[1]Given the Trump Election and the difference between popular votes and Electoral votes, we explore the Electoral College. Who are the electors, anyway? And will the United States ever join the rest of the world, and adopt a popular vote for president?  Yale University Law & Political Science Professor Akhil Reed Amar says the Electoral College discourages voting, lessens the power of the states, and could work to the disadvantage of either major political party.  On this edition of Making Contact, Akhil Reed Amar speaks with Angela McKenzie of Initiative Radio about how the US constitution can be changed to create a more fair and just society.

Featuring:

Akhil Reed Amar, Yale University Sterling Law and Political Science professor; Angela McKenzie, Initiative Radio host.

Credits:

Guest producer, Angela McKenzie, Initiative Radio

MC Producer: Andrew Stelzer

Remixers: Nicolo Scolieri and Monica Lopez

Producers: Anita Johnson, Marie Choi, Monica Lopez, R.J. Lozada

Executive Director: Lisa Rudman

Web Editor: Kwan Booth, Sabine Blaizin

For More Information

What is the Electoral College? [2]

America’s Unwritten Constitution: The Precedents and Principles We Live by [3]

Akhil Reed Amar discusses his book with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

National Popular Vote [4]

National Popular Vote Interstate Compact [5]

Gravel’s justice of choice: Amar [6]

How the Electoral College Works [7]

The US electoral college explained: why we don’t vote directly for a president [8]

Initiative Radio [9]

What is the Electoral College? [10]

Music:

Alison Krauss & Union Station – Choctaw Hayride

Damian Marley – It Was Written (instrumental)

[1] https://kpfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Voting.jpg

[2] http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html

[3] http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9780465029570-0

[4] http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact

[6] http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2008/feb/07/gravels-justice-of-choice-amar/

[7] http://www.howstuffworks.com/electoral-college.htm

[8] http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/sep/28/us-electoral-college-explained

[9] https://www.facebook.com/pages/Initiative-Radio-with-Angela-McKenzie/106581202712373

[10] https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html