Tis' true that the American electral process isn't fully efficient. However, the system for the most part saves time. The average Americans do not invest time in politics and their knowledge are based on a few corporate news. It's understandable if they're trying to pay for health insurance and college tuitions for their children by working long hours. There is simply not enough time to research politics, but to get it from sound bites on t.v.
The party platform also saves time. Voters may not like George Bush or John Kerry, but they'll likely vote for the candidate base on party platform.
Also, gridlock in Washington happens more and more. If the two party has problem with gridlock, imagine a 3 or more party system. Nothing will be able to pass.
The electoral college was suppose to prevent the tyranny of the majority according to the framers of the constitution, specifically James Madison. For reasons that can be debatable, the forefathers were landowners, and they did not want that right stripped by the majority. In essence, they do not trust the majority of people to decide, which some believe back fired during the Bush-Gore fiasco. That case was decided by a narrow majority member in the Supreme Court. History will judge whether the court made the right decision. Usually, the Supreme Court avoid any case involving politics as non justiciable. I was surprise they took the Gore-Bush case instead of leaving it to the state court.
