Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

More states consider working around the Electoral College
AP via Philly.com ^ | 12/23/2016 | SUSAN HAIGH

Posted on 12/23/2016 1:46:31 PM PST by dirtboy

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Frustrated after seeing another candidate secure the presidency without winning the national popular vote, mostly Democratic lawmakers in several capitols want their states to join a 10-year-old movement to work around the Electoral College.

In states including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Mexico, legislators have said they plan to introduce legislation that would require their state's Electoral College voters cast ballots for the presidential candidate who earns the most votes nationwide, regardless of the statewide results.

"Every vote in this country should have equal weight. The Electoral College is a relic of a bygone era, and we need to change this system," said Connecticut state Sen. Mae Flexer, who filed a bill with several fellow Democrats requiring Connecticut to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

Since 2006, 11 states have signed onto the compact, which require their Electoral College voters to cast ballots for the national popular vote winner. In theory it would take effect once it involves states representing at least 270 electoral votes, the threshold to win the presidency.

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: electoralcollege; trumptransition
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-126 next last
To: 2ndDivisionVet

They will scream, whine, and yell that it is unconstitutional, as if they cared.


41 posted on 12/23/2016 2:33:46 PM PST by piytar (http://www.truthrevolt.org/videos/bill-whittle-number-one-bullet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

Another posting of the same article, different souce with some 88 comments
at this time if anyone would be interested in reading thru them. It will be
interesting to see how this catches on over the next few years.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3507683/posts?
More States Consider Working Around the Electoral College


42 posted on 12/23/2016 2:38:24 PM PST by deport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RichardMoore
It’s hard to maintain a Republic. 200+ years and it takes real commitment, which I fear may be sorely lacking these days

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government.

It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury.

43 posted on 12/23/2016 2:39:11 PM PST by TYVets
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

Texas needs to join with several other states with a combined total of more than 270 electoral votes and all enact legislation prohibiting their states from ever entering into this compact. That would end this stupidity once and for all.


44 posted on 12/23/2016 2:43:45 PM PST by Bubba_Leroy (Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

How stupid is this? The GOP controls something around 3O states, so there will be no changes there. If the remaining states vote to split their electors by some formula (Maine) they just make it harder on their own nominee since the Republican can gain even more votes by splitting Blue states.


45 posted on 12/23/2016 2:43:56 PM PST by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

Did these states “sign on” to idea of a compact with the blessings of their citizens? I wonder how these blessings were given—referendum, proposition, amendment, court decision?


46 posted on 12/23/2016 2:44:24 PM PST by yetidog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Sons of Liberty

No, It would go to the Supreme Court and be ruled unconstitutional. Game over, they lose.


47 posted on 12/23/2016 2:45:39 PM PST by chuckb87
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy
Trump won narrowly in Pennsylvania, which has a Democrat governor - and yet the Republicans hold a veto-proof majority in the legislature. Likewise, the PA congressional delegation is lopsidedly Republican. This is attributable to the fact that compact districts tend to produce lopsidedly Democrat districts in cities and - correspondingly - many more reasonably comfortable Republican districts. I would not expect a veto-proof Republican PA legislature to go out of its way to assure Democrat presidencies, which is what this scheme is obviously intends.

A few years back the Republicans proposed to adopt the Nebraska Plan, and were dissuaded by a Democrat counterproposal for Voter ID - which was duly enacted, and duly invalidated in court, as the Democrats no doubt expected.

As I noted above, Republicans dominate the PA congressional delegation - and the Nebraska Plan would consistently have helped Republican presidential candidates in all elections between Reagan and Trump.


48 posted on 12/23/2016 2:46:29 PM PST by conservatism_IS_compassion (The idea around which ‘liberalism’ coheres is that NOTHING actually matters except PR.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Professional; RichardMoore; Dawgreg
Yes things are cyclical. That is, if there isn't any reason to cause a long term change, they are. We're at a long term change moment.

Bush the elder and G.W., were not the type of men to change things up. They went along to get along. There was no new breathtaking change of direction. They didn't contrast good with bad, the wayward Leftist with tried and true Conservative principles. We drifted under them.

Trump has come along and heralded Conservatism. Not he hasn't done it by name, but the principles are there. He's contrasting good policy against the bad. We are witnessing a sea change in politics.

Unlike those two louts I just mentioned, Trump is addressing a broad spectrum of Leftist goals, tactics, and institutions. He's leaving no stone unturned.

The Left is irate because they recognize this. It isn't just political, it's ideological to the max. He is going to rip them to shreds.

Right now the Left is doing self-assessment. They are looking at what happened to the party in 1972, and how far they have gone down the Rabbit Hole since.

In short the Governer's are 33 to 15 Republican. Republicans have 25 veto proof states, absolute control. The Democrats have 6 veto proof states, absolute control. Look at these figurs: (a href="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3495919/posts">LINK

Democrats are having to come to terms with what they have done to themselves. They can continue on in their present direction and alienate themselves further, or they can come back toward the center and compete on more solid ground.

If they continue on Left, they will marginalize themselves right out of existence. If they move right, the Republicans still win, for the same reason nobody votes for Leftist Republicans. If you want the real Leftist, vote for one. If you want the real Conservative, you vote for one. You don't vote for a pretender.

As Trump moves though this next four years and tried and true political decisions are proven to move the nation forward again, the Democrats won't have a chance in 2020.

I predict it's 2024, before they have a remote chance, and then the public will vote for Pence to continue Trump's achievements. This means that in all likelihood, it's 2032 before the Democrats have a chance again.

If Pence proves to be half the guy I think he is, the nation will want more of the same, not a break from success.

As this moves forward, legislatures move farther Right, not Left.

The Democrats have only one chance. If they were to go full tilt Right and try to out Right Conservatism, they could make headway. If they did, who would have won? The nation would have.

The Democrat party is dead in the water right now.

49 posted on 12/23/2016 2:46:43 PM PST by DoughtyOne (jcon40, "Are we be coming into the age of Sanity?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne
Sorry I muffed that link:

Look at these figures: LINK

50 posted on 12/23/2016 2:47:47 PM PST by DoughtyOne (jcon40, "Are we be coming into the age of Sanity?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: chuckb87
No, It would go to the Supreme Court and be ruled unconstitutional. Game over, they lose.

I would normally think so too, but in the bizarro world these days who knows what the SCOTUS would do? After all they said 0bamacare was Constitutional - TWICE!

51 posted on 12/23/2016 2:50:16 PM PST by The Sons of Liberty (Which is more believable - screaming insane libs, or the russkies?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

So basically they since they want the citizens of Mexico to vote in our election, they would,prefer Mexico to decide the president and not the state’s own citizens .


52 posted on 12/23/2016 2:51:15 PM PST by seastay
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne

Thanks, and I pray that you are right. Death to traitors, death to socialism...


53 posted on 12/23/2016 2:52:24 PM PST by Professional
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

And the minute a Republican wins the popular vote and loses the electoral college, these states will suspend this immediately.


54 posted on 12/23/2016 2:54:06 PM PST by Rastus (#NeverHillary #AlwaysTrump)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Professional

Thank you. If Trump is half the man I think he is, after watching him the last 18 months, it’s looking more and more like I am right.


55 posted on 12/23/2016 3:03:28 PM PST by DoughtyOne (jcon40, "Are we be coming into the age of Sanity?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

Why doesn’t Connecticutt ask NY state to annex it. Then, it would not have to be concerned as a standalone state.

By giving up the Electoral College, they are giving up their influence in the presidential election.


56 posted on 12/23/2016 3:07:51 PM PST by TomGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

they plan to introduce legislation that would require their state’s Electoral College voters cast ballots for the presidential candidate who earns the most votes nationwide, regardless of the statewide results.

That would be unconstitutional, stupid.


57 posted on 12/23/2016 3:20:21 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway - "Enjoy Yourself" ala Louis Prima)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

Any legislature that supports this makes their state irrelevant.


58 posted on 12/23/2016 3:22:01 PM PST by mak5
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne

STUNT-FILLED tantrums.

Oh that’s nice. Turn your face as blue as you wish, dear.


59 posted on 12/23/2016 3:30:33 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: HiTech RedNeck

Yes... please! “:^)


60 posted on 12/23/2016 3:31:52 PM PST by DoughtyOne (jcon40, "Are we be coming into the age of Sanity?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-126 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson