Thank you, Mare, for the privilege of reviewing this deeply-considered piece of prose! I can't say that my review will make things clearer, regarding the concerns we all share, but I will attempt to leave you with an encouraging word. :D

Overall Impression: You have expressed a very large concern, that has faced just about every generation of Americans that has ever lived throughout our nearly two and a half century history as a nation. Has the result of the last Presidential Election been fair? It certainly doesn't seem to be so.

One wonders if the advent of the internet and other global forms of the dissemination of information has simply changed the tactics of those, who would manipulate public opinion. It would seem that public opinion would merely need to be manipulated in the larger cities in order to win the Presidency were the Electoral College eliminated. As it is public opinion must be strategically manipulated in the centers of influence in the smaller locales or so it would seem. Perplexing? Without a doubt! Answers? I have guesses like everybody else.

Suggestions: This subject is highly emotional, but you have handled it in a very thinking way to the best degree that anyone, who is involved in the process, can think. You may want to consider exploring the subject further. What would the election seem to be without the Electoral College? Where would the bulk of the advertising dollars go? Would there be a decrease in money spent during each Election cycle? Which type of candidate would benefit from a popular vote Election? Which type of candidate benefits from the current system? How many Presidential Elections have had split results between Popular vs. Electoral College voting majorities?

Punctuation/Spelling/Grammar: There are not too many questions in this department. However, is "Imagine that?" a question or possibly an exclamation? There are a number of short sentences in this piece, which indicates a great deal of emotional intensity. That is no surprise. You have expressed yourself well, Mare. :)

What I Like: I like the fact that you have written an intelligent piece of prose that expresses some very valid concerns, which many of us share. You have done this in a professional manner that thinly veils the great emotion, herein contained, while avoiding the writing of a full-on rant. Nicely done! That is truly hard for many of us to do, especially when the subject affects our everyday lives.

Thanks for taking the time to read my review! WRITE ON!!!