2016-11-20 The Popular Vote

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501   histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

November 20, 2016

This is a letter to our friends –

The Popular Vote

Every four years we hear arguments against the Electoral College.  As directed by our Constitution, the Electoral College is composed of “electors” appointed by their respective states.  These electors vote for President and send the results to the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

Thus, when you cast your vote for President, you are really voting for your state’s electors that  favor your candidate.  It is possible for all the electors nation wide to favor one candidate while the “Popular Vote” of all the people who voted to favor another.

I believe this illustrates the wisdom of our founding fathers.

First: He is not the President of the people.  He is the President of the United States.  Every four years the 50 sovereign states get together and elect their President.  Were he elected by popular vote, a few population centers in the country would determine the winner and the citizens in smaller states would have no say in the results.

To understand what our founding fathers had in mind requires an understanding of some fundamentals.  Every human organization is governed by some mixture of three elements: rule of one; rule of a few; rule of many.

Rule of one is most efficient because one person has all the authority and power.  Rule of one is also the most dangerous to liberty should the ruler become corrupt.

Rule of a few is, or should be, wiser than rule of many, and more reliably honest than rule of one.

Rule of many is the most honest and well-meaning of the three, but is most easily deceived and lead astray.

Think of rule of many as “majority rule”.  The ultimate majority rule is a lynch mob – only one person objects!  Rule of many is called “democracy”.  It is nicknamed, “mobocracy”.

Our founding fathers chose “republic” as the basic form for our government.  A republic is composed of representatives from the various parts.  These representatives are elected by majority rule in the various parts.  They have opportunity to discuss issues and represent their constituents.

Think about it – The President represents rule of one.  His authority is checked by the legislature (rule of many).  And both the President and the legislature are limited by the Constitution in the hands of the Supreme Court (rule of a few).

Let us not modify a system that has protected liberty for so many.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
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Ben Gilmore 1929-2023

On March 30, 2023 Ben Gilmore, the co-founder of ACHStudyGroups (co-founded with his wife Fran), went to be with the Lord in Glory.

A Memorial: https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/BenGilmore/