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Description: Many Americans mistakenly believe that the Electoral College is relevant only in presidential election years.  Enlightened Democracy proves them wrong.  Instead, this book demonstrates that the Electoral College is merely one expression of core constitutional principles: Federalism.  States’ rights.  A republican form of government. Enlightened Democracy will do more than help you learn about the Electoral College.  It will also help you to understand the basic tenets that undergird America’s republican democracy.  And you’ll even learn a little history along the way.

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Hardcover Specifications

• Dimensions: 6x9 inches; 256 pages
• Publication Date: November 16, 2004
• ISBN: 0-9746701-5-4

Paperback Specifications

• Dimensions: 6x9 inches; 256 pages
• Publication Date: September, 2005
• ISBN: 0-9770722-0-7

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From the Foreword:
"[T]oday's electoral-vote system is not an 18th-century anachronism...The Constitution provides for the election of Presidents by states' electoral votes, rather than individual popular votes, for an important reason: It enables citizens of a heterogeneous, free society to live peacefully alongside each other."

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From the Inside Flap:
"The Electoral College...[is] a ridiculous setup, which thwarts the will of the majority, distorts presidential campaigning and has the potential to produce a true constitutional crisis." So proclaimed the August 29, 2004, edition of The New York Times in an editorial that called for the election of the President by a direct popular vote.

The New York Times is not alone. In the wake of George W. Bush's victory in the 2000 race, the first electoral triumph for a popular vote loser in more than 100 years, a growing number of commentators, politicians, and academics have called for the abolition of America's unique presidential election system.

In the face of this rising tide of criticism, American Enterprise columnist Tara Ross comes to the defense of this much-maligned institution. Using simple, straightforward language, Ross examines the Electoral College's beginnings and shows why it remains an important part of America's republican democracy.

In this thorough yet fast-moving narrative, Ross explores:

• The reasons why the Founders created the Electoral College-and elitism was not one of them.
• JFK's somber warning about changing the institutions established in the Constitution.
• How the electoral system benefited both Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.

As she traces the Electoral College's origins back to the Constitutional Convention and tracks its performance across the following two centuries, Ross demonstrates that the presidential selection process is not an outdated institution that stifles majority rule. Instead, it is an invaluable safeguard that promotes consensus and moderation, and strengthens Americans' ability to govern their country in the process.

While much has changed since the Electoral College's creation in 1787, it remains a vibrant and valuable institution. Alexander Hamilton once remarked that if the Electoral College "be not perfect, it is at least excellent." As Enlightened Democracy shows, Hamilton's praise is just as true today as it was two hundred years ago.