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For those of you that want to get rid of the EC.
The reason that the EC exists is because we are not one whole country. We are a country with States in it. Not county's. Not districts. But States. What exactly does that mean? In order to understand what that means you have to examine history.
Just before the Revolutionary War there were various districts that was controlled by the Brittish. After the Revolutionary War these same districts didn't just dissolve. The leaders of these districts considered themselves separate from the other districts. They were their own little mini-countries for lack of a better term at this time. These leaders knew that with them being so small that another country, a bigger country with more resources could came in (especially with the aftermath of the Revolutionary War) and basically take them over quite easily. In order to avoid this they communicated with each other for the express purpose of mutual defense. They were essentially doing what any other country did with when they had possible opponents that were bigger than them. A system that has been in effect for thousands of years and still exists to this day. They were making allies with equal or smaller, or hopefully bigger, states than they were. All for mutual defense.
While trying to make allies they did not and never intended to give up control of their areas. This was purely a strategic tactic to ensure their survival. This led to the first Constitution known as the Articles of Confederation. As the name implies it was a confederation of states. Separate but equal states bound together for self defense. After some time they realized that the Articles of Confederation had some flaws. For example there was a problem of money paying for what this federal government was supposed to do. Or rather the lack of money to pay for it and there was no provisions in the Articles of Confederation that allowed the raising of such monies. IE: Taxes. They relied entirely upon the States to fund them and those States often did not pay in full what they promised. The States realized in order to properly assure mutual defense then they needed to make a slightly stronger federal government. One that could raise the money needed for protection and one that could over ride petty squabbles if the need should arise. (one reason the commerce clause was added into the US Constitution)
This led to a Constitutional Convention. Which formed the current Constitution. The States gave up some power to ensure that all protection was mutual. But, even though they gave up some power for this they did not and would not give up complete power. They ensured this by making a limited Federal Government. Delegating it certain powers which it was never supposed to go beyond. Part of doing this was what led to the Electoral College. It ensured that the States, got to choose who ran the Federal government. And they made it to where each State would have essentially one voice, one vote. (the EC is more complicated than that, just boiling it down here). Each member State was supposed to have equal say in this Federal government. And it was designed this way by making the legislatures of each State select representatives to decide who was to become President.
Note what I said there. It was designed this way by making the legislatures of each State select representatives to decide who was to become President. It wasn't left up to the people of each state. But their legislatures. The people had their say in how the Federal government was run by electing their legislatures and Representatives into office. IE: The Senators and Congressmen. It was up to the States to decide who to elect to enforce the will of the People. That is how the member States kept their control of how the Government was run. The people were never meant to elect the President. Just the Senators and Congressmen. It was another part of the Checks and Balances that was made into the current US Constitution. A way to make sure that the Executive Branch was not stronger than the Legislative Branch and the Judicial Branch. And visa versa all around.
There is of course a bit more to it. This is just the watered down version but enough is in there to explain why we have the EC.
In summary: We the People get to decide how our government is run via the Legislative Branch of our government by electing the Senators and Congressmen. The States gets to decide who to pick to execute the laws that is made by the Senate and House of Representatives. We are not One Country. We are several Member States acting in concert for the defense of all.
The reason that the EC exists is because we are not one whole country. We are a country with States in it. Not county's. Not districts. But States. What exactly does that mean? In order to understand what that means you have to examine history.
Just before the Revolutionary War there were various districts that was controlled by the Brittish. After the Revolutionary War these same districts didn't just dissolve. The leaders of these districts considered themselves separate from the other districts. They were their own little mini-countries for lack of a better term at this time. These leaders knew that with them being so small that another country, a bigger country with more resources could came in (especially with the aftermath of the Revolutionary War) and basically take them over quite easily. In order to avoid this they communicated with each other for the express purpose of mutual defense. They were essentially doing what any other country did with when they had possible opponents that were bigger than them. A system that has been in effect for thousands of years and still exists to this day. They were making allies with equal or smaller, or hopefully bigger, states than they were. All for mutual defense.
While trying to make allies they did not and never intended to give up control of their areas. This was purely a strategic tactic to ensure their survival. This led to the first Constitution known as the Articles of Confederation. As the name implies it was a confederation of states. Separate but equal states bound together for self defense. After some time they realized that the Articles of Confederation had some flaws. For example there was a problem of money paying for what this federal government was supposed to do. Or rather the lack of money to pay for it and there was no provisions in the Articles of Confederation that allowed the raising of such monies. IE: Taxes. They relied entirely upon the States to fund them and those States often did not pay in full what they promised. The States realized in order to properly assure mutual defense then they needed to make a slightly stronger federal government. One that could raise the money needed for protection and one that could over ride petty squabbles if the need should arise. (one reason the commerce clause was added into the US Constitution)
This led to a Constitutional Convention. Which formed the current Constitution. The States gave up some power to ensure that all protection was mutual. But, even though they gave up some power for this they did not and would not give up complete power. They ensured this by making a limited Federal Government. Delegating it certain powers which it was never supposed to go beyond. Part of doing this was what led to the Electoral College. It ensured that the States, got to choose who ran the Federal government. And they made it to where each State would have essentially one voice, one vote. (the EC is more complicated than that, just boiling it down here). Each member State was supposed to have equal say in this Federal government. And it was designed this way by making the legislatures of each State select representatives to decide who was to become President.
Note what I said there. It was designed this way by making the legislatures of each State select representatives to decide who was to become President. It wasn't left up to the people of each state. But their legislatures. The people had their say in how the Federal government was run by electing their legislatures and Representatives into office. IE: The Senators and Congressmen. It was up to the States to decide who to elect to enforce the will of the People. That is how the member States kept their control of how the Government was run. The people were never meant to elect the President. Just the Senators and Congressmen. It was another part of the Checks and Balances that was made into the current US Constitution. A way to make sure that the Executive Branch was not stronger than the Legislative Branch and the Judicial Branch. And visa versa all around.
There is of course a bit more to it. This is just the watered down version but enough is in there to explain why we have the EC.
In summary: We the People get to decide how our government is run via the Legislative Branch of our government by electing the Senators and Congressmen. The States gets to decide who to pick to execute the laws that is made by the Senate and House of Representatives. We are not One Country. We are several Member States acting in concert for the defense of all.