2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThe Other GOP Plan To Blow Up The Electoral Vote
BENJY SARLIN FEBRUARY 4, 2013, 6:10 AM
GOP efforts to rig the Electoral College in favor of GOP presidential candidates may be close to dead, but a group of Republicans are hard at work at another plot to blow up the system: switch to the popular vote.
Although more closely associated with progressive circles in recent years, the idea has a number of conservative activists behind it as well. And there are signs its gaining momentum.
I think theres a growing consensus that the winner-take-all system were currently under is a problem, that its not representative, that only a small number of states benefit, and that it needs to be changed, Saul Anuzis, a Republican national committeeman from Michigan who advocates on behalf of the nonpartisan National Popular Vote group, told TPM.
The plan, as espoused by groups like NPV, is to lobby states to pass binding legislation pledging their entire slate of electors to whichever candidate wins the most votes nationwide. The bills would only take effect once enough states join in to provide a guaranteed majority in the Electoral College 270 votes in order to prevent individual legislatures from trying to game the system unilaterally.
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http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/02/popular-vote-republicans.php?ref=fpa
BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)because that means the vote rigging in Florida and Ohio can cancel out legitimate votes in other states.
And I definitely do not like the idea of this system taking effect after only half the electoral votes are committed that way. We can already see that the states supporting this are mostly the blue states. And states like Texas will hold off so that they can guarantee their electors to the GOP regardless of the popular vote. This should only kick in after a really decisive number of states have bought in -- say at least 85% of the electors. Even then, we can be certain it will be almost entirely red states that refuse to go along.
Rstrstx
(1,399 posts)Since it would only go into effect after states which have 270 electoral votes have ratified it it would render the rest of the states' EVs useless.
Rstrstx
(1,399 posts)The republicans have won just one popular vote tally since 1988
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)davidpdx
(22,000 posts)which would be a very tough sell to both Congress and the American people.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)it's states acting to change how they allocate their electors - no amendment required.
But it may violate another clause prohibiting states from entering into compacts with other absent congressional approval.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)I am no constitutional scholar though, so I'd be the wrong person to talk to.
RudynJack
(1,044 posts)I do object to certain states reallocating electors to ensure a win for the person without the popular vote.
Kablooie
(18,637 posts)Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)That means large metro area like LA and NY would have more clout. The GOP would never go for that.
madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)anyway.
Who gives a fuck what Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming do.