We Americans live in a democracy crafted by founding fathers who created a Constitution and a government based in law.  Everyone knows, even thinkers on the conservative side, that the Constitution is a two hundred plus year old document that is flawed.  Who among us is not?  There is an inclusion in that Constitution that appears every four years. It is contentious and shows we are not perfect.  It is the idea of an amorphous, temporarily constructed and deadly “Electoral College”.  It is the epitome of distrust of the voter.

The founding fathers distrusted unfettered democracy.  The one “man”, one vote mantra, that is justly popular today, did not work in the early days of our new nation.  Hedges on who could vote were quickly adopted for no one without property was considered eligible.  What could be voted on was also severely limited.  The election of U.S. Senators was restricted to the State legislatures and this was not changed for more than fifty years. Females could not vote because they were not men and not all men could vote.  Four fifths of all Americans could not vote, but their existence was voted by slave owners.  The quirky “Electoral College” was composed of appointed “Electors” who actually elected our President and Vice President.  In the same sense, our justices on the Supreme Court were appointed and confirmed by the Senate.  Voting had nothing to do with it.  All of these acts continue in one sense or another and deprive some Americans of the right to vote.

I have sometimes thought that our criminal justice system is weighted by ancient practices that go back to the “mark of Cain”, the punishment (not the death penalty) that followed the murderer of Abel in the Bible story.  Once punishment by Juries and the Courts measured in prison years is imposed on criminals and they have served their time, they should no longer be criminals and allowed to reenter society and be allowed to vote.  At least, I think so.  Why does punishment go beyond the stated limits in the sentencing?  Why do we not forgive and forget?

But, this is about the Electoral College that has the right under the Constitution to refuse to vote as their State instructions told them to vote and they can elect one of their number or even elect an animal if they so choose. They are not connected in any way to the way we nominate candidates in primaries.

It is time for a change.  The Electoral College has outlived its usefulness and its presence in the process of elections is an embarrassment.  The Constitution is an amendable document.  The conservatives and liberals alike who are afraid of change should listen to reason. We should get rid of an eighteenth century relic and bring our country, the model for the world, up-to-date.