National Popular Vote bill introduces another way to choose a leader

GateHouse News Service ^ | Sun Nov 16, 2008 | Jennifer Fusco

[presidio9]

The Founding Fathers and I are all awaiting a certain flat-topped gentleman with a striped tie and a headache who should, no doubt, be along shortly...

[trumandogz]

The founding fathers were wise to develop the Electoral College and the system seems to work quite well.

[Yench500]

Senator Griffo typifies the kind of Republicans we have in the People’s Republic of New York—those who resemble thick skinned four legged animals with a prominent horn—a RhINO.

[dep]

if new york is in favor of it, you can bet that it’s designed to increase the influence of . . . new york.

the protections of the electoral college are crucial to the republic and to the voice of those of us who do not live in cities or on the coasts and who nevertheless have the temerity to think that it’s our country, too.

[org.whodat]

Stands about as much a chance as a snow ball in hell!!

[johnthebaptistmoore]

It’s too bad that it will eventually be abolished asap, thanks to the ongoing leftist political dominance at the federal level and, soon, at the judicial level as well. Sad.

[Tanniker Smith]

We in New York know how it feels to be treated as if we were politically irrelevant — an entire state and its voters are ignored by one party and taken for granted by the other,

And this bill furthers the irrelevancy.
Why would either party come to New York, except, of course, to raise money from the millionaires that live here?

I don't like the idea at all -- even though it would give the GOP a shot and winning New York.

[Mustng959]

The Constitution needs to stay AS IS. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.

[gwilhelm56]

Senator Griffo... while it would be nice to have the red majority of NY’s voice heard, I would rather it be heard by REAL REPUBLICANS (oxymoron?) who have enough respect for the CONSTITUTION(remember THAT?) to leave things ALONE.

PowerHungry Democrats and Worthless, Spineless RINO’s Scare the HELL out of ME when they start talking like they understand the Constitution better than the Founding Fathers did.

[P8riot]

The only thing I’d change about the Electoral College system would be to allocate the votes by Congressional district, not “winner take all.”

[FlingWingFlyer]

The Constitution needs to stay AS IS. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.

[trumandogz]

The Electoral College worked out quite well for the Liberals this year. Obama only won the popular vote by 5% but won the Electoral College by more than 2:1.

My guess is that the leftists like the Electoral College now that their man won by a Landslide.

[RC2]

People may want to take a look at this before deciding. It makes sense. http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa102200a.htm

[RightWhale]

States with smaller population than NY and California would be less than enthusiastic about this proposal.

[dep]

if he's interested in new york becoming politically relevent, then he needs to take some action where he might have some influence: requiring registration to close 30 days before the primary and closing the primary to all but republican voters. then amending the rules -- in new york, where the different regions vote differently -- to assign delegates proportionally. one of the problems this last time round was that the nominee was chosen in primaries in states which he did not carry and had no hope of carrying.

frankly, i'd favor a republican party rule that allowed delegates from the states reflecting the outcome of the last three presidential elections in those states, as well. rounding up, of course, so somebody from rhode island could attend.

[PhiKapMom]

I agree with the Congressional seats being able to get an electoral vote although it wouldn’t have made a difference in OK as all our counties went for McCain. That would still give the state two electoral votes for statewide but it would make a difference in states with huge cities versus Inland areas of placed like CA.

[Sola Veritas]

“The only thing I’d change about the Electoral College system would be to allocate the votes by Congressional district, not ‘winner take all.’”

I fully concurr.

[SECURE AMERICA]

Once you begin changing the US Constitution for political expediency, you have stepped on the slippery slope and may be surprised how quickly other changes happen. Changes you may not like.
If the Republican party wants to win an election they should run a candidate that is not just Democrat Lite...
Give American a real Conservative and the will vote them in over a liberal or socialist everytime..

[Bob]

“The only thing I’d change about the Electoral College system would be to allocate the votes by Congressional district, not ‘winner take all.’”

I fully concurr.

That could happen by a vote of the legislatures in each of the states. Two states (IIRC, Maine and Nebraska) already use this system. It either has not been challenged or has withstood any challenges on constitutional grounds.

The determination as to how electors are to be chosen was specifically left to the states. Nothing in the US Constitution requires that a winner-take-all system be used.

[deport]

I think a couple of states already award the EC vote based upon CD winner and the two Senator votes on statewide winner. Maine and Nebraska?