Episode 108

full
Published on:

10th Sep 2025

The Vote That Doesn’t Exist: America’s Missing Right to Vote and the Electoral College Trap

The U.S. Constitution never guarantees the right to vote—and that gap still shapes democracy today. Jerremy and Dave expose how the Electoral College distorts representation, how felon disenfranchisement silences millions, and why reforms like ranked-choice voting could reset a two-party system at war with itself. A system without universal access isn’t broken—it’s incomplete.

Timestamps:

(00:00) The Missing Right: Why Voting Isn’t in the Constitution

(01:44) Electoral College: Democracy’s Built-In Design Flaw

(12:16) Felon Voting Rights: Punishment or Redemption?

(18:51) Ranked-Choice Voting: Democracy’s Reset Button

(24:17) The 130 Million Problem: Why So Many Don’t Vote

Transcript
Alex:

"Quick test: Name an Electoral College elector.

2

:

Stumped?

3

:

So are most of us, but they

call the shots on presidents.

4

:

Shock two: The Constitution

skips voting rights entirely.

5

:

We're decoding these outdated setups,

felon barriers, and ranked-choice fixes to

6

:

make every vote matter in modern America."

7

:

Dave: Hey.

8

:

I want your opinion on this because

9

:

Jerremy: I'll take it.

10

:

Dave: blew my mind.

11

:

Jerremy: Okay.

12

:

Dave: The US Constitution

contains no right to vote.

13

:

It has discrimination built into it on

voting, but there is no right to vote.

14

:

And certainly in the history of

voting, like it was only a few people,

15

:

you know, at the beginning of this

country that were, allowed to vote.

16

:

It got a little bit broader.

17

:

You know, women were, enfranchised

than, former slaves were.

18

:

And then it was fixed again with the

Voting Rights Act to make sure that there

19

:

wasn't, like all these barriers to voting.

20

:

Now they're talking about like

making 16 year olds vote, which I

21

:

do have strong opinions on that.

22

:

Anybody who's ever had a

teenager would be like, what?

23

:

Um.

24

:

What do you think?

25

:

I mean, there's no right to vote.

26

:

Uh, how crazy is that?

27

:

Shouldn't we have a

28

:

Jerremy: you the bear arms.

29

:

Dave: You can you, yes.

30

:

You can bear arms and not be forced

to have troops in your home, but no

31

:

to vote in a representative democracy.

32

:

And I

33

:

Jerremy: Well,

34

:

Dave: Like in the early days,

like you didn't do a direct

35

:

voting for a lot of thing.

36

:

Like you didn't, I don't think you voted

for senators, I think, or, you know, like

37

:

you didn't vote directly for the right.

38

:

Like the president was like voted out

of Congress and, uh, like it was, it,

39

:

I, you know, I got my history wrong.

40

:

Anybody out there who is

like, no, that's not true.

41

:

But I don't think there was ever a direct,

I mean, we don't have a direct vote now.

42

:

Okay, let's talk about this.

43

:

Um, the electoral college one,

I'm not sure if I understand it.

44

:

And two, I think people

have strong opinions on it.

45

:

Do you have any opinions

on the electoral college?

46

:

Because you can actually get

all the votes and still not

47

:

Jerremy: Still Yeah.

48

:

Oh, do I have opinion on

the electoral college?

49

:

Yes I do.

50

:

So number one, the fact that I'd

probably say less than 20% of

51

:

Americans know what the electoral

college is as probably a travesty.

52

:

Number two, who is on

the electoral college?

53

:

No one knows.

54

:

Dave: Oh yeah.

55

:

Jerremy: No one.

56

:

Like you'd have to you.

57

:

Dave: I'm a graduate of

the electoral college.

58

:

Jerremy: Exactly.

59

:

Dave: have my degree

from electoral college.

60

:

Jerremy: JD Vance couldn't

tell us who's only electoral

61

:

college right now like that.

62

:

And that's not even discrediting him.

63

:

That's like saying that's how bass

wards, that whole system is now.

64

:

I like its relevancy in the sense that,

hey, the overall state, you get this many.

65

:

Votes because now that

is a population thing.

66

:

Okay.

67

:

You have a population, the

more population, the more

68

:

people the more votes.

69

:

Dave: And that's like Congress, right?

70

:

So

71

:

Jerremy: Congress, but also,

72

:

Dave: like Texas and

Florida and California.

73

:

They have a bigger number

in the electoral colleges.

74

:

That's right.

75

:

Like congress.

76

:

Okay.

77

:

Jerremy: correct.

78

:

And Wyoming, Montana, they have

less than three, like 12 votes.

79

:

And they usually all get voted the same

way anyway, but it's like it's, they have

80

:

less because they have less population.

81

:

However, though, if a state, and

I can't currently remember if this

82

:

has ever even happened, but it could

where a state votes, Hey, we want this

83

:

person in office, and the electoral

college could still decide to vote and

84

:

cast their vote however they want to.

85

:

Dave: Come on.

86

:

That's bonkers,

87

:

Jerremy: So they don't have to

actually listen to the populace.

88

:

They are according to the current law,

allowed to make whatever vote they want.

89

:

Now, again, who are these people voting?

90

:

I, I have no idea Who they are.

91

:

I don't know what they're doing.

92

:

I don't know what they

have, how they discuss.

93

:

I don't know any of that.

94

:

And no one does either really.

95

:

Which seems very strange to me.

96

:

Very strange.

97

:

It's if you went and they said, Hey

who should go into the Hall of Fame

98

:

for the NFL National Football League?

99

:

And people are like, I don't know.

100

:

All right let's have people vote on it.

101

:

Who?

102

:

I don't know what, let's

just call 'em people.

103

:

And these people are like, no,

pass Hall of Famers get to vote.

104

:

Got it.

105

:

So there should be.

106

:

Dave: God, as much as I, I love politics

and as much as I love watching the

107

:

presidential stuff, it's not winner

take all, like it really is, you know,

108

:

it's 538 electoral college, votes.

109

:

And that's the same as Congress, right?

110

:

It's basically a hundred because

every state gets two and then is

111

:

it 4 38 representative wise, geez,

I think we're gonna have to have

112

:

somebody who knows what this is.

113

:

So why isn't this just a math thing again?

114

:

Yeah, because you do get

different counties like that.

115

:

We get reports county by county, and

people do get counties, but man, they

116

:

don't have representation in that

same, so those aren't gerrymandered.

117

:

Why is the electoral college not

gerrymandered, but the elections are?

118

:

Jerremy: Thank you.

119

:

Dave: That's weird.

120

:

Jerremy: Thank

121

:

you.

122

:

Dave: that's weird.

123

:

Jerremy: it is weird, man.

124

:

It's super strange.

125

:

And again, just the fact that

there's so little information

126

:

and validation and verification,

not only on voting, but yeah, the

127

:

electoral college is super bizarre.

128

:

Super wild.

129

:

And I will say, as much

as I love this country,

130

:

I'm not one of the, like me and

Charlie Kirk have a pretty big

131

:

disagreement on the Constitution.

132

:

He thinks it's the greatest

thing since the Bible.

133

:

And I'm like, I don't see it that way.

134

:

I'm glad that it was written.

135

:

I'm glad that it was created.

136

:

I am very thankful for all the things.

137

:

It was created by misogynist,

racist, homophobes.

138

:

Dave: Brilliant ones.

139

:

Jerremy: very, yeah, very

smart, very well articulated.

140

:

There's a lot of very smart people.

141

:

Hitler was incredibly smart,

extremely wise, very articulate.

142

:

Just because you have smart people,

doesn't mean they're remarkable.

143

:

The reason that they didn't

have the right to vote is 'cause

144

:

they didn't want anyone to vote.

145

:

Dave.

146

:

They wanted

147

:

their buddies, their friends

from Alexandria and West

148

:

Point, that's who they wanted

149

:

to vote, was their friends and the

highest of the pedigrees of individuals,

150

:

right?

151

:

They didn't want women voting.

152

:

Women are dumb.

153

:

They don't have brains.

154

:

They're not smart.

155

:

Don't have them vote,

156

:

right?

157

:

Black people, absolutely no chance.

158

:

Native Americans get outta here.

159

:

Who are

160

:

you?

161

:

They want them and their buddies

and their drinking halls and

162

:

their mason temple to vote.

163

:

So that's why, because they knew

if you open it up to too many

164

:

people, if everyone had the right

to vote, they lose their power.

165

:

And again, I'm not saying that

they're terrible individuals

166

:

by any stretch of imagination.

167

:

What I'm saying is the Constitution

was the best thing that they

168

:

could come up with at the time.

169

:

Granted, the majority of the

writers of the Constitution

170

:

were most likely inebriated at

the time of creating it, right?

171

:

They drank all the time.

172

:

All the time.

173

:

Openly.

174

:

Like frequently.

175

:

So guys,

176

:

they were

177

:

Dave: alcoholic misogynists put

together this incredible document.

178

:

Hey, on the other side of this,

we've also have the longest

179

:

running government in the world.

180

:

Like we've been around hundreds

of years now, like nowhere else on

181

:

the planet can actually say that.

182

:

It's been amended a bunch of times, right?

183

:

There is a process.

184

:

So I think there is a, the fact

that they did build in a process

185

:

that says we can update this.

186

:

Maybe it, there is a, there is something

to be said, like maybe we should be in

187

:

a regular process of updating things.

188

:

Like maybe it should

be a little bit easier.

189

:

But man, results do matter.

190

:

Incredible country, incredible founding

document that has served us for hundreds

191

:

of years and has changed over time.

192

:

I don't know, I can't think of a

lot of documents that are like that.

193

:

People don't update the bible, the

Koran doesn't go through updates

194

:

Torah, no updates there, right?

195

:

Jerremy: They weren't supposed to, right?

196

:

Dave: I'm just saying great

documents, like this is a

197

:

living, breathing, I don't know.

198

:

Jerremy: No,

199

:

exactly.

200

:

And

201

:

Dave: be a little bit of more

on Charlie's side on this, but,

202

:

Jerremy: to, I don't think you are.

203

:

Dave: No.

204

:

Jerremy: no, I don't think so.

205

:

The fact is, yes, I love

the amendment process.

206

:

That's incredible.

207

:

And I love what it is and what

it's created and what it's built.

208

:

I just don't have the reverence

209

:

for this,

210

:

Dave: Oh yeah,

211

:

Jerremy: to your point Yeah.

212

:

Does have anything about voting

213

:

at all,

214

:

and this is what the country is built on.

215

:

Country is built on

216

:

Dave: away.

217

:

I was like, there is no, there are

actually it's all built into laws.

218

:

Like they can say, oh, hey,

voting is unconstitutional.

219

:

What?

220

:

And so this is also like federal

versus state control because

221

:

it is not in the constitution.

222

:

It is up to the states to

figure out their process.

223

:

And so I've lived in different states.

224

:

You've lived in different states.

225

:

There is a different

process in every single one.

226

:

I actually have a huge

admiration for Florida.

227

:

I think we knew all of the results.

228

:

It was the first in the nation for the

presidential election to post their

229

:

votes because I think within a few

minutes certainly within the hour, I

230

:

think they had everything posted online.

231

:

There were some minor updates over the

course of a couple of weeks as mail-in,

232

:

but they not mail-in anything that was

like postmarked later or, like just

233

:

minor corrections that didn't change

anything, but it was like minuscule.

234

:

But they had everything within minutes.

235

:

Whereas in California they might still be

counting the votes as far as I can tell.

236

:

It, like it takes forever

to go through that process.

237

:

So I have huge, like credit where

credit is due, Florida has got it down.

238

:

You gotta show your id.

239

:

I get a paper receipt on it, you

know exactly my vote and okay, great.

240

:

It was easy peasy.

241

:

You're just like they check you in and

you go and vote, like done, like great.

242

:

California, I lived in San Francisco.

243

:

I went to some, literally somebody's

garage which I, it was in my, it

244

:

was in my neighborhood, but it was

like the door of the garage was

245

:

up and there was, those, the, yes.

246

:

I went to a garage and they asked

me my name and I gave 'em my name

247

:

and they said, what's your address?

248

:

And I said, this is my address.

249

:

And they said, here, sign here.

250

:

I'm like, great.

251

:

And I signed here.

252

:

But I could have gone to

all of the voting places.

253

:

You can vote anywhere.

254

:

You don't have to vote

in your neighborhood.

255

:

Like you can just keep

going to voting places.

256

:

Now mind you, the penalties are

severe if you go and vote other places

257

:

but anybody could vote anywhere.

258

:

And all you had to do was sign

a paper that says, this is who

259

:

I am and this is where I live.

260

:

That's why it, I think it takes weeks

and weeks and weeks in order to get all

261

:

this stuff, because it's all by hand.

262

:

I mean, it's like, it's bonkers.

263

:

So it's not in the Constitution,

it goes to the States.

264

:

Actually, the Feds have very

little say in how voting is done.

265

:

It is a state's rights issue.

266

:

I feel like there does need to

be some, some standards, but

267

:

Jerremy: yeah.

268

:

Dave: it's not in there.

269

:

Jerremy: higher standards,

better standards.

270

:

It's really fantastic just to be aware of.

271

:

I think that we all want to do better,

and this is one of those very crucial

272

:

aspects to how this country is run

that just really isn't widely known.

273

:

Talked about, discussed or changed,

you know, like we've been doing it the

274

:

same way for a very, very long time.

275

:

And to your point, like go into a garage.

276

:

Yeah, just sign this thing, man.

277

:

It's fine.

278

:

It's all good.

279

:

Believe it or not, actually gives way

more credence to like the, hey, we should

280

:

just have everyone vote argument where

it's it's not even in the constitution.

281

:

They didn't even care for it to

be that big of a deal like that.

282

:

That

283

:

would

284

:

be the

285

:

Dave: That's interesting.

286

:

I'm in, yeah.

287

:

What's the history on this?

288

:

Why isn't it in there?

289

:

Jerremy: Yeah.

290

:

Like they should just have everyone

like, I know why they did it at

291

:

the time, I get it, but since

it's not in there, they're like.

292

:

Have everyone, like all of them.

293

:

Every single person.

294

:

Dave: Yeah.

295

:

I think it was the white guys

who voted at the state, and then

296

:

the state representatives sent

the representatives to the feds.

297

:

That was, my seventh

grade, remembrance of this.

298

:

Okay.

299

:

Let's talk about some of our

favorite people in our lives, phons.

300

:

Should felons be allowed to vote?

301

:

Lots of states, no.

302

:

They're like, Nope, you broke the law.

303

:

You're gonna have a

tough time getting a gun.

304

:

You're not gonna be able to vote.

305

:

And then some states, which is

kind of wild, you vote in prison.

306

:

I'm like, okay, cool.

307

:

Do you have an opinion on this?

308

:

Jerremy: In prison, no.

309

:

I do believe, and I do have an opinion

on this one of those opinions are, I

310

:

think that it's very easy to classify.

311

:

Are you a felon

312

:

or.

313

:

Dave: Yeah.

314

:

Jerremy: Are you a prior felon?

315

:

I'm not.

316

:

You're not.

317

:

Like it's very simple to

go, are you or were you

318

:

Dave: Hey, we know that they have IDs.

319

:

Jerremy: bro?

320

:

Oh my goodness.

321

:

Okay, so now were you a felon who

got let out early for good behavior?

322

:

Dave: Okay.

323

:

So you're saying

324

:

Jerremy: Again, very easy to

determine, identify and verify.

325

:

If, yes, absolutely you can

vote, you're a great human being.

326

:

Are you a felon that served your

entire sentence and then got out?

327

:

Did not early, just got out 'cause

you served your whatever, 35 years.

328

:

By the way, it's hard to be a felony and

get out like, oh, three years in prison.

329

:

Like you're, it's tough.

330

:

But if you went through the entire

thing and didn't try to do any of the

331

:

programs like that, that again just

tells me that there's the likelihood

332

:

we've studied this, the recidivism

rate, the likelihood that you're gonna

333

:

go back to prison is extremely high.

334

:

Dave: Yep.

335

:

Jerremy: So I would say no.

336

:

Dave: Ah, interesting.

337

:

If you've served your

time, you're like, no.

338

:

But if you've served your time and

you've seen some rehabilitation,

339

:

you're like, yeah vote, vote away.

340

:

Jerremy: you were able to get out early.

341

:

Like I, I just think that's a pretty

easy identification, classification where

342

:

everyone that we spoke to about this

whole process, they did get out early,

343

:

right?

344

:

They did.

345

:

Because there are programs in

place, there is implementation

346

:

in place, there are things that

you can do that are known about.

347

:

They're just not actively participated in.

348

:

And I think that's probably

a very shining metric, right?

349

:

Should you be allowed to

vote while you're in prison?

350

:

No.

351

:

That's a no.

352

:

That is your crime.

353

:

Hey bud, you, because not all felons.

354

:

Not every single person

who's in prison is a felon.

355

:

I don't think.

356

:

I don't believe so.

357

:

can have

358

:

Dave: like jails.

359

:

Yeah.

360

:

Maybe we have to go back and

do the justice one again.

361

:

Interesting.

362

:

Interesting take.

363

:

I might be a little bit more

liberal on you on this one.

364

:

I am like, just because you broke

laws doesn't necessarily mean you

365

:

shouldn't be able to vote on them.

366

:

Like I, I get, hey you also

can't have a handgun in prison.

367

:

So you do lose, certain

things with your freedom.

368

:

We also heard about the shenanigans with

prosecutions and prosecutors and like

369

:

how, like there are plenty of people that

are serving time that shouldn't be there,

370

:

are falsely accused, there are railroads.

371

:

Like there are a lot of reasons why people

are in prison that should not be there.

372

:

And.

373

:

I don't know.

374

:

I feel like they're not connected.

375

:

I feel like you should be able to vote,

and I'm fine with voting in prison.

376

:

I'm like, whatever.

377

:

If you're a felon, whatever.

378

:

I don't think there shouldn't

be, like, I don't feel like we

379

:

should keep on punishing somebody

after they've served their time.

380

:

Like the state and the, and

the people have already said,

381

:

this is your punishment.

382

:

You've served your time.

383

:

Maybe not, like if probation, if you're

on probation, I, I can, I, can I get

384

:

where, like there could be some limits,

like maybe not when you're inside,

385

:

maybe not when you're on probation,

but if you've served your time, I

386

:

think you're welcome back to the club.

387

:

You can own guns, you can,

you have freedom of speech.

388

:

You live your life.

389

:

We want you back in the community.

390

:

We want you back in a productive

member of society, some of our

391

:

friends that we know personally.

392

:

You're saying no voting for you.

393

:

I don't know.

394

:

Jerremy: don't know.

395

:

I don't know any felons that went

their entire sentence personally.

396

:

I'm not saying that they don't exist.

397

:

I just don't know anyone personally

398

:

That I'm currently aware of.

399

:

So everyone that I'm aware of that

went to prison, got out early.

400

:

Every single one of them.

401

:

So it's if you, so serving your,

because I mean serving your time

402

:

is like generally 20, 25, 30.

403

:

Like it's a long

404

:

Dave: Yeah.

405

:

Jerremy: and or you're doing life

because yes, everyone who is in prison,

406

:

not everyone in prison is a felon.

407

:

That is a fact.

408

:

Dave: True.

409

:

Jerremy: to, be a

410

:

Dave: should be or not.

411

:

Jerremy: But sometimes

they're awaiting trial.

412

:

There can be all kinds of things,

but ultimately a felons, a

413

:

relatively high level of crime

414

:

and the part about them owning guns

again, even if they did serve their

415

:

time, to your point, I don't necessarily

think that they should get guns again.

416

:

Just 'cause it's just if you murdered

someone with a car, I don't think you

417

:

should ever have a driver's license.

418

:

There are a certain level, like to

take another human's life, there

419

:

should be lifelong repercussions.

420

:

Dave: Okay.

421

:

Jerremy: I'll never kill anybody, so

422

:

Dave: I

423

:

Jerremy: I,

424

:

am going to have that on and

does kill another human being.

425

:

There should be lifelong repercussions.

426

:

That is just one of those parts

about life is hey, it sucks.

427

:

Like you're gonna have

some repercussions forever.

428

:

And

429

:

doesn't mean you can't be an amazing

citizen, but there, yeah, you can't own a

430

:

gun if you killed someone 'em with a gun.

431

:

That seems very fair to me.

432

:

Very realistic.

433

:

Dave: All right.

434

:

Jerremy: Yeah.

435

:

But again, just all

436

:

Dave: I want to come back to this one.

437

:

When we do justice again, I'm eh.

438

:

I think we have to fix the justice system

before we say that we're gonna punish.

439

:

People, life long.

440

:

We met people in prison who like had

one bad mistake one, one moment in their

441

:

lives when they were a child, and holding

them accountable their entire life.

442

:

I could see that as

being a judgment thing.

443

:

I think a judge can say, Hey, okay,

you're going to jail for three years

444

:

and you're not allowed to vote for,

three years after that, or the rest

445

:

of your life, or you're not allowed

to drive for three years after that.

446

:

That's your probate.

447

:

Okay.

448

:

I get that.

449

:

I don't know if somebody makes one rotten

mistake when they're 16 years old and

450

:

be like, okay, and you're donezo with

major components of being a citizen and

451

:

the rights and privileges of a citizen.

452

:

I think, won't you serve your time?

453

:

I think you're, welcome back to the

citizen club because we want you back in.

454

:

Okay.

455

:

Enough of this.

456

:

We're talking about voting.

457

:

Jerremy: This was part of it, right?

458

:

Should you vote in prison?

459

:

Dave: I'm,

460

:

Jerremy: you're a yes, and I'm a no.

461

:

And that's okay.

462

:

That's perfectly fine.

463

:

Dave: Yeah.

464

:

Only two states, Vermont and Maine.

465

:

But you know, those are

buddies in Vermont and Maine.

466

:

God

467

:

Jerremy: old Bernie

468

:

Dave: Yeah.

469

:

I think we're gonna have to

explain this one ranked choice

470

:

voting and first pass the post.

471

:

Jerremy: So rank choice voters, rank

candidates in order of preference.

472

:

If no candidate wins a majority of first

choice vote, the lowest is eliminated.

473

:

The votes are redistributed

until a majority is achieved.

474

:

Dave: Yeah.

475

:

Jerremy: It reduces spoiler effects,

encouraging stability, and is used

476

:

in states like Maine and Alaska.

477

:

Dave: At California.

478

:

I at least San Francisco

I used it as well.

479

:

I don't know.

480

:

I'm a fan.

481

:

I'm reaching out to folks right now that

are, advocates on rank choice voting.

482

:

So just to describe it.

483

:

When you get a ballot and you have,

like your local board or whatever that

484

:

you're voting for, you vote it in rank.

485

:

So you have a number one choice,

number two choice, number three,

486

:

choice, number four, choice.

487

:

Now, you don't have to rank them, you can

just say, I have one choice and that's it.

488

:

But you can so if you have five people

who are running, which is great, I love

489

:

more choice than not, then you can rank,

one through five and then it's okay.

490

:

And then we start counting until we

get a majority of the population.

491

:

You have to get 50% plus one.

492

:

And if between the five, between the

multiple, multiple candidates, you don't

493

:

have 50% plus one, then the very last

person who was ranked last they're off.

494

:

And then you take their votes

and you split them because

495

:

now you have one through four.

496

:

And so okay, you don't

have one through five.

497

:

And it's like, okay, if they don't make it

fine number four gets lopped and they're,

498

:

you know, then they get redistributed.

499

:

Then, you know, number three, and that

means that, like if you voted, one

500

:

person won two and I voted somebody

to one, like those same people, like

501

:

they will get more representation.

502

:

And they just keep going

until they get 50% plus one.

503

:

And I'm like, okay, I, I dig that.

504

:

I think that's fine.

505

:

Whereas first pass the post is, uh,

you know, whoever gets majority wins.

506

:

Jerremy: Yeah.

507

:

I'm with you on that.

508

:

I think there shouldn't necessarily

just be like a, Hey, this person won

509

:

everything, just because they had the

most amount of people that came in.

510

:

For example, if everyone said, this is

my second choice, but there was enough of

511

:

them that said, this is my second choice.

512

:

And that person came first.

513

:

'cause they were the majority.

514

:

'cause everyone thought that they

were the best second person, but no

515

:

one could agree on the first best.

516

:

We wouldn't want that to happen.

517

:

Dave: What I also love about it

is that it gets around parties.

518

:

When I live in San Francisco,

just about anybody who got enough

519

:

signatures could run for a city seat.

520

:

And I loved this you would get a little

mini phone book in the mail that had

521

:

all of the issues, all of the statements

from different stakeholders on, whatever

522

:

the issue is that you're voting on,

523

:

they explain it in normal English.

524

:

Then they have people who are for it

and people who are against it, what

525

:

their positionings are and who they are.

526

:

Like, if they are like, a big giant

corporation, they actually have to

527

:

say they're a big giant corporation.

528

:

And just need a few signatures in

order to be considered a candidate.

529

:

You'd have a dozen or more

people running for a single seat.

530

:

And some of 'em are lunatics.

531

:

They're like, I'm an alien

and this is what I believe in.

532

:

And I loved it because there were

some legit crazy people or people just

533

:

screwing with the system because they

could, ranked choice voting means that

534

:

the left and right the Democrat and

the Republican don't necessarily win.

535

:

They like there are third parties

that can legitimately win.

536

:

And the other thing, and we saw

this in New York with ranked choice

537

:

voting, that people who would be

spoilers it was like, okay, I know

538

:

I'm going to be fifth on this.

539

:

They can actually endorse and they can

endorse like the third choice, not the

540

:

first and the second, like the Democrat

and the Republican and be like, Hey, I

541

:

totally endorse, if you're voting for me,

please, like rank, this guy with my vote.

542

:

And that means, as the votes

are ranking up and up, the third

543

:

choice can totally win an election.

544

:

I'm like, oh, they, that's cool.

545

:

I dunno, what was my

point on that Jerremy?

546

:

And did I have a point or was I

just like talking along again?

547

:

Jerremy: It was exciting

to hear the pointless,

548

:

Dave: We liked it.

549

:

We enjoyed it.

550

:

Jerremy: yeah, it was nice.

551

:

It had fervor.

552

:

Dave: There's gotta be a downside

to it, but I don't know what it is.

553

:

I am reaching out to folks who are

like all for this, and then some

554

:

people are like, I don't know.

555

:

This can be game two.

556

:

Jerremy: Oh yeah.

557

:

It all can be gamed one, like

that's the cool part about game

558

:

theory is once you know the

559

:

rules, you can always make adjustments

and tweaks and optimizations on anything

560

:

that you want to create the exact that

you want to or best case scenario.

561

:

But yeah, man, this is gonna be a

really fun conversation to continue

562

:

have and to just bring other

people and bring other guests on.

563

:

Just kinda get their thoughts

and their perspectives and

564

:

what you and I are gonna do.

565

:

Probably the thing that we'll enjoy the

most is Hey, we're gonna have, we're gonna

566

:

go on this topic about voting, right?

567

:

Because there's so many aspects

to it that we've already covered

568

:

in just our discussion, right?

569

:

We've got like 17 different things.

570

:

Already.

571

:

And so just to drill down and figure

out which one that we, we see as unique

572

:

and opportunistic and available and

changeable and solvable and fixable.

573

:

And also something that a lot

of people know a lot about.

574

:

We start interviewing too many

people about electoral college.

575

:

Unless it's seven people that have studied

this their whole lives, they're not gonna

576

:

know very much information about it.

577

:

Dave: Before we wrap up and we

are at wrap up time on this one.

578

:

I want to lock this in because we

always evolve at the end of this.

579

:

Do you believe that the United

States has a voting problem

580

:

and that it's a big problem?

581

:

Jerremy: I definitely do.

582

:

Without a question.

583

:

Without a question.

584

:

It's big enough where,

I mean, that was the.

585

:

It was a 20, 20 20 election.

586

:

That was 95% of Trump's argument

was that the voting was manipulated.

587

:

That he had a bunch of mail-in

voting fraudulence that changed the

588

:

outcome of a presidential election.

589

:

That to me, has been going on forever.

590

:

Like the whole, like obviously

Trump is a crybaby and is gonna

591

:

fight anything that doesn't go

against exactly what his ego wants.

592

:

Dave: Yeah.

593

:

Jerremy: However, the fact that he

was aware and everyone's talking

594

:

about the mail-in vote fraud and all

the different things that people are

595

:

doing or could do or could have done,

was over there thinking to myself,

596

:

wow, we had that many mail-in votes.

597

:

Dave: it was also COVID, right?

598

:

It was deep COVID.

599

:

Jerremy: I get it.

600

:

But again, we were doing

everything on our phone like.

601

:

Dave: yeah,

602

:

Jerremy: We didn't want to even try

to solve the problem then with, no one

603

:

wanted to think about this ahead of time.

604

:

Like we again, yeah,

we were in a pandemic.

605

:

There was so much going on.

606

:

No one tried to solve that issue.

607

:

We're just, we're doing the same thing we

did in the seventies with mail-in voting.

608

:

And then, yeah it was, it is a problem.

609

:

It's a problem that needs to be addressed.

610

:

It needs to be optimized because I

also here's the biggest problem, Dave.

611

:

The biggest problem about all

of it is the amount of people in

612

:

this country that do not vote.

613

:

Dave: Yep.

614

:

Jerremy: That's the biggest

615

:

Dave: 60 or

616

:

Jerremy: I think you've

addressed a few reasons why,

617

:

Dave: Yeah.

618

:

Jerremy: but it's about 130

million people who do not vote.

619

:

And believe it or not, that's probably

one of my main focuses as going into my

620

:

presidency election, is I educated for

over a decade large swaths of human beings

621

:

about how to invest, how to make money.

622

:

How to properly grow their accounts

and create more income with money.

623

:

I believe that this podcast, this

information, this discernment, will

624

:

also help bring in tens of millions

of people who have never voted before

625

:

because they're not voting because

of other reasons, not, Hey, I don't,

626

:

I'm not voting 'cause I can't, I

don't have an id, I don't have a

627

:

license, I don't have enough money.

628

:

I can't get outta my house.

629

:

I think there's definitely, to

your point, there's definitely

630

:

that percentage, maybe it's 10%.

631

:

If you have 10% of 130 million people

who don't vote, that's 13 million.

632

:

That's still a hundred million

people plus that just do not

633

:

vote because they don't want to.

634

:

And that's really ultimately a

huge target market for myself.

635

:

Is because I feel like that's just

a glaring, glaring problem and

636

:

they're probably not voting 'cause

they don't think that it matters.

637

:

They don't think that it counts.

638

:

It's not easy, it's not

simple, it's not fast, it's not

639

:

countable, it's not reliable.

640

:

They don't know why.

641

:

They don't know who.

642

:

They don't know what they're voting for.

643

:

They don't have the outline,

they don't have the information.

644

:

And so that I think ultimately is

probably the big state of the problem.

645

:

Dave: I'm on the fence on whether or

not there's barriers to participation.

646

:

We need to fix the

participation side of this.

647

:

I think there's a lot of people who don't

vote because they don't believe that their

648

:

representation in their vote matters.

649

:

And so, like my number one

thing, the one that sings to my

650

:

heart is this gerrymandering.

651

:

It's like nobody's, you know, like.

652

:

People aren't paying

attention to my issue.

653

:

Why would I vote?

654

:

It doesn't seem to ever make a difference.

655

:

So I like things like rank choice voting.

656

:

I like things like gerrymandering

reform or representation reform.

657

:

And then, you know, like my third is

election integrity and voter id and

658

:

like, like making sure that it's like,

and you know, as much as Trump has

659

:

complained about 2020, you know, they

shot themselves in the own foot because

660

:

they said don't mail in vote votes.

661

:

Like if, if he had just said mail in

votes and he hadn't been all over that,

662

:

that he might very well have won again.

663

:

And in fact, this last election,

they had a huge ground game

664

:

that included mail-in voting.

665

:

I mean, that happened in the swing states.

666

:

That was Elon Musk's big thing was

to make sure people were registered

667

:

that they could vote anyway.

668

:

So like I, I think, uh, you and I

might be unified on the problem.

669

:

Yes, it's a big problem.

670

:

We might be on different sides

of the coin, and be like, my most

671

:

important things are, representation.

672

:

You have, more of a mindset on

the front end and the reform.

673

:

And I think they're both important.

674

:

I, so it's very, like mine are

1, 2, 3, yours are 1, 2, 3.

675

:

If we did rank choice voting yeah.

676

:

Like for instance I love the

idea of having a national

677

:

holiday voting on weekends.

678

:

Jerremy: Oh

679

:

Dave: national holidays for ev we

have national holidays for things

680

:

that I have to look up, right?

681

:

What is this?

682

:

Let's definitely have a national holiday,

make sure everybody, can vote and then

683

:

go have a barbecue or a winter celebrate

684

:

Jerremy: Great idea.

685

:

I've heard in a long time,

686

:

Dave: Thanksgiving, then you go, yes.

687

:

We'll tack it on to Thanksgiving.

688

:

So you have Wednesday off, to both

get your cranberries and vote.

689

:

And then, Thursday, Friday,

is your Thanksgiving.

690

:

So yeah.

691

:

That's, that's that.

692

:

I think, like Australia, they

have 90 plus percent and they,

693

:

man, it's man voting is mandatory.

694

:

And I don't know how that

would fly in the United States.

695

:

I'm actually for it.

696

:

It's mandatory.

697

:

And if you don't, then you

get this like small fine.

698

:

And I think it was like a

hundred bucks not everybody even

699

:

has access to a hundred bucks.

700

:

So then it can be waived pretty

easily by your, it's yeah.

701

:

It's if you really can't afford this,

we're not gonna send you to voter jail.

702

:

But it's just and they have a

703

:

Jerremy: Exactly.

704

:

That's how I would, yeah.

705

:

I would say it is as mandatory

as, do you drink water?

706

:

If you don't, you can survive

without drinking water

707

:

Dave: You can drink Coke.

708

:

Jerremy: It's fine.

709

:

It's okay.

710

:

But,

711

:

Yeah, I, it would be, that's if I ever

made voting in the US mandatory, it'd be

712

:

to that degree where it's it's mandatory.

713

:

Dave: And you get

714

:

Jerremy: Yeah.

715

:

a day

716

:

Dave: day off,

717

:

Jerremy: I like this plan,

718

:

Dave: Yeah.

719

:

Alright, my friend.

720

:

Wrap us up.

721

:

Jerremy: ladies and gentlemen.

722

:

Team, friends and family

from around the world.

723

:

It was a pleasure.

724

:

It was incredible to dive in to

chat, voting, what's the problem?

725

:

Where's the problem?

726

:

Where are we going with it?

727

:

And how are we're gonna make some changes.

728

:

This is the first of many in this series.

729

:

We hope you appreciate it and enjoy just

the back and forth discussion and banter.

730

:

But between myself and

Dave, we are best friends.

731

:

We are business partners.

732

:

We do so many great things together,

and we can still have difference of

733

:

opinions, and that's what's beautiful.

734

:

The beautiful part is team.

735

:

That's called life.

736

:

And if you aren't aware of it by now, you

should still have incredible human beings

737

:

on your side that can disagree and still

be best of friends and just have different

738

:

of opinions because that's all it is.

739

:

If you were offended,

that's a you problem.

740

:

You can choose to have offense,

take offense and let it be that.

741

:

It is about our mission to

truly solve America's problems.

742

:

If you have enjoyed this episode and

the episodes in the past and the ones

743

:

in the future, tag us on Instagram.

744

:

Message us on X.

745

:

Reach out and let us know how we can

be more of a part of your life, a part

746

:

of the lives of your neighbors, your

friends, your family, and your coworkers.

747

:

Spend another episode of

Solving America's Problems.

Show artwork for Solving America's Problems

About the Podcast

Solving America's Problems
Solving America’s Problems isn’t just a podcast—it’s a journey. Co-host Jerremy Newsome, a successful entrepreneur and educator, is pursuing his lifelong dream of running for president. Along the way, he and co-host Dave Conley bring together experts, advocates, and everyday Americans to explore the real, actionable solutions our country needs.

With dynamic formats—one-on-one interviews, panel discussions, and more—we cut through the noise of divisive rhetoric to uncover practical ideas that unite instead of divide. If you’re ready to think differently, act boldly, and join a movement for meaningful change, subscribe now.