To the Editor:

As we try to spread democracy to Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, it might be wise to take a serious look at our house. We cannot export our current form of democracy because our "separate and unequal" voting system, and our concept of an Electoral College, do not reflect the best of a representative democracy.

A state right is not an American citizenship right, but a right defined and protected by each state — and limited to that state.

The Electoral College is only the two major parties that get to select slates of electors for each state. There is no meaningful choice because they know how they're voting beforehand; we all do.

Because it is a plurality system, the winner gets all of the electoral votes from a state (with the exceptions of a couple of small states that utilize a proportional rule). This is why not only will no third party candidate ever win the presidency, but why none is likely to get more than a handful of electoral votes.

We have to start by doing away with the Electoral College. It served its purpose in the 19th century: The college was created for specific reasons, none of which make sense in the 21st century.

Electors were needed to act as "filters" for the electorate because the public was not knowledgeable enough to make a "fit" choice in its own best interests. In the age of the Internet, TV and faxes, this is no longer the case.

Virtually every presidential democracy other than the United States elects its chief executive through direct vote. It's the only foundation upon which we can build a more perfect union.

Every two, four or six years, every member of Congress wants the people in their district or state to vote for them. Today it's time for every member of Congress to stand up and vote for the right of the people to vote, and to have their vote fairly and fully counted. If you too are in support, write your representatives today and let them know.