Actually it's my understand that essentially both the Popular vote AND the electoral college vote are irrelevant, and in the end the House of Representatives chooses the President. In the election of 1876, Samuel Tilden got more popular votes AND more electoral college votes than Rutherford B. Hayes. However, the House of Representatives, who must certify the electoral college vote, essentially declared the electoral votes of four states who went for Tilden were null and void, and instead awarded them to Hayes, giving him an electoral college win of 185 to 184. So the House essentially choose the president, over both the will of the public and the electoral college.
Not saying that the current Republican House would have the cajones to do something like that, (or even that they should if they did). But their IS precedent....
Considering the bull that the Supreme Court has pulled lately (Kelo, Citizen’s United, the Oh!Bama!Care mandate), there’s no telling what the 1%’ers can cook up.
The system is irreparably damaged.