If it were not in effect., as per the last election, ...a small grouping of urban areas...primarily in NY and CA would have the ability to tell the rural areas and folks living there that they should take a hike......our founding fathers were well aware of how a small group of people could gain control and dictate how large areas of rural folks would be disenfranchised if the popular vote was all important and would be the final determining factor as to who would be president. Go check a map of the USA in the last election and see which were red areas and which were blue areas.
"Some men live by fate, and accept things as they are. Some men live by determination, and are willing to die for their beliefs. It is said that the wise man does neither. But a wise man is not wise unless he realizes that a choice must be made." Dennis Bruce