Credit the Electoral College?
Now that this year’s presidential election has delivered the Oval Office to maverick Republican Donald Trump, liberals — who customarily cheer what they call “the democratic process,” as long as it gives the results that they want — have suddenly discovered the oft-maligned Electoral College. Hoping against hope for delivery from the Republican apocalypse, liberal pundits and wrathful extremists on university campuses alike are petitioning the Electoral College to set aside the preference of the unwashed masses on December 19, when the electors meet to actually elect the president.
Of course, most Americans think the presidential election is over, that the Voice of the People delivered its verdict on election day. For all other national, state, and local offices, it has indeed. But for the top ballot item, the presidential ticket, the popular vote has done nothing more than express a preference. The Electoral College will elect the president.
In recent history, the Electoral College has been possibly the most vilified institution defined by our Constitution. Many prominent political leaders have called for its abolition, including former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, who declared to Politico.com a few days after Donald Trump’s presidential win that it was time to move to a more democratic system for choosing the president. “Hillary won this election, and when the votes are all counted, by what will likely be more than a million votes,” Dukakis fulminated. “So how come she isn’t going to the White House in January? Because of an anachronistic Electoral College system which should have been abolished 150 years ago.” Democrats were singing a similar tune after the election of 2000, in which Al Gore received more popular votes than George W. Bush, yet failed to win the presidency because of Electoral College math. So why not abolish the Electoral College and elect future presidents by a simple majority popular vote?
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