--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It took a course from me for the…" description: "\"It took a course from me for the Democratic leadership to realize we have an electoral college. 'But we got the popular vote!' Well you can take the MT..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/ira-carmen-60785_college_it-took-a-course-from-me-for-the-democra_2254398.jpg" --- # It took a course from me for the Democratic leadership to… ![“It took a course from me for the Democratic leadership to realize we have an electoral college. 'But we got the popular vote!' Well you can take the MTA from Dorchester to Brookline. That's how far it'll get you.” quote by Ira Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/ira-carmen-60785_college_it-took-a-course-from-me-for-the-democra_2254398.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/ira-carmen-60785_college_it-took-a-course-from-me-for-the-democra_2254398.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/ira-carmen-60785_college_it-took-a-course-from-me-for-the-democra_2254398.jpg) > “It took a course from me for the Democratic leadership to realize we have an electoral college. 'But we got the popular vote!' Well you can take the MTA from Dorchester to Brookline. That's how far it'll get you.” [Ira Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-carmen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that the electoral college limits democratic impact, likening it to a short local transit ride. **In simple terms:** Electoral college restricts democratic reach. Key Takeaway Advocate for electoral reform. Themes democracy political systems representation electoral college Mood critical hopeful Type political analytical When to use this quote - voting - policy debates - education campaigns - community organizing Key Concepts civic engagement political reform Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens effectively push for reform? - What alternatives could replace the electoral college? A Different Perspective Changing a long‑standing system is complex and faces resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Democratic leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-leadership/) [Electoral college](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electoral-college/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Popular vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-vote/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [The presidential campaign was oriented toward the way we elect the presidency, Electoral College, not the popular vote. The popular vote doesn't matter. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-presidential-campaign-was-oriented-toward-the-way-we-elect-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I say if the electoral college and popular vote are split, it goes to a winner-take-all wrestling match. Talk about ratings!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-say-if-the-electoral-college-and-popular-vote-are-split-it-goes-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I ran for the electoral college. I didn't run for the popular vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-ran-for-the-electoral-college-i-didn-t-run-for-the-popular-vote/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Now that Donald Trump has won the presidency despite losing the popular vote, there's a growing cry to rethink, or even abolish, the electoral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-daley/now-that-donald-trump-has-won-the-presidency-despite-losing-the/) [William M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-daley/) > [Presidents are elected not by direct popular vote but by 538 members of the Electoral College.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-mann/presidents-are-elected-not-by-direct-popular-vote-but-by-538-members/) [Thomas E. Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-mann/) > [That's what I'm doing here, throw out New York and California, Donald Trump wins the popular vote by nearly three million votes. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/that-s-what-i-m-doing-here-throw-out-new-york-and-california-donald/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ The worst thing we can do is to assume that the Electoral College \[voting\] resulting in the election of Donald Trump represents a mandate.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-parker/the-worst-thing-we-can-do-is-to-assume-that-the-electoral-college/) [Willie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-parker/) > [I got elected president. I won easily. I won a race that should never be won by a Republican because it's so stacked in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-got-elected-president-i-won-easily-i-won-a-race-that-should-never/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Donald Trump wasn't vying for the popular vote. He was vying for the Electoral College, as was Hillary Clinton. The only difference is he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/donald-trump-wasn-t-vying-for-the-popular-vote-he-was-vying-for-the/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [I would've easily won the popular vote, much easier, in my opinion, than winning the electoral college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-would-ve-easily-won-the-popular-vote-much-easier-in-my-opinion-than/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The National Popular Vote is about getting states to convert from the winner-take-all rule. The states that pass the legislation will assign all their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-golisano/the-national-popular-vote-is-about-getting-states-to-convert-from-the/) [Tom Golisano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-golisano/) > [No one likes the Electoral College, expect perhaps those who were elected because of it. No one likes gerrymandering, except those doing the gerrymandering.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-bleyer/no-one-likes-the-electoral-college-expect-perhaps-those-who-were/) [Kevin Bleyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-bleyer/) > [While imperfect, the electoral college has generally served the republic well. It forces candidates to campaign in a variety of closely contested races, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-daley/while-imperfect-the-electoral-college-has-generally-served-the/) [William M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-daley/) > [America voted Romney. Electoral college voted Obama. Stop being ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/america-voted-romney-electoral-college-voted-obama-stop-being-ignorant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## More by Ira Carmen > [Computers will be the death of us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-carmen/computers-will-be-the-death-of-us-all/) [Ira Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-carmen/) > [Chess computers do not sweat during time pressure and commit costly blunders. Furthermore, the strength of these programs (over and above their faultless recall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-carmen/chess-computers-do-not-sweat-during-time-pressure-and-commit-costly/) [Ira Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-carmen/) > [I began a conversation with the heads of our esteemed department of political science, and instantly I concluded, 'Hopelessly incompetent!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-carmen/i-began-a-conversation-with-the-heads-of-our-esteemed-department-of/) [Ira Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-carmen/) > [You know who has tenure? The pope has tenure. The Queen of England has tenure. So does Fidel and the communists - because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-carmen/you-know-who-has-tenure-the-pope-has-tenure-the-queen-of-england-has/) [Ira Carmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-carmen/) [Explore all 5 Ira Carmen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-carmen/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. 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They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It took a course from me for the Democratic leadership to realize we have an electoral college. 'But we got the popular vote!' Well you can take the MTA from Dorchester to Brookline. 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