In 1992 Bill Clinton won both the popular vote and the Electoral College. He easily won reelection in 1996. The 2000 election will be remembered for one thing. For the first time in history the Supreme Court of the United States decided the presidency. A recount in Florida was halted by a Court order, and the state’s Electoral College votes were given to George W. Bush. Democratic candidate, Al Gore won the popular vote. Using scare tactics and misleading attacks, Bush won again in 2004. In 2008 Barrack Hussein Obama won the election; both the Electoral College and the popular vote. He won again in 2012.

Today the 2016 election remains questionable and controversial. What we do know is that Trump was gifted the Electoral College by just 77,000 votes in the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly three million votes, although the voter turnout was smaller than expected.

So what does this all have to do with the repeal of the Electoral College? The answer is simple, and would have changed the history of our nation and the entire world.

If the people elected our president and not some obscure and fascist group, a Democrat would be in office today, and would have been since 1992. No Republican has been victorious in his first election from the popular vote since 1988. The fact is that if the Electoral College did not exist, no Republican would have defiled the White House in the last 26 years.

Think about it honestly. We would not have invaded Iraq. We would have either captured or killed Ossama bin Laden by 2003, or we would have left Afghanistan. ISIS would not exist. The Middle East would have been involved in diplomatic efforts for more than a decade past, and the world would be safer for all people.

Today our nation would not be moving towards a fascist and totalitarian government. White supremacists would still be in the shadows, and the Constitution would be supported by a woman who was the most qualified candidate in modern history. Hate crimes would not have risen by 800 percent. The Affordable Care Act would have been improved, and all Americans would have benefited. Taxes would have been increased for the wealthiest Americans, and the corporate tax rate would have remained in at a fair and equitable level.

Women would have full equality under the law. Education would once again be a priority. Most importantly, the focus of our security agencies would be focused on preventing another interference by Russia in our elections.

We, the people, are the nation. We should elect our president. If you voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and lived in Alabama, your vote was a waste of time. If you voted for Trump in California during the 2016 election, your vote was a waste of time. This must end.

The American people must be allowed to select the man or woman who will lead our nation, and no one else.

Let’s all promise to vote in 2018. We can elect candidates who will represent us. End the reign of terror by the Republican Party.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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