(November 13, 2016 at 1:33 am)Tiberius Wrote:(November 13, 2016 at 1:26 am)Brian37 Wrote: Everyone condemns the electoral college without understanding it. It is simply one check on power among many. Without it we could have mob rule by vote.
1) The electoral college is still mob rule by vote, it's just that some people's votes are worth more than others.
2) "Mob rule" by vote would have elected Clinton this time around.
I completely understand the electoral college. I understand it enough to know it's a horrible system to elect a national president. People can rant about how smaller states need more say, but why? The people from those smaller states make up a fraction of the US population, and you are voting for a president of the entire nation, not just that state. If you want to fairly represent the entire nation, there's a simple way to do that: popular vote.
Yes cannot emphasize this enough. Think of non major election years, when we elect our state senators or governors, representatives, millages etc. All by majority rule. However the electoral college removes political equality and values some people votes more than others. Votes in swing states are worth far more than those in say Arkansas and Alabama. For everyone's vote to truly "count", popular vote is the only way.
We are not made happy by what we acquire but by what we appreciate.
