PROFESSOR, RESPOND TO MR. 
SUPRUN. 
>> WELL, I ALSO THINK IF WE'RE 
GOING TO REVISIT THIS ISSUE IT 
OUGHT TO BE GOING FORWARD.
I DON'T THINK OBVIOUSLY WE 
SHOULD CHANGE THE RESULTS OF THE
ELECTION THAT WERE -- THAT WAS 
CONDUCTED UNDER THE RULES AS SET
FORTH.
I THINK THERE'S A REAL ISSUE, 
THOUGH, WITH THE ULTIMATE 
UTILITY OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO PRINCIPLE 
THAT'S MORE FUNDAMENTAL TO A 
DEMOCRATIC THEORY OF GOVERNANCE 
THAN THE PRINCIPLE OF POLITICAL 
EQUALITY.
THAT IS REGARDLESS OF RACE, 
CREED, COLOR, MATERIAL 
CIRCUMSTANCES THE VIEWS OF EVERY
CITIZEN SHOULD BE WEIGHTED 
EQUALLY.
IN AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM, 
EVERY VOTE CERTAINLY DOESN'T 
COUNT EQUALLY.
THE VOTES THAT HAPPEN TO BE CAST
IN BATTLEGROUND STATES, THE HALF
A DOZEN STATES THAT DECIDE 
ELECTIONS CLEARLY COUNT MUCH 
MORE THAN VOTES IN SE REPUBLICAN
OR SAY DEMOCRATIC STATES.
THAT SEEMS TO ME TO REALLY FLY 
IN THE FACE OF THIS CENTRAL 
PRINCIPLE OF POLITICAL EQUALITY.
WE ALSO AS WE SORT OF GROW UP IN
THIS COUNTRY AND WE VOTE IN ALL 
SORTS OF LESSER ELECTIONS THE 
PRINCIPLE OF MAJORITY RULE SEEMS
TO PREVAIL IN VIRTUALLY EVERY 
OTHER ELECTION.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY AT THIS 
POINT IN TIME WE CONTINUE TO 
ADHERE TO A SYSTEM THAT AGAIN 
UNDERMINES IN MY VIEW THE 
PRINCIPLE OF POLITICAL EQUALITY 
AND SIMPLY DOESN'T FOLLOW THE 
STRAIGHT FORWARD LOGIC OF 
MAJORITY RULE.
>> YOU CERTAINLY KNOW ALL THE 
ARGUMENTS THAT GET ADVANCED IN 
SUPPORT OF KEEPING THIS 
ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO RUN THROUGH
ALL, BUT A FAVORITE IS THE 
PROBLEMATIC RECOUNT.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE HAD THE 
SITUATION THAT WE HAD ON OUR 
HANDS IN 2000 WHERE THE POPULAR 
VOTE MARGIN SEEMS LIKE IT WAS 
MUCH CLOSER THAN IT WILL BE FROM
LAST TUESDAY, HOW DO YOU GO 
ABOUT A RECOUNT IN ALL 50 STATES
INSTEAD OF JUST ISOLATING ON A 
PARTICULAR STATE INTEGRAL TO THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE?
>> YEAH.
I STILL THINK THAT'S A TRACTABLE
ISSUE.
I THINK GIVEN MODERN TECHNOLOGY,
EVEN A RECOUNT IN A VERY, VERY 
CLOSE RACE SHOULD NOT UNDERMINE 
THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
SO I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT AS A 
REALLY CREDIBLE ARGUMENT.
I SHOULD SAY, BY THE WAY, PEOPLE
SAY, WELL, THIS IS THE WAY WE'VE
ALWAYS DONE THIS.
IN POINT OF FACT, THE LOGIC OF 
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AS SET 
FORTH BY HAMILTON AND MADISON 
AND OTHERS WAS THAT THE VOTING 
CITIZENS THAT IS PROPERTY WHITE 
MALES WOULD ELECT A SET OF 
ELECTORS REALLY UPSTANDING 
CITIZENS WHO THEMSELVES WOULD 
DECIDE WHO THE PRESIDENT WAS 
GOING TO BE.
THEY WERE NOT TO BE BOUND BY THE
POPULAR VOTE IN THEIR STATES.
SO
