JonNC, I can’t remember the specifics and I’m too lazy to look them up right now, but you know that all the states do Electoral College differently, right?
LeafByNiggle, you know that, right?
i know that in most states, the Electoral College is required to vote according to the Popular Vote, so in states like mine (Illinois), Cook Country (Chicago) brought in millions of votes for Secy. of State Clinton, and even though almost every other county in Illinois voted for Donald Trump, the Electors voted for Secy of State Clinton.
There are some states in which the Electors are NOT bound to vote for the candidate selected by their state’s popular vote and they can vote for the candidate that THEY want. I think ??? that this is what happened when Ross Perot ran for President–in some states, the Electoral College voted for him instead of voting for the candidate who received the most votes by the state’s population, and this affected the Presidential election.
I may be messing this all up, but what I’m saying is that there are states which were not bound to elect Donald Trump–the Electors could have voted for Secy. of State Clinton, even if the majority of their population voted for Donald trump.
Also, I know that the States retain the power to select their Electoral College by whatever method they prefer.
The Electoral College is one of the reasons that the United States is a United States–it was a compromise that convinced the States, which at that time considered themselves separate nations–that they would still retain their autonomy from the Federal Government. It is a marvel that all of our States have held together for almost 250 years now, considering the differences between States–Montana is so different than Massachusetts!
I am convinced that if the Electoral College was eliminated, there would be a split in the Union.
There already is a split in the Union, a bad split, and it’s not likely that the people in States that voted primarily for Pres. Trump and his ideology are ever going to see eye-to-eye with people in States that voted primarily for Secy. of State Clinton.
Even here in Illinois, there is great division between those of us who support the President and those who wish they could wish him into the cornfield, and in many workplaces and other settings where people are mixed together, everyone stays quiet about politics because of that sharp difference in ideologies–none of us want to be disciplined or fired.
In my opinion, this “quietness” contributes to hostilities and fuels the conflict rather than easing it. It’s better to talk it out than hold it in.
And of course, we see the same thing here on CAF. There is no unity when it comes to American politics, and many people bow out of these threads when they become too 'warm." It’s too bad. We won’t be able to get together and be friends if we walk away from each other.
But anyway, I know that the Electoral College is not as bad as everyone thinks because of the freedom that States have to use it according to their preference.
www.archives.gov