Cobblestone articles from September 2004

Cobblestone archives from September 2004

Why vote?
September 1, 2004... If you are befuddled by how the Electoral College works, join the club. When asked, most people admit to knowing that the Electoral College exists, but they often cannot explain its functions. This issue of COBBLESTONE attempts to clear up that...

A closer look.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... We bet you are thinking, "How can a person win approximately 500,000 more popular votes than an opponent and still lose an election?" Remember, the candidate who wins the most popular votes in each of forty-eight states--even if by one...

Origins of the Electoral College.
September 1, 2004... Why did the Founding Fathers create the Electoral College? In order to answer this question, it is important to go back in time and look at the problems they were trying to solve more than two centuries ago. The United States was a very...

Learn the lingo.(Electoral College terms)(Brief Article)(Glossary)
September 1, 2004... In presidential election years, these Electoral College terms all are involved in determining which candidate wins a term of office. A BALLOT is an election document listing candidates and issues for voting. It also can mean a vote. A...

Learning from experience.(elections)
September 1, 2004... The men who wrote the U.S. Constitution and created America's system for selecting a president and vice president were brilliant. But even the wisest people cannot foresee the future. Nothing comparable to the United States' method for choosing...

Scandal & controversy.
September 1, 2004... Throughout American history, the results of presidential elections often have been very close. No matter the outcome of the popular vote margin, though, the electoral vote totals usually have determined a winner. In two famous elections of the...

Did you know?(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Before 1804, the fop vote-getter in an election became president, and the runner-up was named vice president. In 1796, the winner of the most votes for president was John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Adams's rival, won the second-most votes, making...

A question of tariffs in 1888.
September 1, 2004... The election of 1888 involved several stones: the industrial North versus the agricultural South, an unexciting campaign, and political influence and money. It was the last time before the controversial 2000 vote that a president was elected...

Behind the scenes.(elections)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... States have certain responsibilities to make sure the Electoral College process is followed. Overseeing this on the national level is where the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) plays an important role. It ensures the...

It's your turn count the votes!
September 1, 2004... Imagine that Republican Ella Font went up against Democrat Don Key in the 2004 presidential election. Both candidates ran a tough campaign, and the votes have been officially tallied and certified. Study the chart shown. Then see how things...

Open to debate: should the United States keep the Electoral College? Consider these arguments for and against the Electoral College. Which side do you think has the better case?
September 1, 2004... PRO Keep the Electoral College! THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE MAKES SURE A PRESIDENT HAS SUPPORT FROM, AND GIVES SUPPORT TO, ALL OF THE UNITED STATES. The president is not elected to represent just part of the country. To win a majority of...

No stranger to politics.(An Interview With Elector Stephen Duprey)(Interview)
September 1, 2004... If you follow politics, the name Stephen Duprey may sound familiar. Perhaps you caught his December 18, 2000, appearance on ABC News. The program did a segment on a day in the life of an Electoral College member and focused on Duprey, who...

Take me to your leader!(Going Global)
September 1, 2004... Primaries, conventions, presidential elections, and an Electoral College to boot--Americans do have a unique system for choosing their national Leader. But it's certainly not the only way. While all democracies have one thing in common (a...

Unforgettable September.(Your Letters)(Brief Article)(Poem)
September 1, 2004... UNFORGETTABLE SEPTEMBER Months ago, our country was affected. Since that day, we've all reflected. As the World Trade Towers fell down. Our country had much more than a frown. Many...

To Aunt Jackie.(Your Letters)(Brief Article)(Poem)
September 1, 2004... TO AUNT JACKIE Through thick and thin, you've been there for me. Now want to be there for you. I need you to hang on. You can get through cancer-- I know you can. You just have to believe in yourself....

Arches.(Your Letters)(Brief Article)(Poem)
September 1, 2004... ARCHES Arches-- a rock's favorite monument. The arch is a ring that you can see yourself putting on your finger. An arch is like a rock rainbow, just gliding through the sky. Take a picture-- it...

Teeth.(Your Letters)(Brief Article)(Poem)
September 1, 2004... TEETH Anastasia started to lose her teeth one by one. Each time she would lose a tooth, she was not able to keep her tongue out of then new space in her mouth. Soon enough, she was the richest...

A vote of confidence.(Your Letters)(Brief Article)(Poem)
September 1, 2004... A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE Voting is good, voting is great, voting will elect a new candidate. Wave, bow, and say "Hello" at the president's car show. Fill out a form with a check or an "X," and...

The importance of voting.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... Voting is an essential act of citizenship. It allows people to have a voice In the way they are governed. Without it, America would be a dictatorship, since the opinions of the citizens could not be expressed. Voting also allows people to...

The Dedication Tree.(Your Letters)(Brief Article)(Poem)
September 1, 2004... THE DEDICATION TREE There it was under the tree, underneath the small, but meaningful, tree. There was a block of granite, like a letter addressed to eternity. saying that this person once was...

Books to read.(Digging Deeper)(elections)(Brief Article)(Bibliography)
September 1, 2004... Issues in American History: The Right to Vote by Carole Lynn Corbin (New York: Franklin Watts, 1985, www.scholasticlibrary.com) offers a broad view of the history of voting and the people--from the Founding Fathers to the civil rights...

Places to visit.(Digging Deeper)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. NARA contains all the records of the U.S. government. Its publications include those of the Office of the Federal Register Museum of American Political Life, University of...

On the Web.(electoral college, presidential elections )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... For links packed with information and titles such as How the Electoral College Works; The Distribution of Electoral Votes Among the States, 1981-1990 and 1991-2000; The Federal Election Commission Home Page; and The Electoral College Home Page,...

Embry's review.(The 2000 Election)(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)(Book Review)
September 1, 2004... THE 2000 ELECTION by Ted Gottfried (Brookfield, Connecticut: Millbrook Press, 2002, 202-740-2220) tries to remove the confusion many young people feel about the Electoral College system by clearly explaining it and relating it to the 2000...

Election cake.(Flashback ... To Cobblestone's Two-Party System Issue)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Throughout U.S. history, Americans have cherished--and even insisted on--the right to vote for their laws and leaders. First there was the town meeting, then the election of colonial governors. Later, as the nation developed, different...

Brain ticklers.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... GIVE YOUR BRAIN A LITTLE TO SEE HOW WELL YOU READ AND UNDERSTOOD THIS ISSUE ON THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. IF YOU BELIEVE THE ANSWER TO BE FALSE, GIVE YOURSELF THE ULTIMATE TEST AND SEE WHETHER YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHY IT IS FALSE. ANSWERS ARE BELOW. ...

A final word.
September 1, 2004... WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE VALUE OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE? SHOULD THE UNITED STATES KEEP it, TRY to CHANGE it, OR GET RID OF it COMPLETELY?

Get ready ...
September 1, 2004... ... TO CELEBRATE! Next year, COBBLESTONE will mark twenty-five years of publishing. So, we decided to start the festivities a little early. We have been busy over the summer, trying out some new things. We've added several new departments....