Because the electoral college is brilliant!

Boss

Hey people, over at the Business Insider, some guy named Walter Hickey is speaking the truth.  The electoral college is a common whipping boy for whatever party loses a presidential election - the Democrats hated it in 2000, the Republicans hated it in 2008 and will protest again this November.


But in class we learnt about the problems of simple majority - including the possibility of exploiting minorities.  Under straight popular vote, the big populous states would get all the attention and urban areas would have asymmetric power.  But the electoral college makes it so even small states matter.  How smart is that?

Hickey even points out that the electoral college safeguards the vote against asymmetric bad weather:

The electoral college also localizes mistakes and problems. If it rains on election day, turnout is low. ...Why should a state with precipitation have less say than a perpetually sunny locale?  With the electoral system, If Ohio is rainy, it doesn't mean it gets fewer electoral votes.

Cinnamon and gravy, that's just dadgum brilliant!