Edited by AEI resident scholar Walter Berns, the book answers questions such as how the electors are appointed, how their votes are counted, what happens if an elector casts a vote in violation of his pledge, and what happens if no one receives a majority of the votes. To answer those questions, the authors cite the Constitution, statutory law, party and parliamentary rules, and examples from past elections. The book also includes two essays on how the electoral college has evolved. In one, AEI resident scholar Norman J. Ornstein discusses three disputed elections of the nineteenth century, and in the other, the late Martin Diamond addresses criticisms of the electoral college system. That need has now been met by this book which combines equal mastery of constitutional law and political philosophy.
Edited excerpts follow.
The art wars of the past decade have been driven by art crafted to provoke the public. The fluid in Andres Serrano s infamous image would have been unidentifiable had the artist not gone out of his way to title the image Piss Christ. And if its pachyderm waste had not brought wrath down upon Chris Ofili s Holy Virgin Mary, the pornographic photographs that the artist collaged over and around the icon likely would have. Most of these artists defenders and critics framed their disputes in a way that was sure to generate much heat but little truth. Those disputes have accomplished nothing aside from bloating the coffers of the opposing armies and propelling the careers of the artists who started them.