Too Hundred 7 Tea (cont.)

Since 1826 an elector has been chosen primarily, “…on the basis of their long service to their party, because of their financial donations to party or candidate, or out of a wish to have an ethically or politically balance elector slate” (Longley and Peirce 1996: 97). The esteemed college where the Founders envisioned debates inspecting a candidate’s virtue, republicanism and independence, to ensue is now nothing more than “…a state-by-state collection of political hacks and fat cats” (Longley and Peirce 1996: 98). The purpose of the college as a type of intermediary interview has been undermined by the political parties is has unintentionally created. It is now just a collection of electors who can constitutionally vote for whomever they choose without regard for the public’s opinion or their own party.

There are the two things the Founders did not foresee happening in the government which already perform the intended purpose of the Electoral College. The political parties which force the candidate to get a majority vote of the populace, and the Primaries and National Conventions. Each party’s National Convention performs the informal interview and judge of character that the electors were charged with executing (Longley and Peirce 1996: 90). The Primaries are mock-campaigns where many candidates are trying to persuade the public that he/she is the right candidate for president. After all the party-held primary elections are held, the candidates not carrying enough votes, and in essence who would be a bad choice for the party and country, drop out. The politically experienced parties ensure that the otherwise inexperienced and ‘uninformed’ public are presented with two candidates that would be appropriate for the office of President. If the original purpose of the Electoral College has been stripped away I believe that electors should be constitutionally required to follow the opinion of the populace.