Quote:
Originally Posted by M1031
We, the voters, FIRED his stupid a$$.
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Actually, the popular vote chose Big Al as our Fearless Leader. The Electoral College chose Junior as POTUS instead.
There is a move quietly afoot in half the states to enter into a 'Compact" that would legally bind a state's electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. Can you imagine the outcry in the event the voters of State "X" ever soundly defeat candidate B, but then that State's electors unanimously vote for "B" anyway because the other states' voters picked "B"??? By the time that happens, it will be too late. The Kool-Ade will have been digested.
This Compact is a way to work around the Constitution in order to have the popular vote instead of electoral college pick the President. There is some public sentiment for this, as today many people think their vote doesn't count. Be careful what you ask for, your vote really won't count if national popular vote goes through. It would be equal to abolishing the Senate, and letting the House of Representatives being the sole lawmaking body.
I live in a State where the population in the 9 counties around Manhattan override the population in the other 54 counties. We have some "interesting'" laws as a result.
If popular vote chose the President, a candidate would only have to carry LA, NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, and a few other cities to win. You would never see candidates concentrating on getting votes in the Rockies, Appalachia, or the Great Plains. And could you imagine the recount nightmare in a close race? You would have to recount the whole country, not just one state like in 2000. It would be much easier for a big-city machine to steal a win by cheating.
The problem with the current system is the "winner take all" electoral vote rule in most states. Maine has it right, and I think that is what the forefathers had envisioned. Each Congressional district seat chooses its own winner, plus there are two statewide winners that represent the Senator's seats. Candidates couldn't just carry NYC or Chicago and get ALL the state's votes, the rural areas would get their own votes. There would be more diversity of policy entering into the discussion.
Of course, this will not happen. Centralizing the process with either "winner take all" electors or a national popular vote will continue to enable the bloc-meisters' magic spells and keep the "Ins" in power. The "Ins" are smart enough to not allow changes that are not in their own interest.