> This is the United States. The President is chosen by the states. Each state may decide how its electors are decided. The number of electors is weighted to avoid more populous states from dominating less populous states; it's a balance between tyranny of the majority vs minority rule.

> Electoral College is better geared toward preserving liberty, an imperative in our culture.

Less populous states are still greatly outweighed. Wyoming is very unlikely to ever determine a presidential election result.

Even then, if a single president can ruin the idea of federalism, then that is more a sign that the president is too powerful.

> Direct election isn't a solution, as implementing mob rule is prone to inspiring civil war.

US presidential elections have already inspired one civil war.