Keep electoral system

As someone to the right of Attila, I recognize that I am a simpleton, knuckle-dragging, dangerous rightwing conservative. Nor am I capable of the superior thoughts and prose provided by columnist “Johnnie” Brummett. However, even with my left-wing-assigned limitations, I must take exception to his view of the Electoral College as an “antique American affront to democracy.”

In Section 4, the Constitution of the United States says “The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government.”

James McHenry was a signer of the United States Constitution. On Sept. 18, 1787, his diary recorded the famous Ben Franklin story: “A lady asked Dr. Franklin, well, Doctor, what have we got a republic or a monarchy. A republic, replied the Doctor, if you can keep it.”

The pledge of allegiance was written in August 1892. In its original form it read: “I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic …”

Our government is a republic, not a true “democracy.” The arguments leading to the Electoral College compromise haven’t changed since 1787. This compromise (1) created a wall between the citizens and the selection of a president and (2) gave extra power to the smaller states.

Our founders were afraid of a system that provided a much more powerful structure for electing the president to larger states and therefore diluted the opportunity for smaller states, such as Arkansas, to affect the presidential election. This compromise was essential to ratifying the Constitution. Without it, the Constitution probably would not have been ratified.

Without the Electoral College, I believe the United States would not exist as we know it, if at all. Furthermore, it shouldn’t be changed to benefit any particular political party. For these reasons alone, the Electoral College should remain intact.

RON HUNTER

Bryant