Safeguard: An Electoral College Story (2020)

Safeguard: An Electoral College Story: Directed by M.A. Taylor. With John Burnett, Steve Forbes, Allen Guelzo, Michael C. Maibach. “What if something you changed caused unintended consequences you never imagined?” Safeguard: An Electoral College Story asks that question about presidential elections. How does the system really work? And what would happen if we changed the rules? Alexander Hamilton and James Madison worked to create and defend the Electoral College system in the U.S. Constitution. The process is democratic-but it works in stages, and through the states. This design forces candidates to reach out across the country rather than focusing on just one region or group of population centers. And it keeps presidents from controlling elections-including their own reelections. Publisher and former presidential candidate Steve Forbes, Princeton historian Allen Guelzo, and a host of experts explain why we really have the Electoral College, what it does, and what could happen if we got rid of it. The New York Times warned in 1977, “the political habits, traditions and expectations that have grown up around the Electoral College have served the nation well. If they are to be maintained, the College has to be preserved rather than lightly abandoned in favor of a vacuum.” Is any of that still true today? Safeguard: An Electoral College Story avoids the partisan bickering to ask the big questions. Is democracy just “two wolves and a lamb voting on what’s for dinner,” like some people say? Or can a democratic system be designed to protect minority rights? Does our Constitution strike the right balance? “The Constitution – must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard for our liberties.” -Abraham Lincoln.

“I am disapointed, but not surprised by the poor reviews of this documentary by neophytes that still believe America was founded on flawed beliefs and systems that are outdated and unfair. The movie lays out clearly the intellectual compromise that created the u0026quot;United Statesu0026quot; and why the Electoral College is still relevant and necessary. Of course if you dont give a damn about your stateu0026#39;s vote, or more likely dont care about the concerns of the electorate in Wyoming or Nebraska, then throw it away and allow LA, Chicago, Houston and NYC, choose presidents. The picture makes the arguments on both sides but clearly shows the popular vote option is the least u0026quot;fairu0026quot; and most divisive.”