Posted on 02/23/2006 12:29:27 PM PST by Pop Fly
National Popular Vote Announces New Book Entitled Every Vote Equal: A State-Based Plan For Electing the President By National Popular Vote and Its First Legislative Bill in Illinois
Former Congressman John Anderson (R-Illinois and Independent presidential candidate), former Congressman John Buchanan (R-Alabama), former Senator Birch Bayh (D-Indiana) and Common Cause President Chellie Pingree announced their support at a February 23rd press conference in Washington, for nationwide election of the President.
The group released a book describing National Popular Vote's state-based plan for nationwide popular election of the President, and the filing of its first legislative bill by Democratic, Republican, and Independent state senators in Illinois.
National Popular Vote's advisory board includes former Congressman Tom Campbell (R-California), former Senator David Durenberger (R-Minnesota), and former Senator and astronaut Jake Garn (R-Utah).
“This plan, the ‘Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote’ is an innovative, politically practical approach to achieve the goal of nationwide popular election of the President. It has my enthusiastic support.” - John B. Anderson (R–Illinois and Independent presidential candidate)
“The ingenious approach put forward in this book provides, for the first time, a solution that is achievable. It does not rely on unrealistic assumptions. It can be implemented, if the very people who are relatively disenfranchised in our country will only be awakened to how to do it.” –Tom Campbell (R–California)
“The President and Vice President should be chosen by the same method every other elective office in this country is filled—by citizen voters of the United States in a system which counts each vote equally. ...I unequivocally support this new strategy to provide for the direct election of the President and Vice President. This new approach is consistent with the Constitution...It’s refreshing to know states have the ability under the Constitution to step up and create the sensible solution Americans have long been supporting.” - Birch Bayh (D–Indiana)
"The people have supported the direct election of the president for over fifty years. In this book Dr. Koza suggests a way for states to come together and make it happen. ...I strongly support and applaud any good-faith effort to make the direct election of the president a reality and commend to you the intriguing approach offered in the Agreement Among States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote described in this book" - John Buchanan (R-Alabama)
"What makes the National Popular Vote plan particularly promising is how neatly it fits in with American traditions. A century ago it was states that first established women's suffrage and direct election of U.S. Senators. Under the U.S. Constitution it is states that have the power to fix our broken presidential election system. This book provides the roadmap." - Chellie Pingree, President of Common Cause
The most intriguing aspect of their plan is we would implement a National Popular Vote without a constitutional amendment. The electoral college would stay in place, and states would exercise their power in the state legislature by setting state laws awarding electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote.
Sorry...I don't wany NY and LA determining who is president!
I think "Go To Hell" covers it pretty well.
Internet voting will be next.
Right on!!
No Thanks.
This would be a disaster.........
I don't think you can do this WITHOUT a Constitutional Ammendment. The electoral college is there for good reason. The election of 2000 is a case in point!
I think they did go to Hell, and brought back this plan.
The popular vote have elected Al Gore. Enough said.
What about the 30 states where Republican's win by such a solid majority there is no incentive to encourage bigger turnout? Think about states like Texas, and the entire south where we could bring new voters out.
I thought electors were chosen by the Party? State law could mandate how the elector is supposed to vote -- but I rather suspect that the elector could confidently ignore that law.
Exactly - California, Texas, Florida and New York would decide who our president would be. The rest of the country would be out of luck.
A swap of 60,000 votes in Ohio and Kerry would have been President even though Bush had 3.5 MILLION more votes. How would that be fair?
Pretty d@mn easy to insult dead men. In another life, I hope you meet 72 Virginians!
Let me play devils advocate for a second (I am not sure I beleive what I am about to say, but I am contemplating it).
Right now, the votes in NY and CA are a total blowout against GOP presidential candidates. Because the GOP has no chance of getting 51% it does not even bother to campaign there. But, if this was a national popular election, then the GOP would campaign there, and maybe it wouldn't be such a blowout. Any thoughts?
John Anderson was a Republican? Well blow me down...
Why would a vote in those big states be worth anymore than a vote in a little state? They wouldn't they'd both be exactly equal.
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