North Carolina and California Electoral College fixes

[This_person]

This has probably been in here, posted and discussed, and I just missed it. But, if not, I like the North Carolina and California initiatives being discussed. Give the votes based upon Congressional Districts?! Sounds like a fair and decent idea.

It's interesting to see the way it's discussed in the media, though. The concept is referred to by Newsweek as:

Mischief-makers in California (Republicans) and North Carolina (Democrats) are at work on changes that would subvert the system for momentary advantage and—in ways the political world is only beginning to understand—dramatically increase the odds that a Republican will be elected president in 2008....
Instead of laboring in vain to turn California Red, a clever lawyer for the state Republican Party thought of a gimmicky shortcut...
The Presidential Election Reform Act would award the state's electoral votes based on who wins each congressional district...
The monkey business underway this month in North Carolina is just as egregious—though with only three or four electoral votes at stake, probably less consequential. Democrats, who usually lose the state in presidential contests but control the legislature and the governor's mansion, make no secret of their desire to win partisan advantage by going to the congressional-district formula.

So, Republicans and Democrats are doing the same thing. Democrats are making "no secret of their desire to win partisan advantage", but it's "less consequential", so it's okay. However, Republicans - who seem to be seeking fair representation - are "subert(ing) the system" through a "gimmicky shortcut".

I think electoral votes based upon congressional districts makes great sense. What do you think?

 

[Bavarian]

Well, at least it is better than the crazy idea Dyson pushed through here in Maryland. It says, MD's electors are pledged to vote for the winner of the NATIONAL popular vote.
One needs to stop and think that the current system has served us well since 1788. I don't like hasty change made for current partisan benefit.

 

[awpitt]

I think electoral votes based upon congressional districts makes great sense. What do you think?

This is a good idea. Allocate the state's electoral votes based on congressional districts then award the two extra votes (two senators) based on the statwide popular vote.

 

[This_person]

This is a good idea. Allocate the state's electoral votes based on congressional districts then award the two extra votes (two senators) based on the statwide popular vote.

I think it's funny the way it's reported, though. The Republicans are being sneaky, the Democrats are doing nothing wrong since they control the state legislature and executive of the state they're doing the same thing in!

 

[mrweb]

I think it's funny the way it's reported, though. The Republicans are being sneaky, the Democrats are doing nothing wrong since they control the state legislature and executive of the state they're doing the same thing in!

Did you read the entire article? Here, I'll paraphrase:

"The monkey business underway this month in North Carolina is just as egregious..."

 

[This_person]

Did you read the entire article? Here, I'll paraphrase:

"The monkey business underway this month in North Carolina is just as egregious..."

I did, and even posted that quote in the first post. The rest of that sentence is "—though with only three or four electoral votes at stake, probably less consequential."

Where's the "-though, here's a reason not to think too badly about the California plan" statement?

There isn't one, that's my point.

And, the North Carolina plan isn't explained until the California plan is fully comdemned with innuendo and supposition.

That's all, I just thought it was funny. Sounds like a good way to do it, though, exactly as awpitt describes above.

 

[ImnoMensa]

The electoral college should be left alone.

 

[This_person]

The electoral college should be left alone.

The proposals aren't to get rid of the electoral college, like the Maryland law effectively did. The proposals are to divide up the votes of the electoral college so that everyone's vote counts, instead of just the larger city votes.

 

[Pete]

Is Maryland giving votes based on the national popular vote actually a law or a proposal?

 

[MMDad]

Is Maryland giving votes based on the national popular vote actually a law or a proposal?

MSNBC:

Updated: 11:17 a.m. ET April 11, 2007
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland officially became the first state on Tuesday to approve a plan to give its electoral votes for president to the winner of the national popular vote instead of the candidate chosen by state voters.

Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, signed the measure into law, one day after the state's General Assembly adjourned.

The measure would award Maryland's 10 electoral votes to the national popular vote winner. The plan would only take effect if states representing a majority of the nation's 538 electoral votes decided to make the same change.

 

[Pete]

MSNBC:

And since there is little chance the majority of states will turn socialist it is moot?

 

[MMDad]

And since there is little chance the majority of states will turn socialist it is moot?

Since few states are as socialist as Maryland, we could always hope for the best. I doubt more moderate states would fall for this gimmick, but since the socialists fooled the electorate for the last congressional election, who knows?

 

[czygvtwkr]

This is the way I said it should be done in 2001.

Marylands "law" actually benefits the Republicans since the Democrats always win the votes in Maryland. I wonder if those that voted for it realized that....

 

[Pete]

Since few states are as socialist as Maryland, we could always hope for the best. I doubt more moderate states would fall for this gimmick, but since the socialists fooled the electorate for the last congressional election, who knows?

I wonder if someone is going to challenge this in court now or wait until an election hinges on the results and then hold the country hostage for weeks while it is heard and appealed?

 

[MMDad]

I wonder if someone is going to challenge this in court now or wait until an election hinges on the results and then hold the country hostage for weeks while it is heard and appealed?

We can always hope for the former, but we'll get the latter.

 

[ImnoMensa]

This is the way I said it should be done in 2001.

Marylands "law" actually benefits the Republicans since the Democrats always win the votes in Maryland. I wonder if those that voted for it realized that....

If it is as you say ,and this helps the Repubicans, you can rest assured the morons in Maryland who voted for it did not realise that.

 

[This_person]

I wonder if someone is going to challenge this in court now or wait until an election hinges on the results and then hold the country hostage for weeks while it is heard and appealed?

As incredibly stupid as the law is, I wonder what the court challenge could actually be. The Constitution just says that the votes will be in accordance with the state's law. If the law said our electoral college votes always went to the LOSER, or always to the highest bidder, or anything else, I could see a challenge based on the INTENT of the Constitution, but not the letter.