USpolitics

934 readers

1 users here now

founded 2 years ago

What arguments would you make against abolishing the U.S. electoral college? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 months ago by andros_rex@lemmy.world to c/uspolitics@lemmy.world

10 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I’m actually helping someone write a paper along these lines, so I’m genuinely interested in the perspective of people who would disagree with a direct count or ranked choice or whatever. I am interested in what a real human being defending the current system would say.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] cmeu@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago (3 children)

The electoral college helps protect people who live in America, but not in the most populous areas. Under mob rule, politicians can support policies specifically targeted to helping affluent/dense populations in cities, and also support policies which further marginalize the remaining 90% of the country. Can you name another mechanism which would achieve that goal of protecting a broader interest better?

[–] IamtheMorgz@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

This is the correct answer to OPs question. What's the real, human, and arguably logical defense of a system that ignores the popular vote in a "democracy".

The idea is that you have to weight the system to ensure leaders have to pay attention to everyone, not just focus on winning NYC and LA and maybe a couple other big cities, completely ignoring anyone who lives outside a densely populated area.

Source: raised by a conservative who believes this very thing. Not saying I agree personally but I definitely grew up hearing this idea.

load more comments (2 replies)