Do We Still Need the Electoral College? | CBS Reports

This documentary in the "Speaking Frankly" series explores whether the Electoral College helps or hurts American democracy.

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[garyoa]

People don't seem to understand that they have *never* voted for president in their lives. States vote for president. Always did.

[expatpete]

As a non American I find this whole discussion fascinating and see the arguments from both sides. I admit my first reaction to the EC was that is was a bit crazy and undemocratic but then as has been argued, the US is not truly a democracy but a democratic republic. It really is interesting. Personally I think focusing on voter suppression issues and donor transparency are more important to address right now.

[MMINacozari]

USA needs more competition. Two political parties sponsored by same corporations is not democratic.

[hosermandeusl]

"If voting really mattered, they wouldn't let us do it." - Sam Clemens in response to the Electoral College

[kimberlylongo]

Absent the electoral college, only a handful of densely populated areas would have a voice. You would have less diversity of experience and perspective in our political conversation and contests. Politicians would only court citizens of the largest cities, neglecting the needs of smaller and mid-sized communities. New York, Los Angeles and Chicago would control the presidential election.

[duckmagnet]

Before clicking on this, I knew they were gonna go with the ol' Electoral College is racist argument.

[dominicpinchott]

Somehow people are making the argument that majority land rule is more virtuous than every vote counting equally. You will never convince me that land mass, or low population, should increase the weight of someone's vote.

Cities are not a monolith of culture. They are filled with millions of different people. The number of people in these interviews, and comments, who dismiss all people living in cities is disturbing.

[RyuujinKokuei]

I say compromise. Keep the electoral college but get rid of the state level winner take all. Break it up to each district to select their elector. It would be a much more accurate view of how people think across the country.

[rivalsports]

The whole point of the electoral college is so that the minorities in thought will have a larger voice than they would in a popular vote. It prevents pure mob rule, which is good. For example, California is always going to vote what’s best for California, not what’s best for Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The electoral college gives Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming a larger voice in what is important to them.

If anyone replies, please keep it respectful to others in the reply section.

[grocerysmart]

There's a reason the founding fathers did it this way. They thought of this stuff back then.

[KaleighMacKay]

y'all's voting system is so weird USA - I dont know why any of you bother voting - because twice now in my lifetime - the candidate who got the MOST votes somehow lost? Both Democrats suspiciously.
If the delegates and super delagates vote counts for FOR than the avererage citizen, then whats the point? Thats not fair at all.

[keithbrown]

The people who understand the importance of the Electoral College and the need to educate Americans on why we have these institutions in the first place have clearly paid attention in their American history class. Without an electoral college the fundamental disagreements of the 1776 delegation come back into clear focus and the country either falls into a large scale bleeding kansas trap or simply breaks apart.

[iketinknocker]

Electoral college's purpose is reassure that the president will represent ALL 50 states. Meaning, while campaigning, the Electoral college provides incentives for a potential president to visit more states than the ones whom has the biggest populations. If just a popular vote, than they will only care about coastal states and give two craps about the states in the middle. The framers were highly intelligent to put this in the Constitution.

[marcelobrozovic]

1 man - 1 vote !!! Who wins popular votes he should be the next president of the usa like in every other democracy in the world

[billrichardson]

Damn. This is straight up propaganda without presenting an understanding of how the electoral college protects a democratic republic.

[retro]

The States is the only country on earth that abides by the "electoral college". I not only find that disturbing to democracy but also embarrassing.

[jaimeduncan]

I was hopping for more, this was so one sided that looks like propaganda. Then they ask why “news organizations “ are dying. And is not that I believe in the electoral college (in my country we don’t have one) I was expecting more.

[tomymelon]

The founding fathers were certainly wise, but we have had 250 years more experience, studies, experiments. It's up to us be critical thinkers and continue our founding fathers legacy by improving our government. We need to abolish electoral college. We need to continue improving america as the future keeps changing

[mrmojorisin]

Living in a swing state, I say it's time for it to go. One person, one vote. Majority rules with every other office, and it should be the same with the office of the President.

[brothermine]

No one talks about how a national popular vote would change if that's what elected the President. For one thing, candidates would need to raise MUCH more money to campaign successfully nationwide instead of in a few swing states. The incentive to commit massive electoral fraud in one or a few states would increase, because that would change the national totals. And a national recount of a close election would be a national nightmare.
Instead, adjust the Electoral College winner-takes-all formula so that it remains winner-takes-all in each state where the leader finished ahead by 2% or more (the non-swing states) but shares the EC delegates linearly among the top two finishers in states where the lead is less than 2%. For example, if the lead is negligible (like Florida in 2000) the top two candidates would equally split the state's EC delegates. If the lead is 1%, the leader would receive three fourths of the delegates and the 2nd place finisher would receive one fourth. Etc.
This "hybrid" EC formula would eliminate all the drama and greatly reduce the incentives for fraud, interference, and recounts, because a small change of votes in any state would not change the EC totals by more than one or two delegates... almost never enough to change the overall winner.