Elizabeth Warren wants to kill the electoral college

[demmiblue]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Monday endorsed ending the electoral college, arguing for a system where “every vote matters.”

Many Democrats, including Warren, have disparaged the electoral college following the presidential election results in 2000 and 2016, when Al Gore and Hillary Clinton both won the national popular vote, yet lost the electoral college vote and, as a result, the presidency.

The announcement from Warren, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, came during an hour-long town hall at Mississippi’s Jackson State University and amid a wave of (blue-leaning) state action to do the same.

On Sunday, Colorado joined 11 other states and the District of Columbia in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Members pledge to give their electoral votes to whichever candidate wins the national popular vote.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/19/elizabeth-warren-wants-kill-electoral-college/?utm_term=.65e4bed9233d&tid=sm_tw

[dalton99a]

1. The Constitution is not a religious document, and the electoral college is not a sacred institution

The electoral college is an artifact that has outlived its usefulness

[kennetha]

2. Bully for her

I am completely onboard with her on this.

[Renew Deal]

3. Why is she against education?

[NurseJackie]

4. Free Electoral College for everyone!!

[Renew Deal]

5. lol

Socialzm!

[brooklynite]

6. This is an easy pledge...

...the difficulty is explaining how you'll sell 3/5 of the States (esp. the small one) on getting rid of it.

[ProfessorPlum]

7. national popular vote movement can do it without an amendment

and they are quite far along.

[zipplewrath]

8. Don't need 3/5ths

The dominant effort is an attempt to get a majority of the EC to commit to choosing their electors based upon the popular vote. That's about 15 states (if it is the right states). They're at 11 right now (although not all the "right" states).

[brooklynite]

10. Yes you do...

...to change the Constitution. That's the only sure way to enable a national popular vote.

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact approach is, in my opinion, fatally flawed. First, the States that have signed on are the low hangining fruit, and current add up to 181 EV. It will be far harder to get the remaining States (mostly Red in the south and west) to sign on. And I would expect the arrangement to collapse as soon as a State is obliged to support a candidate that the State's voter's didn't support.

[Awsi Dooger]

11. Exactly...you understand the practical application

Warren and others are devoted to overreaction and feel-good fantasy

[Trumpocalypse]

9. Good for her!!! nt

[Cold War Spook]

12. To end the Electoral College,

it takes 2/3 of each house of Congress and then 3/4 of the states.