An infinitesimal percentage of Americans know there is something called the Electoral College, but the overwhelming majority have little to no idea what role it plays in electing a president.  After Gore lost to Bush in 2000 despite a greater than 500,000 popular vote margin, the cry began to ring out for abolition of the Electoral College.  Now, in 20008, a number of pundits have reinvigorated the call for a switch to a pure popular vote system.  On the surface, that seems a rather obvious position to advocate.  After all, are we not a democratic nation?  Why should we have this arcane system that gives some weight to vote totals in individual states?  The answer is not simple.  There are persuasive arguments on both sides.  In my view, though, the case for is most convincing because the Electoral College is such an important element of our national identity, and more importantly, it is completely consistent with, and complimentary of, constitutional protections of minority rights.  Isn't that what has defined us as a nation for over 200 years?

Do we want to be a country where presidential candidates are incented to concentrate their campaigns in a handful of highly populated states?  Aren't we better served when those candidates are encouraged to deal with issues that are specific to various regions?  Should an urban-centric populace be able to marginalize important concerns from states that care more about farming, or mining, or drilling for oil, or the environment, or any number of other regionally sensitive matters.  We were founded as a federation of states.  Aren't we better served as a people when we respect local character, allow for a diversity of interests, and have a system in place that promotes a more balanced approach?

We celebrate our system's ability to protect the rights of minorities.  It should be a logical extension to also guard the rights of minority states.   The United States is not a pure democracy for very good reasons.  If we were, it would be much easier to trample the underrepresented.  Let's not head down that slippery slope.

The next time you hear somebody promulgating the seemingly clear benefits of a pure popular vote system, consider the nuance, as well as our long history of balancing majority rule with minority concerns.