The Electoral College: an idea whose time has passed?

The Founding Fathers recognized that pure Democracy has some weaknesses. The will of the people are easily swayed and are often based more on the whims of the day than sound judgement. For that reason they set up the Federal Government in such a way that would give the people a voice at the federal level, but also temper it by including the voice of the state an of the nation. The House of Representatives was established to be the voice of the people. To represent the voice of the people the U.S. was divided up into "districts" and each Housemember would be elected by the people of their district directly. The Senate was established to give the States a voice at the federal level. The Senators were chosen by the legislature of the state represented. Because of ignorance and short-sightedness, the states have been silenced at the federal level and the people now choose the senators. The President was never meant to represent the voice of the people, the President represents the voice of the Nation. If the people had all say in everything, it would be mob rule. If the State or Federal governments had all the power we would be nothing more than wards of the state or nation. Just as there is a system of checks and balances between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches; our system puts checks and balances between The People, The State and The Nation. That's why there is an Electoral College... and yes, it is still as important as it was 320 years ago.

Sorry it took me so long to get to this discussion as it is one of the most important ones any American can ever participate in. In a nutshell, the more I read about the electoral college, the more I am amazed that it continues on. The "popular" vote has no legal standing. That means that the voice of the people by the people, for the people has NO legal standing! This marks just the beginning of my outrage. Please do not tell me that the laws and systems established 320 years ago, do not need AMENDING. It has been implied that the EC was established to place the power of electing our highest officers into more qualified hands. That may have been wise when the average citizen was illiterate, rural and had never heard of "mass communication!" They could be considered out of the loop. Not so today. Besides, the EC (whoever they might actually be!) hasn't exactly inspired my trust or respect - a b-movie 'has been', an ex-CIA director and his son - the EC's record is not exactly sterling. If I have to suffer the consequences of these "leaders", at least show me the respect of counting my vote! If I and my neighbors had, one by one, cast our votes and elected, then RE-elected Bush, I would consider his actions our karmic accountability. As it is now, I feel like a sheep being led to the slaughter. The only question this billionaire wannabe cowboy has left unanswered is 'will it be the Middle East or the North Koreans?' Of course, he and his family will go on,virtually unscathed, sleeping with the enemy. All thanks to the EC - whoever they might be. How can you tell me that the checks and balances of this country are rightly designed to minimize input from "we the people?" That goes against every ideal, every tear shed, every dream ever had for this country. How do you separate the voice of the people from the voice of the nation? The people ARE the nation. If we must go to hell in a handbasket, at least let it be OUR choice. This country was bled for by the purists who did not want to be dictated to by the priviledged few. Which is exactly what is happening. I don't want the Skull society trickling down on me. I don't want the villiage idiot (see Nostradamus) leading my family into ruin and destruction as his family prospers. Most importantly, I don't want those ultimate decisions at the mercy of men who lurk in the shadows of our government. COUNT MY VOTE! COUNT MY VOTE!

Hello Gardengrrl, I'm with ParaTed on this one. And, he's also right that the Electoral College remains as critical to true voter equality, today as ever before in our history. You live in Delaware. I live in New Mexico. Both are states that offer little to the overall popular vote. Here's the real stench of eliminating the EC: Your Delaware and my NM vote would become completely irrelevant!!! The only votes that would matter are the votes from: California, Texas, Illinois, NY, and Florida. These are the most densely populated states, and their combined populations would over-ride the votes of the rest of the nation. So, anyone who lived in any other state would not have their vote matter. Furthermore, the most densely populated states contain the most densely populated metropolitan areas. So, in essence the only votes that would count would be those of 'city folk', thereby completely disenfranchising every 'Red State', every farmer, Middle-America, basically anyone who isn't a Metro-dweller. The Founding Fathers were, indeed, ripe with wisdom. Their reality wasn't all that much different. The populations congregated toward the city centers, for employment, and the providers were the ranchers and farmers who lived in scarcely populated areas. The Founding Fathers wanted to make sure that everyone had an evenly weighted vote. And, the need for evenly weighted votes still exists today. So, the next time someone suggests eliminating the Electoral College, remember that you live in a low population state. So, if you want your vote to count, then just say "No" to nixing the EC.

I just want to ask one simple and telling answer. Did you ever feel the need to remove the electoral college before the year 2001?

I think the electoral college is outdated. It is hard to understand and makes no sense to me in this day and age. I do not understand why, excuse me here, a few states basically determine who runs for President and who doesn't. I think that there should be a set date and everyone votes, in April or May, whoever wins those between each party, goes on to run for the almighty Nov. elections. I'm from a state that gets 5 electoral votes and I was as confused with this when I first learned it in Civics class as I am now.

The Electoral College is way past its prime. I guess when America was getting established, it might've served a good purpose. Lots less people then. But as our empire has aged, the few supplant the many. The only time little Delaware and its three votes matter is when its really really close. Delaware has around 900,000 people living here, but only three votes where it truly matters? Unacceptable. They need to revamp their thinking(as with most things government) and give us 900,000 people a little more clout.

Ask people in Upstate new York if they feel they have a say in the State Politics or if it is controlled by New York City? NYC has a large voting block in the state legislatre and uses their power to provide for NYC. Gas tax money from Upstae goes to subsidize mass transit in NYC, they have the votes to dictate that. If you look at any state that has a large urban area the people outside of that urban area feel powerless to fight the big city. In Minnesota you have highway funds being spent on a light rail system in Minneapolis/St. Paul using gas tax money form all over the state. Sean Hannaty http://www.hannity.com/UniversalSearch.asp?ZIPCODE=90001&index=t&WHERETOLOOK=web&LOOKFOR=2004+Presidental+Voting+by+county developed maps showing the 2004 presidential voting patterns. As you go through the maps you will see that how the large city determined how the state went even though the majority of the countys in the state voted the other way. If we a popular vote only to elect the Preisdent then this country would be run by the people from Boston to Washington DC and from San Deago to San Francisco and it would be a strip about 100 miles wide. The rest of us might as well just send our pay check to them and say nothing. We need the Electorial College more than ever to make sure all people have a say i the election of the President.

I wish I would have found this discussion sooner! I was just about to start one saying pretty much the same thing. Yes, I think the Electoral College's time came and went a long time ago. It's interesting you're from Delaware because it's been your state which I've been using as an example all the times I've vented over the 2000 fiasco. I remember very well that in 2000 Al Gore won in Delaware by a very large margin - a six-figure one - and "lost" in Florida by less than 1000 so therefore got all that state's Electoral votes. Sorry to all that disagree, but that just totally floors me! When the Founding Fathers chose to have the EC it was because there were far fewer states and most of the population was concentrated in the 13 colonies. Naturally their concerns would all be similar because they were so close to each other and did have "all" the urban areas at that time. The very sparsely populated remaining states wouldn't have had much of a voice at all without the EC so it was probably a "brilliant" idea about three centuries ago but it makes NO SENSE today! I'm with you, one person, on vote and that's the way it should be. I also felt this way LONG before 2000 and if it's done away with and a future election ends up going against my personal choice, so be it, I'll still feel good about the fact that everyone's vote counted! I was amazed at how many people I spoke to personally had no clue there even was such a thing as the Electoral vote being different from the popular vote; I mean, they did know the Electoral College existed but didn't know how it worked or what it actually meant. I liked your "Moron in Chief" title! I've been calling him the "Dimwit-in-Chief" since he became the President Select. Annie