The system was erected by the men who founded the United States in 1789 because they did not trust average citizens. Voting was restricted to white males who owned property.These two sentences show just how ignorant this writer, notice I didn't say journalist, is. (
a good article on the EC)
While the second sentence is correct it is supposed to give emphasis to the first sentence...in other words, the poorer, landless citizens were those not to be trusted. The
electors were restricted to white males who owned property.
And if you consider the debates of the time that is how it should be. Property owners were more likely to vote for those who were willing to protect their property rights as well as their individual rights. If you had no property you could vote for someone willing to take away those very rights.
Secondly, the EC has changed over time from how it was originally composed so that it isn't anything near to what was initially created. To my understanding there was no popular vote for the POTUS when the EC was established and the legislature voted for electors. Political parties put a damper on that though.
Eliminating the EC would be the final straw that broke the camel's back.