Back in 1992 when I was young and naïve, instead of old and naïve, I wrote a long letter, when people actually wrote letters, to certain politicians calling for the Electoral College to be replaced by popular vote run-off. The goal was to promote more parties, more choices, better candidates. I actually received over a dozen replies (I have them all), a few were especially noteworthy:

DE Senator Joe Biden supported a run-off if no candidate received an EC majority. [S.J. Res. 312]

NJ Senator Frank Lautenberg supported the direct election of Pres and VP. [S.J. Res. 297]

Then there was arch conservative UT Senator Orrin Hatch:

“The historical record is clear: the electoral college works, and it serves a key role in our carefully calibrated system of federal constitutional government and separated powers. It serves to support the two-party system and discourage third party candidates.”

I thought, thank you Senator Hatch for confirming my point about the Electoral College. It is indeed responsible for our duopoly. But you missed my point about voting. The two-party system IS the problem. Obviously, I feel that way more today than ever. In our increasingly complex and diverse society, we need more choices, more inclusion, more voices heard to decide which candidate is truly best to lead this huge country.

America should do better than “the lesser of two evils.” But until we rid ourselves of the EC, we will never rid ourselves of this two-party, either my way or no way, flip of a coin political trap.

In another lifetime, perhaps. But not in mine.