The idea behind the national popular vote, or abolishing the Electoral College, etc. is simple and straightforward: The people should be able to elect their own rulers.
Seems like a good idea. But it's not.
Seems like a good idea. But it's not.
The people electing their own rulers is certainly a better idea than having rulers imposed on the people, or having totalitarian dictators or a military coup impose rulers on the people. So there's that.
But the American idea is better than that.
But the American idea is better than that.
The American idea is not only better than having rulers imposed on the people--the American idea is even better than letting the people choose their rulers.
The American idea is that THE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE "RULED" AT ALL.
The American idea is that THE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE "RULED" AT ALL.
The American idea is SELF-GOVERNMENT, not rulership. So in an American system, there is NO ruler, and the president would certainly not be a ruler in an American system.
In a functioning American system, the power of the presidency is LIMITED, and doesn't approach rulership.
In a functioning American system, the power of the presidency is LIMITED, and doesn't approach rulership.
Needless to say, with the ever-growing power of the presidency, we are well down the path of abandoning an American system of self-government, and are moving toward rulership by an imperial presidency, with the president constantly acting in the face of a paralyzed Congress.
The path toward restoration of an American system of self-government involves taking powers away from the presidency and making the office LESS IMPORTANT, and certainly limited to its Constitutional duties.
BUT if we move toward direct election of the president, by the national popular vote initiative or scrapping the Electoral College, that will be the last straw. Yes, at least we will be electing our RULER. But we will be a RULED PEOPLE and no longer a free, self-governing people.
