Opinion: The electoral college was supposed to stop someone like Donald Trump

To the editor: George Skelton critiques the electoral college, but he ignores the founders’ concern that democracy carries with it the risk that a demagogue could ride into the presidency on the tide of public passions, appealing to popular prejudice. (“Donald Trump was right: The election was rigged. Now it’s time to get rid of the electoral college,” Nov. 17)

The electoral college will surely act as a buffer against the election of a demagogue who makes unrealistic promises or one who woos the masses with rhetoric about making business owners relocate their factories to the U.S. when such a thing is not under the president’s purview.

We need a system that ensures only the most qualified, competent and experienced people become president, not the most extravagant personalities.

Alex Small, Pomona

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To the editor: Let’s not forget two other reasons for the creation of the electoral college by the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and two additional reasons for its persistence since then.

Electors were real people whom citizens would more likely know. They in turn would vote “responsibly” for the interests of the people in their state. “Democracy” was not a popular concept then. Small states got more power in the process and they were needed to ratify the Constitution.

The system persists because our ruling parties want it to. Significant competition from third parties is difficult and rare. Not just the small states, but also the rural areas in large states would be “flown over” by candidates seeking votes primarily from the urban centers.

Gary Tompkins, Lake Arrowhead, Calif.

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To the editor: The electoral college warps the representation of the electorate, but it does provides an essential safety feature in this day and age of close elections.

With the electoral college, a really close election can be resolved by a recount in just a few states, possibly even just one. If the president is elected purely on the basis of the popular vote, how do we avoid an impractical national recount in the case of a very tight election?

Michael Ernstoff, Los Angeles

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