Post By Prof. Paul Eidelberg

Since America is suffering from collective amnesia or from generations of educators lacking a due sense of national pride and purpose, allow me to say a few words about the original and now obsolete method of nominating a President of the United States.  The following is only an extract from my book on the Constitution…..

7. The method of nominating the President was the most protracted issue of the debates of the American Constitutional Convention. A dozen methods were considered until James Madison put the issue to rest by pointing out that the nomination of the President should not depend on any fixed or permanent institution of government, for the President would then be dependent on that institution, especially if he sought reelection. Such dependency would lead to political intrigue and undermine the President’s integrity.

8. For these and other reasons, the Founders designed the Electoral College system. Although this system never worked effectively after 1800, its underlying principles actually reveal the highest caliber of statesmanship. Under this system, a President would enter office without knowing who were his electors, since they would meet in their respective state capitals and ballot secretly for two candidates, at least one not from their own state. Given the lack of communications in those days, a President would enter office without the “political debts” that have long encumbered presidents since the ascendancy of nationally organized political parties, presidential primaries, massive fund-raising, and the omnipresent media. Therefore, it behooves us to design a method of election that fosters, rather than undermines, the independence and integrity of a President. We need to design a method conducive to the formulation of wise national policies, policies that will enhance the people’s sense of national dignity and national purpose…..