Electoral College

[Chaerophon]

...as the presidency is something from the whole US, it does not make sense to do the voting via this system, just adding all the votes in the whole country would be the only good system. But as often, it is difficult to change things.

Netherlands, area: 41,526 sq km
Equals? Slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey.

The USA, area: 9,631,418 sq km
Equals? About two and a half times the size of what is typically recognized as "Western Europe".

Now. Consider the differences in perspectives and attitudes that have developed in Europe over the centuries. Then, consider that the U.S. is quite comparable in size. While it is certainly true that ethnic and social differences among European countries have had a lot more time to "harden" than have those in the U.S., it is foolish to suppose that there are not significant differences in perspective and attitudes across the U.S. If "Western Europe" was to become a single country and the Netherlands, as a subordinate 'province' was not going to be distinguished as a unit, but, rather, was to have their votes included as a part of the general whole, with no balancing for representation of the region and its distinct interests against population concerns, would you think that that was fair? If anything, I think that the electoral college should become slightly (stress on that) more regional in its representational scope, in that many states in the midwest, while statistically 'overrepresented' according to population, are largely, if not completely irrelevant in terms of the representation of their interests. IMO, there's a bit more to fixing the American electoral system than eliminating the college. In many ways, I think that the college could, in fact, be modified in the other direction so as to better help balance regional and population interests. YMMV. :D