It made sense in the 1700s and 1800s when travel was slow, states held individual elections and sent the delegates to Washington to elect the president.
In the modern world it has no place.

idk

>>58086991
Back when the Constitution was being written, there was this constant back and forth over what the Federal Government was supposed to represent: The People or The States.

They formed all sorts of compromises when writing the thing, like our Bicameral Legislature. The House of Representatives was elected from the people, while the Senate was (originally) appointed by the State Governments (this later changed).

The Electoral College system was a way that they got the States involved with choosing the president.

These days most people consider it outdated, but amendments are hard and no one really cares that much.

We are a federal republic not simply a democracy, the founders believed similarly to ancient greek philosophers like Aristotle that democracy was mob rule.

The electoral college is the only thing keeping the American election from turning into a national plebiscite.
Opinions like>>58087121 found here are incredibly naive and ignore the nuances of the balance of the federal government. Sovereignty lies within the state and the national government, The states need as much representation as the people.

A strictly democratic plebiscite vote would be a disaster to entire election process. Candidates would not have to visit specific states or campaign. You would have tons of wealthy third party candidates like donald trump buying or using up media space to appeal to as many voters as possible as the process becomes a purely numbers game. Super PACs and the media would have an even greater control on the election process and public opinion while candidates would fail to learn about individual issues facing each state.

The loss of the electoral college would turn the election into even more of a reality tv show than it already is. It's completely necessary in modern times and those who are against it simply havent researched the issue and say it because it's a trendy whim

>>58087593
I see. But don't candidates just visit a couple swing states anyway? Or is there a law that forces them to visit all of the states?

>>58087593
Maybe we shouldn't be electing people to rule us then, considering we just get to pick out of a hat from a small handful of choices and there is not guarantee nor any real evidence that they care about the people nor democracy. Representative democracy is a sham and this has been known for centuries now. The only thing keeping people from casting off the chains of such a shitty system is fear and a sense that there is too much to lose - which there isn't, unless you're one of the rich fucks who profits off of this whole thing. If you deny this you are simply denying both history and the factual truth. We live in an authoritarian system where we have no real power. We have nothing to lose but our chains.

>>58088203
Ahaha, no there isnt any law forcing them to but if they didnt it would be political suicide.

>>58088419
Yes democracy is such a sham, you deserve more than posting comfortably on your computer in your NY city flat during the middle of a work day having all the freedom in the world to mock your government. Only communism can free you from such horrid shackles such as those.

>>58088203
Candidates can visit or not visit whatever states they wish to. And it's not just the presidential election that determines whether or not a state is a swing state, it's largely local and congressional elections.

And while candidates do focus more on swing states, they do still visit states are likely to vote along party lines. More turnout is always good and with modern communication people are watching. A speech you give in California will effect your standing in New York.

>>58086991
It fuct Al Gore over.

>>58088733
Wow, probably because I am one of the privileged who can do such a thing. My family is going bankrupt right now and we might lose the house anyway. This is just how it works. We will have to move again because the bills keep skyrocketing. I do not like the society or the system we live under. You are in extreme denial if you think this is a good society. Did we choose to live under this system? No, we didn't. Most people would opt to change everything in a second if we could. This is not enjoyable for anyone but the privileged who can profit off of our losses. Truly disgusting degenerates.

>>58089046
>Most people would opt to change everything in a second if we could
That's because they are ungrateful idiots like you and don't realize how much they've benefited from it. Your families going bankrupt? Too bad, at least you dont spend your entire life standing in line for bread waiting to go back home to your small government issued apartment where you own absolutely nothing.

>You are in extreme denial if you think this is a good society.
> do not like the society or the system we live under
Refer to the famous Churchill quote, it's almost a cliche now but only because it has to used for people like you so often. I dont care if this society isnt subjectively "good" in your mind because it's objectively the best we've arrived at. The true person who is in denial is actually you. Your family falls on hard time and you curse the entire system because of your own personal issues without looking at the bigger picture. Not everything is dependent on your emotional whims.

>This is not enjoyable
If that's your biggest concern right now you have quite a bit of growing up to do.

>>58089570
Wow! It's not absolutely terrible so it must be great!! Haha, fuck you. You don't get to tell me what is good and what isn't. When people wake up some day in the future it will truly be a sight to see. Maybe we will get to hang you kek.

The electoral college makes sense to provide equal representation amongst states.

>>58089889
Another delusional angry communist man child who dreams of murderous revolution how apt, can't wait to see your ugly mug portrait next to Pol pot, Stalin, Kim Jong un and Mao.

>>58090084
Say what you like, but some day people like you will be resting six foot under before your time is up. This system of authoritarianism can't go on for that much longer. Eventually humanity will realize that our survival is at stake, as currently we are destroying our planet. The world is in turmoil right now, dude. Can't you see? Something needs to change soon or we will not last much longer on this earth.

>>58090038
Why do states need to be equal?

WE ARE AMERICA WE ARE THE #1 LEADER IN DEMOCRACY
>governments use lobby as legal way to corrupt the system
>gerrymandering is legal
>electoral college
>elections are a tv show with BLUE MEMEMASTER and RED MEMEMASTER as the options

sure feels bad to live in a democracy-less unfree shithole

>>58090422
They aren't, electoral college doesnt give equal representation to states. It completes a federal cycle where the sovereignty of the government is shared by the people and states

>>58090539
meant to say corporations use lobbying to corrupt shit but whatever, i guess public sector lobbies in USA too

oh and one more thing
>candidates promise all the shit they can
>but follow the almighty dorra and do whatever their puppetmaster who paid campaigning costs wants

>>58087121
Nope. Just place a paper in a box. Then ount the number of papers. It may take some time to get the number from Cascadia but when you have it you know who won.

>>58090539
>>58090706
The electoral college helps prevent exactly what you're worried about >>58087593

>be American
>big company goes bust afger years of high risk taking
>welp, gotta pay dem executives their salary!
>multi billion dorradoo bailout forced through by FED and bankers
>is used to pay the bankers record bonuses

ebin democracy though it lind of looks like an oligarchy to me

>>58090939
>helps prevent
>doesn't prevent