OCR Text |
Show ST. GEORGE 8 — For the week of October 3, 2008 ee The Spectrum — www.thespectrum.com A look at the electoral process elections loom- ing, I feel it incumbent to investigate not the candidates, but the method used to elect them. It turns out that candidates in this country are elected using a system referred to as the “Electoral College”. This system was devised by our forefathers to provide a method whereby the wisdom of the “Electoral College” could select a better president than the general population. If you doubt this, I ask you to perform the following test: After casting $1000 2/2 John Carter So. Utah Ponderings your vote in the upcoming elections, take a look at the other voter's faces as they are leaving the polling place. The truism “Ignorance is bliss” goes a long way in explaining the smiles on most of their faces. The Electoral College actually selected a president who didn’t win the 1300 Summer $895 3/2 $1100. 3/25 $1900 6/4 election based on the majority of popular votes in 1876 when Rutherford B Hayes was elected, in 1888 when Benjamin Harrison was elected, and once again in the year 2000 with the election of George W, Bush. One of the most appealing aspects of the Electoral College is that it can be used to ignore the wishes of a general voting group, whose thinking need not be considered... which, as I see it is probably our best hope in the upcoming elections. I use the plural term “Elections” because with the Electoral College system our next president will be selected by a combination of 51 simultaneous independent elections, rather than a single national election. Little-known fact: The electors garnered in the elections generally cast their votes according to the winner of the popular vote in their respective states, but in some cases are not required by law to do so. Because of the inherent advantages of the Electoral College system, many of your finer countries still use it to select their leaders... Countries like Burundi, Estonia, India, Madagascar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Trinidad and Tobago, not to mention Kazakhstan, (although the United States is the only current example of an indirectly elected president.) In most states the presidential ticket that receives the most votes ‘wins’ all of the votes cast by electors from that particular state. That is why in U.S. Presidential campaigns, you will seldom see a presidential candidate campaigning in Southern Utah - instead they are concentrating on winning the popular vote in » @See CARTER on pg. 18 Bob Hudson / St. George Neighborhoods Edith Elliott, Myra Tobler and Della Hoffman, residents of the Beehive Home on Tonaquint Drive, enjoy spending time with Curly, a mixed-breed dog who became the house pet at the assisted living center after her owner died. Pooch brings smiles, protection at care center BY BOB HUDSON ~ bhudson@thespectrum.com ST. GEORGE — It’s a: Thursday morning at the Beehive Home assisted living center on Tonaquint Drive. Some residents are just finishing breakfast when a stranger approaches. Curly is instantly at the door, checking things out. Curly isa mixed-breed dog who has lived at the home for about six months. She came with her master, Romane Sturzenegger. When he died. in August, Curly stayed. “The dog's master died, so we decided not to take her to the pound yet, said 92-yearold Myra Tobler, one of the residents. “She adds a pitts bit to our life? Brenda pees the house manager, said, “she's quite protective. If a stranger comes, she’s checking them ut: Eighty-nine-year-old Florence Deck added, “she's just a good dog. She loves everybody. She likes everybody and she knows the people who belong here?’ Mark Corry, the owner/ operator of the home, said when Sturzenegger died, the staff approached him about keeping Curly. “The residents voted 10 to 1 to keep her,’ he noted. He said for the majorime of people, pets are a good thing. “We all need somebody to care for and who cares for us, he said. “A pet satisfies ° ith presidential i thatmeed3 ih hadi a Della Hoffman, also 92, — said she prefers cats, adding, “she’s just here. She didn't have anywhere to go: Harrison noted, “she just brings excitement to the home? Corry noted that Sturzenegger’s son, Gene, has been good about providing the cost of grooming and food for Curly. She has a bed in the living room of the home. “She loves every minute of it? said Deck. “She's a good dog. I can’t see why anybody wouldn't love her to pieces.” As she enjoyed the attention, Curly grabbed- her squeaky toy, a dog-doll, and hauled it into the living room. “She's always doing cute things, Deck said with a delay ‘smile. |