The beauty of the Electoral College

8. November 2008 by kuzyk.

In a recent book by Michael Moore, he describes the Electoral College as a ploy by the founding fathers to safeguard our nation from the ignorant masses who might elect the “wrong” president.  While this accusation may be true, I argue that the system has benefits.  (The history of the Electoral College can be found at the US Elections web site.  More information can be found on the Federal Register archives.)

The Electoral College emphasizes the role of the states in selecting the president.  On the surface, this smells of disenfranchisement; but, not if we view the real source of power as residing in the state and local governments.  The United States is too large and diverse for a top-down government.  Political compromises often lead to ineffective and wasteful legislation.  It is most practical to deal with local problems at the local level and let the federal government deal with the big issues such as civil rights, regulating interstate commerce, and providing national defense.

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