Disproving PragerU Videos: The Case of Electoral College

PragerU, a platform known for its propaganda and often-right-wing viewpoint, is often criticized for the factual and logical soundness of its videos. One area in which its misinformation is particularly evident is in its discussion of the Electoral College. Several PragerU videos on this topic have been shown to use fallacious reasoning and faulty data. In this article, we will thoroughly examine one such video and disprove its claims about the Electoral College.

The Video: Electro-College Lies

One PragerU video in particular has been the subject of scrutiny due to its several inaccuracies and misconceptions. This video claims that the Electoral College:

Encourages coalition building Encourages national campaigning Makes it harder to steal elections Changes in its safe and swing state dynamics

Let's break down each of these claims and disprove them using facts and actual data.

The Electoral College: Misconception and Reality

Misconception 1: Electoral College Encourages Coalition Building and National Campaigning

The video claims that the Electoral College system encourages coalition building and national campaigning. However, this is easily disproven by data. In reality, the Electoral College system creates 'swing states' and 'safe states.'

Facts:

Most states have adopted a winner-take-all system for allocating electoral votes, which means the candidate with the most votes in a state gets all of the state's electoral votes. Only two states (Nebraska and Maine) use a proportional allocation system. Over 90% of general election campaigning takes place in just 12 states, with over 50% taking place in just 6 states. (Source: The New York Times, 2019)

This data shows that the Electoral College system does not encourage national campaigning but, rather, focuses the majority of campaign efforts on a few key states.

Misconception 2: Electoral College Makes it Harder to Steal Elections

The video suggests that the Electoral College makes it harder to steal elections due to the winner-take-all nature of most states. However, this is not accurate.

Facts:

Attempts to tamper with elections are more likely in states with close or contested elections. In 2016, the winning margin in the states that flipped (Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania) was less than 100,000 votes. (Source: , 2016) In 2020, the winning margin in the states that flipped (Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona) was less than 100,000 votes as well. (Source: , 2020)

This data shows that tampering with vote totals in just a few key states can alter the outcome of the election more easily than injecting millions of fraudulent votes across the country.

Misconception 3: Safe and Swing States are Constantly Changing

The video also claims that safe and swing states are constantly changing, but this is not true. Many states that are consistently one party or the other have not switched in decades.

Facts:

California, a state that is overwhelmingly Democratic, has not switched parties since 1988. The swing state of Ohio has shown consistency in its voting patterns over the years as well.

Conclusion

The PragerU video on the Electoral College is filled with inaccuracies and logical fallacies. By examining the evidence and data, it is clear that the Electoral College does not encourage national campaigning, make it harder to steal elections, or frequently change its dynamics of safe and swing states. These misconceptions are not just unfortunate, but they contribute to the spread of misinformation and propagate a skewed understanding of the American democratic process.

It is crucial for viewers to critically evaluate claims made in videos and seek out verified information from reputable sources to form well-informed opinions.