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Electoral College is fine

Many voters are upset that Republican Donald Trump won the election and are crying foul that the presidency was unfairly taken from Democratic rival Hillary Clinton since she is ahead in the popular vote. Because their candidate lost the election, they want to abolish the U.S. Electoral College in favor of a popular vote.

Clinton’s lead is due, in part, to the lopsided majority of about 4.4 million votes Clinton received in the two most liberal states, California and New York. Electing a president who does not have broad regional support could lead to a fractured and less cohesive country.

This was the reason the founding fathers chose the Electoral College. There was a fear that the larger population in some states would give them inordinate power when selecting the president. Alexander Hamilton summed up how he and many of the framers may have felt about the system, noting “that if the manner of it be not perfect, it is at least excellent.”

George Watterson

Spokane Valley

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