I've seen a number of different scenerios where the November election could turn out 269-269

[GOPBasher]

If this happens, I know it goes to the House of Representatives. Since we have the majority there, doesn't that mean we win? Or is the the new Congress coming in January? Even if it is, I'm sure we're not going to lose the majority anyway. Thus, doesn't that mean that we only have to get to 269? Am I making a mistake here?

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. I *believe* that the vote is tallied with the existing Congress, not the new one

Because the presidential election must be ratified before the new Congress opens.

Keep in mind that if the popular vote goes for McCain and the House elects Obama, we will be faced with civil war. You can bet Grandma's farm that the Republickers will claim that Obama is illegitimate and raise ten kinds of Hell to get McCain installed.

[stevietheman]

2. So? We'll have to face them sometime, so why not in January?

It's high time we stopped appearing limp-wristed before our enemy.

[Bill McBlueState]

3. Each state would get one vote in the House

I don't know which party controls a majority of the state delegations in the House, but it might be the Republicans, since they tend to dominate the smallest states.

In this scenario, the Republican representative from Wyoming would have as much say as the 53 representatives from California.

Isn't democracy awesome?

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. The United States is not now, nor ever has been, a democracy. We are a republic of states

It is states, not the people, who elect the President; the Founders were very much afraid of "mob rule."

As originally conceived, the Electors were appointed by state legislatures, making the election twice removed from the Great Unwashed. If the Electors failed to reach a majority decision, the election was handed to the House which made the election once removed from the people. When the Constitution was written, there was no such thing as political parties, so the whole issue of "which party controls what" was not a part of the process.

[WeDidIt]

4. We could still lose in the House

Constitutionally if it goes to the House, each state delegation gets a single vote.

So the single representative from the State of Wyoming will have as much power as the entire 53 member delegation fromthe State of California.

The 110th Congressional State Delegation count is currently 28 Democratic, 20 Republican, and 2 Split.

It would eb the 111th Congress that would cast the deciding vote in the event that nobody gains a majority of electoral college votes.

A majority of state delegations in the House is required. The Senate determines the Veep position.

[gratuitous]

5. Two words: Not gonna happen

John McCain is Bobdole for 2008. The GOP is going to get "thumped" like a watermelon at a Gallagher show. So, do your volunteer work for campaigns with a smile, because the payoff in November is going to be worth it, for a change. Every call you make from a phone bank, every door you knock on, every sign you put up, is going to add to a staggering margin of victory in November.