Stop the Insanity! Electoral College edition

Y'know, I was just over at my favorite magazine shop in downtown Edmonton the other day, and I ended up explaining the Electoral College to the clerk. She agreed with me that it's easy and obvious once you understand it, but many folks who are supposed to do the explainin' often don't seem to do a good job. Apparently she once tried to get a U of A poli sci prof to explain it to her and ended up more confused than before. (Of course, I think the main reason I've got a working grasp of Canadian politics is that I've educated myself and not taken any courses or asked any pointy-heads. Though I suppose there are some profs who could explain it all to me - Stephen Harper, for instance . . . )

Anyway, being someone who understands and appreciates the Electoral College, nothing irritates me so much as this display of stupidity shown by the California Legislature (and I know that "display of stupidity" and "California Leg" are synonyms, thanks). Betsy has a good takedown of it here. I mean, live by the popular vote, die by the popular vote, my friend . . . Yes, I know you could say the reverse, but, hey, did Nixon file a bunch of lawsuits in Illinois and Texas and bitch and whine in 1960? I think not.