The Electoral College

[Brian37]

Again, what do we replace it with?

To say that other western attempts at defending pluralism have not failed would be wrong. Human history is full of western attempts at open states that fail. 

I see any western government, as run by humans, and just like closed oppressive states arise, all are still run by humans.

I am not arguing for or against the EC, I am arguing that what we do matters regardless of keeping it, or scrapping it.

I think ultimately any system humans set up and defend or question, no matter what, always require vigilance and forethought and checks and balances. 

It isn't enough to say "scrap the EC"....... Whatever we replace it with, if we can, still has to have the insurance of not allowing either mob rule by majority or mob rule by minority. 

I am not arguing don't replace it, but what do we replace it with?

Why replace it with anything? Simply abolish it and elect your president via the popular vote. 

Boru

This is an oversimplification.

There are dictatorships an theocracies whom also have elections, despite popular belief.


Even outside the EC concept, our Supreme Court on countless occasions sided with the minority, even though the majority voted one way.

Again, and I cannot repeat this enough. I am torn on the EC concept. 

But lets put it this way, if Gore had lost the popular vote and won the EC how many liberals would complain? If Hillary had lost the popular vote but won the EC how many liberals would complain?

I don't like the EC either. But at the same time, like I have said, there are plenty of other countries in history without an EC that started out open an pluralistic only to fail and end up in closed authoritarian states.

The problem with a pure democracy without checks on even voters, is you are still dealing with human nature and tribalism, and that means powers can con and manipulate for a party or even an individual's favor. 

I don't have a solution myself. I will admit that. But selling populism without checks on power is also how dictatorships, despots and theocracies arise.