Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cadre.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!mcnc!idis!cadre!geb From: geb@cadre.UUCP Newsgroups: net.legal Subject: Re: Electoral college Message-ID: <105@cadre.UUCP> Date: Tue, 11-Dec-84 16:49:58 EST Article-I.D.: cadre.105 Posted: Tue Dec 11 16:49:58 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 14-Dec-84 05:47:49 EST References: <301@bonnie.UUCP> <6782@watdaisy.UUCP>, <196@harvard.ARPA> Organization: Decision Systems Lab., Univ. of Pgh. Lines: 14 I believe the electoral college was created because initially it was thought that the states should elect the president, and not by popular vote. During the early days of the US the example of the popular hysteria that swept France after their revolution was on everyone's mind and most of the founding fathers did not trust the people's ability to withstand demagoguery. The electoral college gives a little more power to the less populous states and thus preserves some regionalism. It would be almost impossible to do away with the system, since the constitutional amendment necessary would fail to pass 3/4 of the state legislatures, since it would enhance the power of the large population states at the expense of the majority of small population states.