2016 elections - because it's never too early

[grumbler]

Yeah, AFAIK it's spelled out pretty clearly that the intent was that the people didn't elect the president directly and there would be an intermediate body of folks that "would know better".

So I don't think originalist appeals particularly support the Trumpist cause here.

Actually, not only is your assertion not "spelled out pretty clearly," it is completely wrong.  The purpose of the EC is to allow disproportionate representation to the smaller states, who feared that, without it, they would be ignored in the presidential campaigns.  There is zero evidence that the purpose of the EC was to simply to allow people who "knew better" to over-ride the popular vote

Hamilton spelled it out on the Federalist Papers. He's certainly just one horse, but it's certainly the horse's mouth.

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed68.asp

Madison spelled it out in The Federalist Papers No 39.  He's certainly just one horse, but the horse's mouth who was actually part of the negotiations that led to the establishment of the EC (Hamilton was absent).

The immediate election of the President is to be made by the States in their political characters. The votes allotted to them are in a compound ratio, which considers them partly as distinct and coequal societies, partly as unequal members of the same society. The eventual election, again, is to be made by that branch of the legislature which consists of the national representatives; but in this particular act they are to be thrown into the form of individual delegations, from so many distinct and coequal bodies politic.

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed39.asp

I withdraw the assertion that there is "zero evidence" to the contrary.  You have presented such evidence.

[CountDeMoney]

Not to worry, I am sure public education will become the priority it needs to be.

It already is, isn't it - they've been gutting educational standards in a number of states for years.

Standards don't really change.  Now budgets, on the other hand...well, they disappear.

[derspiess]

Where are education budgets disappearing, Seedy?

[CountDeMoney]

Where are education budgets disappearing, Seedy?

Georgia.  Kansas.  Oklahoma.  Maryland.  Plenty of states to choose from, dersendshiskidstoprivateschooltoavoidniggers.

[derspiess]

Ohio's education budget is increasing.  And one of the kids is in a public school now. 

[CountDeMoney]

Ohio's education budget is increasing.

Taking public funds to enrich private charter schools isn't really "increasing." 

So stop inciting bad mathematics.

[Valmy]

The budgets here are taken from the local property taxes. In my neck of the woods they are crazy high. Yes the fascists in Williamson County have higher school taxes than the communists in Travis County.

So is it not like that in other states?

[Admiral Yi]

The budgets here are taken from the local property taxes. In my neck of the woods they are crazy high. Yes the fascists in Williamson County have higher school taxes than the communists in Travis County.

So is it not like that in other states?

48 other states rely primarily on state income and sales tax.

[CountDeMoney]

The budgets here are taken from the local property taxes. In my neck of the woods they are crazy high. Yes the fascists in Williamson County have higher school taxes than the communists in Travis County.

So is it not like that in other states?

We must privatize education at all costs.  Yay, charter schools!

[Valmy]

We have a bunch of pretty successful charter schools here that are being run by my buddies in the Gulen movement. Erdogan has sent attorneys to Texas to try to shut them down. Honest to God.

I will just stick with the regular public schools though since I am paying a fortune for them anyway.

[derspiess]

Ohio's education budget is increasing.

Taking public funds to enrich private charter schools isn't really "increasing." 

So stop inciting bad mathematics.

Oh yeah, how dare we try to introduce some innovation & competition. 

[garbon]

Ohio's education budget is increasing.

Taking public funds to enrich private charter schools isn't really "increasing." 

So stop inciting bad mathematics.

Oh yeah, how dare we try to introduce some innovation & competition. 

Why should the government want to introduce competition among the schools that it funds?

[derspiess]

Why should the government want to introduce competition among the schools that it funds?

To make them better.

[Martinus]

Why should the government want to introduce competition among the schools that it funds?

To make them better.

How dare you suggest competition made anyone better?

[Savonarola]

The budgets here are taken from the local property taxes. In my neck of the woods they are crazy high. Yes the fascists in Williamson County have higher school taxes than the communists in Travis County.

So is it not like that in other states?

Florida runs a similar system to that; although in my (deeply red) county we have an additional sales tax to pay for schools.

Michigan divides the entire sum between individual districts on a per student basis.  This works out well in most places; however it has problems in areas of shrinking population (such as Michigan's upper peninsula.)  In those places many little towns could reduce overhead by combining districts; but since the local high school is the one point of pride those towns still have they're unwilling to do so.  It works out worse in Detroit since they have the same problem with shrinking population and, well, all that graft isn't going to pay for itself.