It is only fitting that the Electoral College did their job and made Donald Trump the president. After all the Electoral College was established for two reasons: to ensure that the general populace could not elect the president because they were not qualified to do so and to guarantee that the “Three-Fifths Compromise” in the Southern states would ensure that the South had a greater representation in selecting the president.
President James Madison, the father of the Constitution, knew that the number of the voters in the North outnumbered those in the South. Yet, there were millions of owned slaves who were not being counted because they could not vote. Madison engineered a compromise where the “Three-Fifths” slave citizens would be counted when allotting Electoral College votes, which allowed the Southern states to have more Electoral College votes. Today, the Electoral College votes are based upon the population of the state. Sounds fair, right? Not so much. Donald Trump won 306 electors with 62,955,363 votes; Clinton won 232 electors with 65,788,583 votes. That means that an elector for Trump represents 205,736 votes, while a Clinton elector represents 283,571 votes. One reason for the discrepancy is turnout; regardless of turnout the number of electors per state is set. In theory if only one voter turned out in Iowa and voted for Trump, he would get their six Electoral College votes. Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
The Electoral College rewards those states with lower populations, as well as the lower turnouts. That means good ole red state America. Can you imagine if 100 percent of California voters had turned out in 2016? The Clinton lead could have been over 10 million votes but that would not have meant a hill of beans. Clinton would still only get 55 electoral votes. Yet, Iowa could have one voter turnout for Trump and he would still get six electoral votes. That’s why the Electoral College makes no sense.
The Electoral College was first founded to rig elections by counting slaves as “Three-Fifths” citizens, yet they had no voting power. Now it oppresses the most populous states where minorities and liberals generally live. The result; president-elect Donald Trump who does not represent the majority of the American people. And that’s OK with the Republicans, after all the four other times the Electoral College voted against the popular vote it was in favor of the Republican presidential candidate. Maybe it’s time that the American voter take up the fight and eliminate the Electoral College. That would be the divine irony, the electorate abolishing something created to prevent them from having the final say.
Sorry no racism in the EC, it is a level playing field for the orderly election of a president. This country is not a democracy, it is a republic and as such is a system with a higher fairness factor.
Liz
It’s easier to admit you didn’t read the article. And feel free to provide any legitimate source to support your claim the EC is a “level playing field”.
I did read the article.
Calling the EC racist is simply not rational, and is the epitome fourth grader behavior when little johnny didn’t get his way.
The EC is there to keep California, New York, and Chicago from driving the election. If you actually paid attention in your high school civics class you would know that.
This is not a Democracy
Liz
Please do your reading assignment: The Three-Fifths Compromise is arguably the most controversial topic when deciding how to apportion representatives and electors, for it delegates that all slaves of a particular state are to be counted as three-fifths of a white person. The population of slaves would be counted as three-fifths in total when apportioning Representatives, as well as Presidential electors and taxes.
And has not been enforced in our time.
Get real Mr. Corbin, you do your homework and stop propagating fake news.
Liz
I also want to add the 3/5’s rule has been long dead superseded by amendments to the Constitution.
The EC was set up to allow the States to select the President, that is the most neutral way to install a national leader and executive.
Sadly this is not well understood.
Liz
Subsequent amendments have rendered many 18th century notions meaningless. Anachronistic notions like the EC which is sort of like the appendix of the electoral body; it doesn’t really serve a purpose and you won’t miss it when it’s gone. Why should fly-over states determine the outcome of elections? Look what that got us…..Bush 2 and Deadbeat Donald. One hell of a legacy…god help us all.
The fly over states should have an equal say in who becomes President, and with Trump the LGBY will benefit greatly, more than with Clinton.
We have good times coming, less war, more jobs and more disposable income for everyone.
Liz
Oh good grief! Step away from the snake oil – a toxic blend of deceitful rhetoric and empty promises. Fact free for a dumber more malleable electorate. I see your true colors shining through, and Kremlin Red looks good on you, girl.
Is that really the best you can do call names?
Dude you are out of bullets time to get out of the debate.
Liz
As thin-skinned as Deadbeat Donald. Toughen up, buttercup. It’s gonna be a long bumpy ride.
Ah Yes;
Name calling; the last resort of those who have run out of bullets in the debate.
There was a time in this country when true liberals were the stakeholders in most political debates.
It seems that side of the isle has little more than name calling left in the the political cartage box.
Liz