Posted on 06/24/2011 7:57:17 AM PDT by Walter Scott Hudson
We’re not expecting to be wined and dined. ANY ATTENTION for 2/3rds of Americans who are ignored under the current system would be appreciated.
I find it hard to believe the Founding Fathers would endorse an electoral system where 2/3rds of the states and voters now are completely politically irrelevant. Presidential campaigns spend 98% of their resources in just 15 battleground states, where they aren’t hopelessly behind or safely ahead, and can win the bare plurality of the vote to win all of the state’s electoral votes. Now the majority of Americans, in small, medium-small, average, and large states are ignored. Virtually none of the small states receive any attention. Once the primaries are over, presidential candidates dont visit or spend resources in 2/3rds of the states.
None of the 10 most rural states (VT, ME, WV, MS, SD, AR, MT, ND, AL, and KY) is a battleground state.
The current state-by-state winner-take-all method of awarding electoral votes does not enhance the influence of rural states, because the most rural states are not battleground states.
12 of the 13 lowest population states (3-4 electoral votes) are almost invariably non-competitive, and ignored, in presidential elections. Six regularly vote Republican (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota), and six regularly vote Democratic (Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii, Vermont, Maine, and DC) in presidential elections Despite the fact that these 12 lowest population states together possess 40 electoral votes, because they are not closely divided battleground states, none of these 12 states get visits, advertising or polling or policy considerations by presidential candidates.
These 12 states together contain 11 million people. Because of the two electoral-vote bonus that each state receives, the 12 non-competitive small states have 40 electoral votes. However, the two-vote bonus is an entirely illusory advantage to the small states. Ohio has 11 million people and has “only” 20 electoral votes. As we all know, the 11 million people in Ohio are the center of attention in presidential campaigns, while the 11 million people in the 12 non-competitive small states are utterly irrelevant. Nationwide election of the President would make each of the voters in the 12 lowest population states as important as an Ohio voter.
In 2004, Bushs cumulative vote lead of 650,421 in the 6 then reliably Republican states only got him 19 electoral votes, while Kerrys cumulative vote lead of 444,115 in the 6 then reliably Democratic states, got him 21 electoral votes.
Senator Robert E. Dole of Kansas, the Republican nominee for President in 1996 and Republican nominee for Vice President in 1976, stated in a 1979 floor speech:
Many persons have the impression that the electoral college benefits those persons living in small states. I feel that this is somewhat of a misconception. Through my experience with the Republican National Committee and as a Vice Presidential candidate in 1976, it became very clear that the populous states with their large blocks of electoral votes were the crucial states. It was in these states that we focused our efforts.
Were we to switch to a system of direct election, I think we would see a resulting change in the nature of campaigning. While urban areas will still be important campaigning centers, there will be a new emphasis given to smaller states. Candidates will soon realize that all votes are important, and votes from small states carry the same import as votes from large states. That to me is one of the major attractions of direct election. Each vote carries equal importance.
Direct election would give candidates incentive to campaign in States that are perceived to be single party states.
The concept of a national popular vote for President is far from being politically “radioactive” in small states, because the small states recognize they are the most disadvantaged group of states under the current system.
In Gallup polls since 1944, only about 20% of the public has supported the current system of awarding all of a state’s electoral votes to the presidential candidate who receives the most votes in each separate state (with about 70% opposed and about 10% undecided). The recent Washington Post, Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard University poll shows 72% support for direct nationwide election of the President. Support is strong among Republican voters, Democratic voters, and independent voters, as well as every demographic group surveyed in virtually every state surveyed in recent polls. Support in smaller states (3 to 5 electoral votes): Alaska — 70%, DC — 76%, Delaware —75%, Idaho 77%, Maine — 77%, Montana 72%, Nebraska — 74%, New Hampshire —69%, Nevada — 72%, New Mexico — 76%, Oklahoma 81%, Rhode Island — 74%, South Dakota 71%, Utah - 70%, Vermont — 75%, and West Virginia 81%, and Wyoming 69%.
In the 13 lowest population states, the National Popular Vote bill already has been approved by nine state legislative chambers, including one house in, Delaware, the District of Columbia, and Maine and both houses in Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It has been enacted by the District of Columbia, Hawaii, and Vermont.
Under the current system, a candidate could win the Presidency by winning a mere 51% of the vote in just the 11 biggest states — that is, a mere 26% of the nation’s votes.
Well, I was not suggesting that the possibility of recounts should be a consideration in debating the merits of a national popular vote. I was trying to say, perhaps not too clearly, that in a very close election, you would need a national recount to verify the national popular vote. You couldn’t just recount certain states to verify who won the national popular vote. As I understand it, the national popular vote would drive the electoral votes under these NPV proposals, not just the vote within indivudual states, as now occurs.
I agree that the possibility of election recounts should not determine how we administer elections.
Supporters of National Popular Vote seek to dispel the many myths continually presented as facts by opponents. We believe that by exposure and discussion the reform will gain even more support than it has already.
In Gallup polls since 1944, only about 20% of the public has supported the current system of awarding all of a state’s electoral votes to the presidential candidate who receives the most votes in each separate state (with about 70% opposed and about 10% undecided). Support is strong among Republican voters, Democratic voters, and independent voters, as well as every demographic group surveyed in virtually every state surveyed in recent polls in closely divided battleground states: CO - 68%, FL - 78%, IA 75%,, MI - 73%, MO - 70%, NH - 69%, NV - 72%, NM— 76%, NC - 74%, OH - 70%, PA - 78%, VA - 74%, and WI - 71%; in smaller states (3 to 5 electoral votes): AK - 70%, DC - 76%, DE - 75%, ID - 77%, ME - 77%, MT - 72%, NE 74%, NH - 69%, NV - 72%, NM - 76%, OK - 81%, RI - 74%, SD - 71%, UT - 70%, VT - 75%, WV - 81%, and WY - 69%; in Southern and border states: AR - 80%,, KY- 80%, MS - 77%, MO - 70%, NC - 74%, OK - 81%, SC - 71%, TN - 83%, VA - 74%, and WV - 81%; and in other states polled: CA - 70%, CT - 74%, MA - 73%, MN - 75%, NY - 79%, OR - 76%, and WA - 77%.
Americans believe that the candidate who receives the most votes should get elected. Every vote, everywhere, should be politically relevant and equal in presidential elections. Elections shouldn’t be about winning states. Every vote, everywhere should be counted for in the total number of popular votes of the country and DIRECTLY assist the candidate for whom it was cast.
“Why Are Conservatives Supporting the National Popular Vote?”
Because the RinoCrat Oligarchy in DC is scared of constitutional Government...imposed upon them by Flyover Country
He’s a seminar posting troll. It isn’t allowed to have opinions. Take a look at its posting history.
Better yet do a search of some of its comments, you’ll find the exact comments in various forums and newspapers all over the country.
Fraud is much more difficult to implement in a closely divided battleground state that isn't completely controlled by one party. It's far easier to manufacture large numbers of fraudulent votes in, say, California.
Which, I ask you, is an easier mark for vote-stealers, the status quo or N.P.V.[National Popular Vote]? Which offers thieves a better shot at success for a smaller effort?
The amount of effort isn't the issue. The question is this - which system better facilitates large-scale vote fraud? Clearly, it's the Soros-supported NPV initiative.
These morons are NOT conservatives.
Casey Stengel was much smarter, (and more eloquent), than Dick Stengel....
Fred Thompson is a senile old reverse mortgage-pushing asshat.
And to paraphrase Don Corleone, “I think he’s been hanging around those Hollywood finocchios too much.”
Your posts are just rambling nonsequiturs. To justify your stance, you cite polls? The whole purpose of the constitutional election regime is to avoid the idiocy of referenda like your moronic polls. As for populous states never agreeing on anything, no s*** sherlock. But if you get a kickass demagogue on the campaign trail who knows how to pander to them, they’ll line up right quick.
That’s the way Nebraska and Maine allocate Electoral Votes.
And then a candidate could win the Presidency by winning a mere 51% of the vote in just the 11 biggest states — that is, a mere 26% of the nation’s votes.
Your demagogue scenario supports your support for the current system, how?
rinos?
dc insider who have zero chance otherwise?
I say require CLOSED primaries.
it is already bad when all the $$$$$$$ go to three or four states in election years. this would make it three or four CITIES.
why not make it per county? answer because this is about electing the left not americans.
The population of the top five cities (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia) is only 6% of the population of the United States and the population of the top 50 cities (going as far down as Arlington, TX) is only 19% of the population of the United States. A “big city” only campaign would not win.
Suburbs and exurbs often vote Republican.
The number of electors is constitutionally based on the number of senators and congressional districts, not counties, of each states.
I know the latter.
The issue is the fact that we have more city than suburban dwellers and with obmacare and biggov mooching that is only going to grow the government dependent cities.
That's certainly a legitimate concern. Here's an interesting comment on the subject from a visitor to my blog.
The current state-by-state winner-take-all system of awarding electoral votes maximizes the incentive and opportunity for fraud. A very few people can change the national outcome by changing a small number of votes in one closely divided battleground state. With the current system all of a states electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who receives a bare plurality of the votes in each state. The sheer magnitude of the national popular vote number, compared to individual state vote totals, is much more robust against manipulation.
Senator Birch Bayh (D-Indiana) summed up the concerns about possible fraud in a nationwide popular election for President in a Senate speech by saying in 1979, one of the things we can do to limit fraud is to limit the benefits to be gained by fraud. Under a direct popular vote system, one fraudulent vote wins one vote in the return. In the electoral college system, one fraudulent vote could mean 45 electoral votes, 28 electoral votes.
Hendrik Hertzberg wrote: To steal the closest popular-vote election in American history, youd have to steal more than a hundred thousand votes . . .To steal the closest electoral-vote election in American history, youd have to steal around 500 votes, all in one state. . . .
For a national popular vote election to be as easy to switch as 2000, it would have to be two hundred times closer than the 1960 electionand, in popular-vote terms, forty times closer than 2000 itself.
Which, I ask you, is an easier mark for vote-stealers, the status quo or N.P.V.[National Popular Vote]? Which offers thieves a better shot at success for a smaller effort?
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