The electoral college is a strange system in the United States by which the president is "chosen" by a slate of people who represent the will of the voters, except when it doesn't. In this first episode, we explore the history of the electoral college and some of the unique instances in which a president achieved office without the majority of votes from the people because this system allows it. Next time, we will unpack the arguments for and against the electoral college. 

Recommendations

• Abraham: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes  (https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/kingdom-of-the-planet-of-the-apes)
• Shane: Press Club - Late Teens LP ( https://open.spotify.com/album/0qTuN1DHKnuCKMIkSxZR9a?si=c3G1KIU5SHO2o_pD9POy6A)

Holidays for 08/21/2024:

• Spumoni Day
• Finance Brokers Day
• Brazilian Blowout Day
• International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
• Internet Self Care Day
• National Medical Dosimetrist Day
• Poet’s Day
• Senior Citizen’s Day
• World Goat Day
• Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over (Week)
• Minority Enterprise Development Week
• National Aviation Week
• Little League World Series
• Hayden Panettiere’s bday

Links and References: 

1. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/its-time-to-abolish-the-electoral-college/
2. https://saveourstates.com/blog/yes-other-countries-have-electoral-colleges-too
3. https://people.howstuffworks.com/10-countries-besides-us-have-electoral-colleges.htm
4. https://www.usa.gov/electoral-college
5. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/11/22/among-democracies-u-s-stands-out-in-how-it-chooses-its-head-of-state/
6. https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/history#:~:text=The%20Founding%20Fathers%20established%20the,popular%20vote%20of%20qualified%20citizens.
7. https://www.heritage.org/the-essential-electoral-college/the-current-threat#:~:text=If%20the%20Electoral%20College%20was%20eliminated%2C%20the%20power%20to%20elect,voice%20of%20smaller%20populated%20states.
8. https://stanfordmag.org/contents/should-we-abolish-the-electoral-college
9. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/05/23/killing-electoral-college-means-rural-americans-would-be-serfs-column/3770424002/
10. https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/publications/youraba/2019/october-2019/q--the-electoral-college--is-it-open-for-interpretation-by-the-c/
11. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/09/25/majority-of-americans-continue-to-favor-moving-away-from-electoral-college/
12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi7uownWRmQ
13. https://youtu.be/ajavsMbCapY?si=vXojc85LpkmDbCrb
14. https://www.history.com/news/presidents-electoral-college-popular-vote

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