Re: The Trouble With The Electoral College – Cities, Metro Areas, Elections and The United States

TL;DR

The Electoral College reinforces the urban-rural divide in the US, doesn't guarantee representation by states, and allows for potential manipulation by unelected insiders.

Transcript

Hello, internet. Let's talk about this map, this argument, and the Electoral College in general. In my “Trouble With The Electoral College” video from 2011, I was wrong to use the city limits for that part of the argument, rather than the more expansive metro area. The lawyerish nerd inside of me still wants to argue “technically correct” on that o... Read More

Key Insights

• 👳 The map used in the content highlights the urban-rural divide that shapes US politics.
• ❓ The Electoral College may become even more disproportionate as urbanization continues.
• ❓ The Electoral College does not ensure representation by states or guarantee geographic diversity.
• 🥳 The Electoral College can potentially override the will of the people and is vulnerable to manipulation by unelected political party insiders.
• 😌 The Electoral College's power lies in the December vote by electors, which can override the election result in November.
• 🛩️ The Electoral College does not protect small states or benefit citizens.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did the speaker initially use city boundaries instead of metro areas in their argument?

The speaker used city boundaries instead of metro areas in the argument due to the vagueness and absurd size of many metro areas that encompass multiple states and areas unrelated to the actual cities.

Q: Does the Electoral College ensure that the president is elected by the states?

No, the Electoral College does not ensure that the president is elected by the states. A candidate can win the Electoral College by solely winning the eleven biggest states, regardless of their geographic diversity.

Q: What is the difference between the representation of the people and the representation of the states in presidential elections?

The representation of the people focuses on moving power to the federal level, while the representation of the states emphasizes moving power down to individual states. The preference for one over the other depends on one's belief in the better solution for governance.

Q: How does the Electoral College potentially override the will of the people?

The Electoral College allows for the potential manipulation of the election outcome by unknown and unelected political party insiders. These electors, who cast votes for president in December, can vote for whoever they want, potentially disregarding the will of the citizens.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The use of city boundaries instead of metro areas in an older argument about the Electoral College was a mistake, as it disregarded the concerns expressed in the presented map.

• The map highlights the fundamental division between rural and urban areas, which partly shapes US politics.

• As urbanization continues, the Electoral College may become even more disproportionate, yet it doesn't ensure representation by states or guarantee geographic diversity.