Dear Electoral College,
The last four days have been some of the hardest days I have experienced for my America. My America. The America that I attempt to surround myself with every day; an America full to the brim with different shades, genders, sexual orientations, and religions. My America. The place where my friends who are children of immigrants feel like they belong. My America. The place where my Muslim friends do not fear walking down the street in a hijab. My America. The place where I, a woman of color, am not seen as a second-class citizen. That is the America I love. That is the America I search for every day. That is the America that is under attack.
I would like to acknowledge that I know that my America is not every American’s America. I know that my ideal, the America I attempt to surround myself with, scares certain Americans. I know that there are Americans to which my very existence, alongside the existence of my friends, is terrifying. To them my success has to mean their failure. My rise to equality means their fall from superiority. I understand.
However, I would like to note something about your existence, Electoral College. We have created the myth in American politics that the Electoral College was created to assure that every American, with their individual ideal America, is represented equally. This is a somewhat skewed picture of part of the reason the Electoral College was established. Let us have a little history lesson, shall we? The Electoral College was partially created to assure that certain states weren’t underrepresented in the presidential election in a time when different states felt somewhat like different countries and, thus, under-populated states needed a way to assure that they were heard. This was particularly important for southern states because a large portion of their population could not vote… because they were slaves. Through the Electoral College, with the assistance of the Three-Fifths Compromise, southern states could include their disenfranchised slaves in their population count (each counting as three-fifths of a person). Thus, the reasoning here was not truly about equal representation. It was about not leaving behind the voices of slave owners in a situation where they would be significantly outnumbered by people that potentially disagreed with them. Thus, their voices were overrepresented rather than counted as equal. So our reasoning that every American is represented equally is clearly flawed. Certain Americans, certain visions for America, are set up to have a greater say in who will become the President of the United States.
Well what about the other reason for the creation of the Electoral College? This is, of course, the reason that we often do not discuss in the picture of American democracy we now like to preach- our founding fathers and other great scholars of their time were afraid of true democracy. What they understood, and what I believe we often forget, is that democracy does not necessarily point to a universal truth. The opinion of the majority does not necessarily point toward truth, correctness and good. We like to believe it does because it makes us feel like we are morally justified in our decision-making. But the opinion of the majority is just that. It is just the opinion of the majority. Thus, founding fathers feared the possibility that perhaps someday the majority could make the wrong decision. In their world in particular, it was very possible that voters would not be truly informed about presidential candidates and thus, would make uneducated decisions regarding who would be best suited for the job. In a world where information moved slowly, it was very likely that distance could stand between you knowing a candidate’s qualifications or not. That is somewhat less of a fear now. Our unprecedented access to information allows us to hopefully avoid the election of what Alexander Hamilton described as “any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.” Hopefully. We should be able to assess the qualifications of presidential candidates by reading their bios and watching debates. We might not always take advantage of these resources but we have access. However, founding fathers were not simply afraid of uneducated decisions. They were also afraid of decisions that were simply wrong and against the values that they were attempting to instill through the creation of this nation. They feared the possibility that popularity was not a true indicator of the best possible choice for the American president. Hamilton noted that “talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single State; but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to make him a successful candidate for the distinguished office of President of the United States.” Popularity alone could result in poor decision making. Furthermore, James Madison feared direct voting because of the reality that “when a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government… enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens.” Thus, the Electoral College was created as a result of the fear that a large faction of voters could threaten the rights of other citizens due to their willingness to sacrifice these citizens to promote their personal interests.
So, Electoral College, we have discovered 3 reasons for your existence. One is around an idea of representation that is not truly equal. One is a result of a context where educated decision-making by the masses was simply impossible. And the last and final reason is to prevent a faction from electing a candidate that could threaten the rights of American citizens. I do not want to undermine the systems that make this country what it is. However, it is my belief, Electoral College, that you either need to be removed or you need to perform the function you were created for. The first two reasons for your existence are no longer relevant in our current context. In a connected world and a country that values equal representation in its truest form, equal representation means one person, one vote. In a generation where everyone has information at their fingertips, it is no longer right to assume that individuals cannot be informed about who their candidates are. Living in Georgia is no longer a barrier to knowing about the candidate from New York. Thus, for these reasons you seem irrelevant, Electoral College. You are simply the inheritance from a context that no longer represents our reality.
However, the final reason for your existence may be your saving grace. You are here to avoid the tyranny of the majority. You are here to protect the rights of Americans. You are here to prevent the majority or any strong faction from choosing to sacrifice their fellow man in order to utilize their power to further their personal interests. This is not a normal transition of power. The president-elect has not only verbally abused American citizens, he has been an outspoken threat to their rights. He has promoted hatred and bigotry. He is the leader of the faction that James Madison feared. He is the reason for your existence, Electoral College. You exist to prevent someone like Donald Trump from taking the White House. You exist to, as James Madison put it, prevent this factions from carrying “into effect schemes of oppression.”
So this is me asking you to make a choice. In my opinion there are only two options that represent the intention of our founding fathers. You can either decide that you are irrelevant and call for your removal from the election process or you can perform the function you were intended for and prevent Donald Trump from becoming president.
My opinion doesn’t really matter. If it were up to me I would probably remove you, Electoral College. It is my belief that the electorate’s understanding and vision for American democracy now demands a one person, one vote system when deciding the presidency. We only have one president that represents all of America. He is my president just as much as he is the president of a man in Virginia. Why did we utilize the 17th Amendment to assure that we have equal vote regarding selecting our two senators but didn’t use it to assure equal vote for selecting our president? We want to be represented equally and allow the voice of the majority to make decisions. Even if those decision may not point towards a universal truth. However, I understand the reasoning for fearing the possibility of a majority that could make the wrong decision. Hell, if Donald Trump got a couple hundred thousand more votes he could have won the popular vote. And this is a republic and not a true democracy. We depend on representatives in most scenarios of decision making. Maybe we should entrust this important decision in your hands, Electoral College. However, the presidency is something I believe that the American public wants a direct and true influence on. Furthermore, I believe in people and I believe there is a reason that Hillary won the popular vote. I think more people believe in protecting the rights of American citizens rather than threatening them. Maybe I’m optimistic but I believe in human compassion and hope for progress.
But it truly doesn’t matter what I want. Either way Donald Trump should not be the President of the United States. Either, Electoral College, you believe that you should exist to prevent the tyranny of a dangerous faction or you believe that the popular vote should decide the presidency. There is no other choice. Either you choose not to elect Donald Trump or you allow the popular vote to decide the election. Being stagnant and accepting the Electoral College as a formality makes it a detriment to democracy, not a protector of it. You exist to make decisions, Electoral College. We can’t just keep you as a matter of tradition if you are unwilling to perform your true function. Do we value tradition over democracy and the rights of our citizens? Are we so unwilling to change that we will choose to ignore the values set forth by our founding fathers? Well, Electoral College, I will leave you to your choice. Are you relevant? Are you important? Do you have a responsibility to act in this election? Or is it time that we removed you from the process? I and my America look forward to your answer.
Your Obedient Servant,
An American