Comments on <<我們有權選總統>> (TVB USA) - 2008/10/12

Hi TVB,

I watched the third episode of "We have the right to vote" last night. I like the simple graphics used to explain concepts.

Unfortunately, some "facts" were misleading or simply wrong.

What I found particularly troubling are the comments by Professor Tong towards the end of the show regarding "other issues" that are determined in nation/state-wide elections.

Professor Tong seemed to say that presidential impeachment and ratification of constitutional amendments are determined in nation-wide elections. Both are wrong in fact.

1) Simply put, the impeachment of a president is handled by the House and Senate, with no involvement by the common citizens via nation-wide elections, as the show seemed to imply.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_in_the_United_States

2) Constitutional amendments are ratified by state legislatures or ratifying conventions, NOT by a nation/state-wide election, as the show seemed to imply.

One might argue that citizens are "given a voice directly" in matters of impeachment and ratification, via the election of senators and congressmen. However, this indirect "voice" is a stretch and hardly fits the context of the comments.

Professor Tong also mentioned "conflict of interest" as a reason for how propositions are "chosen" to be put on ballots, with examples like "length of term" and "increase of salary." While these are valid reasons, they are reasons for relatively few of the amendments (national or state). For example, most of the California state propositions this year have little, if any, to do with conflict of interest by elected representatives. It would be better for Professor Tong to pick "reasons" that are more common.

I hope you can clarify these points in the next episode so viewers are not confused or misled.

Thank you.

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