Link of the Day--The Electoral College

Scott has an excellent post on the history of the electoral college. This undemocratic structure of American politics existed to protect the degenerate institutions of American life. Historically, this meant slavery. Today, it means lunatic anti-abortion activists, evangelical control over the nation, and retrograde tax policies.

I've heard even progressives from small states argue that the electoral college is a good thing because it makes the small states important. This is absurd on the face of it because no one campaigns in any states if they are not in play. Montana might not get much attention without the electoral college but it doesn't anyway. Meanwhile, states like South Carolina and Mississippi have more national power than California and New York. I don't see how this is good for anyone except racists and those who want to destroy the last barriers between church and state.

Anyway, read the whole thing. It's quite excellent.