The way that the United States selects a president is bizarre. This is due to an error in the Constitution, which is compounded by the framers not anticipating the advent of political parties and their toxic antidemocratic effects. The US is burdened with a two party system. The only thing worse than a two party system is a one party system. The two parties are both dedicated to working together to maintain the two party system. This is called bipartisanship.
The presidential candidates are not selected by the people. They are selected by the parties. The parties hold caucuses or primaries or conventions in the various states where voters can elect delegates. The delegates go to the the national party convention where they vote for a candidate. Today the outcome of the convention is well understood in advance, so the convention is little more than a weeklong political rally. But in the past, the convention selected the party's candidate.
Then in the national election, the voters do not vote for parties's candidates. They vote instead for electors. If the electors fail to produce a majority, then the House of Representatives chooses the president.
This system is ridiculous. It should be replaced by a modern system of direct electronic elections. However, this change would require the blessing of both parties, and neither party would benefit from the change.
We are now facing the the most important election in our history, between a Biden, pleasant old man, and Trump, a criminal and wannabe tyrant. In last night's debate, we learned that the pleasant old man is also incompetent and not fit to complete his term as president. The 25th Amendment provides a process for removing Biden from office, making Harris the 47th president.
The national party conventions have not happened yet. If Biden drops out, all of his delegates are released and allowed to vote for whoever they want. My hope is that they will select a candidate who can defeat Trump and heal the dangerous divisions that a degrading our country.
Both parties have been engaging in corrupt policies that have been making the rich richer while diminishing the middle class. Life has been getting steadily harder for most citizens, and this is what is at the heart the tone of this election. Biden tells them that everything is fine. Trump tells them they have good reasons to be mad. Trump is right, but he is not the solution. If the democrats want to win, they need to select a candidate who can articulate a plan to rebuild the middle class. If the democrats fail, I think the American Experiment in Democracy will also fail.