list of Electors, each state uses a different set of voting rules for electing its Electors. States that use proportional representation choose their Electors based on how many popular votes each candidate receives. States that use “winner-take-all” systems also decide whom their Electors are by totaling the popular vote in each congressional district. Lastly, there are states with “winner-take-all” laws but which have a proportional allocation of Electors. States which use different systems for allocating the Electors can be confusing to those who are not knowledgeable about how the process works.

Would A National Popular Vote Be Better Than The Electoral College?

April 3, 2021

For Americans and people around the world, one of the great mysteries is the electoral college. The Founding fathers created the electoral college as a compromise between allowing the Senate to elect the President and the people. Unlike most of the world, U.S. voters are not voting for the President in their elections. Instead, they are voting for a group of electors from their state to cast a vote for the President. The complexity of the electoral college system has led to calls for the U.S. to the simpler popular vote model.

How Does the Electoral College Work?

In 1787, politicians in the U.S. had become deadlocked about how they would elect a President. The options available included a first past the post-winner-takes-all popular vote. The second option was for Congress to vote on who would be in charge of the nation.

A bitter split emerged between the northern and southern states regarding the best way to elect a President. To balance the needs of the north and the south, the Electoral College was created. The winner of the popular vote in each state is voted for by a group of electors who usually follow the result of the popular vote as they elect the President.

Rogue Voters

Electors have occasionally turned against the voters of their state. In 2016, two electors changed the name of the winning candidate in their states as part of a “not trump” campaign. A legal battle ensued that ended at the Supreme Court. The decision from the Supreme Court explained the Founding Fathers did not require the Electoral College electors to follow the results of the popular vote.

Why Switch to a Popular Vote?

Way back in 1934, politicians fell just two votes short of switching from the Electoral College to the popular vote. Support remains high among Democrats for a switch, but Republican voters feel the Electoral College gives them a better chance of winning The White House.

The biggest argument for switching to the popular vote is how Presidential candidates spend their time on the campaign trail. In Presidential elections in the 21st-century, candidates have focused their time and attention on four states. These swing states hold the keys to The White House because the other 46 states and the District of Columbia vote along party lines. Presidential candidates have spent the majority of their time and money in Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio in the 21st-century. By prioritizing these states, candidates are ignoring the majority of voters they hope will vote along traditional party lines.

Losing the Popular Vote but Winning the Election

In 2016, President Donald Trump won the electoral college and took The White House. The problem for Democrats was that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by three million, without taking the swing states needed to win the election. President George W. Bush also won the Electoral College while losing the popular vote to Vice President Al Gore in 2000.

Several states have introduced legislation to allow the popular vote to be used to elect the President. 33 states and the District of Columbia have introduced legislation to require electors to cast their vote with the people. The legal framework has already been passed in 15 states and the District of Columbia in preparation for a switch to using the popular vote in Presidential elections. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement requiring state electors to follow the results of the popular vote.

Using the popular vote is growing in popularity, but changing the Constitution is a drawn-out process. Although the majority of voters support changing the election model, political leaders show little enthusiasm for the change.

RNC Chairman: Roles and Responsibilities

April 1, 2021

The Republican National Committee is the primary driving force behind our nation’s conservative political party. It is vital to the election pursuits of Republican politicians on the national and state levels.

The first rule in the organizational guidelines of the Republican National Committee clearly signifies the critical role the RNC plays in the general management of the party. There are two key positions in the RNC that are elected. Both the chair and co-chair of the RNC are full-time paid positions.

Republican National Committee Overview

The first Republican National Committee was formed in 1856. Originally, the RNC was composed of a single member from each U.S. state and territory. The RNC equally represents each state regardless of population.

In 1952, various guidelines were included to expand committee membership to reflect Republican sentiment in individual states. Since 2011, there are 168 members on the RNC. One chairman of the RNC went on to become President of the United States, George H.W. Bush.

Numerous Republican state governors have served as RNC chair. Across the last decade, the demographic of the Republican Party has been changing. This has been a central focus of the RNC, especially the chairperson.

The RNC’s key role is to provide direction and leadership to the Republican Party. It is the most powerful single body behind conservative politics in the United States. Let’s look at the roles and responsibilities for the person elected to chair this vital part of the Republican Party.

The Role and Responsibilities of the RNC Chair

The duties and responsibilities of the individual who has been designated as the RNC chair span an array of areas. Many have assumed the chair role on a national level after serving as the chairperson for an individual state.

Current RNC chairperson, Ronna McDaniel first served as chair to the Michigan Republican Party before assuming her current role as RNC chair. Let’s explore the role the RNC chairperson plays, including some important responsibilities.

The Face of the RNC

While the more prominent elected members of the Republican Party are more visibly recognizable as the face of the party, the RNC chairperson generates a massive amount of media exposure. They must have a strong public presence. As such they don’t get too deep into more fringe political issues that could lead to backlash, such as restrictions on residential water usage or the regulation of emerging pet products.

During various election cycles, the RNC chairperson will make numerous public appearances across multiple media outlets. The chair will do interviews addressing the election strategy and policy focus of the Republican Party. One key role of the chairperson is as the face of the RNC.

Election Strategy

The RNC chairperson must be a skilled communicator. This person will speak publicly concerning the vision of the Republican Party. There will be calls to debate contentious policy differences with the individual elected to chair the Democrat National Committee.

The ability of the RNC chairperson to articulate election strategy across the entire Republican Party is critical. This individual chairs vital meetings of all RNC members. Election strategies are made by group decision, but it is the RNC chair’s duty to formulate a plan for explaining this strategy to the voting public.

Fundraising and Recruitment

The RNC Chairperson works closely with the RNC board to coordinate fundraising and recruitment. They help establish the goals and develop a strategy for meeting these goals. Together with board members, the chairperson helps to design the RNC’s message.

The RNC chairperson helps organize the public efforts to build campaign donations and recruit new voters to the Republican Party. These are two of the most important responsibilities of the RNC chair.

It is the responsibility of the RNC chairperson to nominate the RNC, a chairman for the Republican Finance Committee. Blended with strong public communication skills, the RNC chairperson is a vital part of fundraising and recruitment.

Appointment of Counsel

Another important responsibility of the RNC chairperson is to appoint a general counsel to the Republican National Committee. This individual, including a staff, serves as counsel to various RNC committees and sub-committees. The council is approved by RNC vote but serves at the will of the RNC chairperson.

Member of the Executive Committee of the Republican National Committee

The RNC chairperson is also the lead member of the important RNC Executive Committee. This committee has the power to utilize all executive and administrative functions of the RNC. The Executive Committee coordinates the election of officers to the RNC.

Executive Committee members, including the RNC chairperson, orchestrate the time, date, and location for the Republican National Convention. This committee is also entrusted with filing the nomination for the President and Vice-President for the Republican Party.

The Republican National Committee is a vital force within the Republican Party. It is the national organization that formulates the conservative party’s strategy. The RNC is the voice of conservative politics, and the RNC chairperson is the face of that voice. While not as visible as the actual candidates themselves, the RNC chairperson is a vital cog in the Republican Party.

State Delegate Allocations: Why They Matter

March 27, 2021

You must have heard the word delegate, right? With all the elections going around in the past month, it is the only thing we listen to.

Well if you don’t have a clue then here we will brief you on it and why they matter.

WHAT IS A DELEGATE?

Basically, a delegate is a person chosen to represent a particular group in the United States political assembly. At their annual state or county party meetings, they represent their voting precinct. Delegates are elected for two-year terms and have specific duties based on the class of delegate. Every year, delegates meet at their party’s convention. Delegates have equivalent rights as representatives, including the right to vote in committee, but they do not have the right to vote on the resolution on the house, where the entire house determines if it is carried.

There are various types of delegates: County delegates, state delegates, and national delegates or pledged or unpledged delegates.

Here we are going to put light on types of delegates.

A county delegate is nominated for primary and general elections are held for seats in the state senate and county offices.

As the name suggests the state delegate serves at a state level and it has the same capacity as county delegates. The delegates are required to attend the annual convention. They must also discuss any proposed changes to the state party’s constitution, state laws, framework, or convention rules.

A national delegate is a person selected at a national level and has the same duties as a county and state delegate.

Pledged delegates are a delegate assigned to a candidate depending on his or her caucus or primary results. These delegates can be vetted by the campaigns, and they can also send a list of names to represent them.

On the other hand, unpledged or superdelegates also known as “automatic” delegates, are representatives of Congress, governors, senators, and past presidents who are not tied to any single candidate because of the results of their state primaries.

WHY DO DELEGATES MATTER?

Delegates’ primary role is to decide on a party’s primary and general election nominee. If a candidate wins a majority of delegate votes at a party convention (60 percent for Republicans, 2/3 for Democrats), they will skip the primary and go directly to the general election. If no one wins 60% of the vote, a primary election will be held between the top two candidates.

State delegates are the ones you see holding signs at national conventions. They’re sent off to the national convention to decide on the party’s candidate, basically functioning as proxies for electors back home.

On the first ballot, a candidate must gain a majority of pledged delegates to become the nominee. The conference becomes disputed or “negotiated” if no candidate achieves an absolute majority. Unpledged “superdelegates” have the ability to vote on future ballots and previously pledged delegates have the freedom to vote as they want when candidates are eliminated.

THE FINAL THOUGHT

That’s all! This is all we have for state delegate allocation and why they matter. Know that delegates play an important role in elections. Delegates are selected based on election returns from hundreds of congressional districts around the country. Both of these district’s results are subject to the delegate distribution arithmetic, the 15% mark, and rounding.