Is the Electoral College Relevant

Today I had the opportunity to spend a good part of the afternoon with my wife and a good friend whom I have known since August of 1977.  We live in Northern Virginia, very much a part of the Metropolitan Area of the District of Columbia.  During the course of our conversation we were sharing both our lament and disgust at the failure of our electoral process in our recent presidential election.  There is much I question about it yet I do not deny the legality of it but above every aspect that has brought Mr. Trump to a position of power that, I believe, it possesses no legitimacy in a truly democratic state.  I have always been an ardent defendant of the U.S. Constipation as well as a supporter of the ACLU with both my voice as well as financial support.  Why?  Because it is an organization dedicated in the defense of the Constitution and the rights it guarantees to all our citizens.  Yet, this election presents and faces each citizen with a constitutional dilemma that confounds us with our perceived wisdom of the Founders when the Constitution was written and approved in the 18th Century and the changes along with the realities of the 21st Century.  Twice, now, in less than twenty years we have allowed two men to assume the awesome office of the presidency without receiving a majority vote of the American Electorate.  We need to give considerable thought whether we wish to turn our backs to the concept of one person one vote in determining those whom we wish to serve in elective office.

When the Constitution was written in 1781, we were a nation of 3 million within 13 coastal states.  Today we are a continental nation with a population of over 300 million.  I can understand the hesitancy in amending the Constitution which has only happened 27 times in the history of our nation.  We should also remember that the first ten amendments were agreed upon with the adoption of the Constitution in 1787.  I agree with those who feel care and deliberative thought should be taken at anytime we consider amending the Constitution but I also believe that we have reached a point in our history where the Electoral College is no longer a safeguard to fair and equitable national elections for the highest office in our government.  I believe that 2000 and 2016 have shown the fallacy in that assumption.  If we wish to be the shining beacon of democracy to the rest of the world, the election of the president should be based on one person one vote.  The Electoral College should be seen as an anachronistic period of 18th and 19th Century America and not belonging to 21st Century America.  If we deny such a democratic concept as I suggest for electing our president, should we then rethink how we elect all our other local and national officials.  I am sure there are some who would disagree with me but I believe that there are far more who believe in our democratic heritage as I do.