Winning The Popular Vote And Losing Again

For the second time in less than two decades, it looks like Democrats will once again trounce Republicans in the popular vote and still narrowly lose the Presidential election because of a few tens of thousands of votes across a handful of states. In other words, Democrats have won the popular vote in 4 of the last 5 elections but have managed to only produce two presidential terms. Of course, the party knows that, by the rules of the game, the election is decided in the Electoral College and we must be able to win that way. But to continue to win the popular vote and still lose the election just seems patently unfair and ultimately undemocratic. I’m not sure what the answer is. But as the country clearly divides between urban, suburban, and rural voters this outcome is going to become increasingly likely. It is the system we live in but it is certainly not healthy for our democracy that the overwhelming will of the majority of people in this country will once again be denied.

Update: As of right now, Clinton is ahead in the popular vote but the totals, while significant, may not actually be a “trouncing” as described above.

Update II: Josh Marshall believes that additional West Coast votes may push Hillary to a 1%-2% popular vote victory which would be 2 to 3 times greater than Gore’s popular vote win in 2000. Marshall notes that Gore lost the electoral college by a mere 5 votes but Hillary looks to lose it by 74 votes. There is something seriously wrong with a system where you can win nearly 2% more votes than your opponent and still get walloped in the Electoral College. And that is not healthy for a functioning democracy.