Why Abolishing the Electoral College is a Colossally Bad Idea

Michael Barone, the election technician par excellence, tells us in Townhall why abolishing the electoral college would lead to California (and a few other big cities) imposing its political values on the rest of us poor schlubs. If you have seen the voting maps of the recent Presidential election, it was a solid sea of red washing against the shores of a few blue islands scattered across the country, mostly on the two coasts. These are the major cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. If the U.S. were to shift to a popular election for President, it wouldn't matter how closely divided the country was, the major cities could impose their collective will on the country. And they have been run so well. 

townhall.com/columnists/michaelbarone/2016/12/06/ditching-electoral-college-would-allow-california-to-impose-imperial-rule-on-a-colonial-america-n2255270

Stephen Moore, also in Townhall, documents how middle class voters are fleeing these states because the quality of life and their business environments are atrocious with high taxes, high regulations, and sclerotic environmental regulations. Those fleeing understand that, as Moore points out:

"Even when it comes to income inequality, blue states fare worse than red states. According to a 2016 report by the Economic Policy Institute, three of the states with the largest gaps between rich and poor are those progressive icons New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Sure, Boston, Manhattan and Silicon Valley are booming as the rich prosper. But outside these areas are deep pockets of poverty and wage stagnation."

Even though they are consistently losing population, the big Blue states open the immigration floodgates to replace the middle class that is getting out of Dodge with low skill, government aid-dependent immigrants to keep their voting margins. The rich get richer and the poor poorer. Oh well, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. 
townhall.com/columnists/stephenmoore/2016/12/06/the-progressivestate-depression-n2255643

One last interesting tidbit. Would it be a surprise that a map of the high crime areas across the United States corresponds closely to the voting map above? The answer is "no" if you have been paying attention but the politicians always wager that you are not. Unfortunately for many of them, in 2016 the voters woke up and did a thorough house-cleaning. We'll see what it yields but at least at the moment there is hope of a change for the better. Fall for the popular election baloney, however, and all is lost. The Founders knew what they were doing. 

www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/crime-rates-by-county/