Ever tried to explain the Electoral College to a non American?

[Funtatlaguy]

I have.
They think it’s crazy.
They don’t understand how a candidate could get more (and sometimes many million more) popular votes but still not be elected President.
Our nation is so backwards in so many ways and the current GOP wants to take us back even further.
Sigh 😔

[BlueIdaho]

1. Maybe you're going about it the wrong way?

Try explaining it this way: The framers of the constitution were deeply afraid the voters would vote for the wrong candidates and the ruling class would lose their power - so they added the EC to the process to make sure the rich and powerful would always have the final say in the process.

That works for me.

[Funtatlaguy]

2. LOL. Which is why a Montanans vote is worth more than a New Yorkers.

[Skittles]

5. it worked way back then

but now it has give us two incompetent presidents in recent history

we all have access to the same information now, the EC is antiquated

[Xipe Totec]

3. Tell them it's a variation of 3 card monte.

[Skittles]

4. it had its purpose WAY back in the day

but now it is actively harming America

[Zeitghost]

6. It makes more sense

When you explain that the country was originally seen as being a lot more akin to something like the EU, a collection of independent States (which are different than Provinces or administrative regions) joined together for a unified economic and defense effort. It's not a perfect example, but it gives a general idea.

The Presidency and the Senate were intended to be chosen directly by and represented the interests of the various States. The House was intended to represent the people.

[Funtatlaguy]

7. That makes sense.

[Delarage]

8. Interestingly, yes....

Was just talking to a native Australian today at White Clay Creek and the electoral college came up. She said that she had been talking about getting rid of it with someone, and that person said "But then Republicans would never get elected!"

Stop being crazy, then, is what she said she was thinking.

[MichMan]

9. And a Parliamentary style of government seems very odd to Americans

[Funtatlaguy]

10. Imagine Trump doing "question time".

[TheBeam19]

13. Parliamentary govt looks good to me.

[MichMan]

15. You sure about that?

What if the Republicans win congress in the mid terms?

They could vote to replace President Biden with a Republican.

[TheBeam19]

16. Just as we would have ousted Bush after

the 2006 mid-terms.

And just as we would have ousted Trump after only two years into his term.

You could go back through history and “what if” countless scenarios. Do I think it’s a better system than the one with an un-democratic Senate (by design) and that also has a filibuster? I do.

[DavidDvorkin]

11. I did, to a German friend

He was shocked and said, "So what's the point of voting, then?"

Yep.

[TheBeam19]

12. Basically: Open, barren land gets to vote.

[kacekwl]

14. Try explaining it to me so

it makes sense.

[Deuxcents]

17. Yeah..I was gonna say..try explaining that to the average voter