This dialogue may interest you as well.

This happened today in the open sitting area outside a coffee shop.

I overheard it.

Whom did you vote for?

‘I didn’t vote for. I voted against’.

For many years now in USA, we don’t vote for. We vote against.

Do you think all those who voted for Joe Biden; they did so because they liked Joe Biden. They indeed disliked Trump.

And those who voted for Trump; do you think they did so because they liked Trump. They indeed disliked Joe Biden.

During elections, candidates are vigorous because they will have the rewards of power.

Media is vigorous because they get the reward of advertisement revenue.

Big Donners are vigorous because they will have the reward of policy shifts and grants to their advantage. And interestingly big donners include foreigners as they have their cross- border economic interests.

During 2020 US Presidential Election, voters have been also vigorous.

B’cause they wanted to block out the one they didn’t like.

If you don’t vote, you are failing in your constitutional duty.

Some democracies implemented ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA). What difference does it make? Nothing more than helping you complete your constitutional duty, because your vote is not counted either way, nor leads to any systemic change.

I am reminded of that wisdom: Why people don’t break a contract? B’cause the consequences of breaking a contract are worse than continuing in or with the contract.

What would you say about Electoral College System of USA?

It should change in the 21st Century. Life was very much ‘local’  200+  years ago. No 24×7 TV. No Internet. No Social Media. No Jets. Voting was also not for all. It should be now direct vote. Electoral College bestows disadvantage on 49% voting in highly populated States like California.

Conducting direct voting is no issue. Technology is there to support. How many people vote in Indian elections? Many more, in a much less developed country compared to USA. Even in USA, voting is already taking place at the national level. Only counting and cumulation of votes will be different. No more ‘Take All, Lose All’, by State. Let each valid vote directly count.

Is it Direct Voting in India for their Prime Minister?

It is not direct voting there also.

They elect members of Lok Sabha, that is like House of Representatives. But their term is 5 years, and not 2 years as in the case of House of Representatives. And Members of Lok Sabha elect Prime Minister, invariably leader of the biggest political party in the chamber.

They have their own issues.

Horse trading, which means alluring and buying members of other parties is (in)famous about Indian political system.

In fact, abetment and allurement begins at voter level itself. The means are diverse and multiple.

Money plays the biggest role in elections both in India  and USA.

Of course, the divide between rural and urban is much more in India than USA.

In India, they provide allurements directly to voters and their local leaders. In USA, they spend indirectly through advertisements, etc.

Poor Voter; who, on paper, holds reins of the country and the economy, feels helpless at the hands of the System.

12th Amendment, concerning Electoral College System, happened long ago.

The U.S. Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures. Not so easy when the country is divided exactly in the middle.

So, are you still for democracy?

I may not be for the kind of democracy we are, but I will go out and vote against autocracy.

For the voters, elections have reduced to choosing lesser evil. But lesser evil is still better. And there is always an opportunity to get rid of or replace.

The possibility, howsoever remote, of POSITIVE CHANGE, at the end of  a certain period, is the best virtue of Democracy.

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