While discussing the mode of electing the President of the United States in Federalist Papers #68, Alexander Hamilton said:

I venture somewhat further, and hesitate not to affirm, that if the manner of it be not perfect, it is at least excellent. --Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Papers #68

Yet a reasonable observation of the recent Presidential election shows that what we did is certainly not perfect, and could be described as far from excellent. So let’s look at how we have drifted from such an excellent process.