Some Concers Over Segments Of The Population Trying To Make Good Decisions:

One group of delegates felt strongly that Congress shouldn’t have anything to do with picking the president. Too much opportunity for chummy corruption between the executive and legislative branches.

Another camp was dead set against letting the people elect the president by a straight popular vote. First, they thought 18th-century voters lacked the resources to be fully informed about the candidates, especially in rural outposts. 

Second, they feared a headstrong “democratic mob” steering the country astray. 

And third, a populist president appealing directly to the people could command dangerous amounts of power.
(Like Trump)

Why The Electoral College Was Created And Has Failed Some Times.

 the founders created the institution to make sure that large states did not dominate small ones in presidential elections, that power between Congress and state legislatures was balanced, and that there would be checks and balances in the constitutional system.

 

Problems With The Electrial College:

Electoral College no longer is a constructive force in American politics, and why it is time to move to the direct popular election of presidents. 

 Five times in American history — 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016 — the winner of the national popular vote lost the presidency to the winner of the Electoral College. Many Americans saw this as undemocratic and urged that the Electoral College should go.

The latest controversy arose when Donald Trump lost the popular vote by almost three million ballots yet won the Electoral College by 74 votes. That made him the fifth U.S. chief executive to become president without winning the popular vote.

In 2016, Donald J. Trump won the Electoral College with 304 votes compared to 227 votes for Hillary Clinton.

 Republican Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton by more than 2.8 million votes.

OPINION:  It seems obvious to many that Hillary Clinton should have become president in 2016 presidential election!  Evidently it is not decided by the will of the people but by a despicable screwed up system!

“Faithless electors are electors who will vote for who they want to be president regardless of the popular vote”.

“there are still about 20 states that don’t have any laws restricting electors.”

Possible Solutions That Will Probably Fail:

“… there are not enough votes in Congress or the states to pass and ratify an amendment abolishing the Electoral College.

 

Electoral College Next Challenge:

Now enter Donald Trump. Twice impeached, although not convicted; allegedly the beneficiary of Russian interference in 2016; now facing two indictments, with more possibly coming; already held liable for sexual harassment, and facing many other lawsuits. He is implicated in the January 6 attack on the Capitol and expresses no remorse for his behavior. By one count, he lied more than 20,000 times in office.

Yet Trump’s base is with him. He is the odds-on favorite to win the GOP nomination and perhaps the presidency again. For the first time, America could have a convicted felon as president.

Our constitutional framers would have declared him unfit to be president. Were the Electoral College operating how they had originally intended, there is no way Trump would now be a viable candidate for president. Perhaps the prospect of a second Trump presidency is the best argument one can offer for retaining the Electoral College.

 

Founding Father’s Interesting Belief That May Hold True Or Not In This Next Election:

 They explicitly rejected a popular vote for president because they did not trust voters to make a wise choice.

OPINION:  Now we have a system that has been twisted by special interest groups that do not represent the majority of citizens.

Recommended Reading:

The Electoral College Is a Threat to 21st Century Democracy

 

Posted 9-11-2024.    Posted by Score Card