We all can recall how how an archaic political institution reared its ugly head 12 years ago to put what should have been a clear cut election into doubt and ultimately lead to a partisan Supreme Court reversing the will of the majority of American voters of who should become President. It turned out to be a catastrophic choice for the country. The Electoral College was set up by 18th century gentlemen planters to pass judgement and affirm or overrule the expressed will of the electorate should it be deemed unacceptable by the gentry.
Bush was the 4th person to become President with a minority of the votes.
This story appeared on the CBS Evening News just before 60 Minutes featuring both Romney and President Obama. I hope it got a large audience.
Debate over the Electoral College revived again
Seven other states -- California, Illinois, Washington, Massachusetts, Maryland, Vermont, and Hawaii -- together worth 138 electoral votes, have passed laws pledging to allocate electors in sync with the national popular vote in the same way, but have deferred action until their ranks double to states totaling at least 270 electoral votes.
Once enough states enter into the interstate compact to comprise the 270 majority of electoral votes the compact goes into effect and the nation will move to a popular vote election system.
Have the candidates campaigned in your state since the conventions? Odds are that they've ignored your state since they ignore most of the states in their battle for the key Battleground States.
A CBS NEWS review of the Obama and Romney schedules since Romney clinched the Republican nomination in late April reveals that except for fundraisers, the candidates have not campaigned in roughly 40 of the 50 states, but those 10 anointed "swing states" are graced with public appearances over and over again.
So what are the opponents of a popular vote saying? CBS talked with an opponent Republican New Jersey State Representative Alison McHose who had this to say:
"I think our Founding Fathers had it right," McHose said. "It shows that small towns in Ohio and Pennsylvania and other states across the country are important to how we elect the President."
Even though 62 percent of Americans told a Gallup Poll last year they would support replacing the Electoral College with the national popular vote, McHose would repeal her state's popular vote law.
"If we go with the popular vote, what I believe is that you will have large urban areas like Los Angeles and Chicago determining the outcome of the elections," she said.
Sounds like a great reason for making the change to me!
Sounds like... Democracy.
Check were things stand in your state here: National Popular Vote