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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> Many of America's Founding Fathers hated the thought of political  
> parties

But, Gene, they hated them in this context:

The first presidential election (1789) involved only ten states.  Two states 
had not yet ratified the constitution and one (NY) filed too late.

Of the ten states that participated, seven did not hold presidential 
elections as today, the legislators chose the electors.  The idea was that 
you elected 
your state reps and trusted them to support a presidential candidate of best 
interest to your state.  It was not until 1860 that all states held popular 
elections of electors.

Under that system you would not need political parties, and indeed, in the 
first election there were none.

A vote based on a simple majority of votes would be a disaster.  NY, 
California, Texas, and Florida would choose every president and the rest of 
us might 
as well stay at home.  Candidates would know this and shower largesse on 
those 
states at the expense of the rest of us.   </HTML>