he founding fathers were also concerned with other issues. One of them was ballot tampering/voter fraud
It is certainly true that the EC helps to minimize the effect of small amounts of voter fraud. I find nothing in the founders' documents to indicate that was the underlying intent, however. You have a link?
It also was believed by the FF that the EC helps the residents of small states influence presidential elections far more than those in big states because in the small state, there are less people needed to elect an elector than in a big state
While it is a fact that small states have a slight advantage as a result of the Electoral College, I've seen no indication that this was the Founding Fathers' intent. While this issue was considered in determining the makeup of the EC, it really had nothing to do with the decision of popular vote vs. some intermediate body, at least not so far as I can determine. You have a link?
Finally, the EC was intended to enhance the margin of the winner of the national popular vote, particularly if that vote was close, in order to mitigate any controversy developing from such a narrow popular vote win.
I find no indication, whatsoever, that this ever played any role in the decision. While I did hear commentators mention it during the 2000 elections, I see no indication that it has any basis in fact.
The bottom line is that you conveniently omitted the single, most important, unquestionnable reason for the Electoral College: The Founding Fathers' did not believe the average voter competent to make a sensible selection. This, in fact, is the reason the EC exists, and frankly, it is an excellent reason.
And the 2000 election will forever stand as proof the Founding Fathers were not only right, but dead-on. Had we not had the EC, we would have elected a man on the basis of heated rhetoric that didn't coincide with fact (i.e., lies). Al Gore would have been elected because he was slicker than Bush. And the Founding Fathers prophetically realized, over 200 years ago, that this would eventually happen.
I am constantly amazed at the brilliance of the people who started this great nation. |
