"The blunt truth is that if we care about a progressive agenda, we simply can’t write off 46 percent of the electorate."
and that's where the true problem stems from i believe. the electoral college was valid when much of the country was rural and it took days to get to vote, if you even physically could. so weighing those states with more omph made sense then - doesn't anymore. just like the time change we go through - it has no basis or relevance in our lifestyles today - none. yet we still do it.
 trump did not have a majority public mandate.  the divisiveness we have now given legitimacy to, grew out of his speeches that spewed hate and mistrust. his economically challenged supporters just liked the idea of thumbing their nose at those they felt had put them down - now someone (!) happened to be trump..gave them a voice ... they didn't really listen to his words, apparently, as his followers will be the hardest hit.
 it's that "yelling"back at the rest of us that his "people" like.