Bipartisan Opposition of the Electoral College?

If there was no Electoral College, the 2004 Presidential Election would be over.

During the 2000 Election (when Gore won the popular vote by 500,000 votes), it seemed as if only the Democrats had reason to oppose the antiquated Electoral College. However, Bush looks to have won the popular vote by nearly 3 million this time around, yet the Electoral College winner is still in doubt.

Though things look dire for Democrats, all observers acknowledge that Kerry could conceivably win -- even though he lost the the popular vote by a significant margin. It's time to bury this antique and move to direct democratic election of the President.

Proponents of the Electoral College will talk about how it empowers small states, and how it means the President needs broad support. Yet, to watch cable news is to be reminded how provincial we are made by a state-dominated electoral system. As I hear Chris Matthews looking for agreement among his peers that Blue States look down upon Red States, I long for a system doesn't use the states as anti-democratic interference in the message of the people.

It'll be really hard to get rid of Electoral College -- it requires a constitutional amendment -- so let's get an amendment moving through Congress while the absurdity of the 2000 and 2004 elections is still fresh in our minds.