I see a lot of people asking for the abolition of the Electoral College and blaming that particular system for the current political situation. It’s true that Bush and Trump won elections even though they lost the popular vote (note, though, that Bush carried the popular vote by a considerable margin in 2004 and only lost by half a percent in 2000 — 2% for Trump was a much bigger fluke).

There are at least two problems in getting rid of the system as it is. The first is tradition and momentum. It’s hard to get people on board with something that has failed so spectacularly only once (see above). The second is that the status quo gives an advantage to the party that has spent the last 30-40 years beefing up their majorities in state government, so at least half of the government will be against it.

If you’ve bargained before, you’ll understand that a change this fundamental only will come via a compromise that will fundamentally change something from that you like from your side. What’s worth giving up to change a system that usually produces a consistent result?

Would you give up separation of Church and State? Would you accept stricter voter ID laws or citizenship requirements? Would you give up the ACA and Social Security? Would you accept that the government’s budget must be balanced every fiscal year?