The popular vote argument

[politicallefty]

It won't change. Nothing in this country can ever change. For some reason, so many elected officials think the system of government was granted by divine word. I will say with absolute certainty that this country will dissolve before the Electoral College is abolished.

[BSH]

I favor constitutional amendment to change to popular vote for president, with a run-off if the first round winner doesn't get to 50%.  The electoral college system is archaic. The US Senate gives smaller population states disproportionate influence, and that should be good enough.

This should be a bi-partisan effort to revise the system. I don't see this kind of change necessarily favoring either party. The run-off provision is very important and I'm glad you discuss it here. Including the run-off will make the proposed amendment more acceptable to the public.

This. Though I doubt we'll see any major bi-partisan effort on it anytime soon with Republicans winning 2 of the last 5 elections in the EV but not PV. Even if it doesn't inherently benefit either party, I'm sure for Republican officials the desire to fix a system that recently has only reaped benefits from them is low. Maybe if a Dem wins the EV but not PV we'll see some bi-partisan consensus that it sucks.

[bagelman]

An analogy that some might appreciate:

EC = Midwestern (And Also Florida) White Votes Matter
NPV = All Votes Matter

Tell me honestly which one makes more sense to you.

If 2012 was adjusted for a Mitt Romney popular vote win by 0.5%, he likely still would've lost the electoral college. Its a flawed system and doesn't discriminate one way or another.

Yep, this is 272-266

[Del Tachi]

There are other reasons as well, like... THE CONSTITUTION.

This is a terrible reason to oppose electoral reform. It amounts to saying "I support the way things are because that's the way things are," which is nonsensical. Article V exists for a reason.

Yes and switching to a national popular vote system wouldn't even necessarily require a Constitutional amendment.  In fact, the idea of the Electoral College and a national popular vote aren't even mutually exclusive (see: NPVIC).

[Pericles]

All it needs now is for in 2020 or 2024 the Republicans to win the EC and lose the PV and then they hate it too. The closest we came to this was in 2004 when Kerry would have won the EC before the PV, and with two such events in a row there could be a groundswell of support for removing the Electoral College.

[vote for pedro]

Our education system really does suck, doesn't it?  No one understands that this is the United STATES of America?  A REPUBLIC of states?  51 separate ballots and races, each voter deciding which candidate is best for his/her situation and his/her STATE?

It doesn't matter and it SHOULDN'T matter whether a candidate wins in California by 1 vote or 5 million votes.   A California voter should vote in his/her best interest as a citizen of California.  A Wyoming voter should do the same.  You can't even pretend that those interests are the same.

[Figueira]

Our education system really does suck, doesn't it?  No one understands that this is the United STATES of America?  A REPUBLIC of states?  51 separate ballots and races, each voter deciding which candidate is best for his/her situation and his/her STATE?

It doesn't matter and it SHOULDN'T matter whether a candidate wins in California by 1 vote or 5 million votes.   A California voter should vote in his/her best interest as a citizen of California.  A Wyoming voter should do the same.  You can't even pretend that those interests are the same.

Everyone in the US has different interests from each other. States aren't a particularly good way of dividing people up.

Also, just because people have different political views from you doesn't mean they're ignorant about history.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Our education system really does suck, doesn't it?  No one understands that this is the United STATES of America?  A REPUBLIC of states?  51 separate ballots and races, each voter deciding which candidate is best for his/her situation and his/her STATE?

It doesn't matter and it SHOULDN'T matter whether a candidate wins in California by 1 vote or 5 million votes.   A California voter should vote in his/her best interest as a citizen of California.  A Wyoming voter should do the same.  You can't even pretend that those interests are the same.

DID YOU KNOW THAT USING CAPITAL LETTERS MAKES YOUR ARGUMENT STRONGER?

[BoAtlantis]

Democrats' biggest problem isn't the electoral process.

We need to do a better job of turning people out. If we do that, we will have the upperhand for more elections to come. Younger people, minorities were slightly less democratic this year; our turnout was not that good; Republicans were far more motivated to dethrone the Democrats' 8 year reign. Yet we still won the PV and were still 80k votes away from winning the election. That shows you how much of an edge we already have. We have to find ways to avoid being nonchalant without a black candidate or a democratic socialist with progressive agenda.

Low income people (who still lean our direction) tend to not vote despite having the most to gain by voting Democrats. We need to convince low-income people to overcome the strict voter ID laws, long travel, and every tricks GOP imposes to get them to turn out.

Popular vote or Electoral College is theoretically both ok with me. I only support the popular vote more because it would get more people to start voting for 3rd party. But as a Dem leaning libertarian, EC only enforces prisoner's dilemma. It only motivates people to choose one side even more because 3rd party has no chance of winning. As long as EC is intact, people will always use the sorry excuse that they're voting for the lesser of the evil, instead of voting for the candidate they feel is most qualified.

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

Our education system really does suck, doesn't it?  No one understands that this is the United STATES of America?  A REPUBLIC of states?  51 separate ballots and races, each voter deciding which candidate is best for his/her situation and his/her STATE?

It doesn't matter and it SHOULDN'T matter whether a candidate wins in California by 1 vote or 5 million votes.   A California voter should vote in his/her best interest as a citizen of California.  A Wyoming voter should do the same.  You can't even pretend that those interests are the same.

DID YOU KNOW THAT USING CAPITAL LETTERS MAKES YOUR ARGUMENT STRONGER?

NO IT DOESN'T!!! YOU HAVE TO BOLD THEM TOO!!!