Why to keep the electoral college system

We should stick with the old electoral college system for just one reason; the citizens are used to it. It's been there since George Washington's time, we learned about it in school, and the bulk of the citizens think it is OK. It gives legitimacy to the newly elected president. In particular it transforms a tiny edge in the popular vote into a sizable majority in the electoral college, so a new president has his popular mandate strengthened. New presidents need all the help they can get, otherwise a fractious Congress will stymy all their initiatives.