CRB: The Electoral College by dawn’s early light

This morning we conclude our preview of the new (Winter) issue of the Claremont Review of Books. Taking a rounded look at the presidential election and its aftermath, we have featured four essays directed at those with an open mind who seek to understand what happened. The posts featuring the essays earlier this week are here (Charles Kesler, “After January 6th”), here (Andrew Bush, “Why Trump lost”), here (William Voegeli, “You’re fired”), and here (Michael Anton, “The continuing crisis”).

Today we turn to Christopher DeMuth “The Electoral College by dawn’s early light.” Subhead: “The Electoral College is both a steward and a guardian of our democracy.” The Democrats’ effort to subvert the Electoral College is one prong of their multifaceted attack on the Constitution. DeMuth writes:

Time and again, the Electoral College has delivered solid, stabilizing results and averted clear and present calamities, only to be condemned afterward on grounds that if some people had voted differently than they had, the College would not have performed so well. But its performance in this angry election defies opportunistic counter-narratives. It should give some satisfaction to partisans of both candidates, some guidance to the losers, and great heart to partisans of constitutional order. The Electoral College has proven itself to be not only a steward but also a guardian of our democracy.

In the course of this essay DeMuth cites his 2020 National Affairs essay “The man who saved the Electoral College,” also well worth your time.

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