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In this discussion, you will discuss whether you believe the Electoral College is an impediment to democracy. Over the course of this lesson, you learned what the Electoral College is, how it selects the President, delegates, winner-take-all elections, and instances where the Electoral College chose a winner who did not obtain the popular vote.

Based on what you learned today, you must answer this discussion prompt in at least three paragraphs: Does the Electoral College help or hurt democracy in the United States? If so, what changes should take place in our voting system? If not, what do critics have wrong about the Electoral College?

User Jackey
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The Electoral College has been a topic of debate for many years in the United States, with some arguing that it helps democracy while others believe it hurts it. Those who argue that it hurts democracy often point to instances where the winner of the popular vote did not win the presidency, which they say undermines the principle of one person, one vote. They also argue that it gives too much power to swing states and makes some votes count more than others.

On the other hand, supporters of the Electoral College argue that it ensures that the president is elected by a broad coalition of voters from across the country, rather than just the most populous areas. They also argue that it helps to prevent voter fraud by making it more difficult to manipulate the results in a single state.

There have been various proposals to reform or abolish the Electoral College, such as the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would require states to award their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. Others have proposed alternative systems, such as ranked-choice voting, which would allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

Ultimately, the question of whether the Electoral College helps or hurts democracy is a complex and contentious one, with strong arguments on both sides. While some changes to the voting system may be necessary, any reforms should be carefully considered to ensure that they do not undermine the principles of democracy or lead to unintended consequences.
User Tjirp
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