zlacker

I'm not sure that's an accurate portrayal of the history of the matter. It wasn't at all a carefully considered scheme, it was thrown together slapdash, the option that none could hate but also none loved.

You cite Federalist 68, but forget that less than a year later Hamilton was gaming the electoral college.

The founders were humans. They had flaws and disagreements. Many parts of the Constitution are borne more out of political expediency than grand ideals, and the operation of the Electoral College is not exempt from these caveats.