Joe Kennedy III: The Framers of the Constitution created the Electoral College for two main reasons, both unjust

Joe Kennedy III feels it would be best for the democracy of the United States if the Electoral College is abolished.

In a statement issued to supporters on Sunday, Kennedy stated that the Electoral College should be abolished and stated his reasoning on why he felt that was the case.

There has been much debate since the Clinton/Trump presidential election on whether the Electoral College should stay or go. The following statement makes it clear where Kennedy stands on the subject.

“The Framers of the Constitution created the Electoral College for two main reasons, both unjust: To boost the voting power of slave states, and to insulate the powerful elite from the will of the people.”

“And, true to its design, the Electoral College has, over two hundred years, steadily mangled American democracy, directing power away from working people and toward special interests and political insiders.”

“Instituting a National Popular Vote would dramatically improve our democracy on day one: There’d be no more “red states,” “blue states,” or “swing states.”

“Imagine, if, instead of fighting over a handful of people in swing states, presidential candidates had to work to win every vote. Americans in states like Massachusetts or Texas would know that their votes mattered just as much as the ones from Florida and Ohio.”

“We’d make good on the simple promise of one person, one vote.”

“Right now, votes from less populous states count significantly more than those from larger states. In terms of Electoral College impact, a single voter in Wyoming has about three and a half times as much influence as a California voter.”

“Elections would reflect the will of the people.”

“In two of the last five presidential elections, the candidate who lost the popular vote still won the presidency. In other words: in the 21st century, our election system has delivered a wrong result 40% of the time.”

“Our elections work best when all people can participate equally and in good faith. The Electoral College undermines both the value and the meaning of that participation, without offering any benefit. The sooner we abolish it, the healthier our democracy will be.”