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Re:EU’s New VAT Rules Could Create a Mess for Startups by adventured on Tuesday November 25, 2014 @12:33PM (#8658635)
In fact it is different from how the US President is elected.

The electoral college doesn't get to choose any person for President. It's a direct correlation vote: do this, get that result. Such is not true with EC appointments. You vote for a national government, then you pray they appointment an EC that you favor, but there is no legally required direct correlation that says they have to appoint X person. You make that point within your own post (where you note that governments who have chosen unpopular candidates suffer), contradicting your claim that it's just like how the US President is elected.

Re:EU’s New VAT Rules Could Create a Mess for Startups by dragonwriter on Tuesday November 25, 2014 @12:57PM (#8658755)
> The electoral college doesn't get to choose any person for President.

Yes, in fact, they do.

> It's a direct correlation vote: do this, get that result.

A lot of people look at it that way, and that's approximately what happens (especially currently), but not because there are any enforced constraints, just because the way electors are chosen gives a very strong likelihood of that effect; historically unpledged electors were a thing [0], and faithless electors remain a thing [1].

[0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unpledged_elector

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless_elector