04-03-2019, 12:58 PM
When we talk about the intent of the Framers, I think of Hamilton's writing in Federalist 68. Almost every single thing that Hamilton points out as being of value in the Electoral College is moot, now.
He makes the argument that the electors would be the ones most capable of making the decision, yet they don't make the decision any longer. They are beholden to the vote of the people. This was because of a lack of information among the general public at the time, which is no longer the case, either.
The "transient existence" of the Electoral College to mitigate the risk of interference in the process is also moot. Again, as they do not make the decision it is irrelevant that it is a transient body. It also does not mitigate the risk of interference well enough, as we have learned.
There was the concern that the president would be beholden to Congress, so the EC kept it to the people. However, this was ignorant of the emergence of parties which has rendered this rationale moot.
The saddest part in re-reading these papers was how wrong he was about the type of person that would need to run for president and win. "It will not be too strong to say, that there will be a constant probability of seeing the station filled by characters pre-eminent for ability and virtue."
He makes the argument that the electors would be the ones most capable of making the decision, yet they don't make the decision any longer. They are beholden to the vote of the people. This was because of a lack of information among the general public at the time, which is no longer the case, either.
The "transient existence" of the Electoral College to mitigate the risk of interference in the process is also moot. Again, as they do not make the decision it is irrelevant that it is a transient body. It also does not mitigate the risk of interference well enough, as we have learned.
There was the concern that the president would be beholden to Congress, so the EC kept it to the people. However, this was ignorant of the emergence of parties which has rendered this rationale moot.
The saddest part in re-reading these papers was how wrong he was about the type of person that would need to run for president and win. "It will not be too strong to say, that there will be a constant probability of seeing the station filled by characters pre-eminent for ability and virtue."
"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy..." - TR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
