Books by Paul Schumaker

The Electoral College was adopted by the framers of our Constitution as a method of ensuring that our presidents would be well-qualified statesmen. But this goal has been thwarted by changes in our "e;unwritten constitution,"e; resulting in a deeply flawed electoral process that is far removed from Constitutional provisions. Reformers frequently seek to abolish the Electoral College and replace it with a process that gives the presidency to the candidate winning the most popular votes, but that alternative provides poor inoculation from charismatic charlatans. Paul Schumaker, a retired professor of political science, employs the techniques of memoir to convey the evolution of his thinking about this issue, to warn us against adopting such pretenders as the "e;Interstate Compact,"e; and to prescribe a national process that weds concerns for more acceptable candidates with our common democratic values. Covering the past, the present, and the future, this book concisely informs the public about a current issue of enduring importance for American politics.