The electoral college is one of the last bastions of the United States as a federal republic. Its abolition would be further descent into democracy. If not for the electoral college, John Kerry would have become President.
For anyone who does not understand the crucial difference between a democracy (which the United States is not) and a republic (which it was the intent of the founding fathers that the United States would be), I recommend Training Manual No. TM 2000-25 on Citizenship, issued by the U.S. War Department, November 30, 1928.
Not true. Bush beat Kerry in the popular vote. However, without the electoral college, we would have had Al Gore for President (shudder).