Why the Electoral College was born

Please permit me to discuss the reason for and role of the Electoral College in our elections. Our founders, of course, drew heavily upon the legal, social and philosophical institutions of other countries at the time of our nation’s creation. In England, their legislature was created with a House of Commons to represent the people, and a House of Lords to advocate the interests of the nobles.

It seems only natural that our founders would create a two-tiered legislative system, with the House of Representatives speaking for the people, and the Senate representing not nobles, but the interests of the sovereign states.

So in our state/federal level elections, the popular vote represents the voice of the people. But in the election of the president, who represents the people and the sovereign states from which our nation is constructed, the interests of the states are also protected.

Under this system, Idaho has as much right to have its voice heard as New York, Wyoming as much right as California. These united states comprise a cobbled-together nation of sovereign states, and in a long ago and far away time, brilliant, educated men ensured the survival of our republic.

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 12:53 PM with the headline "Why the Electoral College was born."